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Ecotourism in Egypt

Karen Chernick
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7
Ecotourism in Egypt
Sinai beach camp
Low key Bedouin-run camp in Sinai on the Red Sea

In contrast to eco tourism in other countries in the Middle East, such as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, there is an extremely active Ecotourism Committee in the Egyptian Tourism Federation, which makes eco tourism in Egypt especially diverse, authentic, and unique. You can find high-end, and low end –- all satisfying experiences based on your budget. We offer some examples below.

Since 1997 Egypt’s Ecotourism Committee, which is the most active of all of the Egyptian Tourism Federation’s committees, holds over 14 meetings a year that include top environmentalists, cabinet ministers, scientists, and ecotourism professionals.

They do important work, including protecting natural areas and cracking down on illegal hunting. The Committee also produces a weekly half-hour program in cooperation with Egyptian satellite television called Misr Ard Al Jamal (Egypt the Land of Beauty) which features Egypt’s protected areas, ecotourism activities, eco-lodges, and indigenous tribes of Egypt’s three deserts.

The passage of a law in 1983 has also led to the declaration of 27 Protected Areas in Egypt that represent most of the habitats and ecosystems in Egypt. But the Committee isn’t willing to stop there – they want to increase the number of Protectorates to 40 by the year 2017. Consider nomad travel insurance when booking a trip to Egypt. To ensure peace of mind while traveling or living abroad, we recommend getting health insurance. SafetyWing’s Essential plan covers travel and medical emergencies with options for adventure sports and electronics theft. Their Complete plan offers comprehensive health coverage with routine healthcare, mental health support, and maternity, anywhere in the world, including in your home country.

national parks, eco reserves, Egypt
Map of National Parks, or eco reserves in Egypt

So what’s an eco-loving, sustainability-touting tourist to do in Egypt? Here are some great options:

Adrere Amellal Ecolodge

This high-end, off-grid Adrere Amellal Ecolodge in the Siwa Oasis includes 40 rooms constructed out of mud, salt, and palm leaves with traditional Siwan methods, and is located 12 miles away from Siwa, an Egyptian oasis. Today this most isolated settlement is home to a small population of Berbers and one of the world’s most interesting hotels.

There are ancient olive and palm groves nearby, and the traditional cuisine offered at the lodge is prepared with organic herbs and vegetables picked the same day. The entire lodge is telephone (hide your cell phone!) and electricity free, with candles and torches used for lighting.

Low-key sustainability comes with a hefty price-tag unfortunately, starting at about $500 USD a night for a single room. Budget-minded folks are better off heading to Sinai’s beaches of Bir Sweir or Nuweiba, to get an authentic, spiritual desert experience.

Siwa oasis

Shali Fortress, Tombs of Jabal el Mawta, the Oracle of Amun, the Temple of Um Ubeydah, Cleopatra’s water spring, Fantasy Island, Jabal Dakrour sandbaths, and Bir Wahed – a natural jacuzzi in the desert – are some nearby eco-highlights.

Al Karm Ecolodge

Al Karm Ecolodge

The Al Karm Ecolodge is a Bedouin owned and operated lodge in the St. Katherine Protectorate.

Like Adrere Amellal, it has no electricity but uses solar panels to heat water for the showers, and has sanitary compost toilets. The small hotel has only seven double rooms. We have tried to contact the lodge to see if they have recovered from Covid but we have no updates and find no dates available for rooms online. If you are an eco-tourism researcher, this paper outlines the sustainability efforts put into place while building the Al Karm Ecolodge.

Ras Muhammad National Park

Ras Muhammad

Ras Muhammad National Park: This natural protectorate in southern Sinai is protected by law and has a variety of beautiful natural features for the eco tourist’s viewing pleasure. In addition to its stunning coral reefs which attracts snorkelers and divers, the park has an eel garden and is a great spot to watch migratory birds.

Sinai Bir Sweir Beach Nuweiba/Taba

Bir Sweir is about as eco and friendly and as spiritual as you can imagine. My first trip there made me feel that I’d come to the coolest place in the Universe. There is nothing to do and nothing happens. If you like that vibe, find some of the Bedouin camps that may or may not be operating at the time of your visit. Just showing us is also okay but not recommended during the Jewish holidays when the area is flooded with Israelis.

Select camps in Nuweiba

  • Al Tarek Camp
  • Alexandria Beach
  • Aqua Sun
  • Asala Beach
  • Barracuda Camp
  • Bella Donna Camp
  • Diana Beach
  • Good Life
  • Half Moon Beach
  • Magic Land
  • Miami Beach
  • Paradise Sweir
  • Shanti Camp
  • Trankila Beach
  • White Sand CampTaba Nuweiba Beach, Bir Sweir, Sinai, Egypt

Tips on Encouraging a Senior Loved One to be More Sustainable

Bhok Thompson
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0
Tips on Encouraging a Senior Loved One to be More Sustainable

senior garden center Adopting a sustainable lifestyle is easier to accomplish for young people. The older generation finds it a little more challenging, but that doesn’t mean they should give up. It’s never too late to start adopting more sustainable practices or habits. The smallest of lifestyle changes can go a long way.

Elderly people have many things to consider, such as ALTCS eligibility, writing a will, modifying their home, managing their health, and eating a balanced diet. You can help them appreciate the impact they’re making on future generations. In addition, you can show them how they can promote sustainability in their own lives and amongst their friends.

Here are some ways older adults can help protect the environment and encourage their friends to do the same.

Reduce Their Use of Plastic and Styrofoam

In today’s modern world we’re all in such a hurry. This has made many of us look for ways to make things easier. Convenience foods and products packed in plastic are often the answer, unfortunately. 

We create a massive amount of waste every day, from plastic water bottles to fast food packaging. If you want to teach your senior loved one how they can reduce plastic pollution, there are lots of online resources available from organizations such as Earth Day Network and Plastic Oceans. 

Grow Their Own

As well as being good for the planet, growing your produce and gardening, in general, provides a wealth of physical and mental health benefits. Vegetable gardening also reduces waste and your carbon footprint. 

You don’t need as much space as you might think. If your loved one only has a small garden or just a patio or balcony, container gardening could be the answer. If they find they’re growing more than they can eat, freeze part of the harvest to use during the winter. 

If gardening isn’t their thing, encourage them to shop at a local farmers’ market as a way of helping protect the environment. On average, many of the products they buy in a grocery store have traveled 1,500 miles before they appear on the shelf. That uses a lot of fossil fuels and other resources. 

If your senior loved one is part of any community or lives in a retirement home, see if there is the possibility of building a small garden or raised bed. 

If a small group of older adults has the opportunity to work together, it will build connections between them and improve their quality of life. They’ll be able to grow flowers to pick during the spring and summer, and vegetables and herbs to eat. 

Skip the Chemicals

Many senior loved ones will have grown up using chemical-laden cleaning products and harsh detergents. At the time, little was known about the damage they did to the environment. 

Thankfully, there are plenty of more eco-friendly cleaning products we can use. There is the option of buying them or making them at home ourselves. 

The simplest can be made using white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. 

Keep Vehicles Well Maintained

There are a few ways to protect the earth and your car:

  • Get your oil changed according to the manufacturers’ recommendations
  • Don’t top off your gas tank
  • Drive at reasonable speeds

Opt-Out of Mailing Lists

How much unsolicited mail does your loved one receive through the letterbox every day? Most will likely end up in a landfill, without ever being opened. 

To stop this annoying flood of mail you must contact the companies directly or by email and ask for your name to be removed from the mailing list. 

Alternatively, you can encourage your loved ones and their friends to sign up for the National Do Not Mail List. This removed their name from the many mailing lists that exist for direct marketing companies to use.  

Learn More About Recycling

How much does your loved one know about recycling? A common misconception among the elderly is that they can only recycle bottles and cans. In actual fact, there are many things you can recycle. Local non profit recycling organizations will be able to offer advice, along with local government offices. 

Volunteering

This is a great way for older adults to be more invested in sustainability and the environment. It’s also a great way for them to do something new, meet new people, and use their skills in different ways. 

Unfortunately, older people are often put off volunteering because they feel they don’t know enough to be able to make a valuable contribution. In addition, they might struggle to find volunteer opportunities. 

Use the power of Google to help them find nearby volunteer opportunities that are older-adult friendly. 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to living a sustainable life, we all have a part to play regardless of our age. Every little effort makes a difference. 

     

Luxury glamping in Abu Dhabi

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Luxury glamping in Abu Dhabi
luxury glamping, UAE, Abu Dhabi Jebel Hafit, Al Ain, night time stars
Luxury tenting, known as glamping, in Jebel Hafit, UAE

It’s been some time now that people are used to the idea that camping, if it’s called glamping, means luxury and a closeness to nature one could only expect on an African safari. Luxury tent camping, glamping (glamor + camping) is becoming commonplace around the world and the Middle East is no exception. People everywhere want authentic experiences close to nature, with some modern conveniences of home like heating and lights and a good bed. 

Glamping in the deserts of Abu Dhabi offers the best of a region where the options are slim. Slick hotels or camping on your own. As you start looking around for options in the Abu Dhabi, consider a few day trip to the desert with glamping sites as your destination.

luxury glamping, UAE, Abu Dhabi Jebel Hafit, Al Ain, night time stars

Jebel Hafit Desert Park in Al Ain is about 1.5 hours away from Abu Dhabi. The national park is about a 7 mile stretch which starts at the Jebel Hafit mountain, Abu Dhabi’s tallest peak, where visitors can explore the family-friendly park’s majestic natural surroundings on a hike, mountain bike, horse or camel.

Jebel Hafit Mountain, with hotel
Jebel Hafit Mountain, with hotel

Archaeological and historical remains can tell enchanting stories of this unique area’s ancient habitation. Remnants include those from the Neolithic period from 8,000 years ago, to the 5,000-year-old Jebel Hafit Tombs excavated in 1959 at the request of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates.

In 2011, UNESCO recognised the Jebel Hafit Desert Park area as being a vital component of the World Heritage Site of Al Ain, the UAE’s first World Heritage Site. 

Jebel Hafit Desert Park not only preserves the area’s rich history but also its unique biodiversity, encouraging visitors to experience this dynamic landscape up close and understand how it has changed over millions of years.

And now you can glamp inside it. The park offers guests three camping experiences: basic camping for which you need to bring your own equipment (you’ll find inexpensive camping gear at several Al Ain and Abu Dhabi city stores – but better to borrow from a local); fully serviced camping, including breakfast, in a camp showcasing Bedouin (look inside a Bedouin tent here) tents, and; furnished five-star bubble glamping tents complete with air-conditioning.

Want to glamp? Contact Pura here

 

 

 

 

Lebanon’s abandoned Ottoman-era mansions

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Lebanon’s abandoned Ottoman-era mansions
Lebanon abandoned house, James Kerwin
Abandoned house in an olive grove, James Kerwin

It’s not unusual for an intrepid foreign explorer to uncover hidden gems in Lebanon. Like Honduras artist Adrian Pepe who explores the design and craft in ancient textile making in Beirut. Now James Kerwin, an Englishman in Lebanon, shows us the scale and beauty of abandoned palaces, mansions, and houses in his photography series called Lebanon Falling. 

I’ve always experienced great joy slipping under a rusting gate in the Levante. Mansions and family homes stay standing, attesting to a more opulent time when conflict and Ikea were unknown to the region. When there was a train between Tel Aviv and Beirut and people’s homes were adorned with handmade crafts and designs from hand-poured cement tiles to hand-painted ceilings with ornate balconies and sheltered gardens.

Kerwin gives us a peek into this past as Lebanon’s traditional architecture lays abandoned and neglected calling out for a younger generation to repair the gaps. Unlike the Disney-like abandoned castles in Turkey, these homes are calling out for repair.

Kerwin says, “There is something about the Lebanese mansion. They are impossible to miss as the first thing which draws you in is the romantic exterior. Once I discovered a disused or abandoned house, it always filled me with excitement, as I never quite knew what was going to be inside. These homes were colorful, fascinating, and historic.”

He elaborates:

“The traditional house in the ottoman style could be hidden anywhere, and in many towns throughout Lebanon. this house typology first flourished in the 19th-century ottoman era and has a special relationship with nature — usually set in and around picturesque landscapes or towns.

“At first glance, such heritage buildings may look alike, but their individual personalities and unique traits can be discerned if one takes a closer look. 

Similar Ottoman era homes can be found in Israel in cities like Jaffa, Haifa and Lod. They were built in the early 19th century when Europeans were settling around the Middle East area. The Europeans settled in the eastern Mediterranean region for trade. This community was known as “Levantine,” which means “eastern Mediterranean” in French.

If you love abandoned buildings and you are in Lebanon some buildings worth checking out include an abandoned Holiday Inn. James Kerwin tells Green Prophet that entry is allowed with an army escort but that compared to the abandoned Ottoman palaces, there isn’t much to see. 

From Ottoman-era time in Lebanon 

While the Ottoman-era buildings leave a lot to the imagination it wasn’t an easy period for many people in Lebanon, especially if you didn’t conform or practiced the right religion.

Our friend, environmental artist, Pablo Solomon writes: 

“Seeing the Ottoman mansions in Lebanon was interesting. As you know my father’s family fled the Ottoman oppression and went to Mexico, only to have to flee the Revolutionaries and come to Texas.

“For my father and most of his family the first language was Arabic. On my mother’s side they had fled Germany in the 1850s due to religious oppression. They lived in close knit religious communities in Central Texas and only spoke German basically until the 1940s.

“One of the things my parents had in common was a love of freedom.”
::Jameskerwin

Smuggled African elephants at Abu Dhabi Zoo

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Smuggled African elephants at Abu Dhabi Zoo

elephants sharjah zoo

Against conventions, a UAE safari and zoo are acquiring wild animals with no regards to international laws and agreements. A big surprise in a nation where the wealthy drive gold Mercedes, and who believe everyone with money should own their own private zoo and walk cheetahs on a leash? 

In March 2022, a group of wild Namibian elephants landed in the United Arab Emirates. An investigation by The New Arab reveals that the sale served to simulate an African safari experience in Emirati zoos with no benefit for the animals and Namibian locals, and violates international protocols.

Initially captured from their natural habitat in Kamanjab, north-western Namibia in early September 2021, these African elephants — an endangered species — spent six months in quarantine captivity. They were then heavily sedated before being loaded into shipping containers, onto a plane, and transferred to their final destinations: the Sharjah Safari Park and Abu Dhabi’s Al-Ain Zoo.

Sharjah Safari Park opened earlier this year and like many bombastic projects in the Arab world, this one is the largest safari park outside of Africa. 

Located at Al Bridi Nature Reserve, the safari park was created by Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. It has over 1,000 animals and birds to see. 

See us on Al Jazeera TV talking about hypocritical ideas in the UAE. Some of the most controversial and counterproductive measures we’ve covered so far include the not so green Masdar project or celebrities releasing balloons to highlight the importance of green living; and now comes the UAE’s largest safari park. One with illegally-imported animals.

For Emirati rulers (except for the Green Sheik), the tourism-driven African theme of their wildlife parks apparently mattered more than the success of breeding programs.

It was made clear to Al-Ain Zoo Director Mark Craig that there were no imports from Africa with a European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)-accredited breeding programme because past ones had not been successful. Arne Lawrenz, the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) coordinator for elephants, described the “philosophy” of the Emirati zoos as “I got the money, I want to have it. I don’t care if that works.”

That’s why you can see limping cheetahs in traffic in Abu Dhabi or members of the royal family in Saudi Arabia walking around with lions. 

Wildlife is sold to the highest bidder and so if you have enough, you can buy the most rare and endangered animals on the planet.

The outcome of the deal between Namibian poachers and the safari and zoo in the UAE was a lucrative deal finalised through middlemen rather than a non-commercial exchange between zoos, reports The New Arab.

Upon learning about the deal the EAZA decided to terminate the Al-Ain Zoo’s membership on September 15.

John Grobler, a Namibian journalist involved in the investigation is planning to draw on this exposé to call for sanctions against Namibia at the CITES CoP 19 meeting in November, which is considered the world’s most important annual summit on wildlife trade.

The zoo’s membership will end on December 31, 2022, following the decision of EAZA Council that EAZA can no longer reasonably be expected to allow the institution to remain as a member.

We hope that tourists will boycott visits to the safari and zoo and that the animals will be returned to humane parks and safaris. 

“The decision comes after careful examination of evidence related to the import of wild-caught African elephants from Namibia, which the Council agreed constituted multiple breaches of EAZA Codes and Standards,” EAZA said in a press statement.

It continued: “The African elephant EEP1 clearly stated that no approval would be given for such an import. The Elephant TAG2 repeatedly and clearly informed Al Ain Zoo that no import of wild caught elephants was either necessary or desirable. In response to urgent inquiries from both these bodies, communications from the zoo were insufficiently complete and transparent.

Wildlife trafficking is the fourth most lucrative illicit trade in the world, worth an estimated USD 15 billion annually. 

“While all parties involved claim that the trade was legal and done with the well-being of the elephants in mind, international guidelines were clearly flouted, and involved parties were likely aware of this,” states EAZA.

4 Ways To Get Money For Free

Bhok Thompson
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0
4 Ways To Get Money For Free

sharing headphones in black and wine, emo

Taking out a loan is not a great idea in a recession but there are some easy ways to make a bit of cash using the internet. One idea is a small social revolution: get paid for sharing your internet connection.

Everyone loves free money, right? While there’s no such thing as a money tree, and really no such thing as a free rise (ask your mom) there are plenty of legitimate ways to get your hands on some extra cash on the Internet. From surveys to cash-back programs, there are plenty of opportunities to earn money without spending a dime. So whether you’re looking to boost your bank balance or simply want to treat yourself, read on for some easy ways to bring in some extra cash. The easiest of all is to spend less, live more simply. You can ask your mom about that too.

Surveys

There are plenty of ways to make money online, and one of the easiest is by completing surveys. Companies even one sin areas of renewable energy, electric cars, eco fashion, are always looking for feedback from consumers, and they’re willing to pay for it. There are a number of different survey sites out there, so you can choose the ones that best fit your interests

Most survey sites will pay you in cash or points that can be redeemed for gift cards. Payment typically ranges from a few cents to a few dollars per survey, depending on the length and topic. Some sites also offer sweepstakes entries as an additional incentive.

To get started, simply create an account with a survey site and start completing surveys. 

Cashback programs

Cashback services are a great way to save money on your everyday purchases. A lot of people use it all over the world. Basically, you earn cash back on the things you would already be buying. There are a few different ways to do this, but the most common is through a credit card rewards program. 

You can also find apps and websites that offer cash back on specific brands or retailers. When you shop through these platforms, you can earn a percentage of your purchase price back in the form of cash back.

Take Ibotta for example. Ibotta can be used at over 1,500 retailers, including grocery stores, restaurants, and online retailers. It is one of the simplest ways to get free money. All you have to do is download the app and start shopping. 

Ibotta will give you cash back on your purchases, which you can then withdraw through PayPal or Venmo. There are no points to earn or thresholds to meet. You simply shop as you normally would and get rewarded with cash back.

Passive income apps

There are a number of different passive income apps available today. Some of these apps allow you to earn money by completing tasks or watching ads, while others allow you to invest your money in stocks or other assets. 

While there is no guarantee of success with any of these apps, they can be a great way to earn some extra income. Many of these apps are free to download and use, so there is no risk involved in trying them out.

There are a few passive income apps out there that can help you make some extra cash without much effort. Honeygain is one of the most popular options and it’s pretty easy to use. Simply download the app and start earning money by allowing it to run in the background while you go about your day. 

There’s no need to do anything else – Honeygain will automatically generate income for you based on your internet usage. The more you use the app, the more money you’ll make. So why not give it a try and see how much extra cash you can earn?

Listen to music

If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, you may want to consider listening to music through certain apps. There are a few different apps that will actually pay you to listen to music, and they’re usually pretty easy to use. Just download the app, sign up, and start listening. Also, these apps should last for a long time, considering that music streaming is the most used medium for music lovers.

One of the most popular music-listening apps is SliceThePie. With this app, you can get paid to listen to new songs and write short reviews of them. It’s a great way to earn a little extra cash, and it’s also a lot of fun. 

Another popular option is MusicXray. This app also allows you to listen to new songs and write reviews, but it also gives you the opportunity to earn money by listening to and rating unsigned artists. So if you’re a fan of new music, this is a great way to support up-and-coming artists while also earning some cash.

While we can’t promise that you’ll become a millionaire by following our tips, we do believe that there are ways for everyone to get some money. Trying them all out, especially together, will surely get you some money with little to no effort required.

Advantages Of Turning Older Properties into Smart Office Buildings

Bhok Thompson
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0
Advantages Of Turning Older Properties into Smart Office Buildings

smart office, renovation, loft in New York

As far as smart technology is concerned, most people wrongly believe that it only applies to newly built properties. Though smart technology is certainly easier to incorporate into new constructions, it doesn’t mean that older office buildings shouldn’t also benefit from a modern upgrade. As office buildings are by far the largest consumers of energy, implementing cost-saving innovative technology is a must!

By following guidelines and investing the right amount of funding, even older buildings can benefit from being fitted with smart technology accoutrements.

The Advantages Of Transforming A Property Into A Smart Building

  1. Energy Conservation

Smart buildings have the ability to lower its energy consumption which directly translates into greater savings for property owners. By monitoring water usage, lighting, and HVAC system dependence, owners can gain insight as to where the most energy is used in a building. Additionally, aptly placed smart sensors can also detect problems within a smart building such as malfunctioning technology or broken appliances which can hasten repair services.

  1. Increase Productivity 

Any team working on or in a building can greatly benefit from the insights they can gather through the use of smart technology. For example, it’s easier to schedule board meetings and conferences in an office building when a person has direct access to the ongoing schedule of a room. This means more focus is easily placed on productivity and efficiency thanks to a greater dependence on smart technology.

  1. Better Indoor Environments

Office buildings can significantly improve the health and well-being of their employees by monitoring indoor air quality, room temperature, lighting, and ventilation systems. These all help manage the comfort levels of a building’s interior.

  1. Sustainability

Smart buildings are perhaps the most famous for being highly sustainable and environmentally-friendly. Due to the extensiveness of the global warming problem, we’re faced with, it’s no surprise that many people are wanting to do their part by living and working in more sustainable smart buildings.

Modern technology helps aid sustainability through the use of smart monitoring. That means that it is easy to track the energy consumption of an office building in a non-invasive manner while also conserving natural resources such as water. Smart buildings can even showcase the amount of power being used to charge electric cars, how many ebike spaces are left in an outdoor area and even the air quality and Co2 levels of the specific rooms of a building. Knowing how much a building requires in order to efficiently operate can help landlords prepare for a sustainable future ahead while also having a significant positive impact on our planet and leaving behind bad habits.

Elon Musk wants to Starlink Iranian dissidents

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Elon Musk wants to Starlink Iranian dissidents
spacex starlink from space, satellite
SpaceX has deployed satellites to run Starlink

Ever find yourself in the position where you are caught in a rat trap? That’s how the average Iranian feels under a conservative and brutal regime that forbids dancing, homosexuality or uncovering a woman’s hair in public. A woman just died in the hands of the hands of the morality police and you can get sentenced to life in prison for posting against the Regime on Facebook. 

Using a VPN is not enough to get you around Iran’s censors. Elon Musk is hoping to dodge American sanctions against Iran to help researchers and anyone who wants it, access uncensored internet via his satellite-based Starlink internet service. My friends who live in rural Canada swear by Starlink, giving them a lifeline where cellphone data plans would cost hundreds of month. Many people can’t connect via cell phones even if they wanted to.

Musk’s Starlink network has set up thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth to provide a high-speed broadband internet connection to its users. It’s seen as a way for people in authoritarian states to bypass censors. But it’s a costly service, until now essential for Instagrammers living the #vanlife or in an RV. In Canada the monthly service is about $150 CAN or about $120 USD for a subscription.

Starlink has received attention this year for providing connectivity to the Ukrainian government after the Russian invasion. Still in doing so, Starlink relied on political permission from the Ukrainian government to operate. It’s not clear how it would operate with opposition from Iranian forces who are brutal in their response to dissidents.

American government supports dissidents in Iran

While US sanctions to Iran are in place, there is a loophole: the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the United States has a longstanding license that “authorizes certain exports to Iran of hardware, software, and services related to communications over the internet, including certain consumer-grade Internet connectivity services and residential consumer satellite terminals authorized under General License D-1,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.

 

“For any exports not covered by existing authorizations, OFAC welcomes applications for specific licenses to authorize activities supporting internet freedom in Iran,” the statement added.

Who’s a dissident in Iran? They can beat you or torture you or send you to jail for 20 years or life if you dance on Instagram or say a bad word against the regime on Facebook. How about a woman’s death in the hands of the morality police which has sparked a nation-wide protest of hijab-burning.

Every day people like me and you with our own free minds and freedom of speech would be considered dissidents in Iran.

Technical challenges of Starlink in Iran

To work Starlink needs three pieces of hardware: A small terminal with a dish for the user, then there are the satellites flying overhead, but critically larger permanent ground stations that plug into the internet itself.

That last part will be difficult to smuggle in and operate under the nose of a regime but Starlink says if enough users are plugged in they can link to each other and operate like ground stations. 

Creative ideas anyone?

Death by modesty police? Iranian women burn head coverings to protest #MahsaAmini

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Death by modesty police? Iranian women burn head coverings to protest #MahsaAmini

Mahsa Amini

A young Iranian woman, 22, has died in custody after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for improper clothing. Her death sparked anger on social media under her name #MahsaAmini.

Iran has released footage from the time of Mahsa Amini’s arrest up until she collapsed in a police station. Officials say she had a heart attack and pre-existing condition. People on the street, and her family, demand better treatment of people while in custody. Women all over Iran have been burning their hijabs in protest.

According to Iranian reports, Ahmed Mirzaei, who heads the moral security police of Greater Tehran, was suspended after the death of Amini. Her family says the police were slow to respond to her when she collapsed in the station.

The so-called “morality police” known formally in Iran as the Gasht-e Ershad translates to “Guidance” Patrol.”

Iran has a thing for policing modesty. If you are a woman in Iran your life can be a nightmare if you choose not to wear the Muslim traditional head-covering called the hijab. You can also go to jail (for 20 years) for dancing on social media. 

Other personal freedoms are limited too –– such as the clothes you wear, dancing anywhere or drinking alcohol, or hanging out with men. Practicing homosexuality can get you killed in Iran whether you are a man or a homosexual woman. And now, that might happen if you choose not to wear a hijab and find yourself in police custody.

Mahsa Amini

Mahsa Amini, without a head covering, in a coma at the hospital

Iran has a reputation for evaporating people, or for whisking them away and brainwashing them until they lose a part of themselves like the Godfather of blogging Hossein Derakhshan we interviewed in the past –– or Soheil Arabi who was sentenced to death for his Facebook posts.

While we’ve interviewed many women on the pleasure of wearing a hijab, (and while on the topic of pleasure, female circumcision in Islam) there are just as many women who decide to show their hair in public or on social media.

It’s a problem in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran. Iran’s been using cameras to spot women in the crowd not wearing a hijab and it’s a PR headache now for the morality police that a woman has died while in their hands.  

The latest incident has sparked outrage among Muslim women in Iran who have started burning their hijabs, flinging them into the fire, the way women burned their bras in the 60s. It has also propelled Iran’s modesty police to center stage as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is rumoured to be flailing under poor health. He could die any day.

I don’t celebrate the death of anyone. But may Khamenei’s passing, in his time, be a time of renewal for Iranian. May it be a time that Muslims, Sufis, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and those without a faith practice, in Iran, be able to practice freely without hindering creativity, art and sensuality. 

Heard the quote from Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi? “Although the 1979 revolution in Iran is often called an Islamic revolution, it can actually be said to be a revolution of men against women.” 

Green Prophet’s been covering a sustainable Middle East since 2007. Curious about sustainability issues and social issues in Iran? Read all about Iran here. Or click on the Azadi tower below.

azadi-tower iran, tehran

Earliest evidence of opium use found in Israel

Karin Kloosterman
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0
Earliest evidence of opium use found in Israel

opium found in canaanite grave

Our ancient ancestors were using opium 3,500 years ago and took it with them to the grave.

Opiate abuse in America and Canada has reached an all-time high. Solar panels in Afghanistan are ushering in an all-time opiate crisis. And we learned in Thailand that hill tribes people have converted their opium businesses into mangoes. 

But opiates weren’t always the villain. New evidence suggests that opium was used widely in the ancient world.  Archeologists in Israel have dug up ancient opium containers with opium residue in them from about 3,500 years ago. They believe that opium was used by mourners after the death of a loved one.

Found at Tel Yehud, it is the oldest source of hallucinogen use in history to date. 

Using chemical dating technology the vessels date back to the 14th century BC, and the discovery confirms historical writings and archeological hypotheses that opium was used widely in the Near East.

Because the vessels are similar in shape to the poppy flower when it is closed and upside down, the hypothesis arose in the 19th century that they were used as ritual vessels for the drug.

Now, an organic residue analysis has revealed this guess to be true. Opium residue was found in eight vessels, some local and some made in Cyprus. This is the first time that opium has been found in pottery. 

Ron Be’eri of the Israel Antiquities Authority says: “It may be that during these ceremonies, conducted by family members or by a priest on their behalf, participants attempted to raise the spirits of their dead relatives in order to express a request, and would enter an ecstatic state by using opium.

“Alternatively, it is possible that the opium, which was placed next to the body, was intended to help the person’s spirit rise from the grave in preparation for the meeting with their relatives in the next life”.

Vanessa Linares of Tel Aviv University who is doing her PhD thesis on the research explains: “This is the only psychoactive drug that has been found in the Levant in the Late Bronze Age. In 2020, researchers discovered cannabis residue on an altar in Tel Arad, but this dated back the Iron Age, hundreds of years after the opium in Tel Yehud.

Vanessa Linaris
Vanessa Linares

“Because the opium was found at a burial site, it offers us a rare glimpse into the burial customs of the ancient world. Of course, we do not know what the opium’s role was in the ceremony – whether the Canaanites in Yehud believed that the dead would need opium in the afterlife, or whether it was the priests who consumed the drug for the purposes of the ceremony.

opium trade canaan, ancients dead at Tel Yehud

The discovery sheds light on the opium trade in general, the researchers explain. Opium is produced from poppies, which grew in Asia Minor – that is, in the territory of current-day Turkey – whereas the pottery in which we identified the opium were made in Cyprus. In other words, the opium was brought to Yehud from Turkey, through Cyprus; indicating the importance that was attributed to the drug.

Eriola Jakoel
Eriola Jakoel finds gold coins along with the opium

Until now, no written sources have been discovered that describe the exact use of narcotics in burial ceremonies, the researchers say.

The research was conducted as part of Vanessa Linares’s doctoral thesis, under the guidance of Prof. Oded Lipschits and Prof. Yuval Gadot of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Archeology and Prof. Ronny Neumann of the Weizmann Institute, in collaboration with Eriola Jakoel (pictured above) and Dr. Ron Be’eri of the Israel Antiquities Authority, and the study was published in the journal Archaeometry.

Busting The Myths About Virtual Learning

Bhok Thompson
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0
Busting The Myths About Virtual Learning
Forest school and virtual learning
Some virtual schools let you pick the topics and the rest of the day your kids can be hanging out in trees at a forest school.

Online/virtual learning is conquering the world because it is readily available, accessible, convenient, and flexible for use. A survey found that enrollment for online courses grew from 26 million in 2016 to 189 million in 2021. Instead of adjusting learners’ lives to match the educational system, this online mode enables the learners to fit the learning process into their existing schedules. However, some people are still cautious to trust and use online learning to expand their education. It is veiled in misconceptions, which makes it challenging for students to accept it as a reliable option for gaining knowledge.

Busting myths around online learning:

  • Learning becomes difficult in online mode: One of the misconceptions about online learning is that it is challenging and involves many tasks. Whereas it is all up to the learner to decide the exact content and level of learning. It can be assured that the courses are designed for learners of every age group. 
  • Online classes’ flexibility: Online classes are designed based on users’ daily schedules. So if you go out for a vacation or take a break, you do not need to worry about your missing lectures as they will get stored in your feed. And you can refer to them at your convenience.  
  • Online learning is complex and insufficient: Parents usually do not want their children to take up online coaching as they feel that the educator would not finish the syllabus on time. They also are biased with the thought that their children or they themselves need to be well equipped with the system or applications in order to attend the class. Whereas any online course is planned while keeping in mind the syllabus of each subject. Moreover, an eLearning platform like Tovuti has the designation of being one of the most easily operable LMSs that enable both the instructor and the learner to have an interactive class, along with providing the ease of creating an innovative and engaging course.
  • Online learning is not cost-effective: Many parents believe that as it is an online learning program, it must involve the usage of a lot of gadgets which might cost them a fortune. But in reality, this mode of education involves no traveling charge. Moreover, these days LMSs are made mobile-friendly which means 750 million smartphone users can access any mode of online learning if they wish to. 
  • Instructor’s taking online classes are not experts in their domain: There is no difference between a teacher sharing knowledge online or in a conventional classroom. All the teachers need to go through several tests and training before receiving the opportunity to deliver their knowledge online just like any other conventional classroom teacher.
  • Online degrees have no value in the corporate World: A college degree, relevant projects, and a good interview are sufficient to fetch you a job. The recruiter has little to no interest in wasting time over a worthless debate of which degree matters the most an offline degree or an online one. You will be given the same consideration as someone who attended an on-campus university as long as you can demonstrate that you would be able to do justice to the role offered to you. If your resume shows quite many skills and training taken up by you apart from your college courses, that might be an additional benefit for you in bagging the job. 
  • Does not involve teacher-student interaction: Online classroom interactions encourage students to participate in group projects and actively participate in class interactions since they don’t have to face the crowd or be afraid of making mistakes in front of the entire class. Moreover, in a conventional class, not all the students pay attention in the class. There is always a group of few students who create unnecessary chaos and disturb the rest. Now, this unnecessary discussion is not possible in an online teaching mode. 
  • Internet usage in this mode ruins students’ attention spans: Another misconception about online education is that using technology and gadgets like phones and computers may distract kids and that the internet cannot produce a distraction-free classroom atmosphere. However, nothing can prevent students from focusing on online classes if they can do so in a regular classroom. To learn the lessons given via online methods, the learner simply needs to pay attention and be patient the same way. And as they are not surrounded by their playmates, are in a comfortable environment, and understand that they are there to learn, students may concentrate successfully in online sessions too. Learning is made more engaging and fun with the assistance of the internet.

Conclusion:

These are all myths that students cannot learn well in a virtual classroom and that understanding gained through online learning differs from that attained in a traditional classroom. Many misconceptions concerning online education have recently surfaced. Despite the development of online and hybrid learning modes, and the fact that digital learning has been advocated in schools for decades, several misconceptions about its benefits and drawbacks continue to exist. Despite the widespread acknowledgment by educators with expertise in digital learning that these fallacies are untrue, media coverage and detractors continue to propagate them. This article aims to eradicate at least a few of the misconceptions mentioned above.

Top 7 Tips to Reduce Lines and Wrinkles from Skin

Bhok Thompson
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Top 7 Tips to Reduce Lines and Wrinkles from Skin

skin vitamin C

Free radicals, Covid stress, a hole in the ozone. How does your skin cope? Are there any ecological solutions or non-invasive ones at least. Here are some ideas.

There are many things you can do to prevent or reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on your skin. While the majority of anti-aging products and treatments involve the use of Botox or other chemicals, there are also natural remedies available. Using Vitamin C to treat your skin can be effective. This is the best place to start.

Vitamin C

The antioxidant vitamin C on Universal C Skin Refiner has many benefits, and it is an excellent cosmetic to add to your skincare routine. It fights off free radicals and can even protect the skin from damage caused by UV radiation. In addition, it can minimise fine lines and wrinkles and increase skin tone and texture.

Botox

Botox injections are usually not considered eco-friendly but we know even nature loves get them secretly. They are injected into specific facial muscles to temporarily weaken them and prevent them from wrinkling. After the procedure, the effects usually last about three to four months. Depending on the type of treatment you choose, you may need more than one treatment to achieve your desired result. After the procedure, you should avoid rubbing the treated area, lying down for at least two days, and doing activities that require you to be in an unusual head position, such as a downward dog. For many, this is a stretch. So read on for some easier ones.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a natural product that helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the skin. This plant can be found in many forms and is easy to consume. One form is a gel, which is extracted from the leaves. It contains bioactive compounds that make it a useful natural anti-wrinkle treatment. you can apply it on the skin or drink it as a juice.

Gelatin

One of the best ways to reduce lines and wrinkles on your skin is to eat more gelatin. This food from fish, pork or beef is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, and it has also been known to help build collagen. It also helps with digestion, relieves pain, and helps to balance hormones. This food is also good for your bones.

Avoiding facial expressions

The best way to minimize the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles is to avoid making facial expressions. Although this can be difficult to not smile, avoiding facial expressions can help you maintain a more youthful appearance. Although there are anti-wrinkle products that can help you combat the signs of ageing, a more natural method is to avoid making facial expressions. Or better plan, save your smiles. Be greedy and only give them to those you love.

Drinking plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water can have numerous benefits, including reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the skin. Water replenishes skin tissues and increases elasticity, making them less prone to wrinkling and scarring. It also improves the body’s ability to regenerate skin tissues. Drinking plenty of water can also help fight common skin conditions such as acne. Water also helps maintain a healthy balance of oil and water in the skin.

Taking care of your skin

Taking care of your skin is essential to keep it young, radiant, and free of lines and wrinkles, you should read vitamin c reviews to have an idea of what people are saying after trying some of our mentioned ingredients on your skincare routine. You should use quality sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Also, wash your face at least twice a day. Avoid using chlorinated water, as it can damage your skin. Also, avoid using deodorant soaps, as they contain substances that can irritate the skin. After washing your face, pat your skin dry and apply a moisturiser to lock in moisture.

Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Projects

Julie Steinbeck
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Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Projects
greenhouse, holland
The Dutch use greenhouses year round. And growing your own food is a great step forward. But here are 6 things you can do to eco and future-proof your home, sustainably.

The duties and responsibilities of homeownership are nothing to be taken lightly. It’s a lot of hard work and careful consideration. And if you’re someone interested in reducing your carbon footprint, the pressure to make your home more sustainable adds more stress to the mix.

There’s no denying the cost and inconvenience associated with significant home improvement projects, especially those aimed at making the dwelling more energy-efficient and sustainable. However, the long-term benefits – for the occupants as well as the planet – make these investments worth the effort.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at six eco-friendly home improvement projects to consider:

Solar panels

There are several established benefits of using solar power. They help lower your monthly utility bill. They provide a source of clean and renewable energy. They add value to your home. They’re also increasingly more affordable with every passing year. All this adds up to a tremendous incentive for homeowners to have a solar panel array installed on their rooftops.

Water softener

Nearly 85% of American households have hard water. While hard water is perfectly safe to drink and use, it tends to have a funky taste and a tendency to corrode plumbing and appliances. The solution is to install a water softener in Phoenix and other cities with a hard water supply. The eco-friendly benefits of doing so include less reliance on bottled water for drinking as well as a prolonged lifespan for major home appliances. A water softener system also extends the life of clothes due to reduced damage during the wash cycle.

White roof

Oia, greece, white painted roof facing the sea
Oia, Greece. The Greeks use white paint for a reason.

It sounds too easy to be effective, but painting your roof white can lead to a dramatic reduction in energy usage. That’s because the white paint acts as a reflector, thus reducing the amount of sun rays striking your roof and consequently heating up your home in the middle of summer. There will be reduced demand placed on your HVAC system to keep the interior of your home cool, which will no doubt lead to a reduced carbon footprint over the span of many years.

New windows

Modern home design prioritizes the insulative nature of doors and windows. But older homes often feature outdated windows that are anything but energy-efficient. While the upfront cost isn’t cheap, the energy savings over the next decade or so will justify the investment. Not only will new windows lead to saving money, but it also leads to reduce energy usage, which makes the home more eco-friendly and sustainable.

New appliances

Great strides have been made in the development of energy-efficient home appliances. If the appliances in your home are over 10 years old, it’s probably time for a replacement. With that said, securing the most sustainable outcome possible comes down to individual calculations. For instance, if your older refrigerator works fine but lacks the energy efficiency of newer models, would replacing it be the most sustainable move? Keep in mind that by purchasing a state-of-art refrigerator, you’re contributing to the environmental harm caused by modern manufacturing. The bottom line is that in order to achieve greater sustainability through updated appliances, you’ll need to determine the cost-benefit of your existing appliances.

New plumbing

Water conservation is becoming a more pressing concern among environmentalists due to the ongoing water shortages happening in many parts of the world. With this in mind, any effort to reduce water usage at home is certain to lead to greater sustainability over time. The best way to do this is to replace toilets and other plumbing fixtures with newer, more efficient models.

Are you a homeowner interested in making your dwelling more eco-friendly? If so, there are many options to choose from. The right choices will depend on your unique situation. But chances are one of the suggestions mentioned above will prove beneficial. Take the time to mull over your options in order to make the best moves. Your wallet will thank you – along with the planet.

Locals learn to restore mosaics from Bible times

Karin Kloosterman
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Locals learn to restore mosaics from Bible times
mosaic restoration class
Locals learn to preserve mosaics in the Middle East.

If you live in a place where the ancients roamed, like in the Middle East, it makes sense that a local from Lebanon, Iraq or Jordan will be doing their own mosaic restoration. If you live with the Taliban in Afghanistan it’s too late because your history and future has already been ransacked. But if you are in a place where ancient culture needs to be embraced and protected, you can do this in a mosaic restoration class sponsored by international grants. The classes have been ongoing for a decade and have trained over 200 people the art and craft of mosaic restoration.

Mosaic restoration is sought after speciality because ancient mosaics are uncovered regularly when builders start breaking ground for new development projects.

Mosaikon teaches locals restoration
Consultant Livia Alberti and technician Mondher Habachi repair mosaics in Maison de la Chasse, Bulla Regia.

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) sent Green Prophet a memo that they will hold two advanced training courses in Jordan and Lebanon focused on the conservation of mosaics in the region.

The project is called Mosaikon. One class is currently underway and the next one happens in October. 

“Mosaikon was created with the principal goal of promoting best practices for mosaic conservation at archaeological sites, museums, and storage facilities throughout the Mediterranean region,” said Jeanne Marie Teutonico, associate director at the GCI.

“After over a decade of courses and field work, the initiative has established an extensive network of dedicated mosaic conservation professionals, all of whom we hope will share the knowledge and skill attained in their trainings to mentor future generations,” she adds.
 
Each course is taught by experts in the field to ensure the highest quality in theoretical and practical training.

These intensive trainings are among the courses of the Mosaikon initiative, a collaboration of the GCI, ICCROM, and the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics (ICCM). 

Since 2008, Mosaikon has trained over 200 conservation professionals from countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, all of whom conducted research and model field projects as part of their training.

We spoke with Cole Calhoun, Communications Lead from Getty, to learn a bit more about the focus and scope of the project:

“The geographic focus of Mosaikon has largely been the Mediterranean basin and the program largely centers on countries in the southern and eastern parts of the region, where the conservation needs are the greatest for a variety of reasons including climate change, urban development, and lack of resources,” he tells Green Prophet.

“The goal of Mosaikon is to work with government authorities in each region to ensure the transmission of new knowledge and skills and to build capacity at the national level for the long-term care and conservation of mosaics.

“Mosaikon has been a 14-year project and despite the courses coming to a close, its mission and objects will continue through regional collaboration,” Calhoun assures.

Mosaic training in Jordan

The Department of Antiquities of Jordan will hold a two-week course based in Amman, Jordan that will focus on two strategic and sustainable approaches to conserving archaeological sites: the use of protective shelters and reburial.

Using the archaeological sites of Jerash, Um al Rasas, and Madaba as outdoor classrooms, and taking advantage of the wealth of mosaic heritage in Jordan, course participants will learn these complex techniques that can help achieve more stable environments for fragile historic remains, such as mosaics.

Jordan, mosaic

The site of Um-al-Rasas in Jordan, one of the open-air classrooms the course will be using to discuss shelters and reburial, photograph by Leslie Friedman

“Increasing the local expertise of professionals capable of managing and conserving cultural heritage, particularly archaeological sites, is of the utmost importance as we face a multitude of challenges in the field such as rapid urban development, threats from climate change, and simply not enough resources,” said Professor Fadi Bala’wi, the Director General at Department of Antiquities of Jordan.

“This course will help Jordanians and other heritage professionals from the region gain a better understanding of the complexities and opportunities of preventive practices such as sheltering and reburial, which are key to the preservation of our heritage.

mosaikon training getty
Group photo of participants and staff of a Mosaikon course at the Paphos Archeological Park, Paphos, Cyprus

While the Mosaikon project may be coming to an official end sometime soon, the lessons will be made available online through Getty here for self study. Reach out to them here for any future opportunities.

 

Blank Street is where Middle Easterners do American coffee

Karin Kloosterman
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Blank Street is where Middle Easterners do American coffee
Blank Street retro food truck
Blank Street serves coffee out of retro carts which are a cross between a food truck and a mobile cart. Photo Lana Apisukh.

It often takes plucky new immigrants to see a missing link in business. Two pals from high-school, Issam Freiha and Vinay Menda who went to the American School in Dubai are a first to get American venture funding for their coffee startup, Blank Street. They secured $25 million USD in Series A funding to roll out more than 100 coffee shops in the New York area offering no-nonsense, even homey, design with great coffee. This is not Turkish coffee from a finjan, made famous in the Middle East, but espresso coffee made on Italian machines. 

The coffee is reported to be good but not everyone is happy.

A coffee rival to Dunkin Doughnuts, Starbucks

Appearing already all over New York and served out of converted vans, a cross between an Airstream and a Vespa, which give the impression of a quaint small business –– but also out of simple storefronts –– Freiha and Menda have developed a model for making great coffee at a lower price point than Starbucks. 

While some people may enjoy the convenience of a Starbucks alternative, others such as David Lieber and patrons to small coffee shops like Everyman Espresso  –– a chain of 3 boutique coffee shops in New York –– see it as a targeted takeover of local coffee and, possibly, the values that keep the East Village, Brooklyn or New York City hip.

everyman espress in Brooklyn, Damn Fine Coffee

Owner and CEO Sam Penix with CFO and co-owner Sam Lewontin. Via Sprudge

Lieber lamented over what he saw as Blank Street’s takeover of the Everyman neighborhood standby. He told the New York Times: “They opened right across the street from Everyman,” he said. “That’s not a coincidence.”

Eater NY comments: “The ubiquitous mint-green coffee chain Blank Street is taking over New York with its unescapable blah-ness.”

I find this story interesting and with many layers. On one hand it’s an immigrant success story, and something American immigrants have been doing for the last 100 years in all sorts of business and banking. And they are guys from the Middle East. They should have a fair chance like everyone else.

When hipsters call the shots

But now the gentrifiers who have resettled islands in Brooklyn, and those who have held out in Manhattan, want to keep big corporate out. Are any of the people who buy from boutique coffee shops working for big corporate? Do they bank with them?

There is some merit to resisting change, and to protecting small businesses, but at one point can cities get involved in healthy competition? 

A very successful but small organic grocery store, Teva Tari, opened in my neighborhood in Jaffa, Israel more than 13 years ago. During Covid the place was packed. Soon after the mask mandates started to wane, a neighboring convenience store selling chips and fast-food items saw its neighbor’s success, studied it, and decided to open a small organic grocery store selling almost exactly the same merchandise, one street over. 

They then multiplied to another location affecting the business of the pioneering shop.

That’s the way cities grow and certain shops end up clustered in certain neighborhoods. Maybe good for carpets, furniture, lamps and textiles but for local markets or coffee shops?  Do we want our organic food and better coffee shops governed by big corporates and their investors?

When big capital acts like a boutique business

I don’t love that Blank Street, like other coffee brands I have seen in cities like Tel Aviv, are building retro-looking vans and trucks that trick the psyche of people into associations with boutique food truck businesses.

The old chip truck or food van are holdouts for people who don’t want to work at Walmart or at a corporate anything. Selling venture coffee out of a retro van is like selling industrially-grown apples at a chain grocery store labelled: Farmers Market. I see those in Canada. 

As always in this confusing over-capitalistic world, let the buyer beware and if there is a doubt, just put your money where your mouth is. And consider drinking a little less coffee. 

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