Massive Ascites Due to Pancreatic Stones.
A case of massive pancreatic ascites due to stones impacted in the head of the pancreas is described. The problems in differential diagnosis are outlined. Treatment consisting of transduodenal removal of the stones, sphincterotomy and gastrojejunostomy was followed by complete disappearance of symptoms and freedom from farther episodes of pancreatitis.to further address this outstanding need.

Transparency

The District’s FY16 proposed One- and Five-Year Capital Plans are available on the interactive capital website at cps.edu/capitalplan, providing community members with easy access to detailed information on all capital projects that are planned and underway. The site allows users to quickly select projects by school, geographic area, type, and year. It also allows users to scroll over an interactive map to gather details by area. The site has been designed to encourage public engagement and comment.

Developing and posting the proposed FY16 and five-year capital plan ensures that CPS has complied with the requirements of Public Act 097-0474. The FY16 and five-year capital plans were developed around findings from the Education Facility Master Plan. Together, these resources provide a comprehensive picture of the


be able to afford.

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Quick Links

Chicago Public Schools is the third largest school district in the United States with more than 600 schools and serves 371,000 children. Our vision is that every student in every neighborhood will be engaged in a rigorous, well-rounded instructional program and will graduate prepared for success in college, career and life.Photograph by Sandy UnderwookdWATCH OUT FOR FLYING BOOKS: Mick Orfe, Brent Tubbs and Michael Faulkner (from another production) juggle some big ideas in a hurry in "All the Great Books '(abridged).'

Crash Course

The cutups from Reduced Shakespeare boil down the classics for San Jose Rep

By Marianne Messina

THE JOKES are hokey, but they work; the audience is part of the show, and you get a diploma for sitting through it—that's if you sit somewhere near the front of the house at San Jose Repertory Theatre. What's not to love about the Reduced Shakespeare Company's latest tour-through with All the Great Books. Like The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), the well-known show by the same crew, All the Great Books (abridged) boasts of capsulizing and dispatching gobs of literature in


given themselves some resistance to work against. But they're geniuses at pulling people in and establishing rapport. Walking the fine line between inclusion and insult, they ask the audience to vocalize, toss back balls and fill out papers. In addition to pillaging pop culture, the Reduced crew endears the audience with local lore. A mock "Dating Game" features bachelorettes Jane Austen, George Eliot and Virginia Woolf, and the winner accompanies the bachelor on a "fun-filled vacation for two at the beautiful Winchester Mystery House." Just when the humor seems predictable, something will sneak up on you, like the way "T&A" becomes a punch line. Music and lighting remain mostly unobtrusive, which makes the red lighting for Hades, the Star Trek combat music for Odysseus' battle (dressed in Omegaof South America (at the time, the Dutch name for South America was Staten Landt).

JANE: At first, to this typically geography-challenged American, that sounded insane, but I took a moment to consult the gloriously decadent atlas I bought myself (because being geographically challenged is a handicap for a writer), and then the little globe Jim has had since he was a schoolboy. I could see why Abel Tasman might have thought this.

He was just a bit off regarding distance, though, wasn’t he?

ALAN: Indeed he was. In fact, when he got back home to Holland, the Dutch cartographers who produced the official maps for his expedition didn’t agree with his deductions at all, for that very reason, and so they named these lands Nova Zeelandia, which is Latin for


court fully complied with the order of this court. After holding an evidentiary hearing, the trial court issued a written order, in which it made the following findings of fact:
"The State presented the testimony of Teresa Tanner Pulliam, who, at the time of trial, served as an Assistant District Attorney and was the prosecutor responsible for the State's jury selection. Ms. Pulliam addressed the striking of those five potential black jurors struck by the State and, in the opinion of the Court, articulated a nondiscriminatory reason for their exclusion.
"The defendant was accused and convicted of the Rape of Ingrid Taylor, a seventeen year old black female.
"Ms. Pulliam testified that she had tried and convicted several black Prichard residents for the murder of Booker T. Williams, a black manfrom Prichard, and that the resulting sentiment within that community was not favorable to the prosecution. Consequently, three black veniremen listing Prichard as their place of residence were struck.
"A fourth black potential juror, as well as one of the Prichard residents, was struck because he did not work. Ms. Pulliam stated that she regularly struck anyone who was unemployed. She further elaborated that she wanted as jurors men who were in supervisory or white collar positions, and middle class women who worked, as opposed to women from an affluent Mobile suburb, `a Spring Hill Woman.' Paul Brown, counsel for the defendant, struck five black women whom Ms. Pulliam testified she would have accepted as jurors.
"The fifth black venireman was struck because he was a man, Ms. Pulliam preferring


abuse of the trial court's discretion in denying the motion. The trial court had before it, for its review, a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation of appellant by personnel at Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility. This evaluation was made in preparation for a prior trial on a similar offense. It was conducted approximately four months prior to the commission of the instant offense and approximately nine months prior to the instant trial. The evaluation report stated, in part, the following findings:
"During the Competency Evaluation Board Review, Mr. Cliff again presented as a nonpsychotic individual of limited intellect. He again described his behavior during the time period of the alleged offense in a manner consistent with previous accounts. He again was able to give simplistic understanding of the role of himselfor daughter needs to do to make the team is prove themselves on the ice, you may be disappointed. In Toronto, the tryout process actually begins months before. Parent phone coaches. Coaches reach out to potential players. Informal or so-called "birthday skates" are held (as in "Of course we're not holding an unsanctioned team practice. It's one of the kids' birthday," wink, wink). By the time tryouts roll around, the team is basically formed. For parents new to all of this, it can be dizzying and confusing.

"There is the actual system, and then the real system where most teams are trying to put together their teams ahead of the tryouts," says Aaron Rosenthal, a Toronto hockey dad with two sons who play. "That's the nature of the way


the tryouts."

Things change — fast

In the world of minor hockey, the ground is constantly shifting. Just when you think things are settled, they change. Take my son's team for the upcoming season. Or what I thought was his team for the upcoming season.

Heading into tryouts, everything appeared to be in order. My son had been told he had a spot on the team and it looked like only a few roster spots still needed to be filled — those rare spots that would actually be decided in tryouts.

In the Greater Toronto Hockey League, a team's roster can be mostly set by the time tryouts begin. (Erin Riley/GTHL)

But attendance at the first tryout was curiously low, prompting a flurry of emails and rumours that the team was folding andthe coach was leaving. I thought the situation would work itself out, but the second tryout saw only six skaters show up. It was clear this team was in trouble.

How could something that seemed viable crumble so quickly? That leads to my third point.

Parents can be irrational

When I talked to the coach afterwards, he was beside himself. He was a non-parent coach, eager to impart his knowledge and love of the game. Why, then, were parents bailing on him left and right for other teams and opportunities?

It's hard to say, but I've learned in the world of minor hockey that many parents are constantly hustling for a better opportunity or situation for their kid. They may commit to one team while feverishly searching for something better.

Bly has a


these references, turn to Genesis where it says:

When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died (Genesis 5:3-5 NASB).

Among other things, this particular passage states that:

130 + 800 = 930.

An example of multiplication is contained in the New Testament, where it says:

And when they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the two drachma tax came to Peter, and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two drachma tax?” HeRalph Verno, “Mathematics in the Christian Philosophy of Life,” Torch & Trumpet, December 1969.

18. Harold Lindsell, The Battle for the Bible, Zondervan, 1976; 166.

Book Reviews

The Second American Revolution

John Whitehead, a good friend of Trinity, has recently published The Second American Revolution (Elgin, Illinois: David C. Cook Publishing Company, 1982, 253 pages, index). We are pleased to recommend his book to our readers who are and ought to be interested in the present battle for Christian liberty. Here are some excerpts from the book to give you an idea of its flavor:

Humanism, contrary to popular belief, is not a tolerant system. It preaches against religious “dogmatism,” but imposes its own. Professor Harvey Cox of the Harvard Divinity School has noted in his work The Secular City that humanism, or


secularism as he calls it, is an “ideology, anew closed world view which functions very much like a new religion...” (40).

Jefferson has often been cited as being hostile to biblical theism. That is not altogether true. As founder of the University of Virginia he recommended that students be allowed to meet on the campus to pray and worship together, or, if need be, to meet and pray with their professors on campus. He was the author of the first plan of public education adopted for the city of Washington, which included the Bible and the Isaac Watts Hymnal as the principal books to teach reading to students (100).

History has not been one of the Supreme Court’s better subjects (101).

The concept of human rights is a fertile source ofslogan for PBS to adopt for itself (30).

The roots of American constitutionalism, the concept of government limited by a system of checks and balances, grew out of Reformation Europe. Without knowing it at the time, two men laid the philosophical foundation for both the American Revolution and the Constitution that followed: Martin Luther and John Calvin (62).


symbolize the night sky, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Club culture

Supporters
The first supporters group to lobby for a Halifax team to join the Canadian Premier League was founded in September 2016 under the name Wanderers SG. At the launch event to unveil HFX Wanderers' identity, supporters announced they were changing their name to Privateers 1882 in order for the club to continue the Wanderers name. The 1882 signifies the year of formation for the Wanderers Amateur Athletic Club, who previously competed at the Wanderers Grounds. 'Privateers' refers to the history of privateering in the region, as well as the popular regional song Barrett's Privateers.

Players and staff

Current roster

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

Current staff

Head coaches

Club captains

See(CNN) A new internal FBI report has concluded that a technical glitch was behind a seemingly abrupt tweet that shared records "from the FBI's files related to the William J. Clinton Foundation" just days before the 2016 presidential election -- and determined that the posting was "proper."

The November 1, 2016, tweet from the previously dormant FBI account linked to 129 pages of heavily redacted, internal documents largely pertaining to the bureau's investigation of President Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of Democratic donor Marc Rich.

William J. Clinton Foundation: This initial release consists of material from the FBI's files related to the Will... https://t.co/Y4nz3aRSmG — FBI Records Vault (@FBIRecordsVault) November 1, 2016

While the timing of the tweet struck the Clinton camp as " odd " -- landing in the midst of


a political tornado created after then-FBI Director James Comey announced just days earlier that he was effectively reopening a review of Hillary Clinton's handling of classified information -- "the unusual @FBIRecordsVault Twitter activity was the result of a system failure," according to a report published from the FBI's Office of Inspections on Friday.

The report found that @FBIRecordsVault had not tweeted for a year -- something that had gone unnoticed by FBI public affairs and records management officials -- but was restarted as part of a fix to other accounts.

Inspectors found that the records were "properly posted" as part of a response to more than three outstanding Freedom of Information Act requests, but the report nevertheless provides a glimpse into some of the internal deliberations during one of theToday begins the reign of Bray Wyatt as WWE Champion after he captured Smackdown Live’s top title at the Elimination Chamber Pay Per View.

The leader of the Wyatt Family outlasted five of the brand’s top talents to take the crown – previous incumbent John Cena, The Miz, Baron Corbin and Dean Ambrose were all eliminated before Wyatt was left with AJ Styles one on one.

The two stood toe-to-toe in a strong finish but in the end, the Eater of Worlds came out on top.

The win sets up a WrestleMania showdown with Wyatt Family brethren Randy Orton, who earlier in the night triumphed in singles action against outcast Luke Harper.

Wyatt’s win wasn’t the only title change of the night. Naomi defeated Alexa Bliss to win the Smackdown women’s championship


that inspire big selling movies are thought to be well established professional writers by the time their work gets so big. People were surprised to find out that not only did J. K. Rowling was not a big name in the industry, but she was a single mom with a job as a secretary, trying to get her work published.

And she tried. Many, many times. 12 publishers rejected her first Harry Potter chapter before finally getting the green light, helped by a good review from the publisher’s eight-year-old daughter.

So this is how the fabulous story of this influential, loved author can inspire many writers to keep improving and dedicating as much time as they can to help the craft.

One of the most important lessons to learn from RowlingAfter years of huge losses and store closings, the future is officially in doubt for Sears and Kmart.

Sears Holdings (SHLD), the holding company for the two iconic retail brands, warned investors late Tuesday that it can't promise it will stay in business.

It included the language in its annual report while insisting it might still turn things around.

"Our historical operating results indicate substantial doubt exists related to the company's ability to continue as a going concern," said the statement.

While its recent history has been written in red ink, Sears was once one of the nation's most powerful companies, both the Walmart and Amazon of its time. But its once-proud brands have mostly been forgotten by the modern American shopper.

Related: A look at Sears through the years

Now Sears Holdings is


it is on course to turn around its struggling business.

"It is very important to reiterate that Sears Holdings remains focused on executing our transformation plan," said Chief Financial Officer Jason Hollar. "This is evident in the decisive actions we have taken in recent months. Despite the risks outlined we remain confident in our financial position."

Related: There's a retail bubble -- and it's bursting

Still, Sears Holdings has been in trouble almost since the 2005 merger that joined the two department store brands.

At the start of 2006, it had 3,400 U.S. stores and 370 more in Canada that it has since sold. By the end of this January, it had only 1,400 stores left, all in the United States. The company still has 140,000 employees, but that too is downsharply from the 355,000 it had in 2006.

Even that doesn't tell the full picture of the decline.

Sears was once the nation's largest retailer and business employer. Long before the ascendance of Walmart (WMT), and decades before Amazon (AMZN) was even born, the Sears catalog was how many Americans learned to shop from home for a large variety of items they wanted.

It developed an extensive store network, helping furnish homes as Americans moved to the suburbs after World War II -- and causing trouble for small, locally owned shops.

Related: Sears sells Craftsman

The company at one time grew to include not just the retail business but a bank, a brokerage, a real estate company and what was then the world's tallest building, the Sears Tower, for its Chicago headquarters.

Kmart had


a proud tradition of its own as one of the first major discount chains.

Its history, like that of Sears, stretches to the late 19th century. It became known for its "blue light specials," short-lived sales signaled by a flashing light and a public address announcement.

Kmart also bought many other retail chains that have since gone out of business, including Borders Books and Sports Authority. It filed for bankruptcy in 2002 shortly before Sears merged with its remains.

The retail landscape is littered with storied brands that have closed in recent years as brick-and-mortar stores became an albatross in the face of growing competition online.

Just in the last year, Sports Authority and The Limited have closed, and RadioShack and American Apparel are both in their second bankruptcies and in dangerof shutting down. Macy's (M), JCPenney (JCP) and Staples (SPLS) have announced widespread store closing plans.

The problems for Sears started well before the growth of online shopping. More than 20 years ago, it began to suffer from competition from low-price competitors such as Walmart, and big-box stores such as Home Depot (HD). It lost its place in the Dow Jones index of the nation's most important companies in 1999.

Then came growing competition from Amazon and other online retailers. Analysts said Sears Holdings did little to invest in either the Sears or Kmart brand, instead trying to cut its way back to profitability by trimming advertising and closing stores.

It announced plans to close 150 more stores in January, and its stock hit a post-merger low in February. Then the


that made me fully realize that I did not want that to continue any longer – the same horse for which I have held a strong admiration and love throughout his career. That horse is Wise Dan.

Like the remainder of the racing world, I have greatly respected Wise Dan for quite some time now, but my love for the son of Wiseman’s Ferry goes beyond appreciation for his achievements on the track. In a career that will surely land him in the Hall of Fame one day, Wise Dan has easily become one of my all-time favorites, thrilling me with his gutsy performances and will to win. But memories I carry with me from a few days spent in Southern California last fall have formed even more roomfor Wise Dan’s place in my heart.

In the days leading up to the 2013 Breeders’ Cup, Bill Casner – the owner of Well Armed who was formerly connected with WinStar Farm – was kind enough to introduce me to Charlie LoPresti, Wise Dan’s trainer. LoPresti kindly took me in, and in the mornings leading up to race day, I would stop by the barn to see Wise Dan and watch him train.

It was as if I was living a dream, spending my mornings with the Horse of the Year as LoPresti told me stories about the brilliant chestnut gelding. Standing before the San Gabriel Mountains as pink and purple clouds were illuminated by the rising sun, my admiration for Wise Dan and his team grew stronger. And just


the two-time Horse of the Year made his long-awaited return to the races, facing eight others in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. II) on the turf at Saratoga. With the eyes of the racing world focused upon him, Wise Dan sat off the pace beneath regular rider Johnny Velazquez. Sitting before my living room television as I visited home for the first time since leaving for college, I held my breath as my eyes focused on Wise Dan.

I felt my heart swell as Wise Dan fought off the charge of Optimizer down the stretch, laying it all on the line as he strove to attain victory. When he faced colic, Wise Dan overcame an illness that easily could have taken his life. When he faced competition for theTag Archives: Faith Action for Community Equity

Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE), a Gamaliel Foundation affiliate, is a faith-based grassroots organization in Hawaii founded in 1996. FACE grew out of a sponsoring committee established in the mid-1990s with the assistance of the Center for Community Change. In November 2008 FACE became a statewide organization when our Maui chapter was founded. We currently have a membership base of 27 institutions on Oahu, 24 on Maui, and one statewide institution. Combined on both islands, we are made up of 38 churches, a Buddhist temple, 2 Jewish congregations, 10 community groups and non-profit organizations, and one labor union. FACE’s membership reflects the cultural and socio-economic diversity of our community.

FACE met at St. E’s in March 2012 with an overflow crowd, standing


Where is Donald Trump visiting on his first overseas trip?

Where is Donald Trump visiting on his first overseas trip?

Greg Heffer, News Reporter

Donald Trump has departed the US on his first foreign trip as US president.

He is said to be a reluctant traveller but he has embarked on a nine-day journey across the Middle East and Europe.

Leaving behind a scandal over his sacking of FBI chief James Comey, Mr Trump will no doubt hope his foreign excursion will deflect some of the attention away from his domestic troubles.

Having championed his "America First" cause, the President's first overseas visit comes later than his immediate predecessors in the White House, Barack Obama and George W Bush.

What is Trump's itinerary?

Saturday 20 May

Mr Trump will visit Saudi Arabia to meet the country's rulerKing Salman as well as other members of the royal family.

Sunday 21 May

The President will hold talks with the leaders of Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Kuwait.

He will then attend the Arab Islamic American summit where Mr Trump will deliver a speech on "the need to confront radical ideology" and his hopes for a "peaceful vision of Islam across the world".

Image: Saudi Arabia's King Salman

Mr Trump and King Salman will later officially open a counter-terror centre before the President takes part in a Twitter forum with young people.

Monday 22 May

Arriving in Israel, Mr Trump will meet with the country's president Reuven Rivlin before laying a wreath at a Holocaust memorial.

The President will then meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the leaders and their wives have dinner together.

Tuesday


23 May

Mr Trump will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Image: The Western Wall in Jerusalem

He will then visit holy sites the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Wednesday 24 May

The President will meet Pope Francis, who has previously criticised Mr Trump, in the Vatican City before touring St Peter's Basilica.

Image: Pope Francis will meet Mr Trump in the Vatican City

After talks with Italy's prime minister Paolo Gentiloni and president Sergio Mattarella, Mr Trump will travel to Brussels to meet EU bosses.

Thursday 25 May

Mr Trump and his wife Melania will meet King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium as well as the country's prime minister Charles Michel.

The President will then have a working lunch with new French president Emmanuel Macron before visiting NATO's new headquarters in theBelgian capital.

Image: New French president Emmanuel Macron

After unveiling a memorial in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall, Mr Trump and German chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a brief news conference.

The ceremony will precede a working dinner of NATO leaders.

Friday 26 May

Mr Trump will hold talks with Mr Gentiloni in Sicily ahead of a G7 summit on the Italian island.

Saturday 27 May

The G7 summit will continue for a second day before Mr Trump concludes his trip with a press conference and an address to US troops.

Sunday 28 May

The President returns to America.


Who killed Britain? A new book reveals that the land Queen Elizabeth II once ruled no longer exists

She succeeded her father, George VI, on February 6, 1952, and may ultimately rival Queen Victoria - our monarch for 63 years - in longevity.

Already, however, the reign of Elizabeth II has encompassed so much change that the Queen seems almost like a time-traveller, spanning not just the decades since she came to the throne but whole centuries.

The Britain of the early 1950s is so utterly different from the Britain of 2008 that it is bizarre to think that we have the same Head of State we did when rationing was still in force and Winston Churchill was Prime Minister.

Queen Elizabeth II's 63-year reign has encompassed massive change

But was this Queen'sreign, like that of Victoria, a time of British success, or of failure? Will this, the second Elizabethan age, compare favourably with her great-great grandmother's or not?

The Age of Victoria was one in which Britain became the greatest world power, unrivalled in invention and industrial productivity. For half a century, no country on earth could match its wealth-producing capacity.

At the same time, thanks to a combination of commercial enterprise, and a genuine desire to help the peoples of Asia and Africa, the British Empire came into being.

Nearly all these riches and political power had evaporated by the time Elizabeth II was crowned.

The war against Hitler had ruined Britain financially.

We were falling catastrophically behind our international competitors, thanks to the nationalisation of the coal and steel industries by the


post-war Labour government.

There were fuel shortages and a housing crisis - with many people living in slums, and others housed in 'prefabs' that look to the eyes of hindsight like huts in Toy Town.

A quarter of British homes had inadequate sanitary arrangements, outdoor lavatories and bathrooms shared with neighbours.

Britain in 1952 was not a very happy place. Indeed, it is doubtful whether even the most conservative of today's inhabitants would truly rejoice if transported back there.

The standard of living of the average family would seem harsh today even to Romanians or the poorest of the East Germans.

Few families could afford to drink alcohol except on special occasions. Wine was unheard of, except on Christmas Day, and was so bad it turned your teeth black.

The food on offer inrestaurants and hotels - assuming you could afford it - was unpalatable, and olive oil was sold in tiny phials at the chemist.

Foreign holidays were for the few, and even they were restricted by the amount of money that could be taken out of the country, so that it was all but impossible to travel abroad for more than ten days without running out of cash.

Over half the adult population over the age of 30 had false teeth - it was received wisdom among dentists that it was better for your health to have dentures.

The unhappily married stayed unhappy unless they wished to go through the considerable expense and humiliation of a divorce, in which there always had to be a guilty party, and farcical scenes had to


generations endured, with the British cities being nightly bombarded in the Blitz?

The dome of St Paul's Cathedral has been dwarfed by American-style blocks

All in all, when one compares the cold, the poverty, the sheer misery of 1952 Britain with the Britain of today, the improvement is as amazing as anything the Victorians achieved.

And yet, it would be a bold person who stood up and said that the past half-century had been Britain's most glorious period.

For the reign of Elizabeth is the one in which Britain effectively stopped being British.

The chief reason for this is mass immigration on a scale that has utterly transformed our nation.

Governments needed cheap labour, and the first immigrants from the West Indies helped the expanding health service, the improved transport system and burgeoning industry.

Noteveryone was welcoming.

At the end of 1952, shortly after he was re-elected as Prime Minister, the old war hero Winston Churchill wanted to know the number of coloured people - as they were called in those days - who had entered Britain and where they lived.

In Cabinet he asked whether the Post Office was employing any, pointing out that 'there was some risk that difficult social problems would be created' if this was so.

Then he set up an inquiry to see how further immigration could be prevented and 'coloured' people kept out of the Civil Service.

The generation of old men who had grown up with a British Empire, and who were still occupying senior office until the Seventies, saw the question of immigration entirely in terms of colour.

Horrified


the business of the law-abiding and tax-paying population, the Government could not keep tabs on the migrants it let in.

And no wonder, since, quite apart from asylum seekers and immigrants from the rest of the world, Britain signed up to the enlargement of the European Union.

All the biggest countries in Europe - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain - saw the dangers of allowing unlimited movement of workers from Eastern Europe, the chaos it would create in the labour market and the intolerable burden it would put on hospitals, public transport and housing.

In a move that was little short of insanity, Britain allowed open entry. Around 420,000 Eastern Europeans piled in here, many willing to work for less than their British equivalents.

Strange as it was for a Labourare symptoms of a simple, palpable fact: that the Britain of February 6, 1952, is not merely different from the Britain of today. It has ceased to exist.

Above all, we have lost any sense of what it means to be together as a nation.

Once, a shared sense of identity and purpose united us. It was part of the national myth that during the heroic summer of 1940 Britain stood alone against the rest of the world. But it was a myth that happened to be true.

At the time, Britain had an Empire, a vast industrial base at home, an unwrecked landscape, unspoilt townscapes, a rail network, a national Church, a class system.

But within a decade of the end of the war, almost all of these faded or were


forcibly removed.

Social experiments proved disastrous and divisive.

Comprehensive education was meant to destroy the class system; instead it deepened class division by making anyone who could afford to - and many who could not - educate their children privately.

The fact that so many parents choose to subsidise state schools through tax and then spend a large amount of their taxed income on private education is an indictment of the gross incompetence of generations of politicians.

In 1944, when drafting his Education Act for post-war Britain, the reforming Conservative minister, R.A. Butler, recognised that there was a strong case for abolishing private education.

Had he done so, then it might have resulted in a more cohesive society.

Some old optimists still think this can happen, that the iniquity of division can be abolished.

Thethrough education and shaking off the constraints of their upbringing.

Constant television, computer games and overcrowded inner-city schools are unlikely to train them in the gifts of concentration that would make such a life change possible.

The Britain of Elizabeth II's accession, then, and the Britain that will see her funeral are in reality two different, equally awful, places.

We have gained much in terms of physical well-being, of medical care, of opportunities for travel and cultural enrichment. But at some stage along the journey we ceased to be a society.

Much of our common culture has been destroyed.

Take the so-called Big Bang, which in 1986 opened up the financial markets of the City of London to traders from all over the world.

Almost overnight, an institution that had been central to Britain


as a nation since the 17th century was no longer in British hands.

Electronic dealing ended the arcane rituals of the stock market floor, men in top hats, bells ringing and so on.

The old Forsyte Saga-style banking and stockbroking families retreated before the invasion of American and European firms.

In their place appeared a class of super-rich City slickers, yuppies, Porsche drivers, second and third home-owners, crankers-up of the housing market, draughtsmen and women of a new social map in which previous levels of income and standards of living seemed puny.

Geographically, the Square Mile was still in the same place. The Thames still ran softly, but the song was no longer sung in English.

The dome of St Paul's, that great emblem of national solidity in the face of destructive threatsfrom outside, as it had been in 1940 when it survived the Blitz, was soon dwarfed by huge American-style blocks and slabs that soared above the City's skyline.

Within its walls, the cathedral church of London had become the chief meeting place of a sect rather than the seat of a national Church.

The liturgy of 1662, part of the inner music of English heads and English ears for three centuries, was discarded in the late Sixties, as was any claim by the Church to utter the Common Prayer of the nation.

No longer answerable to Parliament, the Church had an assembly of its own, the General Synod, in which it conducts divisive discussions from which there appears to be no retreat.

Gay bishops? Women priests? In these Lilliputian squabbles the Church


it was half a century ago.

During World War II, and in the times of economic austerity immediately after, we were - yes, it made sense to use the first person plural - we were an entity.

Young men, of whatever social class, did National Service together. Rich and poor received identical rations and, for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, Britain had a fair distribution of food.

The middle classes howled about powdered eggs, but the working classes had the new experience of protein and vitamins in their diet.

With the coming of prosperity - which almost everyone must surely have welcomed - the problems began.

The inhabitants of the British archipelago became a collection of classes and races and individuals, living side by side and for the most part tryingClass

Technical specifications

Gender

Chronological and political information

Era(s)

Affiliation

S-4QD was the only droid left on Tilnes by 31 BBY. At that time, he had been shut down by moon's electromagnetic pulses ninety-three times. Nineteen of those times his memory had been wiped, and twice his photoreceptors had popped out of his head. He could no longer say quite what his purpose on Tilnes was, and wasn't that sure that S-4QD was actually his name.

S-4QD was a protocol droid that had been sent to Tilnes as a representative for the droids of Uffel. They quickly realized that Tilnes had no future for droids, but left 4QD there in an advisory capacity. He ended up giving out pieces of esoteric information in conversations which served no purpose in moving that conversation along. He was


If one were to single out an overarching narrative for the trajectory of electronic music in 2009, it would surely be the emphasis on the past — on the founding myths and legends that electronic music emerged out of — as a source of inspiration. With disco breaking out from small-scale revival to established Room Two, even Room One fare, with deep house announcing itself as the heir apparent to the ubiquity of mid-decade minimal, and with the cavernously retrospective, Detroit-flecked techno of the Berghain/Hard Wax crew dominating tracklists, it seems that in 2009, the only way to look forward, was to look back. Accordingly, Mathew Jonson chimed in with his take on the theme for Ghosts In the AI, his last Wagon Repair release of the yearBald Eagle slaying in Maggie Valley prompts reward offer

A bald eagle was shot and killed at the Maggie Festival Grounds, a large open field off the main drag through town, in early May.

A reward of up to $2,500 is offered to anyone for information leading to a conviction of the person responsible for killing the eagle. U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the N.C. Wildlife Commission are investigation the shooting.

Bullet fragments were removed from the carcass. The eagle was an immature bald eagle and lacked the characteristic adult white head and tail feathers.

Bald eagles were taken off the endangered species list in 2007, but are still protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Violations carry a fine of up to $100,000


Jules Joseph Déjerine versus Pierre Marie.
Pierre Marie was one of Charcot's favorite pupils, and had hoped to succeed his great mentor at the Hospice de La Salpêtrière as professor of diseases of the nervous system. Charcot's friend and collaborator Alfred Vulpian was a senior physician at the Hôpital Bicêtre, a somewhat less prestigious hospital, and Jules Déjerine was his student. When Charcot died, Marie was too junior to be even a candidate, and Fulgence Raymond won the election in front of Déjerine and Brissaud. Déjerine succeeded Raymond in 1910, and Marie had to wait Déjerine's death in 1918 to get his position at La Salpêtrière. Before World War I, Pierre Marie made the localization of aphasia the centerpiece of his personal feud with Jules Déjerine. In his extensivea small house with only two rooms. One room was for the president, Yi Jae-Won, and the other room was for the staff. The bank operated by borrowing money from Japanese banks at low interest rates and then loaning it out for twice the rate to the Korean market. The Bank was successful because despite lending out money at twice the rate it borrowed it at, the bank's interest rates were still far lower than what could be obtained elsewhere in Korea at that time.[2]

In an anecdotal story the bank's first property to use as collateral on a loan happened to be a donkey. The bank staff were challenged to feed and care for their collateral as the loan was out.[2]


authors wish to thank Dr. Kathryn Andolsek, Assistant Dean of Premedical Education, for assistance in the project and her guidance in target journal selection; Donald T. Kirkendall, ELS for his help in preparing the manuscript for submission; and Dr. John A. Feagin, Jr. for his solid core character and leadership that inspired the development of this program.

Conflict of Interest
--------------------

DCT is Chairman, JPD is Executive Director and JHBC serves on the advisory board of the Feagin Leadership Program. JRB is a naval service member and the views expressed in this article don't reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy. KLA, MHC, RMG, NHW, AA, and JRB have no conflicts of interest to report.
Incredible video footage from the tense Korean Demilitarized Zone shows one North Korean soldier’s desperate dash into South Korea as his comrades let loose a barrage of bullets.

United Nations Command released CCTV footage Tuesday of a suspected North Korean staff sergeant in his 20s fleeing his desolate country last Monday, first in a jeep and then on foot, with North Korean soldiers hot on his heels. The man crossed into South Korea at the Joint Security Area while his comrades chased after him, firing on him as he ran.

WATCH:

Incredible footage of the North Korean soldier making his escape through the DMZ, first in a jeep and then on foot. Can clearly see North Koreans running to shoot their "comrade" pic.twitter.com/JRzTdYBvq4

A clearer and more detailed video of this extremely


rare incident can be seen below. In the video, four North Korean soldiers can be seen pursuing the defector, trying to kill him before he can reach freedom.

WATCH:

The young North Korean soldier was shot multiple times, but he succeeded in making it into South Korea before he collapsed in a pile of leaves. He was rescued by South Korean troops and airlifted to a medical facility in Suwon. He has already undergone two major surgeries, and he is scheduled to have another surgery Wednesday."Bharhut-Mathura School", while the reliefs of Sanchi were a second tradition, calling it the "Malwa School of Sanchi".

Complex narrative reliefs (circa 100 BCE)

By 100 BCE, the reliefs represent more complex scenes, defining, according to Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, an age of "iconic diversification and narrative maturation", as shown by the Kankali Tila architrave representing centaurs worshipping a Jain stupa, the dance of Nilanjana, and the renunciation of Rsabhanata, or the Katra architrave representing Brahmins with pots in a sacred precinct. Another relief from the same period shows a Linga inside a railing on platform and under a pipal tree, being worshipped by Gandharvas, an early depiction of the phallic cult in Shivaism.

Several of these reliefs are the first known examples of Jain sculpture. These reliefs show more depth, and


Buddha triads of Mathura, several seated Buddha triads in an elaborate style are also known from Gandhara, which also belong to the early Kushan period, such as the Brussels Buddha which may be dated to the year 5 of Kanishka.

Buddha coinage (Circa 130 CE)

From his capital of Mathura or alternatively from the capital of his territories of the northwest, Peshawar, Kanishka issued the first known representation of the Buddha on a coin, and actually one of the first known representations of the Buddha that can be dated precisely, in this case, to the reign of Kanishka (127–150 CE). The Bimaran casket is usually dated to 50 CE, but with less certainty than the Kanishka coin.

Only six Kushan coins of the Buddha are known in gold (the sixth onehis brow bear the urna. An aureola, formed by one, two or three lines, surrounds him. The full gown worn by the Buddha on the coins, covering both shoulders, suggests a Gandharan model rather than a Mathuran one, and the style is clearly Hellenistic.

Kanishka also issued other types of Buddhist coinage, representation a "Shakyamuni Buddha" standing and walking, as well as a seated "Maitreya Buddha". It should be noted however that Maitreya is a Bodhisattva and not a Buddha according to the Buddhist cannon.

Buddha statues in "Samghati" monastic dress (mid-2nd century onward)

The last known inscribed "Kapardin Bodhisattava" statue is dated to the year 39 of the era started by Kanishka (166 CE). From around that time, the art of Mathura adopted the image of the Buddha with the


period.

Other sculptural works
The Mathura sculptures incorporate many Hellenistic elements, such as the general idealistic realism, and key design elements such as the curly hair, and folded garment:

Specific Mathuran adaptations tend to reflect warmer climatic conditions, as they consist in a higher fluidity of the clothing, which progressively tend to cover only one shoulder instead of both. Also, facial types also tend to become more Indianized. Banerjee in Hellenism in ancient India describes "the mixed character of the Mathura School in which we find on the one hand, a direct continuation of the old Indian art of Barhut and Sanchi and on the other hand, the classical influence derived from Gandhara".

In some cases however, a clear influence from the art of Gandhara can also be felt, as in theand beauty.

Jain art under the Guptas

Medieval period (7th-16th century)

The decline of the Gupta Empire was accompanied by the invasions and the wide-scale destructions of the Hunas Alchon Huns circa 460-530 BCE, and an ensuing disorganization of society. These events mark the end of Classical Indian civilisation. The Medieval period followed, in which Hindu art became largely prevalent in the art of Mathura and India as a whole. It was accompanied by the decline of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent.

In many ways, Gupta art had represented the zenith of the art of Mathura, with its beautiful and elegant creations. In the Medieval period, efforts were made at emulating Gupta art, but the technical level in sculpture decreased significantly. Many of the qualities found in Gupta art start to vanish


Boone, Benjamin

Born in Statesville, NC in 1963, composer and jazz saxophonist Benjamin Boone now resides in Fresno, California, where he is an Assistant Professor of Music at California State University. Other works by Boone, published by ALRY Publications, include: We Wish You a Merry Christmas (for saxophone quartet), Over the Edge(for flute choir—the title track of the national Flute Choir CD), and A Tribute to Debussy's Syrinx (for solo flute). Boone's compositions for saxophone include Election Year (for solo saxophone), High Octane (tor piano and saxophone), The Gospel Hour (for alto saxophone and tuba/trombone), Alley Dance (for saxophone quartet), Squeeze (for alto saxophone and orchestra or wind ensemble), and Vicissitudes (tor saxophone quartet and wind ensemble). Boone appears with The Transatlantic Reed-String Project on the Capstone Records CDmillion.

A pier and maintenance facility in Bangor, Washington, at about $89 million.

A storage facility at Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingson, at $87 million.

Spangdahlem Elementary School at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, at about $79 million.

A number of land and and air infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom, Hungary and Slovakia, part of an ongoing effort to deter Russian aggression in Europe, could also fall by the wayside in favor of the border wall.

‘No guarantees’

The Tuesday announcement created a backlash across Congress, as well as a call to provide the Pentagon that funding they have requested.

"The decision by the President to divert funding meant to support U.S. national security interests so that he can build a border wall only makes us less safe,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said in


Two players with ties to the New York Mets, Frank Thomas and Frank Howard, had fairly similar careers. (Of course, I am talking about the older Frank Thomas not the most recent one that played from 1990-2008). Thomas, who played from 1951-1966, played for the Mets from 1962-1964. Howard, who played from 1958-1973, managed the Mets for the last 116 games of the 1983 season. Both players were known as power hitters with Howard becoming a force for the Washington Senators towards the end of his career. Howard came up as the cleanup batter for the LA Dodgers of the late 1950s and 1960s. He was on the 1959 and 1963 World Series Championship teams. However, it was his time in Washington that stood out. He hit 40+homeruns from 1968-1970, calumniating with his 1970 season where he hit .283, 44, 126. Thomas never matched those numbers but had good seasons of his own. The Mets will always remember his 34 HRs he hit in their inaugural season of 1962. Howard had 5 30+ HR seasons (3 40+ HR seasons). Thomas had 3, two with the Pirates and 1 with the Mets. Howard had the more dominating career but also benefitted from playing for only two organizations for the majority of his career. (Dodgers and Senators) Howard hit .273,382, 1119 with 1774 hits, 172 BB and 1460 Ks. His career OPS was .851. Thomas, who played 3B as well as the OF, hit .266, 286, 952 with 1671 hits, 484 BBs, 894 K and a .774


OPS. Howard was more of the core type player, as Thomas was asked to be a piece. Thomas finished his career playing for Pittsburgh (1951-1958), Cincinnati (1959), Chicago Cubs (1960-1961), Milwaukee Braves (1961), New York Mets (1962-1964), Philadelphia (1964-1965), Houston (1965). back to the Braves (1965) and back to the Cubs (1966). It is obvious to tell who was the better overall player, however, Thomas could have been a great fit for the right team at the right time. But it seemed the opposite happened. Thomas was traded by Pittsburgh to Cincinnati for Don Hoak and others and the Pirates won the World Series in 1960. Thomas was out of Cincinnati after 1 season and the Reds won the NL Pennant in 1961. He was on the PhilliesAn execution in Oklahoma went disastrously wrong on Tuesday night, when a state corrections department doctor injected death row inmate Clayton Lockett with a secret and untested chemical cocktail that was supposed to kill him quickly and painlessly. About 15 minutes into the execution, it became gruesomely clear to observers that Lockett was conscious, seizing, and in what appeared to be tremendous pain. Officials halted the execution, but 43 minutes after he had been first injected, Lockett died of a heart attack. A second man who was to be executed the same night, Charles Warner, has been granted a stay of execution for two weeks.

Oklahoma was using the experimental formula because pharmaceutical companies increasingly refuse to supply "safe" lethal injection chemicals. That's left capital punishment states to choose


between executing inmates under dangerous conditions or not executing them at all. Many states have chosen to go ahead, and some have adopted secrecy laws that shield the chemical compounds used for the executions.

Drug companies stopped supplying the key lethal injection chemical in 2011

The key chemical in lethal injections is sodium thiopental, originally invented as an anesthetic. But US manufacturers of the drug have been increasingly refusing to sell it, either out of opposition to the death penalty or concern about association with executions. In 2011, the last US supplier, a company called Hospira, stopped making it.

Later that year, the European Union announced an export ban on sodium thiopental, in pursuit of its official goal of "universal abolition" of the death penalty. Belarus, a pro-Moscow dictatorship, is theonly European country that retains the death penalty; ending capital punishment worldwide is a major political issue in many European countries. Hospira may have shut down production in 2011 in part because it had come under pressure to do so from the government of Italy, where it has a plant.

Sodium thiopental has a shelf-life of only four years, meaning that it cannot be stockpiled beyond 2015. The result is that US prisons are running out of the key ingredient for lethal injections.

Capital punishment states had to find another way to make lethal injections

State governments that wanted to continue using lethal injections were left with few options. Some imported sodium thiopental illegally from Europe, but federal and European officials appear to have shut down those trades. Some tried importing


drugs unknown but there is no record suggesting one way or the other whether the combination Oklahoma plans for Lockett and Warner will inflict unconstitutional pain." State officials would say only that the drugs had been obtained legally from licensed pharmacies and had not expired.

The state supreme court's stay of execution became a big political issue in Oklahoma, with Republican Gov. Mary Fallin ordering that executions to proceed as scheduled. The state supreme court and the state criminal appeals court argued over jurisdiction, with the latter at first announcing it had overturned the former's decision, and then the state supreme court again announcing a stay of execution. Conservative state lawmakers angrily criticized the decision, with one announcing he would seek to impeach the judges. It looked headed forFour million Americans misused prescription opioid painkillers in 2014. Those who do are 40 times more likely to inject heroin or other drugs than other people. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are blaming that misuse for a 12-fold increase in endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves. "Endocarditis, or infection of the valves of the heart, due to needle sharing has been on the rise; and the rise has been directly associated with the increase in opioid use in the United States," Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Medline Plus. The report was published June 9 in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Endocarditis Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart


The United States is racing to develop hypersonic missiles that can travel at five times the speed of sound, officials have confirmed.

Heather Wilson, secretary of the US Air Force, said the effort was being made to keep pace with other nations like Russia and China while speaking on Friday at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

The US Air Force currently operates 80 satellites in space, the secretary added. Her comments followed reports suggesting Russia was also developing new missile systems after Washington announced plans to exit from a landmark nuclear arms control pact.

Vladimir Putin said over the weekend that Russia has suspended the Cold War-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which banned both countries from stationing short and intermediate-range land-based missiles in Europe.

Meanwhile,Moscow and Washington have accused each other of violating the treaty and Mr Putin said Russia had acted after the United States announced it was withdrawing from the pact.

SpaceX's journey through the Solar System Show all 6 1 /6 SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System SpaceX's journey through the Solar System

Washington had made clear it planned to start research, development and design work on new missile systems and Moscow would do the same, Mr Putin said.

He added the Russian military should start work on creating land-based launch systems for an existing ship-launched cruise missile, the Kalibr, and for


The New England Revolution have acquired the rights to forward Sean Okoli, according to News Tribune beat writer Don Ruiz. The transaction is part of the trade that sent the MLS SuperDraft’s 33rd overall pick to the Seattle Sounders.

Okoli spent three years at Wake Forest University, collecting 24 goals and nine assists in 61 appearances. The Federal Way native also has international experience, having been part of the US U-18 and U-20 player pools.

On Jan. 9, 2014, Okoli signed a Homegrown contract with the Sounders. In his first season as a professional, Okoli played 19 MLS minutes over three games. His option was declined at the end of the season.

Should he sign, Okoli could occupy any of the Revolution’s three forward positions. The 6’1 attacker has the sizeto play as a hold-up forward but also the pace to get behind defenders. He was originally projected as a first-round draft pick before signing with his hometown team.

For more information on Okoli, check out this player profile penned by Dave Clark at Sounder at Heart.

This is the second Seattle player that the Revs have gained the rights to this off-season as they selected forward Tristan Bowen in the Re-Entry Draft.


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Sunday, 21 March 2010

The Ill-Fated Two-Part Exercise

As a follow-up on yesterday's post, I'd like to describe a two-part exercise I used to assign my high school and beginner college students.

In the first part, they (and when I say "they" I mean "I") had to go into the darkroom and clip a three-inch piece of unexposed 35mm film, lay it across the gate of their camera, and close the back. (A brief note, not that anyone cares: that was not as easy as it sounds.)

The result was a one-shot camera. With the camera in the field, only one shot was possible. You couldn't even remove the single strip and load a roll without ruining the single shot. The assignment was to devote an hour or so to shootingYEREVAN—Last month, Armenia Tree Project and the American University of Armenia Acopian Center for the Environment announced that a first-ever forestry conference will bring global leaders in forest conservation and restoration to Yerevan in October.

Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia will be held from October 20 to 23 at the American University of Armenia and will feature three days of discussion and collaborative dialogue on conservation and reforestation efforts much needed in countries across the world. With decades of regrowth and success throughout Armenia, the small country is bringing together the world’s best in reforestation to help other countries mount their forestry comebacks.

The conference will facilitate open and thorough discussion on the state of forests worldwide and in Armenia, and the practices, policies, and resources needed to ensure


epic adventure after another", taking advantage of publishers' realization in the mid-1990s that traditional fantasy literature was a highly lucrative market. D'Ammassa described the series as having an inconsistent background that was reinvented and expanded in each new book, "regardless of how well it meshes with what he has previously established." D'Ammassa stated that Goodkind possessed "undeniable storytelling skills and a talent for inventing detailed and interesting societies", but described his characters as lacking depth, with a confusing morality that has "heroes performing acts every bit as heinous as those of the villains, sometimes with no apparent justification", and he ascribed much of the popularity of the series to its "perverse sexual undertones" and sadomasochistic scenes described in "excruciating detail". D'Ammassa also stated that the "rules" found inits cancellation in May 2010.

 Severed Souls
An announcement video of the project was released on Vimeo, presenting it as a manuscript. On August 10, 2014, Severed Souls was made public and is now available in local libraries and bookstores.

References

External links

 Interview on freetalklive.com - about the political aspects of the Sword of Truth'' series

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The WWE Tag Team Championship slowly became one of the least prestigious titles in the business. The WWE has gone out of its way to feature tag team wrestling on Raw and SmackDown over the last few weeks.

It’s been an exciting revival, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.

Kane and Daniel Bryan, through their anger management storyline, experienced a meteoric rise to the top. Despite their bickering and lack of chemistry as a team, Team Hell No managed to dethrone champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth at the Night of Champions.

Other tag teams have begun to form in recent months.

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara, as well as Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel, have recently emerged as two of the most exciting tag teams inrecent memory.

Titus O’Neil and Darren Young, collectively known as the Prime Time Players, have been slowly climbing the ranks of the division. They received a few shots at the WWE Tag Team Championships during Kingston and R-Truth’s reign. Their current mean streak has made them two of the more despised Superstars in the WWE.

Another great heel team debuted when Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow formed an alliance. Calling themselves the Rhodes Scholars, the two promising Superstars have set their sights on Team Hell No and the championship.

Also take into account the more seasoned teams. The Usos and Primo and Epico continue to be a force in the tag team division.

A tournament to name the new No. 1 contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship began recently. This tournament


countries — including 23 from the United Kingdom since western nations accused Russia of being the sole actor responsible for using deadly chemical weapons on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in their Salisbury home.

Buzhinsky, who is now the senior vice president of the Russian Center for Policy Studies (PIR Center), told BBC Radio Today program:

“Please, when you say the world, you mean EU and United States and some other countries … you see it’s a cold war, it’s worse than the Cold War because if the situation will develop in the way this (is) now, I’m afraid that it will end up in a very, very bad outcome.”

Nicholas Robinson, a British presenter on the BBC’s Today program pressed Buzhinsky on what he meant by “worse than a coldpracticed between a portion of the contact spring and the conductive bar, such that the electrical conductor is directly clasped by and between these two parts. The electrical conductor may, for example, come into an aperture formed in the conductive bar and be held by the contact spring itself mounted on the conductive bar.
The removal of the electrical conductor is then practiced by exerting an external force on the contact spring via a tool tending to open the spring in order to release the electrical conductor.
In these known solutions equipped with push-in connection terminals, the casing is generally made into two portions assembled to one another in a lateral direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the electrical conductor into the connection terminal and perpendicular to the plane


HINDU PHILOSOPHY - I

(THE SHAD-DARSANAS)

Philosophy—Its Origin And Its Limitations

Philosophy

Death—The Starting Point Of Philosophy

Various Schools Of Philosophy

Philosophy And Intuition

The Orthodox And The Heterodox Systems Of Indian Philosophy

They are

1. The Nyaya

2. The Vaiseshika

3. The Sankhya

4. The Yoga;

5. The Purva-Mimamsa

6. The Uttara-Mimamsa, or the Vedanta.

The orthodox systems of philosophy believe in the authority of the Vedas.

The heterodox systems of philosophy do not believe in the authority of the Vedas.

The six heterodox systems of philosophy are:

1. The Materialistic School of Charvaka;

2. The System of the Jainas;

3. The School of Presentationists or Vaibhashikas (Buddhistic);

4. The School of Representationists or Sautrantikas (Buddhistic);

5. The School of Idealism or Yogacharas (Buddhistic); and

6. The School of Nihilism of the Madhyamikas (Buddhistic).

The Shad-Darsanas Or The Six Orthodox Schools

The

Different Ways Of Approach To The Same Goal

Interrelation Between The SixSystems

i) The Nyaya and the Vaiseshika, (ii) The Sankhya and the Yoga, and (iii) The Mimamsa and the Vedanta. The Vaiseshika is a supplement of the Nyaya. The Yoga is a supplement of the Sankhya. The Vedanta is an amplification and fulfilment of the Sankhya. Study of Vyakarana (grammar), Mimamsa, Nyaya and Sankhya is necessary to understand the Vedanta.

The Vaiseshika is not very much in honour now. The Nyaya is popular. The Sankhya is not a living faith. The Yoga is practised by a few in its practical form. The Vedanta is the most popular of all the schools today.

The Nyaya and the Vaiseshika will give you an analysis of the world of experience. They arrange all the things of the world into certain kinds or categories (Padarthas).


They explain how God has made all this material world out of atoms and molecules. They show the way to attain knowledge of God. The Sankhya will provide you with deep knowledge of Hindu psychology. Kapila Muni was the father of psychology. The Yoga deals with the control of Vrittis, or thought-waves, and with meditation.

The Yoga system shows the ways to discipline the mind and the senses. The Yoga will help you to cultivate concentration and one-pointedness of mind and enter into Nirvikalpa Samadhi or the Superconscious State. The Purva-Mimamsa deals with the Karma-Kanda of the Vedas, and the Uttara-Mimamsa with the Jnana-Kanda. The Uttara-Mimamsa is also known as the Vedanta-Darsana. This is the corner-stone of Hinduism. The Vedanta philosophy explains in detail the nature of Brahman orare only auxiliaries.

The attainment of Sivatva or Siva-nature does not mean complete merging of the soul in Siva. The liberated soul does not lose its individuality. It continues to exist as soul in God. Sivatva is the realisation of an identity of essence in spite of difference. The soul attains the nature of Siva or God, but it is not itself Siva or God.

The Sakti Yoga Philosophy

Introduction

Siva-Tattva and Sakti-Tattva

Sakti—The Ruler of Maya

Sakti—The Active Aspect Of The Immanent God

Sakti is Chidrupini. She is pure, blissful Consciousness. She is the Mother of Nature. She is Nature Itself. She is Jagat-Janani, Creatrix of the world; Mahishasura-mardini, destroyer of Mahishasura; Bhrantinasini, destroyer of illusion or Avidya; and Daridryanasini, destroyer of poverty.

Manifestations Of The Divine Mother

The Abode Of The Divine Mother

The Indescribable Glory


refute at the present moment materialism, agnosticism, atheism and science, and then establish Advaita Vedanta.The Sutras or aphorisms of Vyasa are the basis of the Vedanta philosophy. These Sutras have been variously explained by different commentators. From these interpretations have arisen several schools of philosophy, viz., Kevala Advaita philosophy of Sri Sankaracharya the philosophy of Qualified Monism or Visishtadvaita of Sri Ramanujacharya, the Dvaita philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya, the Bhedabheda philosophy of Sri Nimbarkacharya, the Suddha Advaita philosophy of Sri Vallabhacharya, the Achintya Bhedabheda philosophy of Sri Chaitanya and the Siddhanta philosophy of Sri Meykandar.Each system of philosophy treats of three main problems, viz., God, world and soul. The several schools of philosophy are only different attempts at discovering the Truth.The different Acharyas, belonging to distinctly different cults,have different temperaments and different capacities. So, different schools of philosophy are also necessary. The highest rung is Advaita philosophy. A dualist or qualified monist eventually becomes a Kevala Advaitin.Tirumular’s work ‘Tirumantiram’ is the foundation upon which the later structure of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy was built.The central doctrine of the Saiva Siddhanta philosophy is that Siva is the Supreme Reality, and that the Jiva or the individual soul is of the same essence as Siva, but not identical. Pati (God), Pasu (soul) and Pasa (the bonds), and the thirty-six Tattvas or principles which constitute the world, are all real.The Saiva Siddhanta system is the distilled essence of the Vedanta. It prevailed in Southern India even before the Christian era. Tirunelveli and Madurai are the centres of the Saiva


Siddhanta school. Even now, Saivism is a very popular creed in South India. It is a rival school of Vaishnavism.The Supreme Reality is called Siva. He is infinite consciousness. He is eternal, changeless, formless, independent, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, one without a second, beginningless, causeless, taintless, self-existent, ever-free, ever-pure and perfect. He is not limited by time. He is infinite bliss and infinite intelligence. He is free from defects, the all-doer and the all-knower.His grace is infinite. His love is infinite. He is the saviour and Guru. He is engaged in freeing the souls from the thraldom of matter. He assumes the form of a Guru out of His intense love for mankind. He wishes that all should know Him and attain the blissful Siva-Pada. He watches the activitiesof the individual souls and helps them in their onward march. He liberates the individual souls from their fetters or bonds.The five activities of the Lord (Pancha-Krityas) are: Srishti (creation), Sthiti (preservation), Samhara (destruction), Tirobhava (veiling) and Anugraha (grace). These, separately considered, are the activities of Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara and Sadasiva.The Lord Siva pervades the whole world by His Sakti. He works through His Sakti. Sakti is the conscious energy of Lord Siva. She is the very body of Lord Siva. The potter is the first cause for the pot. The stick and the wheel are the instrumental causes. The clay is the material cause of the pot. Similarly, Lord Siva is the first cause of the world. Sakti is the instrumental cause. Maya is the material


cause.Sakti is not the material cause of the universe, because she is of the nature of consciousness (Chaitanya). Siva is pure consciousness, but matter is pure unconsciousness. Sakti is the intermediate link between the two.Sakti is the reflex of Siva. It has no independent existence. Siva assumes this form out of His great love for mankind. Siva wishes that all should know Him.The world undergoes evolution for the benefit of the souls. The whole process of creation is for the sake of the salvation of the souls. The world is real and eternal. The world of matter and souls forms the body of the Lord.The Saiva Siddhanta analyses the universe into thirty-six Tattvas or principles, as against the twenty-five of the Sankhya. The thirty-six Tattvas arise from Maya,the material cause of the world. Suddha-Maya is Maya in its primal state. From it arise the five pure principles called Siva Tattva, Sakti Tattva, Sadasiva Tattva, Isvara Tattva and Suddhavidya Tattva. Siva functions through these five pure principles.Maya evolves into the subtle principles and then into the gross. Siva Tattva is the basis of all consciousness and action. It is undifferentiated (Nishkala Suddha Maya). The Sakti of Siva starts her activity. Then Siva becomes the experiencer. Then He is called Sadasiva, known also by the name Sadakhya, who is not really separate from Siva. The Suddha Maya becomes active. Then Siva, the experiencer, becomes the ruler. He is then Isvara, who is not really separate from Sadasiva. Suddhavidya is the cause of true knowledge.Souls (Pasu) are by


is always with Sakti.The creative aspect of the Supreme Siva is called Siva-Tattva. Sakti-Tattva is the will of Siva. It is the seed and womb of the entire world.Siva has two aspects. In one aspect, He is the supreme, changeless One who is Satchidananda. This is Para Samvit. Nishkala Siva is Nirguna Siva. He is not connected with the creative Sakti. In the other aspect, He changes as the world. The cause of the change is Siva-Tattva. Sakti-Tattva is the first dynamic aspect of Brahman. This Siva-Tattva and Sakti-Tattva are inseparable.Maya or Prakriti is within the womb of Sakti. Maya is the matrix of the world. Maya is potential in the state of dissolution. She is dynamic in creation. Maya evolves into several material elements and other physicalparts of all sentient creatures, under the direction of Sakti.There are thirty-six Tattvas or principles in the Sakti philosophy.The power or active aspect of the immanent God is Sakti. Siva or Brahman is the unchanging consciousness. Sakti is His changing Power which appears as mind and matter. Sakti is the embodiment of power. She runs this world-show. She maintains the sportive play or Lila of the Lord. She is the supporter of the vast universe. She is the supreme Power by which the world is upheld. She is the Universal Mother. She is Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Kali, Chandi, Chamundi, Tripurasundari and Rajarajesvari. She is Lalita, Kundalini and Parvati. There is no difference between God and His Sakti, just as there is no difference between fire and its burning


power.Devi is Sakti of Lord Siva. She is Jada Sakti and Chit Sakti. Prakriti is Jada Sakti. Suddha Maya is Chit Sakti. Nada, Bindu and the rest are only names for different aspects of Sakti. Sakti is Prakriti, Maya, Mahamaya and Sri Vidya. Sakti is Brahman Itself. Sakti manifested Herself to Lord Siva in the ten forms as the Dasa-Maha-Vidyas, viz., Kali, Bagalamukhi, Chhinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari, Matangi, Shodasi, Dhumavati, Tripurasundari, Tara and Bhairavi.The world is a manifestation of Sakti. The countless universes are only dust of Divine Mother’s holy feet. Her glory is ineffable. Her splendour is indescribable. Her greatness is unfathomable. She showers Her grace on Her sincere devotees. She leads the individual soul from Chakra to Chakra, from plane to plane, and unites him with Lord Sivain the Sahasrara.The Supreme Lord is represented as Siva and His power is represented as His consort—Sakti, Durga or Kali. Just as the husband and wife look after the well-being of the family, so also Lord Siva and His Sakti are engaged in looking after the affairs of this world.Divine Mother is everywhere triple. She is endowed with the three Gunas, viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. She manifests Herself as Will (Ichha Sakti), Action (Kriya Sakti) and Knowledge (Jnana Sakti). She is Brahma-Sakti (Sarasvati) in conjunction with Brahma, Vishnu-Sakti (Lakshmi) in conjunction with Vishnu and Siva-Sakti (Gauri) in conjunction with Siva. Hence She is called Tripurasundari.\Radha, Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Savitri are the five primary forms of Prakriti or Devi. Durga destroyed Madhu and Kaitabha through Vishnu. As


Mahalakshmi, She destroyed the Asura Mahisha; and as Sarasvati, she destroyed Sumbha and Nisumbha with their companions Dhumralochana, Chanda, Munda and Raktabija.The abode of Tripurasundari, the Divine Mother, is called Sri-Nagara. This magnificent abode known as Mani-Dvipa, is surrounded by twenty-five ramparts which represent the twenty-five Tattvas. The resplendent Chintamani Palace is in the middle. The Divine Mother sits in the Bindu-Pitha in Sri-Chakra in that wonderful palace. There is a similar abode for Her in the body of man also.The body is Sakti. The needs of the body are the needs of Sakti. When man enjoys, it is Sakti who enjoys through him. She sees through his eyes, works through his hands and hears through his ears. Body, mind, Prana, egoism, intellect, organs, and all functions areuniverse in a minute.” The Yaksha placed before Agni a dry blade of grass and asked him to burn it. Agni was not able to burn it. He ran away from the Yaksha in shame. The gods then sent Vayu to enquire who he was. Vayu approached the Yaksha. The Yaksha asked Vayu: “Who are you? What is your power?”“I am the wind-god. I can blow the whole world in a minute.” The Yaksha then placed a blade of grass before Vayu and challenged him to blow it away. Vayu could not make it move an inch from its place. He, too, left the place in shame. Last of all came Indra himself. When Indra reached the place, he found that the Yaksha vanished.Then Uma appeared before Indra


and revealed to him the real identity of the Yaksha. She said to Indra: “It is the power of the Divine Mother—and not that of the gods—that crowned the gods with victory. It is the Sakti of Uma or Haimavati, sister of Krishna, that is the source of the strength of all the gods.” Sakti is the great Teacher of Jnana. She sheds wisdom on Her devotees.When Vishnu and Mahadeva destroyed various Asuras, the power of Devi was behind them. Devi took Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra and gave them the necessary Sakti to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. She is at the centre of the life of the universe. She is in the Muladhara Chakra in our bodies. She vitalises the body through themeans unfolding, rousing up or awakening of the power of Sakti. Saktaism helps the aspirant to arouse the Kundalini and unite Her with Lord Siva and to enjoy the supreme bliss or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. A Sakta does Sadhana which helps the union of Siva and Sakti through the awakening of the forces within the body. He becomes a Siddha in the Sadhana when he is able to awaken Kundalini and pierce the six Chakras. The mode of Sadhana depends upon the tendencies and capacities of the Sadhaka.The aspirant thinks that the world is identical with the Divine Mother. He moves about thinking his own form to be the form of the Divine Mother and thus beholds oneness everywhere. He also feels that the Divine Mother is identical with


Brahman.“I am the Devi and the Devi is in Me.” He worships himself as Devi instead of adoring any external object. He says: “Saham—I am She (Devi).”The Sakti must be awakened by Dhyana, Bhava, Japa and Mantra Sakti. The Mother, the embodiment of the fifty letters, is present in the various letters in the different Chakras. When the chords of a musical instrument are struck harmoniously, fine music is produced. Even so, when the chords of the letters are struck in their order, the Mother who moves in the six Chakras and who is the very Self of the letters, awakens Herself. The Sadhaka attains Siddhi easily when She is roused. It is difficult to say when and how She shows Herself, and to what Sadhaka.When Kundalini sleeps,the knowledge of Sakti, Mukti cannot be attained”—says Siva to Devi. The Jiva or the individual soul thinks, when he is under the influence of Maya, that he is the doer and the enjoyer and identifies himself with the body. Through the grace of Sakti and through Sadhana or self-culture, the individual soul frees himself from all fetters and attains spiritual insight and merges himself in the Supreme.Worship of the Divine Mother, intense faith and perfect devotion and self-surrender, will help you to attain Her grace. Through Her grace alone you can attain Knowledge of the Imperishable.Glory to Sri Tripurasundari, the World-Mother, who is also Rajarajesvari and Lalita-Devi. May Her blessings be upon you all. May you all obtain the grace of Sakti, the Universal Mother and enjoy


Rio to Quito via Ushuaia

Get set for the ultimate South American odyssey. Covering six countries over 112 amazing days, travel through Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador on this epic adventure. Experience spectacular scenery, magnificent ruins, fascinating culture and some of the friendliest people on the planet. Head south from sun-kissed Rio to amazing Argentina. Sip world-class wines in Chile and marvel at Bolivia's vast salt flats. Follow in the footsteps of the Incas in Peru and discover the irresistible charm of Ecuador. If it's unspoilt nature you're after then this trip has it covered: majestic glaciers, verdant forests, crystal lakes, soaring mountains and more. This unforgettable trip will leave you enchanted by the breathtaking scenery and friendly people of this remarkable continent.

Inca Trail permits

This graph offersAirport. Welcome to the iconic Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro! There will be an
important group meeting at 6:00pm at the joining hotel - please look out at the hotel reception for a note from your leader with more details about this important meeting.
In Rio de Janeiro we will stay in a great hotel in the Flamengo district, close to the beach and the metro station.
Hotel for the night: Hotel Argentina
Hotel Argentina
Rua Cruz Lima No. 30
Flamengo
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Tel - +55 21 2558 7233
About Rio De Janeiro:
Rio de Janeiro has to be one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) rises up out of Guanabara Bay, the sandy beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana cut beautiful curves in the shoreline, all under the


tour, walk along the stunning scenery of the coastline, head out snorkelling or diving, or simply relax on the idyllic beaches.
In Paraty we wil camp at a well equipped hostel.
Activity - Approximate Cost
Go for a scuba diving trip in the incredible oceans around Paraty - BRL 250
Take a boat trip out of Paraty, exploring the stunning islands and beaches and swimming in the idyllic warm
water of the sparkling blue ocean - Included in Kitty
Explore the ocean, islands, beaches, and mangroves of Atlantic coast in a more serene and tranquil fashion, on a sea kayaking expedition around the bay of Paraty - USD 40
Learn all about the fascinating history of Brazil and the Gold Trail, on an excellent walking tour of the old
colonial town of Paraty - USD 35
Enjoysome of the best and most scenic treks in the country, on the coastal trails, hils, and 'tropical fjords'
near Paraty - USD 50
Try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding by hiring a board from one of the many vendors at the Jabaquara
beach in Paraty - BRL 30
Relax and unwind with a massage and unbeatable ocean views at the fantastic Shambala spa - BRL 165
About Paraty:
The Emerald Coast, or the "Costa Verde" as it is known in Brazil, stretches south from the city of Rio de Janeiro, a thin strip of land sandwhiched between verdant green mountains and the sparkling waters of the Atlantic. Picture-book islands, deserted beaches and picturesque coves with excellent swimming and
diving make it the perfect place to relax and enjoy a couple of days of


not to mention the abundant wildlif, which includes monkeys, alligators, anaconda, over 30 varieties of fish and tremendous birdlife. Unsurprisingly, the town is often described as the "eco-tourism capital of Brazil".
There are endless activities on offer, from spectacular walks through the
surrounding hills and forest, to caving, horse-riding, abseiling, and snorkeling. Many of the best attractions are on private land and the area is being very carefully managed in order as to protect the wildlife and habitats found here.

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Meals Included

We have two full days in Bonito to take part in the plethora of incredible optional activities here. You could go out on a world-class snorkelling trip, explore the nearby caves, or go abseiling down some of the largest waterfalls in the area, amongst many otherout right over the horseshoe of the falls, giving you a spectacular view of this natural wonder from a totally different perspective.
As well as the magnificent waterfalls, there's also a great bird park in Foz, where you can see many of Brazil's native species, including Toucans and Macaws. You can also visit the incredible Itaipu Dam, a vast concrete edifice that spans the Rio Parana and has been described as one of the 7 wonders of
the modern world.

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Visit Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls (entrance fee included)

Visit Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls (entrance fee included)

Meals Included

Today we will visit the Brazilian side of the phenomenal Iguazu Falls, to get some incredible panoramic vistas of the mighty waterfalls. There is also plenty of time to


of nature trails around the area's forests and waterfalls - Included in Kitty
Head on an adrenaline-fuelled speedboat trip to the base of the falls on the Argentine side - be prepared to get very wet! - ARS 220

Accommodation

Hostel (1 night)

Meals Included

Border information: Exit Brazil at Tancredo Neves, enter Argentina at Tancredo Neves.
Today we cross the border into Argentina, and aim to reach the beautiful village of Yapeyu on the banks of the River Uruguay. Yapeyu is very famous amongst Argentines for being the birthplace of their national hero General Jose de San Martin, one of the liberators of South America from Spanish colonial rule.
In Yapeyu we will stay in a municipal campsite.
Activity - Approximate Cost
Take a guided tour around the fascinating ruins of the old Jesuit mission ofSan Ignacio de Mini - Included in Kitty
Visit the remains of the house of Jose de San Martin, one of the main liberators of South America and the
Argentine national hero - Free

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Jesuit Mission ruins and museum, San Ignacio de Mini

Meals Included

Today we have a full day drive north though the provinces of Corrientes and Entre Rios to Buenos Aires, the wonderful capital of Argentina!
In Buenos Aires we will stay in a centrally-located hotel.
Estimated Drive Time - 12 hours.
About Buenos Aires:
At the mouth of the River Plate lies Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. It's a buzzing, energetic city that often feels more European than Latin American, so much so that it's often referred to as "the Paris of the South". Not surprising


when you consider how much the city has been influenced by immigration, with it's large Italian and Spanish communities.
There is a huge amount to do see and do here and a good place to start is with a city tour, which will help you get your bearings and see all the main sights. You can take in a lot on foot, as the wide streets are very pedestrian friendly and the underground metro system is cheap and easy to navigate. The
neighbourhoods of San Telmo, Recoleta and Palermo are certainly all worth exploring, San Telmo for it's olde worlde charm, antique shops and Sunday street market, Palermo for it's unique quirky shops and restaurants and Recoleta is the "Mayfair" of Buenos Aires and home to the La Recoleta cemetry,
EvaAires - USD 52
Learn all about the cuisine of Argentina on a food tour of Buenos Aires, visiting several incredible local top-class eateries that you won't find in the guidebooks! - USD 85
See a different side to Buenos Aires on a tour of its incredible street art with some of the local artists - USD 20
Explore the beautiful area of Palermo Viejo, see the incredible modern sculpture of Floralis Generica, and
head out to the area's bars and restaurants at night - Free
Explore the cosmopolitan Argentina capital of Buenos Aires, and take a free tour of the city's highlights - Free
Try your hand at the art of tango dancing with a private lesson in Buenos Aires - USD 25
Head out to an exciting football game at La Bombanero, Diego


Maradona's former home ground (when matches are scheduled) - ARS 300
Visit the strangely beautiful cemetery of Recoleta, the final resting place of many ex-presidents and Argentine icons, most famously including the tomb of Eva Peron - Free
Head out to an tango show in Buenos Aires' oldest cafe, the Gran Cafe Tortoni - seeing a slice of iconic Argentine culture in an ideal and intimate setting - ARS 240
Take the ferry over the river to Uruguay, and explore the serene colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento for
the afternoon before returning - USD 45
Discover the beautiful back streets, antique shops, and thrift markets of the bohemian district of San Telmo - Free
Take the passenger ferry over to the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo for a night (if time allows) - USDthe mouth of the River Plate estuary (where the Uruguay and Paraná rivers flow out into the Atlantic Ocean) lies the fabulous city of Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. It's a buzzing, energetic city that often feels more European than Latin American, so much so that it's often referred to as "the Paris of the South". There is a huge amount to do see and do here, and it's a fantastic city to explore on foot and using the extensive metro system. Some areas to check out include San Telmo, a bohemian district full of charm, antique shops, street markets, and some excellent bars; Palermo, with its fantastic restaurants and nightlife; and Recoleta, the "Mayfair" of Buenos Aires and home to the La Recoleta cemetery, Eva


"Evita" Perón's final resting place. The waterfront area known as La Boca is also worth exploring, a very photogenic district with its ramshackle buildings being painted in a rainbow of different bright colours. Everywhere you go you'll be surrounded by some fantastic architecture. The Plaza de Mayo is perhaps the most historically interesting, as this is the site of the Cabillo (original town hall), Casa Rosada (the Presidential Palace) and the cathedral where the body of General San Martín lies. In the evenings, you are spoilt for choice - Buenos Aires has a vibrant nightlife, with a huge number of bars and night clubs to choose from. Restaurants here vary from cheap and cheerful to world class, and it's a great place to get stuck into some ofonly and whilst given with the best of intentions, the drive times are heavily dependent on traffic, road conditions, weather, police roadblocks, and many other factors - flexibility is essential on any overland trip!).

Accommodation

Meals Included

Today we continue our journey south with a full day drive to the coastal town of Puerto Madryn.

In Puerto Madryn we will camp in a basic campsite.

Estimated Drive Time - 10-11 hours.

About Puerto Madryn:
Puerto Madryn is a port town on the South Atlantic coast of Argentina. The original settlers here were Welsh, founding the port and colonising the Chubut River valley - these original settlers came here in 1865 as they felt like their Welsh customs and traditions were being eroded back at home and that they should emigrate to better preserve them. Some


of the smaller communities are still very proud of their Welsh heritage and retain many of the original immigrants' traditions, and some small towns such as Gaiman and Trelew you can even go for a Welsh afternoon tea in one of the local tea houses. A distinct Patagonian dialect of the Welsh language has been spoken in the region for over four generations, but although it is now quite rare and you are unlikely to hear anyone speaking it, there are three bilingual Welsh-Spanishs schools in Patagonia, and it is thought that 5,000-10,000 people speak Welsh as a first language and a further 25,000 as a second language. Puerto Madryn is most famous as the gateway to the Valdés Peninsula, a beautiful rocky outcrop known for its incredibleof the Jaramillo Petrified Forest, the remnants of a 40-million year old forest naturally preserved in stone (if time and road conditions allow) : Free

About Jaramillo:
The desolate cold plains of Patagonia surrounding the tiny town of Jaramillo are a world away from how this area was in the Jurassic era (around 150 million years ago) - believe it or not, at that time the landscape was covered with dense evergreen coniferous forests. This changed at the start of the Cretaceous era when volcanic eruptions and the birth of the Andes coincided to reduce the amount of rain and cover much of the forestry with ash and lava, petrifying large amounts of the forest. This ecological legacy has been left behind in Jaramillo, with many examples of fossilised trees


a short distance away at the southern reaches of the Los Glaciares National Park - the glacier is one of the most famous and spectacular glaciers to be seen anywhere in the world. The Perito Moreno Glacier is approximately 30kms long from where it spills out of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, and 5kms wide at its terminus, where it has a ice face that is on average 170m high (with about 70m of which is above the surface of the lake). Visitors can view the glacier from an incredible viewpoint only a few hundred meters away from its face, where if you're lucky you'll see some of the ice face carve off into the lake under the pressure of all the ice behind it! It is alsoin the National Park.

Tonight we will camp at Las Torres Campsite, a stunning campsite inside the National Park with incredible views of the eastern side of the main mountain ranges which we will refer to as our 'base campsite'.

Estimated Drive Time - 8-9 hours.

INCLUDED ACTIVITIES

Entrance into the phenomenal Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile, an area of some of the most outstanding natural beauty, breathtaking mountain vistas, and idyllic trekking opportunities in the world : Included in Kitty.

About Torres Del Paine National Park:
Torres del Paine National Park contains what is undoubtedly some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Rising up high above the Patagonian steppe are the three impressive granite towers that give the park its name, surrounded by high plateaus and towering


south to cross the Magellan Straits onto the island of Tierra del Fuego.

Tonight we will wild bush camp somewhere in the desolate wilds of the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego.

Estimated Drive Time - 9-10 hours.

About Tierra Del Fuego:
Tierra del Fuego (meaning "Land of Fire") is a large island separated from mainland South America by the Magellan Strait. The island gets its name from the fires of the Selknam tribe that originally lived here, which Magellan and his sailors observed from their boats on their first travels through the area - unfortunately the Selknam and Yaghan tribes that originally inhabited the island are all but extinct after conflict with European settlers that arrived in the 19th Century. The island is split in half with a straight north-south linebetween Argentina and Chile, with the Argentinian half containing the island's largest settlement, Ushuaia. The island of Tierra del Fuego is Patagonia at its most remote and desolate, with a landscape of windswept plains, forests and swamplands, home to rheas, condors, buzzard eagles, seals and sea lions, all of which thrive in these conditions. On the Chilean half of the island lies Inútil Bay, a remote bay that is home to the only colony of King Penguins that exists outside of Antarctica!

Accommodation

Meals Included

Border information: Exit Chile at San Sebastian, enter Argentina at San Sebastian.

Today we cross over to the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego and drive to the incredible port town of Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world!

In Ushuaia we stay in dorm beds in a


friendly local hostel.

Estimated Drive Time - 5-6 hours.

About Ushuaia:
Ushuaia is a port town that lies at the south of Tierra del Fuego on the Argentinian side - it is often known as "the city at the end of the world", as it is the world's most southern city (the Chilean town of Puerto Williams is slightly further south but is much smaller than Ushuaia). Ushuaia itself is low lying and unassuming, centred around one main street and a waterfront that overlooks the Beagle Channel. Originally Ushuaia was little more than a remote outpost, first colonised by a British-funded mission in the late 1800s and subsequently used by the Argentinian government as a penal colony. What was once a small sleepy town has grown rapidly in recent years, muchMuseum : ARS 150

Take a journey along the Rio Pipo on the 'Train to the End of the World', once built by prisoners at Ushuaia's old penal colony : USD 30

Explore the excellent trails around the hills and forests of Ushuaia by hiring a mountain bike : ARS 150

Discover the beautiful scenery of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel on a horse riding trip to the nearby Susana's Mountain viewpoint : ARS 1100

Enjoy an active day out in Tierra del Fuego National Park with a 7-kilometre trek to the scenic Lago Roca followed by a canoing trip down the Lapataia River : ARS 1500

Learn all about Tierra del Fuego's history and nature at the 'Museum of the End of the World' in Ushuaia : ARS 90

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1


about its maritime tradition and former prison colony at the Maritime Museum : ARS 150

Take a journey along the Rio Pipo on the 'Train to the End of the World', once built by prisoners at Ushuaia's old penal colony : USD 30

Explore the excellent trails around the hills and forests of Ushuaia by hiring a mountain bike : ARS 150

Discover the beautiful scenery of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel on a horse riding trip to the nearby Susana's Mountain viewpoint : ARS 1100

Enjoy an active day out in Tierra del Fuego National Park with a 7-kilometer trek to the scenic Lago Roca followed by a canoing trip down the Lapataia River : ARS 1500

Learn all about Tierra del Fuego's history and nature at the 'Museum of the Endborder.

Tonight we will wild camp at a stunning ancient crater called Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon).

Estimated Drive Time - 4-6 hours.

About Argentinian Patagonia:
Patagonia is the name of the region in the far south of South America, the southernmost stretch of the Andes and the surrounding plains and plateaus. The area is split down the middle by the Andes, with Chilean Patagonia on the west, and Argentinian Patagonia on the east. Renowned for its desolate landscapes, unrelenting winds and magnificent lake, mountain and glacial scenery, the name Patagonia comes from the word "Patagon", used by the explorer Magellan to describe the local people who he believed to be giants. Today historians believe that the Patagons were actually Teheulches, with an average height of about 1.8m as opposed to the average


Chile for a number of years, so the Argentinians thought they would settle the argument by hastily building the town of El Chaltén in 1985 to claim the territory! The name of Chaltén comes from the Tehuelche word for 'smoky mountain', so called as the early morning clouds gathering around Fitz Roy look remarkably like volcanic smoke. However, the town has grown immensely in recent years and decades, becoming a major centre for adventure tourism in Argentina. It is a fantastic base from which to explore the northern sections of the incredible Los Glaciares National Park, and is home to many adventure tour operators offering outdoor activities in the area.

Accommodation

Bush camp (no facilities) (1 night)

Meals Included

We will have three free days to enjoy the stunning Los Glaciares Nationalas boat trips, ice climbing on the Viedma Glacier, horse riding, and many other fantastic options.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Head out horse riding around the phenomenal scenery of El Chaltén : ARS 600

Freely explore and trek around the walking trails of Los Glaciares National Park, taking in the marvellous vistas of the Fitz Roy mountain range : Free

Take a boat out onto the stunning Viedma Lake, and get up close to the Viedma Glacier to see its impressive facade (with options to do some ice trekking on the glacier!) : ARS 1870

Enjoy an exhilarating day of ice trekking and climbing on the Cerro Torre Glacier, dramatically located at the base of the impossibly-steep spire of Cerro Torre : USD 74

About Los Glaciares National Park:
Los Glaciares National Park is the largest protected