The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes. 17 Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it. Nehemiah 3:13-21
Team Work Makes Dream Work
Verse 13 captures the repair of Valley Gate. Nehemiah began his inspection of the wall at Valley Gate. It was situated 500 yards north and west of the Dung Gate. Historically that was the later gateway across the city from the Gihon spring. A resident of Zanoah named Hanun repaired. Zanoah was a town in the low country of Judah. It was situated 10 miles west of Jerusalem. Hanun and the residents of Zanoah repaired a large portion of the gate all the way to the Dung gate.
In verse 16, the ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur named Nehemiah made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David. This is not the same Nehemiah the cupbearer. This Nehemiah was from Beth Zur which was a Judean hill country (Joshua 15:58). The name Beth Zur means “house of rock,” or “house of the god Zur.” It was situated approximately 4 miles north of Jerusalem.
A ruler in the district of Beth Hakkerem named Malkijah repaired the Dung gate. The name Beth Hakkerem means "house of a vineyard." The gate leads directly to the Western Wall of Jerusalem. The gate was so named because outside of it was the general dump heap of the city. Next, a ruler of the district of Mizpah named Shallun repaired the Fountain Gate. He also repaired the wall of Pool of Siloam. The name Mizpah means “watchtower.” It was located about 7.5 miles north of Jerusalem. The Pool of Siloam was a freshwater reservoir that was a major gathering place for ancient Jews making pilgrimages to Jerusalem. It was at the Pool of Siloam that Jesus healed the blind man (John 9:1-11).
In verse 17, the Levites joined the repair work under the leadership of Rehum. The name Rehum means merciful. He was one of the exiles that returned from captivity in Babylon. Then, individual district leaders made repairs on behalf of their district. These included Hashabiah (regarded by Jehovah). Binnui, which ironically means building along with Ezer which means helper, Zabbai which means “given by Jehovah, Baruch which means “blessed,” and Meremoth which means “bitterness.”
The spirit of cooperation and teamwork that prevailed during the rebuilding project is fascinating. People from surrounding communities came together to lend a helping hand wherever they were needed. These hardworking souls were not professional builders. But because of the leadership of Nehemiah and the commitment of the leaders among them, the repair moved along at a rapid pace.
These committed laborers teach us three important lessons for the way we should conduct ourselves when dealing with an overwhelming task. First, we have to cultivate a spirit of partnership and teamwork. We should always try to find common ground to work with others for a worthy cause notwithstanding our personal preferences. A worthy vision is always more important than personal ambitions.
Second, no task is beneath anyone, regardless of title or personal achievement. When the cause is just, and the vision is noteworthy, we should be willing to pitch in wherever we are needed. The district leaders were personally invested in the repair. They did not hide behind their titles or position. Instead, they each repaired a section of the wall. That sight must have motivated many average onlookers who may not have been too motivated to participate in the repair. We should not underestimate the power of influence. I think many of these district leaders were influenced by the fact that other district leaders were also doing repairs.
Third, we should use our affluence to influence others for the greater good. That influence is action-based. These men did not say much. Their work ethic and their commitment to the work at hand made them very influential. So much so that their name is recorded in the Bible. The lesson they teach us is that when given an opportunity to do something that can enhance the kingdom or bring glory to God, we should not hesitate.
Blessed Lord, may we be always ready to do the work for which you created us no matter how challenging that may be.


BELGRADE – A tribute for 88 victims was paid Friday at the St Mark Church in Belgrade in memory of the Serbs brutally killed by the Croatian troops during Operation Medak Pocket in the south-central Lika region of Croatia on September 9, 1993.
Participants of the commemoration said that the crime went unpunished and that the executioners later received recognition from the Croatian society.
Dragan Pjevac, head of the Coordination of Serbian Associations of Missing Persons’ Families from the Former Yugoslavia, told Srna that Davor Domazet Loso, the prime suspect in the brutal murder of the people of Divoselo, Pocitelj and Citluk, was recently appointed advisor to Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, the first accused Rahim Ademi was acquitted, while the second accused Mirko Norac was sentenced to six years in jail for “failure to act”.
“My mother Boja was killed in Pocitelj a few kilometres away from home. She was found by my brother Nikola 18 days later, her head smashed and three fingers cut off. A year ago, the victims’ families lodged a 16-page criminal report against Domazet detailing the arguments and facts corroborating his responsibility for those crimes, but we haven’t received any reply yet,” Pjevac said.
Under such circumstances and in an environment where more than 50 percent of young Croats believe that the Ustasha were more positive than the partisans, he doubts that the responsible will be prosecuted and the search for the missing from the Medak Pocket and all other execution sites finished.
“We are still searching for 14 bodies and it is up to us the families and the Serbian society as a whole to fight for our victims, both from WWII and the 1990s war, with the truth as a weapon. The victims need peace and respect, not politics,” said Pjevac.
Professor Mile Rajcevic, who fled Divoselo, said that in his village 30 residents were killed and everything else wiped out in September 1993, which made Operation Medak Pocket an act of genocide.
During the crimes, the Lika villages where the pogrom occurred were under UNPROFOR’s protection for 18 months and the UN organisation “failed to protect the Serb civilians,” said Rajcevic.
“The people who got there after the slaughter saw some disturbing scenes. Like those left by the Spanish Inquisition and even worse, because no one was spared. Everyone was killed,” said Rajcevic.
His home village is totally desolate now – no inhabitants, just the charred remnants and graves indicating that people used to live there.
Operation Medak Pocket, also known as the Bloody September in Lika, was the Croatia’s third attack on the troops of the Republic of Serbian Krajina /RSK/ since the RSK territory was placed under the UNPROFOR protection.
The attack began on September 9, 1993 when the Croatian troops raided the Serbian villages of Divoselo, Citluk and Pocitelj, murdering 88 Serbs, including 36 civilians.
Seventeen were women, 26 were over 60 years of age, while 14 are still listed missing.
UNPROFOR Commander Jean Cot, who visited the site immediately after the atrocity, wrote this in a report: “I haven’t found any sign of life; no people, no animals. In several villages we passed through today the destruction is total, systematic and intentional.”


Army Aviation Badges
An oxidized silver badge 3/4 inch in height and 2 1/2 inches in width, consisting of
the shield of the coat of arms of the United States on and over a pair of displayed
wings. A star is added above the shield to indicate qualification as a Senior Army
Aviator. The star is surrounded with a laurel wreath to indicate qualification as a
Master Army Aviator.
The wings suggest flight and reflect the skills associated with aerial flight. The shield
of the coat of arms of the United States signifies loyalty and devotion to duty.
An individual must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed training and proficiency tests, and must have been designated as an aviator in orders issued by the appropriate headquarters as outlined in AR 600-105.
Senior Aviator: An aviator, who is medically qualified and instrument qualified may apply for the Senior Aviator Badge as long as the aviator has served seven years of rated aviation service, served 84 months in operational flying duty assignments and
accumulated 1,000 hours of flight time.
Master Aviator: A Senior Aviator, who is medically qualified and instrument qualified may apply for the Master Aviator Badge as long as the aviator has served fifteen years of rated and aviation service, served 120 months in operational flying duty assignments accumulated 2,000 hours of flight time.
The Aviator and Senior Aviator Badges were approved on 27 July 1950 and the Master Aviator Badge was approved on 12 February 1957.


player. Born George Herman Ruth, Jr., on February 6, 1895,
in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the first of eight children
born to Kate and George Herman Ruth, Sr. Most of the Ruth
children died in infancy and only George Jr. and his sister
Mamie survived to maturity. Little George, as he was called,
grew up in a poor waterfront neighborhood in Baltimore, where
he lived above the family saloon.
1902, the Ruths sent their son away to St. Marys
Industrial School for Boys, which was both a reformatory
and an orphanage. Ruth developed a love for sports, particularly
baseball, which served as his escape from the strict environment
at St Marys. From an early age he showed potential
as an athlete, and in his late teens he had developed into
a professional candidate. His tough southpaw pitching attracted
Jack Dunn, manager of the minor league Baltimore Orioles.
In 1914, the Orioles signed Ruth to his first professional
baseball contract. He became the teams youngest member,
and was befittingly nicknamed Babe.
five months, 19-year-old Ruth graduated to the major leagues,
and signed with the Boston Red Sox. He remained with the
team for six seasons, alternating positions as pitcher and
outfielder. With his great pitching, powerful bat, and winning
personality, he was quickly on his way to greatness, overshadowing
players like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner.
a controversy revealed that the Chicago White Sox conspired
to throw the 1919 World Series, the sport of baseball was
in need of a hero. The scandal had shaken the publics
faith in the game. However, in 1919, while still a part-time
pitcher for the Red Sox, Ruth made his home-run assault
on the record books. His 25th home run that year shattered
the modern major league record held by the now forgotten
Gabby Kraveth. By the end of the year, Ruths record
was an unprecedented 29 home runs, and he was credited with
reviving faith in the game.
December of 1919, the Boston Red Sox sold the invaluable
player to New York Yankee owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert. Ruppert
bought Ruths contract for over $100,000, which was
a staggering price at the time. In 1920, Ruth joined the
Yankees, who as yet had never won a pennant. For years they
played in the shadow of the New York Giants. Without a baseball
park to call their own, the Yankees were forced to hold
their games at the Giants Polo Grounds.
started as a full-time outfielder, hitting 54 home runs
his first year with the Yankees. Shortly after, he became
baseballs preeminent player, and such a drawing card
that New York built a new stadium for the crowds he was
attracting. Yankee Stadium had its opening day on April
4, 1923, with a total attendance of 74,000. The stadium
became known as The House That Ruth Built, and
the period became known as the Golden Age of Baseball. On
opening day, Ruth made the first home run in Yankee Stadium
slugging percentages in 1920 and 1921 were .847 and .846.
Neither figure has ever been approached. In fact, a slugging
percentage higher than .704 has been achieved only 20 times,
eight by Ruth. In 1923, hitting .393, he was named the leagues
Most Valuable Player, and capped off the year by ushering
the Yankees to their first World Series Championship. He
also led the American League in home runs from 1919-1924,
and again from 1926-1931.
1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs, breaking his own record, and
setting a new one that would endure for decades (Roger Maris
broke it in 1961). With an exceptional year, he assumed
almost mythic status, and was nicknamed The Sultan
of Swat, The Home Run King, and Herman
the field Ruth reveled in his celebrity status, enjoying
a wild and extravagant life. However, his high living and
headstrong behavior eventually began to take a toll on his
performance. He was still baseballs premier player
but fellow teammate and newcomer Lou Gehrig started to show
signs of greatness as well. The year 1931 was the start
of Ruths 12th season with the Yankees, and it also
marked the great days of Lou Gehrigs career. Ruth
was still a force, but Gehrig was closing the gap. At the
end of the season the two players were tied in home runs.
1933, Ruths once great talent began to erode. Realizing
that his playing days were numbered, he threatened the Yankees
that he would quit if not given the opportunity to become
a manager. After they denied his request, he left the Yankees
in 1934. Two years later, the Boston Braves offered to take
on Ruth as a part-time player, baiting him with an eventual
assistant-manager position. He accepted, and his decision
met with mixed feelings among New York fans. Some thought
that he was deserving of the opportunity, and others felt
that he was selling out.
three months, Ruth became aware of the fact that the Braves
only wanted him for his drawing power. They had no intention
of giving him a managerial position. He resigned from the
team, and made his last appearance as a player in May of
1935, retiring with 714 career home runs (a record that
was broken by Hank Aaron in 1974).
1936, Ruth was part of the first class inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Ty Cobb, Honus
Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. He became
a coach with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938, but never achieved
his goal of managing a major league team.
was diagnosed with cancer in 1946. Although the extent of
his illness was kept from him, he knew that his time was
limited. He spent the remainder of his life making countless
visits to childrens hospitals and orphanages. In 1948,
Ruth made his final appearance at Yankee Stadium, celebrating
the 25th anniversary of The House that Ruth Built.
His number was retired, and April 27th was declared Babe
August 16, 1948, Ruth died at the age of 53. At the time
of his death, he held 54 major league records, including
most years leading a league in home runs (12), most total
bases in a season (457), and highest slugging percentage
for a season (.847).
with the Red Sox, Ruth married 18-year-old waitress Helen
Woodford, whom he had known less than three months. In 1929,
Ruths wife died in a fire. At the time, they had been
separated for three years. Her tragic death allowed him
to marry Claire Hodgson, a former model and actress. With
Claires daughter from a previous marriage and Ruths
adopted daughter (with Woodford), they became an immediate
family. Ruth and Hodgson remained together until Ruths


The demand for foods produced more “naturally” arose out of a response to the introduction of synthetic pesticides and herbicides in the 1940s and the resulting movement toward organic farming. By the early 1970s, the need for standardized organic labeling became apparent to the western leaders of the organic movement who worked to pass laws and create certification standards and processes. In 1973 the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization was formed and in 1974, Oregon enacted the first organic state laws in the country. During that same period, the Western Alliance was formed among organic activists in the three Pacific border states. In 1985 the Organic Food Production Association of North America (OFPANA) was formed in Massachusetts and joined forces with the Western Alliance to work collaboratively on nationwide standards that would unify the language, practices, tools and certification requirements. Ultimately these original trade associations became the Organic Trade Association (OTA), a national organization of over 1,500 members representing businesses across the organic supply chain that addresses all things organic, including food, fiber/textiles, personal care products, and new emerging sectors.


Welcome to the Play-Cricket Homepage of Tynemouth Cricket Club
Home of the Croons!
Cricket Club, founded in 1847, has the distinction of being the oldest
continuous playing club in Northumberland and we have played on the very same
ground off Preston Avenue, North Shields since 1885. The pavilion was opened in
1902 after the previous wooden building was wrecked by severe gales. Now,
almost a century later, history has repeated itself, with the clubhouse and
pavilion being fully refurbished. Tynemouth CC has a long and proud tradition
of encouraging all to enjoy the game of cricket.
our long history, Tynemouth Cricket Club has been at the forefront of the
development of cricket in the North East. As early as the 1850's the Club had
junior members, was organising cricket tours and supporting representative
matches. We have a long tradition of playing and promoting high quality
cricket. Tynemouth was closely involved in the creation of the present
Northumberland County Cricket Club in 1896. Tynemouth senior players have
regularly represented Northumberland, and many of our junior players have
gained similar honours since Northumberland Junior matches began in the 1970's.
In the previous decade Gerry Knox became the first Tynemouth player to play
first-class county cricket, while in more recent times former juniors Nicky Peng
and Gordon Muchall both went onto first class cricket with Durham CCC and
represented England and more recently, Paul Muchall and Richard Coughtrie have
moved on via Durham Academy to Gloucestershire. Equally, the creation of
national club competitions has seen Tynemouth reach the U13 National Finals
five times in the last twenty years (from 1400 clubs) and the U15 National
Finals in 2001 (from 1300 clubs).
quality of our achievements and facilities saw the Club invited to be a
founder-member of the North-East Premier League in 1999, one of five leagues of
which it is a member. The club runs six senior league teams, and junior teams
from U7 to U18.
is a very exciting time for the club as we have recently just completed on
three major projects:
As from the 18th January we became Tynemouth
Cricket Club Limited. This will have a minimal effect on you
as members but provide peace of mind for us who serve on the
in November we made an application to the SITA Trust for the much needed
refurbishment of our 3 lane outdoor nets. We now have a first class facility
that all of our playing members and coaches will benefit from.
The committee agreed a substantial budget to
refurbish the pavilion which will hopefully have a knock on effect in increased
bookings but also provide an excellent facility to our current members.


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The Tobacco Pioneers
This remarkable history celebrates the business skills, energy and determination of brothers, Peter and Michael Michelides, not only in their pioneering of the tobacco and cigarette manufacturing industry in Western Australia in the face of overwhelming odds, but also their leading roles in the development and growth of a vibrant Greek community in Perth.
Richly illustrated with photographs and documents from family archives and government and newspaper sources, the book is in two parts: Firstly their arduous journey from the small Greek island of Castellorizo via Egypt to Perth over a hundred years ago; the founding, growth and decline of their cigarette and tobacco empire, Michelides Ltd and their strong family and community involvement; secondly comprising dynamic biographies of their children, together with a detailed family tree.
This is a book of historical significance and rich heritage that details the struggles and triumphs of early Greek migration to Australia and for family and friends to reconnect with, or find their place in, the story of these two outstanding men.


Today, 28th May is the birth anniversary of a Revolutionary freedom fighter ‘Swatantra Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’. Despite his lifetime contribution towards independence struggle in the colonial era, very few things are known about him in public.
1) Advocate Savarkar Born in 1883, Savarkar studied from Fergusson College, Pune and went on to study law from prestigious Gray’s Inn in London. 2) The Author of 1857 Revolt Savarkar wrote a book on 1857 revolt of Indians against tyrannical British and named it First War of Independence. 3) The Great Escape While studying in London, he continued his independence struggle and thus was arrested by authorities. While being brought back to India, Savarkar escaped from clutches of British and jumped into the sea near France. Unfortunately, he was caught later, but this daring act became famous and his arrest was even disputed in International Court. 4) Imprisonment Savarkar was sentenced to ‘Life Imprisonments’ for his acts against British Raj and sent to Cellular Jail in Andaman then famously known as ‘Kalapani’ Here while performing tedious tasks as a prisoner, he created many poems on patriotism. He also organized protests and strikes against the torture of political prisoners. He authored a book “Majhi Janmathep” which gives details of his experiences at Andaman. 5) Anti-Caste Crusader After being released from dreaded Kalapani and confined to house arrest in Ratnagiri, Savarkar undertook various activities against caste discrimination. He organized entry of untouchables in temples and also had community meals with them. He also promoted their education this breaking social norms of those times. Very few people know that he was among first to call for complete Independence from British and also critic of Partition of India. A great revolutionary, a poet, a social reformer, a philosopher, we salute this ‘Veer’ for his service to this Mother India.


2700 W. 5525 So.
Park Hours Year Round
It has 5.60 acres and has the following facilities: lighted baseball diamond, restrooms, and permanent bleachers.
Resolution No. 677
A Resolution of the Roy City Council
honoring Frank Tremea and renaming Roy Park “Frank Tremea Park”
Whereas, Frank Tremea began his career in 1959 with Roy City as the Recreation Director, and
Whereas, Frank continued in that position for forty years until 1998, and
Whereas, Frank was instrumental in the planning and development of Roy City’s park system, and
Whereas, Frank developed programs which have influenced thousands of youth and adult coaches, and
Whereas, the citizens of Roy have benefited and will benefit for generations by Frank’s contributions to Roy.
Now, Therefore, Be it resolved by the Roy City Council that Roy Park be officially renamed “Frank Tremea Park” in honor of Frank’s dedicated service.
Passed this 2 day of February, 1999.
Mayor, Roger Phil Burnett


Er is een fout opgetreden!
The Apollo moon landing 50 years ago is still arguably NASA’s greatest feat. See how the US pulled it off.
Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon 50 years ago, on July 20, 1969. Ten other NASA astronauts followed in their footsteps over the next three years, but no one has been back to the lunar surface since the Apollo program ended in the 70s. Here’s a step-by-step timeline of the historic moon-landing project. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy put a monumental goal before Congress: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth,” Kennedy said. “No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.” It took eight years to reach the moon after that, and NASA burned through $25.4 billion dollars before the Apollo program was finished. But on July 20, 1969, as people throughout the world gathered around fuzzy television sets, astronaut Neil Armstrong announced: “the Eagle has landed.” Here’s how the US made it to the moon 50 years ago.The first planned crewed Apollo mission, Apollo 1, ended in tragedy in 1967. All three crew members died in a fire inside their capsule during a pre-launch test on the launch pad.Foto: From left, Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee in front of their Saturn 1 rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.sourceNASA NASA said design changes after the accident made the Apollo spacecraft safer for journeys to the moon.By July 1969, NASA astronauts had flown to the moon’s orbit twice, and the crew of Apollo 11 was ready to attempt a landing on the lunar surface.Foto: The Apollo 11 crew. From left to right: commander Neil Armstrong, command-module pilot Michael Collins, and lunar-module pilot Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin.sourceNASA/AP The first two crewed missions to the moon flew astronauts into the moon’s orbit (Apollo 8) and 50,000 feet above the lunar surface (Apollo 10.)The Apollo team practiced their moon-landing plan on Earth first. They flew this Lunar Landing Research Vehicle for the first time in 1964.Foto: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle simulated the moon landings.sourceNASA The flights didn’t always go smoothly: Neil Armstrong was at the helm in 1968 when he had to eject himself seconds before it crashed.Armstrong also practiced what it would be like to step foot on the moon and how to get back into the lunar landing module, called the Eagle.Foto: Neil Armstrong practices getting to the first rung of the ladder on the Lunar Module in his space suit.sourceNASA In 1962, President Kennedy said the US was spending 50 cents per week “for every man, woman, and child in the United States” on the space program. It took another seven years after that statement for humans to land on the moon.On the morning of July 16, 1969, the 363-foot-tall Saturn V rocket launched from Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Foto: Apollo 11 blasted off at 9:32 a.m. ET on July 16, 1969.sourceNASAThe rocket used 7.5 million pounds of thrust to get the astronauts into space.Foto: The launch of Apollo 11 is seen behind an American flag on July 16, 1969.sourceNASA Source: NASAPeople camped out on beaches and roads nearby to see the rocket blast off.Foto: People camped out by Kennedy Space Center to see the launch.sourceNASAFormer President Lyndon B. Johnson and sitting Vice President Spiro Agnew were there to see the three astronauts off.Foto: Spectators at the launch of Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969.sourceNASAAfter launch, the three astronauts inside the spacecraft spent four days traveling to the moon.Foto: Buzz Aldrin in space on the Apollo 11 mission.sourceNASAFinally, command pilot Michael Collins lined up the hatches of the Columbia spacecraft and Eagle moon lander so that Aldrin and Armstrong could head down to the moon.Foto: The Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle photographed in lunar orbit from Columbia. The long, skinny rods under the landing pods are lunar surface-sensing probes.sourceNASA Source: SmithsonianThings got a little chaotic during the landing: The guidance computer crashed, and Armstrong had to change the landing site at the last minute. But the astronauts landed on the moon safely after a few tense minutes. Aldrin snapped this shot of his crewmate Armstrong.Foto: Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 commander, inside the Lunar Module while it rested on the lunar surface.sourceNASA Source: SmithsonianAt 10:56 p.m. ET on July 20, Armstrong stuck his boot into the soft gray regolith dust of the moon and uttered the famous words: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”Foto: A photo of one of the first footprints on the moon. It’ll be there for a long time because there’s no wind to smooth out the dust.sourceNASA Armstrong described the moon’s surface as “fine and powdery.” “I can pick it up loosely with my toe,” he said, mentioning that the regolith was kind of messy and adhered “like powdered charcoal to the sole and sides of my boots.” On Earth, mission control celebrated the successful landing.Foto: NASA officials and flight controllers celebrate the successful conclusion of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission in the Mission Control Center.sourceNASAMinutes later, Aldrin got out of the Eagle lander and joined Armstrong on the moon, joking that he was “making sure not to lock it on my way out.”Foto: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin steps out of the Eagle.sourceNASA Source: NASAThe two spent two and a half hours collecting samples, taking pictures, and of course, planting this flag.Foto: sourceNASASome of the equipment the astronauts brought to the moon was designed for experiments.Foto: Buzz Aldrin set out to plop the experiments on the surface of the moon.sourceNASAThe gear included a Swiss aluminum-foil panel for monitoring solar wind, four seismometers, and a reflector toward which scientists on Earth could shoot laser beams.Foto: Buzz Aldrin deployed the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package, including the solar-powered seismic experiment to his right, and the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector beyond that.sourceNASA Source: SmithsonianAldrin called the moonscape a scene of “magnificent desolation.”Foto: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon.sourceNASA Source: NASAThis is the farthest the astronauts wandered from their lander.Foto: Neil Armstrong took this photo of the Lunar Module from the rim of Little West Crater.sourceNASAThe Eagle moon lander wasn’t built to fly back to Earth. Instead, the vehicle rocketed Aldrin and Armstrong back to the command module Columbia, where Collins was waiting for them in orbit. The three caught this glimpse of the moon as they headed home.Foto: When this picture was taken, the spacecraft was 10,000 nautical miles away from the moon.sourceNASA The Eagle lander was then left in lunar orbit after the astronauts hopped back in their main capsule. “It is assumed that it crashed into the lunar surface sometime within the following one to four months,” NASA said.On July 24, the Apollo 11 astronauts plunked down in the waters of the Pacific near Hawaii.Foto: A member of the US Navy, protected by a “biological isolation garment,” recovers the Apollo 11 crew from the re-entry vehicle, which landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, after an eight day mission on the moon.sourceFile photo/APThen they waited for a helicopter to get them.Foto: All four men are wearing biological isolation garments in this image taken July 24, 1969.sourceNASABecause scientists weren’t sure what kind of “lunar contagions” the astronauts might have brought back, the three were quarantined for 21 days. But President Richard Nixon stopped by to say hi.Foto: President Nixon welcomed the Apollo 11 astronauts back to Earth on the USS Hornet.sourceNASA Source: SmithsonianSo did their wives, of course.Foto: The Apollo 11 crewmen, greeted by their wives.sourceNASAOn August 13, the day the astronauts were allowed back outside, they were showered with ticker tape in New York City.Foto: New York City welcomes Apollo 11 crewmen in a showering of ticker tape down Broadway and Park Avenue.sourceNASAThe New York Times said the confetti was “so dense that the astronauts could hardly see.”Foto: A ticker tape parade celebrated the astronauts in New York. Sitting atop the lead car, from the right, are Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.sourceNASA Source: CBSThe US spent two and a half more years shuttling men to the moon. The last Apollo flight ended in December 1972. Since then, NASA has explored the moon as well as other planets, like Mars, using rovers and cameras, but not with any human crews.Foto: NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover.sourceNASA-JPLFor the past two decades, NASA has also invested $100 billion into the International Space Station.Foto: sourceNASA Source: Business Insider But many astronauts say the main reasons no humans have touched the moon (or any other planet) since 1972 aren’t scientific or technical challenges. Instead, it’s due a lack of cash and political waffling.Foto: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks the runway during the unveiling of a Mars-themed fashion collection at men’s Fashion Week, January 31, 2017, in New York.sourceAP Photo/Bebeto Matthews “American leadership is inspiring the world by consistently doing what no other nation is capable of doing,” Aldrin told Congress in 2015. “We demonstrated that for a brief time 45 years ago. I do not believe we have done it since.”Update: This story was originally published on July 20, 2018. The post The Apollo moon landing 50 years ago is still arguably NASA’s greatest feat. See how the US pulled it off. appeared first on Business Insider Nederland.
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Lineage is the sacred trust through which the Buddha’s teachings are transmitted from one generation to the next, from master to disciple. Although different Buddhist lineages share in common the Buddha’s core teachings, each has developed a different emphasis or approach. As one of the main Vajrayana Buddhist orders, the Kagyu lineage (translated as the oral lineage or whispered transmission) gives importance to meditation instructions passed from master to disciple.
The roots of the Kagyu lineage begin in tenth-century India, where the master Tilopa collected the most advanced spiritual practices from renowned Buddhist teachers of his day. One of Tilopa’s female teachers, recognizing that he possessed a strong sense of pride, directed him to work at the humble task of pounding sesame seeds in a rustic village. By engaging in this method of purifying ego, Tilopa received the transmission on the mind’s nature directly from Vajradhara, the Buddha’s primordial aspect. Tilopa transmitted the practices he mastered to the scholar Naropa, who had resigned as the abbot of lndia’s most prestigious Buddhist university to meditate under Tilopa’s guidance. Naropa, in turn, transmitted these practices (now termed the “six yogas of Naropa”) to the Tibetan householder Marpa, who made three arduous journeys across the Himalayas to receive the Buddhist teachings, which he then translated into Tibetan. Marpa’s disciple Milarepa had great remorse for his misdeeds as a vengeful sorcerer and became a holy sage through his Dharma practice. Milarepa meditated in Tibet’s remote caves and mountains, wearing only a cotton cloth and meditation belt, and expressed the essence of his realization in songs, which the Tibetan people recite to this day.
Milarepa passed the Kagyu practices down to the physician Gampopa, who integrated Milarepa’s meditation instructions with the teachings on the gradual path (Lamrim) and the monastic tradition dating back to the Buddha (Vinaya). One of Gampopa’s disciples, Dusum Khyenpa, became known as the 1st Gyalwang Karmapa, whose name means the victorious one who performs buddha activity. As Buddha Shakyamuni foretold, Dusum Khyenpa would take birth as an emanation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. Before his death, Dusum Khyenpa entrusted his disciple with a letter describing the circumstances of his next reincarnation and, in due course, the 2nd Karmapa was discovered in accordance with the prediction letter. The Karmapa’s reincarnation tradition and position as one of the foremost holders of the Kagyu lineage continues to this day, with the guidance of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
In addition to upholding the Kagyu teachings brought to Tibet by Marpa, the KTC sangha practices teachings and meditations of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage. In the eleventh century, the Tibetan yogi Khyungpo Naljor received core Shangpa practices (such as the Mahamudra transmission, Six Yogas, and Five Golden Dharmas) from the Indian female masters Niguma and Sukhasiddhi, among other renowned teachers. Khyunpo Naljor transmitted the Shangpa practices to only one disciple, and for the next several generations the Shangpa lineage was preserved this way, in accordance with Niguma's instructions that the lineage be held closely and remain pure.
In subsequent generations, the Shangpa teachings were held by masters such as Thangtong Gyalpo, a renowned civil engineer who built iron bridges throughout the Himalayas; Jetsun Taranatha, one of the greatest scholars in Tibet's history; and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, who co-founded the non-sectarian movement in the nineteenth century and revitalized the Shangpa lineage.
Although several Shangpa practices have been assimilated by other Buddhist schools, the tradition was primarily maintained in small retreat centers in the Himalayas. In the twentieth century, one of the main holders of this tradition, Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche, transmitted Shangpa Kagyu practices to students around the world, including students at KTC.


A special walk again: Walking from the Vijfhoek, one of the nicest quarters in Haarlem, to the Nieuwe Bavo Church with a Haarlem’s Professional City Guide, who will also give us a guided tour OUTSIDE and INSIDE the church. The guided tour will be held by John de Laat, who was also our guide at the Proveniershof Photo Walk. He arranged again a special tour for us: the priest himself will welcome us in his church after the 12 h ceremony.
This neo-Gothic church was finished in 1930 and is dedicated to the city’s patron saint. Some 100 meters long, 42 meters wide, and 60 meters high, it’s a good example of the transition in church architecture from traditional to more modern designs. Highlights include the Cathedral Treasury. Other notable features are the fine stained glass, as well as sculptures and paintings by well-known Dutch artists. Also of note is the Willibrord Organ, built in 1923 with four manuals and 75 stops.
Costs: € 10 including the guided tour and the church entrance fee (Cathedral and the new Cathedral Museum). To be paid cash at the meeting point.


The Scots Guards are an infantry regiment steeped in history, with soldiers renowned for their discipline and courage in battle. We are Mechanised Infantry and train to use speed to cross the battlefield quickly and launch onto difficult objectives. Recognised as innovators, we are due to be one of the first STRIKE Mechanised Infantry units with a new fleet of impressive vehicles at the forefront of British Army capability.
In addition to our combat role, the regiment’s ceremonial company has the special honour of acting as guards at royal residences such as Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. Our traditional uniform – a red tunic and bearskin hat – is famous the world over.


The Church of England plays a vital role in the life of the nation,
proclaiming the Christian gospel in words and actions and providing
services of Christian worship and praise.
Its network of parishes cover the country, bringing a vital Christian dimension to the nation as well as strengthening community life in numerous urban, suburban and rural settings.
The Diocese of Norwich is one of 44 diocese England is divided into. It is one of the oldest dating back to Dunwich (AD630), Elmham (AD673) and Thetford (AD1070). It was founded as the Diocese of Norwich in 1094 and covers 1,804 square miles with a population of approximately 879,000.
The Diocese comprises all Norfolk (the fourth largest county in England) except for an area in the west beyond the Great Ouse and marshland, which is in the Diocese of Ely. A small area of Suffolk, known as Waveney, is also in the Diocese of Norwich, namely the port of Lowestoft and the associated Deanery of Lothingland. The total average weekly attendance is 20,000 across the 567 Church of England parishes, with 183 benefices and 648 church buildings.
Published on: 11/04/2013


Ura Yakchoe Festival (Festival Date30 April-4 May, 10 Nights/11 Days)
Day01. Arrive at Paro (Altitude 2280 m)
On arrival at Paro Airport, You will be received by our representative and then drive to Thimphu. “The Capital of Bhutan” Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Thimphu.
Day02. Thimphu Sightseeing
After Breakfast, visit the National Memorial Chorten built in 1974 in honour of our late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk( “Father of Modern Bhutan”) Then Visit to the Tallest Statue of Buddha in the World, sangay gang view point, Takin Preserve Centre, Dupthop Lhakhang one of the few surviving nunneries in Bhutan. After that visit the Institute for Zorig Chusum, commonly knew as the Painting School, Also visits the Folk & Textile Heritage Museums and the National Library which holds a vast collection of ancient Buddhist manuscripts.
After Lunch, visit to the weekend marked and witness archery match. Then visit the Handicrafts Emporium to see exquisite artistry of traditional crafts and textiles. Evening visit to the Trashichho Dzong, seat of the national government and the Central Monastic Body, including the summer residence of the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot of Bhutan)
Day03. Thimphu-Punakha (75km, 2 ½ Hours)
After Breakfast, Drive to Punakha across Dochula Pass (3050m), we will stop there for few minutes, if the weather is clear, you shall have a good view of Higher Himalayas.
After lunch, visit Chimi Lhakhang, also called the “Temple of Fertility” built in 1499 by Lam Drukpa Kuenley known as the “DIVINE MADMAN” then an excursion to Khamsung Yulley Namgyal Choling Monastery. On the way back visit to Punakha Dzong, built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). Today the Dzong serve as a religious and administrative centre of the region. Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Punakha
After Breakfast, Drive to Gangety, on the way visit Wangdiphordang Dzong (from outside) built in 1638. Legend relates that as the people were searching for the site of the Dzong; four ravens were seen flying away in four directions. This was considered auspicious sign, representing the spread of religion to the four points of the compass. The Dzong is located on the hilltop above the confluence of the Punakha Chu and Tang Chu Rivers. Drive further to Gangtey, visit Gangtey Gompa, built in the year 1613 located at an altitude of 2900m. Today it serves as a meditation and home for the monks.
Explore Phobjikha valley, famous for the Black Necked Cranes during winter. Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Gangety.
Day05.Gangtey-Trongsa-Bumthang (200 km, 6 Hours Drive)
After Breakfast, Drive to Trongsa, visit Trongsa Dzong, the impregnable fortress, built in its present form in 1644 by Chogyal Minjur Tempa, the official who was sent by Shabdrung to unify eastern Bhutan and enlarged at the end of the 17th century by Desi Tenzin Rabgay. The Dzong is built in a traditional style with many levels into the side of the hill and can be seen from every approach to Trongsa exhibiting its strength as a defensive stronghold. Then visit the Ta Dzong, a watchtower, for the Trongsa Dzong.
Afternoon, Drive to Bumthang, Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Bumthang.
Day06. Bumthang Sightseeing
After Breakfast, visit Jakar Dzong, meaning “The Castle of White Bird” It is the largest Dzong in Bhutan. Then visit Jambey Lhakhang, built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century to subdue the evil spirits in the Himalayan region. After that visit Kurjey Lhakhang, this comprises of three Temple. The one on the right was built in 1652 by Minjur Tempa, Trongsa Penlop. This temple is dedicated to Guru Rinpoche who brought Buddhism to Bhutan and had mediated there in 8th century. The middle temple is built on the site of a cave containing a rock with the imprint of the Guru’s body, and is therefore considered to be the most holy. The third temple was built in 1990s by her Majesty Queen mother Ashi Kesang Wangmo Wangchuk. Also visit Tamshing Lhakhang (Temple of the Good Message)
After Lunch, visit Membartsho literally meaning, “The Burning Lake” then a short distance led to the Tang Valley. The Terton Pema Lingpa discovered several of Guru Rinpoche’s hidden Terma and relics here and visits to Mathra Factory & Cheese Factory. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
Day07. Bumthang (Ura Festival)
After Breakfast, Drive to Ura valley, then witness the Festival. In the evening drive back to Bumthang. Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Bumthang.
Day8. Bumthang- Thimphu (268 km, Altitude 2320m)
After Breakfast, Drive to Thimphu, Lunch will be on the way. Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Thimphu
After Breakfast, Drive to Paro visit Ta Dzong (built in 1656 and renovated in 1968), an ancient watchtower, it now houses National Museum of the kingdom and boasts antique thangkha painting, textiles and weapons & armours. On the way walk down the trail to visit Rinpung Dzong, meaning “fortress heap of jewels” , Afternoon drive to Drukgyel Dzong, a ruined fortress, Built in 1647 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. On the way back visit Kichu Lhakhang built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. This temple marks the introduction of Buddhism in Bhutan.
In the evening visit to a Traditional Bhutanese Farm House which offers good insight into life style of local people and their culture
Day10. Paro, Excursion to Taktsang Monastery
After Breakfast, a short drive to satsam chorten. From there your hikes start to Taktsang Monastery one of the most famous monastery of Bhutan floating on the high cliff. It is said that Guru Rinpoche who brought Buddhism to Bhutan arrived on the back of a tigress and meditated at this monastery for three months hence it is called “Tiger Nest”. Lunch at Taktsang Cafteria.
In the evening free for shopping and photography in the town.
Day11. Departure: Breakfast in Hotel, Drive to the Airport, Flight on Druk Air. TASHIDELEK


During the past 115 years, our congregation has had three names and met in three different locations across the city of Indianapolis, yet one feature has remained constant – a devotion to Jesus Christ.
31st Street Fundamentalist Baptist Church
Back in 1897, a small group of 14 people formed a “mission station” on the near northwest side of Indianapolis. As the congregation grew, a new building was built on West 31st Street in 1901. The church emphasized Bible study, prayer and soul winning.
Devington Baptist Church
In 1957, the growing congregation moved to a larger space at 46th Street and Arlington and was renamed Devington Baptist Church. It became known for an excellent Bible teaching ministry.
In the 1970’s, a 25-acre campus was developed in the Castleton area for the expanding church. Castleview Church, at 86th Street and Hague Road, was dedicated in 1978. In 2004, the worship auditorium was destroyed by arson but was rebuilt with other church renovations. The Castleview fellowship continues today as a vibrant community of believers dedicated to glorifying God by making disciples.


Collegiate Presbyterian Church was founded on February 21, 1911, when thirty some members met at the home of Thomas Sloss. By the end of February, the new church closed its charter-membership period with a total of 40.
The Synod of Iowa envisioned a church that would minister to both Iowa State and the greater Ames community. The idea of serving "town and gown" in a single congregation was innovative at the time.
The growth of the congregation was rapid. By 1914 a second pastor was added to the staff. The Rev. J.W. Innes, CPC’s founding pastor, became the college pastor, and the Rev. H.W. Johnston was installed as the community pastor. The original church building, the present sanctuary, was dedicated in 1917. Total membership was 400.
In the 1950's a great deal happened and the building was expanded:
A second worship service was initiated
West wing addition for Christian education, library and choir room
New south wing for church and Chapel, with the second floor housing the Westgate Center's campus ministry facilities
Membership grew to 1600; a second Presbyterian Church, Northminister Presbyterian was established in 1961 at the initiative of Collegiate Presbyterian partnership with the Presbytery of North Central Iowa.
Throughout its history, Collegiate Presbyterian has emerged as a “mainline” Protestant church. It has grown and adapted with its times. As the nation struggled with issues of racial equality, poverty, and international conflict, its mission activities emphasized direct action on behalf of social justice and support for refugee victims of conflict.
Collegiate Presbyterian has followed the denomination’s policies of inclusion on the ordination of women and LGBT persons. It has updated its facilities to make the church “accessible” to the disabled. Its adult education programs included “social issues” such as climate change, a candidates’ forum, and international issues. In 2001, a contemporary service was added.
Great music has been a long and much-valued feature of CPC life. The church has formed numerous choirs, an orchestra, small ensembles, hand bells, and praise band.
Collegiate Presbyterian maintains wide-ranging educational programs for youth, adults, and university students.
All these things occur within the Reformed tradition of Christian faith and worship: Sunday worship services, fellowship time, Bible study and prayer groups. All nurture a faith centered on God and God’s Word, radiated throughout the church community, the larger church community, and to the world at large. Our mission to university students puts us perennially on the frontier of faith, reaching out in the tradition of the frontier evangelists.


The starting block -
Founded in 1964 by Frank Almas as Aero Speed Mail Service, Inc. in Sacramento, CA, the company began providing retrieval of U.S. mail from customer's post office boxes and delivering to their doorsteps. This quickly morphed into providing messenger and small parcel delivery services. Prior to the age of computerization and email, company correspondence and paperwork moved via overnight courier, so a network was established throughout California and northern Nevada to accommodate the customer base. In 1984, an office was opened in Reno, NV via the purchase Parcel Delivery Service. At its peak the company boasted sales of $7,500,000.00, a payroll of over 170 people, and offices in Sacramento CA, Emeryville CA, Hollywood, CA, Newport Beach, CA and Reno NV.
In 2004, Frank Almas retired and the company was "parted out" and closed. The various divisions were sold and all operations in California ceased. Michael Almas, who had served in various positions in the California company, purchased the assets of the Reno, NV office and started Aero Speed Expedited Delivery Services, LLC, a Nevada Corporation.
So, the company's roots go back to 1964. It's Nevada roots to 1984. And its redue date of 2004. Lots of years have passed, but the focus remains - SERVICE!


King Lalibela is credited with the foundation of the 11 rock-hewn churches in the 12th century. One of the world’s most incredible man-made creations, they are a lasting monument to man’s faith in God. Most travel writers describe these churches as the “eighth wonder of the world”. These remarkable edifices were carved out of a solid rock, in a region where the ragged landscape still protects the churches from mass tourism. The 11 man-made churches are found in and around the town of Lalibela. Other churches are reached by a 45-minutes drive by 4×4 vehicle, or a three hour ride on mule-back.
The venue for some of the most famous church festivals in Ethiopia, a visit during the great celebrations of Genna (X-mas) and Timket (Epiphany) is particularly rewarding.


László Almásys most daring Mission in the Desert War
Kuno Gross, Michael Rolke & András Zboray
Hardcover, 412 pages, 21x27.4 cm, over 500 illustrations
Price (including shipping):
15 May 1942: The previous day in the dunes of the Great Sand Sea the operation had nearly met catastrophe at the
outset. Almásy completely revised the plan and plotted a new route during the night. One of his vehicles was unserviceable,
another damaged, and two men of his group were seriously ill. All were completely exhausted. He determined to
send the two men back to base in the damaged truck, and to continue the operation by the new route. There might be
enough fuel and water to reach the Nile, but not to return and there were the desert patrols of the enemy!
30 December 2008: A definitive account of Operation Salam was long overdue. After some correspondence, the three authors decided to write this book, as a monument to Almásys achievement. A patient three year research in archives and through personal correspondence uncovered much hitherto unknown information and details, enabling the authors to review, correct and where necessary to refute many of the stories, rumors and legends surrounding Almásy and his activities.
This is the story of one of the most daring secret operations of the Desert Campaign in the Second World War. A mission far behind the enemy lines, thousands of kilometers through the most arid corner of the Sahara desert, in order to deliver two German spies into the very heart of British-held Egypt. The German High Command did not count on success but they did not reckon with Almásys resolve, endurance, experience, and luck.
This book provides full details of this operation based on all known accounts, including MI5 files and the intercepted secret W/T messages deciphered at Bletchley Park. Supplementing a nearly complete set of original photographs made during the operation, photos of the authors taken when they retraced the route provide a vivid impression of the dramatic landscapes Operation Salam had to cross to reach its target and to return.
This book is dedicated as a monument to László Ede Almásy, sportsman, aviator, and one of the greatest desert explorers of the 20th century.
Foreword by Dr. Rudolph Kuper
PART 1: EARLY MISSIONS
The first phases of the Desert War in Africa
Secret missions of the Abwehr in North Africa
Mil.-Geo. and Almásy's involvement
1st Operation Kondor
PART 2: OPERATION SALAM
The Desert Campaign in late 1941/early 1942
Prelude to Operation Salam
Vehicles and equipment
Finally: Operation Salam begins!
From Gialo to Assiut
Return to Gialo
PART 3: THE AFTERMATH
British Coutermeasures: Operation Claptrap
Almásy's departure from North Africa
The spy-mission: Operation Kondor
Further Abwehr missions in Libya
Epilogue - summary and conclusions
APPENDIX 1: PERSONS, NOTES & EXPLANATIONS
Other persons of interest
Notes & explanations
APPENDIX 2: PRIMARY ORIGINAL SOURCES
Operation Salam - diary 15 to 29 May 1942
Stanstede, Hans-Gerd: Unpublished Memoirs
Transcripts of intercepted W/T messages
APPENDIX 3: REVIEWS, BIBLIOGRAPHY AND OTHER SOURCES
Review of publications on Operation Salam/Kondor
Maps and sketches
Relted movies and documentaries
I had always hoped that some enterprising desert-wallahs would search for the answers to the remaining points concerning that epic of desert exploration: László Almásys wartime crossing of the Libyan Desert in May 1942 to deliver Rommels spies to the Nile. Now my wish has been granted in this magnificently produced volume. It is a delight to peruse its well designed pages, with beautifully reproduced photographs and maps, an essential accompaniment to the text. The authors achieved what no one else has managed, to retrace Almásys routes across the desert in 1942. They have not only unearthed the unpublished memoirs of one of Rommels spies but have discovered a hitherto hidden cache of photographs taken by members of the Salam commando. (read full review here)
Saul Kelly, Kings College, London, author of "Hunt for Zerzura"
I offer my utmost appreciation and congratulations for your outstanding achievement with this book!
Kuno, Michael, Andras, my dear friends, I have a copy of your book in my hands: your work is OUTSTANDING… this book is a breakthrough.
My wife and I congratulate you on this elaborate book. It arrived today, many thanks, we were very enthusiastic after turning the very first page.
I am very impressed. It is a beautiful looking book, well laid out and the standard of production is uniformly high. I offer you and your co-authors my heartfelt congratulations. This book fills a space in an important chapter in the history of the war in North Africa in WWII. You can be proud of what you have contributed.
The book. Magnificent. Fantastic. Attention to detail remarkable. Well done. Brilliant pics.
I have read your SALAM volume in three days, and I must congratulate the co-authors of this work. All the effort, all this research! I know this story from various sites and sources, but the plot is very well written, encouraging one to read on - like a good thriller. What was particularly interesting to me was the history and all the circumstances that led to SALAM. I can well imagine Almásy in his casual, sloppy Austro-Hungarian style (my father's generation). What he must have endured with these inexperienced men, even if some of them were willing! I can only raise my hat to all three of you, all from the post-war generation, who dared to tell this story, with a VERY GOOD conclusion. Thank you!
The wait was more than worth it. I would definitely rate this book as first class both in form and content for any serious reader.
I congratulate the authors on the outstanding result of their five year thorough research in official and private archives and in the desert. It obviously needed their enthusiasm to discover and publish after seventy years the really true story of “Operation Salam”. My impression is that the authors have extremely thoroughly double and triple checked the facts before making use of them – a rare quality nowadays.
WOW! What an epic publication! You and the otter authors must be so proud! Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! So detailed! The amount of research that must have been involved is evident in every page. Really forensic - but still a joy to read. I can't put it down at the moment!!!


Welcome to Point Pleasant Inn
Step back in time and enjoy life from another era. Surrounded by Narragansett Bay on Bristol Harbor, Point Pleasant Inn is situated in an historical 1938 mansion on 25 acres of grounds. In this serene setting, guests are offered a full gourmet breakfast on the waterfront terrace, an open bar, hors d'oeuvres at the cocktail hour, and all resort amenities, including tennis, bicycles, swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, fitness center, billiards and ping pong room, espresso/tea room, and snack closet. Point Pleasant Inn is located in historic Bristol, Rhode Island, just 30 minutes from Newport and Providence and 90 minutes from Boston.


During the two days of the conference the audience will hear 23 contributions prepared by international, top-specialists in the field of Achaemenid and Greek numismatics and history of the economy. Here is the list of the speakers with abstracts of their lectures:
Peter van Alfen is a member of staff of the American Numismatic Society and Margaret Thompson Curator of Greek Coins, Curatorial Department Head. He is an economic historian working on problems of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern monetary, fiscal and trade systems spanning the Late Bronze Age to the early Byzantine period. He has published on a variety of topics including Mycenaean administration, Athenian public finance and coinage, market regulations, Arabian monetization, and Late Roman amphoras. His interests also extend to European and US medallic art of the 15th–21st c. Currently, he is working on several research projects and is preparing a book on the political economy of archaic Greek coinage.
Talk: “Payment, Profit or Prestige? The Rationalities of Coin Production in (Post-) Achaemenid Imperial Space”
Michael Alram is the director of the Department of Coins and Medals of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. He is also vice-president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and President of the International Numismatic Council. The focus of his research is in the field of Iranian numismatics and history. The chronological framework extends from the 6th century BC, with the founding of the Achaemenid Empire, to the 7th/8th c. AD, when Iran fell into the hands of its Arab conquerors. He is involved in a number of research projects, Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum and Sylloge Nummorum Parthicorum among others.
Talk: Concluding remarks
Jarosław Bodzek is the v-ce director of the Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University and the director of the Coin Cabinet of the National Museum in Krakow. He specialises in Greek and Roman numismatics, with special focus on Archaic and Classical coin manufacturing in Asia Minor and at the Black Sea coasts. Other fields of his interest are: Greek sculpture and architecture of the Classical and Hellenistic period and sculpture and architecture of the Republican Rome. He is the Editor in Chief of two scientific journals – Studies in Ancient Art and Civilization and Notae Numismaticae-Zapiski Numizmatyczne.
Talk: “King, Satraps, Local Dynasts and Cities in Achaemenid Imperial Space – Pseudo Aristotle’s Oikonomika and the Numismatic Reality”
François de Callataÿ is head of Department at the Royal Library of Belgium, Directeur d‘études at the École pratique des Hautes Études (Paris-Sorbonne) and professor at the Free University of Brussels. He is a specialist of ancient Greek coinages and finances with a special interest for Hellenistic royal coinages, from Alexander the Great to Mithridates Eupator. He is possibly best known for his many works about numismatic quantification, estimating the sizes of ancient coinages put into circulation, and the general link between monetary strikes and military purposes. His work also focuses on ancient economy on the long term and antiquarianism during the 16th-18th c. (mainly through numismatics).
Talk: “Not civic but imperial: the abundant silver coinages in the name of Pamphylian and Cilician cities (c. 450-333 BC)”
Karsten Dahmen is a classical archaeologist and numismatist specialising in Hellenistic and Late Antique coinages. He works as a curator at the Münzkabinett der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin where he is involved in several research projects dealing mostly with Late Antique, Byzantine and modern coins and medals produced out of Germany. He is also responsible for the redaction of the Internet catalogue of Berlin’s coin collection.
Talk: “Money and Legitimacy after Alexander”
Frédérique Duyrat is the director of the Department of Coins, Medals and Antiques at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. She is the author of Arados hellénistique, étude historique et monétaires, BAH 173, Beirut, 2005 and Wealth and Warfare. The Archaeology of Money in Ancient Syria, NS 34, New York, 2016, as well as numerous scientific articles dealing with problems of production and distribution of coins in the Near East. Currently, she is working on Alexander’s gold coinage and the circulation of gold in the Greek world.
Talk: “Money in Transeuphratene during the Achaemenid Period”
Aneurin Ellis-Evans is a Lecturer in Ancient History at Brasenose College and St. Anne's College, Oxford. His research interests include the regional history of Lesbos and the Troad (7th c. BC - 1st c. AD), the monetary history of this same region and also Hellespontine Mysia (6th - 1st c. BC), and Hellenistic history (with a particular focus on the social and cultural history of the polis).
Talk: "Persian Bimetallism: Fixed or Fluid?" (co-authored with Jonathan Kagan)
Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert is a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and works in the Institute for the Study of Ancient Culture Documenta Antiqua Department. His main interests are the archaic and classical coinages of the Greeks including their barbarous neighbours in both the Balkans and the Levant. He leads a research project aiming at catalouging of all Archaic electrum coinage.
Talk: “The Royal Lydian Coinage before Croesus: Walwet and Kukalim”
Haim Gitler is the Chief Curator of Archaeology and the Curator of Numismatics at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. He acted as the President of the Israel Numismatic Society from 2005 until 2016. He has been a lecturer in numismatics at Tel Aviv University. In his scientific work, he focuses mainly on the Persian Period Coinages, Philistian, Judaean and Samarian but the spectrum of his interests is far wider - from the earliest known coins down to the Byzantine period. While serving at the Israel Museum, he organised many exhibitions among which the one entitled ‘White Gold: Revealing the World’s Earliest Coins’ (2012) deserves a special highlight.
Talk: “Fourth-century BC Indigenous Coinages in Palestine. Towards an Understanding of Achaemenid-Macedonian Monetary Administration” (co-authored with Oren Tal)
Alicja Jurkiewicz is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Archaeology of Jagiellonian University in Krakow. She finished her MA studies in 2015, defending thesis about the iconography of the coinage of Seleucus I Nikator. She presented her research on many conferences and took part in several excavation projects e.g. on Cyprus, Egypt and Lebanon. She is interested in the coinage of Seleucid Kingdom as well as its separatist minorities. Her ongoing studies concern coinage circulation in Phoenicia in the Hellenistic Period.
Talk: “Dynastic Myths and Legends in the Hellenistic East in the Case of Seleucid and Bactrian Coin Iconography”
Jonathan Kagan, an independent scholar, received his A.B. from Harvard University and his M.A. and D.Litt from Oxford University in Classics. He is a fellow of the American and Royal Numismatic Societies and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. His research is focused on Archaic and Classical Greek coinage and the History of Numismatics.
Talk: "Persian Bimetallism: Fixed or Fluid?" (co-authored with Aneurin Ellis-Evans)
Evangeline Markou is Associate Researcher at the National Hellenic Research Foundation, Institute of Historical Research, Department of Greek and Roman Antiquity (KERA) of the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF). Her interests cover history, numismatics and inscriptions of Cyprus from the Archaic and Classical periods, iconography of the Archaic and Classical periods, the economic politics of the kings of Cyprus and the relationships between Cyprus and the East. She is the scientific coordinator of the research project: “The Silver Coinage of the Kings of Cyprus: Numismatics and History in the Archaic and Classical Periods (6th to 4th centuries BC)” (acronym SilCoinCy)” funded by the Action ARISTEIA II and of the website Kyprios Character, dedicated to the history, archaeology and numismatics of Ancient Cyprus.
Talk: “The Kings of Cyprus from Achaemenid to Hellenistic Rule: an Autonomous Royal Coinage ?”
Andrew Meadows is Professor of Ancient History and Tutorial Fellow at New College, Oxford and a member of the International Numismatic Council. He was a co-founder of the nomisma.org project, is co-director of the Online Coins of the Roman Empire and of the Oxford-Paris Alexander Project. He has written and edited more than 100 books and articles, including three volumes in the Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum series, and two volumes of Coin Hoards. His most recent publication (with T. Faucher and C. Lorber) is Egyptian Hoards I. The Ptolemies (Cairo, 2017).
Talk: “Coinage in Imperial Space: Control, Convention or Chaos?”
Mariusz Mielczarek is professor in the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences. He is working on problems of numismatics and archaeology of the Northern Black sea region (projects: “Ancient Nikonion” as well as “Greek poleis of the Northern Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean”) and Eastern Mediterranean, economy of ancient Greek world with special attention to coin circulation (including problems of Greek coin finds in Barbarian Europe) and trade relations. He is working on the history of Polish collections of Ancient Greek coins and publications of Polish collections of Ancient Greek coins.
Talk: “Paying Mercenaries. In Imperial Space and not only”
Marek J. Olbrycht is the Head of Department of Ancient History and Oriental Studies at the University of Rzeszów. He specialises in the history and culture of ancient Iran and Central Asia (Pre-Islamic period). His research focuses on such issues as relationships between ancient Greece and Rome with Orient, Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic epoch, Seleucid and Parthian Iran, Pontus and the northern coasts of the Black Sea (with special regard for Mithridates VI Eupator) and the history of warfare.
Talk: “The India-related Coins of Alexander the Great: New Insights”
Ulrike Peter is a numismatists and a Senior Researcher at the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Her research and publications focus on Thracian coinage and on the perception of ancient coins in the Renaissance. She studies the coins of the ancient city Philippopolis in Thrace with a special consideration of civic identities. She is one of the executive of the research project Corpus Nummorum Thracorum.
Talk: „Die Umbrüche in der Münzversorgung in der zweiten Hälfte des 4. Jh. v. Chr. in Thrakien: Überblick und Diskussion“
Selene E. Psoma is Associate Professor of Ancient History at the University of Athens. She is interested in history, numismatics, epigraphy, economy, history of law, institutions and topography (Greek cities in Thrace, Kingdom of Macedonia, Mainland Greece and Hellenistic Asia Minor). She published the corpora of the bronze coinages of the Chalcidians of Thrace and the Bottiaeans (2001), a SNG (Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum) Greece IV. The Petros Z. Saroglos Collection (in collaboration with I. P. Touratsoglou: 2005), the corpus of the inscriptions of Aegean Thrace (2005), the excavation coins from the two sites of Maroneia (2008), and more than 70 articles on numismatics, epigraphy and history.
Talk: “The ΣΥΝ (symmachikon) Coinage of the Classical Period. Agesilaus versus Lysander”
Oren Tal is a Professor of classical and Near Eastern archaeology in the Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures. He is the current Director of the Apollonia-Arsuf Excavation Project (since 2007). His research interests concern the material culture of the classical- and medieval-period Near East and its social, political and economic implications, that is from the mid-first millennium BCE to the early second millennium CE. He is also engaged in the study of the early indigenous southern Levantine coinages and the development of monetary economy in the Levant, as well as in ancient technologies.
Talk: “Fourth-century BC Indigenous Coinages in Palestine. Towards an Understanding of Achaemenid-Macedonian Monetary Administration” (co-authored with Haim Gitler)
Christopher Tuplin is a Professor of Ancient History at the University of Liverpool. The main focus of his work lies in Classical Greece and Achaemenid Persia, and the topics on which he has written include: literary and historical and historiographical issues in Xenophon’s Hellenica, Anabasis and Cyropaedia; classical Greek political and military history; the reality and perception of Media and “medism”; the civil and military administration of the Persian Empire; the Persian Great King’s grands projects, coins, inscriptions, misrepresentations, justice, nomadic habits, or ideological posture and head-gear; the Hellenistic legacy of the Achaemenids; the historians Ctesias and Berossus; Babylonian astronomical diaries; the orator Demosthenes; Delos in classical Athenian imperialism; slavery; and racism. He is currently working on Aramaic documents linked to the satrap Arshama and a commentary on Xenophon’s Anabasis.
Talk: “Of darics, disks, staters and Samarians: some issues in Achaemenid imperial space”
Ute Wartenberg Kagan is Executive Director of the American Numismatic Society. Her research interests focus on the early Archaic coins and economy of Greece and the Achaemenid Empire, and in particular on the role of the earliest coins in electrum and silver in the 6th century BCE. She is currently working on a database of all known early electrum coins, which will be used as a basis for a new typology for Archaic coinage. In addition, she is trying to finish a book on the coinage of Pherae in Thessaly. Since 1991, she has been editing, with Andrew Meadows, Coin Hoards, which aims to record all known Greek coin hoards; this project is now moving to an online database. Apart from being a numismatist, she has also a strong interest in Greek papyrology, antiquarian numismatic literature, and 20th century medallic art.
Talk: “A New Persian Coinage of the Archaic and Classical Period”
Bernhard Weisser is the Director of the Coin Cabinet in the Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin. He specialises in coinage of the Roman provinces and the Parthian Empire as well as coin finds from Priene and Milet. He is responsible for the creation of interactive catalog of the Berlin’s Coin Cabinet, which is the most comprehensive online publication of a coin collection in the German-speaking world. He also extensively publishes on German medals produced during the First World War.
Talk: “The Hoard of Demanhur and the Persian Empire. Remarks on Late Archaic and Early Classic Coinage”


The introduction of the Napoleonic Code in the Palatinate brought with it a new spirit of entrepreneurship among ordinary citizens. Since 1828, the family’s predecessors have been devoted to viticulture. In the century which followed, the company became one of the leading vineyards and businesses in the Palatinate. With the opening up of the borders for the importation of wine at the end of the 1960s, Jorge Böhm began importing Portuguese wine into Germany. In the 1970s Böhm started building up his own brand for imported Portuguese wines. With the rapid growth in the food trade, the pricing pressure exerted by fewer and fewer bulk buyers made doing business very difficult. Jorge Böhm withdrew from these trading activities and focused his efforts on promoting the family business instead. With that in mind, Jorge Böhm came to Portugal in search of new opportunities.


The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany has been the subject of sizable renovation works. Accessibility has been integrated into the scheme right from the start and considered at every step of the works. Access for all publics and the deployment of new technologies in the service of the cultural dimension of the project were main objectives of this vast renovation and modernisation programme.
Principal access interventions:
- Connecting castle and town
- Rethinking the distribution of interior spaces and vertical circulation
- Enrich the visitor experience with new interpretive tools
At the heart of the historic city centre of Nantes.
The original castle of which only a tower remains dates back to 13th Century. It has been substantially remodelled by King François II and his daughter Anne de Bretagne. Owing to Anne de Bretagne’s wedding to two Kings of France, the castle became a royal castle and Kings spent time in it until XVIIth Century. The city of Nantes acquired the castle during WW1, at which stage it became home to its museum collections.
Illustrated case-study :
Find out more :
Heritage significance and attractiveness
- Site classified national “Monument Historique”
- Local history museum of Nantes
- A new visitor trail on the castle’s ramparts created during renovation programme
- Popular tourist destination : 170 000 visitors a year and more than 1 million online
- the accessibility of the site (un espace en moins)
- internal circulations: access to various floors via stairways
- access to the collections
Between 2004 et 2007, important renovation works were carried out. Their purpose was to valorise the monument and to make the Duke’s 15th Century castle the new home of the museum, while respecting spaces, structure and monumental appearance. Access for disabled people was at the heart of the project : for the castle and museum are to be accessible to all.
Consultation has played a major role, notably through the appointment of an Access Officer.
Connecting castle and town
The castle is an enclosed fortress which had only one entry over a drawbridge for visitors prior to the start of the renovation works. Historical analysis of the castle revealed that there had earlier been two other ways of access : an emergency entry and an entry from the Loire riverside, which had been landfilled in XXth Century.
The emergency entry had been rebuilt for the benefit of visitors with mobility difficulties. A new horizontal footbridge, which connects the entry with the courtyard has been built where there had been one in the past. This is close to an accessible tram stop and car park, allowing for a seamless access journey. A single entry for all would have been preferable, but was not possible. The existing drawbridge links the castle with a historic town centre, which is almost entirely paved (with uneven stones and slabs). Today, however, the majority of visitors use the new entry as it allows an easy and seamless journey.
The renovation of the castle and museum was the opportunity of creating a new walkway on the ramparts. Up to this point, these had only been accessible via stairways, and only portions of it were accessible. A lift, un-conspicuously fitted against the Grand Gouvernement building, preserves the architectural integrity of the castle. A footbridge connects the lift with the ramparts, half the length of which has been made accessible. Full access to the ramparts for visitors with mobility difficulties was not possible, as several flights of stairs could not be removed.
Re-thinking the interior distribution of spaces
Two buildings house the museum’s displays, the Grand Logis and the Grand Gouvernement. In between them is the smaller roofed and walled space called Les Jacobins. The Grand Logis and the Grand Gouvernement have a number of floor levels at differing heights. The spiral staircases which lead up to them are known to cause discomfort, also for visitors who have no mobility problems.
The Jacobins space, situated within a tower, had previously been destroyed. Its walls and roof had been restored. This vast central space has been preserved emptied of its floors to serve as a space for organising visitor flow. A lift now provides access to most floors of the Grand Logis. This new re-fit improves the legibility of the building’s architecture.
The lift could not provide access to all levels. A platform lift was therefore installed at the level of the attic and opens up access to the big mezzanine.
Use of a platform lift required a dispensation (translator’s note : from meeting duties under French disability legislation). A platform lift is at times the only solution to provide access to floor levels of differing heights in a listed building.
It was not possible to provide a loop shaped route for visitors of the museum, given its spatial structure. Visitors explore one level at a time and come back to the central pavilion to visit the next one.
One of the aims of the exhibition design was to put earlier floor levels on show. A deeper lying older floor level, or “likely archeological level” can thus be viewed in some rooms. As they represent a health hazard, metal handrails have been installed in front of them.
A visitor route with interpretation for all publics
Various interpretation tools are on offer for a more interesting visit by people with disabilities. They also provide a different experience to all publics. Several spaces combine to offer a sensory trail experienced via sound, sight, touch and smell available for all visitors.
In addition to these “visits for all”, specific tours and accessible formats have been developed to meet the requirements of several groups of visitors with disabilities. These include multi-media guides in French Sign Language, audio and tactile resources for people with a visual impairment and learning resources for visitors with a learning difficulty.
- Client: the town of Nantes
- Project manager : Pascal Prunet, chief architect of historic monuments; Jean-François Bodin, architect and museographer
- Consultation: appointment of an Access Officer
At the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, a culture du compromises played a vital role. In order to persuade decision makers, it was key to show that the chosen design solutions improve the quality of experience and comfort for all visitors, not only visitors with a disability.


I had the utmost pleasure in having a timely newborn session that deserved my sharing the story behind the images. During the pre-session planning, Mom and I chatted about her vision for her newborn baby’s portraits that I had been commissioned to capture. Mom spoke of a few items she would bring to use in some of the photographs. I was excited to have the chance to create some images that honoured the veterans in their family while also building a memory that focused on the newest generation.
Case embracing his family’s military history. Memorabilia include Dad’s beret, Case wearing his combat scarf he wore in Afghanistan in 2003, medal, sniper badge from the 3 RCR parachute regiment.
The veterans; left, Great grandfather Robert and right, Dad Kurtis.
1. Robert John Kirkwood
Great Grandfather Robert enlisted on October 2nd, 1942. He served in Canada, Britain, Central Mediterranean Area and Northwest Europe. He had an honourable discharge as a private on August 28, 1946.
Medals and Decorations: 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with claps and War medal 1939-45 (lapel pin represents these)
He later joined the reserves and served until 1964.
The bracelet pictured above on top of the beret lists some of the places he went (including Bologna, Pisa, Naples)
- Kurtis Nelson Manion
Kurtis joined the military in 2001 when he was 17 years of age. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Regiment 3rd Battalion. He was a sniper with the 3RCR Parachute Regiment. His time in the military included a tour of duty in 2003. He left the military as a corporal in 2006.
Pictured laid upon son Case is Dad’s medal he received from his tour in Afghanistan in 2003.
(family photos and detailed information shared with permission by the Manion family)


Our Savior’s is the oldest Lutheran Church in continuous existence in the Hartford area. It was founded by a group of Danish immigrants in the 1880’s, and by 1891 they had built a church for their use at the corner of Russ and Babcock Streets in Hartford. Thirteen pastors served the congregation in this location, serving the Danish families that continued to move to the area.
In the 1950’s, a highway was scheduled to be built through the neighborhood in which the church was located. Our Savior’s made plans to move to a site on West Hartford Road in Newington. In 1958, the education wing of the new Our Savior’s church was complete, and the congregation moved in under the leadership of Pastor Holger O. Nielsen.
In this same period, a group of Swedish immigrants were also looking to organize a Lutheran church in the area. In 1944, Pastor Robert Esbjornson was commissioned to survey Newington to see if there were enough families to begin a Sunday School. Within three months, 39 children were enrolled and five teachers were recruited. The congregation began worshipping in the Town Hall auditorium on the corner of Main Street and Bonair Avenue, and organized as Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in 1945. They selected a location at the south end of Main Street in Newington, and finished construction in 1948.
Both churches continued to thrive throughout the 1950’s, hosting a range of ministries for families and outreach into the local community and to missions around the world. In 1962, the national churches --the American Evangelical Lutheran Church, of which Our Savior’s was a part, and the Augustana Synod, with which Holy Trinity was affiliated—merged. Discussions began in 1965 as to whether the congregations should merge, and in 1967 they became one church, housed in the current location at 1655 Main Street in Newington under the name Our Savior’s.
Since the merger, the community at Our Savior’s has had partnerships with many outreach ministries, including a Hispanic mission in Hartford, missionary work in Brazil, Habitat for Humanity, Heifer Project, and Lutheran World Relief, to name a few. Our Savior’s hosted a Deaf ministry for five years, and supported contemporary worship and a sacred dance group. Sunday school, confirmation, and adult education ministries continue to equip young and old alike to live out their faith. Youth ministry has been strong in recent years at Our Saviors, with groups of 15 young people attending National Youth Gatherings of the ELCA. The ladies of the church have made hundreds of quilts, which have been sent literally all over the world. Thus two communities formed to serve immigrant communities in America now reach people near and far with the Good News of God in Christ Jesus.
50th Anniversary Celebration
On October 29th 2017 we celebrated Our Savior’s 50th Anniversary of the merger and the 500th year of the reformation. Indian Hill Country Club was a sea of red decorations and attire. Nearly 100 members and guests attended this event. We reminisced with old photos and old members. Letters from previous clergy were read.


Berlin Golden Hat
At the dawn of human civilization astronomical knowledge brought a lot of prestige. I was in Berlin the last few days to celebrate the Saint-Silvestre and thought that a visit to a few museums was warranted. But even while on vacation I stumble on Astronomy-related Archaeological artefacts or pieces of art.
At the Neues Museum in Berlin next to the “Troy treasures” is displayed the “Berlin Gold Hat”, which testifies to the importance of the priest/shaman in the Bronze Age Germany (1000-800 B.C.). The hat was used to calculate the calendar that was essential in the development of agriculture (e.g., when to plant the seed). The hat is basically a mathematical table. The level of mathematics that the priest needed to compute the days from observations of the lunar phases is pretty high (complex multiplications). Artistically the hat is beautiful, being made of a simple sheet of gold where circles designate days in the lunar and solar calendar system. The choice of gold was probably dictated by the importance of the hat. The accuracy of the marks was preserved over time by using a metal like gold. What strikes me is the form of the hat, a pointed form like the common view of magicians and witches’ hats.


A familiar sight along Kinshasa’s streets is the informal tire repair operation advertised by a stack of tires and a hand-painted sign proclaiming “Service Quado”. This derives from one of the proprietors of the Maison du Pneu, a French businessman named Cohadon. In common speech, Cohadon transmogrified into “Quado”. The shop was on Ave. Tombeur de Tabora (now Tombalbaye) near the Congolese Hospital (Mama Yemo). Cohadon’s partner was an American named Paul Kirst who first came to Leopoldville in 1922 with the American trading firm, L.C. Gillespie and Son. From the 1930s until the end of World War II, he was the local agent for Texaco. He opened Maison du Pneu in 1945. Kirst died at 80 at Mama Yemo hospital in 1976.
· Kolonga Molei, 1979. Kinshasa, ce village d’hier.:
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Jane Holzer, aka Baby Jane Holzer did 10 Screen Tests at Andy Warhol’s Factory, ST139 – ST148, between 1964 & 1965. This “Toothbrushing Screen Test” is ST147 from 1964.
“Baby Jane” Holzer, as she was usually called in the 1960’s, was a successful model and trendsetter, married to the real-estate developer Leonard Holzer. After she was photographed by David Bailey in London in the summer of 1963, Holzer became one of the better-knows social celebrities in New York, thanks largely to the unpretentious enthusiasm with which she moved through the worlds of modeling and fashion, underground movies, art, and high society. Holzer’s appearance in the October 1, 1964, issue of Vogue was credited with creating the new fashion for big manes of long hair. Her pop fame reached its zenith in December 1964 with the publication in New York magazine of Tom Wolfe’s ironic essay about her, “The Girl of the Year.”
An independent woman, Holzer survived Warhol’s Factory as his circle spiraled into a dangerous zone, culminating in the 1968 shooting of the artist. Yet, she and Warhol became confidants, developing a deep friendship until his tragic death in 1987. This exhibition explores the rise of “Baby Jane” as an internationally known model and reveals the evolution of his first superstar and their enduring friendship.


On the 5th of July, Haartez published an article by Hagar Shezaf with the sensationalistic title, “Burying the Nakba: How Israel systematically hides evidence of 1948 Expulsion of Arabs”.
In the article, the author tells of how the Malmab, a department of the Israel Ministry of Defense, has progressively made inaccessible to the public a series of documents which had been previously open to scrutiny and already used by scholars to better understand what where the causes of the Arab-Palestinian refugee issue.
One of the foremost Israeli historians, cited in the article, who has devoted much of his research to this specific topic is, of course, Benny Morris.
L’informale has interviewed him to put the record straight.
Professor Morris, in Hagar Shezaf’s article she writes, “Hundreds of documents have been concealed as a part of a systematic effort to hide evidence of the Nakba”. Do you agree with this statement?
I wouldn’t have written it in that way. There are two stages of this story and, in her article, Hagar Sharif didn’t really relate to the first one. There are different types of documents which are supposed to be classified for different numbers of years, but essentially after thirty years, political documents are supposed to be open. Thirty years after the 1948 war the State archive and other archives began opening the documentation and what they did then was that some documents, a small number of them, were actually classified, they were not opened. There was a first stage of, if you like, censorship, when the documents were first opened, when certain documents where kept closed, and they were those documents which placed Israel in a bad light especially in connection to massacres and expulsion of Arabs. Hagar Shezaf has discovered that in the last twenty years, more or less, the state embarked in a second stage of censorship. In other words, things that were once opened after thirty years were again closed and classified and those are the documents she found which are no longer open and which were before.
Yehiel Horev, who headed the Malamb for twenty years has explained that the sealing of these documents is due to security reasons. If this is the reason, why have such documents which were available 15 years ago or previously, are to be sealed now. In the recent past the security reasons were not as relevant as today?
Horev did not say it as simply as that. What he said was that the State law affirms that the State has the right to classify documents which, if opened, could damage Israel’s security or its foreign relations. This is what the law says, they have the right to close them. What they did is that they opened them for thirty years, in the Seventies and Eighties and Nineties and then Malamb went ahead and went over the documents again and closed those they thought could injure Israel’s security or its foreign relations. Now, the problem of the closure of documents in relation to foreign relations is that this is a very broad definition. You can say that anything that puts Israel into a bad light can harm its relations, let us say with Egypt and Jordan, two Arab countries with which Israel is at peace, so, if this is the case, the documents will be closed. What historians like myself think, is that closing these documents is stupid, because they have already been opened and scholars have already used them, so reclosing them doesn’t actually hide the truth. The truth is already known, and the second thing is that it is sort of immoral because democracies are supposed to open their documents. However, the Defense Ministry can counter this with a good argument, by saying that Israel, unlike other democracies, is still at war with its neighbors, with his Arab neighbors, with the Palestinians, and because this war is ongoing, and because propaganda is part of the battle, they are justified in closing things which might give their enemies ammunitions in terms of propaganda against the State. This is a strong argument but you also have to weigh this against what historians like myself say, that this goes against the liberal, democratic values of a society, and also that it produces much damage due to the fact that many of these documents have already been used by historians.
So you are against this state of affairs?
I strongly disapprove it. I condemn it. It is stupid, because it is like closing the barn after the horses have already fled, because the historians have already written their books citing documents that were declassified and now are classified again. To close the documents now doesn’t make any sense.
In the Haartez article, Yehiel Horev makes a stunning statement. He candidly admits that the objective of Malamb is to “undermine the credibility of studies of the history of the refugee problem”. Doesn’t this bring grist to the mill of those who attack Israel by saying it was born in sin?
I think this is of secondary importance. The problem in Horev’s words is that he says that if we hide the documents, the historians who write about these things will be opened to scrutiny, because they can’t actually point at the documents they mention and say, “Go and look at the documents”, because the documents are no longer available, they are closed. In this way they can undermine the credibility of the historians, that is what he is saying, and I find this quite disgusting. It is not the job of a government to undermine the credibility of historians.
There are many pro-Palestinians who are feeding on this article by Haartez. According to them this proves that there is a sort of conspiracy by the State of Israel to cover the so called ethnic cleansing of Arabs that, according to their narrative, went on during the war of 1948-1949. What do you have to say in relation to this issue about which you have written copiously?
The first thing I would say is that those who say this are completely hypocritical, because when you look at Arab archives they are all closed. They haven’t opened anything. So, here they are criticizing Israel for having opened certain documents and then having closed them again while the Arabs and the Palestinians have closed everything and have been hiding everything from researchers. They are not in the position of criticizing anything. That’s one thing. The second thing is about the picture of what happened in 1948. I think is pretty clear already, on the basis of the documentation which has been opened, including those number of documents which they closed again. We actually know more or less what happened. As you said, I wrote a number of books about it and what they show is that the phrase “ethnic cleansing” isn’t the right definition of what happened. What happened was that there was a war which the Arabs states launched against the Jewish community in Israel which was going to become a State in 1948. They attacked the State of Israel, and in repelling that attack by the Arabs the Israelis essentially drove out part of the Arab-Palestinian population. Part of it moved out of its own to the West Bank, to the Gaza Strip and out of the country all together. It wasn’t a systematic expulsion, it wasn’t a State policy. The phrase “ethnic cleansing” is problematic. For example, the ethnic cleansing which was carried out by the Serbs in Yugoslavia was systematic, was organized, was extremely brutal, there were ten of thousands of cases of murder, thousands of cases of rape. What happened in 1948 was essentially a war which was accompanied by a small number of massacres and almost no cases of rape, they were very rare. The term “ethnic cleansing” is wrong. What you can say is that at the end of the war Israel didn’t allow the Palestinians, the refugees, those that were uprooted, to return to their homes. In this sense, what happened, was an expulsion, but not an expulsion as a result of a systematic, planned policy based on ideology and a government decision. None of this ever happened. What happened was that in same places some officers expelled people, but in most cases the Arabs just run away and then, simply, Israel didn’t allow them to come back. This is a decision with which I agree completely, because what they would have been doing by allowing them back is that the Arabs would have attacked them and undermined the State of Israel from within. The government decision was therefore logical, as it is logical not to allow the five to six millions people who are classified as refugees to come back , because that will mean the end of Israel as a Jewish State.