Fulton Service Clubs’ Memorial Day Salute – The Meaning of Memorial Day

Posted on 19th May 2012 in The monuments of world

FULTON – The theme for this year’s Memorial Day Salute Parade is “America……..Worth Fighting For.”

Many area individuals, organizations, businesses and industries will try to develop their interpretation of this theme in the vehicles or floats they will enter in the parade on May 26.

The Fulton Memorial Day Salute is a two-day event that is 31 years old this year, started
and carried on by the four Fulton Service Clubs.

The present service clubs working on this year’s events are the Fulton Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, and the Sunrise Rotary clubs.

The four service clubs have always been assisted by the Fulton Veterans Council in promoting and putting on this event.

In years past, the Optimist and the Fulton JayCees were participants.

These two clubs have since disbanded. Several of the men and women who work on the Memorial Day Salute Steering Committee are veterans.

As we enter the twelfth year of the 21st Century, our thoughts are with the men and
women who protected our freedoms for the 236 years America has existed. During the last century, we had many conflicts.

World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and The Gulf War come to mind. All in all, more than 625,000 brave Americans have died fighting in a U.S. uniform during the 20th century.

In this century, we have experienced two conflicts, one touching our shores on September 11, 2001, which have lead to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We must keep these brave men and women, who are serving on active duty, in our
thoughts and prayers as we experience this Memorial Day.

How did Memorial Day come to be?

The actual birthplace of Memorial Day is the nearby village of Waterloo, NY.

Shortly after the Civil War ended, a Waterloo druggist named Henry Welles collaborated with Union General John B. Murray to organize a local tribute for the war dead.

The program included processions to and from the cemeteries, military music, speeches, wreaths, crosses, and bouquets.

Of all the early such remembrances, Waterloo’s 1866 program most closely resembled Memorial Days to come.

The pristine village of about 5,300 located only 40 miles from Fulton, in central New York’s Finger Lakes region, still follows its original Memorial Day model.

In 1966, when Lyndon B. Johnson was President, he proclaimed Waterloo to be the
official birthplace of Memorial Day. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Memorial
Day, Waterloo opened to the public a 22-room Memorial Day Museum.

Waterloo has the glory of officially holding the “first” Memorial Day Program, but in reality, more than two dozen communities in both the north and the south have claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.

The Memorial Day Salute Committee is very aware of the program they are offering to
the community.

We have never treated it as a celebration, but a program designed to raise the community’s awareness of the importance of this day of remembrance.

The Fulton Veterans Council has a more traditional program on the Monday (the official Memorial Day) of Memorial Day weekend in which they visit the cemeteries and place American flags on all known veteran’s graves, and honor the deceased veterans at the various monuments around our city.

Flowers are set out and a wreath is thrown in the Oswego River to honor those who have died at sea.

Recently, it was published that the World War II veterans are dying at the rate of nearly
1,000 a day.

These men and women are at least 83 years old and most are older.

Many newspapers mark the obituaries of veterans with an American flag. This is a very nice thing to do.

Many years ago, before 1966, Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day.

This name comes from the fact that by the end of May, even in our northern climate, the flowers were in bloom and it was time to decorate the cemeteries.

While the high death rate of the American Civil War (1860-65) was the initial reason for starting Memorial Day, this should not be the only reason for this holiday.

Today, we should remember our deceased loved ones no matter if they are veterans or not.

The Fulton Service Clubs and the Fulton Veterans’ Council have established “Fulton’s”
way to remember this most important holiday.

In the fall of each year, all of the veterans’ organizations in the Fulton area choose a “Veteran of the Year.”

This person is the Grand Marshall of the Memorial Day Parade. This year’s Grand Marshall is World War II veteran Charles Callen.

We have the largest parade in the county, with more than 100 units and many bands, starting at 10 a.m. on May 26.

On Friday evening and all day Saturday, there are many activities held at Recreation  ark
on Route 3, West Broadway. Local and nationally recognized groups will be playing music.

The featured band on Friday evening is none other than the area’s own Domicolo & Barlow. This duo packs the house wherever they play. The G. Ray High School Jazz Band and the music of Rick Bush will also be on the Friday evening stage.

On Saturday evening, the main feature is Nik & The Nice Guys, America’s No. 1 Party
Band, performing on the Fulton Savings Bank Stage.

The marching band stand-ins, the Fulton Community Band, the Fulton Dixieland Band, the music of Vince Markowsky and Virgil the Magician will also be performing. The event hours are from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

There will be rides, lots of food, and of course, the ever-popular fireworks display on
Friday evening.

The whole weekend is designed for family fun and entertainment. Everyone is invited to attend. All events are free.

After the parade is completed, about noon on Saturday, several of the bands in the
parade will perform on the Fulton Savings Bank stage in the Community Center in Recreation Park.

For up to date information, visit www.fultonmemorialdaysalute.com

This new website was designed by the staff at Fulton Daily News (Oswego County Today.com) and is sponsored by them.

Come to Fulton for the Memorial Day Salute, but keep our deceased loved ones in your
hearts and prayers.

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Oldest Known Mayan Astronomical Calendar Stuns Scientists

Posted on 14th May 2012 in The monuments of world

A painted wall of a Mayan site that dates to the 9th century in Xultun, Guatemala

Tyrone Turner / National Geographic / AP

Here’s what’s not going to happen this year: the earth won’t end on Dec. 12; it won’t be swallowed by a black hole, consumed by the sun or get taken out by a collision with the imaginary planet Nibiru. Here’s what will happen: as of today, more people than ever will believe that those calamities will occur on precisely the day they’re predicted to. The reason: a new discovery — just reported in the journal Science — of the earliest known Mayan astronomical calendar, featuring elaborate and detailed work by one of the most impressive civilizations that ever lived.

It was earlier interpretations of other Mayan calendars that gave rise to the Internet-fueled doomsday scenarios of the past few years — mostly because one calendar cycle the Mayans computed ends Dec. 12 (though no one paid much attention to the fact that another one was supposed to begin immediately after that). If people can stay focused on the science this time though, they’ll find a lot to be impressed by in the new findings.

(MORE: Not So Apocalypto: What the Mayan Calendar Tells Us About Latin America in 2012)

The site described in the Science paper seems modest at first: a small painted room unearthed in 2011 in the Mayan ruins in Xultun, Guatemala. The overall Xultun site was first described by archaeologists in 1915 and has been explored — and, sadly, plundered — intermittently ever since. But the 2011 find was something new. As described in the paper by a team led by archaeologist William Saturno of Boston University, the room was built in the early 9th century and appears to have been originally used to depict historical figures and events in Mayan history. The west, north and east walls of the room, as well as the ceiling, were covered with murals, and some of the text associated with the paintings pegs the events as having occurred in the year 814.

But the room did not remain a solemn and commemorative place for long. Soon it was repurposed for much more prosaic uses, with the east and west walls getting plastered over and pressed into service as a kind of 9th century blackboard, onto which astronomical and calendrical calculations could be etched. Multiple layers of plaster were applied, with multiple new columns of numbers and glyphs then getting inscribed on them — the equivalent of erasing your notes and starting over.

That constant reworking was clearly worth the effort, yielding a precise and detailed system of marking time and reading the skies. Most of the east wall appears to have been given over to tracking lunar cycles and using them to frame relatively short periods in the Mayan calendar. The north wall involved planetary observations, which helped establish what the archaeologists call Long Count dates. “These [longer] spans are usually 3,000 to 4,000 years,” the authors write.

The numbers used in the calculations are not numerals as we know them, of course, but arrangements of dots and bars, with each dot representing a 1 and each bar representing a 5. With the help of that simple coding, it’s possible to understand some of the Mayan units of time, such as the 360-day tun unit, the 20-day winal unit and the single-day k’in. The monthly cycles of the moon are also assembled into 178-day lunar semesters.

(MORE: There’s Money to Be Made in the 2012 Apocalypse)

“Visible atop at least five of the columns are individual moon glyphs combined with facial profiles,” Saturno and his colleagues write. “Enough detail is visible on two of these glyphs to see that they are deities.”

The smallest timescales on the longer-range north wall are 117-day cycles, which coincide with the synodic period of Mercury — or the amount of time it takes for Earth and Mercury, when they are in a given position relative to each other, to return to that precise position as they move through their orbits. Other larger and more complex calculations suggest that the Mayans were trying to develop formulas to synchronize cycles of the moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. These would then be assigned relevance in the Mayans’ spiritual practices.

“One goal of the Maya calendar keepers,” the investigators write, “was to seek harmony between sky events and sacred rituals.”

The calculations in the Xultun room were precursors to what’s known as the Dresden Codex, a much more sophisticated series of Mayan formulas recorded on bark-paper books in the 15th century. But the 9th century Mayans working in the Xultun room were not reluctant to publish their own, more preliminary work — something that seems evident from the unusually tidy nature of the inscribed notes. “These repeatedly replastered sections may have been used as a kind of reference for the preparation of other more permanent or public monuments,” the researchers write.

The Mayans no doubt would have preferred that those permanent monuments were preserved, rather than just the astronomical faculty lounge in which they did their background work. But archaeology is capricious and which clues survive the centuries or are lost to them is impossible to predict. Either way, the Mayans left us plenty to ponder. None of it points to the end of our world — all of it, however, can help enrich it.

MORE: Mayan 2012 Apocalypse Prediction Is Inaccurate, Expert (Obviously) States

PHOTOS: TIME’s Pictures of the Week

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Column: Banning crosses erases history

Posted on 13th May 2012 in The monuments of world

By Michael Medved

Updated

A simmering controversy surrounding the “Ground Zero Cross” exposes the intolerance and absolutism behind ongoing battles over religious symbols on public property. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not Christian conservatives who normally start these bitter disputes. It’s more often atheist activists who seek to alter the long-standing status quo by scrubbing the landscape of the most visible signs of the nation’s religious heritage.

  • World Trade Center site: The steel remnant in the shape of a cross is left as a memorial for the 9/11 service in 2006.

    File photo by Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

    World Trade Center site: The steel remnant in the shape of a cross is left as a memorial for the 9/11 service in 2006.

File photo by Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

World Trade Center site: The steel remnant in the shape of a cross is left as a memorial for the 9/11 service in 2006.

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Faith. Religion. Spirituality. Meaning. In our ever-shrinking world, the tentacles of religion touch everything from governmental policy to individual morality to our basic social constructs. It affects the lives of people of great faith — or no faith at all. This series of weekly columns — launched in 2005 — seeks to illuminate the national conversation.

American Atheists, an organization representing the civil liberties of agnostics, filed suit in 2011 to block display of the Ground Zero Cross anywhere on the grounds of the new memorial museum planned for the World Trade Center site. The artifact in question became the best known piece of debris recovered from the terrorist attacks, when workmen spotted it on Sept. 13, 2001. The huge cross beam, presumably detached from the collapse of the North Tower and hurled down with many tons of rubble onto the stricken eight-story structure to its northeast, somehow survived intact and almost immediately became an informal shrine for the tireless crews who labored to clear Ground Zero.

A Franciscan friar blessed the welded girders as a sign that “God had not abandoned Ground Zero.” Later, with the cross installed on a city-approved pedestal, millions of tourists came to pray or leave flowers, but as construction proceeded at the World Trade Center, a crane helped to move the giant welded girders to nearby St. Peter’s Church in 2006.

9/11 family support

The lawsuit insists the relic must remain where it is, but planners for the new museum, supported by many 9/11 families, want the cross returned to Ground Zero as part of the permanent memorial. The lawsuit cites “mental pain and anguish” suffered by the plaintiffs due to “the knowledge that they are made to feel officially excluded from the ranks of citizens who were directly injured by the 9/11 attack.”

Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League, which often takes a dim view of religious symbols in government-owned locations, declared that it “fully supports” the inclusion of the cross in the museum.

On my radio show, Edwin Kagin, national legal director for American Atheists, denounced the potential placement of the cross as unfair because there would be no comparable display of atheist or Muslim symbols. But no one happened to recover atheist symbols (whatever they might be) from the rubble. The cross deserves its unique place of honor because of its powerful historic connection to the first dark days after the terrorist attack.

Moreover, America’s leading government-funded art museums all boast collections of sacred objects, including icons, crucifixes and altar pieces exhibited for their historical and artistic significance.

Only religious objections

Had fate shaped the steel beams into any form other than a Christian cross, American Atheists would never think to object to its museum display. The group’s visceral hostility to the cross plays a role in a number of continuing controversies:

•In Woonsocket, R.I., the Freedom From Religion Foundation seeks to remove a World War I memorial topped by a cross that has stood without controversy on city property since 1921.

•In the Mojave National Preserve in California, officials are hoping to settle an 11-year dispute over a “desert cross” first erected on Sunrise Rock in 1934, also to commemorate the sacrifices of those who served in the Great War. In a complicated agreement, private parties have pledged to donate 5 new acres to the 1.6 million-acre federal reserve in return for title to the single acre on which the cross formerly stood before vandals destroyed it. Veterans groups hope to restore the monument, but they must first enclose the area in a chain-link fence with signs explaining that the cross stands on now private property.

In each of these fights, it’s the opponents of long-standing religious displays who seek to impose their narrow views on the rest of us. It hardly amounts to an effort to impose theocracy when people of faith defend monuments that have inspired passersby for generations. In the case of the Ground Zero Cross, for religious believers, the artifact they honor played a prominent role in the haunting imagery after the terror attacks.

Faith-based pluralism

Meanwhile, secular extremists seek to erase such imagery from the collective consciousness and to purge public places of religious reminders. For skeptics, prominently displayed crosses convey the uncomfortable message that the great majority of Americans still honor a faith that self-proclaimed free-thinkers hold in undisguised contempt.

Beneath all the hypocrisy over constitutional restraints and traditional walls of separation, secular activists and self-styled defenders of “civil liberties” seek to transform American society in a way that our Founders and most subsequent generations would never recognize. They seem eager to defend flag-burning, obscenity and every other form of radical expression, while seeking to suppress emblems of the Christian faith that helped shape the nation since the arrival of earliest colonists.

An experiment in enforced secularism might count as a bold departure from the nation’s God-haunted past, but it’s hard to believe it would produce a better country than the beloved, multifarious and clashing religious symbols that have always characterized our faith-based pluralism.

Nationally syndicated talk radio host Michael Medved, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, is author of The 5 Big Lies About American Business and The Shadow Presidents.

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State tourism embraces new campaign

Posted on 29th April 2012 in The monuments of world

There is no boredom in the Black Hills.

In March, when the South Dakota Department of Tourism unveiled its new campaign slogan, “Your American Journey,” the group must have had the Black Hills in mind.

Everything here it seems, is a journey.

Perhaps there is no more famous attraction for all South Dakota than the iconic Mount Rushmore. It’s been 71 years since crews completed work on the ode to American presidential history blasted into a mountain face. The monuments’ photos are iconic, but seeing the tribute up close can be stirring.

“As one of the first memorials created in the United States for the purpose of increasing tourism, Mount Rushmore’s history is directly tied to the origin of America’s great road trips,” said Amy Bracewell, historian at the memorial. “I believe Mount Rushmore National Memorial fits in perfectly with the state’s new theme, ‘Your American Journey,’ by encompassing the physical journey to the Black Hills, the personal journey of connecting with one of the country’s icons, and the journey through American history.”

It’s not the only mountain sculpture in the Black Hills, and not the largest. The Crazy Horse Memorial is a tribute to the Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. It’s the world’s largest sculpture. The mountain-sized statue is as long as a cruise ship and taller than a 60-story skyscraper, and still under construction.

The Black Hills has two of the top five longest caves in the world. Jewel Cave National Monument is the second longest in the world, with 146 miles of explored passageways. Once out of Jewel Cave, a visitor can check out seven others in the area, including Wind Cave National Park and the more than 130 miles of passageways.

In 2011, the average visitor to South Dakota spent $232. The Black Hills, though on the west edge of South Dakota, can be considered the heart of tourism.

Rapid City, the state’s second largest city, is the hub for all that surrounds it. It’s also a great place to stay and visit, said Beth Hottel, assistant director of Destination Rapid City. The tourism group uses the word “experience” to attract visitors.

“The reason we initiated that is we feel strongly tourist and locals when they come downtown they have an experience,” Hottel said. “They are having all these experiences. They are coming and knowing that once they get (downtown) they are experiencing more.”

The Black Hills has more than sightseeing. Hikers, mountain bikers, runners and backpackers take advantage of the hundreds of miles of trails in the area. Some explore the 111-mile Centennial Trail or hike to Harney Peak, which rises more than 7,200 feet above sea level. Completed in 1998, the 109-mile long Mickelson Trail traces what once were railroad tracks.

Many people take the journey to Deadwood, a history-rich western town turned gambling oasis deep in the hills.

Each year in early August, the famous Sturgis motorcycle rally descends upon the hills. It attracted more than 400,000 bikers last year from around the country and across the globe. The rally fits well into the the state’s new slogan, said Brenda Vasknetz, rally director for the City of Sturgis rally department.

“I really do feel like we fit into that,” Vasknetz said. “What brings them back time and time again are the scenic rides that the Black Hills have to offer.”

Contact Ryan Lengerich at 394-8418 or ryan.lengerich@rapidcityjournal.com.

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Earth's Most Precious Places

Posted on 22nd April 2012 in The monuments of world
  • preciousplaces.jpg

    Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Antarctica and Machu Picchu all suffer from environmental pressures.Annemarie Kohl/ NOAA/ Charles Sharp

In 2007, UNESCO flagged the Galapagos Islands as an endangered place. But in 2010, after Ecuador’s government stepped up conservation efforts, the Galapagos were dropped from the list. It’s a story that gives us hope: With conservation efforts, funding, and a hefty dose of eco-focused TLC, we can turn potential disasters around. With that in mind, we researched places with unique features—wildlife, geography, culture—that would be devastating to lose. Once Africa’s wild lions are extinct, for example, there’s no replacing them. Ditto the island nations of the world, and the 9th-century buildings of Venice. Of course, it’s impossible to rank these spots-how can you say, for example, that the Great Barrier Reef is more (or less) important than the Amazonian jungle? Instead, we put together a timeline that shows just how quickly we could lose these earthly wonders if we don’t act now. Yes, this is a sobering read, but the silver lining is that you can make a difference-here’s how (and how to visit responsibly if you so choose).  

SEE THE PLACES

By the year 2100, we could lose…

Antarctica

Antarctica has no permanent residents, but its existence (or lack thereof) has major implications for everyone on earth. Over the past 50 years, temperatures in parts of the continent have jumped nearly 37 degrees—a rate five times faster than the global average. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report predicting sea levels would rise between seven and 23 inches by 2100. One caveat: the numbers didn’t account for Antarctica’s rapid ice melt. Now, researchers believe the sea could shoot up three to six feet by the end of the century. Antarctica’s ice cap holds 70 percent of the freshwater on Earth; if it melts, the oceans could rise 187 feet, decimating entire island nations worldwide (the Maldives, for example). Antarctica’s wildlife is also at risk. Krill are essential to the marine food chain—fish, seals, and whales eat them—but the shrimp-like crustaceans’ numbers have dropped 80 percent since the 1970s, disrupting the whole ecosystem.

Donate: Comprised of more than 30 NGOs worldwide, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition pushes initiatives like tourism regulation, and sustainable fishing. asoc.org

Go green: G Adventures, a sustainability minded tour operator based in Canada, offers a 13-day Antarctica cruise staffed by historians and marine biologists aboard the M/S Expedition. 888/800-4100, gadventures.com. From $4,999 per person.

Venice, Italy

One of the world’s most beautiful, historic, and romantic cities is built on water—and it could soon find itself under it. Rising ocean levels resulting from global warming are a threat to the low-lying Venice, which is made up of 118 small islands on a lagoon that sits at sea level. Flooding from the Adriatic Sea’s high tides has become dire in the last 60 years. In 1900, Piazza San Marco, Venice’s central square, flooded seven times; in 2002, the number jumped to 108. The ocean’s salt water eats away at Venice’s historic buildings, among them the opulent Palazzo Ducale, which dates back to the 9th century. Floodgates are being built around the city, but they’re not scheduled to begin operation until 2015. Water isn’t the only thing flooding the city. Twenty million tourists visit the city annually, which encourages harmful real-estate development and jams Venice’s waterways with traffic. Advocacy group Venice in Peril estimates that the city may be largely unlivable as early as next century.

Donate: Since 1966, Venice in Peril has spearheaded research on how to protect the city from flooding, as well as worked to restore Venice’s monuments, buildings, and artwork. veniceinperil.org

Go green: If you really want to help Venice, don’t visit. If you must go, though, go smart. Canonici de San Marco is a complex of eco tents eight miles outside of Venice, where you can bike in the countryside or take day-trips into the city (011-39/348-722-5577, viacanonici.com. From $157 per night including breakfast and transfers from the Mirano train station). The water that surrounds the city shaped its past-and is in control of its future. Laguna Eco Adventures offers tours of the lagoons on traditional wooden boats, powered by towering sails (011-39/329-722-6289, lagunaecoadventures.com. From $52 per person for a two to four-hour lagoon tour).

By the year 2070, we could lose…

The Himalayas

Like Antarctica, the Himalayas are covered in ice and snow. In fact, the world’s highest mountain range—which runs 1,500 miles through seven countries, including India and China—contains the planet’s largest non-polar ice mass, with over 46,000 glaciers. And just like in Antarctica, the ice is melting. Between 1950 and 1980, about half of the Himalayas’ glaciers were shrinking. That number hit 95 percent in 2010, and scientists predict that the entire Himalayan land mass may be slashed 43 percent by 2070. Global warming is just one reason—soot from millions of coal- and wood-burning stoves in India and China also take a share of the blame. The glaciers absorb the heat, which exacerbates the warming process. The glacier loss will affect people living along Asia’s 10 major rivers—who make up one-sixth of the total global population-that depend on glacial melt to stave off drought and starvation.

Donate: Founded by an Arizona man in 2009, the Himalayan Stove Project has an ambitious goal: Deliver 10,000 clean-burning, fuel-efficient stoves to Himalayan residents by 2014. himalayanstoveproject.org

Go green: Himalayan Eco Treks, which operates out of Nepal, organizes an array of earth-friendly trips, including a 25-day Best of Everest tour that includes eight days of trekking as well as easier days seeing cultural spots like the ancient town of Bhaktapur, a World Heritage site. 011-977-4/266-382, himalayanecotrek.com. From $2,765 per person for the 25-day tour.

By the year 2040, we could lose…

Wine Regions

The extreme heat waves and frosts that come with climate change affect soil conditions, so much so that the world’s most prestigious wine regions from Bordeaux to Rioja to Napa Valley could be unable to grow quality grapes by the end of the century. To put it in perspective, temperatures in California’s Napa (home to 45,000 acres of vineyards) could jump two degrees in the next 30 years, which would upset the balance of sweetness and acidity crucial to good wine, and essentially shrink America’s most famous wine-producing region by 50 percent. The conditions are so extreme in Europe that long-established wine epicenters could be pushed northward to England and Scotland as continental temperatures rise. In fact, Brits are already ramping up the production of sparkling wines, traditionally the domain of France’s Champagne region: In 1990, England was home to 140 acres devoted to sparkling-wine grapes; by 2010, the number spiked to 1,360.

Donate: Helping wine regions around the world is easy: Buy a bottle. The more money pouring into wine regions, the stronger the local economy–which means winemakers can invest in research and technology to keep their grapes healthy.

Go green: Napa Valley Reservations shuttles drinkers between four eco-friendly wineries in a fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. 707/252-1985, napavalleyreservations.com. From $130 per person.

SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL:

10 Most Sacred Spots on Earth

15 Places Every Kid Should See Before 15

The 14 Most Beautiful Home and Garden Tours in America

15 International Food Etiquette Rules that Might Surprise You

To Go or Not to Go: 11 Places with a Bad Rap

By the year 2030, we could lose…

African Lion Habitats

Africa’s wild lions have it especially rough: In the last 50 years, the continent’s population plummeted from 450,000 to about 40,000, a drop of around 91 percent. The culprit: People. Africa could be home to 1.75 billion people by 2050. As Africa’s human population explodes, the competition for resources (think food) increases while farmers and ranchers encroach onto the lions’ territory. According to the University of Minnesota’s Lion Research Center, Africa’s lions may not survive into the next century; other experts say they could be gone in 20 years.

Donate: The Lion Conservation Fund raises local awareness about lion conservation and restores and protects the animals’ habitats. lionconservationfund.org

Go green: Minnesota-headquartered Kuchanga Travel organizes “volun-tourism” trips to Zambia, where participants gather data on the country’s wild lions and help guides care for the animals. Activities include educating local students about conservation and going on lion walks–literally strolling with the animals in the wild. 612/432-4473, kuchangatravel.com. From $2,080 per person for a two-week trip.

The Amazon

At current deforestation rates, 55 percent of the Amazon’s 1.4 billon acres of rain forests could be gone by 2030. (Overexpansion of agriculture, illegal logging, and climate change are all to blame.) The rain forests, which are home to 30 million indigenous people and one-tenth of the world’s known species, also contain up to 140 billion metric tons of carbon, which helps stabilize the global climate.

Donate: Founded by a pair of tropical ecologists in 1999, the Amazon Conservation Association works to protect the region’s biodiversity. amazonconservation.org

Go green: Ecuador-based Tropic introduces visitors to the Huaorani, an indigenous Amazonian tribe whose members lend tips on tree climbing, kayaking nearby rivers, and face painting with achiote paste. Travelers bunk at an eco-lodge run by the Huaorani, and meals are crafted from local produce. 202/657-5072, tropiceco.com. Five-day trips from $860 per person.

The Alps

Increased carbon dioxide emissions are causing glaciers in the Alps to melt rapidly; according to scientists, most of them could be gone by as early as 2030. In some areas of the 600-mile mountain range, glaciers are shrinking by 3 percent every year. This obviously has dire implications, both in terms of physical catastrophes (massive flooding, which would impact the Alps’ 13 million residents) and economic disasters (the Alps thrive on ski tourism, with more than 120 million annual visitors). In 2006, a Swiss ski-resort owner devised a creative solution to keep glaciers cold: He wrapped one in a 43,000-square-foot fleece blanket. Other resort owners soon followed suit and scientists have since experimented with wool, hemp, and plastic coverings. Also at stake: the region’s 30,000 animal species and 13,000 plant species.

Donate: The World Wildlife Foundation’s European Alpine Program is dedicated to preserving the region’s biodiversity. wwf.panda.org

Go green: If you’re traveling with Utah-based Alpenwild, expect to use public transportation, sleep in local inns–and see incredible scenery. The company’s Best of the Alps tour leads hikers through lush forests and picturesque villages before hitting Zermatt, at the base of the Matterhorn, and the Jungfrao Mountains, home to the Aletschgletcher, Europe’s longest glacier. 800/532-9488, alpenwild.com. From $3,495 per person.

By the year 2020, we could lose…

Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Founded in 1925, Africa’s oldest national park covers nearly two million acres and includes savannas, swamps, and ice fields. It also contains the highest biological diversity of any national park in Africa, with 2,000 plant species, 706 bird species, and 218 mammal species, including hippos and one-third of the world’s mountain-gorilla population. Virunga has been in trouble for nearly 20 years—poaching and habitat destruction are to blame—but a huge problem is its location: it sits near a war zone. The park lies within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but borders Rwanda. Rebel soldiers from the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (believed to have been involved with the Rwandan genocide in 1994) operate within the park, and more than 140 rangers have been killed in the line of duty since 1996. Virunga’s hardwood forests are also being destroyed to support an illegal charcoal trade—if that keeps up, most of the trees in southern Virguna will disappear in 10 years.

Donate: Give directly to Virunga National Park; your money goes towards guarding mountain gorillas (you can pick an individual animal or an entire gorilla family to protect) and other conservation efforts. gorillacd.org

Go green: Safely visit the park with Congo-based Kivu Travel, which offers a five-day Gorilla and Volcano tour that includes a climb up the Nyiragongo volcano and a visit to Virunga’s gorillas. kivutravel.net. From $1,650 per person.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Stretching 1,429 miles, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest and most diverse reef system—and it could be gone in 100 years. Coral cover alone has been reduced by half in the last 50 years, and the GBR as a whole only has a 50 percent chance of survival if global CO2 emissions aren’t cut by at least 25 percent by 2020. It’s no surprise, then, that climate change is partly to blame. (Another culprit: agricultural run-off from farms, which affects water quality and creates algae blooms.) When the ocean warms up, the higher temperatures harm the more than 2,900 coral reefs, along with its 1,500 species of fish, 134 species of sharks and rays, 30 species of marine mammals like whales and dolphins, and 23 species of marine reptiles, including sea snakes and turtles. According to the World Wildlife Fund, more than 1,000 starving turtles washed up on Australian shores in 2011. Their main food source, sea grass, had been wiped out by erratic weather like floods and cyclones. Australia’s economy also depends on the reef: Industries like tourism and fishing rake in an annual $5.4 billion and employ 63,000 people.

Donate: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Foundation funds environmental research and conservation efforts. barrierreef.org

Go green: Australian eco-tour company Quicksilver runs day-trips from Queensland to the Great Barrier Reef on high-speed catamarans. Once there, you can dive, snorkel, and watch marine life from an underwater observatory. 011-61/7-4087-2100, quicksilver-cruises.com. From $228 per person.

Any moment now, we could lose…

Machu Picchu, Peru

UNESCO called Machu Picchu’s problems “urgent,” and rampant tourism is the biggest threat to Peru’s main attraction. Last year marked the centennial of Machu Picchu’s “discovery” by Yale history lecturer Hiram Bingham; 1 million visitors descended on the site, up 30 percent from 2010. With more visitors comes more construction in nearby towns like Aguas Calientes (already packed with hotels and restaurants), straining the fragile land: riverbanks are erosion-prone, and landslides and fires also threaten the site. Ironically, Peru’s economy depends on visitors. About 90 percent of the country’s tourist revenue this region, and 175,000 local people make their living directly from Machu Picchu tourism. When heavy rains and landslides forced the site to close for two months in 2010, a $200 million loss ensued. Losing Machu Picchu is more than economic. Built as an Andes Mountain retreat for Incan ruler Pachacuti in 1450, the stone city is packed with clues that shed light on ancient Incan civilization. Archeological efforts are still ongoing, and new discoveries include cemeteries, roads, and a series of agricultural terraces.

Donate: The World Monuments Fund, which advocates for endangered sites across the globe, added Machu Picchu to its 2010 watch-list. whc.unesco.org

Go green: On Conservation VIP’s 10-day volun-tourism trip, participants help local park rangers with archeological restoration and maintenance of the Inca Trail. 952/228-5946, conservationvip.org. From $2,850 per person.


 

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Presidential Proclamation — Establishment of the Fort Ord National Monument

Posted on 20th April 2012 in The monuments of world

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

April 20, 2012

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FORT ORD NATIONAL MONUMENT
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

In the heart of California’s Central Coast, the former Fort Ord encompasses a sweeping landscape of vivid beauty and rich natural diversity. One of the few remaining expanses of large, contiguous open space in the increasingly developed Monterey Bay area, this area is a rolling landscape long treasured for recreation, scientific research, outdoor education, and historical significance. Originating in the Pleistocene Epoch, ancient dunes provide the foundation for this landscape’s unique array of plant and wildlife communities. The area is also notable for its historical significance, including its role in the Spanish settlement of California and in the military training of generations of American soldiers.

Nearly two and a half centuries ago, as Americans fought for independence far to the east, these lands were traversed by a group of settlers led by Spanish Lieutenant Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza. In 1775-1776, Anza established the first overland route from “New Spain,” as Mexico was then known, to San Francisco, opening the way for expanded Spanish settlement of California. The diaries kept on this nearly 2,000-mile journey were used to identify the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, approximately 6 miles of which pass through the Fort Ord area. Although much of the historic route currently passes through urban areas, the undeveloped expanse of the Fort Ord area is likely quite similar to the open landscape experienced by Anza and by the Costanoan (now commonly referred to as Ohlone) peoples who lived in what is now the Central Coast region of California.

The area’s open, contiguous landscape owes its undeveloped state in large part to its role as a U.S. Army facility. From World War I through the early 1990s, the area’s rugged terrain served as a military training ground and introduced as many as a million and a half American soldiers to the rigors of military service. From its origins in 1917 as a training ground for troops stationed at the nearby Presidio of Monterey, Fort Ord had grown into a major Army installation by the beginning of World War II. During the Vietnam War, it served as a leading training center and deployment staging ground. While the former Fort Ord has few remaining historic structures, today thousands of veterans carry the memory of its dramatic landscape as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career. These lands are an historical link to the heroism and dedication of the men and women who served our Nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century.

Today, this expansive, historic landscape provides opportunities for solitude and adventure to nearly 100,000 visitors each year. By bicycle, horse, and foot visitors can explore the Fort Ord area’s scenic and natural resources along trails that wind over lush grasslands, between gnarled oaks, and through scrub-lined canyons. Within the boundaries of the Fort Ord area, visitors admire the landscape and scenery and are exposed to wildlife and a diverse group of rare and endemic plants and animals. Because visitors travel from areas near and far, these lands support a growing travel and tourism sector that is a source of economic opportunity for the community, especially businesses in the region. They also help to attract new residents, retirees, and businesses that will further diversify the local economy.

Scientists are also drawn here, seeking out opportunities to better understand once-widespread species and vegetative communities, and their ongoing restoration. The Fort Ord area is significant because of its rich biodiversity and important Central Coast habitats, supporting a diverse group of rare and endemic species of plants and animals that are managed across the base through a multi-agency, community-led management plan. It is one of the few remaining places in the world where large expanses of coastal scrub and live oak woodland and savanna habitat, mixed with rare vernal pools, exist in a contiguous, interconnected landscape.

The protection of the Fort Ord area will maintain its historical and cultural significance, attract tourists and recreationalists from near and far, and enhance its unique natural resources, for the enjoyment of all Americans.

WHEREAS section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (the “Antiquities Act”), authorizes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected;

WHEREAS the 1991 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended that Fort Ord cease to be used as an Army installation, and pursuant to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-510), Fort Ord closed on September 30, 1994;

WHEREAS it is in the public interest to reserve such lands as a national monument to be known as the Fort Ord National Monument;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 2 of the Antiquities Act, hereby proclaim that all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States within the boundaries described on the map entitled “Fort Ord National Monument,” which is attached to and forms a part of this proclamation, are hereby set apart and reserved as the Fort Ord National Monument (monument) for the purpose of protecting and restoring the objects identified above. The reserved Federal lands and interests in lands consist of approximately 14,651 acres, which is the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected and restored.

All Federal lands and interests in lands within the boundaries of this monument are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, leasing, or other disposition under the public lands laws, including withdrawal from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and from disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing other than by exchange that furthers the protective purposes of the monument.

The establishment of this monument is subject to valid existing rights. Lands and interests in lands within the monument boundaries not owned or controlled by the United States shall be reserved as part of the monument upon acquisition of ownership or control by the United States.

Of the approximately 14,651 acres of Federal lands and interests in lands reserved by this proclamation, approximately 7,205 acres are currently managed by the Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and approximately 7,446 acres are currently managed by the Secretary of the Army. The Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, shall continue to manage the lands and interests in lands under the Secretary’s jurisdiction within the monument boundaries until the Army transfers those lands and interests in lands to the BLM in accordance with the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of the Army and the BLM, as amended, that describes the responsibilities of each agency related to such lands and interests in lands, the implementing actions required of each agency, the process for transferring administrative jurisdiction over such lands and interests in lands to the Secretary of the Interior, and the processes for resolving interagency disputes. The Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, shall manage that portion of the monument under the Secretary’s administrative jurisdiction, pursuant to applicable legal authorities and the MOU, to implement the purposes of this proclamation.

For purposes of protecting and restoring the objects identified above, the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, shall prepare and maintain a transportation plan, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army and consistent with the MOU, that provides for visitor enjoyment and understanding of the scientific and historic objects on lands within the monument boundaries that are under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.
The transportation plan shall include the designation of roads and trails for bicycling and other purposes. Except for emergency or authorized administrative purposes, under the transportation plan motorized vehicle use shall be permitted only on designated roads, and non-motorized mechanized vehicle use shall be permitted only on designated roads and trails. The plan shall be revised upon the transfer of lands now under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the MOU.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge or diminish the rights of any Indian tribe.

Nothing in this proclamation shall affect the responsibility of the Department of the Army under applicable environmental laws, including the remediation of hazardous substances or munitions and explosives of concern within the monument boundaries; nor affect the Department of the Army’s statutory authority to control public access or statutory responsibility to make other measures for environmental remediation, monitoring, security, safety, or emergency preparedness purposes; nor affect any Department of the Army activities on lands not included within the monument. Nothing in this proclamation shall affect the implementation of the Installation-Wide Multispecies Habitat Management Plan for the former Fort Ord including interagency agreements implementing that plan.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of California with respect to fish and wildlife management.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation; however, the monument shall be the dominant reservation.

Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

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California's Fort Ord to Become National Monument

Posted on 20th April 2012 in The monuments of world

Fort Ord, the sweeping former military base north of Monterey, Calif., known for its oceanfront landscape and a history that dates back to horse cavalry soldiers in World War I, will become America’s newest national monument.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to establish the new designation on Friday, making Fort Ord only the second national monument he has created since becoming president in 2009.

“Fort Ord’s dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career,” Obama said in a statement late Thursday.

“This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century.”

More details are expected to be released Friday, but a White House official familiar with the plan said that roughly 14,650 acres will be included in the monument. That land is located on Fort Ord’s eastern half. It does not include the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay, the oceanfront lands along Highway 1 that make up Fort Ord Dunes State Park, or hundreds of homes and businesses located on the property in the towns of Seaside and Marina.

In most national monuments, all oil and gas drilling, along with mining, is banned.

The new monument, which will be supervised by the federal Bureau of Land Management, will include 7,200 acres now run by the BLM and open for hiking, horse riding and bicycling. It also will include an additional 7,450 acres where decades of unexploded shells and other ordnance once used for artillery practice are being cleaned up. That work is scheduled to be finished in 2019. That land is under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Over the past year, environmental leaders, business officials and politicians in the Monterey Bay area have pushed for the former Army base to become a national monument. They wanted the designation to raise the profile of the area to attract tourism and business, and also to permanently lock in open space protections.

As recently as a week ago, U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., personally lobbied Obama on Air Force One while the two rode to Colombia to attend the Summit of the Americas Conference. Farr was a member of the Peace Corps stationed in Colombia in the mid-1960s and has worked closely on issues relating to South America and Central America.

Farr was traveling Thursday evening and unavailable for comment.

“We’re thrilled,” said David Beltran, his spokesman. “This will preserve the open space for future generations. It will help tourism and honor the memory of the generations of soldiers who served there.”

The former base, a 28,000-acre site the size of San Francisco, was put on the closure list in 1991, ending a storied history that began in 1917.

More than 60 years ago, Gen. Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell drilled thousands of infantrymen on amphibious assaults at Ford Ord beaches before they headed to Okinawa, the Philippines and the Marshall Islands. In the 1950s and early 1960s, then-unknowns Clint Eastwood, Jerry Garcia and current Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were stationed at Fort Ord.

When the base closed in 1994, roughly 15,000 soldiers and civilians from the 7th Infantry Division, and 22,000 family members, were moved to Fort Lewis, Wash.

Panetta, then the Monterey Bay area’s congressman, pushed hard to establish a new university, and in 1995 CSU Monterey Bay opened on the old base. Today the school has 5,100 students and 150 faculty members.

A long, slow toxics cleanup removed tons of old bullets from firing ranges along the huge dunes on the base along Highway 1, and that land became a state park. Hoping to make up for the economic hit – schools closed as children left, businesses in Seaside and Marina went bankrupt, and local tax receipts fell – state lawmakers created the Fort Ord Reuse Authority to redevelop the base.

Over the past 15 years, the agency has helped facilitate deals to build hundreds of new homes and several retail outlets on the property. But dozens of dilapidated barracks and other buildings remain. They will be torn down when enough money from developer fees is raised, said Dave Potter, chairman of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority.

“It was devastating when Fort Ord closed,” Potter said. “We were a military community. It was the third leg of our economy – agriculture, tourism and the military. Now, 20 years later, we have made progress, but the promise has not been delivered yet for full economic recovery.”

(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)

Potter said the monument designation will not limit business development on the base, since it will only affect the rural, undeveloped eastern half of the property. Local business leaders support the idea, he said, because it could help lure new business.

Obama’s action will not require a vote of Congress. He will establish the monument under the 1906 Antiquities Act, a law signed by President Teddy Roosevelt. Since then, nearly every president has used the act to provide special protection to federal lands of national importance, with Congress eventually upgrading many to national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Muir Woods, Death Valley and others.

One of the people who advocated hardest for the Fort Ord monument said she hopes the planning process that will follow will preserve access for hikers, bicyclists and horse riders.

“This is fantastic,” said Henrietta Stern, president of Fort Ord Recreation Trails Friends. “We really aren’t asking for anything new. We just wanted to make sure that what we’re enjoying today will always be preserved for future generations.”

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Obama to designate Fort Ord as a new national monument

Posted on 20th April 2012 in The monuments of world

© Copyright 2012, Bay Area News Group

Fort Ord, the sweeping former military base north of Monterey known for its oceanfront landscape and a history that dates back to cavalry soldiers in World War I, will become America’s newest national monument.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to establish the new designation on Friday, making Fort Ord only the second national monument he has created since becoming president in 2009.

“Fort Ord’s dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career,” Obama said in a statement late Thursday.

“This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century.”

More details are expected to be released Friday, but a White House official familiar with the plan said that about 14,650 acres will be included in the monument. That land is located on Fort Ord’s eastern half. It does not include the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay, the oceanfront lands along Highway 1 that make up Fort Ord Dunes State Park, or hundreds of homes and businesses located on the property in the towns of Seaside and Marina.

In most national monuments, all oil and gas drilling, along with mining, is banned.

The

new monument, which will be supervised by the federal Bureau of Land Management, will include 7,200 acres now run by the BLM and open for hiking, horse riding and bicycling. It also will include an additional 7,450 acres where decades of unexploded shells and other ordnance once used for artillery practice are being cleaned up. That work is scheduled to be finished in 2019. That land is under the control of the Defense Department.

Over the past year, environmental leaders, business officials and politicians in the Monterey Bay area have pushed for the former Army base to become a national monument. They wanted the designation to raise the profile of the area to attract tourism and business, and also to permanently lock in open-space protections.

As recently as a week ago, U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Salinas, personally lobbied Obama on Air Force One while the two rode to Colombia to attend the Summit of the Americas Conference. Farr was a member of the Peace Corps stationed in Colombia in the mid-1960s and has worked closely on issues relating to South America and Central America.

Farr was traveling Thursday evening and unavailable for comment.

“We’re thrilled,” said David Beltran, his spokesman. “This will preserve the open space for future generations. It will help tourism and honor the memory of the generations of soldiers who served there.”

The former base, a 28,000-acre site the size of San Francisco, was put on the closure list in 1991, ending a storied history that began in 1917.

More than 60 years ago, Gen. Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell drilled thousands of infantrymen on amphibious assaults at Fort Ord beaches before they headed to Okinawa, the Philippines and the Marshall Islands. In the 1950s and early 1960s, then-unknowns Clint Eastwood, Jerry Garcia and current Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were stationed at Fort Ord.

When the base closed in 1994, about 15,000 soldiers and civilians from the 7th Infantry Division, and 22,000 family members, were moved to Fort Lewis, Wash.

Panetta, then the Monterey Bay area’s congressman, pushed hard to establish a new university, and in 1995, Cal State Monterey Bay opened on the old base. Today the school has 5,100 students and 150 faculty members.

A long, slow toxics cleanup removed tons of old bullets from firing ranges along the huge dunes on the base along Highway 1, and that land became a state park. Hoping to make up for the economic hit — schools closed as children left, businesses in Seaside and Marina went bankrupt, and local tax receipts fell — state lawmakers created the Fort Ord Reuse Authority to redevelop the base.

Over the past 15 years, the agency has helped facilitate deals to build hundreds of new homes and several retail outlets on the property. But dozens of dilapidated barracks and other buildings remain. They will be torn down when enough money from developer fees is raised, said Dave Potter, chairman of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority.

“It was devastating when Fort Ord closed,” Potter said. “We were a military community. It was the third leg of our economy — agriculture, tourism and the military. Now, 20 years later, we have made progress, but the promise has not been delivered yet for full economic recovery.”

Potter said the monument designation will not limit business development on the base, since it will only affect the rural, undeveloped eastern half of the property. Local business leaders support the idea, he said, because it could help lure new business.

Obama’s action will not require a vote of Congress. He will establish the monument under the 1906 Antiquities Act, a law signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. Since then, nearly every president has used the act to provide special protection to federal lands of national importance, with Congress eventually upgrading many to national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Muir Woods, Death Valley and others.

One of the people who advocated hardest for the Fort Ord monument said she hopes the planning process that will follow will preserve access for hikers, bicyclists and horse riders.

“This is fantastic,” said Henrietta Stern, president of Fort Ord Recreation Trails Friends. “We really aren’t asking for anything new. We just wanted to make sure that what we’re enjoying today will always be preserved for future generations.”

Contact Paul Rogers at 408-920-5045.

Copyright 2012 San Jose Mercury News. All rights reserved.

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Carlos Santana to Headline Third Annual Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival

Posted on 18th April 2012 in The monuments of world

WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

The highly-anticipated third annual Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival will kick off with world-famous Santana headlining this year’s event, August 31- September 1, 2012. The Festival returns for the third year with world renowned performers including Maná, Ruben Bladés, Sergio George’ All Star Salsa Friends, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band lead by Paquito D’Rivera, India.Arie, Jill Scott, and more, for a first-class jazz and blues concert series, incorporating the best mix of salsa, Latin, and pop! The Festival will be held at the World Trade Center Curaçao in Piscadera Bay.

“The third annual Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival will draw a huge crowd as our line-up features world famous Award-winning artists, including Santana, and many more to be announced shortly,” says Curaçao Tourist Board CEO Ghatim Kabbara. “This incredible line up is one not to miss! Travelers from all over the world will be joining us for this celebration of music, heightening awareness of Curaçao as the hottest and most cultured Caribbean island.”

Guitar legend, songwriter, ten-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Latin Grammy Award winner, Carlos Santana will headline the festival along with his band, kicking off the weekend with a performance on Friday, August 31. The guitar superstar made his debut in music in the 60s and 70s when his band Santana pioneered with a fusion of rock, salsa and jazz. The legend is renowned for his distinctive and highly-respected guitar playing skills and exceptional music.

Maná, the adored Mexican rock band, will perform Saturday, September 1 during the Festival. The legendary band has been playing since 1975, gaining huge success as they released more albums. From the late 90s onwards, their fame spread into the US and the rest of the world with the debut of their third album. The band has four Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, and five MTV Awards-Latin America, among others.

Other performers at the Festival include Jill Scott, Sergio George’ All Star Salsa Friends, Buika, Caro Emerald, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band lead by Paquito D’Rivera, Randy Crawford & Joe Sample Trio, Waylon, Paquito D’Rivera Septet, India.Arie, Joshua Redman with Aaron Parks, Matt Penman and Eric Harland: James Farm, delivering an impressive line-up of jazz, soul, rock and Latin music.

In the week before the Festival, concerts are held on various locations on the island, including the popular party spot, Mambo Beach.

Last year’s Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, was a spectacular success for the island, attracting crowds of locals and visitors during the two days of the Festival. Memorable performances from artists Sting, Dionne Warwick, Earth, Wind & Fire and Juan Luis Guerra, and more wowed the audience.

Travelers heading down to Curaçao for the Festival can expect lively pop-up concerts and events by local Curaçaoän performers during the full week prior to the Festival. There’s no question that Curaçao knows how to throw a good party, having been recently highlighted for its music and excellent night life in “Curaçao After Dark” by The New York Times.

Day tickets for the 2012 concerts start from only $195 and are on sale NOW! For more information on the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, please visit www.curacaonorthseajazz.com.

For more information on Curaçao or to book your trip to the 2012 Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, please visit Curacao.com.

About Curaçao

Selected as the ‘Favorite Caribbean Destination’ by About.com, ‘Top Destination 2012’ by Frommer’s, one of the ‘Top 21 Places We’re Going in 2011’ by Fodor’s, one of the ‘Hottest Destinations for 2011’ by AOL Travel and one of the ‘Destinations to Watch in 2011’ by SmarterTravel, Curaçao is a unique Caribbean island paradise, boasting 35 uncrowded beaches, and an eclectic mix of history and culture. Explore the vibrant, culturally diverse capital city of Willemstad – a UNESCO World Heritage site – with its distinctive architecture, museums, monuments and world-class shopping. Indulge in Curaçao’s vast selection of flavorful restaurants, with a mix of sophisticated international and tasty local cuisines. Discover Curaçao’s abundant natural beauty, pristine dive sites and spectacular snorkeling at secluded beaches – including Cas Abao Beach, selected as one of the ‘Top 10 Beach Destinations for 2011’ by SmarterTravel. Curaçao offers idyllic weather, situated outside of the Hurricane Belt. To learn more about the island of Curaçao visit Curacao.com.

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A Bittersweet Sight In The DC Skies

Posted on 17th April 2012 in The monuments of world

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) — Way better than the 4th of July!

The last flight of the shuttle Discovery was a thunderous salute to American ingenuity…. And a bittersweet good-bye to the shuttle program.

“To see something that’s been out of this world literally…. Man, it gives you goosebumps. Goosebumps,” said Claude Duvall who just couldn’t stop talking about watching the shuttle fly by piggyback on a 747 headed to retirement at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.

The first pass down the Potomac by the ungainly beast was just a tease. “We ran down a block to get here,” said one woman.

Then it was out over the White House, saluted by construction workers. Maybe an antidote to that crystal blue day more then a decade ago when we last watched the skies so closely.

“I should have brought some tissues,” said Lin Pinskey. “To just see it flying over the monuments, I don’t have the words.”

Then there were two long passes right up the Mall to shoot over the Capitol, where Members of Congress continue to struggle with a way to pay for the next phase of humankind’s exploration of space.

“It’s a sad moment for the United States and I think the whole world,” said a tourist from Germany.

“For humankind, the need, the desire to explore, It’s part of our DNA. And if we don’t do that, it’s like a shark that stops swimming,” said Rob Williams, who works for NASA.

“It’s sad to put it to rest. But look at it this way: It will be someplace where I can see it always,” said Claude Duvall.

So Discovery goes to join all those other museum pieces that help tell the story of America’s expedition into the skies and then into space. The big question: Is human’s exploration of space now just history? And if not, what will be the next shuttle, the next rocket to take us there?

Written and Reported by Bruce Leshan

9News Now & wusa9.com

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