I've just walked past a poster in Victoria Station plugging Michael Moore's new book. "Bring back the draft - but only draft the rich. If they have to serve, they won't be so eager start ridiculous wars," it says.

Hmm, let's see where these political shirkers are skulking, shall we? Why not start at the very top, with the presidential and vice-presidential candidates? Sarah Palin's son Track is being deployed to Iraq next week. Joe Biden's son Beau is scheduled to go on 3 October. John McCain's son Jimmy had been quietly serving in the desert without his father making a fuss: the old boy was furious when the news leaked. (Moore plainly finds such modesty incomprehensible). The only one not to be risking his children is Barack Obama, whom one can hardly blame since a) he opposed the war throughout and b) his beautiful little girls are 10 and 7.

In fact, the skiver here seems to be Moore himself, who managed to shoot the whole of Fahrenheit 9/11 without at any stage risking his generous arse by actually visiting Iraq, where much of the action is set. Falstaff-like, the greasy tallow-catch prefers to roar from the sidelines: "A plague on all cowards - give me a cup of sack, boy".

Its time for y'all to send in new pics, I'm almost out of pictures for Ancestor of the Week.  Email your picture and information you have on the person to shanifaye@gmail.com AND a link to your page so I know who to link the picture too!!

We have almost been online for 3 months now and have over 800 members!!  Be sure to spread the word about it among you and in your genealogy groups and help us grow bigger and help more people!!

Shannon

tiger 080808

080808 ..........

For centuries, the Chinese have believed the number eight is lucky because their word for eight rhymes with the word for fortune.

My Watercolour A3 on coldpress paper

It is said that everyone has a book in him. However, it seems that in the three years or so that Jesus was active on earth he never put pen to paper. It is not as if he didn't have anything to say. Today the writings of his disciples have become a best seller, so much so that, out of fairness, the bible is officially excluded from all 'best seller' lists. Jamie McNab posed the question:

 

Why did Jesus not write a book? Could it be that he intended to discourage idolatry?

Today Ashley posted about a charity appearance that she would be doing called "Wrestler's Rescue". I fallowed through to look up the information on the appearance and found the fallowing excerpt in the description of Ashley on their website. Here is what it read.
"Ashley is a Playboy Magazine Celebrity Cover Girl,
has co-starred on hit TV series such as "Smallville" and "Survivor China," hosted E! Entertainment's "Wild On E!", graced the covers of and been featured in Flex, Femme Fatles, Maxim, FHM, is a former Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA and Canada, and will be starring in a new TV series premiering in early 09, as well as releasing her first album, and much, much more!"

Who going to win the match

•  Triple H,
•  Shelton Benjamin
• Jeff Hardy
•  Montel Vontavious Porter
• The Brian Kendrick

This is how things were when Ford Cortinas were all the rage and the average family saloon was about as powerful as an entry-level iPod - racing drivers and journalists mingling as one, a band of brothers sharing food and drink beneath a ceiling of laughter.

Bygone era: triple world champion Ayrton Senna

It is early evening and a small group convenes around a table in the grounds of a small house in Francorchamps village, no more than a couple of kilometres from the Spa Formula One paddock. Our host is Bruno Senna, nephew of triple world champion Ayrton and one of the sport's foremost rising stars.

He presently lies second in the GP2 Series, grand prix racing's ante-chamber, and his pre-weekend barbecues have become routine. There are no guarantees that he will compete in F1 next year, but he is expected to graduate and this is an opportunity for him to get to know the international media (and vice-versa).

At European races Senna eschews a hotel in favour of a motorhome (parked on a local resident's lawn, in this instance) that allows him a little tranquil solitude: in Belgium, however, he finds only solitude, because a nearby campsite is packed with (mostly) German fans whose beer-infused evenings are accompanied by a volley of firecrackers that echo late into the night.

Few modern racing drivers are able to discuss the world beyond their sport with any great articulacy: most have been steeped in racing since they were small. While they were learning about kart sprockets and tyre pressures, their non-racing peers were learning how to undo bra straps and beer cans. It's a completely different way of growing up.

Of the current F1 contingent, Mark Webber and David Coulthard are in touch with the real world and able to converse accordingly, while Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel show signs of promise. Senna is of similar calibre, a well-rounded individual whose conversation is not bound by the constraints of technical set-up. When holed up in his weekend retreat he spends quite a bit of time watching the Discovery Channel (scientific programme MythBusters is a particular favourite).

The evening passes swiftly and enjoyably, but it's the kind of thing that probably won't happen as and when he reaches F1: sponsor functions, technical briefings, fleeting appearances before VIP guests in the Paddock Club and suchlike leave little spare time for anything else.

We stroll away into the night having been treated to a glimpse of a bygone, more carefree age, a world devoid of corporate shackles. This is motor racing as it was before all the money came in. This is motor racing as many of us would still like it to be.

Shanghai is the center of China's eastern coastline,one of China's economical and cultural centers and has a long history as a trading port and gateway for foreigners entering China. It is the gateway to the delta. It is a municipality under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government and the largest economic and trade center in China.
Shanghai's gorgeous night scene is one of the main highlights that will linger in visitors' mind owing to its ornate feature after their Shanghai travel experience. As night descends the entire city is lit up by dizzily colorful lights joined occasionally by the bright moon hanging in the sky.

Shanghai, a vigorous and energetic international metro-polis, welcomes people from all over the world to enjoy its special atmosphere. This modern metropolis with its rich heritage of ancient Chinese culture has much to see and do.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the modern symbol of Shanghai City. Standing beside the bank of huangpu river with a height of 468 meters (1536 feet), it is the tallest TV tower in Asia and the third highest in the world. This unusual structure that dominates the skyline is a great attraction to tourists.

Another sight not be missed is the Bund. Situated on the east bank of the Huangpu River, here, one can enjoy the bracing air and fine sunshine as well as seeing something of the many activities along the river. The new finance and commercial houses cluster together along the south of the Bund while along the west there is a wealth of grand buildings in the European architectural styles of the nineteen-twenties, thirties and early forties. Marshal Chen Yi's statue looks down on the square where lively musicians gather to play and sing bringing pleasure to the many people who stop by to listen. At night bright lights add to the happy atmosphere as people stroll along the wide riverside promenade.

Nanjing Road is considered to be the "No. 1 commercial street in China". Here along its 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles), you will find over 600 shops that on average are visited by some 1.7 million people each day. If you like shopping, do not miss it! And if you want to experience the historical and cultural atmosphere of the city, Shanghai Xin Tian Di is a wise choice. Composed of Shikumen and modern architectural style, now it has become a hot and fashionable pedestrian street in the center of the city.

Yuyuan Garden is the largest of Shanghai's ancient gardens with architectural styles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The garden has six areas, each with its own style. The Grand Rockery, in the center of the Garden, is the most renowned sight here.

Shanghai Museum is a veritable treasure house of ancient Chinese art and houses 120,000 precious relics. Bronzes, pottery, paintings and calligraphies are distinctive features of the Museum's collection. Seen from above, the Museum resembles a large bronze mirror of the Han Dynasty (206BC -220). From the distance, it looks like a bronze Ding, an ancient cooking vessel that contains so many mementos of the 5,000-year-old history of Chinese civilization. Moreover, Shanghai government has listed the construction of museums in the cultural and tourism construction programs to record Shanghai's economic development as a reference for other cities. If you are interested in visiting museums, please click and see Museums in Shanghai.

Jade Buddha Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist temples to be found in Shanghai. The White Jade Buddhas were brought here from Burma in the nineteenth century. One is seated while the other is in the recumbent position of Sakyamuni symbolizing the Buddha's attainment of enlightenment or nirvana. The temple also has some impressive images of the Heavenly Kings. Although many people come to worship each day and burn incense at this very holy and active shrine, visitors are welcome.

Jin Mao Tower located in the center of Lujiazui Finance and Trade Districts in Pudong, is the third tallest building of the world and the tallest building in China. The ingenious combination of the elements of traditional Chinese culture with the newest architectural styles of the time, make the tower one of the best-designed buildings in China.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which bears about 60℅ of all Shanghai's airport's traffic, is the only airport in the world to allow visitors to enter the control tower to witness the whole process of an airliner's arrival and departure, which makes it a very welcomed travel destination for visitors.

The visitor to Shanghai having marveled at the city's modern

architecture and historical sites will be further rewarded when going to see neighboring water towns like Zhujiajiao and Qibao Ancient Town. Here is another world where ancient houses huddle by the rivers running through the towns that with their flagstone-paved roads and typical local flavors will be sure to slow your pace as you savor their traditions.

If you come to Shanghai with children, you'd better not miss Shanghai Wild Animal Zoo. It is the first national grade wild animal zoo in China and the home of over 200 kinds of animals from all over the world including rare animals and animals under the state special protection.

Shanghai travel guide

Chinese companies have chosen the Canton Fair, China's largest trade show, to restore the battered image of "Made in China" after a series of product safety incidents attracted critical headlines across the world this summer.

The fair, which finished on Tuesday in the southern city of Guangzhou, was slated as a "perfect" chance for Chinese companies to restore buyers' confidence after scandals involving the export of lead-contaminated toys, substandard toothpaste and pet foods.

The U.S. toy maker, Mattel Inc., has staged several high-profile recalls of China-made products, 87 percent of which were found to have loose magnets -- a design defect from Mattel itself -- and 13 percent of which contained excessive lead.

"Although Chinese producers are not the only one to be blamed here, We are paying heavy prices. The effect is severe, and serious lessons need to be drawn," said Ju Jianwei, manager of the Jiangsu Overseas Group Co., Ltd, a state-owned trade and investment company in east China.

The Canton Fair gained 37.45 billion U.S. dollars in value of orders placed, a 2.9 percent rise compared with the previous session.

Steve Barek, President and CEO of the Florida-based Microflock Textile Group Corporation, who had been to 12 sessions of the trade show, said he believed the product safety issues were sporadic, and most Chinese products are still favored over others for desired quality at the lowest prices.

There was growth in some categories, but noticeably the value of toy orders dropped by 10.7 percent to 900 million U.S. dollars compared with the previous session.

Industry analysts said the drop was mainly attributed to waning confidence in China-made toys. Chinese Customs figures also show September's toy export slipped 2.88 percent from August.

"We are trying to expel doubts and fears. We are doing more now, with tougher material control and stricter standard manufacturing procedures and more tests," said Zhang Chenhua, deputy general manager of Goodlin Toys Co., Ltd, a Shanghai-based toy exporter.

"At the same time, foreign technological standards are getting higher and more stringent. We really need to gear up for that and prove to the world that we are responsible companies and our products are still reliable," Zhang said.

Like Zhang, many Chinese companies are seeking to walk out of the shadows cast by the spate of product safety incidents.

"The recent food safety scare brought a lot of pressure, but we are doing everything to make sure no hitches happen to our products," said Zhang Jin, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import and Export Group Corp, at the fair.

Zhang said his company had just got a "sizeable" order with a British supermarket at the fair, and that proves "we have been doing the right thing".

The trade show itself has also been tougher on product quality rules for participants, vowing to kick out or even revoke participation qualifications for companies found with product quality glitches.

Chinese government has committed itself to better product safety. It introduced a landmark recall system this summer, launched a four-month-long nationwide product quality campaign, and offered intensive training courses to domestic toy manufacturers.

Deng Xuqi, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Quarantine and Inspection Bureau, announced on Wednesday that the province has just wound up a month-long campaign specifically targeted on toys and food for exports.

Guangdong alone manufactures about 70 percent of the total Chinese toys made for export.

A 100-member team dispatched by the bureau discovered problems including substandard paint and loose parts in toys, after inspecting more than 2,000 local exporters.

The bureau said it has withdrawn production licenses from 423 toy makers, suspended the licenses of 341 toy companies(For example:Jiuli Plastic Factory), and ordered 690 others to improve their working practices.

Meanwhile, the bureau revoked the licenses of 160 food suppliers and exporters in the province. About 200 others have been ordered to suspend operation until they have cleaned up their act.

The best from the blogosphere and beyond

1. Guido Fawkes looks at Polly Toynbee's change of heart over Gordon Brown.

2. The Devil's Kitchen explains the infighting between UKIP's two camps.

3. Labour MP Frank Field calls for limits on non-EU immigration.

4. Mick Fealty examines whether the Tory plans for internet campaigning will work.

5. Edzard Ernst asks whether homeopaths are betraying medical ethics.

6. Fraser Nelson on the Coffee House blog isn't impressed by the British reaction to Sarah Palin...

7. ...while James Forsyth talks about the threat to Brown from the sidelined Stephen Carter.

8. A campaign pomoting tedious arguments against faith schools is getting going.

9. Samizdata analyses the anti-import mentality of an otherwise sound television chef.

10. And, finally, Madsen Pirie highlights further evidence why buying Fairtrade coffee is counterproductive.

Full coverage of UK politics
Three Line Whip home

Scenic Name: The Great Wall
Rank: five stars
Address: Beijing
Scenic Introduction:

From Shanhaiguan, northeast of Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province in the east coast, the Great Wall rises and falls with the contours of the mountains westward, crossing the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu for 6,700 kilometers, to end at Jiayuguan, southwest of Jiayuguan City in Gansu Province. 　　

The construction of the wall began during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) and Warring States period (475-221 BC) during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Ducal states at that time built walls to defend their own territories. After the First Emperor of the Qin Dynast crushed all rival states, he founded the first centralized and unified dynasty in Chinese history. To consolidate the country and ward off invasion by ethnic minority tribes in the north, he had the walls linked and extended, giving rise to the 5,000-kilometer-long Qin Great Wall. Later dynasties from Han (206 BC - AD 220) to Ming (1368-1644) kept building and improving the wall, extending it more than 1,000 kilometers to today' s scale. 　　 

The Great Wall comprises walls, passes, watchtowers, castles and fortresses. The walls are made of large stone strips. From east to west, the sections at Shanhaiguan, Jinshanling, Mutianyu, Badaling and Jiayuguan have become tourist attractions.
　　
The Great Wall we see today mostly dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The best-preserved and most imposing section is at Badaling in Beijing. The section, located outside the Juyongguan Pass, is made of large blue bricks and has an average height of 7.8 meters. Five to six horses can be ridden abreast along it. At regular intervals there is an arched door leading to the top of the wall. The walls are covered with many lookout holes, window embrasures and castellated crenels. Beacon towers were also built at fixed intervals for passing on military information. All these indicate the important role of the Great Wall in military defense.
　　
 As one of the most magnificent ancient defense works, The Great Wall is known as one of the wonders of the world. All tourists now know the saying, "You are not a real person until you have climbed the Great Wall."
　　
The Great Wall was put on the world cultural heritage list in 1987.

MARY  2008 Pencil on paper 30x23inches

The Forbidden City(Zijincheng)
The Forbidden City was the Chinese Imperial Palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Emperor house and the Chinese government centre. The Forbidden City was declared as World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO, because it exemplifies the Traditional Chinese Architecture.

The Forbidden City is in the middle of Beijing, in walled area called Imperial City. This is the world's largest complex. It is a rectangle 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west. The Imperial Palace is surrounded by high walls that separate the Inner City from Outer City and it served as defensive and retaining walls. The walls are pierced by a gate on each side and each gate has a corner tower: the northern gate is the Gate of Divine Might; the east and west gates are called the East Glorious Gate and West Glorious Gate, and the main gate is the Meridian Gate.

The Forbidden City is divided in two parts and these places are separated by a courtyard:

Outer Court
This place was used for ceremonies and it has three main halls: The Hall of Supreme Harmony used for coronations, investitures and Imperial weddings; The Hall of Central Harmony used by the Emperor to prepare and rest before and during ceremonies and The Hall of Preserving Harmony used for rehearsing ceremonies.

Inner Court
The Inner Court was the Imperial Residence and it is divided in three halls: The Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Emperor's audience hall; The Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the Empress residence and the Hall of Union, the Storage of Imperial Seals and ceremony items.

Congratulations to Caroline Lucas, the amiable Green MEP, who has become her party's first leader. The creation of such a post was itself a victory for the Green Party's Realos over its Fundis: until yesterday, fearful of centralising power, the movement had had two "principal speakers", one of each sex.

The future could be bright for Caroline Lucas's Green Party

Caroline is hard-headed, but principled. You don't catch her taking environmentally unfriendly flights which offer a handsome profit on the mileage allowance - something that not every Green MEP can boast. She has kicked off with a populist yet idealistic campaign for cheaper fuel, funded by taxing the oil corporations: "Just three companies - BP, Centrica, and Shell - together made £1000 profit every second over the first 6 months of this year. These corporations are robbing from the poor to give to the rich and they know it.  And it's about time they learned that in a progressive democracy, there is no place for robber barons."

I'd have thought that this line will play with a large chunk of the electorate. And there is a pleasing consistency to Caroline's ideology: she extends her suspicion of the multinationals to other big, undemocratic outfits such as the EU.

When the Green Party last fought a European election on an explicitly anti-EU platform, in 1989, it secured 14.5 per cent of the vote. At the following election, it dropped its scepticism and scored just 3.1 per cent. But the party now has some hugely impressive and articulate figures: not just Caroline, but Siân Berry, Jenny Jones and others. If they play their hand deftly, they could do extraordinarily well at the European election in June.

I am doing a fundraiser at Dicks Doherty's Comedy Club for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Wednesday September 10th at 8:30pm in Boston at the Remington Comedy Club Location
proceeds will be going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Annual Light The Night Walk
Tickets are 20.00 a piece and I really want to sell out this event.
Please pass this around to all you can!!

If you are interested in purchasing call 800-401-2221 for credit card orders (2.00 processing fee is added) or contact me if you would like to pay with a check or cash and I can get them to you with out a processing fee.

thanks,

Mia