An Apology: Today's Disrupted Service

We wish to apologise to all of you for our inability to report on events today before 1615 GMT. This was due to a collapse of our host service. We are checking to ensure this will not be repeated, especially with the major events of Ashura in Iran tomorrow.

Enduring America, as part of its re-launched in January/February 2010, will be establishing itself on a reliable service which will ensure there will not be a repetition of today's disruption.

Comments

[Arshama]

I regret the temporary disruption of EA, perhaps the host's operators celebrated too much with a liquid, available to our ancestors in the Zagros mountains already 7000 years ago: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,668642,00.html
At the excavation site of Hajji Firuz Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of northwestern Iran, McGovern discovered prehistoric wine racks used to store airtight carafes. Inhabitants of the village seasoned their alcohol with resin from Atlantic Pistachio trees. This ingredient was said to have healing properties, for example for infections, and was used as an early antibiotic.
The village's Neolithic residents lived comfortably in spacious mud brick huts, and the archaeologist and his team found remnants of wine vessels in the kitchens of nearly all the dwellings. "Drinking wasn't just a privilege of the wealthy in the village," McGovern posits, and he adds that women drank their fair share as well.
Cheers!

[Barry]

Arshama

Good thought! :)

But, as a beer "snob" (as opposed to a wine "snob) :) - I prefer the concept that beer making was the cause of the rise of civilization

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/04/0424_kurtbeer.html

But whichever - I greatly thank whoever.

Regards

Barry

[Arshama]

Barry

I will certainly not enter this debate, but if you prefer Iranian beer, befarmayeed :-)
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/05/world/jar-in-iranian-ruins-betrays-beer-drinkers-of-3500-bc.html
My favourite is the excellent Chateau Hajji Firuz: http://www.penn.museum/sites/wine/wineneolithic.html

Godin Tepe and Hajji Firuz Tepe were both excavated by American archaeologists (T. Cuyler-Young and Mary Voight), must have been a complot ;-)

Regards

Arshama

[Barry]

Arshama

I bow to your greater knowledge in this matter. It appears that in ancient Iran, they certainly enjoyed their alcoholic beverages. What happened between then and now??? :)

Barry