Gazelle bicycles

Ever since my Dad bought two second-hand Gazelle bicycles (which happened to still be in perfect condition) for a cool S$100, I've been quite the cyclist. I've been discovering new cycling routes every other week. Just last week, I found a route that can get me from where I live (Bedok) to my grannie's place in Sengkang in just about half an hour. Well, that is if I cycle there in the dead of the night, say at midnight. That's when I have the roads all to myself, well, nearly.Cycling is addictive and I find myself wanting to cycle everywhere now. I think it's a healthy obsession. When I say obsessed I really do mean it. But it also means that I become fitter, even though alot of times I cycle to my favourite dining places in the East. Think Changi Village, East Coast Park, Tampines and of course Katong. I have also found out how to cycle to the Ikea at Tampines - this means Ikea breakfast for me next weekend!Any who, along the way, although I have discovered a renewed passion for cycling, I have yet to master the tricks of cycling with a bagload of groceries.I learnt that the hard way, yesterday. You see, I've been craving for a homemade apple tart the entire week and have stopped by many bakeries in search of it. But much to my dismay, I realised how common apple crumble is, as opposed to apple tarts. This only meant one thing - I had to take things into my own floured hands. Yesterday afternoon was all that and more.So where did my bicycle come in? When I came up with the bright idea of cycling to get my groceries. I was silly not to anticipate the huge load of groceries I was to get. This included 2kg flour, 5 granny smith apples, a block of butter, 1 litre milk and some extra biscuits that caught my eye. My bicycle does not have a basket - it only has a metal seat-thing at the back where three elastic bands were placed, to keep steady a fair amount of load. Apparently though, I had too much faith in those elastic bands. Or maybe I put too little thought into planning my grocery shopping. I was too ambitious, cocky even.I left the supermarket with a huge smile, thinking how brilliant an idea it was to cycle to and fro my home. What a carbon-neutral act, I thought in my head. I wasn't contributing to the pollution of the world and I get to exercise as well. So as I cycled off home, only happy thoughts clouded my head. I was pretty satisfied especially since I knew that in a few hours, I would have a warm whole apple tart to enjoy.Before I continue, might I just add that this apple tart proved only one thing - hard work tastes sweeter. I should know, because I cycled all the way home with more than 4kg worth of groceries behind me, on my trusty Gazelle bicycle.Mid-way home, I realised something was not right, I turned behind and saw that my groceries were wobbling, trying their darnest not to slip out of those elastic bands. Like I said, I had great faith in those bands, so I didn't bother and cycled on. Then a while later, while cycling and thinking about my apple tart (again), I heard a loud thump behind me. When I turned back, I saw that one bag of my groceries (containing my milk, butter and apples) had fallen off. Damn those elastic bands, they were not so reliable after all. I screeched to a stop by the side of the road and went back to pick up my fallen bag of groceries. This cannot do! By the time I get home, my groceries would probably be bruised and tattered.What was I supposed to do? I thought hard. I really did. Then I decided to put the apples and butter in my sling bag and to carry the milk on my hand, with the plastic twirled around the handlebar lest it it slips out of my hand. Viola, that was a perfect arrangement. And that worked. My groceries arrived home safely and by that time, I was stinky and sticky. It was a very hot day. I did not feel like an apple tart anymore. However, you must remember that I'm quite the greedy girl. My body was tired but my mind kept playing pictures of a warm baked apple tart and I swear I could smell the tart aroma coupled with the buttery tinge from the shortcrust pastry.My tastebuds and imagination got the better of me and soon I was off to work. I made the shortcrust pastry dough and I was really happy with it. Mostly because I had decided to splurge a little on some French butter (which cost me S$5.20) for my pastry. I wanted to see if it would make my apple tart more French and more tasty. To be honest, I could tell the difference right from the start. The butter was so creamy and it really smelled like France (not that I had ever been to France. It's just what I would imagine France to smell like). I was so enamoured by the butter that I smeared some leftovers on a piece of bread to try and I loved it.While I left my pastry to rest in the fridge for an hour, I went ahead to prepare the apple filling. This recipe is a little different from most apple tart recipes because it required one to cook and caramelise the apples first:Thanks to my trusty apple corer/slicer, I hd beautiful uniformed apple slices from my five granny smiths in under 2 minutes. Then I cooked and caramelised the apples in the lovely French butter, after which I added the honey and lots of cinnamon (my favourite). The aroma that ensued was irresistable. I couldn't resist mopping up the residual sticky caramel that remained in the pan after I transfered the apples to a seperate bowl to cool.After the apples were cooked, I took out my shortcrust pastry and started to line the tart tin. Then I added the apple filling and proceeded to top it off with a simple lattice:I was quite bowled over by how it all looked. I have to admit that though I love tarts very much, I seldom make them. And I have also never made one with a lattice. So I was pretty excited. I even called my sister to come look. She said it looked pretty.So now all that's left is the baking.After 30 minutes, I was attracted by a buttery aroma and knew that my tart was done. I ran to the kitchen, and basked in my achievement for a bit while staring at the tart in the oven before snapping out of my proud moment to take it out to cool.I really like how rustic it looks. It gives off that country vibe don't you think? Here's a closer look at the pastry:It was nicely browned and looked so delicious. I am sure it wasn't difficult for you to figure out what happened next:That slice went to my sister. And of course I took another slice for myself...There's nothing like freshly baked warm apple tart, or as the recipe calls it crostata di mele. But there was something about this tart that made it taste sweeter, and perhaps it has got to do with the extra effort put in to get the ingredients home amidst the sweltering heat. Hmmm yes I'd say it's got to be that. The apple filling was sweetened perfectly. The honey and cinnamon lifted the tartness of the apple and gave it an oomph that was the stuff of countryside goodness. Again, I draw reference to Enid Blyton's many homemade tart/pies by the windowsill depictions in her well-loved tales. For me, the only thing missing from the equation were some fairies and elves. I know I would have gladly shared my tart had they showed up. Haha, wishful thinking I must say. The only creatures who would love to be in the company of my tart were the very hardworking ants at my home. Last night I brought some to my Grannie's place to let my aunt and grannie try some. They liked it and that really means alot because my aunt is quite the baker (come on, she bakes her own bread!) and her opinion means alot to me. I was pleased of course. I had another slice again this morning, with ice cream for breakfast. I must say Sunday mornings and crostata di mele are a delightful combination.___________________________________________Crostata di mele (apple tart)Country cooking by stefano de pieri, pg 3, delicious Mar 05 issueServes 8-105 golden delicious or granny smith apples50g unsalted butter4 tbs honey1 pinch cinnamonIcing sugar, to dustShortcrust pastry1 and ½ cups (225g) plain flour2/3 cup (100g) self-raising flour2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar150g unsalted butter, softened¼ cup (60ml) full-fat milk2 egg yolksFor the pastry, process the flours, sugar and butter in a food processor, then mix in the milk and egg yolks. If dough is too wet, add a little more flour. On a lightly floured surface, bring dough together, then knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.Meanwhile, peel and core the apples, then cut into quarters. Melt the butter in a frypan over medium heat, and when it begins to froth and brown, add the apple and cook until brown and softened; about 5-10 minutes depending on the ripeness of the apples. Add the honey and cinnamon, reduce heat to medium-low and stir continuously for about 10-15 minutes or until the apples are golden and caramelized. Cool to room temperature.Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius. Grease a 24cm loose-bottomed tart pan. Once pastry has rested, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 5 mm thick and line pan with pastry.Place cooled apples into pastry shell. With any remaining pastry, use a crinkled pastry cutter to cut 1cm-wide strips to make a lattice to place over top. Bake 30-35 minutes. Dust with icing sugar before serving with ice cream or cream.

A Visit To Artist Point

Our final Free Dining Plan table service meal was at Artist Point, in the Wilderness Lodge. I had eaten there about 10 years ago as well, probably on the same trip as the San Angel Inn meal, and remembered being underwhelmed by the menu. I don't really care for game meats, and their signature Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon was not appealing to me in any way, shape or form. I'm not a salmon fan to begin with (ask me about my trip to Alaska last year: Is salmon the only food available in that state??) so a fish cooked and served on a board that is usually used for moth-proofing closets does not say "good eats" to me at all. I was hesitant when Flo wanted to eat here, but she really REALLY wanted to try it, so I capitulated. What I didn't know at the time was that this meal would turn out to be THE best meal I've had on property for at least two years. From beginning to end, everything in this restaurant would be perfection. We arrived for our ADR 15 minutes early as directed. There were three extremely charming hostesses at check-in. We chatted about Disney, the College Program, our home towns, and other topics while we waited to be seated. I mentioned that it was Flo's first time eating at Artist Point, so one of them disappeared for a moment and reappeared with a "My First Time" button. What a sweet thing to do! When it was time to be seated, I asked if we could have a table by the window, since it was Flo's first meal here, and I wanted her to see the pretty view. We were given the table in the corner of the windows overlooking the waterfall and the wildflower garden. We could see a bit of Bay Lake and the geyser out the other side of the windows. Gorgeous! I was surprised to see how empty the place was on a Saturday night, but the Wilderness Lodge is kind of out of the way for guests without their own transportation, plus it was a slow time, after all. Also, Artist Point isn't as kid-friendly as many other Disney restaurants, as there are no characters or clever theming here. It does feature a kids' menu, however, and there were a couple of children dining with their parents that evening. Kids are definitely welcome here, but it does have an adult feel to it. After we were seated, our server, Kyle, introduced himself. He brought us menus, the winelist and a basket of absolutely delicious hot crusty bread served with real butter. "OK," I thought, "If I can't find anything I like on the menu, I'll just eat this incredible bread all night and I'll be happy about that!" Flo asked him to suggest a Reisling, and he brought us each a taste. Flo liked it, but I found it too sweet and asked for a Pino Gris instead. He brought me an absolutely delicious wine. I regretfully did not write down what it was, since I wasn't intending to write a review of Artist Point to begin with. We sipped our wine, nibbled the yummy bread, and perused the menu. We couldn't decide what we wanted, so we asked Kyle for recommendations. He suggested the Buffalo Sirloin (yes, it's meat from an actual buffalo, not meat cooked in hot sauce like Buffalo Wings are.) We were intrigued by that, but another dish, the pork chop, featured Tillamook Mac & Cheese with Maytag (blue cheese, not the appliances,) crust as the side, which sounded sooo good--Much better than the sweet potato-hazelnut gratin that came with the buffalo. Kyle assured us we could have the buffalo with the mac & cheese if that's what we desired...and we did desire it! On the appetizer list is an Artisan Cheese selection. Since I don't eat much sugar, I asked if I could have that for dessert, and was surprised to find that I could not. (I'll explain why later.) It was too big to have for an appetizer, so I didn't pursue it. Instead, we both went with the smoky portobello soup with shiitake mushrooms and chive oil, which arrived in a lovely geometric bowl. Oh...my...goodness, was this soup good! I tried not to lick the plate in public, but it was a struggle. The roasted mushrooms sprinkled on top were almost like bacon, and the soup was creamy and delicious and a perfect foil for that crusty bread and butter. Just when I thought it couldn't get better, the buffalo sirloin and mac & cheese arrived. As I took my first tentative bite of buffalo, wondering if I would like it or not, I suddenly realized it was the best meat I have ever eaten anywhere at any time. It was tender and flavorful, and it was cooked and seasoned so perfectly it just melted in our mouths. The Tillamook mac & cheese was equally wonderful, with a creamy fresh-tasting cheese sauce and a crunchy crusty top with a bit of blue cheese tang that made the whole thing delicious together. This meal was so good, I could not stop eating. The portions are quite generous, and I finally had to push it away before I hurt myself. As we ate, Kyle would stop by and check on us, chatting a little about this and that. Our water glasses magically refilled themselves, and plates arrived and disappeared without me noticing. I have a short list of criteria for judging great dining service. #1 on the list is: The server can do his or her job in a timely and efficient manner without being either too intrusive or completely oblivious to my needs. No matter how great a meal is, if the server either disappears altogether or hovers like the News2 helicopter, it can ruin the experience. Kyle has learned the art of returning to the table at exactly the right moment that his guests need him to. We never felt rushed, and we never felt ignored. A perfect balance! #2 on the list: Does he/she know his/her stuff? Kyle does. He knows the menu, the winelist, what the chef can and cannot do for a guest, and he even knows what's inside the tea box that is brought around after dinner. Once I had gleaned just how much he knew, I began to ask him a series of questions from Anita's List of Most Annoying Dining Questions. The first question I asked was why I could not have the the Artisan Cheese Plate for dessert, because I had discovered that it is also listed on the dessert menu. (I was simply curious, and not trying to be belligerent.) The answer was actually pretty simple: The Artisan Cheese Plate is one of the few items that is not included in the Dining Plan, because the profit margin for fine cheese is too small and the restaurant would lose money on it. This made sense to me. I then asked him a number of questions about the Dining Plan, the food, the wine, the tea, the dessert menu, what his favorite attractions in the parks were, and on and on. He never once looked or acted like I was taking him away from something more important. Which brings us to the last item on my short list of service criteria: #3 Make the guest feel like he/she is the most important person in the room. Kyle at Artist Point wins the trifecta of great service! I was so impressed, I asked to see the manager. I never ever ask to see a restaurant manager, unless I've just been to Dining Hell and back, and even then not always. I explained to Kyle that I wanted to compliment his service, and not get him into trouble, so he needn't worry about my request to speak to the manager. Getting back to the meal, Flo had heard rave reviews about the Artist Point berry cobbler, and ordered that. After looking at the menu and finding out that the only sugar-free item was the omni-present ho-hum vanilla ice cream, I asked if I could have the cobbler...without the cobbler, just the berries? And could I please have the sugar free ice cream in place of the sorbet? And could the chef put some of the cream it's garnished with on the side? (Yes, I knew I was pressing my luck, but it never hurts to ask.) The answer came back from the kitchen: No problem. The cobbler-without-cobbler was served and it was tasty. Basically, it was fresh berries (not macerated or with anything added,) and sugar free vanilla ice cream, served with tiny bowls of cream and berry sauce on the side. It was exactly what I asked for. The berries were a bit on the tart side, but that was offset by the sweetness of the ice cream. Flo was somewhat disappointed with hers, finding the cobbler a bit dry and the berries too tart. Next time, she vowed to order the caramelized peach cake instead. I said she should, as long as I get to taste a bite or two! Would there actually be a next time? Most definitely. As I explained to Restaurant Guest Services Manager Curtis Corneal, this was hands-down the best meal that I have experienced on Walt Disney World property in the two and a half or so years since the Dining Plan started that continuing decline of food quality and service. I also explained that it was absolutely the very best service I've ever had in any Disney restaurant in Orlando, Anaheim or Paris. I thanked him and his staff for the perfect evening, and told him I would tell anyone who would listen what a wonderful experience it had been. So, here I am doing just that. Artist Point gets an A+ for food and an A+ for service, and I'm giving it an A+ for decor simply because Craftsman is my favorite style. I can't wait to go back here again!

Bulldog wonner

4.20

High School Teachers

Young America Works Public Charter School Career Opportunities Where Academics + Work = Bright Futures Mission Young America Works Public Charter School’s mission is to instill and cultivate a passion for lifelong learning within each student through a rigorous academic program combined with invaluable career training and direction that inspires academic, professional and personal experience. Our year-round program not only prepares students for college, it prepares them for life. Strong relationships with the business community offer students opportunities to explore and excel in the world of work while developing a strong work code of ethics. Upon graduation, each student will have the education, occupational skills and self-confidence to identify and accomplish his or her personal goals. Background Young America Works Public Charter School is a year-round charter school for grades 9 - 12 with a vocational program focus in Allied Health, the Construction & Building Trade, Multimedia Music & Sound Industry and the Transportation Industry. At Young America Works Public Charter School, students are provided real-life learning opportunities in academics and in the working community. Students learn the value of self-respect and the value of doing a good job by integrating strong academics and vocational technical skills in a positive learning environment. By partnering with local businesses, Young America Works Public Charter School, creates a unique opportunity for students to gain on-the-job experience by participating in paid-internships during the summer months. Positions Available • High School Teachers in the following disciplines: o English o Math – Trigonometry; Algebra I & II; Geometry o Social Studies - World History o Science – Chemistry & Environmental/Agricultural-science o French II (part time) o Spanish o Special Education o Art o Health o Computer Science • Vocational Instructors - Construction and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Characteristics and Qualifications • Bachelor's degree required (Master’s degree preferred) • Degree in subject area preferred • Demonstrated success in teaching in an urban high school environment • Demonstrated success in teaching content area • Innovative and hands-on teaching methods a must • Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) status, in the process of obtaining or prepared to become Highly Qualified during the school year • A commitment to the mission, goals and values of Young America Works Public Charter School • A commitment to high academic achievement and high expectations for the students at Young America Works Public Charter School Responsibilities • Plan academic lessons and collaborate with content area and grade level teams • Assist with implementation and assessment of curriculum • Work closely with students, families, staff, teachers and the leadership team to support the mission of the school and to ensure student success • Participate and conduct one assembly event or science fair during the school year • Attend teacher professional development training monthly • Attend weekly teacher and staff meetings • Perform all other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

Earn them with a Medicine Ball and a BOSU

Incredible abdominals are on everyone's wish list, right? Who wouldn't want a flat belly which is bumpy only because of amazing musculature? Sounds sweet, right? Eating right plays the largest role in your weight management, but without exercises like the ones shown here, incredible abs s will never make their debut. Train like this several times a week, watch what you put in your mouth and enjoy your amazing transformation!

Greg DeKoenigsberg: Waterloo -- couldn't escape if I wanted to

I visited the University of Waterloo last week to keynote a small conference at their Accelerator Centre, which is their technology incubator. The topic of the conference: "open or closed, which should you choose with your new project?" I posed my keynote as a set of questions that every software innovator should ask themselves when making this decision -- and, of course, the questions I chose were quite leading. :)Sometimes I've got the mojo and sometimes I don't, and for this speech, on this day, I felt like I had the mojo. It was a good day. It was a great crowd, very engaged. Mad props to Chris Tyler of Seneca for attending with me, and ferrying me to and from YYZ, and all of the great discussions that we had on those long rides. (And also for the roasted chicken at Swiss Chalet. Yum.)But the *real* reason I wanted to attend was because one of the hosts of the event was C4, a technology transfer organization counting ten Canadian members, university and industry, from Southwest Ontario. When pushing the open source agenda at the university level, one of the many hurdles we hit repeatedly (and particularly in the US) is the intransigence of TT folks, and their inability to appreciate, or even understand, the value of open source software. After the conference concluded, I had the opportunity to sit down at lunch with a roomful of open source friendly TT professionals, to pick their brains about why, exactly, it's so hard for TT folks to "get" open source, and what we can do to help change their minds.Following are some of the key insights I gleaned about the business of TT from this discussion -- and if I've misunderstood, please feel free to comment, since I'm still new to all this.* TT orgs differ by mission largely by how the university itself treats IP. In universities where IP is institutionally-owned -- which describes the vast majority of large American universities -- the mission of TT orgs tends strongly to be generating revenue for the institution. In orgs in which the IP is researcher-owned, which describes a significant percentage of Canadian universities, near as I can tell, and a handful of US schools -- the goal of the TT office is much more a facilitator to help the researcher get that technology out into the world, in whatever way the researcher sees fit.* Most TT folks aren't generally good at software; it's not their sweet spot. They are more accustomed to dealing with technology from industries that involve the creation of physical goods. Therefore, their first question is *always* "what defensible IP have you created?" It's not just that TT orgs are uncomfortable with open source software; frequently, they are uncomfortable with *any* software.* In those cases where TT is seen as a money-maker, the role of the TT office is very much like the role of a venture capitalist. Unfortunately, the savvy that some VCs have picked up when it comes to dealing with open source has not yet rubbed off on TT folks -- and let's face it, TT orgs doesn't have the wherewithal, the time, or the inclination to gain that degree of knowledge. VCs look at a whole range of variables in assessing the potential success of a project. TT orgs look at the one thing they can most easily quantify and protect: "what's the IP?" It might be worthwhile to hook up the smart VCs who "get" open source with some of the larger TT orgs who don't. Seems like it could be a win-win: VCs get an inside track on cool technology; TT orgs get a more reliable set of indicators about what makes open source profitable.* Because TT is seen as a revenue stream, university policies make it difficult/impossible to go around them. TT orgs don't have to "kill" open source projects, and generally they don't; they just never give permission. Allow me to explain by way of a brief skit: "Hi, Dr. Doom, can I release this work from my thesis as an open source project? Yes, you say, I just have to get clearance through the TT office? Okay, great! Hello, TT office? I've got this software project I'd like to release as an open source project. You'll look it over and get back to me? Great! When can I expect to hear back from you? Hello? Hello?" (Exeunt omnes, laughing.)* Some professors just release their work anyway, and the ones who do often use the guise of "publication" to do so. Which reinforces the importance of creating a journal for this purpose; not only will it help solve the publish-or-perish issue, it may also help with the TT issue. I'm glad that it's one of the key focuses (foci?) of the TOS group.* There is *zero* information for TT orgs to look at when it comes to open source. This was the message that the C4 folks left me with: how will TT folks learn if someone doesn't produce guidelines for them to follow? The C4 folks vowed to work with us on this problem, if we could help give them some direction. I hope we can figure out how to take them up on that offer.A very useful meeting for me; I learned a lot. And Chabriol, thank you so much for my speaker's gift. The dogs absolutely loved the treats. Definitely the most thoughtful gift I've ever received as a speaker.

Paper on Parade: Art Theft in Taiwan and China

This week in our semi-regular feature, Paper on Parade, I'm taking a look at a fascinating 2002 paper on art theft in Taiwan and China by Tseng Suiliang.1 I've blogged on art theft and Taiwan once before (a weird, absorbing tale), but this is the first academic piece I've located on it.Tseng begins his discussion by noting that plundering of antiquities is not new. In the late 19th century westerners began collecting art objects from Taiwan, among them the famous missionary G. L. Mackay, who built up quite a collection prior to his death in 1901. They were followed by the Japanese, who, as in so many other areas, mimicked the practices of western colonialism:It was at this time, as they looted and plundered the Taiwanese countryside, that Taiwan lost its own indigenous cultural materials. Most of these are now housed in museums in Japan such as the National Anthropological Museum in Osaka, which has more than 3,000 indigenous Taiwanese cultural objects and the National Museum in Tokyo, which houses over 1,000 such objects (Chen Oinyu, 2000: 23).Systematic looting by the Japanese, followed by neglect under the Nationalist developmentalist state, resulted in considerable cultural loss. Ironically, as the Taiwan identity expanded since the 1970s, demand for local antiquities has skyrocketed, resulting in even more plundering of local archaeological and historical sites.Since the 1990s, as interest in art has grown, art museums, galleries, and institutions have also been the targets of organized theft. The 9/21 quake, which damaged many historical sites, also triggered a wave of antiquities theft covered by the disorganization of the quake damage. Tseng also gives numerous examples of modern art disappearing:Commercial galleries with their clear indication of prices were also targeted. Thieves often disguise themselves as customers. In 1994, after a succession of six gallery thefts in the district of Daan in Taipei, the owner of one of the galleries wrote a letter to seek help from the head of the police force in Taiwan (Wang Huanzeng, 1994). Another example, in 1997, a stone sculpture by artist, Yang Zhengduan, was stolen from the Venus Gallery, a commercial gallery, in Hualian, when it was on display at its entrance. The gallery manager said that the sculpture was so heavy that he had supposed no thief would try to steal it (Anon, 1997: 128).Art theft is shaped by two factors: the sophistication of the thieves, and the demands of collectors:He Mingzhou suggests that art thieves are particularly sophisticated and well informed about the works they take. Some are art school graduates (Shi Ye, 1999: 102; Hua, 1999: 103). For example, in an early morning raid in the Gudao Art Centre in Taizhonng in 1993, thieves stole over 100 Chinese seal stones worth 30 million NT$ (£635,940). The staff indicated that the thieves seemed to be professionals regarding Chinese seal stones, because they not only picked the more valuable seals, but also left fakes untouched. They entered the centre and fled with their loot in less than seven minutes (Ma Yuanpei, 1993).With organized gangs involved in the operation, the means of disposing of stolen paintings have become particularly efficient. Groups of thieves manage thefts and control the distribution of stolen goods. Some art dealers are aware of these groups, but will not expose them. One anonymous art dealer expressed a wider concern:‘There is no point in uncovering them, as they will stay in jail for only two or three years. Anyway, most of those professional thieves will return Art smuggling and theft in Taiwan and China to stealing after they are discharged from prison. Our business policy is always to find an excuse so as to refuse the purchase of their stolen goods but not to offend them’ (Hua, 1999: 103).At the heart of these theft groups are buyers who drive the whole enterprise (Shi Ye, 1999: 101). One anonymous connoisseur, who is suspected to be a chief instigator of art theft, told a journalist that thieves can steal works of art to meet certain collectors’ demands and those collectors will give plenty of time to allow the thieves to finish the job (Hua, 1999: 104). This seems to be the reason why some thefts are of particular pieces only. In the case of the Ou Haonian raid, thieves took away only his paintings and left other valuable paintings untouched (Lin Nanyue, 1995).As Taiwanese became wealthier, they naturally turned to art from China, especially after 1987 when the China market opened, and after the 1990s, when businessmen seeking ways to repatriate money from the China market turned to smuggling art objects. This resulted in the development of highly organized, technologically advanced, internationally linked crime syndicates which specialized in art theft and art smuggling. Demand for Chinese antiquities exploded -- at one point thieves dismantled a 12 meter high Buddhist pagoda with over 3,500 bas-relief sculptures and shipped it from China to Taiwan, where the police eventually recovered it. Tseng has personal knowledge of the art market, and the level of detail in this piece is delightful. Here is part of his discussion of the use of fishing boats in art theft:Mobility of fishing boats means that smuggling is very successful. Mr. Liu, the owner of the Pushiyuan in Taipei, who used to be a poor sailor, took advantage of these boats to smuggle a great many precious seal stones to Taiwan in the early 1980s, from which he made a fortune.8 These smugglers have devised many ways to avoid detection. For example, since 1990, Taiwanese art dealers have smuggled a great number of ancient stone sculptures out of China by fishing boat. These are seldom found by the marine police, as the sculptures are trailed below the sea on metal wires (Liu Junyao, 1992).Smugglers deal with paintings and calligraphy differently. According to on-the-spot coverage by journalists of China Times Weekly, Taiwanese art dealers put them in a waterproof packaging and fix an electronic device inside. When the fishing boats approach Wuqi Port [in Taichung], fishermen throw the packages into the sea. The electronic device gives off a signal, which permits smugglers waiting at the port to detect them and gather them one by one (Zhao Musong, Huang Yuanliang , Li shiwei and Zhang Liren, 1991: 27). Old furniture, by contrast, is dismantled and packed in waterproof packaging before being loaded into fishing boats. After arriving at the port in Taiwan, the furniture is reconstructed as well as repaired in workshops (ibid.).Taiwanese businessmen move their stuff to Hong Kong and abroad by ordinary cargo containers. Tseng writes that Pan Suiyan, who owns the Regent Hotel in Taipei, recalls shipping 27 containers full of objects from China to the US. He moved so much stuff it was necessary to construct a dedicated warehouse for it.If collectors don't want to engage in antiquities smuggling themselves, organized crime has been kind enough set up a reliable illegal system (someone should write a dissertation on the existence of illegal but reliable institutions in Chinese culture, like the Mark 6 lottery, the illegal cross-strait remittance system....) to enable individuals to get the antiquities they want:Most Taiwanese art dealers or collectors do not want to risk passing through Customs in China. To meet overseas customers’ requirements, an illegal delivery service run by art dealers in China, so called ‘Pay for goods in China, take delivery of goods in Hong Kong’, was introduced in the early 1990s (Zhao Musong, Huang Yuanliang , Li Shiwei and Zhang Liren, 1991: 27). Customers just need to pay part of the money for goods as a deposit in advance after they have seen the goods in China and made a decision. Local dealers in China can help them to smuggle the goods to the hotel that they will stay at in Hong Kong as well as collect the rest of the money for the goods from the customer. Normally, only those very rare cultural objects are smuggled out of China in this way, as smugglers have to take more risks and consequently require more money to pass through the Customs. In most cases, they need to bribe the Customs officials and the police in China to escape inspection.A piece I read on this last year suggests that after drugs and weapons, the illicit trade in art is the third largest in the world. Like drugs and guns, without strong international cooperation, the global heritage is going to slowly vanish into private collections, its educational and historical value suffering grievous harm.

george winston sucks

I grew up listening to a lot of george winston. don't worry, I listened to cool music too. my first album purchase ever was paula abdul's "forever your girl", which I think I got in 1988, when I was 9 years old. I rode with my brothers to the mall and got the tape. back in the car on the way home mike made fun of me, and danny told mike to shut up as he put the tape in and we rode home. "opposites attract" and "coldhearted" started to play, and I'll never forget how it felt, hearing my new record blasting through the speakers of my brother's '79 monte carlo. I sat in the back seat, not saying a word. as a small item of personal redemption, I'll mention that my next album I remember purchasing was sting's "ten summoner's tales" which I still listen to this day.but along the way, with my elton john, U2, vertical horizon, michael jackson, indigo girls, pink floyd, ccr, paul simon, fleetwood mac records, I listened to george winston. to be honest, growing up I listened to so much music its hard to really remember. I remember devouring whatever was new (I'm still kind of like this today) so as a result, so much of what I loved at any point is now tiresome to me. and I remember making repeated attempts at jazz (I have over a hundred jazz records that I never listen to) but it never worked. jazz never moved me. it never has. and I have too much baggage with it to be able to really hear it. the home I grew up in was an eerily silent home, so as soon as I could drive, I was working as much as I could (mostly just to be free from the house), and I was spending literally all of my extra money on music. but one person I do remember from high school was george winston. of course I always loved playing piano. and winston's music always resonated with me. long, flowing lyrical pieces and melodies buried in seemingly complex piano arrangements. I remember as a teenager picking apart what he did and realizing his playing was surprisingly simple and repetitive. I dug that. and for better or worse (probably worse), the music of george winston has been a huge influence on my playing. I have spent the past 8 or 9 years trying to deconstruct that, but still, in the quiet moments when I'm pretty sure no one is listening to me play, my music sounds a lot like his. it just sort of feels like the music I have in me.so on wednesday night, when winston was playing at the carver theatre, on the north side of birmingham, I was looking forward to it. I imagined his music, which I like much less than I used to, taking me away and reminding me what he offered me 10, 15 years ago. the room was half full, and the old dingy theatre felt almost like a coffin. a relic of a city that is way past it's prime. winston is half bald, with a thick beard. he wears old, baggy jeans pulled up to his ribs. he doesn't wear shoes. his glasses are out of style. the piano is just a little out of tune. and winston gives off a vibe like he'd rather be anywhere else. drunk, perhaps, at home, alone. he takes deep breaths while he plays. and he plays stiffly, apparently unmoved by the music his fingers and locked wrists are producing.he plays the piano and the room falls quiet. and I immediately notice that the music is not there. it's somewhere else. it's like I'm watching someone else play, like he is watching himself in the mirror, in a dream. he missed countless notes. the kind of mistakes that I make at home and scream out "AHH!" out of frustration that my hands can't keep up with my mind, and then I stop, play it slower, get it right before moving on. he made huge mistakes, and never indicated that any of them bothered him. his notes, instead of being crisp and having intent, were slurred together and when combined, said nothing. beautiful melodies that should have swept me away instead were lost in the sloppiness of their execution, and what was left was a flat, lifeless soundtrack to a room already half filled with death.don't get me wrong. I loved the concert. and I got to see two old friends from high school. and it was a relaxing break from a new record I've been working really hard on. and it was good to see that george winston is still playing. and it was good to know that my music has some distinctions from george winston.and it was good to see again that music carries me, more than it carries george winston. or at least more than it was carrying him on wednesday night.

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