2008 Aeroflot

Standings after Round 1: Group A1: 19 IM Sebag, Marie 1.0 FRA 2510 45 WGM Hou, Yifan 0.5 CHN 2527 Group A2: 14 IM Ushenina, Anna 1.0 UKR 2484 23 IM Harika, Dronavalli 1.0 IND 2455 65 Ju, Wenjun 0.5 CHN F 2360 75 IM Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina 0.0 RUS 2455 86 WGM Mongontuul, Bathuyag 0.0 MGL 2389 87 IM Ovod, Evgenija 0.0 RUS 2386 88 IM Tairova, Elena 0.0 RUS 2386 Group B: 5 WIM Charochkina, Daria 1.0 RUS 2383 7 IM Vasilevich, Irina 1.0 RUS 2378 26 WFM Bodnaruk, Anastasia 1.0 RUS 2317 31 WFM Paikidze, Nazi 1.0 GEO 2311 33 Zhang, Xiaowen 1.0 CHN 2309 37 FM Gunina, Valentina 1.0 RUS 2295 41 WIM Kashlinskaya, Alina 1.0 RUS 2276 43 WIM Yanjindulam, Dulamsuren 1.0 MGL 2256 46 Zenyuk, Iryna 1.0 USA 2227 58 WGM Kovanova, Baira 0.5 RUS 2348 62 WGM Kursova, Maria 0.5 RUS 2333 64 WGM Romanko, Marina 0.5 RUS 2322 113 WIM Iljushina, Olga 0.0 RUS 2268 114 WIM Tarasova, Viktoriya 0.0 RUS 2267 116 Lestari, Baiq Vina 0.0 INA 2263 122 WIM Kharashuta, Ekaterina 0.0 RUS 2222 128 WFM Kineva, Ekaterina 0.0 RUS 2204 129 WFM Nikolaeva, Alexandra 0.0 RUS 2201 130 WFM Gasik, Anna 0.0 POL 2200 Group C: 21 WIM Grigorova, Irina 1.0 RUS 2143 37 Kushka, Alena 1.0 RUS 2052 38 Kuznetsova, Tatiana 1.0 RUS 2051 43 Gvilava, Maya 1.0 RUS 2039 44 Jussupow, Ekaterina 1.0 GER 2030 48 Golban, Ludmila 1.0 MDA 1910 49 Chkartina, Gerhana 1.0 INA 0 73 Severina, Maria 0.5 RUS 1918 74 Tomnikova, Lidia 0.5 RUS 1888 75 Mukhina, Marina 0.5 RUS 1872 76 Abdumalik, Zhansaya 0.5 KAZ 0 89 WFM Fakhretdinova, Margarita 0.0 RUS 2160 98 Batzaya, Yanjav 0.0 MGL 2039 100 Yakupova, Aysyla 0.0 RUS 2003 102 Korytina, Natalia 0.0 KAZ 1995 116 Tikhomirova, Vera N. 0.0 RUS 1702 119 Artemenko, Rimma 0.0 RUS 1571 124 Duc, Marie 0.0 FRA 0 125 Estheria, Liana 0.0 INA 0 137 Valeva, Zlatina Hristova 0.0 BUL 0 139 Zheleva, Iliana 0.0 BUL 0 140 Zheleva, Milena 0.0 BUL 0

Er...

Take a look at this story and the cartoon accompanying it:

From Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online
WHEN IN DOUBT, MOVE THE QUEEN
By: Darlene Creamer
Published: 15 Feb 08 - 0:00

Diversified miner BHP Billiton’s offer of 3,4 of its own shares for each Rio Tinto share has failed to impress Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese, who continues to maintain that the all-share offer under-values his company. Both Rio boards aver that BHP Billiton’s offer, “while improved, still fails to recognise the underlying value of Rio Tinto’s quality assets and prospects”. Once again, they have moved the queen in this fascinating game of corporate chess.
*************************************************************************************
No, I didn't catch this article because our investment club is thinking about purchasing some shares of BHP :) What I want to know is - where's the queen? In the cartoon the bishop is saying "check" - but obviously, only the King can be in check, not the queen. Er, I think the writer rather missed the point of her "move the queen" analogy...

Was the Stanway Board Game Used in Divination?

The board game excavated in a Roman era grave near Colchester in England first broke into the news in 1996. It's back in the news again, with this report at the Discovery Channel:

Druid Grave Unearthed in U.K.?
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

Feb. 11, 2008 -- Historical records tell of a mystical, priestly and learned class of elite individuals called Druids among Celtic societies in Britain, but there has been no archaeological evidence of their existence. Until, perhaps, now.

A series of graves found in a gravel quarry at Stanway near Colchester, Essex, have been dated to 40-60 A.D. At least one of the burials, it appears, may have been that of a Druid, according to a report published in British Archaeology.

Mike Pitts is the journal's editor and an archaeologist. He studied classical Greek and Roman texts that mention the Druids in early France and Britain. The most detailed description, Pitts found, dates to 55 B.C. and comes from Roman military and political leader Julius Caesar.

"Druids, he says, were prestigious ritual specialists who performed human sacrifices, acted as judges in disputes, were excused action in battle and taught the transmigration of souls -- when you die, your soul is passed on to another living being," Pitts told Discovery News.

Other historians link the Druids to soothsaying and healing practices.

Within the wooden, chambered burial site, researchers have excavated a wine warmer, cremated human remains, a cloak pinned with brooches, a jet bead, divining rods (for fortune-telling), a series of surgical instruments, a strainer bowl last used to brew Artemisia-containing tea, a board game carefully laid out with pieces in play, as well as other objects.

"This person was clearly a specialist and also clearly wealthy and powerful, as indicated by the special grave and its apparent location within the compound of a 'chief.' That would all fit Caesar's Druid," he said, adding that Caesar likely also visited Stanway during his lifetime.

The surgical kit found in the grave includes iron and copper alloy scalpels, a surgical saw, hooks, needles, forceps and probes. Pitts said the collection mirrors basic medical tools from other parts of the Roman world.

The board game and its arranged pieces, however, are anything but common. None other like it has ever been found at Roman-era sites in Great Britain.

Surviving metal corners and hinges from the board allowed Pitts to reconstruct it as an 8-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Raised sides suggest dice might have been used. The white and blue glass counters were positioned with care. Some were straight across the sides, another in a diagonal line and one white marker close to the board's center.

Pitts believes the game may have been another "divination tool," along with the rods, jet bead and scent bottles also excavated at Stanway.

Philip Crummy, director of the Colchester Archaeological Trust, told Discovery News that the person in the burial could very well have been a Druid "given the healing and divination attributes -- assuming that Druids could be trained in these skills."

Crummy agrees with Pitts that such individuals would have been "near the top of the social scale in Iron Age Britain."

He is, however, not yet convinced the person was Celtic, since the medical kit was "fairly Romanized" and the individual may have acted "like a Roman surgeon/doctor would have done."

"Divination was widely practiced in the Roman world too," he added.

Because of site's age and location, Pitts is more inclined to believe the person was indeed a Celtic Druid and could have been closely related to Cunobelin, a chief or king of the Catuvellauni tribe.

William Shakespeare immortalized Cunobelin as "Cymbeline" in a play of that same name. Cunobelin's sons led a heroic, yet failed, resistance against Roman Emperor Claudius' invasion of England in 43 A.D.

White Stag in Scotland

Wow! This reminded me of the story I published back in October about a small group of white (not albino) deer in northern Wisconsin - there was a stag in the photograph in that article.

There is also a very large albino moose (female) running around in Montana (in photo).

Here's the story about the Scottish white stag:

From The Times
February 12, 2008
‘Mystical’ white stag roams Highlands
Melanie Reid

Since time immemorial it was a messenger from the afterlife, a mystical creature that chilled the blood of kings and commoners alike. But now a young white stag has appeared in the Highlands of Scotland, gathering his own legends.

The John Muir Trust, a conservation body, yesterday confirmed that a white stag is living at a secret location on the West Coast. He is believed to be the only white example of a red deer in Britain.

Officials have not disclosed the location where he has been spotted, but they confirmed that he was genuine by releasing photographic footage from two different sightings.

The most recent was two weeks ago when he had grown antlers and was running with a herd of other stags, wearing his heavy winter coat and in good condition, despite a harsh January. The first sighting had been last summer after he had shed his horns and was in his sleek coat.

Fran Lockhart, 45, from the trust, was on a field trip when she became the first person to catch the stag on film. She said: “It was quite thrilling – amazing to crawl up so close to such a magnificent-looking animal. He looked almost ghostlike next to the group of young red stags that he was mixing with. When he’s not moving he’s quite well camouflaged – he looks like a boulder covered in lichen.

“The wind was in my favour and I watched him for about 45 minutes. He and his wee bachelor herd were grazing along the hillside before me.”

An encounter with a white deer is said to bring about profound change in a person’s life, but Ms Lockhart said she had none to report. “I should have bought a lottery ticket the day I saw him,” she said ruefully.

The stag is believed to be young, perhaps 6 or 7 years old, and will not reach full maturity until 9 or 10. Conservationists say there is a chance that he might go on to sire white offspring when he mates. His colouring is from a recessive gene.

White deer are often mistakenly thought to be albinos, but their unusual condition is caused by leucism, a rare genetic pattern that causes a reduction in the pigment in the animal’s hair and skin. Unlike albinos, which have characteristically red eyes, deer with leucism have normal colouring in their eyes.

The John Muir Trust safeguards some of the largest areas of Scottish wilderness, but is refusing to hint where the stag is for fear of poachers.

The last recorded wild white stag in Britain was shot by poachers in October last year on the border between Devon and Cornwall. Farmers and gamekeepers, who called him Snowy, had kept quiet about the stag’s whereabouts in an attempt to protect him. The killing provoked outrage. The stag’s 300lb (136kg) body was found decapitated, suggesting that the head had been taken as a trophy.

Those who did the killing challenged centuries of legend, which says that those who kill a sacred white stag bring down a curse upon their heads.

Special Chess Trainer from Russia

Hmmmm, how much money does a family have to be able to fork over 30,000 euros for a Russian chess trainer for one student? From Sabah English Edition February 14, 2008 A family in Izmir has brought in a special chess trainer from Russia for 30 thousand Euros a year. Russian trainer Nadyrhanov spends three weeks a month giving chess lessons to 18-year-old chess player Emre Can. Millions of children start taking chess lessons in elementary school and families bring trainers from Russia for a monthly payment of 3000 Euros.Chess became an elective class at elementary schools in 2005 and has increasingly become a sports field for the masses. As the number of masters in chess is limited, families have started to search for international trainers, especially from Russia and Azerbaijan. Eighteen-year-old Emre Can's family has hired Sergey Nadyrhanov as his chess trainer. Emre Can is national chess team player. Emre's family has only one wish: "seeing their son reach the top in this sport."

Writing Changed the World

A nice summary/overview of how writing changed the world. From redorbit.com: Posted on: Monday, 11 February 2008, 10:36 CST How Writing Changed the World Each Monday, this column turns a page in history to explore the discoveries, events and people that continue to affect the history being made today. Humans had been speaking for a couple hundred thousand years before they got the inspiration or nerve to mark their ideas down for posterity. But when a Mesopotamian people called the Sumerians finally did scratch out a few bookkeeping symbols on clay tablets 5,000 years ago, they unknowingly started a whole new era in history we call, well … history. The presence of written sources denotes the technical dividing line between what scholars classify as prehistory versus what they call history, which starts at different times depending on what part of the world you're studying. In most places, writing started about the same time ancient civilizations emerged from hunter-gatherer communities, probably as a way to keep track of the new concept of "property," such as animals, grain supplies or land. By 3000 B.C. in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), and then soon after in Egypt, and by 1500 B.C. in China, people were scribbling, sketching and telling their world about their culture in a very permanent way. When memory failed When ancient Mesopotamians started settling down onto farms surrounding the first cities, life became a bit more complicated. Agriculture required expertise and detailed recordkeeping, two elements that led directly to the invention of writing, historians say. The first examples of writing were pictograms used by temple officials to keep track of the inflows and outflows of the city's grain and animal stores which, in the bigger Sumerian urban centers such as Ur, were big enough to make counting by memory unreliable. Officials began using standardized symbols — rather than, say, an actual picture of a goat — to represent commodities, scratched into soft clay tablets with a pointed reed that had been cut into a wedge shape. Archaeologists call this first writing "cuneiform," from the Latin "cuneus," meaning wedge. The system developed quickly to incorporate signs that represented sounds, and soon all of Mesopotamia was taking notes, making to-do lists and (presumably) writing love letters. Egyptian writing — the famous hieroglyphics — developed independently not long thereafter, under similar circumstances, historians think. A few thousand years later, as variations on the two systems spread throughout the region, the entire ancient world had writing schemes that vastly improved the efficiency of economies, the accountability of governments and, maybe most importantly to us, our understanding of the past. Literacy a privilege Reading and writing in ancient times wasn't for the masses, however. Daily life in Mesopotamia and Egypt was time-consuming, and so writing became a specialized profession, usually for members of the elite class. The highly-regarded scribes of ancient Mesopotamia were even depicted in art wearing cuneiform writing implements (a bit like a set of chopsticks) in their belts as a mark of their importance. Literacy remained a privilege of aristocratic males in most societies all the way until the 19th-century, when public education became more widespread around the world. That means that while the historical period is exponentially better understood than the experiences of humans before writing was invented, written accounts are largely about the experiences of the upper classes, historians say. About one in five people today, concentrated mostly in Third World nations, are illiterate.

Viking Women Had Sexy Style

Well really, what else would they have done - make themselves intentionally ugly? Women have been well, women, throughout history. We like pretty things and we like making ourselves pretty. Neolithic gals wore miniskirts, jewelery and their hair in up-dos. Sometimes archaeologists and historians can be so - dense! Published: 11 Feb 08 17:54 CET Online: http://www.thelocal.se/9950/ Women who lived in the major Viking settlement called Birka in the 9th and 10th centuries dressed in a much more provocative manner than previously believed. When the area around Lake Mälaren was Christianized about a century later, women’s dress style became more modest, according to archaeologist Annika Larsson. Previously, it was thought that Viking ladies wore a long garment held up by braces, made of square pieces of wool whose front and back sides were contained with a belt. The characteristic decorative circular buckles, a common find at many Viking-era grave sites, were believed to have been worn at the collarbone. “The excavations which were done way back in the 1800s showed that this is not correct, and that the buckles instead were placed centrally over each breast. The traditional interpretation is that the buckles fell down to the waist after the body decomposed, but that is a prudish reconstruction,” says archaeologist Larsson. Her theory is based partly upon a recent discovery in the Russian town of Pskov, Novgorod, which is located on the trade routes which took the Vikings eastward. Substantial finds in Russia of Viking women’s wear have provided a better understanding than could previously be gleaned from the small bits of fabric discovered at Birka, a major Viking island settlement some 30 kilometers West of Stockholm. “The (Russian) discovery is totally inconsistent with the way the Viking women are usually depicted. For example, that part of the garment which was assumed to be the front is too broad. I don’t think it was a front, but was instead worn behind like a train,” explains the researcher. Larsson’s theory that the well-dressed Viking woman’s garment was open at the front and had a train is supported by a gilded bronze figure discovered in the county of Uppsala. She feels that some aspects of the heathen fashion were too much for Christian missionaries. ”One might imagine that the Christian church had some misgivings about a style of dress which emphasized the breast and in addition revealed the front of the linen blouse underneath. It is also possible that this outfit was associated with pagan rituals and was therefore forbidden,” Larsson speculates. The exhibit showing the new view about clothing in the age of the Vikings opened at Uppsala University’s Gustavium Museum on Friday, and will continue until September 24th. ******************************************************************************* What makes Larsson think the ladies wore blouses underneath their dresses, hmmmm?

Goddess Saraswati

From The Times of India Saraswati Puja celebrated with gaiety 12 Feb 2008, 0553 hrs IST,TNN PATNA: Saraswati Puja was celebrated here with traditional gaiety, religious fervour and spirit of pursuit of art and knowledge which goddess Saraswati provides. Pandals were put up at many places, including schools and art and music institutions, where the students and youths of different religions joined in the celebration and worshipped the Goddess. Cultural programmes were organised at different pandals and in schools. The day was also observed as Basant Panchami with the people offering abir and gulal to Goddess Saraswati and then smearing it at one another to mark the festive spirit. The day started with offering prayers at the pandals and at homes. Many people, particularly students and artists, were seen clad in basanti colour (light yellow) in schools, colleges and at puja pandals. At Bihar Sanskritik Vidyapith, the day was celebrated by worshipping the goddess and the day was also observed as Sanskrit Protection Day. Presiding over the function, Bharat Sadhu Samaj general secretary Swami Harinarayanand appealed to the people to follow the teachings propagated through the Sanatana Dharma to make the nation prosperous. Speaking on the occasion, former CM Jagannath Mishra said the budget allocation on education should be increased from three per cent of the GDP to six per cent. The participants at the function paid floral tributes to the Goddess. They included Lokayukt of Bihar Justice R N Prasad, Adyacharan Jha, Justice Rajendra Prasad, Justice B P Singh, Justice Bimalendu Narayan Sinha, former DGP R R Prasad and welfare minister Rameshwar Paswan. At Patna Central School, a fervour of devotion (bhakti) prevailed among the students and teachers. The school students presented Bihari folk dances, besides Rajasthani, Punjabi and Bengali dances and played musical instruments displaying their artistic talent. Founder of the school Acharya Sudarshan said, "Saraswati is the goddess of civilisation, culture, art, education, wisdom and human consciousness for a positive development." Another story about the celebration of Basant Panchami.

A Parent's Worst Nightmare

When she was 7 years old, she said the 50 year old roomer in her house sexually molested her. She contracted genital warts as a consequence of the assault. The man was convicted of sexual assault and served less than a year in jail. 22 years later, the victim sees the man's name at a website indicating that he is a volunteer chess teacher with young children. What would you do if you were her? This is a real life story, reported at Twincities.com on February 9, 2008.

2008 U.S. Amateur Team Championships

The "North" Team Championship is being hosted in my home town, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, heh! I just saw the news tonight. You can find the flyer here (in PDF). Briefly, the event will be held February 16-17, 2008 at the Best Western Hotel by the Milwaukee Airport (on South Howell Avenue). Room rate is $69 for the chess people. Early entry is closed as of February 10th but you can still register your team for $190 cash a player at the door. I wondered what makes this event "amateur" - it's the ratings. A team of four's average rating must be below 2200. Winners don't get any prize money, but they do get a chance to play in the national play-offs. There's going to be a lot of chess squeezed into two days - five games - three the first and two the second day, at different time controls (eek!) Good to see chess in Milwaukee. Back in the 1950's we hosted a lot of top-level events. I wish we could do more here.

Mormons - Off the Deep End

Very weird stuff reported at the Daily Grail today. I usually ignore UFO sightings, Mothman stuff, Bigfoot stuff, and 90% of the "far out, man" stuff about quarks and such :) This, however, was too good to pass up. No offense against the Mormons, but they do espouse some really bizarre beliefs - and - funding Bigfoot research??? Check out this blog entry by Loren Coleman over at Cryptomundo. Probably way more than you'd ever want to know, darlings! Cain as Bigfoot? And what's this business about Cain being the "second son" of Adam and Eve? I thought he was the firstborn who killed his younger brother, Abel. Then again, don't take my word for that - my bible thumping days are over for several years now - and I tossed out my copy of the Book of Mormon eons ago!

FINEC WGM Tournament

I wonder - has anyone done the math? I'd be willing to wager that there are more female chessplayers per capita in Russa than anywhere else in the world - even China! As part of the larger 2008 FINEC event held in St. Petersburg, Russia, January 24 - February 1, 2008, there was a WGM tournament. Here are the final standings (9 rounds): 1. Gromova, Iulia wm RUS 2219 5½ 2328 2. Molchanova, Tatjana wm RUS 2365 5½ 2312 3. Petrenko, Svetlana m MDA 2282 5½ 2321 4. Eidelson, Rakhil wg BLR 2184 5 2295 5. Doluhanova, Evgeniya wg UKR 2223 5 2291 6. Kuzevanova, Evgenia RUS 2167 4½ 2254 7. Solovjova, Valentina wm RUS 2221 4 2205 8. Matseyko, Katerina wg UKR 2301 4 2196 9. Kirillova, Varvara wm RUS 2271 3½ 2162 10. Lupik, Marina RUS 2222 2½ 2082

Macho Men - Keep Out!

From The New York Times Mexico City Journal On Single-Sex Buses, Relief From Unwanted Contact By MARC LACEY Published: February 11, 2008 MEXICO CITY — Body-to-body contact is inescapable on Mexico City’s crowded public transportation system. Get on a train or a bus during rush hour and a man in a business suit may have his arm resting against your shoulder, a woman toting a bulky shopping bag may have her back pressed against your flank, and a teenager listening to an iPod may tap his sneaker all over your newly shined left shoe. But many women complain that not all the contact is incidental. Among the 22 million passengers who use the bus and subway system daily, women say, are lecherous men taking advantage of the cheek-to-jowl conditions to leer and grope and then quietly disappear. “There are good men in Mexico, but they’re not the ones on public transport,” said Mariana Vasquez, 30, who waited to board a bus recently on her way to a job interview at a law firm. “They try to touch you. They don’t give you a seat. Where are the gentlemen?” One place they are not is on new women-only buses that Mexico City began running in January to reduce the harassment. With pink placards and insistent drivers who growl at any man who tries to step aboard, the buses are quickly becoming a hit among women. “Woo-hoo!” bellowed Catalina Garduño the other day as man after man was turned away from the bus she was riding. Her outbursts animated the other women on board, who joined in the celebration. As they rolled along Paseo de la Reforma on their way home from work, the atmosphere resembled a ladies’ night on wheels. Their relief reached beyond their escape from being accosted physically. “We don’t get paid as much as they, yet we work just as hard,” said Ms. Garduño, a saleswoman. “We are tired of their machismo. We don’t feel sorry for them at all.” A few rows back, Abigail Llanes, 21, expressed a similar sentiment. “We get to sit now,” she said, beaming. “It’s great.” As complaints of harassment have grown, Mexico has experimented over the years with various remedies. Some subway cars have been reserved for women. Some buses allow women, disabled people and those with children to use designated entrances at the front. But the new buses may be the boldest approach so far. Men’s reactions run the gamut. Some declare the program discriminatory. Some curse at the bus drivers who leave them standing at the curb. Plenty of men, though, say they endorse the idea. “We have no respect,” Adolfo Flores, 30, a law student, said of the unseemly way many men treat women. Mr. Flores was getting his shoes shined as buses passed by behind him. The shoeshine man, Esteban Hernández, 57, piped in with his own theory about the groping. “We have the animal instinct,” he said, smiling. Touching a woman, he said, “is a way of showing masculinity — it’s very bad.” Just how bad the abuse problem — which is raised by women in cities the world over — has become in Mexico is difficult to say. Last year, just seven women lodged official complaints of harassment on Mexico City’s buses. There are more reports of sexual incidents on the subways, with roughly one a day filed with the authorities. But Mexican officials believe those figures do not reflect the full extent of the problem. “Most women don’t report what happens to them,” said Ariadna Montiel, who directs the public bus system, noting that as a young architecture student years ago she traveled by public transportation and experienced the harassment firsthand. “I know it’s a serious problem.” Ms. Montiel said she had no intention of neglecting men. “We have to guarantee that all users are taken care of,” she said, adding that coed buses roll along in close proximity to the women’s buses to ensure that nobody is waiting too long. Passengers say the atmosphere aboard women’s buses is entirely different. As the buses become more popular, and crowded, some women politely offer their seats to others. And, they say, the lechers are gone. Still, the experiment cannot solve the underlying problem of how the sexes interact in the metropolis. Only four of the city’s bus routes have women-only buses. That number will rise to 15 in the months ahead, but coed buses will remain the rule in most areas. To complement the single-sex buses, the Institute of Women in Mexico City, a government body that promotes opportunities for women, is pushing a public education campaign to make clear to men that inappropriate touching is illegal. In March, a new ordinance will make it easier to prosecute those found harassing women in public places. “This is not against men,” insisted Martha Lucia Micher Camarena, the institute’s director general. “This is positive discrimination that responds to the demands of women. And it’s also for men because it protects their daughters, sisters and mothers.”

Keep an Eye Out for Anant Dole

From www.iol.co.za City teen makes his move in world chess February 04 2008 at 01:50PM By Leila Samodien He might only be a schoolboy but Cape Town's Anant Dole, 15, made a world-class impression at an international chess competition in 2008. Anant exploded on to the local chess scene a few years ago just a year or two after his sister taught him the game. But his proudest triumph yet was at 2008 Fide-hosted Parsvnath International Open Chess Tournament in New Delhi, India, where he clinched a joint fifth place and scooped a prize of 10 000 rupees (about R2 000). In a rare occurrence for such a junior player, he also defeated Turkmenistan grandmaster Sapar Batyrov. The tournament, held from January 13 to 20, was open to anyone so Anant had to compete against 400 talented players of all ages and backgrounds. These opponents included grandmasters, Fide masters and international masters with years of experience and reputable international ratings. The Grade 9 Sacs pupil who is also one of Mark Shuttleworth's Hip2b² ambassadors this year is ranked among the top 10 junior chess players in the country and has been invited to the national championships every year since he was eight. "I won (nationals) at least five times in my age group," he said. After his success at the competition, Anant was left with a local rating of about 2 150 (points) and an international Fide rating of 1 985. His ambition is to eventually become a grandmaster - the most prestigious title a chess player can hold. Players require an international rating of 2 500 to make grandmaster status. "I would love to become a grandmaster one day but it will take a lot of effort. At the moment, I practise about an hour a day, but grandmasters put in about five hours a day," Anant said. He believed the game not only taught him discipline, but also played a big role in his academic performance. "I don't have to put as much effort into certain tasks as I used to, especially subjects like maths, because maths and chess are closely related. It has helped me face problems in all spheres of life," he said. Anant's former coach, Kenny Solomons, said Anant had "great potential" as a chess player. "If he continues to work hard and stay disciplined, he could be one of the best chess players around," he said.

The Industry of Begging

Organized criminal groups prey on your sense of compassion for children: From LivinginPeru.com 4 January, 2008 [ 16:30 ] Peru's Government Begins Program to Keep Children from Begging on Streets (LIP-ir) -- The Ministry of Women & Social Development (MIMDES) will carry out the first “raid” of parents who rent or use their children by dressing them in rags and have them beg in the streets, announced Minister Susana Pinilla. Although she did not mention where these raids would take place exactly, Pinilla explained that a ministerial group was evaluating the punishment bad parents would receive for these acts against children's rights. "Any person that uses a child for these activities will receive a serious punishment, this is to avoid the use of children for begging on the streets in different ways, for example, begging on a corner, selling on the streets or used as ‘mules’", she stated. She said the Ministry of Women would not allow children to work because this was a commitment made in the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the United States. “We are firm on this subject, it is better that Peru's society understands the consequences of their actions, because we will use all the law's power to avoid this situation”, she stressed. On previous occasions, this initiative was named “Campaign against begging”, in which Peru's National Police along with the Public Ministry and the Ministry of Women took in abandoned street kids and placed them in the care of the National Institute of Family Welfare. News source: ANDINA Want to be shocked to the roots of your hair and beyond? Click on some of the "country" reports at Human Trafficking Website 2007-2008. Country by country reports of human trafficking, modern day slavery, contemporary slavery, debt bondage, serfdom, forced labor, forced marriage, transferring of wives, inheritance of wives, and transfer of a child for purposes of exploitation. Some sound advice about how to handle encountering beggars during your travels (applies the same to domestic situations. We have beggars now in Milwaukee that I didn't see even just a few years ago, preying on people's compassion).

Child Slavery in India

From The Times of India: Hostage horror for Bengal girls in Bihar 11 Feb 2008, 0240 hrs IST,Caesar Mandal,TNN KAKDWIP: Girls from Bengal, some as young as 10, are being held hostage and auctioned off in Bihar. A TOI investigation has revealed that they are locked up, starved, beaten and forced to dance sleazy numbers in front of violent, gun-toting crowds. One such group of youngsters from Kakdwip, 100 km from Kolkata, has been rescued after three weeks of captivity in Gopalganj, Bihar. But they are the lucky ones. Every year, over 500 girls taken to Bihar from this area are never seen again. TOI had done an exposé of the horrific racket on May 5 last year, but this time, we have gone deeper into the hellish world these helpless girls are trapped in. The girls and boys rescued from Bihar's Gopalganj were first sold for Rs 1 lakh by a local tout and then resold for Rs 2 lakh to an agent in Bihar without their knowledge. They were held at gunpoint and every little slip drew a vicious assault. The Kakdwip group had nine members - five girls and four boys. The youngest was 10 and the majority aged 14-16. Their leader, Prasenjit Haldar, got a contract to perform at a show in Mathurapur on January 21. After the event, a local tout - Somnath Dandapat - lured them to Sodepur in Kolkata with the promise of a bigger show and more money. But once in Sodepur, the group was handed over to Asim Mukherjee, another middleman. The next evening, they were made to board a Tata Sumo around 7.30 pm and told their venue was a three-hour drive away. But it turned out to be a much longer one. Panic set in when Somnath and Asim forced them to hand over their mobiles. The dancers were trapped. The vehicle sped out of the state. Early next morning, they reached Gopalganj and were taken to a heavily fortified house guarded by gunmen. All nine were herded into a small room and locked up. When one of the girls tried to speak, she was severely beaten up. "We did not know where we were. We were terrified. They threatened to kill us if we refused to follow instructions," said 10-year-old Monami. On January 24, the group was packed into a car and taken to perform at a wedding. The tired and terrified youngsters were forced to dance in three sessions without food or water. "We had no choice. They were carrying guns and would slap us whenever we asked for a break," said Kaushiki. On January 25, the group was split, with six of them taken to a wedding at Mirganj. On the way back, Monami's cousin Samar jumped out of the jeep and ran to a phone booth. He managed to call his brother Panchanan at Kakdwip and tell him where they were being held hostage before the gunmen captured him. Samar was beaten till he bled, but the call saved the hapless youngsters. (Victims' names have been changed) Related story: An endless cycle of slavery 11 Feb 2008, 0244 hrs IST,Caesar Mandal,TNN

Ancient Sumerian "Mona Lisa" Recovered

Ancient Sumerian 'Mona Lisa' unearthed
Gulf News Report
Published: February 08, 2008, 01:04
From Gulfnews.com)

Dubai: A famous long-lost piece of ancient art has finally been recovered in Iraq last week, according to Arabic daily Al Khaleej.

The 'Sayedat Al Warkaa', a Sumerian 20cm facial curving [sic], known among archaeologists as the Sumerian Mona Lisa, and which is more than 5,000 years old, was found in a garden after the police and occupation forces received a report.

The marble statute was found buried in the shallow mud and totally unharmed.

Authorities said although the Iraqi Museum has retrieved about 3,500 pieces that were looted following the fall of Baghdad, some 10,000 pieces are still missing.
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This would be really big news - EXCEPT the "Lady of Warka" was recovered by Coalition Forces in September, 2003 - according to this report at MSNBC news online:

Sumerian relic recovered from hiding place
‘Lady of Warka’ was among most valuable antiquities stolen during Iraq war
(Reported by Associated Press) updated 10:53 a.m. CT, Thurs., Sept. 18, 2003.

So, why is Gulfnews.com reporting this OLD STORY as if it was FRONT PAGE BREAKING NEWS? By the way, the story was picked up by several different news sources and bloggers on the internet as CURRENT NEWS.

Notice the tagline I bolded at the beginning of the article - IT'S AN OUT AND OUT LIE!

Just what is the agenda of Gulfnews.com? By recycling this OLD STORY as CURRENT NEWS, is it taking a slap at the United States forces in Iraq? You know, the old line - it's all the fault of the USA that the looting took place, etc. etc. etc. Of course, it's NEVAH the fault of the looters!

Mysterious Masons' Marks to be Cataloged

An interesting project! (Photo from website, courtesy of Historic Scotland)

From the website of 24hourmuseum.org/uk
SCOTTISH MASONS' MYSTERIOUS SIGNATURES IN STONE TO BE RECORDED
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
08/02/2008

Mysterious symbols carved into Scotland’s medieval churches, castles and bridges are to be studied and recorded in a new scheme supported by Historic Scotland.

Masons’ marks are enigmatic signatures cut into stone wherever they worked, and hold clues as to dates of construction as well as the craftsmen who worked on the structure. However, little is known about the identities and life stories of these men who played such an important role in creating the country’s most cherished buildings from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. The exact function of the marks is not even known.

These signatures of the master masons are now to be recorded for the regions of Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus in a project that will produce a database including all the marks in the area, providing the possibility of following the movements of individuals from one project to the next.

“We are calling on local history and heritage societies to help us by searching for and recording our masons’ marks at medieval buildings across the area,” said Moira Greig, Aberdeenshire Council archaeologist. “We hope this project will help us to discover more about a group of people who we know a lot about, but about whom there are few written records.”

Historic Scotland are helping out by waiving the entry fee at a number of properties for groups taking part in the project – sites include Corgarff, Huntly, Edzell and Kildrummy castles, Spynie Palace and Arbroath Abbey. Archaeological riddles might also be solved by the research.

“Many medieval buildings are difficult to date,” said Peter Yeoman, historic Scotland senior archaeologist, “but masons’ marks can sometimes give valuable clues because the same ones may appear at a number of sites.”

“If we know when the building activity took place at one of them, then that can help a great deal with the undated ones.”

Evidence does need to be interpreted with care however, given that there may be more than one phase of building for each site, and it’s also possible that masons’ marks might have been passed from father to son.

The marks, whose function is not fully understood, could well have been used as a way of showing who did what work-wise so they could be paid.

If the project is a success, it is hoped it will be rolled out elsewhere in Scotland.

A successful survey has already been carried out at Lower Northwater Bridge between Angus and Aberdeenshire, north of Montrose. The A-listed structure, dated 1770-1777, was found to have 283 masons’ marks on one span and 362 on another, with analysis showing that they belonged to 16 different masons.

For further information about the project or to take part contact Moira Greig on 01224 664726.
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It really intrigues me that - in historical times - the function of the masons' marks is unknown!!! Was this information kept secret by the masons for some reason? Or was it just assumed (taken for granted) at the time that everyone knew what the masons' marks meant, and so no one ever wrote down anywhere just what, exactly, their function was? If the marks were passed down in families, how would this be able to be determined? Like I said - a fascinating story. I'm glad to see this study/cataloging effort is being undertaken, and that anyone can volunteer to participate in the cataloging. One doesn't have to be a "trained archaeologist" in order to contribute to meaningful work!

2008 Moscow Open Final Standings

Congratulations to Muzychuk, winner of clear first place and the $6,000 prize and to Ushenina, who didn't do too well in the Corus "C" Event but rebounded here for clear second place. 7.5/9 is an outstanding score against a strong women's field. Perhaps the lady needs more confidence when playing against the chess hommes, because she certainly holds her own against the chess femmes. Here are the final standings (after completion of Round 9) for the Ladies' "C" Tournament (see full table): Rk. Name FED Rtg Pts. 1 IM Muzychuk Anna SLO 2460 8,0 2 IM Ushenina Anna UKR 2484 7,5 3 WGM Zhukova Natalia UKR 2443 7,0 4 IM Harika Dronavalli IND 2455 7,0 5 GM Lahno Kateryna UKR 2475 7,0 6 IM Tairova Elena RUS 2386 6,5 7 WFM Girya Olga RUS 2342 6,5 8 WGM Melia Salome GEO 2362 6,5 9 IM Turova Irina RUS 2377 6,5 10 IM Danielian Elina ARM 2480 6,5 11 WFM Ambartsumova Karina RUS 2228 6,5 12 WFM Bodnaruk Anastasia RUS 2317 6,0 13 IM Krush Irina USA 2473 6,0 14 WFM Severiukhina Zoja RUS 2199 6,0 15 IM Gvetadze Sopio GEO 2352 6,0 16 WGM Mongontuul Bathuyag MGL 2389 6,0 17 WFM Fominykh Maria RUS 2305 6,0 18 IM Matveeva Svetlana RUS 2433 6,0 19 IM Vasilevich Irina RUS 2378 6,0 20 WGM Pogonina Natalija RUS 2476 6,0 21 IM Javakhishvili Lela GEO 2470 6,0 22 WFM Paikidze Nazi GEO 2311 6,0 23 WGM Shaidullina Sandugach RUS 2306 6,0 24 WIM Burtasova Anna RUS 2345 6,0 25 WIM Dolgova Olga RUS 2217 6,0 26 WIM Vasilkova Svetlana RUS 2359 5,5 27 WFM Malgina-Sterliagova Tatiana RUS 2374 5,5 28 WGM Kovanova Baira RUS 2348 5,5 29 WIM Cherenkova Kristina RUS 2256 5,5 30 WGM Grabuzova Tatiana RUS 2392 5,5 31 WFM Tomilova Elena RUS 2276 5,5 32 WFM Yakovich Yuliya RUS 2130 5,5 33 WFM Airapetian Tatevik RUS 2162 5,5 34 WFM Karibaeva Elvira RUS 2153 5,5 35 WGM Manakova Maria SRB 2331 5,0 36 WIM Iljushina Olga RUS 2268 5,0 37 WIM Charochkina Daria RUS 2383 5,0 38 Kuzevanova Evgenia RUS 2167 5,0 39 Pustovoitova Daria RUS 2166 5,0 40 WFM Karpova Lyudmila RUS 2139 5,0 41 WGM Semenova Irina RUS 2270 5,0 42 WFM Repina Varvara RUS 2158 5,0 43 WFM Suslova Alena RUS 2165 5,0 44 WIM Gromova Iulia RUS 2219 5,0 45 WGM Huda Maryana UKR 2278 5,0 46 Ostertag Galina RUS 2210 5,0 47 WGM Golubenko Valentina CRO 2264 5,0 48 Savina Anastasia RUS 2202 5,0 49 Dobrzhanskaya Irina UKR 2087 5,0 50 Kudriashova Irina RUS 2192 5,0 51 WIM Strutinskaya Galina N RUS 2309 5,0 52 WIM Sazonova Elena N RUS 2183 5,0 53 Drozdova Dina RUS 2149 5,0 54 Sergeeva Viktoria KAZ 0 5,0 55 Semenova Elena RUS 2012 5,0 56 Bukhteeva Viktoria RUS 2065 5,0 57 WFM Dzhabrailova Inara RUS 2065 5,0 58 Dogodkina Julia RUS 1917 5,0 59 WFM Gunina Valentina RUS 2295 4,5 60 WIM Yanjindulam Dulamsuren MGL 2256 4,5 61 WFM Fakhretdinova Margarita RUS 2160 4,5 62 WGM Fatalibekova Elena RUS 2293 4,5 63 WIM Mouradian Knarik LIB 2161 4,5 64 WFM Kostrikina Anna RUS 2138 4,5 65 WFM Kineva Ekaterina RUS 2204 4,5 66 Krestianova Tatiana RUS 2208 4,5 67 Aganesova Evgeniya UKR 2038 4,5 68 Shalukhina Tatyana KAZ 1972 4,5 69 WFM Larina Marija RUS 2109 4,5 70 WFM Ivanova Daria RUS 2104 4,5 71 Avdeyeva Viktoriya AZE 1958 4,5 72 Ognerubova Anastasia RUS 2041 4,5 73 WFM Kalashnikova Larisa RUS 1983 4,5 74 Kluchik Julia RUS 2002 4,5 75 WFM Gvanceladze Anna RUS 2069 4,5 76 Volkova Ekaterina RUS 1974 4,5 77 WFM Kharmunova Nadejda RUS 2170 4,0 78 WFM Bogumil Tatiana RUS 2186 4,0 79 WFM Abramova Ekaterina RUS 2190 4,0 80 WFM Kalmykova Anastasia RUS 2124 4,0 81 WFM Khropova Larisa RUS 2143 4,0 82 WFM Beliaeva Natalia RUS 2020 4,0 83 Abramova Yulia RUS 2053 4,0 84 Niks Yana RUS 1865 4,0 85 WFM Zarivkina Victorya RUS 2056 4,0 86 Blokhina Elvira RUS 1947 4,0 87 Tereshechkina Maya RUS 0 4,0 88 Kabanova Irina RUS 2044 4,0 89 Grigoryeva Olga A. RUS 1955 4,0 90 Gavrjuchenkova Angelina RUS 1957 4,0 91 WIM Vrublevskaya Olga RUS 2137 4,0 92 WFM Kuzmenko Elena RUS 2118 4,0 93 WFM Kiseljova Marya RUS 2129 4,0 94 WFM Shulakova Svetlana RUS 2190 3,5 95 Miloserdova Irina RUS 2015 3,5 96 WFM Melnik Galina RUS 2063 3,5 97 Severina Maria RUS 1918 3,5 98 WFM Styazhkina Anna RUS 1878 3,5 99 Gorbunova Alexandra RUS 2113 3,5 100 Frantsuzova Lyudmila RUS 1899 3,5 101 Kovalenko Yulya RUS 1980 3,5 102 WFM Mestnikova Varvara RUS 1861 3,5 103 Golban Ludmila MDA 1910 3,5 104 Nazarian Marina RUS 1811 3,5 105 Forova Tatiana RUS 1857 3,5 106 Braun Elina RUS 1870 3,5 107 Butneva Larisa RUS 1904 3,5 108 Zaryvkina Anastasia RUS 2063 3,5 109 Borisova Elizaveta RUS 2305 3,0 110 Koroteeva Ksenia RUS 1955 3,0 111 Bavina Lyudmila RUS 1945 3,0 112 Sorokina Nadejda RUS 0 3,0 113 Andreeva Elena RUS 1954 3,0 114 Chernyshova Natalia RUS 1947 3,0 115 WFM Della-Rossa Anastasia RUS 1898 3,0 116 Grishina Irina RUS 0 3,0 117 Maliutina Yulia RUS 0 2,5 118 Gataulina Svetlana RUS 0 2,5 119 Karimova Karina RUS 0 2,5 120 Kvirikashvili Sofiko RUS 0 2,5 121 Kukushkina Angelina RUS 0 2,5 122 Afanasieva Elena RUS 0 2,5 123 Vanchikova Dulma RUS 0 2,5 124 Belkina Oksana RUS 1853 2,5 125 Soboleva Anastasia RUS 0 2,0 126 Milashevskaja Valentina RUS 1816 2,0 127 Chernyh Yana RUS 0 2,0 128 Lein Marina RUS 1991 1,0 129 IM Paehtz Elisabeth GER 2420 0,5 130 Hamza Amira ALG 1884 0,0 131 Samigulina Renata RUS 0 0,0 132 Cherniavskaya Klara RUS 0 0,0 Tarasova Maria RUS 0 0,0 134 WGM Saunina Ludmila RUS 2303 0,0 135 Ivanova Marianna RUS 1773 0,0 136 Bokova Irina RUS 0 0,0 Here is the prize structure for the Ladies' "C" Event (in rubles): Major prizes (in rubles): 1 prize 150 000 2 prize 100 000 3 prize 70 000 4 prize 50 000 5 prize 40 000 6 prize 30 000 7 prize 20 000 8-16 prizes 10 000 Special prizes for the best results: Among women-veterans (born 1957 and older): 1 prize 15 000 2 prize 10 000 3 prize 5 000 Among young women (1990 and younger) 1 prize 15 000 2 prize 10 000 3 prize 5 000 Among girls (1994 and younger) 1 prize 15 000 2 prize 10 000 3 prize 5 000 Prizes for women players FIDE rated 1900-2200: 1 prize 15 000 2 prize 10 000 3 prize 5 000 Prizes for women players with FIDE rating under 1900 or not-rated: 1 prize 15 000 2 prize 10 000 3 prize 5 000 Three winners of the tournament, three winners in the category “women-veterans”, three winners among young women (1990 and younger) and three first-prize holders among girls (1994 and younger) will be awarded with Memorable Cups. All the participants of the tournament will get souvenirs.

Miscellaneous Chess News

From McClain's "Gambit" chess blog, February 9, 2007, at The New York Times:

Last week, the World Chess Federation (also known by the acronym FIDE, which stands for Fédération Internationale des Echecs) began collecting fees for its newest titles: FIDE trainers. What are FIDE trainers? They are essentially people certified by the federation to teach and train chess players.

There are three different levels of trainers: Instructors, trainers and senior trainers. The requirements for each title mostly seem to boil down to what each prospective trainer’s rating is (a rating is a measure of playing ability) and how much experience he or she has as a coach or teacher.

The cost of the titles, which are listed on the Web site, are on a sliding scale from 100 to 300 euros. Trainers who wish to maintain their titles will have to pay additional “licensing” fees every two years that are also on a sliding scale of 60 to 180 euros. Other titles, such as grandmaster, do have registration fees, but once they are awarded, there are no continuing costs. Rest of article.

An obvious "gambit" (pun!) to force money out of chess teachers, trainers, etc. Tell me, FIDE, will Ms. Jones, a volunteer who teaches chess to kindergarteners at the Greenfield Public Library on Saturday mornings have to pay almost $600 USD to obtain FIDE certification in order to be considered "qualified" to teach chess to beginners? How will you PUNISH people who teach chess without obtaining certification? Will I - horrors - be sanctioned somehow for giving chess pointers to my young grand-newphews (they range in age from 7 to 10)? Will you garnish my bank accounts? Blacklist this blog? Attack Goddesschess?

What a bunch of schmucks!


Fischer's death and it's aftermath continue to be news - there's nearly a new (or rehashed) story every day. Dick Cavett has a sentimental look back at Fischer's appearances on his television show. Fischer's putative daughter, who is 7 years old, has or will file a claim against the Fischer Estate as the sole "legitimate" heir (says Jan, tongue firmly planted in cheek). There is also a putative wife who may believe she is entitled to the entire Estate, and there are Fischer's nephews, the sons of his deceased sister, Joan, who have also filed or will file a claim or interest for a share of the Estate. Not mentioned is IRS, which will or perhaps already has filed a claim for what it is owed. No one in the general public really knows except, perhaps, the lawyers for the Fischer Estate (who always get paid first, trust me, I know) just what is left.


From The SecaucusReporter.com, February 8, 2008
A Chess Teacher in Secaucus, New Jersey
I think the greatest lesson I can give anyone, especially anyone that is new to the game, is patience," Moss said. "More games are lost by moving too fast than almost anything else."

"One of the first things I try to teach is, if you touch a piece you should move it," he continued. "It's like in life, when you make a decision, whether it's good or bad, you have to suffer the consequences."


Study after study has confirmed the benefits that learning how to play chess confers upon students - life lessons that continue with them as they mature into adults, even if they no longer play chess. So it's good to see an African bank making a substantial contribution to purchase 1,000 chess sets in Namibia.

American GI Arrested for Antiquities Theft

From ABC News
Army Chopper Pilot Charged in Antiquities Theft
Pilot Allegedly Stole 80 Antique Egyptian Art Objects, Earned About $20,000 in Resale
By RICHARD ESPOSITO
Feb. 6, 2008

A U.S. Army helicopter pilot was charged in federal court in Manhattan today with selling 80 stolen antique Egyptian art objects, some of them 5,000 years old.

Edward Earle Johnson, an active U.S. Army helicopter pilot, according to the complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court, earned about $20,000 from the sale of the objects to an American art dealer.

It was later determined that the antiquities came from a group of some 370 "pre-dynastic" objects stolen in late September 2002 from the Ma'adi Museum near Cairo, Egypt.

"The artifacts, dating to 3000 B.C. and earlier, were originally discovered during an excavation in Egypt in the 1920s and 1930s," according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Michael Garcia.

According to the complaint Johnson lied to an art dealer stating "that his grandfather had acquired the antiquities when he worked in Egypt in the 1930s and 1940s, and that the antiquities had remained in the family ever since."

"The art dealer later consigned pieces from that collection to galleries and collectors in New York, London, Zurich and Montreal."

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Johnson was arrested Tuesday in Enterprise, Ala.

He was charged with one count of transportation of stolen property and one count of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on the stolen property count and five years' imprisonment on the wire fraud count. Johnson was released on a $25,000 bond and was required to surrender his diplomatic and civilian passports.

Goddess Maria Lionza

I have never heard of this "Maria Lionza" goddess cult mentioned in this story: "Santeria Surging in Venezuela," By JORGE RUEDA – 2 days ago (perhaps February 6, 2008). The first thing that came to mind, upon reading this name, was that of Mario Lanza, the great tenor who died far too young at 38. I wondered if there was a connection. Okay, I'm sentimental :) But, in order to determine that, I needed to learn more about "Maria Lionza." This article indicates that the legend has Spanish origins (Roman Catholic syncretized with various African traditions) – so – no connection to Maria Lanza, who was Italian-American (and Mario Lanza was his stage name; he was born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza). But the story of Maria Lionza is a rip-roaring good one: From CaribeInsider.com Afro-Caribbean Religions Cult to Maria Lionza The Cult of Maria Lonza is a genuine manifestation of syncretism binding magical and religious elements together that concur in the Caribbean Basin. In this particular cult, the three Venezuelan ethnic groups converge here: Maria Lonza (Spain), the Guaicaipuro Indian (indigenous) and the first Negro named Pedro Camejo (Africa). The place that gave rise to this cult is in Serrania de Sorte in the state of Yaracuy, Venezuela. It is believed that this cult was born out of the devotion to the forces of nature, the spirits of the rivers, caves and jungles, so this makes a dramatic difference in the cult as observed in today in Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The remainders of indigenous practices, coupled with the spiritualism brought in the early 20th century by Allan Kardec, whipped this cult into shape and soon began to spread out. The legend has it that Maria Lionza was an indigenous princess that was abducted by an anaconda snake, the master of the lagoon. God punished the crawler by making it so swollen that its burst apart at the seams. The blowup caused a great flooding that killed off the entire tribe the princess belonged to. The girl became the master of the lagoon, the rivers, the jungle and the wild animals. Her original name was lost and the moniker Maria popped up as part of the syncretism with the Virgin. Her spirit lives up in the mountain of Sorte where thousands of worshippers climb in search of miracles. There are many a legend that unites mythological characters from different parts of the region. The number of worshippers is on the rise. They come from every walk of life and spiritual centers from both the rural and urban areas. This is a boon-seeking, syncretism-oriented and pragmatic cult that is constantly feeding on worshippers' contributions. If we make a difference between religion and cult, we'll notice that religion implies established rituals, shrines, priesthood hierarchies, catechisms and a well-defined mythology, whereas cults rely on prayers, religious sacrificed pointed in only one direction and a certain deity. Thus, we can corroborate that in the Cult of Maria Lonza the pantheon varies, the rituals are individualized and there's no trace of those who initiated the cult, the qualification of the spiritual leaders, the names of the spirits invoked and the ritual techniques. Some leaders have tried to join doctrines and found associations of other leaders and worshippers, but no consensus has ever been reached. They have also attempted to tidy up a considerable amount of spirits through the creation of guidelines. However, this has never caught on among practitioners. Regardless of the fact that the figure of Maria Lonza appears as the centerpiece in every shrine and altar, the number of spirits invoked has grown so dramatically that only a handful of mediums are prepared to receive a spirit so strong as the cult's centerpiece. Magical and religious activities are conducted especially on weekends in centers led by bancos who could be either men or women. They are self-taught people who rely on realistic knowledge and their own personal charisma. Each priest establishes his own set of rules. The mediums known as materias- receive the spirits when they get in a trance triggered by inhaling cigar smoke, drinking rum and sometimes doing drugs. Some spirits show up in a violent way, so the banco must look after the medium to prevent him from getting hurt. After a period of excitement, almost all materias calm down and then consultations begin. Priests sprinkle worshippers with sugar cane rum and blow cigar smoke on the mediums faces for their purification. In turn, mediums sometimes serve their own blood during the course of some magical and healing rites. The spiritual possession of the worshippers is key in this cult, whose indigenous influence is twice as much noticeable. There are some evident analogies with the Christian rituals and Kardecism. Practitioners are also obliged to bring all the necessary objects for the rituals and they are sometimes bound to fork over huge sums of money demanded by the spirits themselves. For the most part, this has to do with purification rites conducted with water, magic sponges, scents, cigar smoke, alcohol and candles. The latter is the most widespread practice today consisting of laying the patient on the floor and let the banco make drawings around his body with powders. Then, he lights up a few candles along the figure lines as he pours flowers or the blood of sacrificed animals. He also blows cigar smoke, sprinkle some herbal scents or rum all over the patients body, according to the supernatural orders he receives or the instructions briefed by the banco. On the other hand, shrines are decked out with lithographic materials depicting the major spirits and statues of the Venezuelan Trinity. Worshippers also place food, candles, garments, flowers, incense, cigars, decorations and glasses of water. Crucifixes and the so-called Hand of the Great Power. There are no initiation rituals as such, but candle ceremonies serve to unleash a new medium and to let the spirits approach more easily. Sometimes practitioners wash the head of a would-be medium using herbal infusions. Several times a year, pilgrimages are organized before the conduction of certain major works, especially during Holy Week and on October 12, to mark the Day of Race. These observances will depend on the characteristics of their practitioners. Maria Lonza is said to be an indigenous deity. However, there was a time when the picture of a white priestess showed up in some lithographic materials to depict the divinity. This figure stands today for the white race in the Venezuelan Trinity. Dictator Pedro Jimenez ordered the construction of a monument in Caracas back in the 1950s. The divinity was represented by a naked indigenous damsel riding on the back of tapir. Worshippers usually place request letters, flowers and wreaths at the base of the monumental statue. The Cult of Maria Lonza, synthesis of magical and religious elements hailing from different cultures, counts on an ever-growing number of practitioners not only in Venezuela, but also in Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The boon-seeking character of this cult provide worshippers with solutions to their spiritual and material tribulations, at least apparently, a reason why this religious movement has grown roots so deep into the people.

Domestic Goddess Married 74 Years...

and still going strong! A story from the Heraldsun.com.au Eleni Hale February 10, 2008 12:00am WHEN Clarrie Armstrong was 20 he made his girlfriend a promise. "You're the first girl I've been with and you'll be my last," he said. He kept his word and, 74 years after they met, Grace and Clarrie Armstrong are one of Victoria's longest-married couples. Next month the happy couple will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary. "I love her so very much and have never considered anyone else," 94-year-old Mr Armstrong said. "It's been a happy experience being married." But the proposal had to be prompted by a stranger. An elderly woman from church invited the then 18- and 22-year-olds to dinner and mistook them for a married couple. "She said, 'So I take it this is Mrs Armstrong?' and that gave me an idea," he said. A smitten Mr Armstrong proposed in the car on the way home and the rest is history. The former architect said that, though life had been rocky, they had faced each obstacle together. Mrs Armstrong, 90, a self-confessed domestic goddess, admitted to being old fashioned when it came to a woman's role. "He was the money-maker and I was in charge of the home," she said. Five children in 10 years kept her busy, but she said taking the time to talk things out with her husband was the secret to maintaining a happy relationship. And a warning to all those who believe in love at first sight. "Get to know each other well first," Mr Armstrong warned.

Goddess Bhagwati and the Recovery of The Vedas

A wonderful tale from the Hindu religion, where the Goddess Bhagwati comes to the rescue of mankind - and the other gods and goddesses! A tale of victory of good over evil. Recovery of the Vedas By Manju Gupta (February 8, 2008) Durgam was a strong but evil-minded king of the rakshasas (demons). He said to his ministers, “Why is it that after defeating the gods so many times, we have had to concede defeat to them? There must be some reason for it.” A minister replied, “It appears to me that the knowledge behind this power lies in the Vedas.” Durgam decided to do penance so that Lord Brahma would get pleased with him and grant him his desire to get hold of the Vedas. He went deep into the forest and prayed and prayed to Lord Brahma. After years of strict penance, Durgam so pleased Lord Brahma that he appeared before him and asked, “Why have you been praying so devotedly to me? It seems you want something from me. Tell me what is it that you want. I’ll give it to you because I am very happy with your prayers.” Durgam replied, “I want to see the Vedas and keep them in my custody. I assure you I’ll keep them very safely.” Lord Brahma granted him his wish. Durgam received the Vedas and after going through them, hid them in pataal loka (hell), away from the prying eyes of others. In the heavens, the gods daily read the Vedas to find the secrets of remaining young always but now, with the Vedas gone, they started growing old and lost all their strength. Durgam launched an attack on the gods and took Indra, Agni, Kuber, Varun and Yamraj into captivity. With Indra and Varun in captivity, the environment underwent a change—the wind stopped blowing; there were no rains; famine and drought occurred everywhere. So the gods went to Lord Vishnu to seek help. Vishnu advised them to approach Goddess Bhagwati as he felt that only she could help them. So the gods reached Goddess Bhagwati and told her their tale of woe. Goddess Bhagwati gave them a leaf growing on her body and said, “Keep this leaf with you for protection. Now you will find there will be rain on the earth and all will be lovely and green. There will be no famine or drought.” True to the Goddess’s words, rains came, crops began to grow and famine disappeared, bringing relief to the people. She then formed ten other goddesses from her body and along with her warriors attacked the rakshasas in a fierce battle in which even Goddess Mahakali participated. The rakshasas fled in terror. Goddess Bhagwati then said to Durgam, “Give me the Vedas and go and rule over the pataal loka in peace.” But Durgam refused to part with the Vedas. Goddess Bhagwati launched an attack on Durgam. Finding that it was not easy to win over the rakshasas, finally Goddess Bhagwati was forced to hurl her trident at Durgam. It went and pierced his heart and he died on the spot. The gods were pleased at this victory of the goddess and on searching the pataal loka, they found the Vedas hidden in a corner. They quickly took it away with them to heaven. Peace now reigned supreme over the earth.

2008 Moscow Open Round 8 Results

Sorry - missed Round 7 - I was shoveling! Rank after round 8 Rank SNo. Name Rtg FED Pts Fide 1 7 IM Muzychuk Anna 2460 SLO 7Ѕ 33 2 1 IM Ushenina Anna 2484 UKR 6Ѕ 32 3 14 IM Tairova Elena 2386 RUS 6Ѕ 31 4 9 IM Harika Dronavalli 2455 IND 6Ѕ 28Ѕ 5 26 WFM Bodnaruk Anastasia 2317 RUS 6 30 6 24 WFM Girya Olga 2342 RUS 6 29 7 8 WGM Zhukova Natalia 2443 UKR 6 29 8 5 IM Krush Irina 2473 USA 6 28 9 4 GM Lahno Kateryna 2475 UKR 6 27Ѕ 10 20 WIM Vasilkova Svetlana 2359 RUS 5Ѕ 28Ѕ 11 18 WFM Malgina-Sterliagova Tatiana 2374 RUS 5Ѕ 27Ѕ 12 19 WGM Melia Salome 2362 GEO 5Ѕ 27 13 49 WFM Severiukhina Zoja 2199 RUS 5Ѕ 27 14 21 IM Gvetadze Sopio 2352 GEO 5Ѕ 27 15 17 IM Turova Irina 2377 RUS 5Ѕ 27 16 2 IM Danielian Elina 2480 ARM 5Ѕ 26Ѕ 17 13 WGM Mongontuul Bathuyag 2389 MGL 5Ѕ 26 18 10 IM Matveeva Svetlana 2433 RUS 5Ѕ 25Ѕ 19 3 WGM Pogonina Natalija 2476 RUS 5Ѕ 25 20 40 WIM Cherenkova Kristina 2256 RUS 5Ѕ 24 21 29 WGM Shaidullina Sandugach 2306 RUS 5Ѕ 23 22 69 WFM Yakovich Yuliya 2130 RUS 5Ѕ 21Ѕ 23 42 WFM Ambartsumova Karina 2228 RUS 5Ѕ 21 24 30 WFM Fominykh Maria 2305 RUS 5 25Ѕ 25 16 IM Vasilevich Irina 2378 RUS 5 25 26 38 WIM Iljushina Olga 2268 RUS 5 25 27 15 WIM Charochkina Daria 2383 RUS 5 24 28 6 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2470 GEO 5 23Ѕ 29 12 WGM Grabuzova Tatiana 2392 RUS 5 23 30 57 Pustovoitova Daria 2166 RUS 5 23 31 27 WFM Paikidze Nazi 2311 GEO 5 23 32 66 WFM Karpova Lyudmila 2139 RUS 5 23 33 62 WFM Repina Varvara 2158 RUS 5 22 34 23 WIM Burtasova Anna 2345 RUS 5 21Ѕ 35 44 WIM Dolgova Olga 2217 RUS 5 21 36 90 Semenova Elena 2012 RUS 5 18 37 105 Dogodkina Julia 1917 RUS 5 16 38 25 WGM Manakova Maria 2331 SRB 4Ѕ 26 39 22 WGM Kovanova Baira 2348 RUS 4Ѕ 26 40 33 WFM Gunina Valentina 2295 RUS 4Ѕ 23Ѕ 41 37 WGM Semenova Irina 2270 RUS 4Ѕ 22Ѕ 42 36 WFM Tomilova Elena 2276 RUS 4Ѕ 22Ѕ 43 58 WFM Suslova Alena 2165 RUS 4Ѕ 21Ѕ 44 41 WIM Yanjindulam Dulamsuren 2256 MGL 4Ѕ 21Ѕ 45 43 WIM Gromova Iulia 2219 RUS 4Ѕ 21Ѕ 46 35 WGM Huda Maryana 2278 UKR 4Ѕ 21Ѕ 47 48 Savina Anastasia 2202 RUS 4Ѕ 20Ѕ 48 50 Kudriashova Irina 2192 RUS 4Ѕ 20 49 54 WIM Sazonova Elena N 2183 RUS 4Ѕ 20 50 28 WIM Strutinskaya Galina N 2309 RUS 4Ѕ 20 59 WFM Airapetian Tatevik 2162 RUS 4Ѕ 20 52 63 WFM Karibaeva Elvira 2153 RUS 4Ѕ 20 53 78 WFM Dzhabrailova Inara 2065 RUS 4Ѕ 17 54 96 Shalukhina Tatyana 1972 KAZ 4Ѕ 17 55 56 Kuzevanova Evgenia 2167 RUS 4 24 56 61 WFM Fakhretdinova Margarita 2160 RUS 4 21Ѕ 57 34 WGM Fatalibekova Elena 2293 RUS 4 21 58 55 WFM Kharmunova Nadejda 2170 RUS 4 21 59 45 Ostertag Galina 2210 RUS 4 21 60 39 WGM Golubenko Valentina 2264 CRO 4 21 61 53 WFM Bogumil Tatiana 2186 RUS 4 20Ѕ 62 76 Dobrzhanskaya Irina 2087 UKR 4 20 63 60 WIM Mouradian Knarik 2161 LIB 4 20 64 67 WFM Kostrikina Anna 2138 RUS 4 20 65 64 Drozdova Dina 2149 RUS 4 19 66 51 WFM Abramova Ekaterina 2190 RUS 4 19 67 131 Sergeeva Viktoria 0 KAZ 4 19 68 46 Krestianova Tatiana 2208 RUS 4 18Ѕ 69 71 WFM Kalmykova Anastasia 2124 RUS 4 18 70 79 Bukhteeva Viktoria 2065 RUS 4 17 71 87 Aganesova Evgeniya 2038 UKR 4 17 72 75 WFM Ivanova Daria 2104 RUS 4 16 73 86 Ognerubova Anastasia 2041 RUS 4 16 74 82 WFM Zarivkina Victorya 2056 RUS 4 15 75 113 Niks Yana 1865 RUS 4 15 76 135 Tereshechkina Maya 0 RUS 4 14 77 72 WFM Kuzmenko Elena 2118 RUS 4 13 78 52 WFM Shulakova Svetlana 2190 RUS 3Ѕ 19 79 47 WFM Kineva Ekaterina 2204 RUS 3Ѕ 18Ѕ 80 74 WFM Larina Marija 2109 RUS 3Ѕ 16Ѕ 81 83 Avdeyeva Viktoriya 1958 AZE 3Ѕ 16 82 80 WFM Melnik Galina 2063 RUS 3Ѕ 15 83 101 Blokhina Elvira 1947 RUS 3Ѕ 15 84 93 WFM Kalashnikova Larisa 1983 RUS 3Ѕ 14Ѕ 85 104 Severina Maria 1918 RUS 3Ѕ 14Ѕ 86 111 WFM Styazhkina Anna 1878 RUS 3Ѕ 14Ѕ 87 91 Kluchik Julia 2002 RUS 3Ѕ 14 88 68 WIM Vrublevskaya Olga 2137 RUS 3Ѕ 13Ѕ 89 77 WFM Gvanceladze Anna 2069 RUS 3Ѕ 13Ѕ 90 106 Golban Ludmila 1910 MDA 3Ѕ 12Ѕ 91 95 Volkova Ekaterina 1974 RUS 3Ѕ 12Ѕ 92 115 Forova Tatiana 1857 RUS 3Ѕ 12 93 107 Butneva Larisa 1904 RUS 3Ѕ 10Ѕ 94 31 Borisova Elizaveta 2305 RUS 3 18Ѕ 95 89 Miloserdova Irina 2015 RUS 3 16 96 65 WFM Khropova Larisa 2143 RUS 3 15Ѕ 97 88 WFM Beliaeva Natalia 2020 RUS 3 15 98 84 Abramova Yulia 2053 RUS 3 15 99 99 Koroteeva Ksenia 1955 RUS 3 14Ѕ 100 85 Kabanova Irina 2044 RUS 3 14 101 98 Grigoryeva Olga A. 1955 RUS 3 13Ѕ 102 97 Gavrjuchenkova Angelina 1957 RUS 3 13Ѕ 103 103 Bavina Lyudmila 1945 RUS 3 13 104 70 WFM Kiseljova Marya 2129 RUS 3 13 105 118 Nazarian Marina 1811 RUS 3 12Ѕ 106 133 Sorokina Nadejda 0 RUS 3 12 107 100 Andreeva Elena 1954 RUS 3 11Ѕ 108 102 Chernyshova Natalia 1947 RUS 3 11Ѕ 109 109 WFM Della-Rossa Anastasia 1898 RUS 3 9Ѕ 110 125 Grishina Irina 0 RUS 3 9 111 73 Gorbunova Alexandra 2113 RUS 2Ѕ 14 112 129 Maliutina Yulia 0 RUS 2Ѕ 14 113 108 Frantsuzova Lyudmila 1899 RUS 2Ѕ 14 114 94 Kovalenko Yulya 1980 RUS 2Ѕ 13 115 114 WFM Mestnikova Varvara 1861 RUS 2Ѕ 13 116 112 Braun Elina 1870 RUS 2Ѕ 11Ѕ 117 81 Zaryvkina Anastasia 2063 RUS 2Ѕ 10 118 126 Karimova Karina 0 RUS 2Ѕ 9Ѕ 119 128 Kvirikashvili Sofiko 0 RUS 2Ѕ 9Ѕ 120 127 Kukushkina Angelina 0 RUS 2Ѕ 8Ѕ 121 120 Afanasieva Elena 0 RUS 2Ѕ 7Ѕ 122 124 Gataulina Svetlana 0 RUS 2 9Ѕ 123 132 Soboleva Anastasia 0 RUS 2 8 124 136 Vanchikova Dulma 0 RUS 2 7 125 116 Belkina Oksana 1853 RUS 2 7 126 117 Milashevskaja Valentina 1816 RUS 1Ѕ 6 127 92 Lein Marina 1991 RUS 1 7 128 123 Chernyh Yana 0 RUS 1 4 129 11 IM Paehtz Elisabeth 2420 GER Ѕ 4 130 110 Hamza Amira 1884 ALG 0 0 134 Tarasova Maria 0 RUS 0 0 132 130 Samigulina Renata 0 RUS 0 0 133 32 WGM Saunina Ludmila 2303 RUS 0 0 122 Cherniavskaya Klara 0 RUS 0 0 135 119 Ivanova Marianna 1773 RUS 0 0 121 Bokova Irina 0 RUS 0 0

$10,000 Will Buy...

From uberview.com [ February 8th, 2008 @ 8:42 pm ] ... [ C. S. Magor ] Mammoth Ivory Chess Set will make you King of the Chess Club I was never in the chess club at school. At times, though I was tempted to join, it and the people in it; were never quite my flavor. That is not to say I do not enjoy a game of chess, on the contrary, I love the occasional game. I cannot think of any better way to spend an evening than with a fine cigar, a nip of Bowmore Mariner Single Malt Scotch Whiskey and a Mammoth Ivory Collector Series Signature Chess Set with pieces made from 40,000-year-old mammoth ivory. This is no ebony and ivory board, it is all ivory. The white pieces retain their original color, while the black pieces are stained black. As you might imagine it has a price tag to match its rarity. But hey, it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and they throw in the leather base pads for free. The board materials they use are pretty sweet too, featuring amboyna, ebony and spalted maple. Price $10,000

Regional Chess News: Peoria, IL

From PJStar.com Area chess teams make a move Local high school students compete in statewide tourney Saturday, February 9, 2008 By Brian Feldt Of The Journal StarPeoria - Just 32 small warriors stood between Michael Mahoney and his enemy as a room full of more than a 1,000 high school students was so quiet, one could only here the constant pounding of clocks. Rarely is a ballroom packed with teenagers so calm, but the focus and determination needed to play a solid chess match requires the silence. The high school students were competing in the 2008 Illinois High School Association's Chess Team State Tournament, which kicked off Friday at the Civic Center. The tournament will conclude today with the crowning of a new champion after the final round scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Mahoney, the No. 2 ranked player for Peoria Notre Dame, lost his first-round match Friday but said the overall experience is something that he cherishes. "You get to make friends, meet new people and it is really challenging," he said. "You can have good games and then you can have bad games. It can get really intense while playing fast, moving fast, hitting the clock, moving, thinking. It's just fun." Shortly after 10 a.m. Friday, 37,120 assorted chess pieces were in play as nearly 150 schools challenged for the state title. Area high schools competing included Peoria Notre Dame, Richwoods, Galva, Woodruff and Princeville. Among them, Woodruff was the highest rated team coming in with a ranking of 51. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, Richwoods, Galva and Princeville were ranked 71st, 81st, 64th and 98th respectively. Mahoney and his eight-member squad will look to make a run to compete with some of the best chess players and teams Illinois has to offer. His coach, though, said finishing around the assigned ranking would be enough for his appetite. "We haven't had a team in our school for a few years," said Notre Dame coach Bill Smith, who revived the program that had been dead for three years. "If we could finish around the same spot that we are ranked, then that would be great." Smith said a few of his seniors had competed when they were freshmen and had hoped the chess team would be resurrected by the time they reached their final year. Eying the opportunity, Smith said he started the program and got a good response, and things just took off from there. He also said his first state tournament would be a learning experience for most players. "For one thing, with us being a new team made mostly of freshmen and sophomores, they get an idea of how much excitement they can find on a state level," he said. "And basically, they can find out just how good they really are by competing here." For more experienced teams, though, the weekend event is the culmination of a hard-fought season. Jeanette Quetel, a coach at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Ill., said the tournament is the highlight of her players' season. The day off school, she added, was an extra bonus. "They look forward to this because it is the pinnacle of their chess experiences, because of the high-energy competition and because it is so challenging and engaging," she said. "Then, when they are done, they get to have some fun with their friends and teammates back at the hotel. That combination is pretty exciting for them."

The State of Ohio Persecuted a Squirrel - and It's Rescuer!

I don't know who this Judge is (was?), but here's a reprint of one of his more famous local decisions. It would have been even better if it had been republished during the Christmas holiday! Talk about the state abusing its power - geez! One of Judge John Adkins' most famous cases is reprinted from The Circleville Herald, (serving all of Pickaway County - hmmm, what the hell are they picking away at, I ask you?) Wednesday, December 24, 1997. Angele the squirrel given her home for the holidays Circleville Herald Staff Angele Daniel Nicole will enjoy Christmas and several future holidays with Mary Jane Clifton, thanks to a case dismissal by Judge John R. Adkins. The pet squirrel has been the subject of a dispute between Clifton and the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODW) since October. Officers for the ODW told Clifton she could not house the squirrel she had found 17 months ago in downtown Circleville because she did not have a license to do so. On Oct. 30 Clifton pleaded not guilty to unlawfully having a game quadruped - a squirrel in captivity - without applying for or possessing a game propagating license from the ODW. She requested a jury trial at that time. According to Adkins' written decision, ODW supervisor James Lehman testified that the Division has no such rules setting out criteria for the allowance or rejection of applications for licenses. He provided copies of the Ohio Administrative Code, which state that the animal may be hunted, trapped, taken or possessed, if thereafter immediately it is put to death by any reasonable means. "It is clear from Officer Lehman's testimony that had Mrs. Clifton taken this gray squirrel from the Thursday following Labor Day through Jan. 31 (hunting season) and subsequently thereafter killed it, she would have committed no wrong, assuming that she had acquired the proper license from the State to engage in such activity," Adkins noted in his written statement. He further stated that "there is no reasonable prospect that this case will be tried at any time in the future." He goes on to say there are far more serious cases on the docket impacting the health, safety and welfare of the public. It was stated that the court finds there are not appropriate rules setting forth clearly and distinctly the rules and regulations for a person in good faith to satisfy the obvious legislative intent, including the preservation of animal life. "No one could be so myopic as to perceive that the legislature of the state of Ohio is so ambivalent to the protection of wild animals as to have legislated an act which required, manifestly, that all animals found in whatever location defined under the statute must be thereafter killed or turned over to a clinical rehabilitation specialist who at best might hope the animal would survive," the opinion stated. The court does not find the statute unconstitutional or vague, Adkins reported; however, the statute in this case was found to be unconstitutional because "there must be provided a fair warning to the ordinary citizen so behavior can comport with dictates of the statute." Secondly, Adkins stated that enforcement of the law cannot be capricious or discriminatory by agents with "too much authority and too few constraints." The truth of the case, Adkins wrote, is that a citizen tried to act kindly to aid a threatened animal. As a reward for this act of kindness the wildlife officer would have chosen to fine and jail Clifton and take the animal, which could mean "obviously, death for the squirrel." Clifton could have been imprisoned for 60 days and made to pay a $500 fine if the maximum penalty had been issued. Lehman testified that a squirrel would live about 11 months in the wild. Adkins said that since the squirrel has lived 17 months so far, the state's insistence on turning this squirrel back to the wild makes no sense. "Even the most myopic child would perceive no sense of justice or right in the position of the state." In conclusion, Adkins stated: "At a time when the State is struggling to find resources to educate our children and to make them intelligent, compassionate people, so that our youth can be educated in honest, life-enhancing pursuits, it is more than ironic that the State, further the Director of Law of Circleville, would choose to allocate the resources of two uniformed officers to pursue a woman who demonstrates no culpable mental state. The court is not so foolhardy. Therefore, for all the reasons set forth above, the court finds the defendant's motion to be well taken and the case is dismissed forthwith. Further, this gray squirrel shall be permitted to be retained in and about the property of Mary Jane Clifton without further interference. Although the court cautions Mrs. Clifton that it does not expect to view this squirrel in the public being bandied about in strange wearing apparel of any kind." In response to the decision, Clifton said her holidays will be much brighter. "I was very excited," Clifton said, noting that she first learned of the good news from a friend who heard the information on a television newscast. Clifton says she has been told that she cannot dress Angele up in handmade clothing anymore because it would bring too much attention to her; however, she said she would not change anything else she has done, given the chance. Clifton admitted that she is not angry with the wildlife officers, only the "unconstitutional laws" that are written. She said the Ohio Division of Wildlife has 30 days to appeal the decision. "If they appeal, they will have a lot to lose," she said. "I know in my heart that they will never win. They took my constitutional rights away from me. They denied me a permit." In response to the cards and words of support Clifton has received from individuals all across the United States and elsewhere, she says "thank you," adding that she has accumulated a substantial list of names to send thank-yous to. Adkins said the holidays were a vital factor in the timing of his decision. "It seemed a good time of year to do it," he said. "The more research I did, the more it became clear what should be done," he said, noting that he had no difficulty making his decision. ODW officers could not be reached for comment. ********************************************************************************** The average life of squirrels in Ohio is only 11 months? Hmmm, my squirrels (who live outside in their own nests in the trees in my backyard, thank you very much) seem to live on average 36 months and I'm pretty sure (short of doing DNA tests) that at least a couple of them have for 5 years. By close observation, you can tell them apart from each other, and that's how I know. Also, this handy website says the following: How long do squirrels live? Squirrels in captivity have lived to be twenty years old. Most Gray squirrels will die before their first birthday, not due to predators or the lack of food. But by being run over by vehicles. If they survive their first year, they should live five or six more years.

Friday Night Miscellany

Actress Jessica Alba described an "attack" by a "ghost" when she was 17. Sounds like sleep paralysis. I’ve had it happen several times (although not recently, thank goddess), always upon awakening – it’s an absolutely terrifying experience. The feeling of not being able to move, of "something" seemingly pressing down on you or sitting on your chest, of not even being able to utter a sound. The phenomena is often accompanied by hallucinations; thus, in addition to the feeling of your chest being sat upon, one time I smelled what I thought was a man’s aftershave lotion, heard heavy breathing and felt the other side of the bed "give" as if someone was sitting down on the bed; one time I saw a gigantic spider slowly crawling toward me from the foot of the bed; one time I saw a ghostly female figure dressed all in white float down the hallway – but that was impossible because my bed did not face the door looking out to the hallway! Some years ago, in discussing this with an acquaintance who had a great deal of knowledge about various esoteric traditions and sects, he said it sounded as if I was experiencing paralysis caused by the stirring of the kundalini "serpent" that – metaphysically speaking – sits at the base of the spine, down by one’s tailbone. There also might be some connection to this feeling of paralysis and the "out of body" experience. I leave it to you to figure it all out – I never have – I’ve been too busy the past several years trying to solve the mysteries of chess! Ah ha ha ha ha ha! These should be the best of times for Venezuela, blessed with the largest conventional oil reserves outside the Middle East and oil prices near record highs. But this country’s economic and social problems have become so acute lately that President Hugo Chávez is facing an unusual onslaught of criticism, even from his own supporters, about his management of the country. Lead paragraph of an article at The New York Times "In Venezuela, Faith in Chávez Starts to Wane." The goof! His kind of economics just does not work - If it did – there would be NO FOOD SHORTAGES! Duh! It's even stupider than Reganomics and "trickle down" - and we now know that Regan had Alzheimer's disease even then! Irony: Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat. Oh crap! They’re thinking of doing more tinkering around with human embryos. What’s the matter with these people – haven’t they ever heard about the horrors of the eugenics wars that Earth suffered in Star Trek? And here's the real question: if it's been tinkered with, is it still "human?" Geez Louise! Oh – and here they are – creating Borg insects! Implants Create Insect Cyborgs. Egoddess! I’ll take sleep paralysis anytime, honest! Darlings, since the blizzard that wasn’t a blizzard of Wednesday (it technically wasn't a blizzard because we did not have sustained winds of 40 mph, only "gusts" that blew every five seconds or so for eight hours), I’ve been a shoveling fool! I haven’t stopped – except to eat, sleep and go to work. We got about 14 inches of snow here – about 20 in my driveway due to drifting. Wet, heavy snow, that has gotten even wetter and heavier since yesterday and today, as the temperature hovered in the mid-30’s and the sun was out for a couple of hours yesterday, increasing the melt-off rate. My painful left shoulder is now numb, but I figure whatever I did to it can’t be too bad since I still have full range of motion. I have visions of developing Popeye arms... As a consequence of the achy shoulder, I’ve been trying to throw the snow over the right shoulder – and now have boulder size hunks of snow sling-shot all over my lawn, lol – or what would be my lawn if it wasn’t buried under all that blankety-blank-blank snow! Tomorrow, though, it all ends. It’s supposed to start out mild enough but by early afternoon the temperature is forecast to start dropping – all the way to well below zero by evening with windchills in the 35 below zero range. Oh great, just great. So, I will be out with the sunrise shoveling as much as I can, and then off to the supermarket for one last shop before the deep freeze hits. I will then come home and continue shoveling until my shovel goes ‘BOING’ and bounces off the frozen solid foot plus of soon-to-be-ice that is still covering more than 50% of my driveway. Oh – did I mention – its snowing again. We’re supposed to get 2 more inches tonight. Last night I got wine and goodies for me; tonight I stocked up on goodies for my good buddies the squirrels and the birds - and I have 20 pounds of peanuts to be delivered on Sunday. Tomorrow's shopping trip will stock up on more wine (an absolute necessity in this household) and lots of red meat. I crave protein and practically raw meat these cold snowy days - yes, darlings, I admit it, I'm a direct descendant of Neanderthal man (and woman, har!) - there seem to be several hundred thousands of us hanging around Wisconsin. Good thing those pesky scientists don't know about us, don't cha know. 'night...