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In the last decade, Wall Street has evolved from predator to organized crime with a speed dial to Washington. Instead of Washington reforming Wall Street, it has seduced and corrupted Washington. It didn’t have to come to this.
Since at least 1989, incredibly talented, hardworking men and women have been leaving high paying positions at major Wall Street institutions and alerting the public in meticulously crafted, first-hand narratives released by venerable publishing houses that Wall Street wants to rip off its clients’ faces.
On Wednesday, March 14, Greg Smith – following in the proud lineage of Micheal Lewis, Frank Partnoy and Nomi Prins – simply bypassed the tedious route of galleys and nit-picking editors and went straight to the OpEd page of the New York Times with his resignation letter decrying Goldman Sachs for abusing its clients. “It makes me ill how callously people talk about ripping their clients off. Over the last 12 months I have seen five different managing directors refer to their own clients as ‘muppets,’ sometimes over internal e-mail,” Smith said. He called the current environment at Goldman “as toxic and destructive as I have ever seen it.”
Each day since then, corporate media pundits have frenetically struggled to characterize the motives of this 33-year old earning $500,000 a year. The defining moment in this debate came in this video where Evan Newmark, Wall Street Journal columnist and a former Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, asks MarketWatch writer Jon Friedman the following question in reference to the 3 million page hits Smith’s OpEd had received on line: “Do you think Greg Smith will have an easy time monetizing his popularity?” I had to play the tape three times to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
A young man throws both caution and his career to the wind in a virtual scream for the leadership of this country to wake up to what’s still transpiring on Wall Street and a journalist for the newspaper covering Wall Street can only relate the selfless act to dollar signs. The Wall Street culture of greed is metastasizing into the larger society at a gut churning pace. The assumption by Newmark is that there is no one earning $500,000 who might love his country, its future, the next generation’s future more than his love of money.
Smith’s choice of venue for his resignation letter to Goldman was dramatic but his words were just more concrete evidence of what other Wall Street veterans have been telling the public for the past 23 years – as Congress turned a deaf ear and proceeded to remove barriers to facilitate more face ripping of customers.
In 1989, Michael Lewis wrote about his tenure at investment bank Salomon Brothers in the bestseller Liar’s Poker. According to Lewis, “It was assumed that I might well put a customer or two out of business. That was part of being a geek. There was a quaint expression when a customer went under. He was said to have been ‘blown up.’ ”
Frank Partnoy issued another wake up call to the public and Congress in 1997. In his bestseller, F.I.A.S.C.O. – Blood in the Water on Wall Street, Partnoy gave a damning assessment of Wall Street powerhouse, Morgan Stanley, where Partnoy worked as a derivatives structurer: “…my ingenious bosses became feral multimillionaires: half geek, half wolf. When they weren’t performing complex computer calculations, they were screaming about how they were going to ‘rip someone’s face off’ or ‘blow someone up.’ Outside of work, they honed their killer instincts at private skeet-shooting clubs, on safaris and dove hunts in Africa and South America, and at the most important and appropriately named competitive event at Morgan Stanley: the Fixed Income Annual Sporting Clays Outing, F.I.A.S.C.O. for short. This annual skeet-shooting tournament set the mood for the firm’s barbarous approach to its clients’ increasing derivatives losses. After April 1994, when these losses began to increase, John Mack’s [President of Morgan Stanley] instructions were clear: ‘There’s blood in the water. Let’s go kill someone.’ ” (Wall Street is serially enamored with killer talk, as I previously reported here.)
But Partnoy, now a law professor at the University of San Diego, did not stop with eye-opening books. He took his case repeatedly and directly to those who had the power to stop the financial madness before it took down the country.
On January 24, 2002, Partnoy testified before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Governmental Affairs as follows: “After 360 customers lost $11.4 billion on derivatives during the decade ending in March 1997, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission began considering whether to regulate OTC derivatives. But its proposals were rejected, and in December 2000 Congress made the deregulated status of derivatives clear when it passed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act. As a result, the OTC derivatives markets have become a ticking time bomb, which Congress thus far has chosen not to defuse…” That bomb went off on September 15, 2008. Congress had six years to act and did nothing.
Again on March 7, 2006, Partnoy testified before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs that the credit rating agencies’ “increasing oligopoly profits are a dangerous sign, a symptom of an infection spreading through the financial markets…The rating agencies are conflicted, not only because issuers pay for ratings – they also provide consulting services and threaten unsolicited ratings. The multi-trillion dollar credit derivatives industry…is opaque, volatile, and downright frightening.” It remains opaque, volatile and downright frightening today.
By March 3, 2010, Partnoy had decided perhaps pictures were worth a thousand words and gave a large screen slide presentation to the media and attendees at a conference on markets. With his past warnings left unattended until financial disaster prevailed, Partnoy still went about urging sane financial reforms that would properly deal with Wall Street’s off balance sheet debt bombs: “If financial reform doesn’t include reforms that would make Citigroups and other major financial institutions’ balance sheets look like reality instead of fiction, then financial reform isn’t going to work.”
Financial reform isn’t working; in fact, the key aspects of reform are still being negotiated with the unprosecuted inmates 20 months after the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was passed by Congress. That so-called reform legislation did not restore the most critical component: the Glass-Steagall Act, which bars commercial banks holding insured deposits from being under the same corporate ownership as their casino cousins – brokerage firms and investment banks.
Partnoy has a new book coming out in June titled Wait: The Art and Science of Delay, dealing with the timing of decision making.
Just seven days before Greg Smith poured his heart out to 3 million on-line readers, AlterNet published an interview with author and cultural critic Morris Berman conducted by Nomi Prins. Prins is a prolific Wall Street writer who worked for Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director from March of 2000 to her resignation in early 2002, capping a 15-year career on Wall Street. (Prins, together with Krisztina Ugrin, has tirelessly tracked the Fed’s trillions in bailout funds to Wall Street and posts them here.)
Berman has written a trilogy of books on the future of America and tells Prins in this interview that America is in irreversible decline; it is a nation of ignorant people and hustlers and “At this point we can no more reverse our downward trajectory than we can turn around an aircraft carrier in a bathtub.” Berman elaborates:
“The dominant thinking on the left, I suppose, is some variety of a ‘false consciousness’ argument, that the elite have pulled the wool over the eyes of the vast majority of the population, and once the latter realizes that they’ve been had, they’ll rebel, they’ll move the country in a populist or democratic socialist direction. The problem I have with this is the evident fact that most Americans want the American Dream, not a different way of life—a Mercedes-Benz, as Janis Joplin once put it. Endless material wealth based on individual striving is the American ideal, and the desire to change that paradigm is practically nonexistent. Even the poor buy into this, which is why John Steinbeck once remarked that they regard themselves as ‘temporarily embarrassed millionaires.’ ”
Now, I respect people who thoroughly research their subject and write three in-depth books with endless facts and documentation. But something was not quite right with the Berman assessment and it nagged me for an entire week until Greg Smith wrote his $2.15 billion resignation letter. (That’s the amount of market capitalization Goldman Sachs lost that day.)
I went to my bookcase and pulled out the books by Lewis, Partnoy and Prins. If hope is the last thing to die, I wanted something to cling to. I decided the very existence of these books disproved Berman’s theory.
These authors had made large salaries and succeeded on Wall Street. They gave it all up to educate the public and, hopefully, spur reforms. They have relentlessly stayed on this course despite endless disappointments delivered by a hapless Congress.
And what about the thousands of Occupy Wall Street protestors around the country who slept on concrete or dirt in fabric tents in 30 degree weather until ejected by force. How about those Occupiers who were beaten, pepper-sprayed, arrested and came right back for more. Their American Dream, like mine, is simply a level playing field, not a Mercedes-Benz. If Lewis, Partnoy and Prins were the first sounds in the rebellion, Occupy Wall Street is a shout; Greg Smith is a scream.
If one needs further evidence that hope is not yet lost, it is in the opening pages of Other People’s Money: The Corporate Mugging of America, the 2004 book Prins wrote after leaving Goldman Sachs. Prins gives a poignant and candid answer for her exodus:
When I left Wall Street, at the height of a wave of scandals uncovering scores of massively destructive deceptions, my choice was based on a very personal sense of right and wrong…So, when people who didn’t know me very well asked me why I left the banking industry after a fifteen-year climb up the corporate ladder, I answered, ‘Goldman Sachs.’
“For it was not until I reached the inner sanctum of this autocratic and hypocritical organization – one too conceited to have its name or logo visible from the sidewalk of its 85 Broad Street headquarters [now relocated to 200 West Street] that I realized I had to get out…The fact that my decision coincided with corporate malfeasance of epic proportions made me realize that it was far more important to use my knowledge to be part of the solution than to continue being part of the problem.”
I decided to reach out to Partnoy and Prins with the following question: “What is the one thing that could happen in America today that would make you optimistic that the country will find its moorings in time to save itself.” They responded as follows:
Frank Partnoy: “One crucial thing is for Americans to rediscover the importance of the rule of law. Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said that the law is a prediction of what a judge will do. For decades, that common law notion helped reinforce a culture of respect and ethics as people in private and public life came to understand that if they did something wrong, a judge would ultimately assess their conduct and punish them for it. Unfortunately, today we live in a country of rules, not law, and judges are largely absent from policy making. These rules differentially affect people based on their race, social and economic status, and — most importantly — whether they work on Wall Street. The wealthy avoid rules; the poor cannot. Until we approach white collar crime as we do street crime, Americans will be justified in their lack of respect for the legal order. And respect for law is the backbone of any society.”
Nomi Prins: “Any potential for a more positive outcome would have to rise from a broad population push that renders the 99% more influential. True reform won’t manifest from the highest echelons of political chambers or corporate boardrooms. Inequality won’t be lessened because the wealthiest individuals decide to spontaneously share. It is up to individuals to pay more attention to their collective, rather than personal surroundings, despite all media messages to the contrary. Indeed, we need to spend more time examining what’s going on, and not zoning out on some sound bite about a Kardashian. We need to band together, as in the Occupy movements, or even in local communities, to demand an alternative system and become a more unified society. Unfortunately, so much of our current framework is stacked against this, starting with the sheer cost of living which demands so much of our energy. It all comes down to embracing the human drive to connect, rather than merely survive.”
Prins has written a novel, Black Tuesday, which reminds us of the parallels between today’s systemic Wall Street corruption and that of 1929. The heroine, Leila, is given a missive by her Aunt. “Sometimes you don’t find your cause, Leila…Your cause finds you. There is a fight buried in all of us.”
Will that fight be unearthed in enough people to make a difference? Time is not our friend.
Pam Martens worked on Wall Street for 21 years. She spent the last decade of her career advocating against Wall Street’s private justice system, which keeps its crimes shielded from public courtrooms. She maintains, along with Russ Martens, an ongoing archive dedicated to this financial era at www.WallStreetOnParade.com. She has no security position, long or short, in any company mentioned in this article. She is a contributor to Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion, forthcoming from AK Press. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org

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Some of the best village ramparts in France
We changed our plans yet again today! We needed services and some shopping so drove a kilometre or so to the Intermarche supermarket on the edge of Elvas. Bless them for providing free motorhome services. Having dropped waste and refilled the water tank we then headed for Pingo Doce supermarket next door as we had not had a proper look around this chain before.
The original plan was to do all this and then go to the big C18/C19 Fort de Graça but in the end we decided to go and see the older smaller fort on the south side of Elvas. The Forte de Santa Luzia was started in 1642 and protects the southern flank of the town. It is on a hill a short way from the main ramparts but is actually connected to the main town by a 2km pedestrian tunnel so that supplies and people could move to and fro in safety. The first 150m of that tunnel have been restored and can be explored – I am glad I did not have to carry supplies through there as it was narrow and quite low.
We spent well over an hour walking around the ramparts and exploring the central redoubt with the small governor’s house perched on top. Great views all around. By the time we had finished and were back on Bertie it was quite late and we had still not had lunch (or even a coffee!!). We drove to the middle carpark at Fort De Graça on the otherside of town. This is a peaceful and fairly level car park half way up the access road to the fort. The top car park is quite sharply sloped and not suitable for Bertie for anything other than simple parking. There was another van when we arrived but that did not stay the night. We had a peaceful night and enjoyed the view back to Elvas with the floodlit walls.
We woke to quite mist start – Elvas had disappeared! However by the time we had got up and had breakfast etc the sun had risen high enough to burn off the mist. We drove Bertie up the last, steep section of road to the top car park which had great views but was defintely not suitable for sleeping! We were the only public vehicle there when we arrived!
This fort is much bigger than Forte Sante Luzia and is about a 100 years younger. It is built on a hill that is some 40m above the town and was thought to be of such strategic importance that they could not afford to lose control of these heights – hence this seriously strong fort was built. We spent three hours looking around – the walk around the outer ramparts is around a mile in itself! You can walk around the ditch within that ring but we skipped that! Then it was in to the next ring of bulwarks and ravelins – this walk was shorter but we did also explore inside the bulwarks which are full of (empty) rooms and you can walk around the fort entirely within these rooms beneath the second ring of defensives. In the centre is the Central Redoubt built on several levels. The lowest level which we did not see is the great cistern that stored all the rainwater that fell on the fort and was designed to hold enough water to supply the garrison for several months. The first level you can visit consists of two huge corridors (well long halls really) that cross the redoubt and make a cross shape. There are other smaller rooms in the quarters of the cross. The next level up contains a large number of smaller rooms that all interconnect around the dome above the crossing of the big corridors. The next level up is the roof of the redoubt on which is built the grand governor’s house and above that is yet another flat roof that makes an observation deck and is the last level you can visit. The views from this level are stunning indeed! Some photos below to give you an idea.
After lunch back at the middle car park we decided we did not have enough time to get all the way to Marvão but we could get to the aire at Arronches just 20 miles up the road and that would make for an easy drive the next day.
Arronches was perfect – a nice purpose built aire beside the river on the edge of this small town. Space for 6 vans but we had it all to ourselves. As we sat on Bertie we heard some rather loud engines racing and every so often a mud-splattered 4×4 would belt along the little road across the river and then over the bridge and up in to town. It sounded like a rally! Having a walk around the town that evening we found them all parked up in the main square having a bit of a shindig! The posters suggested this was a local event organised by and in aid of the local volunteer fire and rescue service (Bombedeiros).
According to Google Maps the main tourist attraction here is the Toy Museum so in gratitude for our peaceful nights sleep we felt we should go and visit this. It was a good walk across the town, through the old quarter with its narrow streets and past the fine church. The church door was open so we decided to have a look. It was a dramatic structure with a high stone vaulted roof supported by quite slim stone column. The lovely lady on the desk gave us a leaflet with some English info and a book that they had produced a few years ago made of photos of the church and lots of quotes from visitors book in past years.
Sadly the toy museum had a sign on the door saying that the museum would be closed today due to staff sickness! Never mind we had a good walk around the town and we had visited the Church.
Back at Bertie we wanted to fill up with water and empty our waste. The latter was fine but sadly the water point accepted our €2 coin but failed to give us any water at all! Grrr. We had both had hot showers this morning secure in the knowledge that we could refill this morning! Rather took the shine off Arranches.
First stop today was the Leclerc supermarket at Portalegre some 20kms up the road. We found this without trouble and refilled Bertie’s LPG tank. With the best diesel price we had seen for a while we also topped the diesel tank too and then did some shopping.
Finally we could head up into the hills to Marvão a place I have wanted to visit since I read about it in the Our Tour blog when I first dreamed of doing a long European motorhome trip. It was quite a short drive but quite a climb up as this town is built on top of a high ridge of rock that dominates the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park just east of Portalegre. I had seen the photos and I had read the blog but the reality was something else. The motorhome park is a bit below the town but even so it is high and has outstanding views both across the valley to Spain but also up to the walls of the town and its impressive castle. The parking is quite basic, the marked pitches are quite narrow and they slope quite a bit. There are services but the tap will not take a hose so we had to use a can to fill Bertie’s water tank. This last is a hassle as it means you have to remove the cushions from one side of the dinette, lift the flap above the water tank and open the vent in to the top of the tank and tip the water in from the can very carefully! Anyway this location is worth all that imperfection!
Today was dedicated to exploring Marvão town and castle. Totally amazing. We took loads of photographs even though we knew that these could not do justice to this amazing place. 2,800 feet up and occupying the whole top of this rocky ridge it commands enormous views in all directions. We visited the church of St James, the municipal museum, the castle and the old town hall. We also had a nice meal in a small restaurant with terrific views (it was the 41st anniversary of the day we moved in to our first flat together!). We also watched three Bonelli’s eagles soaring above us – glorious. Some photos of town and castle below – but you really have to come and see this and no photo will ever be good enough.
This is an amazing country – we have seen so much and I know we are skipping 80% of what it has to offer. If we get the chance to do a trip like this again I could happily spend several months just in Portugal and we could probably visit a different castle, dolmen, roman site or medieval town everyday and still get around them all!
Tomorrow we will cross the River Tagus which is the river that flows through Lisbon and then we are about half way up the eastern border of Portugal.

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Looking for exciting, cultural and beautiful things to do in Kotor? You’re in the right place. This charming town in Montenegro is one of my favourite places I’ve visited this year (and that’s high praise with destinations like Bled, Venice, Lisbon, and the Algarve for competition).
I didn’t know what to expect from Kotor, or Montenegro in general. Would it be similar to its northern neighbour, Croatia, or resemble the other Balkan countries like Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina? Would it be full of cruise ships or an undiscovered paradise?
Saying that, Kotor isn’t super cheap or quiet compared to its neighbour Balkan countries. It’s a well-known holiday destination and one of the country’s more expensive destinations alongside Budva and Tivat.
Despite the prices being higher than I’m used to in the Balkans, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Montenegro. The many attractions in Kotor – not to mention the fantastic day trips, rich history and tantalising cuisine – kept me well occupied and keen to return one of these days.
Read next: my Balkans travel itinerary
How to get to Kotor
By air: the largest airport (from which you’ll get the cheapest flights) is Podgorica Airport, a 1.5-hour drive from Kotor. By public transport, catch a €1.20 train from Aerodrom Podgorica train station then from the Central Bus Station, board a cross-country bus (2 hours) for around €7 to Kotor Bus Station, a 5-minute walk from Kotor Old Town.
There’s also Tivat Airport, a 10-minute drive or bus ride from Kotor. However, expect flights to be pricier.
By bus: from Kotor Bus Station, you’re well connected to Tirana, Albania (6 hours), Shkoder, Albania (4 hours) and Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina (5 hours). Use busticket4me to buy tickets (these usually need to be printed) or buy them at the station the day before.
Tip – you need to pay a €2 bus station fee when departing Kotor. If you brought your ticket online, make sure to have cash left over and go inside the station to buy your token. There’s also a €1 luggage fee payable to the driver.
How long to spend in Kotor?
Although one day is enough in Kotor town, I’d urge you to spend longer exploring the surrounding region.
I spent a second day on a Boka Bay cruise, a third day visiting Perast village (although this could be condensed into a half day) and a fourth day on the Great Montenegro tour visiting locations like Skadar Lake.
You could also spend a fifth day touring the northern highlights like Durmitor National Park and Ostrog Monastery. You could also visit Budva as a day trip. So, I would suggest spending five days in Kotor because even if you don’t take all the excursions listed, it’s a lovely place to relax.
Where to stay in Kotor
There are plenty of accommodation options in Kotor and the Old Town is undoubtedly the most charming option. Waking up amidst the charming warren of golden passageways and hunting for coffee is the best way to start a day!
For backpackers – Old Town Kotor Hostel
Old Town is the best budget accommodation in Kotor and, according to the Telegraph, one of the best hostels in Europe!
I had the pleasure of staying here for 5 nights in a cosy, ensuite 6-bed dorm. Not only is it right in the heart of the Old Town but my room was up in the rafters and I bagged a single bed rather than a bunk. Backpacking win!
Other perks include security lockers, a swimming pool and daily tours and Kotor activities like boat trips and sunset barbeques. I can vouch for the latter which took us to an old hillside bunker with spectacular views.
Old Town Kotor Hostel is a fantastic place to make friends with a social vibe but not an overly hectic ‘party’ vibe: I still got a good night’s sleep. Better yet, they’re an inclusive hostel, making a point of supporting solo female travellers as well as LGBT+ travellers.
Things to do in Kotor, Montenegro
Now for the good stuff! Here are the best places in Kotor to explore, sightsee, eat, drink and more…
Climb to San Giovanni Fortress
That imposing fortress towering above Kotor? Yep, I’m about to make you climb it 😉
I promise it’s worth it! The fortress hike is probably the number one thing to do in Kotor: you soak up fantastic views of the Old Town and coastline, experiencing centuries of history along the way.
I was glad I hiked to the fortress of San Giovanni (or St John to English speakers) during my first evening in Kotor because I got the hard stuff out of the way, leaving me to relax and feel accomplished for the rest of my trip.
The Fortress was built over the course of 1,000 years (beginning in the 9th century) and as a result, reflects different civilisations and architectural styles. With the initial purpose of defence, it offered a clear view of approaching enemies across the fjord (the only way in with the drastic Dinaric Alps in the other direction).
Everyone from the Illyrians to the Romans, Byzantines and Venetians left their mark on the fortress. During the latter, it survived Ottoman invasions and earthquakes, the latest in 1979.
The walk is a steep one of 120 metres or around 1,350 stairs that can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours depending how speedy you are, and how often you stop to take photos! I set off at 6pm and was back in the Old Town just after 8pm having completed the hike and snapped many sunset shots.
Tip – you don’t need to pay €8 at the front entrance! The not-so-secret Ladder of Kotor gets you in the back way for free. The route is easy to follow and even the starting point is marked on Google Maps.
I’d argue the views on this hike are even better than the official route, plus you pass a local house, the Cheese Shop where the owners will serve you homemade snacks with pomegranate juice or beer while you play with the friendly street cats.
Tips for the fortress climb:
- Wear comfortable shoes – hiking boots are not necessary but running shoes with good grip are recommended as it can be slippy on the way down. No flip-flops, please!
- Go early in the morning (before 8am if possible) to beat the heat or later in the day for sunset
- If going for sunset, aim to leave the summit soon after so you’re not walking down in the dark. Take your photos on the way up
- Bring enough water, and wear a hat and sunscreen.
Take the free walking tour
You know I love free walking tours (and if you don’t because you just found my blog, come follow along my adventures)! They’re always so interesting and informative with local guides who know their city inside out. I’d recommend taking one on day 1 to get a broad overview of the top attractions in Kotor and work out which to return and explore in greater depth.
The Kotor free walking tour starts from the Marimite Museum and tours the most popular places in Kotor. In peak season, they recommend reserving a spot for €1 on their website. Not exactly free but also not likely to break the bank. You’re free to give a tip if you enjoy the tour (I usually give around €5).
Old Town alleyways
The alleys of the Stari Grad (Old Town) are a delight. Set aside time to meander aimlessly and see what you find. Although there are lots of lovely cafes, souvenirs and street cats to stumble upon, it’s a small city that will soon start to feel familiar. Luckily, as Google Maps is tricky to follow down the tight streets!
Browse Kotor Bazaar
Although there are beautiful stores all around town selling lanterns, chinaware and accessories, the best place in Kotor for shoppers is Kotor Bazaar. Beside St Nikolas Church, this charming market is accessed via ancient stone arches. It’s only small but will keep you busy for 15 minutes during your Kotor sightseeing.
Climb Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral
Another popular thing to do in Kotor Old Town is climb to the balcony of Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral. Explore almost a millennia of history at this Romanesque Catholic church built in 1166.
It’s worth paying the €3 to venture inside and see gold and silver relics and frescoes (religious wall paintings). The museum above the church is only small (without much explanation about the items displayed) but there are a few interesting things to see. The highlight is the view from the terrace over the ancient square.
Opening times: 9am-6pm daily.
More churches – St Nikolas & Luka
Many of the key attractions in Kotor Old Town are religious buildings. If you’re interested, tour notable examples including Saint Nicholas Church beside the Bazaar. The Serbian flag above the door indicates it’s a Serbian Orthodox cathedral (history buffs will know that Serbia and Montenegro only split into two countries in 2006). Pop your head inside and admire the intricate decor.
Meanwhile, the Church of St. Luke dating from 1195 is a curious place because it has both a Catholic and Greek Orthodox chapel inside, indicating how the two religions peacefully coexisted while sharing the mutual goal of fighting the Ottomans.
It’s free to enter both the above churches.
Kotor Cat Museum
There are only a few cat museums around the world and, luckily for feline fans, Kotor is home to one of them. From cats pictured in artwork through the ages to photographed with soldiers throughout wars, there’s plenty to browse alongside exhibits like medals and coins.
Kotor Cats Museum is a small museum with just two rooms and a corridor connecting them. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in density of exhibits: every available surface is plastered with cat imagery, memorabilia, posters and photos.
Honestly, the Cats Museum of Kotor won’t win any awards as the best museum in the world, but it’s a cute and quirky place to visit in Kotor. You’ll be given an info sheet about the numbered exhibits.
Opening times: 10am-8pm daily. Entry is just €1!
Since there are no cats there (prompting several negative reviews and a sarky notice at the museum’s entrance defining what a museum is!), cat lovers will think the following is one of the top things to do in Kotor…
Meet street cats
When you wander the streets of Kotor, any surprise about the existence of a cat museum will disappear. The streets are teeming with furry friends, all well-fed and notably plump.
Legend has it that rats arrived on boats and became a nuisance in the city. Cats were brought to catch them which worked for a while. But with the arrival of tourists came sympathetic snacks and morsels of restaurant dinners dropped on the ground.
Now that the cats have become a Kotor tourist attraction, they’re too pampered to catch mice!
Wander through the Sea Gate
Connecting the famed fortress, the Walls of Kotor flank the Old Town. There are a few entrance points including the well-preserved Sea Gate, built in 1555 under Venetian rule. Spot the classic Venetian lion carving above the gate.
The gate is inscribed with a star commemorating liberation from the Nazis and a quote from ex-Yugoslavian leader, Tito, reading ‘Tuđe nećemo – svoje ne damo’ (what belongs to others we don’t want, what is ours we will never surrender).
Shop at the Kotor Farmer’s Market
This fresh market close to the Sea Gate is the belly of the city, selling locally-produced meat, cheese, fish and veggies. If your accommodation has a kitchen and you plan to reduce your travel budget by cooking, why not ditch the supermarket and swing by?
Another perk of visiting is to meet the locals and see how people would have shopped in days gone by.
Note – although the market takes place in the day, there are a few crepe stands here on the street at night. They’re nothing gourmet but if you fancy a Nutella crepe for €2, you know where to go!
Learn about the history at the Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is one of the best places in Kotor to learn about the city’s history, largely tied to nautical events. You’ll find artefacts, traditional dress, paintings, detailed models of famous ships, bottles built for sailor’s messages, seamen’s dairies and the famous ‘Pulena’ head from Giurko ship (Dobrota, 1870-1895).
Entry is €5 including an audio guide (if you’re staying at Old Town Hostel, get a stamp from reception for €2 entry although the audio guide isn’t included).
Opening times: from 8am daily until 11pm in July and August and 6pm the rest of the year. On Sundays on public holidays, it’s open from 9am-1pm.
Bask at Kotor Beach (and take the bay walk to Dobrota)
This small beach a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town is your best bet for a dip in the ocean without having to drive or take a boat trip across the bay. Despite the painful rocks when walking barefoot into the sea, it’s a decent beach with facilities like loungers should you need them.
The beach is on the cusp of the Dobrota neighbourhood, a chilled part of Kotor with fewer crowds. For a leisurely afternoon activity, take a walk along the oceanfront to St. Matthias Church, a bright orange Catholic church with beautiful views out to sea.
Note: Kotor Beach gets crowded in peak season so you might want to avoid the middle of the day. Sunset could be your best bet: the crowds leave early as the mountain opposite causes the sun to set early.
Take a city walk at night
If you’re looking for things to do in Kotor once the sun goes down, there are of course restaurants and bars. Between the two, you might enjoy taking a walk along the old City Walls.
By this, I DON’T mean the mountainous section! That would be extremely dangerous. I refer to the section near the Sea Gate, separating the Old Town from the market area and the water. With the various ramparts and bastions lit up at night, it’s an atmospheric sight to behold.
Further afield things to do in Kotor
The Stari Grad (Old Town) is very small and can be seen in a day. As you might remember, I earlier suggested staying up to five days. So what to do in Kotor with that time?
Well, the charm of Kotor, in my opinion, is not just the charming city but the incredible surroundings. With ocean, caves, mountains and other natural and manmade points of interest, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Montenegro is small enough that you can use Kotor as a base to explore the country.
I’d suggest choosing some (or all) of the following activities around Kotor…
Take a Boka Bay cruise
I can enthusiastically vouch for a boat trip as one of the best things to do around Kotor. Since there aren’t a whole load of swimming spots in walking distance of the Old Town, it’s a must for wannabe mermaids like myself. We had at least 5 opportunities to jump off the boat into the glimmering ocean!
I took my tour with 360 Monte or you can browse all Kotor boat tours on GetYourGuide.
Another reason to take a boat trip is to visit the following points of interest near Kotor…
Our Lady of the Rocks
A quaint church with terracotta tiles, a blue domed roof and a backdrop of the Montenegrian mountains, appearing to float upon the ocean. Can you imagine anything more picturesque?
This island is made from rocks and sunken ships created when – according to legend – a group of fishermen found an image of the Virgin Mary floating upon the location. Taking it as a sign, they began the 500-year mission of building the island and church in her honour.
If you happen to visit on July 22, you’ll witness locals throwing stones into the water to celebrate this important date.
The only way to access the island is by boat; either a quick journey from Perast village just across the bay, or as part of a Boka Bay cruise from Kotor.
Swim through the Blue Cave
One of the most famous places to visit from Kotor is the Blue Cave named, not especially adventurously, after the spectacular colour of the water. It’s crystal clear and a brilliant shade of blue.
Similar to the one near Croatian island, Vis, that many people discover as a day trip from Split, the sun reflecting into the cave at certain times of day makes the sea seem even brighter than normal. Visit on a sunny day, if you can, as the effect will be even more striking.
My only complaint is that smaller boats drive right into the cave as you swim through, often shouting at you to move over. Not so relaxing!
During our Boka Bay cruise, we also had the chance to peek inside the abandoned Submarine Tunnel built by the Yugoslav army. When fake rocks were placed at their entrance, the cave was invisible to enemy planes and satellites.
The tunnel is around 100m long and, if your boat trip allows, you can swing to the end and back.
This luxurious town on the banks of Kotor Bay was a stop on my boat tour, however you could also visit as a day trip by car, bus or taxi from Kotor or even stay overnight (it’s close to Tivat Airport).
If you’re expecting a quaint town, think again: Tivat has a reputation for superyachts and designer stores! It’s not my scene but it might be yours. It’s an opportunity to treat yourself, eat delicious seafood for lunch and browse the fancy stores.
Venture along the coast to Perast
When you’ve finished sightseeing in Kotor Old Town, there are few better excursions than a trip to Perast, a coastal village almost too tranquil to be real. It only takes 20 minutes to drive from Kotor to Perast making it an easy half-day trip.
Around an hour is enough to wander the sublime village spotting attractions like the Church of St Nicholas with its 55m bell tower and Bujovic Palace, and there are plenty of restaurants serving fresh seafood and Perast cake, although expect prices to be set with tourism in mind. A budget option is to pack a picnic or wait to eat back in Kotor.
Since Kotor is just across from Our Lady of the Rocks, it’s possible to board a small boat (€5) taking just a few minutes to arrive there. Look across to Boka Bay’s second floating island: St George’s (Sveti Đorđe) which sadly can’t be visited.
Getting to Perast: Plenty of day tours stop in Perast or, alternatively, you can drive or take the public bus for €1.50 each way (what I did). It departs at 15 minutes past the hour from the bus stop beside Kamelija shopping centre and returns at 25 past the hour from the parking area by Perast beach, although don’t be surprised if it’s on ‘Balkans time’ AKA slightly late.
If you’re looking for fun and active things to do in Kotor, why not try river rafting? I didn’t do this myself but I spoke to several people of all ages who’d had a great time. A 12-hour return day trip including equipment, guides, lunch and a full day of adventures at Tara River Canyon will cost around €90.
Great Montenegro tour
I had a spectacular day with 360 Monte on their Great Montenegro tour exploring some of the most majestic parts of this spectacular country. A few highlights include:
- Coastal views over Boka Bay
- Panoramic views from Lovćen Mountain beside the mausoleum of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, the Montenegrin leader and poet
- Local cheese and smoked prosciutto in the village of Njeguši (€5 for a personal platter and drink; not included in the tour price)
- A historical walking tour in Cetinje, the former royal capital
- Cruising and swimming at Skadar Lake, the biggest lake in the Balkans
- Fresh seafood for lunch (€15 for three courses; not included in the tour price)
- Sunset over the Budva Riviera and photo-worthy Sveti Stefan islet.
This tour is a great option if you don’t have loads of time and want to see a lot of Montenegro in one day. We left at 9am and got back around 8pm.
Tour North Montenegro: Ostrog Monastery, Tara Canyon & Durmitor Nat Park
The other popular tour for those looking to explore Montenegro from their base of Kotor is the North Tour visiting three particularly special places: 17th-century Ostrog Monastery, 4,300-metre Tara Canyon & UNESCO Heritage Durmitor National Park.
This tour departs Kotor early, around 7am. It’s not when anyone likes to wake up on holiday but it’s worth it for these spectacular sights!
Where to eat in Kotor
So, to the important stuff! As a self-confessed foodie, it’s no surprise my Kotor sightseeing was choc-a-bloc with restaurant and cafe breaks. Some of the best places in Kotor to go eat include:
Since Kotor isn’t the cheapest of cities, I was thrilled to find a cheese and meat platter with a glass of wine for €10.99. It wasn’t the best wine but you can’t quibble at these prices! Everything else was very tasty.
Marinaio have just a few outdoor tables close to the famous umbrella street. It was surprisingly empty when I visited in early September so perhaps this hidden gem is going under most tourists’ radars.
After enjoying my food on a Sunday evening, a live Cuban band started playing, turning the area into a spontaneous street party. So fun!
For tasty food on a budget, it’s all about €3 slices from Pizza Pronto. If you have good luck, a fresh batch will be waiting… Sadly I got the last piece from a batch which was cold!
You can also order whole pizzas, either sit-in or to-go. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with both the pizza quality and price here.
I ate at Cafe Mone three times in five days although you won’t believe it because I forgot to take any photos. They serve coffee, cakes, salads, healthy wraps and breakfast dishes like avocado and poached eggs on toast. Prices aren’t bad; I paid €12 for breakfast, coffee and juice.
True story: I was on my way to a vegetarian restaurant when a fellow travel blogger invited me to BBQ Tanjga. What a 360 – it was the meatiest of meat feasts! Although tourists do visit, this no-frills grill house feels off-the-beaten-track due to its location outside the city walls.
Meat platters for one person start at €10 although my friend and I got the €15 platter pictured to share (it was definitely enough although we could have done with extra fries). There are also €38 ones that feed up to four.
With over 2,000 reviews and 4.8 stars on Google, it’s a must-visit in Kotor for meat lovers!
If I had to summarise Marshall’s Gelato in one word, it’s ‘pistachio’. I’ve never had such delicious, creamy pistachio ice cream anywhere. They also do a bunch of other flavours including vegan ones.
With a huge range of tasty desserts and ice creams (and options for vegans), Cattarissimo is easily one of the top places in Kotor for dessert. We visited for an after-dinner dessert of local cream cake that reminded me of Bled cream cake in Slovenia.
This restaurant just outside of the Old Town makes a change from the local cuisine and is probably the best place for veggies and vegans in Kotor. They have lots of Asian options like Vietnamese spring rolls, teriyaki dishes and coconut curries as well as general comfort foods like veggie burgers and fries.
Prices at Restobar Taraca are affordable and there’s a lovely terrace area overlooking the river (book in advance to get a seat in peak season).
Headed to Croatia next? Check out my many Croatia blog posts!
Thanks for reading!
I hope you have a better idea of what to do in Kotor, where to eat and which day trips to take. It’s a beautiful place with even more beautiful surroundings. Enjoy!
Don’t forget to use my Montenegro itinerary to plan your trip!
More Balkan blogs:
- Balkans itinerary for up to 2 months
- 27 things to do in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- What to do in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Why to visit Sarajevo
- What to do in Belgrade, Serbia
- Is Belgrade, Serbia worth a visit?
- 32 things to do in Pristina, Kosovo
- The perfect Albania itinerary
- Hiking Valbona Pass in the Albanian Alps
- What to do in Tirana, Albania
- What to to in Skopje, North Macedonia
- How to spend a weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria
- 1 week Croatia itinerary
- Ultimate Slovenia itinerary
- Things to do in Split
- Things to do in Dubrovnik
- 32 top Zagreb attractions
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TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING MONTENEGRO
Getting there by air – I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going.
Driving in Europe – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals in European countries (and all around the world).
For hotels and self-catering apartments, I use Booking.com. You can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld.com.
To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters, a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets.
Browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide.
Need travel insurance? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s affordable but covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote.
For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.
Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and budget tips from my 10+ years on the road!


DJI Inspire 2
DJI Inspire 2 is a real work horse. There are lots of cameras and accessories, making Inspire 2 one of the most popular drones for professional film and photo work. Inspire 1 was a revolutionary droner when released at the end of 2014 and part of what made it so good is of course to be found on Inspire 2, such as the folding arm structure that ensures that no part of the drone is seen in the picture - even under the most extreme flight conditions.
The list of opportunities is long
DJI Inspire 2 has a newly developed image processor where data management moved into the chassi instead of directly in the camera as in its predecessor and its cameras. The video resolution is up to 5.2K in CinemaDNG or Apple ProRes. Catching fast action scenes is easy as the drone accelerates from 0-80 km/h in five seconds, reaching a top speed of 93 km/h and having a maximum climbing speed of 6 m/s.
Two batteries at each flight provide increased security in terms of redundancy and a 27-minute flight time with the Zenmuse X4S camera. All batteries have their own built-in heating, which makes it possible to fly even at lower temperatures (down to -20°C).
Built-in FPV camera
The Video transmission system is updated with dual signal frequencies and two separate channels, capable of providing both streaming video from the built-in FPV camera and the main camera simultaneously. This simplifies the cooperation between the pilot and camera operator and is a highly appreciated feature.
Next to the FPV camera there are two Vision Sensors, which together with other sensors pointing upwards and downwards constantly scan the surroundings, and avoid or stop for physical obstacles. The forward sensors have a range of up to 30 meters enabling flying up to 54 km/h with the sensors turned on.
Intelligent Flight Modes
Flying actively while concentrating on camera movements is not always easy, -especially not when it is done at almost 100 km/h. DJI provide tools to simplify this with a variety of intelligent flight modes.
Spotlight Pro is a powerful image algorithmic tracking mode that allows even uneexperienced pilots to handle complex and dramatic video sequences. Image analysis locks the intended object in image while in flight. In Quick Mode, you start immediately tracking the object, and in Composition Mode you track along a predefined route.
If the camera reaches its maximum rotation limit in any direction, Inspire 2 automatically rotates in the same direction to completely spin the camera without any restrictions. All this happens completely automatically without affecting flight and video results.
Click on the image and Inspire 2 flies there. You can also determine the speed in this mode, then concentrate on the camera's movements instead.
Select an object in the image by dragging a box around it. Inspire 2 then follows the object while trying to keep the same perspective all the time. You can control the drone at any angle at any time, and when you release, it keeps the perspective even in motion.
Smart Return To Home
During flight, video data is recorded in the background. This video is used to find the track back to start position if you lose the radio signal. With image analysis, Inspire 2 can understand where it has been, and can fly the same route back to avoid any obstacles in its way.
Improved Video and Communication Link
The range of control and video transmission is up to 4 km for the European version. You can control all features by yourself, or add an additional remote control or latest Cendence to share tasks in an easier way. The transmission can be alternated between 2.4 Ghz and 5.8 Ghz. The latter frequency gives a shorter reach, but could be a good option in urban areas or other places where there are many sources of disturbance on the conventional 2.4 Ghz band. Pilot and cameraman can stand up to 100m apart in Dual Remote Setup.
You can send video directly from Inspire 2 in the format 1080i50 or 720p60 to, for example, a transmitter bus. An additional handheld is then used as a receiver and connected via HDMI. If you add a Cendence handheld controller, you can use SDI link instead.
This is included in the package
1 x Inspire 2 Drone
1 x Cendence Remote Controller
1 x CinemDNG License (Pre installed)
1 x Apple ProRes License (Pre installed)
4 x Propeller pairs
2 x Intelligent batteries (TB50)
1 x Charger + power cord
1 x Charging hub+ power cord
1 x USB Cable
1 x MicroSD Card 16GB
1 x Vision System Calibration Plate
3 x Gimbal dampers
1 x Mounting Kit for Propellers
1 x Transport Box (regarded as delivery package)


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Ten residents were taken to native hospitals, where one died, he said. A massive hearth broke out early Tuesday at an assisted-residing facility in Rockland County — killing a minimum of one resident, and leaving a firefighter unaccounted for. Flames engulfed the large building, and there have been numerous roof and wall collapses.
The firefighter who is unaccounted for was on the third flooring rescuing a resident, Kear mentioned. Firefighters went in but could not find him and they needed to back out. Shortly thereafter, firefighters discovered that the fire was truly on the second floor, in an condo indirectly below the place the fireplace was discovered, based on the report. “Thankfully, the hardwired smoke alarms, installed after a fire in March of 2016, woke residents and allowed them to flee unharmed,” mentioned Whytock. “The nature of this massive woodframe building that has had numerous renovation throughout it’s history makes for a lot of large hidden voids spaces which allow fire to travel just about undetected,” he stated. “These voids are sometimes difficult to entry and present harmful conditions for firefighters.”
As Mazzeo and Cole raced to the third flooring, where the smoke appeared to be coming from, mutual help started arriving, with a last total of 15 personnel from Rockland bringing with them Rockland Squad 3, Tower three, Engines 1 and 2, Rescues 1, 2, 3 and Car 1. Approximately 40 mutual aid personnel arrived from Rockport, Camden, Northeast Mobile Health, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Owls Head, Warren and Waldoboro. People with limited mobility or special wants can enroll in the Rockland County Access & Functional Needs Registry, in order that emergency personnel are aware of your needs in the occasion of an emergency.
Media Contact For Rockland Fireplace Electrical
The Fire Protection District contracts with the Libertyville and Lake Forest hearth division to offer services. The Libertyville Fire Department services the realm north of the railroad tracks; Lake Forest responds to calls south of the tracks. First arriving units found heavy smoke billowing from one window and flames displaying inside of another. For two hours, smoke continued to pour from the east dealing with home windows as Rockland Fire referred to as for second and third alarms, adopted by an additional request for an Engine truck. Crews quickly started preventing the flames on both flooring, getting the fire underneath control within minutes, but intensive overhaul and opening of walls and ceilings saved most personnel at the scene until 5 a.m.
- Approximately 40 mutual help personnel arrived from Rockport, Camden, Northeast Mobile Health, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Owls Head, Warren and Waldoboro.
- ROCKLAND — Rockland Fire and mutual help firefighters from area towns once more mustered this morning simply before eight a.m.
- Firefighters from Rockland, Rockport and Camden returned a number of hours later when some smoldering insulation in the attic ignited the wood ceiling joist adjoining to it.
- One firefighter suffered a minor harm and has been treated and released from the local hospital.
- Approximately one hundred to a hundred twenty five residents lived within the constructing — but the exact quantity of people that had been there on the time has yet to be determined.
Firefighters from Rockland, Rockport and Camden returned a few hours later when some smoldering insulation within the attic ignited the wooden ceiling joist adjacent to it. Firefighters then eliminated almost all the third ground ceiling and insulation as well as wetting all the fire areas again. “The void area fireplace resulted in two holes in the ground, in two flats, making safely accessing the fire much more dangerous,” stated Whytock. Please see our cancellations page for up to date info on meeting, event, class and exam cancellations and/or postponements. Sign up at alert.ny.gov/enroll to have emergency information despatched to you by way of textual content or e mail.
Update: Possible Cause Recognized In Elusive Main Street Rockland Fireplace
There had been “quite a few reports of residents trapped,” Rockland County hearth coordinator Chris Kear mentioned at a morning press conference. The Department of Fire Services helps maintain communities safe. We provide firefighter coaching, public education, hearth prevention, code enforcement, licensing, fireplace investigation, hazardous materials response, and emergency response.
Kear initially said he might have been making an attempt to save a feminine resident, who was additionally unaccounted for, when he grew to become trapped, Kear mentioned.
Rockland County Aoh St Patricks Day 2021
The video below exhibits a collapse that occurred in the course of the fire. Dramatic video exhibits heavy flames and smoke capturing out of the constructing, which is surrounded by firefighters, medical personnel and other first responders. A Spring Valley firefighter who was on the building’s third flooring — which collapsed through the intense blaze — is unaccounted for, in accordance with Kear. He was one of the first firefighters to reach on scene, the official mentioned. State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Rockland Fire Chief Scott F. Duffey said the early morning hearth at 265 Plain Street in Rockland is electrical.

domain: news


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Quinoa and kale may now come with a side of fermented shark.
The Disgusting Food Museum, which made headlines when it opened in Malmo, Sweden, in November 2018, is traveling somewhere warm for the winter – specfically, to Los Angeles.
Alongside the Sweden branch, the museum will open a three-month pop-up in downtown L.A.’s Architecture and Design Museum. It will be open Wednesday through Sunday every day from December 9 until February 17.
Tickets are $15 per person on weekdays and $18 apiece on weekends, which seems like a lot to spend for the privilege of being icked out.
However, when it comes to food, one person’s “yuck” is another person’s “yum.”
That was one of the major ideas behind the new Disgusting Food Museum.
The museum’s founder, Dr. Samuel West, is a psychologist by day and a museum curator by night. His first project, the Museum of Failure, defied its name and proved to be a big hit.
But it was an article about meat consumption and its effect on the environment that inspired West to learn more about alternative sources of protein, and then to turn his newfound interest into a project.
“If you ask people if they want to eat bugs, they say ‘that’s gross,’” Hunt says. “That’s the obstacle. But maybe I can make them reconsider.”
The end result? A 400-square-meter olfactory experience, where visitors can smell, touch and taste different foods that have been considered “disgusting” around the world, from foie gras to fermented shark.
“What we find disgusting has to be learned – it’s purely cultural,” says West.
To prove the point, American favorites such as root beer and Jell-O salad sit in the museum alongside fried tarantula and cooked guinea pigs. “If you give root beer to a Swede they will spit it out and say it tastes like toothpaste, but I think it’s delicious,” he notes.
Disgusting Food Museum opens in Sweden
“We strongly identify culturally with the food we eat,” Hunt explains. “Part of travel is trying new food, and there’s a greater interest in trying new things.”
While many food-related “museums” of late have mostly just been opportunities for novel selfies, West is adamant that the Disgusting Food Museum is there to help people learn and think critically, not just to pose for photos.
The downside? “One of my worries that it will start stinking in here,” West says.
Still, West and his colleagues have a good sense of humor about their wacky museum. A note about the L.A. pop-up reads “There are plenty of (not disgusting) restaurants, cafes, and even a brewery in the area.”
But, in the meantime, he hopes to open some minds – one bite of durian or bull penis at a time.


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The final scene of season one of “The OA” culminates in a ritual. While a school shooter holds a cafeteria hostage, the members of Prairie’s misfit crew come together to perform the five movements—a specific repetition of postures that, like most physical rituals, seemed both fully primal, as well as, to some viewers, a little melodramatic and silly. While other students cower under tables, Prairie’s disciples proudly stand, throwing their hands in the air, moving their fingers into shapes. Bodies bend, pulse, fold, unfold.
The five movements are theatrical, unsubtle. When performed perfectly, Prairie tells her captivated audience that they have the power to resurrect the dead, to shift dimensions, to transcend time.
The past several years have ushered forth a number of narratives about escaping captivity, from the beautifully shot and depressing "Room" to the chipper world of “Unbreakble Kimmy Schmidt.” Narratives about captivity are the ultimate tales of isolation and voicelessness. The women (because the vast majority of captivity narratives feature female protagonists) are rendered mute, sometimes by tangible physical means (the “women in refrigerators” comic book trope features women who are often maimed, bound and gagged, or even killed) and other times by subtler kinds of psychological terrorism. In “Jessica Jones,” Kilgrave commands women to smile politely and do exactly what he tells them to. In the now 20-year old world of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the nerd squad bent on world domination is similarly interested in mind control.
The narrative of female silence is not limited to television. I grew up with girl power icons who were obsessed with speaking truth to power—from Tori Amos to Fiona Apple. In feminist circles, the girls we are supposed to admire are bravely outspoken, from bookish, brazen Jo in “Little Women” to bold and brilliant Belle in “Beauty and the Beast.” We duked it out over whether Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” is a pushover since she traded her voice for a chance to be part of the two-legged world.
I grew up feeling sad, but never silenced. In fact, I was always deeply puzzled when teachers and mentors would urge me to see the connection between silence and oppression in my own life. I was often overwhelmed by the very opposite—the constant expectation that I was required to share my inner feelings with other people, as well as the expectation that the things I had to say would fit a very particular kind of narrative. In fact, women have always been speaking up and speaking out about our experiences—from scrawling poems on high school notebooks, to seeking the confidence of female friends, to standing at the front of a board meeting, to actively tweeting our experiences and ideas. The problem is not women speaking up, but whether women who share their story are actually being heard.
“The OA” reimagines what the story of voicelessness means by presenting a world where healing from trauma is not achieved through verbal narrative alone, but through the body itself. When Prairie comes home after being missing for seven years, the entire town is hungry for details of her story and conjures up horrible things that could have happened to her. Though Prairie’s parents want to protect her, they also yearn for details. Prairie’s silence seems obstinate, a refusal of familial love. And though Prairie weaves a story about her early years and time in captivity that enthralls her loyal followers, the series ends on an ambiguous note, questioning whether or not the narrative that Prairie tells herself and her friends is actually real at all.
As the OA, Prairie is a seductive leader, full of fortune cookie aphorisms, wielding a touch that has the power to wake up a burnt out, depressed teacher or calm a vicious dog. Prairie says she wants to assemble a group of five who are strong and flexible, but the one defining feature of Prairie’s disciples is also an ability to withstand emotional and physical pain. The frenzied movements require participants to reject the inner experience in order to effectively perform—for the body to become the site not for individual expression, but communal experience.
Each person in “The OA” is a prisoner of a narrative they can’t seem to shake—from the high school students attempting to navigate outside pressures and internal desires, to the teacher who is struggling to mourn her brother’s death. Even Prairie’s parents are stuck in stories of their own construction. After all, Prairie’s adoptive mother hides the evidence her daughter went to find her birth father in order to spare her adoptive father’s feelings, and preserve their narrative that Prairie is content with being cared for at home.
Centralizing the body as vehicle for communal healing is a unique method for telling a story of victimization, especially in a culture where women’s bodies are consistently objectified. The dream-like movements in “The OA” were directed by Ryan Heffington, the choreographer well-known for his collaborations with Sia, which also, not coincidentally, explore the body’s expression of various kinds of traumas—from personal pain to societal forms of oppression. Critics of Sia’s videos with the exceptionally talented, 14-year-old dancer Maddie Ziegler claimed that her girl-body was sexualized, even though there is nothing sensual or seductive in the way that Ziegler approaches movement. Instead, Sia’s videos emphasize how dance is a vehicle for communicating a range of emotions, just as in “The OA” dance makes the internal external, or, as Prairie puts it in an early conversation with high school bully Steve, dance makes the “invisible self” visible.
Though some contemporary shows that contend with trauma attempt to push past the sensationalized, simplistic narratives of abuse found in programs like “Law and Order: SVU,” the vast majority of depictions of female suffering still fixate on the body as a place of imprisonment, rather than joy or spiritual epiphany. In “Jessica Jones,” bodies are empty husks, the holding case for a mind that can be easily controlled by somebody else. When the body is not being abused, it is often transformed into a weapon, as superhero shows featuring female protagonists often flip the script by enabling women to punch out and protect, rather than seek out a male guardian. Sex and violence often merge in predictable ways—in “Daredevil,” for example, sex is not a conquest, but the outcome of a sparring match between Matt and Electra.
But rather than locate power in the traditionally masculine art of fighting, “The OA” stresses the power of the traditionally feminine art of magic. The movements cast an internal and external spell, transforming the individual into a vessel for healing, rather than destruction. The repetition of story then is less about the veracity of events, than about their profound emotional meaning and the surprising ways ritual can tap into human experiences beyond the self. In a media landscape that still urges survivors of trauma to hurry up and heal, these depictions of the recovery process feel compassionate and necessary, an urgent reminder that there are some experiences which are fundamentally impossible to capture with words.

domain: artistic


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Please accept the following reminder about the Upward Celebration this Sunday, February 24th from 2:30 – 3:30 at the Lees Summit North High School PAC. The doors will open at 2:00 for the players and parents. Coaches should arrive no later than 1:45.
Coaches and teams will meet in the Commons area and will be ushered into the auditorium to sit together. Seating will be on a first come first serve basis for other family members. You can pick your child up in the commons area following the presentation. Don't for get you prize and lost and found.
As part of the program we will again be sponsoring a food drive. As you enter the facility we will collect and count the contributions for each team. The team that gives the most food items will “win” the opportunity for their coach to be part of the entertainment.
Thanks for making this a great Upward season. If you are unable to attend contact Pam Williams and make arrangements to pick up your gift.
No Hungry Kids! Backpack Program Food List
Chicken or Tuna Helper
Canned chicken or tuna
Pizza kits (complete—no added ingredients)
Pasta and pasta sauce
Mac and cheese (complete—no added ingredients)
Canned pasta with pull lids (like Chef Boyardee)
Mac and cheese bowls (individual)
Noodle soup cups
Cereal (individual boxes)
Cheese or peanut butter crackers packets
Milk boxes (no refrigeration needed)
*No glass containers, please.

domain: food


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Council Debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Security Council will hold its biannual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) tomorrow morning (15 May). The High Representative for BiH, Valentin Inzko, will present his latest report on the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement (S/2014/314). In addition, representatives from the EU delegation, Croatia, Serbia and BiH itself are expected to participate.
In February, BiH experienced its greatest civil unrest since the end of the war in 1995, and Council members are likely to make reference to the initially violent protests over a variety of issues that swept primarily across the Federation of BiH. Some members may note that the protests should serve as a warning to the BiH political class to overcome longstanding gridlock, and to address demonstrators’ grievances over high unemployment, lack of economic development and corruption. They may also applaud the rise of the ‘plenums’, in which Bosnians have continued gathering in public areas to vocalise their problems and address their demands to governments. The report does, however, note that the plenums have started seeing lower participation. Some members could also highlight that the protests should additionally serve as a notice to the international community to refocus efforts and attention towards the country’s problems.
Likewise, many Council members may express concern over divisive and secessionist political rhetoric from Republika Srpska political leaders, in particular from entity president Milorad Dodik, which is well-documented once again in the High Representative’s report. The report notes that such rhetoric intensified after the 16 March referendum in Crimea. On the other hand, Russia will likely contend that Inzko’s report is biased and attributes too much blame to Republika Srpska for BiH’s problems, while it is dysfunction among the political leadership and parties in the Federation that are at the root of the current situation.
Related to both the recent civil unrest, as well as Republika Srpksa rhetoric, members will likely raise the upcoming general elections in October. The Council will not meet again on BiH until November when it is expected to reauthorise the EU led multinational stabilisation force, EUFOR ALTHEA, so this will be an opportunity for Council members to stress that elections be conducted fairly and freely and a chance for Bosnians to elect leaders who will pursue reforms. They may also emphasise that politicians should not try to stoke ethnic tensions in the run-up to elections for electoral gain.
Some members are also likely to comment on BiH’s lack of progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration. The report highlighted that progress towards achieving the five objectives and the two conditions, known as the “5+2 agenda”, remained stalled over the last six months. Successful implementation of this agenda is necessary for the closure of Office of the High Representative (OHR). In addition, although BiH was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010, lack of progress on immovable defence property being registered as state property has slowed down movement towards NATO integration. In this regard, some members could encourage the High Representative to refocus his efforts on achieving this “5+2” criteria.
Also, as noted in Inzko’s report, BiH’s European integration is on hold due to its inability to implement the Sejdiċ-Finci ruling of the European Court of Human Rights. (In 2009 the court determined that BiH’s constitution violates the European Convention on Human Rights by denying minorities or citizens not identifying themselves as Bosniak, Serb or Croat from running for the presidency and other elected offices.) When the Council renewed EUFOR ALTHEA’s authorisation in resolution 2123 on 12 November 2013, it called on BiH to implement the Sejdiċ-Finci ruling, the first time it had done so. Some Council members may highlight the importance of implementing this ruling as soon as possible.
European members, in particular, may also refer to the EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions that were released on 14 April. The conclusions emphasised the EU’s readiness to support initiatives to help BiH address its socioeconomic challenges and institutional development, a position that seemed to be spurred by the February protests and unrest.


MapReduce is deprecated and will be removed in 4.0.
For map aggregations, you can use Aggregator on IMap.
For general data processing, it is superseded by Hazelcast Jet.
public interface Collator<ValueIn,ValueOut>
This interface can be implemented to define a Collator which is executed after calculation
of the MapReduce algorithm on remote cluster nodes but before returning the final result.
Collator can, for example, be used to sum up a final value.


text:
Eagle River Historical Museum
Published: February 4, 2016
Winter fun at Conover Town Park
Festive events in Vilas County
Trails for every explorer
Three Treks to Do in Hiking Boots (or Snowshoes)
Six ways to have family fun
Quick guide to Vilas County’s fall trails
Get an up-close look at Vilas County’s cranberry farms
Explore Vilas County’s Lake Chains
Vilas County fall color guide
Five places for an unforgettable hike
Enjoy off-highway motorcycling in Conover
Where to paddle the Wisconsin River
Snowmobile adventures in Vilas County
Vilas County winter fun tips
Timeless winter escapes
Lakes & Waterways
Things To Do
Shopping & Services
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Stay up to date on the latest Vilas County events, contests and deals.
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text:
As Brazil celebrates 200 years of independence this year, a renewed focus on Indigenous cultures has pushed forward the reopening of Rio de Janeiro’s historic Museu do Índio (Museum of the Indian) and the inauguration of a new cultural space in São Paulo, the Museu das Culturas Indígenas (Museum of Indigenous Cultures).
Founded in 1953, the Rio de Janeiro museum is financed by the Fundação Nacional do Índio (Brazilian Indigenous Protection Foundation, or FUNAI). It holds a collection of nearly 21,000 artefacts and rare documents, including records of the Rondon Commission, an expeditionary group that explored remote parts of Brazil beginning in the 1890s and established contact with dozens of tribal groups, producing large volumes of ethnographic and iconographic material.
The museum closed to the public in 2016 due a non-compliance to fire department requirements, years before a fire devastated the Museu Nacional-UFRJ (National Museum of Brazil)—which held one of the largest collections of Brazilian Indigenous artefacts in the world—in 2018 following years of financial neglect.
However, the museum’s director, Giovani Souza Filho, states that the museum “did not close due to lack of funds, but rather to be able to meet fire prevention and electrical grid requirements”, and that it receives around “12m reais (around $2.4m) per year for our operations”.
During its closure, the museum has allowed Indigenous groups to visit the institution to help with the curating and cataloguing of artefacts in the collection. The groups are “recognising pieces, photographs and practices of their ancestors, and can give us more information about these collections”, says the museum’s coordinator of cultural heritage, Bruno Aroni. “With these visits we have improved our documentation and brought the Indigenous people closer to the museum.”
The museum has significant symbolic value to Indigenous populations. “It is rare to find an Indigenous village in Brazil that has not heard of the museum or that does not have the desire to visit,” says the anthropologist Juliano Almeida da Silva, who is one of the museum's board advisors. “The collection is a way to find stories that have been lost over time. They end up being a way of building and strengthening Indigenous identities.”
Museum administrators say the renovations are on track and that the museum will begin to reopen next year. Until then, the public can see much of the collection online. Souza Filho adds, “It is very important that we begin to transfer the responsibilities of preserving and disseminating the cultures to the Indigenous peoples themselves.”
In São Paulo, the Museu das Culturas Indígenas, a 1,400 sq. m, seven-floor repurposed building opened to the public on 30 June. The inaugural lineup features solo exhibitions dedicated to the artists Denilson Baniwa and Xadalu Tupã Jekupé, who deal with themes of displacement and colonialism through various media in their work, and a series of outdoor murals depicting motifs of Guaraní culture.
The museum aims to bring together people of different ethnicities and representations through oral storytelling and contact, and is also actively engaging with Indigenous groups in the management and curation of the cultural center.
The curatorial plan is to have a rotation of work by Indigenous artists on view so that most of the tribes will be able to exhibit some of their traditions at the museums, according to Ara Mirim, who lives with the Guaraní tribe in a reserve outside of São Paulo and is one of the museum’s “masters of knowledge”, or Indigenous advisors who tell visitors about the traditions and cultures of the 305 known Indigenous tribes that exist in Brazil today.
She adds, “It's not just arriving, looking and leaving. The visitors here will look, listen, learn and start to respect Indigenous cultures and traditions. Masters are here to show visitors the importance of these populations, where they are located and how many people exist.”

domain: sociology


text:
Military Service Members are often diagnosed with concussions—a form of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)—from blast exposures, physical training, or motor vehicle accidents. In fact, most military TBIs result from blast exposures, and the majority of those are mTBIs. Even though concussion and mTBI are often used interchangeably, not all mTBIs are concussions. More on that later.
In the past, healthcare providers treated concussions by restricting the patient’s physical and educational activities and recommending rest until symptoms went away. Once symptoms (such as headache, nausea, blurred vision, etc.) resolved, patients were cleared to start a progressive return-to-exercise protocol. However, some practitioners now suggest light, closely supervised exercise to help speed up recovery after a concussion.
What is a concussion?
When your head experiences a rapid acceleration (change in movement, speed, or direction) and you sustain a concussion, several things can happen to your brain, including microscopic damage and other chemical responses that can affect brainpower. Brain damage from a concussion is generally so small that it can’t be seen using normal imaging techniques (MRIs, CT scans, etc.).
Concussions cause several different symptoms, including headache, nausea, dizziness or loss of balance, irritability, mood swings, confusion, sensitivity to light or noise (or both), and many others. It’s also a myth that concussions always result in a loss of consciousness. Most of the time, people actually stay awake, although not very alert.
Some practitioners now suggest light, closely supervised exercise to help speed up recovery after a concussion.
How long does it take to heal after a concussion?
The short answer: It depends. Many factors can affect how long it takes to recover from a concussion, including how bad your symptoms are after injury or if you have symptoms of depression or anxiety, though most people typically recover in 1½–2 weeks.
How is a concussion treated?
In general, doctors recommend those diagnosed with concussions should rest until their symptoms go away, usually within 24–48 hours. After that, light exercise—at a level that doesn’t make your symptoms come back—might actually be good for you. It’s also been shown to reduce the amount of recovery time, which leads to a faster return to duty or play. BUT! It’s very important that any exercise after concussion is closely supervised by a medical professional. Don’t start exercising on your own until you’re cleared to, and be sure to follow all related guidance.
Many other options are available to help with concussion management, but they’re specific to each individual case and should be used only as recommended by a qualified health practitioner. The type of injury also can affect how you train or exercise, and not just at a lesser intensity. For example, someone with vestibular issues (inner-ear problems that affect balance) might benefit from vestibular rehabilitation therapy, which focuses on using your eyes to be more aware of your general posture and help with balance issues.
The old way to treat concussions—strict rest, both mental and physical—is now out because not exercising your mind and body can make symptoms last longer. Always follow the advice of your medical professional, but don’t be afraid to ask questions if they’re directing you to strictly rest for more than a few days. There might be a good reason for that rest, but it’s also possible they might not recall the latest on concussion best practices. In addition, developments in the use of exercise to help recovery are very recent, so more studies are still needed.
What is post-concussion syndrome?
If your symptoms persist and you don’t get better after 10–14 days, consult your doctor. If you’re diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome (PCS)—a fairly serious condition—you won’t be able to fully return to normal activity for months on end, which can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Also, keep in mind that PCS is sometimes misdiagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because many of the symptoms (irritability, anxiety, sleep problems, etc.) are similar.
PCS is usually treated by managing your symptoms, and this sometimes includes light, supervised exercise. However, it’s especially important that any light exercise—such as walking—is also supervised by a medical professional.
If you have a concussion, educating yourself is one of the best tools to help improve your outcome. Check out our list of TBI resources and remember to follow up with your medical provider. You can also visit the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center to learn more about prevention, screening, treatment, and caregiver resources.

domain: medical


John Maher: Hi, I’m John Maher, and I’m here today with Robert Weitz of RTK Environmental, an environmental testing and consulting firm. Robert is a certified microbial investigator, and today we’ll be talking about winter mold problems in the home.
Robert Weitz: Thank you, John.
Ice Dams, Winter Storms, and Mold
John: Robert, are there specific issues or situations that arise in the winter months that tend to cause mold problems in the house?
Robert: Yes, John. Winter is a very different time of year, and when we have very cold temperatures and snow cover in so many areas, all different types of issues can come up associated with moisture and with water intrusion that can create mold, and certainly lead to a problem in that respect.
Several of the things that we look at—one of the primary things are called ice dams. An ice dam is an interesting thing in that it’s—a lot of people don’t really even know how it occurs, and they don’t know that it’s occurring until they start to see water staining on the ceiling around exterior walls.
Basically, an ice dam is when you have snow cover on the roof, people always look at it and think how pretty it is, but what’s happening there, especially in a heavy snow cover, during the day when it’s warmer outside, the snow will melt to some degree. Then that water goes down to the roof itself and it goes down the roof and it goes into the gutter.
The gutter will function to a certain point until the gutter starts to freeze. The water inside that gutter, the more there is, it will freeze. It will freeze so that the gutter becomes completely clogged. Then as that water continues to come down to the gutter, it has no place to go, so it backs up under the shingles. That’s what an ice dam is.
The water has no place to go, so it goes up under the shingles, and then it gets down onto the plywood that’s underneath, typically, and it goes through. That’s when it will penetrate down into the ceiling of the dwelling.
What’s happening is, certainly water is coming in and we know water, condensation, any high humidity level is going to normally cause mold to grow. Even though you may only see a water stain visible on the ceiling in the room, on the other side of that ceiling, there’s very likely mold growing. That mold, even though it’s not visible, could be putting spores into the air which could become a health issue and certainly be something that would need to be taken care of.
To eliminate the ice dam is certainly important to do. The way to avoid it is when we do get snow would be to pull that snow down. There are snow rakes, they’re called, and different ways that you can get that snow at the edge of the eaves down off the roof, and that helps ice dams from forming.
That’s it, that’s ice dams.
Another very common thing in the wintertime would be a roof leak. Different types of roofs have different faults that can occur and that can allow water to back up and to just go in through the roof, either down at the eave, through an ice dam, or up higher in the roof. It might be in the ridge, it might be through a breech in the roof, a broken shingle, or any one of a number of defects in the roof that could allow water to enter.
John: Winter storms might cause something like that, too. Maybe a winter storm could cause a shingle to come loose on the roof, and cause a place where water could get in.
Robert: Absolutely. In a blizzard condition or in a high wind condition, those shingles on a normal roof in this area, they’re asphalt shingles. They become very brittle in the wintertime as the temperature is very cold and they are blown off the roof very easily. At the beginning of a storm, particularly, the wind blows the shingle off, the snow covers the roof and then as it melts, it will go inside and it will grow mold in a very short period of time.
Humidifiers and Condensation
John: Are there any other issues or things that happen in the winter that might cause mold to grow?
Robert: Sure, also, because people heat their houses, obviously, in the winter, and it’s very cold on the outside, that cold on the outside and the heat on the inside, many people will see condensation form on their windows.
The windows will drip down that water, which is what condensation is, not only down onto the windowsill and the well, but sometimes, if it’s enough, it will also go down onto the floor. All of these areas can then begin to grow mold in again 24 to 48 hours. Mold spores land on a surface and they can start to propagate on that surface in that very short period of time.
John: I would imagine, also, that just having your windows closed during the winter means that you’re getting less ventilation in your home. In a normal situation where, if you did have some moisture on a wall or some place like that in your home during the summer, but you had the windows open, it might dry out quicker and not get mold growth, whereas, in the winter, with the windows closed, you don’t have as much air circulation and that might allow the mold to grow a little faster.
Robert: Absolutely, yes. Having those windows closed, as you say, the lack of ventilation, very key factors.
What we see a lot, as well, is a lot of children, particularly, have different respiratory issues, particularly in the winter when the humidity levels are very, very low. They can be sometimes 15 or 20 percent, which is a very low humidity level. It makes your throat dry and it dries you out inside. What a lot of families do is they run humidifiers, which introduces moisture into the air, to try to alleviate some of these conditions.
I’ve walked into some homes before where parents will run this 24/7. There’s such an accumulation of condensation that’s formed, particularly on the ceiling of a bedroom, and it’s growing mold and they keep this humidifier going until they notice it.
You can have a really good growth of mold up on that ceiling just from using a humidifier, or from not cleaning the humidifier often enough. Humidifiers have to be cleaned on a regular basis. If they’re not, the mold spores will actually gather right in and on that humidifier, so the good that you’re trying to do by putting moisture into the air is almost eliminated by the mold spores that you’re generating and putting into the air right with that added humidity.
Prevent Winter Mold Problems in the Home
John: Right. You mentioned using a snow rake to take some of the snow off of your roof as being one thing that you can do to help prevent ice dams, and then, therefore, mold from growing because of the ice dams. Are there other things that I can do during the winter months to prevent mold from growing in my home?
Robert: Absolutely. Sometimes we see, as well as the roofs, which certainly we want to keep an eye on year round, because it’s a maintenance issue. We want to make sure that our roof stays in good, intact condition and that it doesn’t have any areas of defect that could cause leaks.
If we get heavy enough snow, which we do very often in our area, that can accumulate certainly around the dwelling right up next to the foundation. That in and of itself, is not a tremendous issue until it starts to melt. If you have a foot or two feet or more of snow around your house and around the perimeter of the foundation, when we start to get those first few really warm days, that snow will melt very quickly.
When we have those accumulations of snow, it’s a good idea to shovel or snow blow that snow away from the foundation, so that as it melts, it won’t seep through to the foundation into a lower level and create mold to grow down there.
We certainly have a maintenance issue in that respect, as well as the roof. We want to make sure that all our windows and doors are caulked properly so that water can’t penetrate through there, and that would potentially grow mold inside of the wall cavities.
A lot of this is just maintenance and making sure you keep your house in good condition to prevent water, melting snow, melting ice from entering the dwelling and causing mold to grow.
Mold Inspections in Winter
John: OK. Should I get a mold inspection in my house before, during, or after the winter? Or is it just a matter of getting an inspection done if I see or I suspect mold of being present or after things happen like storms or after I notice water damage from an ice dam or that sort of thing?
Robert: Well, certainly, if we see visible mold, that’s obviously a time to get a mold inspection done. We want to know what we have, what we’re dealing with. Is it toxic? Is it an allergen?
Certainly, when we see mold, but also when we see water staining. Some people will say, ‘well, I don’t see mold, I just see the staining of water on the ceiling.’ As I mentioned earlier, you may just see staining on what you can visually see, but there may very well be mold growth behind there. So even if you just have water staining, it’s important to get an inspection done at that point.
As far as before, during, and after the winter, that’s more an issue of, what a lot of our clients do is they will get periodic mold inspections. When we go in the first time, whatever reason that we may meet someone and we do an initial mold inspection, either it’s because they have mold or they just want to prevent mold because of health issues. A lot of people have asthma, and mold can really exacerbate an asthma condition very much.
Mold can also cause asthma. Its now been documented. By preventative testing, many of our clients will do testing every 6 months or every 12 months. That can help to prevent any of these excessive mold spore conditions from developing that would be detrimental to anyone’s health as well as someone who may already be affected by respiratory conditions.
Mold Inspectors and Preventing Mold
John: Will a mold inspector recommend changes to my home to prevent future mold problems? I’m thinking of things like perhaps putting insulation in an attic to help prevent ice dams or things like that. Would a mold inspector kind of go down that road of helping me to make recommendations on changes I can make?
Robert: Only one that is knowledgeable. There are a lot of different types of “inspectors” in this industry. Because the industry is not regulated, there’s no licensing currently in most of the states in this country. You have to get one who is qualified.
At our company, our mold inspectors are all certified microbial investigators. It’s a tremendous amount of training and knowledge in the field. Someone like our inspectors, of course—we’re going to tell people how to prevent mold.
Our website, rtkenvironmental.com, has a lot of different things that can be done in blog posts and in other pages of the site that help people to prevent water, to prevent mold from occurring so that they don’t need to have a mold remediation. There are a lot of recommendations that a good inspector, like at RTK, will give to a client in order to prevent and help prevent water and help prevent mold from growing in the future.
John: Great, well, Robert Weitz, thanks very much for speaking with me today.
Robert: Thank you for having me, John.
John: For more information, you can visit the website at rtkenvironmental.com or call 1‑800‑392‑6468.


text:
O glorious land of Heavenly light
Where walk the ransomed clothed in white,
On hills of myrrh through pastures green -
No curse, no cloud upon the scene.
Land where the crystal river glides
And fruits immortal deck its sides.
Oh land of rest in Eden's bowers
No dreary days, no weary hours!
No nights of unavailing grief
With hours of crying with no relief!
For God shall wipe away all tears
And into the past are passed our fears.
What then shall I care for all the way
that led to thee at last?
For every dark despairing day
Forever ever past.
If ever the loved of earthly years
shall welcome thee to me,
What shall I care for all those tears
that oft flowed bitterly?
If I may stand before His throne
and look upon His face,
What shall I care that oft alone,
Like him, I ran the race?
Safe on Thy ever blissful plains
My heart's own treasure gathered there -
Farewell forever sins and pains
Farewell bereavement, sorrow, care!

domain: literature


text:
Meghan Markle married Prince Harry on Saturday, and in doing so, gave us one of the best memes of 2018. She truly is a princess for all of us!
The meme was born from Meghan's sassy carriage smile — it's knowing and lovely and perfectly cinematic. Of course, the internet took that smile, and ran with it, and hence the best meme of 2018 was born. Bless us all!
And it's not the only amazing meme that was born — this is an instant classic, if only for Britney alone! Ugh, your faves COULD NEVER:
I'm SCREAMING. Thank you, internet!
And wait! One more!
And now I'm crying. Damn you, internet!

domain: celebrity