Archaeologists unearth Tuscaloosa's early history

June 26, 2013 ? University of Alabama archaeologists are getting a glimpse of what life in Tuscaloosa might have been like more than 180 years ago. From bottles and porcelain pieces to soil and flotation samples taken from privies, or outhouses, the analysts are discovering many "stories" of Tuscaloosa's past.

For the past two months, UA's Office of Archaeological Research has been analyzing artifacts found at the former City Fest lot, located on the corner of University Boulevard and Greensboro Avenue. The University was contracted by the City of Tuscaloosa to perform an archaeological investigation per federal guidelines in preparation for construction of a new Embassy Suites hotel.

Beginning in January, project director Brandon Thompson and his team began investigating the "Bank of the State site." In February, they stripped the remaining parking lot and exposed some "incredible" features, including many foundation remains from buildings that date back to before 1820, said Matt Gage, director of the Office of Archaeological Research.

Initial occupation of the site dates to 1816 when Revolutionary War veteran John Click built a log cabin on the property. However, he never got a deed to the property and lost it to John McKee in 1823. McKee was the Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw agent at the time, as well as a land surveyor, and he had helped lay out the city of Tuscaloosa, Gage said.

Over the years, the property was home to numerous businesses, including Augustin Lynch's cabinet manufactory. Known as one of the most important Antebellum furniture makers of the time, Gage said Lynch provided furniture for the Capitol building -- at the time located only a few blocks to the west -- and for some of the early University of Alabama buildings.

He also created ivory billiard balls and sold them to people in Washington, D.C. Gage said they discovered ivory on the site, as well as rusted tools such as saw blades and drills.

The Bank of the State was built on the property in 1829, and Gage said they found some beautiful decorative pieces from that building, as well as a few Spanish coins. The coins are reales minted in Brazil, Guatemala City and Mexico City. The coins were found in pits containing British gun flints and early bottles closer to where Click's log cabin had been, so Gage predicted they were either associated with traders coming through Tuscaloosa or early dealings with the Bank of the State.

"In the early 1800s, foreign currency was used as frequently as coinage minted in the country," he said. "There were so few mints in the U.S. at the time, any currency of monetary value made of gold, silver or copper was given value and could be exchanged as easily as currency minted in the U.S."

The property also housed an ice factory, numerous shanties and other dwellings, a hotel and the Drish building, which was initially used as a warehouse and then a Civil War prisoner-of-war facility. Artifacts discovered included various bottles (including those that held food, as well as drink and medicine), buttons, porcelain pieces, printing press letters, early smoking pipes, architectural elements from the buildings and more.

A gold mine for archaeologists when it comes to historical sites are wells and privies, said Gage, and they found several on this site, including some that had been used by the Union soldiers housed at the Civil War prison. Using soil and flotation samples from the privies, analysts can determine everything from what individuals were eating to how they were being treated, he added.

"It's just a wealth of information," Gage said.

"Tuscaloosa has a very rich history. When you think of the early history of Tuscaloosa, even though the state capitol was here, you still figure that it was a small little enclave, people going about their lives with a predominant lifestyle involving agriculture, but commerce is a major aspect of this block," Gage said.

"There are so many elements of this site that provide a fantastic glimpse of the past and knowing that past is incredibly important. You can never know who or what you are without knowing your history."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/ZyVP4IbLVDc/130626153902.htm

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Activists say at least 100,000 killed in Syria war

BEIRUT (AP) ? More than 100,000 people have been killed since the start of the Syrian conflict over two years ago, an activist group said Wednesday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has been tracking the death toll in the conflict through a network of activists in Syria, released its death toll at a time when hopes for a negotiated settlement to end the civil war are fading.

It said it had tallied a total of 100,191 deaths over the 27 months of the conflict, but Observatory chief Rami Abdul-Rahman said he expected the real number was higher as neither side was totally forthcoming about its losses.

Of the dead, 36,661 are civilians, the group said.

On the government side, 25,407 are members of President Bashar Assad's armed forces, 17,311 are pro-government fighters and 169 are militants from Lebanon's Hezbollah, who have fought alongside army troops.

Deaths among Assad's opponents included 13,539 rebels, 2,015 army defectors and 2,518 foreign fighters battling against the regime.

Entry of the foreign media into Syria is severely restricted and few reports from the fighting can be independently verified.

Earlier this month, the U.N. put the number of those killed in the conflict at 93,000 between March 2011 when the crisis started and the end of April this year.

The government has not released death tolls. State media published the names of the government's dead in the first months of the crisis, but then stopped publishing its losses after the opposition became an armed insurgency.

Abdul-Rahman said that the group's tally of army casualties is based on information from military medical sources, records obtained by the group from state agencies and activists' own count of military funerals in government areas of the country. Another source for regime fatalities are activist videos showing dead soldiers killed in rebel-held areas who are later identified.

Abdul-Rahman believes the number of combatants killed on both sides is probably much higher as neither the government nor the rebels are fully transparent about battlefield casualties.

Syria's conflict began as peaceful protests against Assad's rule. It gradually became an armed conflict after Assad's regime used the army to crackdown on dissent and some opposition supporters took up weapons to fight government troops.

Even the most modest international efforts to end the Syrian conflict have failed. U.N.'s special envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, told reporters on Tuesday that an international peace conference proposed by Russia and the U.S. will not take place until later in the summer, partly because of opposition disarray.

The fighting has increasingly been taking sectarian overtones. Sunni Muslims dominate the rebel ranks while Assad's regime is dominated by Alawites, an offshoot sect of Shiite Islam.

It has also spilled over Syria's borders, especially into Lebanon, where factions supporting opposing sides have clashed in the northern city of Tripoli and in the eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanese are divided over Syria's civil war, with some supporting President Bashar Assad's regime and others backing the opposition. More than 550,000 Syrians have fled to neighboring Lebanon as a result of the fighting.

Earlier this week, sectarian tensions drew Lebanon's weak army into the fray. Eighteen soldiers were killed in a two-day battle between the army and supporters of a radical Sunni sheik in the southern city of Sidon. The army had earlier reported 17 deaths and said Wednesday that another soldier died of his wounds in a hospital.

The conflict reached the capital Beirut on Wednesday when masked men ambushed a bus and attacked the approximately 30 people aboard with knives, a Lebanese official said. He said 10 people were wounded in the attack in the eastern part of the city, including five Syrians, two Palestinians and three Lebanese, the officials said. He spoke anonymously in line with regulations.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the bus was carrying Syrians headed to a TV studio in the eastern Sunday Market district to take part in a cultural program. It said there were eight attackers, who fled the area.

The conflict has also polarized the region. Several Gulf states including Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, Washington's key ally and a foe of Iran, back the rebels. Tehran, a Shiite powerhouse, supports Assad.

Saudi Arabia is sending lethal aid to the rebels. The United States also said it will provide arms to the opposition despite the Obama administration's reluctance to send heavier weapons for fear they might end up in the hands of al-Qaida-affiliated groups. Russia, Assad's staunch supporter, has been providing his army with weapons.

In Damascus, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi lashed out at Saudi Arabia, accusing the Gulf kingdom of backing "terrorists" after Riyadh condemned Damascus for enlisting fighters from its Lebanese ally in its struggle with rebels.

Damascus has previously blamed the Sunni Gulf states, who along with the United States and its European allies back the Syrian opposition, for the civil war.

The remarks by al-Zoubi were carried late Tuesday by the state agency SANA after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Jiddah and condemned Assad for bolstering his army with fighters from Hezbollah. Prince Saud charged that Syria faces a "foreign invasion."

Al-Zoubi fired back, saying Saudi diplomats have blood on their hands and are "trembling in fear of the victories of the Syrian army."

The Syrian military with Hezbollah's help captured the central town of Qusair earlier this month and says it is building on the victory to attack rebel-held areas elsewhere.

On Wednesday, the Observatory said the Syrian regime has tightened its grip of the border area with Lebanon after driving rebels out of the town of Talkalakh, which had a population of about 70,000 before the conflict. The town is predominantly Sunni, but surrounded by 12 Alawite villages located within walking distance to the Lebanon border.

The government's takeover will likely impact rebels' ability to bring supplies, fighters and weapons from Lebanon.

Syrian state TV showed soldiers patrolling the streets of the town, inspecting underground tunnels and displaying weapons seized from the opposition. Talkalakh is located in the central Homs province, which links the capital, Damascus, with the Syrian coastal areas that are the Alawite heartland.

___

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue and Sarah el Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/activists-least-100-000-killed-syria-war-134741440.html

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David Chase memorializes James Gandolfini

NEW YORK (AP) ? The creator of "The Sopranos" said at James Gandolfini's funeral that the actor brought the traits of a sad boy, "amazed and confused," to the role of Tony Soprano.

"You were a good boy," David Chase said Thursday at the ceremony at New York's Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine.

One of four speakers at the funeral, Chase gave his remarks in the form of a letter to Gandolfini. The actor's widow, Deborah Lin Gandolfini, and two family friends were also speakers at the ceremony.

Chase remembered that Gandolfini once told him that "you know what I want to be? A man. That's all. I want to be a man." Chase said he marveled upon hearing that, since Gandolfini was a man so many others looked up to.

Chase added that, paradoxically, he always felt that in Gandolfini he was seeing a young boy as well as a man.

"A sad boy, amazed and confused," he said. "You could see it in your eyes. That's why you were a great actor."

The 51-year-old actor best known for his role as mob boss Tony Soprano in the HBO series died of a heart attack last week while vacationing with his son in Italy.

Celebrities and fellow actors were among the mourners, along with members of the public who wanted to salute Gandolfini's work.

Those from "The Sopranos" included Edie Falco, Joe Pantoliano, Dominic Chianese, Steve Schirripa, Aida Turturro, Vincent Curatola, Tony Sirico, Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli. Yet another former castmate, Steve Buscemi, chatted with talk show host-comedian Dick Cavett before the ceremony started.

Others from the acting community included Julianna Margulies, Alec Baldwin, Chris Noth, Marcia Gay Harden and Steve Carell. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was also on hand.

Some 1,500 seats had been set up in the huge sanctuary. A private family wake was held for the actor Wednesday in New Jersey.

Broadway theaters paid tribute by dimming their lights briefly Wednesday night. Gandolfini was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 as an actor in "God of Carnage."

Susan Aston, who was Gandolfini's longtime dialogue coach and collaborator, spoke at the funeral of how the actor was devoted to his craft.

"He worked hard," Aston said. "He was disciplined. He studied his roles and did his homework." But when the cameras rolled, his performance would become an act of faith that carried him, she said, "to an uncharted place."

New Jersey accents were easy to hear among members of the public waiting outside the cathedral and waiting for a chance to get in. A few people spoke in Italian.

"I'm a fan," said Saul Stein, 60. "I came to pay my respects today because he's a character I identify with, a family man."

One casual meeting with Gandolfini was enough to bring Robin Eckstein to the funeral.

"I had friends that worked with him," she said. "I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and he was just lovely. So warm ... As soon as he knew you were a friend of a friend you were his friend too. He'll be missed. I missed a meeting at work today. I told them I had a funeral to go to."

Meanwhile, directly across Amsterdam Avenue, in the window of a bar, a large photograph of a grinning Gandolfini was on display, accompanied by a handwritten message that spoke for the actor's fans and friends. It said, simply, "Thank you."

___

Associated Press correspondent Bethan McKernan and Television Writer David Bauder contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/david-chase-memorializes-james-gandolfini-152830544.html

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NJ Man Admits Sexually Abusing Toddler & Streaming Video Online ...

TRENTON ? An Ocean County man admitted sexually abusing a 15-month-old boy and streaming footage of the assault over the internet, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Rodford W. Brindley, 68, of Toms River pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court on June 18 to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Brindley engaged in online chats with someone who he believed to be a parent living in Ohio, but who was, in fact, a law enforcement officer in Ohio. On one occasion, Brindley engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an approximately 15-month-old child, whom he had in his care at his Toms River home, and streamed live video of that conduct over the internet to Ohio undercover law enforcement officers.

The charge of child sexual exploitation is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26.

Fishman thanked the Franklin County Sheriff?s Department in Ohio, the Ocean County Prosecutor?s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato; and the FBI?s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, for the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

Source: http://njtoday.net/2013/06/19/nj-man-admits-sexually-abusing-toddler-streaming-video-online/

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Microsoft axes Xbox One 24-hour online checks, used game policy

Both Sony and Microsoft are preparing to launch new gaming systems later this year with Sony looking like the clear winner up until now because it did not make any significant changes to how the Playstation 4 operates.

Microsoft on the other hand announced several changes that turned the gaming world around for part of the company's audience. Among the features that Microsoft introduced were 24-hour online checks to play games and harsh used-game restrictions.

Today, the company announced that it has made the decision to axe several features as it listened to its audience who criticized them heavily ever since they were revealed.

Xbox One users can play offline games on the Microsoft system without Internet connection.

That is right, Microsoft has removed the restriction from its gaming system so that you do not need to connect the console to the Internet every 24 hours to continue playing games that require no Internet connection.

Lending, reselling, gifting, renting and trading-in works like today

This is the second big change as several of the options were either highly limited or not possible at all before. This levels the playing field with the Playstation 4 and gives users the same rights that they have today when it comes to these activities.

No regional restrictions

Another surprising change. Microsoft notes that Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console eliminating any regional restrictions.

Kotaku reports that several other features got removed from the system as a consequence as well, or at least won't be available on launch:

• You cannot share your Xbox One games with up to nine friends or family members.
• While you get access to games that you have downloaded everywhere you go, this is not the case for games that you bought as discs. Those won't be available on other systems that you log in which means that you need to take your discs with you if you want to play them (just like today).

The changes will be made available as a patch on launch according to the gaming mag which means that owners of an Xbox One need to connect it at least once to the Internet to download the patch.

Closing Words

It is rare to see a big company like Microsoft changing its way before product launch. A couple of factors have certainly played a role in the decision. First that Sony did not follow the company's used games policy or always online policy. Then certainly the criticism the company received after it made the announcements, not only on gaming sites but also mainstream news portals and newspapers.

Hats off to Microsoft for making the decision to reverse those policies but not for removing them. It should never have gotten that far in first place in my opinion.

Enjoyed the article?: Then sign-up for our free newsletter or RSS feed to kick off your day with the latest technology news and tips, or share the article with your friends and contacts on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ using the icons below.

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About the Author:Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News Back in 2005. He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand. You can follow Martin on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/06/19/microsoft-axes-xbox-one-24-hour-online-checks-used-game-policy/

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Winner of 'The Voice' is ...

TV

Craig Berman TODAY contributor

10 hours ago

Trae Patton / NBC

Danielle Bradbery was named "The Voice" champ on Tuesday.

It was the Danielle Bradbery show on Tuesday night, as it has been all season on "The Voice."

The 16-year-old was crowned as the season four champion, beating fellow finalists Michelle Chamuel and The Swon Brothers. In doing so, she gave Blake Shelton his third championship in a row, and provided a fitting conclusion to a season dominated by country music.

?I don?t even know ? I?m so grateful,? she told Carson Daly when he gave her the good news. ?Sorry ... I?m speechless.?

She was unable to get through her scheduled solo because of her emotions, so at the moment of her coronation, ?The Voice? was silent.

Danielle has been the front-runner since her first blind audition. She?s the winner straight from Hollywood central casting: A teenage girl with no live performances before any kind of a crowd gets discovered and rises to stardom as a national TV audience watches her confidence grow each week. If that sounds like an eerie parallel to ?American Idol? champion Carrie Underwood, who won in that show?s fourth season, well, "The Voice" probably hopes that?s not where the similarities end.

Even on the NBC competition where everyone gets praised as a future superstar, the accolades that have come Danielle's way have been off the charts. Blake several times called her one of the most important people ever to take the stage. Fellow original coach Adam Levine declared her the winner halfway through the finale performances on Monday night. The producers gave her prime slots each week, including two of the final three solos in the finals.

Now, the powers that be behind the show are likely hoping her singles will go to the top of the charts and that she?ll do as well in Nashville as she did on "The Voice," and become the superstar that the show needs. Everyone involved appears to think she has the potential, and she?ll get every chance to realize it now.

Michelle finished in second place. The pride of Team Usher and final remaining hope of anyone who didn?t want a Blake threepeat did all she could on Monday?s show to win support, and was again excellent on Tuesday. But ultimately it wasn?t enough for the alt-rock singer to overcome the country trend.

The Swon Brothers, also of Team Blake, closed out their surprising season in third place, but once again looked like they were having nothing but fun along the way. After all, as they pointed out, they ?got to sing with Bob Seger.?

The night featured the usual array of live performances and video clips. In addition to the Swon-Seger performance, Michelle sang with One Republic, and Danielle with Hunter Hayes. Original coach Christina Aguilera, who is returning next season along with CeeLo Green, had a duet with Pitbull, and Florida Georgia Line with Nelly. Bruno Mars and Cher had solos. Video footage revealed trouble in paradise for the Adam-Blake bromance, and that Usher tends to split his pants when performing.

But ultimately, the star of the night was the youngest singer in the competition, as Danielle once again stole the show.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/winner-voice-6C10369826

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Right Rough Mobile Phone Reviews Big Ramblings Created From ...

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Source: http://richsinibaldi4179.hoopsjumpnjam.com/46/right-rough-mobile-phone-reviews/

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