“In the 1920s O G S Crawford invented aerial archaeology, one of many services this eccentric Marxist misanthrope performed for the study of antiquity.”
- Jonathan Meades: Link

Bloody Old Britain: O G S Crawford and the Archaeology of Modern Life

By Kitty Hauser

Granta Books, 286pp

Amazon: Link

“Future archaeologists will perhaps excavate the ruined factories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when the radiation effects of Atom bombs have died away.”
- O. G. S. Crawford, from Archaeology in the Field (1953)

O. G. S. Crawford @ Wikipedia: Link.

~ Karl Jones

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Day 12 of Israeli War On Gaza

Death toll 710, injured 3200 and most of them Civilians


Deadly Outcomes of Israeli Ground Military Operation:

1-Air raid targeted a group of militants in Slaah El Din street east of Gaza City. No one was reported to be wounded.

2-Air raid targeted an open space and agrictultral fields in Al Nusairat Refugee Camp.

3-Air raid targeted a house in the northern areas of Gaza.

4-Two civilians wounded as a missile targeted house of Al Maqosui family in Bait lahia town.

5-Israeli gunboats targeted many areas in Gaza City, Khan Yonis and the mid areas. Five Palestinians wounded in the bombings.

6-Open spaces hit in Al Nusairat Refugee Camp.

7-Around 50 tunnels destroyed in Rafah City.

8-Heavy artillery shelling in Al Zaytoun quarter east of Gaza City.

9-Many militants hit by Israeli airforce in Al Shaikh ridwan area.

10-One Palestinian killed in Bait Lahia town as Israeli

11-Israeli army threatens Popilation of Rafah living beside the Egyptian borders to leave their houses immediately. It is expected that Israel will bomb the tunnels area and this would destroy the houses.

12-A ceasefire by Israeli and Palestinian militants for three hours to allow some aids.

13- Four people from Kahlout family killed in Bait Lahia town. The killed ones were trying to get some bread but a drone targeted them to death. They were in their car driven by their dad to get some bread.

14-Around 80 trucks and vans of medical and food areas allowed by Israel into Gaza. The trucks not enough at all as Gaza needs thousands of trucks to respond for Humanitarian crisis. In the normal day Gaza was having 6-7 hundreds of all commodities!

15-Around 450 thousand liters of Solar get into Gaza though Gaza crossings. Gaza needs. Gaza needs over a million liter a day for the key power planet!

16-Air raid on Al Nafaq street mid of Gaza City.

17-More Israeli raids and bombs targeted the tunnels area during today's late hours.

18-A paramedic, Hasan El Atal, killed in eastern Jabalia town northern Gaza Strip. His car was partially damaged and his mates are okay!

19-Airforce raided on northern areas of Gaza and no news about the outcomes!

20-Al Samouni family which lost 20 of its members due to Israeli bombings found more dead bodies and alive members. Around 25 were found, dead were 15 persons and children.

21-Bombings targeted Al sheikh Zayed, Building 33, one killed and 4 wounded. The area is so populated and includes more than 70 buildings.

22-A house of 2 floors hit in Khan yonis city mid of Gaza.

23-One woman wounded in artillery shell in north of Gaza.

24-Thousands of civilians evacuated their houses in Rafah City. Bombings started!

25-Artillary shells hit al Twam area north of Gaza strip.

26- Funeral of 45 victims of United Nations massacre perpetrated by Israel exposed to Israeli fire during time of ceasefire and many people wounded.

27-Medical sector is completely paralyzed.

29-All Gaza strip with 90% percent in deep darkness now.

30-Thousands of Gazans seek water now and mostly they don't find. Water being found is not so healthy.

31-Bread problems eaxcebrate and more people don't find it.

32- Around 20 thousands Gazans took UNRWA schools are a shelter theough the Gaza Strip.

33-Palestinian militants fire 20 homemade rockets into Israel.

34-Clashes still taking place with Palestinian militants and Israeli forces invading the Gaza Strip.

TakingITGlobal hosted a Live Chat just before the holidays on Youth Migration, which turned out to provide an interesting portrait of just what youth are facing when they attempt to take advantage of the 'shrinking world' and 'increasing connectivity' we're all meant to be benefiting from as a consequence of globalization. If the sarcasm in that last sentence wasn't obvious then I should explain that what we all understood from the portrait drawn by our speakers of Youth Migration in our day and age was that it is not necessarily made easier by 'globalization' and that it is in fact often a dangerous, disappointing and victimizing experience.

Migration is one of those issues that is especially relevant to youth but for some reason is not readily recognized as a youth issue, or is not often associated with youth when it is discussed at higher levels. Migration is a youth issue because youth are the largest group affected by, participating in and victimized by migration. It is similar in this way to an issue like HIV/AIDS, which is affecting youth more than anyone else, and yet youth are so often left out of the processes and policies addressing it.

Youth decide to migrate to another country for countless reasons - education, work, living conditions, etc - and you might think that now it must be easier than ever for this to happen. Thanks to new communication technology youth are more aware than any other generation of what is going on in the world around them, the internet lets us learn about opportunities in distant places and increasing international travel makes it more likely that we can get to those opportunities. I think most of us will have heard at one time or another how globalization and communication technology are bringing us all closer together and breaking down the geographical, political and technological barriers that used to separate us - right?

The opposite is happening for the majority of youth migrants. What we learned during the Live Chat is that globalization has created new barriers to keep people out, rather than breaking down the old ones. It seems that the greater connectivity globalization has created amongst economies and industries has increased the dangers of migration, because it has narrowed the channels for legal migration, therefore forcing more and more youth to attempt illegal migration. The global free market economy, Naomi Onaga (Director of Migrants Rights International) explained, makes keeping certain people in their countries working for low wages attractive and therefore channels for legal migration narrow except in the case of temporary labourers. Temporary labourers are denied citizenship, job freedom, and residency. They become vulnerable to abuse by employers because of this. The type of low-wage labour they are allowed to participate in means that they will bring little skill or knowledge back to their native communities.

It all makes for a pretty bleak picture, made worse by the dangerous journeys ahead of those who attempt to illegally migrate. Migrants - most often youth - are drowning while attempting to cross from North Africa to Spain or Italy, dying in the desert attempting to enter the USA, or are becoming victims of forced migration. If they make it to their destinations they will likely be greeted by a population that is mostly hostile to them, and sees them as dangerous.

The whole discussion had a special relevancy for me, because I will soon be a migrant myself. Leaving Canada for an overseas opportunity, but I'm lucky, because I will be migrating legally, will enjoy all of my rights and be relatively safe while doing it - or as safe as anyone can expect to be on an international flight these days. The Live Chat really sharpened those inequalities that mean that I will be able to take advantage of an opportunity in a different country, and others will face nothing but misery for trying to do the same.

To try and not end on a bad note, there are those working towards international recognition of migrants, more opportunities for legal, safe migration and, maybe most importantly, opportunities for work, education and a better life for youth in their home countries and communities. These people include the speakers who took time out of their busy schedules on December 18 - International Migrants Day - to join our Live Chat.

The biggest hurdle of all might be to change people's perception of migration and migrants themselves. I thought the image above was a great way to think about that issue. Of course, technically refugees and migrants are considered to be in different categories, but I think it speaks to the same fear of foreigners, immigrants, migrants or refugees being 'dangerous' or 'bad'. In fact, communities that welcome these people and make the best use of their skills benefit from them. Einstein is a pretty good example.

These are the organizations that supported our Live Chat on Youth Migration:

Migrants Right International
December 18
Young People We Care

Recently, my mom underwent mastectomy (a surgical term for removing one or both breasts for cancer). It was a shock to me when I found out about it. All along, I thought it was just plain lump in her breast. After all, the biopsy said it was benign. Her surgeon, who is the leading surgeon of our country, told her she had nothing to worry. Thing is, we have a history in our family. Two of my mom's sisters already had breast cancer, her youngest sister for 10 years and elder sister for 7 years. Both underwent mastectomy and are still living quite normally until today. So it was this reason why her doctors had to remove her left breast, just to make sure it would not spread.

During her operation, my sister began to panic and started crying. She said, how come the operation took so long when the doctors said it would only take 4 hours. I didn't know what was happening in the operating room. I wasn't aware of mastectomy as part of the option. But I didn't want to cry. I didn't not want to panic. I had to remain still. I already prayed and I kept my faith all the time. My sister asked, what if something went wrong, how could she live without our mom? I dismissed that thought. Mom would be alright. Whatever happened there, I knew she'd survive it.

If it was hard for me and my sister to wait, it must be harder for our dad, who at the time was in Europe, working thousands of miles away as an engineer. Could he sleep well? Was he focused on his work? What was he thinking, same as my sister or me? Dad used to sweat the small stuff. I wondered how he was taking it. Mom and dad are so closed and connected to each other, they feel each other when something is wrong with the other.

When hospital staff brought my mom in her room, I felt relieved. She just turned her head to me and my sister and then closed her eyes. She was still groggy. My sister began crying again and my aunt called me outside, she said she had something to say. This was the time she disclosed to me about mastectomy. A surge of fear and pain overtook me. I felt something was clutching my neck and I couldn't breathe. I was just quiet, nodded to my Aunt, and found myself walking endlessly round the hospital until I realized there was a place for me to go. I climed the stairs to the 4th floor and kneeled down in the chapel. I was face to face with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the loving mother who the world has come to know. Her face was still and her eyes were expressive, her arms were open, perhaps ready to catch me if ever I fell down. I began crying. I remember praying or asking her, "Tell me, it's gonna be alright. You love me right? You love my mom and my family? Please, please send me your love." For one hour I was just talking to her. But the whole chapel fell silent and the only thing I could hear was my mind, the beat of my heart and the constant soft sobbing. After awhile, I found my feet again. I was ready to see my mom and my sister. They didn't need to see me crying.

On my way back, I began texting my friends both global and local. I asked them to send me and my mom their love, prayers and healing positive energies. After a few minutes, my phone was filled with love and prayers from my friends. I saved them and thought of reading them one by one to my mom. That night, I didn't sleep. I was just beside her, holding her hands, sending positive energies. I said my prayers for her in all religious traditions I could think of: Tibetan, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Islam, Pagan or just anything that I learned from the heart. I called the Gods and Goddesses who I loved. I told them to help heal my mom quickly and to keep her safe and positive.

It only took my mom two days to put a smile on her face, even if her surgery was very painful. She said, "it's just a breast, I still have my life." On the third day, she woke up early, took a shower, put on her make-up and perfume and changed her hospital gown to a regular pair of pyjamas (easier for nursing staff to check her wounds); she was ready to receive visitors. My family and friends came flocking and although her eyes get teary once in awhile, it was easy for her to put her smile back. She said, at the operating room, she was singing "jingle bells" until anesthesia put her to sleep. I read to her all the messages my friends sent her and she was grateful.

Looking back, I remember that a few months ago, I read Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, when Jacopo, one of the editors and main charcters, gets cancer. He talks about metastasis and how your cells turn against you. He says:

"And what are cells? For months, like devout rabbis, we uttered different combinations of the letters of the Book. GCC, CGC, GCG, CGG. What our lips said, our cells learned. What did my cells do? They invented a different Plan, and now they are proceeding on their own, creating a history, a unique, private history. My cells have learned that you can blaspheme by ana-grammatizing the Book, and all the books of
the world. And they have learned to do this now with my body. They invert, transpose, alternate, transform themselves into cells unheard of, new cells without meaning, or with meaning contrary to the right meaning. There must be a right meaning and a wrong meaning; otherwise you die. My cells joke, without faith, blindly." (Eco, 514)

My mom is fast recovering and her doctors are surprised and happy that she's healing faster than average women who have cancer, considering that mom is also diabetic and hypertensive. Mom can say to her cell which Jacopo thought it was only the cells who could do the talking, "...(M)ethistemi? It’s the same thing: I move, I transform, I transpose, I switch cliches, I take leave of my senses." (514) Yes, my mom's cells turned against her that's why she's left with one breast and her physical body altered. But when this happened to her, everything around her went on her side--love, love is on her side and that's everything she could ask for.

1) What tangible outcomes would you like to achieve through your marketing strategy? rnI would like to hear people talking about the site in different publications, sites and in general, between them. Refering to it, as a great way of preserving culture. I would like to see people wearing their bracalets, promoting the site, with pride and people recommending the site to eachother.rnrn2) What are the characteristics of your stakeholders? How do they spend their time ( What is their gender, ethnicity and income level? Are they formally educated? rnBecause it is a website, a lot of people will be able to visit, get involved and experience it from different backgrounds, but in the beginning, it is focused for mexican people interested in indigenous culture from their country. They can be students, workers, etc. It is required a certain level of education because to visit the site you need to know how to use a computer.rnrn3) What are the barriers and benefits of your stakeholders thinking, feeling, or acting on your issue? What are the three most compelling sentences you could use to motivate your stakeholders?rnI believe that my issue, preserving indigenous culture, is a very important problem that is happening in almost all the globe! Most of the people are concerned about losing their culture, so get to people is not very difficult. Some sentences I could use to motivate my stakeholders could be.... 1.Preserve your culture, be part of the change. 2. Get INFORMED and INVOLVED with your culture 3.Indigenous culture might be in danger of exctintion but you can change that.rnrn4) Complete a list of channels that you would use to reach your stakeholders.rn- Newspapersrn- Magazinesrn- Governmentrn- Websitesrn- Librariesrn- Radio Stationsrn- Presentationsrnrn5) What are the activities, events, and/or materials—to be used in your selected channels—that will most effectively carry your message to your stakeholders?rnrn- Newspapers and Magazines: Articles, adsrn- Government: Sites and informing culture stabishments.rn- Websites: banners, links to the website,rn- Libraries: Adsrn- Radio Stations: Talking about the site in different programs.rnrn6) Please list allies or partners who support or work with your stakeholders or share in your project goals.rnrnStudents, co workers, family, indigenous youth.

Do you think Israel's strikes on Gaza is justified?

Hi my TIG friends,

I wish all a Happy New Year, I wish you much
Peace, Success, Health and Happiness in 2009 !

May this new year brings many opportunities your way, to explore every joy of life and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm, turning all your dreams into reality and all your efforts into great achievements.

Concerning my new projects for 2009, my brother and I, we just launched a project some months ago called MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression, it is a youth-led magazine and a network of youth who care about global issues. JOIN US AT: http://momentumweb.ning.com/ and http://projects.tigweb.org/momentum.
We have also a Facebook group with more than 100 members, search for MOMENTUM: Mission, Passion, Expression, and join our Facebook group and also our team of volunteers, country ambassadors and journalists !

All the best in 2009 and 1430 for my muslim friends,
Your TIG friend and TIG Staff !
Yassir

Source of the picture: http://sanooaung.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/happy-new-year.jpg

Nocturne performed by Secret Garden, music video

A lovely song and music video filled with magic, love and longing. Simply beautiful! Wonderful music, haunting song, perfect vocals. Fabulous!

Band: Secret Garden, Song: Nocturne, Album: Songs From Secret Garden (1995). Nocturne won the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest. Lyrics in Norwegian by Petter Skavlan.

Secret Garden was formed when Rolf Løvland and Fionnuala Sherry met at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. Their mostly instrumental music is a combination of Celtic and Norwegian impressions. The vocals in ‘Nocturne’ are sung by Gunnhild Tvinnereim.

Sherry says, “The secret garden refers to a personal intimate musical idea and something natural and organic, something that comes from the heart. It’s a place within all of us where we need to go to find balance and peace of mind and listen to the inner voice of our hearts.”

 

God’s Lovers

Standing, ever embracing

The lovers watch as sun sets.

Seasons pass… years… millennia…

And yet, there’s only Now

For the lovers love, eternal.

 

~Inspired by this beautiful image

The lovely photo above of Lover’s Rock Sunset, Sedona, AZ was taken  by Light. As we drove down the mountain from Flagstaff on I-17 I would always comment about the lovers watching the setting sun. One day he pulled over and took this amazing photo for me. Thanks Light!

Happy New Year, may all good things come to you!

 

Secret Garden - Rolf Løvland composer, producer, keyboardist was born April 19, 1955 in Kristiansand, Norway.  He studied at the Music Conservatory in Kristiansand and at the Norwegian Institute of Music in Oslo. Fionnuala Sherry violinist, born in Naas, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. She graduated with honors from Trinity College in Dublin, and the College of Music. You can read news, listen to more music and buy CDs at their website www.secretgarden.no.

Light Traveler (August 1946 - July 2003)  photographer, Reiki Master/Teacher, spiritual seeker and beautiful loving Spirit. You can see more and purchase his beautiful photography at Light Traveler’s gallery.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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‘Happy New Year’ sung by ABBA

Ringing in the New Year! May we hold thoughts of Peace, Love, Happiness and Prosperity for all in 2009 and always. We are One… one family, one society, one world… beloved Humanity. Beautiful diversity… perfect symmetry!

ABBA, Song: Happy New Year, Album: Super Trouper (1980) Label: Epic, TV performance: Stockholm, Sweden 31st December 1980 and every year at midnight in Sweden.

 

Sparkling rays

The sky’s alight.

With dancing colors to delight.

And sparkling rays in dark of night.

Thank you God for this awesome sight.

A gift of magic for new years bright…

 

~ inspired by this beautiful image.  I am in awe!!!

The beautiful photo above I call, ‘Sparkling Rays’ is by Sauli Koski from Kittila, Finland. You can see more of his wonderful photos at studiotunturi-lappi.fi.

Have a delightful, safe and joyous New Year’s eve!

 

ABBA a Swedish band formed in 1971 and officially named in1973. ABBA is an acronym for the given names of the band members - Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid. The band members were Benny Andersson (born December 16, 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden), Björn Ulvaeus (born April 25, 1945 in Gothenburg, Sweden), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (born November 15, 1945 in Ballangen, Norway), Agnetha Fältskog (born April 5, 1950 in Jönköping, Sweden). From 1976 - 1981 they achieved superstardom. ABBA’s last public performance together was December 11, 1982 on the TV show The Late, Late Breakfast Show (live from Stockholm). The official website for ABBA owned by Universal is abbasite.com.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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THIS is the time of year when people all start trying to get motivated about changing their lifestyle for the year ahead. I am no exception, and even though I often make resolutions, I seldom keep/complete them. This year though I'm going to try and change that. In the words of the great Aaliyah "we need a resolution".

Hear are my New Year's Resolutions for the year 2009: -

• Go somewhere that I've never been before
• Take risks, go with my gut more
• Read the bible (both old and new testaments)
• Try and do something every day (0r atleast once a week) that I've never done before
• Spend more time with family
• Walk more/bike more.

CHRISTMAS 2008 came and went and, judging from some of the gifts I received, I guess some some of my environmental sustainability messages are getting through.

Watch this video

From ABC4All: A chance for anyne receptive to read a New Year Wish from YUBUPA that can mean a better world for all. Please CLICK! here for another Wish for Peace in the New Year! Thank you YUBUPA! Thank you Yuel Bhatti, ABC4All Peace Advocate! Burt/ABC4All

CLICK! New Year Wish and Special Video by YUBUPA!

"This is a brilliant, exhilarating and breathtaking New Year Wish.
Certainly a must read for young people in transition
from school to the world of work."

Regards,

Richard Bbaale
ABC4All Mentor of the Week

Co-Founder, Local ABC4All / UGANDA

‘You are Loved’ performed live by Josh Groban

Lovely song of hope. I posted this today for all of those who are struggling. The Holidays often are a stretch, this year perhaps more. Know ‘you are loved’.

Josh Groban, Song: You are Loved (Don’t Give Up), Album: Awake (2006), Label: Reprise / WEA.

 

Love, love… loved!

Heart… again. There it is.

Reminders everywhere. Stones, trees, lakes, forests, clouds… Everywhere… God’s gift of love.

Remember.

You are Loved beloved… deeply, fully… always!

The wonderful photo above of a naturally occurring heart in a mangrove swamp is called ‘Heart in Voh’. It was taken by Yann Athus-Bertrand as he flew over Voh, New Caledoniea. You can see more of his amazing work at yannarthusbertrand2.org.

May the New Year bring you Love, Hope, Faith and Happiness on the wings of angels.

 

Josh Groban singer/songwriter was born February 27, 1981 in Los Angeles, California. In 1997 and 1998 he attended Interlochen Arts Camp, majoring in musical theater and voice. He graduated in 1999 with a major in theater from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Soon after graduation he was offered a recording contract at Warner Brothers Records. His recording debut was singing “For Always” with Lara Fabian on the soundtrack to A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001). Read news, listen his wonderful music, watch videos, see photos and read his blog at www.joshgroban.com.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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‘Allah Knows’ by Zain Bhikha with Dawud Wharnsby

Beautiful, sweet and heartfelt. Brought tears, I feel a reaching out and God moving through words, voices, music and harmony… wow! Lovely!

Zain Bhikha with Dawud Wharnsby, Song: Allah Knows, Album: Allah Knows (2006), Label: Jamal Records, Video: Jamal Records.

Today is Al-Hijra, Islamic New Year the first day of Muharram.

 

What is… is not?

Imagine, create, stretch… become! What is… is not?

The eye fooled, the mind awed. Sweet believing. Breathless becoming. Why not?

Let’s fly…

~ inspired by this beautiful image.

The image above is a digital compilation of an existing volcanic crescent moon islet called Molokini off the coast of Maui, HI and a star island which was created.  The moon alone is amazing, the star adds another dimension which stretches beyond. Awesome… I love it. It is not known who created this image you can find out more about it at Neddy’s Palaver.

May your Holidays be filled with Awe and Wonder!

 

Zain Bhikha born August 9, 1974 in Pretoria, South Africa is a singer/songwriter. At a young age he often would entertain his family and friends with songs. In 1994 he won a singing competition sponsored by the local station Radio 702. He recorded his first album called ‘A Way of Life’ in 1994. You can find out more, read news, watch videos and listen to and buy music at Zain’s official website zainbhikha.com.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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