Interesting things

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In sleep, we are birds of a feather

 

By Henry Fountain (HT)

Published: July 1, 2008

Did you sleep like a baby last night? You might think so, but actually you slept like a bird.

Or rather, a bird slept like you. One bird, in particular — the zebra finch, which researchers say has a sleep structure very much like that of people and other mammals.

Philip Steven Low of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in

San Diego

,

California

, and colleagues report in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that electroencephalograms of the songbirds show they have episodes of rapid-eye-movement sleep and slow-wave sleep as well as transition stages and quick spikes, all reminiscent of mammalian sleep patterns.

It's the first time that this complete group of sleep characteristics has been found outside of mammals — a surprising finding, Low said, because birds lack a neocortex, the part of the mammalian brain thought necessary for such patterns.

Indeed, although scientists have wanted to study sleep in songbirds because of evidence that sleep played a role in song learning, the lack of a neocortex has hampered efforts to do so; it has been difficult to pick up the proper electrical signals from bird brains. Low experimented with moving the EEG electrodes around the brain until he found a suitable spot. "The key to this is not unlike

California

real estate," he said. "Location, location, location."

He also devised an algorithm to analyze the signals. "It's pointless to look at this data second by second," Low said. "I had to come up with a mathematical way to understand the brain activity."

The algorithm produces multidimensional grids that reveal the structure, he said. One goal is to use similar algorithms to be able to detect structural changes in the sleep of people with neurological disorders — "to use sleep as a microscope for brain activity," Low said.

As for the zebra finch results, he said, they show that a cortex isn't required to have such structured sleep, and they also raise evolutionary issues. "The question now becomes whether evolution has gone through the trouble of selecting for these particular patterns more than once," he said.

 

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History of Cleveland, Ohio

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Cleveland obtained its name on July 22, 1796 when surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company laid out Connecticut's Western Reserve into townships and a capital city they named "Cleaveland" after their leader, General Moses Cleaveland. Cleaveland oversaw the plan for the modern downtown area, centered on the Public Square, before returning home, never again to visit

Ohio

. The first settler in Cleaveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the

Cuyahoga

River

. The

Village

of

Cleaveland

was incorporated on December 23, 1814. The spelling of the city's name was later changed to "

Cleveland

" when, in 1831, an "a" was dropped so the name could fit a newspaper's masthead.

In spite of the nearby swampy lowlands and harsh winters, its waterfront location proved providential. The area began rapid growth after the 1832 completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal. This key link between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes connected the city to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. Growth continued with added railroad links.

Cleveland

incorporated as a city in 1836.

In 1836, the city, then located only on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge connecting the two.

Ohio

City

remained an independent municipality until it was annexed by

Cleveland

in 1854. The site flourished as a halfway point for iron ore from Minnesota shipped across the

Great Lakes

and other raw materials (coal) carried by rail from the south. Cleveland emerged as a major American manufacturing center, home to numerous major steel producers, as well as a number of carmakers, including gasoline cars Peerless, People's, Jordan, Winton (first car driven across the U.S.), steam car builders White and Gaeth, and electric car company Baker. By 1920, Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller had made his fortune and

Cleveland

had become the fifth largest city in the country. The city was a center for the national progressive movement, headed locally by Mayor Tom L. Johnson. Many Clevelanders of this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, along with James A. Garfield, the twentieth U.S. President.

The Cuyahoga River winds through the Flats in a December 1937 aerial view of downtown Cleveland.

In commemoration of the centennial of

Cleveland

's incorporation as a city, the Great Lakes Exposition debuted in June 1936 along the Lake Erie shore north of downtown. Conceived as a way to energize a city hit hard by the Great Depression, it drew 4 million visitors in its first season, and 7 million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937. The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Burke Lakefront Airport, among others.

Immediately after World War II, the city experienced a brief boom. In sports, the Indians won the 1948 World Series and the Browns dominated professional football in the 1950s. Businesses proclaimed that

Cleveland

was the "best location in the nation". The city's population reached its peak of 914,808, and in 1949

Cleveland

was named an All-America City for the first time. By the 1960s, however, heavy industries began to slump, and residents sought new housing in the suburbs, reflecting the national trends of white flight and urban sprawl. Like other major American cities, Cleveland also began witnessing racial unrest, culminating in the Hough Riots from July 18, 1966 – July 23, 1966 and the Glenville Shootout on July 23, 1968 – July 25, 1968. The city's nadir is often considered to be its default on its loans on December 15, 1978, when under Mayor Dennis Kucinich it became the first major American city to enter default since the Great Depression. National media began referring to Cleveland as "the mistake on the lake" around this time, in reference to the city's financial difficulties, a notorious 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River (where industrial waste on the river's surface caught on fire), and its struggling professional sports teams. The city has worked to shed this nickname ever since, though in recent times the national media have been much kinder to the city, using it as an exemplar for public-private partnerships, downtown revitalization, and urban renaissance.

 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on

Cleveland

's North Coast Harbor

The metropolitan area began recovery thereafter under Mayors George Voinovich and Michael R. White. Redevelopment within the city limits has been strongest in the downtown area near the Gateway complex—consisting of Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena, and near North Coast Harbor—including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns Stadium, and the Great Lakes Science Center. Although

Cleveland

was hailed by the media as the "

Comeback

City

," many of the inner-city residential neighborhoods remain troubled, and the public school system continues to experience serious problems. Economic development, retention of young professionals, and capitalizing upon its waterfront are current municipal priorities. In 1999,

Cleveland

was identified as an emerging global city.

 

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Bali

 

Bali

, a magical island known for its spiritual and cultural wealth, natural splendor and hospitable folk, lends a true meaning to paradise. Here, traditional performances enthrall, radiant beaches beckon, watersports abound and the festivities never end.

 

Bali

holds true to its reputation as a paradise on earth, affording a wondrous tropical retreat resplendent with natural attractions, theme parks, nightspots, shopping opportunities, inland adventure and water sports. The fascinating indigenous culture and warm, gracious folk make a holiday here all the more interesting and pleasant. As unique as every individual is, the island promises a little something for everyone.

Island Highlights

Most shoppers consider the Kuta-Legian area the ultimate hunting ground for summer apparel, ethnic arts and crafts, jewelry and bric-a-brac. The main thoroughfares of

Jalan

Kartika

Plaza

and Jalan Legian teem with street-side stores and art markets, where prices generally inflate to profit from affluent tourists. To escape haggling, make a beeline for Western-style complexes, such as Plaza Bali, The Legian Arcade and Kuta Center, or department stores Matahari and Ramayana. Farther north, Jalan Raya Seminyak provides even more shopping pleasure, with places like Bintang Toserba, a one-stop convenience mall. Other modern arcades include Diponegoro Shopping Center, Bali Mall in Denpasar and Galeria Nusa Dua, the largest in Nusa Dua.

Several theme parks also highlight many a trip to

Bali

. Educational excursions to Bali Bird Park, Rimba Reptile Park and the Bali Butterfly Park prove particularly popular with families, as do the Bali Botanical Gardens, which make for a picture-perfect picnic. Kids particularly adore a day of splashing fun at Waterbom Park & Spa—a compound of slides, pools and other sport facilities.

Ubud Tourist Information and other tourist centers distribute useful travel information and organize excursions. Most tours cover some of

Bali

’s major temples, such as Pura Besakih, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan and Pura Luhur Uluwatu. It pays to employ guides when visiting places of worship, as even tourists must dress appropriately and adhere to certain etiquette.

Some companies customize sightseeing trips to your preference. Dhyana Putri Adventures makes an ideal option for culture enthusiasts. Contact Akasia Tours and Money Exchange for your transportation needs, including cars and bicycles for free-and-easy exploration, or Mulia Tour for day trips around the island and beyond.

Marine Adventures

Bali

’s high mountains create superb conditions for kayaking, river-rafting and other white-water adventures. Generally rated class II and III, the rapids speed past

Bali

’s tropical rain forests, eye-popping waterfalls and beautifully terraced rice paddies. Sobek and Bali Adventure Tours take eager rafters and kayakers on day trips down the

Ayung

River

, while Bali Safari Rafting creates similar splash action down Telaga Waja.

Out on the open sea, one can indulge in every imaginable water sport. The Indian Ocean lends

Bali

and the surrounding islands some of the world’s best surf breaks, especially from April to September when the swells are bigger. Learn to surf with Bali Surf Experience or let the masters direct you to the spots that suit your skill level. Uluwatu provides good waves all year round, while those off Sanur Beach yield some outstanding barrels, particularly over Sanur Reef. Most local surfers, however, prefer to take their marks near Kuta Beach and Legian Beach. During the wet season (October to March), the eastern coast at Nusa Dua affords some of the most powerful reef breaks.

Captain Zodiac Raft Expeditions organizes electrifying ocean rides on 12-person inflatable rafts, with snorkeling thrown in. Bali Hai Cruises runs similar ocean rafting on larger vessels, in addition to diving, snorkeling, banana boat rides and coral-watching from a mini-submarine. Waterworld also specializes in numerous marine activities.

The copious marine life and coral reefs make

Bali

a natural haven for marine exploration, particularly during the dry season. Sanur Dive College and Pro Dive Bali take care of snorkelers, amateur divers and seasoned divers alike. Bali Pesona Bahari, the island’s premier dive center, conducts a full range of courses and rents out quality equipment. Other reputable dive outfits include

Barrakuda

Diving

Center

and Spice Dive.

Marine Cruises

If the topsy-turvy white-water madness doesn't sound appealing, book a cruise to Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida with SailSensations or a longer journey to

Lombok

and the Gili islands with Bounty Cruises. Island Explorer Cruises schedules day and overnight trips to Nusa Lembongan on a yacht or speedboat, while Waka Louka Land Cruise, Sea Trek and SongLine Cruises let you sail away on a luxury catamaran or traditional schooner. For an unforgettable dining experience, take a romantic Starlight Dinner Cruise by the Waka Experience round

Benoa

Harbor

and soak in the gorgeous sunset.

Aerial Adventures

Few may think of

Bali

as a destination for aerial sports, but many vacationers actually muster enough guts to engage in the numerous possibilities available. Thrill-seekers consult the experts at Bali Adventure Tours for parasailing (also provided by Waterworld), paragliding and skydiving, while the slightly less intrepid opt for helicopter rides. Bungee jumping by Bali Bungy Company and A.J. Hackett requires no training whatsoever and remains very popular. Also not for the faint-hearted, Bali Sling Shot offers nerve-racking mid-air excitement by catapulting riders 52 meters into the air.

Inland Adventures

Some companies combine morning sports such as hiking and cycling with afternoon rafting. A trek up Mount Batur takes about three hours and rewards climbers with a panoramic vista of

hot springs

, lava rocks, farms and Lake Bratan within the caldera. Lying at the rim of this volcano, Kintamani village serves as an excellent vantage point for viewing the crater lake; you can also book nature hikes here. Mount Agung,

Bali

’s highest peak, challenges serious trekkers and cyclists with more arduous routes.

For better safety, scale the mountains with a guide between July and October. Waka Tangga offers mountain climbing through the countryside—a challenging journey of quiet reflection and eco-adventure. Alternatively, hire a guide from Bali Nature Land Tours, Bali Adventure Tours or Sobek for mountain biking or treks through rice paddies and jungles.

Other tour operators take sightseers off the beaten path in a jeep. Waka Louka Land Cruise ventures into centuries-old rice fields, rainforests, traditional houses and hot mineral springs. Consult Usana 4WD for a similar escape to eastern

Bali

, through mountains, ancient villages, rivers and long-forgotten valleys.

 

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

CANNES

FESTIVAL NOTEBOOK

Cannes

: Where reality intrudes, like a goat, on fantasy

 

CANNES: Toward the end of Brillante Mendoza's "Serbis," the patrons of a dilapidated

Manila

adult-movie palace are surprised to discover that a goat has wandered in from the street, partly obstructing their view of the naked bodies on screen.

The animal's sudden appearance - which sets off one of several chaotic, hilarious chases in this rambunctious, noisy film - might be taken as a symbol. The cinema can be a place of fantasy and sometimes disreputable pleasure, but reality, as stubborn and hard to corral as that goat, has a way of intruding whether we like it or not.

At the Cannes Film Festival, however, the metaphor often works in reverse. The metaphorical goats, as it were, can be found in the screening rooms, where audiences gather, sheeplike, to witness the frustration, misery and disorder of real life in various parts of the world. The main competition (which this year includes Mendoza's film) and the adventuresome Un Certain Regard side program share a tendency to exalt seriousness and suffering, and some of the strongest entries this year plunge viewers into worlds of private pain, family dysfunction, economic deprivation and social cruelty.

Already, as the festival approaches its midpoint, a rich sampling of modern cinematic realism has been on display. Something approaching the 19th-century literary understanding of the term informs "Un Conte de Noël," Arnaud Desplechin's busy, unpredictable variation on the venerable home-for-the-holidays genre. With a cast that includes Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni and Mathieu Amalric, "A Christmas Story" is one of the more lighthearted selections. It begins with the death of a child and includes a vicious sibling feud, mental illness and cancer.

On the more somber side, Walter Salles' and Daniela Thomas' "Linha de Passe," from Brazil, looks back to the models of postwar Italian cinema and sideways to the sentimental formulas of Sundance as it tells the story of four brothers and their pregnant mother struggling to rise above the mean streets of São Paulo. An equally well shot, far more unsparing and analytically disciplined look at the predatory logic of urban life (and lawless capitalism) can be found in "

Gomorrah

," Matteo Garrone's ferocious adaptation of Roberto Soriano's best-selling semifictional exposé of organized crime in

Naples

.

 

 If you want escapism it is sometimes necessary to flee the screening rooms altogether. You might hop a cab to the Hôtel du Cap down the coast and the scene, late Saturday night, of the Vanity Fair party.

What a lark! (What a mistake.) Clutching your hard-won, holograph-embossed invitation, you descend from your taxi into the care of solicitous security personnel, who, if they were a bit friendlier and less neatly dressed, might be mistaken for some of the Neapolitan hit men in "

Gomorrah

." Fortified with a glass of Veuve Clicquot and a paper cone of tiny fried fish, you swirl through the crowd, telepathically air-kissing celebrities - Harrison! Calista! Bono! Mr. Murdoch! - before settling into conversation with the two or three people who will actually talk to you. After a brief stroll around the grounds you're ready to go home.

But here comes that goat. By taking that stroll around the grounds, it seems you forfeited your right to re-enter what's left of the party, even to use the men's room. No means of escape is forthcoming. A line of cars snakes up the drive, but none is here for you, and your friends have all vanished. At that moment, you would give anything to be back in the Palais, staring at a wide-screen projection of someone else's far more interesting unhappiness.

(A.O. Scott)

Box-office Beasties

Each year a Big Hollywood movie clomps into the Cannes Film Festival like Godzilla, stirring up an orchestrated panic among media members frantic to get a piece of the action for the folks (and editors) back home. Two years ago the beastie was called "The Da Vinci Code," which withstood mass attacks to conquer the world box office. This year it goes by the name of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which was shown on Sunday afternoon to a pumped-up crowd that cheered more enthusiastically during the opening credits than it did at the end.

Whether the audience was disappointed or just wrung out by the two hours of chase sequences and noise is probably less relevant than that so many of us dutifully filled the theater, which of course is the scenario that Paramount Pictures hopes to replicate worldwide when the movie opens across the globe on Thursday. I'll have more to say on the movie then, by which point it will already have been thoroughly masticated, spit out and chewed all over again in the media that has already sunk its little teeth into Indy's tired body with early negative notices. I was bored out of my mind while watching the movie, which makes me think that Steven Spielberg was terribly bored while directing it. But that's a germ of an idea that I would like to actually contemplate for a few days.

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------------------------------------------------------------------------

PEOPLE

People: Sarah Jessica Parker, Neil Young, David Byrne

Published: May 13, 2008

Neil Young, already a singer and songwriter, is now spider man. No, not Peter Parker of comic book fame, but the man whose name has been bestowed on a new species of spider. The tribute was rendered to the 62-year-old musician by Jason Bond, a biologist at

East

Carolina

University

in

Greenville

,

North Carolina

, who discovered a new trapdoor spider that's indigenous to

Alabama

and chose to call it Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi. In a statement Bond, 40, said: "There are rather strict rules about how you name new species. As long as these rules are followed, you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice."

The "Sex and the City" stars lit up London's Leicester Square for the world premiere of the cinematic sequel to their New York adventures, dressed in the glamorous - and sometimes quirky - outfits that helped make the show an international hit. Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays the columnist Carrie Bradshaw, stole the show with a soaring Philip Treacy hat complemented by a pale green dress by Alexander McQueen. She was joined by her co-stars Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, known on screen as Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. Cattrall wore a red Vivienne Westwood dress and Nixon was in a floor-length black pleated Calvin Klein gown.

Davis

wore a more modest vintage fuschia dress. The film begins opening worldwide on May 28.

David Byrne, the former frontman for the Talking Heads, is planning to transform a landmark

Manhattan

building into a huge musical instrument, The Associated Press reported, quoting state officials in

New York

. The officials said Byrne's "Playing the Building" installation, at the

Battery

Maritime

Building

, a 1909 Beaux Arts structure, would use devices attached to ceiling beams, plumbing, electrical conduits and other structural elements to produce sound through vibration. The temporary installation is to open this month.

Four artists have been nominated for this year's Turner Prize, with film and sculpture dominating the shortlist. They are: Mark Leckey for his solo exhibition Industrial Light & Magic, which mixed sculpture, film and performance; Cathy Wilkes for her approach to figurative sculpture; Runa Islam for her use of classic cinematic techniques in her works; and Goshka Macuga for works that establish her as a "cultural archaeologist." The winner of the £25,000 (about $49,000) prize, founded in 1984 and awarded annually to a British-based artist, will be announced in

London

on Dec. 1.

Sometimes love isn't all you need. A judge in

London

has granted a preliminary divorce to Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. If no one objects, the divorce will be final in six weeks. Mills, 40, will emerge from the rancorous divorce with a settlement of $47.5 million but a reputation damaged by her televised outbursts, which included emptying a pitcher of water on the head of McCartney's lawyer, Fiona Shackleton. Mills will also retain custody of the couple's 4-year-old daughter, Beatrice. McCartney will retain the bulk of his fortune, estimated by the court at $880 million. At age 65, he is the last of The Beatles to get a divorce: John Lennon left his first wife, Cynthia, for Yoko Ono; Ringo Starr and his first wife, Maureen, divorced after 10 years; and George Harrison's marriage to Patti Boyd ended after 11 years.

Dwight Yoakam will make his 24th appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" this week, breaking the record for most musical performances by any artist. Yoakam is to perform Thursday on the NBC late-night program's outdoor concert series, a spokeswoman said. Yoakam, 51, is currently tied with Lyle Lovett for the show's most musical performances with 23.

A musical based on the songs of the Bee Gees is being written for

London

's

West End

and Broadway. Robin Gibb said the project could be on the stage in the next year or so. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb were one of the biggest acts of the 1970s and won multiple Grammy Awards during their career.

 

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Kingston

-

Jamaica

 

Few Caribbean islands can offer up the diversity of our island country —where there's so much more than "rum, sun & reggae"—especially in the often overlooked capital city of Kingston, the heartbeat of Jamaica and the second largest English-speaking city south of Miami, Florida.

Kingston

overlooks what is the seventh largest natural harbour in the world. Like a fan, the city spreads north from the harbor as far as the foothills of the famous Blue Mountains—impressive peaks that form a glorious backdrop to the whole.

What better way to combine business with leisure than to take in all that

Kingston

has to offer? With an eye on satisfying the most demanding visitor, this cosmopolitan city extends excellence in upscale high-rise accommodations, fine international dining, pulsating nightlife, business and financial services, shopping and culture. Just like any major metropolitan city, we have our share of street vendors, beggars and unappealing, less desirable areas, but north of the harbor and uptown, New Kingston sparkles!

Most people think of

Kingston

as being divided into two parts. It's not unlike a vibrant modern American city in that there's a downtown sector—stretching north from the waterfront to the busy traffic junction at Cross Roads—and also an uptown sector, which extends to the smart suburbs located at the base of the mountains. It will probably take you at least half a day to check out the downtown sights —maybe a bit more to encompass all the must-dos in the uptown area.

DOWNTOWN

KINGSTON

A great place to sample the essential atmosphere of this noisy and vigorous metropolis. Finding your way about on foot is pretty easy, since

Kingston

uses the grid system. If you get tired, flag down a taxi (fix the price beforehand) as rates are fairly reasonable and it's more straightforward than trying to tackle the chaos of the city's bus system.

The waterfront is a pleasant place to begin your tour of the area. Mixing alongside industrial-looking ships and warehouses, you get fishermen and pelicans, vendors flogging root snacks, and people dozing under the shade of a palm tree.

Ocean Boulevard

is the waterfront's breezy main strip, and its focal point is the emotionally charged Negro Aroused statue depicting a crouched man breaking free from bondage. This is a replica of the original, now in the National Gallery of Jamaica, by Edna Manley, wife of former prime minister and National Hero Norman Manley and mother of another former prime minister, Michael. The highlight of the waterfront is the National Gallery, a repository of Jamaican art, with important works by John Dunkley, Carl Abrahams, David Pottinger and Barrington Watson. (See recommended tours for more information).

The Kingston Crafts Market at the western end of Ocean Boulevard (open daily except Sunday) houses myriad little stores where you can pick up jewelry, T-shirts, carvings and richly embroidered baskets, though don't expect to be able to barter prices down. The area just north of the grassy waterfront forms the historic city center, though many grand 18th century buildings were flattened in an earthquake in 1907. In colonial days,

King Street

was the main thoroughfare, and despite the earthquake, it still retains a number of beautiful old buildings with columned verandahs and decorative carvings. Half way up is the Parade, a large square used as a parade ground by British troops in the 18th century as well the site for grisly public floggings and hangings. The center of the parade is the shady, statue-filled area, William Grant Park. Today, following a massive facelift in the 1980s, the Parade is one of the most vibrant spots in town—music blares from ghetto blasters, traffic screeches, vendors hawk their baubles and queues for taxis and buses spill onto the road.

North of the park is the elegant sky-blue wedding cake building of the Ward Theatre, a magnet for thespians since the 18th century and home to the annual panto as well as seasonal spectacles; feel free to nose around the inside.

To the west, stretching three blocks from the Parade, is the crowded, colorful and cacophonous Jubilee Market (M-F)—also known as Solas Market. It inspired a famous Jamaican folksong: "Come we go down a Solas Market; come we go buy banana." Further west are the ghetto areas known as the yards, where hard hitting wall murals act as territorial markers. The region is a no go for tourists - even Jamaicans from neighboring areas think twice before entering the opposition's turf.

Duke Street & Around

Kingston has many handsome old churches, but one of the most impressive is the octagonal St Andrew Scots Kirk, built in the Georgian manner by a group of prominent Scottish merchants, and surrounded by a gallery supported by Corinthian pillars. Upon completion, it was dubbed the handsomest building in

Kingston

.

Headquarters House & Gordon House

Two blocks west of

East Street

is Headquarters House, a trim little townhouse once known as Hibbert House, but now home to the National Heritage Trust, which has its offices in the former bedrooms. You can explore the rest of the building; the debating chamber is on the ground floor, still furnished with original furniture and impressive portraits of Jamaican heroes, and the basement has some offbeat relics and a mish-mash of art collections.

Gordon House is where

Jamaica

's parliament resides. The House of Representatives meets here most Tuesdays at 2pm, and the Senate sits in chamber on Fridays at 11am. Entrance to the public galleries, for a glimpse of how

Jamaica

conducts business, is free.

Other downtown sites:

Walk along

North Street

and you reach the imposing domed Holy Trinity Cathedral, the island's center of Catholicism.

Gleaner

Building

, at the junction of North and East streets, is home to

Jamaica

's premier newspapers, the Daily and Sunday Gleaner.

UPTOWN KINGSTON

The district north of Cross Roads—is where the
commercial sprawl of hotels, banks, embassies and offices meets the
residential areas of Hope, Mona, and Beverly Hills.

Centuries ago, uptown was mostly rural, save the odd sugar estate or
livestock farm. But

Kingston

's wealthy merchants soon bought up the land—seeing in it a chance to escape the noise and bustle of the waterfront area. The process continues, and you will be able to spot newer, more fashionable residential quarters as far north as the foothills of the

Blue Mountains

.

New Kingston

The heart of uptown—a pulsating urban centerpiece dominated by
high rise financial buildings bounded by Trafalgar Road, Half Way Tree Road and Old Hope Road. It is likely that your hotel will be located here and it's a good area too, for restaurants and bars (see Dining & Drinking section). You can also easily walk to all the most interesting sights from here.

Half Way Tree

This busy quarter about a mile west of New Kingston used to be a tiny
village, dominated by the parish church of St Andrew (always open; free). It's one of the oldest churches on the island, a tranquil,17th century redbrick building with delicate stained glass, and marble wall tablets commemorating Jamaican civil servants and English soldiers. Half Way Tree's central plaza (now a busy shopping area), was where farmers would rest as they traveled towards the city's main markets. The eponymous cotton tree under which they rested has long since gone—but a clock tower now stands in its place, erected in the early 19th century as a memorial to the British King, Edward VII.

Carry on walking east of Half Way Tree, and you hit Devon House on

Hope Road

. This impressive edifice was built in 1881 by

Jamaica

's first black millionaire- it has fine landscaped grounds where you can stop for a snack or a drink - and the tour of the house is well worth considering (see Recommended Tours section).

Half a mile up

Hope Road

brings you to Jamaica House (closed to visitors),used as the Prime Minister's office, and King's House—the official home of the governor-general. You can get a tour of the staterooms in this impressively restored 19th century house; more interestingly - the governess occasionally holds afternoon teas, as part of the island's successful 'Meet the People' program. Contact the Jamaican Tourist Board on +1 876 929 9200 for more information, or reservations.

Hope Road

is also home to the much-vaunted Bob Marley Museum. It then forks up towards the Hope Botanical Gardens and

Coconut

Park

—the latter, a haven for kids, with great rides and a small zoo housing lions, mongoose and monkeys.

If you have wheels, consider driving into the Blue Mountains from here —or at least going up onto

Skyline Drive

—a road noted for its stunning views over the city and across the harbor to Port Royal. You can get there by following Barbican Road to its northernmost edges—then join Jack's Hill Road and then onto Skyline Drive.

 

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News with BingoFest

Tampa

sued to collect on 147-year-old promissory note worth millions

 

 

"Tampa

issued a promissory note for $299.58 to pioneer storekeeper Thomas Pugh Kennedy on June 21, 1861. And his great granddaughter Joan Kennedy Biddle, 77, who has known about the note since she was a little girl, wants to collect with interest."

TAMPA

— In the early months of the Civil War, the city of

Tampa

needed ammunition and other supplies to defend against attack but apparently was short on cash.

So it issued a promissory note for $299.58 to storekeeper Thomas Pugh Kennedy on June 21, 1861.

Kennedy's great-granddaughter says the city never made good on its loan. Now, Joan Kennedy Biddle and her family are suing to collect the payment plus 8 percent annual interest.

The total bill: $22.7-million.

"Obviously we came at a bad time because the city seems like they're trying to cut their budget," she said. "On the other hand, they're building the Riverwalk."

Attorney James Purdy filed the suit in the Hillsborough Circuit Court last week. He did not return calls for comment.

Biddle wouldn't give specifics on why she decided to sue now, using as evidence a piece of paper that has been handed down as an heirloom for generations.

"This thing has been in the family since the date on the note, and it has never been repaid," said Biddle, 77. "My daddy told me, and I certainly believe him."

Tampa City Attorney David Smith said he doesn't consider the claim valid.

In legal documents, Biddle's attorney argues that the statute of limitations doesn't apply in the case because at the time the note was issued, the state had no such statute on such documents.

And Biddle pointed out that in the 1990s the federal government agreed to pay the Seminole tribe for land illegally taken in the 1820s.

But attorney John Grandoff said the city can defend against the case using the "doctrine of laches," which prevents claims from being made after an extraordinary passage of time.

"It's kind of how the court feels about whether it's been too long or not," Grandoff said. "It's total discretion on the judge's part."

Rodney Kite-Powell, curator at the

Tampa

Bay

History

Center

, noted that the

Tampa

of 1861 is not the same city that exists today — literally.

Tampa

was originally incorporated in 1855, but was abolished in 1869 in part because residents had no money to pay taxes, and the city had no money to pay its bills, Kite-Powell said. It was reincorporated in 1887.

At the time the note was issued,

Tampa

was a tiny town with about 800 residents, city limits that included just a portion of downtown. It also was home to

Fort

Brooke

, where local Confederate soldiers were stationed.

Biddle's great-grandfather, Thomas Pugh Kennedy, was one of the city's most significant pioneers, Kite-Powell said.

He operated a store with business partner John Darling.

"Merchants are always important because they're the way people get stuff — from cannons to clothing and food," he said. "People really relied on these early merchants to supply people with what they needed."

Joan Kennedy Biddle grew up on

Davis

Islands

and attended

Plant

High School

. She moved to east Hillsborough in the 1960s and ran a lumber business with her late husband. She now owns a three-bedroom home in

Brandon

.

Biddle said she's known about the note since she was a little girl. "I showed it to the attorney, and he said it looked very interesting," she said. "It's strange that the thing has never been collected."

www.bingofest.com

 

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Judge awards Heather Mills £24.3 million in divorce from Paul McCartney

 

 

LONDON: Heather Mills won a final settlement of 24.3 million pounds (€31 million; US$48.6 million) on Monday in her divorce from former Beatle Paul McCartney, and said the ruling had secured the future for herself and her daughter.

A Family Court judge awarded Mills a lump sum of 16.5 million pounds (€21.5 million; US$33 million) plus the assets she currently holds worth 7.8 million pounds (€10 million; US$15.6 million), according to a court-released document.

"I'm so, so happy with this," Mills said at an impromptu news conference on the steps of Royal Courts of Justice after the closed hearing. "I'm so glad it's over."

"It was an incredible result in the end to secure mine and my daughter's future and that of all the charities that I obviously plan on helping and making a difference with — because you know it has been my life for 20 years."

While pleased with the financial settlement, Mills intends to appeal the decision to publish the full judgment, including details concerning the couple's 4-year-old daughter, Beatrice. Only a summary of the judgment was released Monday.

McCartney, 65, and Mills, 40, went to court last month to decide on Mills' share of his fortune, which had been estimated at as much as 825 million pounds (US$1.6 billion; €1 billion).

Judge Hugh Bennett, however, found that the total value of McCartney's assets, including his business assets, was about 400 million (€523 million US $800 million). He said there was no evidence to support the widely published figure that was more than twice as high.

Mills said the settlement vindicated her decision to fire her lawyers. The legal fees, she said, instead "could easily go to charity."

"Obviously the court do not want a litigant in person to do well, it's against everything that they ever wish, so when they write the judgment up they're never going to make it look in favor," she said.

The settlement was higher than what McCartney had said his estranged wife should receive — 15.8 million pounds (around US$31.6 million or €20.3 million) including her own assets.

Mills, however, had sought almost 125 million pounds (around US$250 million; €160 million).

"Paul was offering a lot less" than what was awarded, Mills said.

She had harsh words for McCartney's lawyer, Fiona Shackleton, who was well known for representing Prince Charles in his divorce from Princess Diana.

"She has called me many, many names before even meeting me when I was in a wheelchair," said Mills, a former model whose left leg was amputated below the knee after a 1993 motorcycle accident.

The court ruled that the couple's daughter should receive a "periodical payments order" of 35,000 pounds (around US$70,000 or €45,000) a year. On top of that, McCartney will pay for the child's nanny and school fees.

The settlement has been a long time coming for the couple, who separated two years ago, after four years of marriage. At the time they said the parting was "amicable" and insisted "both of us still care about each other very much."

But the split has grown fractious since McCartney filed for divorce alleging his wife's "unreasonable behavior."

Mills claimed McCartney failed to protect her and their daughter from slander, death threats and other abuse, and accused the media of persecuting her. In November, Mills said she had been "treated worse than a murderer or a pedophile," despite years of work for land mine victims and animal welfare charities.

When the couple and their lawyers appeared for a six-day hearing last month, photographers craned to catch a glimpse of them entering the grand, neo-Gothic court building. Reporters huddled outside the courtroom door, but few details emerged.

Legal experts said the fact that the couple had a child would have been taken into account — but so would the relative brevity of the marriage and the fact that most of McCartney's wealth was generated beforehand.

McCartney met Mills in 1999, the year after the death from breast cancer of his first wife, Linda. That marriage was one of rock's most enduring unions, and produced three children, including fashion designer Stella McCartney.

Mills and McCartney married at an Irish castle in June 2002, amid rumors the former Beatle's children disapproved of their new stepmother. The couple's daughter was born the following year.

 

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Bingo (

U.S.

) By Bingofest www.bingofest.com

 

This article is about the American version of Bingo.

 

Bingo

Bingo is a game of chance in which randomly selected numbers are drawn and players match those numbers to those appearing on 5x5 matrices which are printed or electronically represented and are known as "cards." The first person to have a card where the drawn numbers form a specified pattern is the winner and calls out the word "Bingo!" to alert others and inform the caller of the win. The card must first be properly checked for accuracy before the "win" is officially confirmed at which time the prize is secured and a new game is begun.

The version of the game described in this article is played in the United States and Canada. A very similar game is played in the United Kingdom and in

Australia

(where it is called housie). These games differ only in ticket layout and calling.

Description of the game

Each bingo player is given a card marked with a grid containing a unique combination of numbers. The winning pattern to be formed on the card is announced. On each turn, a non-player known as the caller randomly selects a numbered ball from a container and announces the number to all the players. The ball is then set aside so that it cannot be chosen again. Each player searches his card for the called number, and if he finds it, marks it. The element of skill in the game is the ability to search one's card for the called number in the short time before the next number is called.

The caller continues to select and announce numbers until the first player forms the agreed pattern (one line, two lines, full house) on their card and shouts out the name of the pattern or bingo. One of the most common patterns, called full card, blackout and cover-all simply consists of marking all the numbers on the card. Other common patterns are single line, two lines, the four corners, centre cross, L, T, Y, postage stamp (2x2 and in a corner) inner square (4 × 4), roving square (3 × 3), and roving kite (a 3 × 3 diamond). Lines can be made horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Inner and roving squares and kites must be completely filled; roving squares and kites may be made anywhere on the card.

Bingo cards

A typical American bingo card

Bingo cards are flat pieces of cardboard or non-reusable paper which contain 25 squares arranged in five vertical and five horizontal rows; Dual dab, or "double-action" cards have two numbers in each square. Each space in the grid contains a number, except for the center square, which is considered filled. The highest number used is 75. The letters B, I, N, G, O are pre-printed above the five vertical columns, with one letter appearing above each column. The center space is marked "free." The printed numbers on the card correspond to the following arrangement: 1 to 15 in the B column; 16 to 30 in the I column; 31 to 45 in the N column; 46 to 60 in the G column and 61 to 75 in the O column.

There are about 5.52*10²⁶, (exactly 15⁵ × 14⁵ × 13⁵ × 12⁵ × 11⁴) possible arrangements of the numbers on a bingo card.

The most chips one can place on a Bingo board without having a Bingo is 19, not counting the free space. In order for this to happen, only one empty cell can reside in each row and each column, and at least one empty cell must be in each diagonal, for instance:

O O _ O O
O _ O O O
O O F O _
O O O _ O
_ O O O O

Note: in addition to a straight line, many bingo halls consider other patterns as a valid "bingo." For example, in the illustration above, the 2x2 square of marked squares in the upper right-hand corner would be considered a "postage stamp."

Equipment

Most bingo halls have 1-2 bingo blowers and 1-2 flashboards. The blowers all have four features, a chamber to blow the balls from, a tube to permit 1 ball at a time, a master board, and a way to return the balls from the board to the chamber. Most modern blowers have a simple computer, that can be programmed to display certain games, in a certain order, called a session. Some new blowers run off standard household computers, and have their own GUI or Graphical User Interface, to operate the blower.

Culture

 

A typical bingo dauber, which is also used for housie tickets

Games often have multiple bingos — for example, the players may first play for a single line, then after that is called continue playing for a full card, then for a consolation full card.

Players often play multiple cards for each game; thirty is not an unusual number. Because of the large numbers of cards played by each player, most halls have the players sit at tables to which they often fasten their cards with adhesive tape. To mark cards faster the players usually use special markers called daubers. At commercial halls, after calling the number the caller then displays the next number on a television monitor; bingo cannot be called until that number is called aloud, however.

Bingo is often used as an instructional tool in American primary schools and in teaching English as a foreign language in many countries. Typically, the numbers are replaced with beginning reader words (such as those drawn from the Dolch word lists), pictures, or unsolved math problems. Recently many teachers have taken to using software to automate the creation of bingo cards, as it is slow and laborious to do it by hand for large numbers of cards.

Terminology: Being Ready – When someone only needs one number in order to complete the Bingo pattern, he/she is considered to “be ready”.

Breaking the Bubble – The bubble is the minimum number of balls required to complete the Bingo pattern. This is the earliest point anyone could have a valid bingo. Example: Winning pattern is 1 hard way bingo, a straight line without the free space. The minimum number of called numbers is 5 although it is not considered “Breaking the Bubble” until 1 number in each column or 5 numbers in a single column have been called.

Etiquette – It is considered rude to carry on conversations with others or on cell phones during an active game. Making excess noises with daubers or allowing your cell phone to ring is also considered rude.

Jumping the Gun – One who calls bingo before having a valid bingo. The most common situation is someone calling bingo using the next number in the screen before it has been called.

Wild numbers – Many bingo halls will have certain games with a wild number. Wild numbers allow bingo players to start with multiple called numbers. Typically the first ball drawn is the determining factor. Standard – All numbers ending with the second digit of the first number. Example: First ball is 22. All numbers ending in a 2 including B2 is considered a called number. Forwards/backwards – All numbers beginning or ending with the wild number. Example: First ball is 22. All numbers beginning or ending with a 2 is considered a called number. If the first ball ends with an 8, 9 or 0, another number may be drawn as there are no numbers starting with a 8 or 9 and only 9 numbers starting with a zero. Some halls will also redraw a number ending with a 7 as there are only 5 numbers beginning with a 7.

History

Bingo can be traced back to a lottery game called "Lo Giuoco Code Loto" played in Italy in 1530. By the eighteenth century, the game had matured, and in

France

, playing cards, tokens, the reading out of numbers had been added to the game. In the nineteenth century, Bingo was widely used in

Germany

for educational purposes to teach children spelling, animal names, and multiplication tables.

At a travelling carnival near

Atlanta

in 1929, Beano was being played with dried beans, a rubber stamp and cardboard sheets. Edwin Lowe, was watching this game and noticed how engaged the players were. The Carnival worker had to kick the players out at 3 am. Lowe, took the idea with him to

New York

where he introduced the game to his friends. He conducted bingo games similar to the ones he had witnessed, using dried beans, a rubber numbering stamp and card board. His friends loved the game. It is said that one of his players made bingo history when he was so excited to have won that he yelled out “Bingo” instead of “Beano." The Lowe Bingo Game had two versions; the first a 12-card set for $1.00, the second a $2.00 set with 24 cards. Bingo was a wild success. By the 1940s Bingo games were all over the country. Lowe had many competitors and all he asked was that they pay $1.00 a year to conduct the games and of course to use the name Bingo.

[edit] The business of Bingo

In the

US

, the game is primarily staged by churches or charity organizations. Their legality and stakes vary by state regulation. In some states, bingo halls are rented out to sponsoring organizations, and such halls often run games almost every day. Church-run games, however, are normally weekly affairs held on the church premises. These games are usually played for modest stakes, although the final game of a session is frequently a coverall game that offers a larger jackpot prize for winning within a certain quantity of numbers called; a progressive jackpot may increase per session until it is won.

Commercial bingo games in the

US

are primarily offered by casinos (and then only in the state of Nevada), and by Native American bingo halls, which are often housed in the same location as Indian run casinos. In

Nevada

, bingo is usually offered only by casinos that cater to local gamblers, and not the famous tourist resorts. They will usually offer several two-hour sessions daily, with relatively modest stakes except for coverall jackpots. Station Casinos, a chain of locals-oriented casinos in Las Vegas, offers a special game each session that ties all of its properties together with a large progressive jackpot. Native American games are typically offered for only one or two sessions a day, and are often played for higher stakes than charity games in order to draw players from distant places. Some also offer a special progressive jackpot game that may tie together players from multiple bingo halls.

As well as bingo played "in house", the larger commercial operators play some games linked by telephone across several, perhaps dozens, of their clubs. This increases the prize money, but greatly reduces the chance of winning due to the much greater number of players.

Bingo halls are sometimes linked together (as by Loto Quebec in

Canada

) in a network to provide alternative winning structures and bigger prizes.

Bingo is also the basis for online games sold through licensed lotteries. Tickets are sold as for Lotto, and the players get receipts with their numbers arranged as on a bingo card. The daily or weekly draw is normally broadcast on TV. These games offers higher prizes and it is typically more difficult to win.

The Bingo logic is frequently used on scratch card games. The numbers are pre-drawn for each card and hidden until the card is scratched. In lotteries with online networks the price is electronically confirmed to avoid fraud based on physical fixing.

More interesting stuff by www.bingofest.com

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TYPEWRITER, is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.

found by BingoFest www.bingofest.com 

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Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words.

found by BingoFest www.bingofest.com 

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The vignette on the reverse of the five-dollar note depicts a likeness of the front of the Lincoln Memorial as it appeared in 1922 when it was first dedicated.  At that time, there were only 48 states that made up the United States of America.  The names of 26 states were engraved on the front of the Memorial.  This is why only the names of 26 states appear in the vignette on the reverse of the five-dollar note.  In the upper frieze of the façade in the vignette the states are from left to right: Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, and North Dakota.  In the lower frieze from left to right the names of the states are: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Carolina, Hampshire, Virginia and New York.

Found by BingoFest www.bingofest.com 

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People and dogs

Dogs are highly social animals. This can account for their trainability, playfulness, and ability to fit into human households and social situations. These attributes have earned dogs a unique position in the realm of interspecies relationships despite being one of the most effective, voracious, and potentially dangerous predators. Dogs and humans at times co-operate in some of the most effective hunting in the animal world; in that context, dogs are superpredators.

The loyalty and devotion that dogs demonstrate as part of their natural instincts as pack animals closely mimics the human idea of love and friendship, leading many dog owners to view their pets as full-fledged family members. Conversely, dogs seem to view their human companions as members of their pack, and make few, if any, distinctions between their owners and fellow dogs. Dogs fill a variety of roles in human society and are often trained as working dogs. For dogs that do not have traditional jobs, a wide range of dog sports provide the opportunity to exhibit their natural skills. In many countries, the most common and perhaps most important role of dogs is as companions.

Dogs have lived and worked with humans in so many roles that their loyalty has earned them the unique sobriquet "man's best friend". However, some cultures consider dogs to be unclean. In some parts of the world, dogs are raised as livestock to produce dog meat for human consumption. In many places, consumption of dog meat is discouraged by social convention or cultural taboo.

More interesting stuff found by BingoFest, enjoy.  www.bingofest.com 

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