“These people who founded Massachusetts, they were seeking religious liberty and they were complaining about the persecutions they suffered in England. And of course, the first thing they do when they get to Massachusetts is persecute others and persecute their religion.” — Historian Andrew Preston, “The Religious Language in U.S. Foreign Policy.”
(via Puritan Clipart)
ha ha ha. gomenaisai!!!!
Jenin, West Bank (more local history here)
Warning: Very old photos from two years ago. I went on a trip with some professors.
Located in the northern parts of the West Bank in the Samarian Hills. Jenin (once known as Ginae by the Romans) was built on the ruins of the biblical En-Gannim (derived from Ein Ganim).
Jenin was conquered by the Crusaders in 1103, followed the Salah Din Al-Ayyoubi in 1187, then by Mamluks in the 13th century, Ottomans 16th century, British, Jordians, Israelis and now Palestinians. More history in this area that I can cover in a single post.
More modern history … in accordance to the Oslo Agreements, Israel agreed to yield the city to Palestinian National Authorities in 1996. The city was the site of the “Battle of Jenin” in 2002 during the Second Intifada that caused massive structural damage that can be seen today.
We weren’t allowed to bring our cars past the security check point from Israel, so we rode a taxi. The windows were blown out, and the seats were gone. I couldn’t communicate with the driver since my Arabic is so terrible, but everything went smoothly. My professor arranged a meeting with Musa Qadora, the govenor of Jenin, who showed us the city and stuffed very uncomfortable photos of the Second Intifada.
A peer of mine had brought some stuffed animals and started giving them to some kids at a refugee camp. The third photo is a large horse sculpture created from the wreckage of the battle.
San Jacinto Mountains ( more local history here)
The mountains were settled by various Amerindians years ago. Though the Serrano and Cahuilla people arrived and built villages near streams and springs. They were hunter-gatherers and they survived on small game and acorn. San Jacinto was the seasonal home to these folks. It’s fabulous hiking here during the winter because you’ll be trotting along snow, but if you look down you’ll be greeted with the view of this golden desert …
San Jacinto peak is close to 11,000 feet above sea levels. Luckily, there is a tram station that takes you far up. I’m kind of wowed how Amerindians made their way up here with moccasins so many years ago. The trails are covered with sharp rock, and from my experience at Ansel Adams Wilderness … I know how much that hurts with thin shoes.
There is a trail called Cactus to Clouds where you climb from the bottom of the mountain to the top. Most people opt to take the tram station to the near the top of the mountain, then proceed to the peak. It would be a whopping twenty-three miles to do Cactus to Clouds. I felt ashamed because as I was descending the peak, I met an old gentleman who was at least sixty and accomplished it. Apparently, he was a marathon runner. W-wow. Heh. I hope when I become an old man I’ll be as ace. Be careful about attempting the full Cactus to Clouds trail in addition to the peak. Some folks have died on that road from dehydration and cockiness.
Salton Sea, California (more local history here)
Warning: Bad photos due to a broken ten-year-old point n’ shoot.
A semi-abandoned establishment in the far reaches of the Imperial Valley, just alongside the border of Mexicali. Of course, I was stopped by border patrol, who asked me if I smoked dope or not. Le sigh!
Once inhabited by the Cahuillas, they were decimated by European diseases during the 19th century.
The Salton Sea was created due to canals dug from the Colorado River in order to create farmlands in this otherwise arid desert. During the turn of the century, American entrepreneurs poured money to fund this massive project that would cause an ecological disaster so great, the largest lake in California would be created in two years (15 by 35 miles on average) from unrelenting floods.
Within a few decades, people would capitalize on the catastrophe and created a desert oasis that became the hotspot for Southern Californian hotshots. In fact, it attracted more visitors annually than National Park Yosemite. That wouldn’t last after the water in the lake became so salinized, it was saltier than the Pacific Ocean. Fishes that were introduced to the lake died off by the thousands. The poor creatures suffocated from the lack of oxygen caused by the heat and salt. All of the species of fish are gone, except the hardy tilapia, but as you can tell by the photo, they aren’t fairing well, either. Many birds that had made the sea their home also perished from starvation and diseases. With a lack of natural run offs, and more agricultural run-offs, the “sea” is only becoming saltier with the passing of days.
What really diminished the Salton Sea community were a series of storm that battered all the houses around it, destroying resorts, tourist attractions, homes and dock. Consequently, the cities remain unfinished or abandoned. Foundations and roads built leading to nowhere … boats, homes dotting the shoreline left empty. If you look at Salton City from Google Maps, you can see the roads built, still waiting for houses that will never come.
The Ship That Sank in Victory by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris.
John Paul Jones is on board the newly-captured HMS Serapis bidding farewell to his ship, Bonhomme Richard, which, though victorious, sustained damage enough to sink her. After efforts to save her proved futile, crews were evacuated from Bonhomme Richard and she sank the morning after the battle, September 24th, 1779.
THOMAS JEFFERSON CROSSWORD - HARD
Across
1. Intellectual Movement of the 18th c.
5. Jefferson had one as a pet
8. Religion attributed to Jefferson
10. Jefferson's Mother
16. Jefferson's favorite pasta
17. Jefferson's second vice-president
19. Purchased in 1803
20. Jefferson's favorite architect
21. Jefferson's favorite subject in school
22. Governor of Virginia and Jefferson's mentor
24. Jefferson reunited with this man in 1824
25. Law professor and Jefferson's mentor
26. Jefferson Cannot Live Without Them
27. Jefferson's wife
28. Jefferson's birthplace
29. Doctor, professor, and Jefferson's mentor
Down
2. Jefferson measured and recorded this twice a day
3. Helped Peter Jefferson create a map of VA
4. Jefferson tucks this right under his chin
6. Jefferson wrote a Statute of this for VA
7. Jefferson's sexy rival
9. "Little Mountain"
11. Owned by Jefferson and used by Rep. Keith Ellison
12. Passed in 1807 to maintain American neutrality
13. Jefferson broke this while in France
14. Often used to describe Jefferson; an expert in many different subjects
15. "My Copying Machine"
18. The shape of Jefferson's grave
23. Jefferson's military academy
