The prospect of 140 years of bad luck didn't even occur to Christchurch mirror maker
Maureen Stewart as she fled her shop while stock crashed down around her on Tuesday.
Ms Stewart, who owns a jewellery and mirror gallery in South Brighton with her partner
Ron Carter, was standing at the shop's counter when the earthquake struck.
"I never heard anything before it, then there was this jolt," she told NZPA today.
"The chandelier next to me started whacking me in the head and I thought 'get out'."
Ms Stewart said she did not notice mirrors jumping off the walls and cabinets moving
behind her as she ran out -- she simply reacted in a fright and flight manner.
Upstairs in the couple's house, Mr Carter felt a much stronger impact.
"The jolt came up from underneath, I got up out of the chair, stumbled and was just
thrown into the doorway," he said.
Everything in their house had been shaken around and broken, cracks had appeared in
many walls, they were still without power and water, but the couple said they were
feeling very lucky.
More than 20 mirrors were on display in the shop, but not one had smashed, putting to
rest fears of seven years of bad luck for each one broken.
Ms Stewart said she was not superstitious, but said the cumulative effect of bad luck
from more than 20 mirrors smashing was best to be avoided.
"I hadn't really thought about it until now, but yes, better not to have bad luck after
this."
They were planning to be back in business once the power came back on.
2011年2月28日 星期一
2011年2月22日 星期二
Encountering Peace: Mirror, mirror on the wall
While riding in a Jerusalem taxi recently I noticed that the name of the company was decorated with stars of David. I asked the driver about it. He replied: "Yes, our company only hires Jewish drivers, so our passengers can feel safe."
I remember moving trucks in Jerusalem with large signs reading "Jewish workers only."
There were ads in the Yellow Pages for companies that only employed Jewish workers. I guess it's become politically incorrect to be so blunt. I saw a pizza place in Baka that was searching for delivery boys "after army service," which definitely made me think – do delivery boys in southwest Jerusalem need combat training? It must be a tough job.
Now there is "SOS Israel," founded in 2003, which even has a Facebook page organized to oppose any agreement with the Arab world which includes "giving up territory."
Today this kind of organization has also adopted an agenda to save Jewish girls who have developed relations with Arab boys. This new expression of Jewish enlightenment is also issuing kashrut certificates to companies that don't hire Arab workers. Can you imagine an organization in France giving out certificates to companies that don't hire people of Middle Eastern background? I remember as a boy of nine visiting Virginia several months before the Civil Rights Act was passed, and seeing signs on restaurants that read "whites only."
Now, under our own eyes, our government is being led by politicians and parties which are pushing bills that would move us toward the Nuremburg laws, such as the anti-incitement bill, the admission committees bill and the bill to protect Israel's values, to name a few.
For the reader's amusement (or chagrin), here is what a future proposed bill could look like, with the way things are going: Understanding that the purity of Jewish blood is essential to the further existence of the Jewish people, and inspired by uncompromising determination to safeguard the future of the nation, the Knesset has resolved the following, which is promulgated herewith: Marriages between Arabs and Jews are forbidden. Marriages concluded in defiance of this law are void, even if performed abroad. Extramarital intercourse between Arabs and Jews is forbidden. Arabs will not be permitted to employ Jewish females under the age of 45 as domestic workers.
SOME MKs would anxiously support such a proposal. They would even add all kinds of amendments regarding Jews who in any way support Arab interests.
They would certainly remove my right to write in The Jerusalem Post. I am already a proud member of the right-wing's list of self-hating Israeli traitors, also known as the S.H.I.T list.
In 1984, when Meir Kahane was elected to the Knesset, I brought to the Education Committee a copy of the Nuremberg laws and superimposed Kahane's political platform. This made the front pages, and most Israelis were shocked by Kahane's extreme racism. Today, no one is particularly upset that our Knesset has become a bastion of xenophobia.
The rise of racism is a direct outgrowth of our refusal to make peace with our Palestinian neighbors. Yes, it is our refusal. There is a Palestinian partner for peace, and anyone who doubts that is ignorant of the facts. Our publicists and politicians can rewrite the "narrative" as they please, but it will not change the fact that if Israel was serious about making peace on the basis of what has already been negotiated, it would be possible to end this conflict.
We might feel secure because the US used its veto in the UN, but we shouldn't live with the illusion that US support is a form of security. Israel is being delegitimized by its own actions. The legislative agenda of Avigdor Lieberman, Shas, the National Union and a significant part of the Likud, together with the continuation of the occupation, settlement building, the destruction of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem, the removal of Jerusalem residency rights from hundreds of Palestinians each year who were born in the city, the taking over of Palestinian properties owned by Jews prior to 1948 while denying Arabs the same rights, no longer fools the world. Our policies and democracy do not go hand-in-hand. The charade is over. Instead of a "light unto the nations" Israel's policies are leading us into the darkest era we have known as a state.
I write this with rage in my heart, and a deep sense of pain. I am filled with rage at the public's silence in the face of our ugliness. I'm furious that voices of people such as Bennie Begin and Dan Meridor are not heard.
Those who propose racist and xenophobic legislation in the name of "saving Jews and Judaism" are acting in my name. My Judaism does not include hatred of non-Jews. My Israel is one that seeks peace with its neighbors and sees our future linked to our ability to reach agreements that sustain life, build prosperity and care about the welfare of people less fortunate than us.
I want to believe that the reality we see today is symptomatic of a society in the final days of a conflict. I want to believe that Israel has already recognized there will be a Palestinian state, and that the occupation must end. There are anti-Semites who work to delegitimize Israel, but they can cease their activities because our government is doing it so much better. The mirror eventually shows us reality, regardless of how much makeup we use.
I remember moving trucks in Jerusalem with large signs reading "Jewish workers only."
There were ads in the Yellow Pages for companies that only employed Jewish workers. I guess it's become politically incorrect to be so blunt. I saw a pizza place in Baka that was searching for delivery boys "after army service," which definitely made me think – do delivery boys in southwest Jerusalem need combat training? It must be a tough job.
Now there is "SOS Israel," founded in 2003, which even has a Facebook page organized to oppose any agreement with the Arab world which includes "giving up territory."
Today this kind of organization has also adopted an agenda to save Jewish girls who have developed relations with Arab boys. This new expression of Jewish enlightenment is also issuing kashrut certificates to companies that don't hire Arab workers. Can you imagine an organization in France giving out certificates to companies that don't hire people of Middle Eastern background? I remember as a boy of nine visiting Virginia several months before the Civil Rights Act was passed, and seeing signs on restaurants that read "whites only."
Now, under our own eyes, our government is being led by politicians and parties which are pushing bills that would move us toward the Nuremburg laws, such as the anti-incitement bill, the admission committees bill and the bill to protect Israel's values, to name a few.
For the reader's amusement (or chagrin), here is what a future proposed bill could look like, with the way things are going: Understanding that the purity of Jewish blood is essential to the further existence of the Jewish people, and inspired by uncompromising determination to safeguard the future of the nation, the Knesset has resolved the following, which is promulgated herewith: Marriages between Arabs and Jews are forbidden. Marriages concluded in defiance of this law are void, even if performed abroad. Extramarital intercourse between Arabs and Jews is forbidden. Arabs will not be permitted to employ Jewish females under the age of 45 as domestic workers.
SOME MKs would anxiously support such a proposal. They would even add all kinds of amendments regarding Jews who in any way support Arab interests.
They would certainly remove my right to write in The Jerusalem Post. I am already a proud member of the right-wing's list of self-hating Israeli traitors, also known as the S.H.I.T list.
In 1984, when Meir Kahane was elected to the Knesset, I brought to the Education Committee a copy of the Nuremberg laws and superimposed Kahane's political platform. This made the front pages, and most Israelis were shocked by Kahane's extreme racism. Today, no one is particularly upset that our Knesset has become a bastion of xenophobia.
The rise of racism is a direct outgrowth of our refusal to make peace with our Palestinian neighbors. Yes, it is our refusal. There is a Palestinian partner for peace, and anyone who doubts that is ignorant of the facts. Our publicists and politicians can rewrite the "narrative" as they please, but it will not change the fact that if Israel was serious about making peace on the basis of what has already been negotiated, it would be possible to end this conflict.
We might feel secure because the US used its veto in the UN, but we shouldn't live with the illusion that US support is a form of security. Israel is being delegitimized by its own actions. The legislative agenda of Avigdor Lieberman, Shas, the National Union and a significant part of the Likud, together with the continuation of the occupation, settlement building, the destruction of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem, the removal of Jerusalem residency rights from hundreds of Palestinians each year who were born in the city, the taking over of Palestinian properties owned by Jews prior to 1948 while denying Arabs the same rights, no longer fools the world. Our policies and democracy do not go hand-in-hand. The charade is over. Instead of a "light unto the nations" Israel's policies are leading us into the darkest era we have known as a state.
I write this with rage in my heart, and a deep sense of pain. I am filled with rage at the public's silence in the face of our ugliness. I'm furious that voices of people such as Bennie Begin and Dan Meridor are not heard.
Those who propose racist and xenophobic legislation in the name of "saving Jews and Judaism" are acting in my name. My Judaism does not include hatred of non-Jews. My Israel is one that seeks peace with its neighbors and sees our future linked to our ability to reach agreements that sustain life, build prosperity and care about the welfare of people less fortunate than us.
I want to believe that the reality we see today is symptomatic of a society in the final days of a conflict. I want to believe that Israel has already recognized there will be a Palestinian state, and that the occupation must end. There are anti-Semites who work to delegitimize Israel, but they can cease their activities because our government is doing it so much better. The mirror eventually shows us reality, regardless of how much makeup we use.
2011年2月21日 星期一
Mirror, Mirror On the Wall: Rutgers-Camden Students Promote 'Positive Reflections'
Obesity has rightfully gained the national spotlight for its serious ramifications on
the health of more and more
EDAW
Students (left to right) Julie Wako, Kait Galambos, Stephanie Leconey, and Victoria
DiNento join psychologist Charlotte Markey (far right) in a campus campaign to see a
positive reflection of oneself.
Americans each year. But those suffering with other eating disorders, which may not be
as physically apparent, shouldn’t be left in the shadows. A team of Rutgers–Camden
students, led by eating behavior expert Charlotte Markey, is leaving no chance for
negative thoughts about appearance this week as a handful of positive quotes will be
temporarily etched on the mirrors of women and men’s bathrooms across campus. Called
“Positive Reflections,” the campaign is designed to raise awareness during Eating
Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 20-26.
Markey, an associate professor of psychology, runs the Healthy Development Lab at
Rutgers–Camden. Her research has revealed links between parents’ weight concerns and
weight gain among kids; how spouses’ eating impacts one another; and most recently,
how lesbian couples contribute to each other’s well-being. She’s also found that men
aren’t nearly as critical of women’s bodies as women are of their own as well as the
chilling impact of reality television on one’s desires for plastic surgery.
“Everyone deals with expectations of health and beauty. As obesity has gained national
support, we should also be mindful of healthy ways to diet. Research now shows that
when people try to diet, it can backfire and predict obesity or other eating disorders,
” says Markey. “The focus should be on eating healthy and just feeling good about
ourselves.”
Rutgers–Camden undergraduates Caitlin Ellis and Stephanie Leconey serve as research
assistants in Markey’s Healthy Development Lab. The two were part of a student effort
to identify 10 reflections for temporary display on the mirrors. Examples include,
“Beauty comes as much from the mind as the eye,” “Everybody is unique. Compare not
yourself with anybody else,” and “Our body is a vehicle for awakening. Treat it with
care.” Ellis, who has worked with Markey for the past three semesters, says she hopes
fellow students will gain awareness about the prevalence and severity of eating
disorders. “I believe that although eating disorders can be as dangerous and life
threatening as drug and alcohol addiction, but with the right information, resources,
and treatment, eating disorders can have a high rate of success in recovery,” offers
Ellis, who will present with Markey in March at the annual Women in Psychology
conference in Philadelphia.
Victoria
Victoria DiNento helps put out a positive message to fellow students.
In addition, Markey and students will be blanketing the campus with flyers explaining
the campaign, offering resources for treatment, and listing some haunting facts about
eating disorders. Leconey, who assists Markey with the lesbian couples study and other
research projects, thought other students would be surprised that 10 million females
and one million males are struggling with an eating disorder. “I hope [this campaign]
will promote acceptance of students’ own bodies as well as increase awareness that
these disorders are not just exclusive to women, but that men also suffer from eating
disorders,” Leconey remarks. These staggering numbers are why the men’s rooms will
also feature the affirmations.
the health of more and more
EDAW
Students (left to right) Julie Wako, Kait Galambos, Stephanie Leconey, and Victoria
DiNento join psychologist Charlotte Markey (far right) in a campus campaign to see a
positive reflection of oneself.
Americans each year. But those suffering with other eating disorders, which may not be
as physically apparent, shouldn’t be left in the shadows. A team of Rutgers–Camden
students, led by eating behavior expert Charlotte Markey, is leaving no chance for
negative thoughts about appearance this week as a handful of positive quotes will be
temporarily etched on the mirrors of women and men’s bathrooms across campus. Called
“Positive Reflections,” the campaign is designed to raise awareness during Eating
Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 20-26.
Markey, an associate professor of psychology, runs the Healthy Development Lab at
Rutgers–Camden. Her research has revealed links between parents’ weight concerns and
weight gain among kids; how spouses’ eating impacts one another; and most recently,
how lesbian couples contribute to each other’s well-being. She’s also found that men
aren’t nearly as critical of women’s bodies as women are of their own as well as the
chilling impact of reality television on one’s desires for plastic surgery.
“Everyone deals with expectations of health and beauty. As obesity has gained national
support, we should also be mindful of healthy ways to diet. Research now shows that
when people try to diet, it can backfire and predict obesity or other eating disorders,
” says Markey. “The focus should be on eating healthy and just feeling good about
ourselves.”
Rutgers–Camden undergraduates Caitlin Ellis and Stephanie Leconey serve as research
assistants in Markey’s Healthy Development Lab. The two were part of a student effort
to identify 10 reflections for temporary display on the mirrors. Examples include,
“Beauty comes as much from the mind as the eye,” “Everybody is unique. Compare not
yourself with anybody else,” and “Our body is a vehicle for awakening. Treat it with
care.” Ellis, who has worked with Markey for the past three semesters, says she hopes
fellow students will gain awareness about the prevalence and severity of eating
disorders. “I believe that although eating disorders can be as dangerous and life
threatening as drug and alcohol addiction, but with the right information, resources,
and treatment, eating disorders can have a high rate of success in recovery,” offers
Ellis, who will present with Markey in March at the annual Women in Psychology
conference in Philadelphia.
Victoria
Victoria DiNento helps put out a positive message to fellow students.
In addition, Markey and students will be blanketing the campus with flyers explaining
the campaign, offering resources for treatment, and listing some haunting facts about
eating disorders. Leconey, who assists Markey with the lesbian couples study and other
research projects, thought other students would be surprised that 10 million females
and one million males are struggling with an eating disorder. “I hope [this campaign]
will promote acceptance of students’ own bodies as well as increase awareness that
these disorders are not just exclusive to women, but that men also suffer from eating
disorders,” Leconey remarks. These staggering numbers are why the men’s rooms will
also feature the affirmations.
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