Balkans Mystery Tour: The Mine of Alshar
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Written by Risto Karajkov
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Friday, 29 June 2007
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 They say it holds a secret no less than that of the Universe. That it guards the answer to the power of the Sun. No, it is not the latest Spielberg blockbuster. It is a mine. But a mine covered in a veil of mystery. Alshar, an ancient mine located in the southern Balkans, in Macedonia, is said to contain minerals that are found nowhere else on the planet. The rarest of them all—the lorandite, a crystal of the thallium. The lorandite is thought to have the potential to unravel the so-called "neutrino puzzle." By serving as a geochemical detector of the neuron, the lorandite could validate or disprove the theory of the standard solar system, say physicists. In simple terms—it would let us understand the work of the Sun.
The Ottomans, who ruled the peninsula until the beginning of the 20th century, called it Majdan (the word for "mine" in Turkish). This was also the name given to the nearest village. They explored for gold. But they were not the first ones at the mine. According to some, the mine has existed for over 5,000 years.
Media reports tell the story that in the late 70's the Macedonian government had a secret session, at the request of the federal authorities of former Yugoslavia, to decide whether to concede a "great power" (Russia?) to conduct research for space purposes in Alshar.
 According to experts, many world scientists are very interested in exploring Alshar. The lorandite from the mine can register in a chemical and physical way the so-called neutrino flux coming from the Sun. And they say it is the only known substance that has this power. If the neutrino could be explored, science could understand the processes that go on inside the Sun. Some say with awe that it could lead to an understanding of the past but also of the future of our galaxy.
How did it ever get there, and only there? On a mountain (Kozuf) in the southern Balkans? One assumption, again resembling a movie scenario, is that it fell from the Sun, following an eruption a billion years ago.
Local scientists have come forward in the past with the idea to have the mine protected by UNESCO and have suggested that it be turned into a resort for global science tourism. It could attract up to several thousand researchers a year, they say, including atomic physicists, space scientists, geologists, and of course many adventurers. The zone around the mine should be developed, and the mine itself should be restored, its corridors lighted, and new pathways built. They say many NASA people would enjoy coming and staying for work and holidays combined.
A decade ago, the LOREX project (lorandite experiment) was initiated by scientists from all over former Yugoslavia, in cooperation with international labs. The key to the neutrino is the key to the door of Alshar, they said.
This year, the Macedonian government has initiated a project to have the mine protected. This would mean that any type of activity in Alshar would require prior government permission. At present, the place is completely unrestricted for any type of visit.
Villagers' stories continue. Just next to the mine is a small hill where the grass is always green. Neither man nor livestock can step a foot on it, they say. It will knock down even the largest cow that roams the pasture, as the hill is full of thallium, one of the most potent of poisons.
If the power of the Sun could be understood, say scientists, then hypothetically, humanity could reproduce it. It could create many "small suns." Energy production facilities akin to nuclear plants, but without the radioactivity. They could produce environmentally clean power.
Risto KarajkovFlorence, Italy
Originally published by Osservatorio sui Balcani
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Last Updated ( Friday, 29 June 2007 )
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Non ce n'est pas une affiche de campagne en Turquie, mais bien celle du parti socialiste autrichien (SPÖ) pour les élections d'octobre prochain à Vienne. Après les affiches de campagne de Strache qui plaide pour le " pur sang viennois" c'est la course au populisme?
Wien-Wahl: Politiker sprechen türkisch: 200.000 Neoösterreicher Wähler haben Migrationshintergrund. Die Parteien buhlen um ihre Stimmen - gerne auch in einer Fremdsprache.( Kurier 25/08/2010)
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La deuxième rencontre du cycle
“LA DEMOCRATIE EN DANGER”,
consacrée à la Justice en Europe
Le lundi 13 septembre
de 19h30 à 22h00
Salons de l’Aveyron
17 Rue de l'Aubrac
75012 Paris
 A l’heure où les discours et les mesures sécuritaires et judiciaires se durcissent dans nombreux pays européens, où l’on sait les atteintes aux droits les plus élémentaires et aux principes fondamentaux des simples citoyens, quels traitements sont réservés à ceux qui tiennent les pouvoirs politiques, financiers, économiques entre leurs mains? Une conférence-débat organisée dans le cadre du cycle La démocratie en danger par Les Amis de Beppe Grillo à Paris et le NewropMag.
Intervenants: les députés européens Luigi De Magistris, Sonia Alfano et Rosario Crocetta ; Harald Greib, vice-président de Newropeans en charge des affaires des institutions européennes ; Eric Alt, magistrat, membre de l’association MEDEL (magistrats européens pour la démocratie et les libertés) et de l’association Anticor, et Corinne Lepage, députée européenne et ex Ministre de l’environnement, engagée dans la lutte contre la corruption politique et financière.
Parmi les sujets de discussion:
- L'infiltration des organisations criminelles et le vide législatif relatif en Europe
- Les récentes dépénalisations des crimes financiers et économiques en Italie, en France et leur traitement au sein des institutions européennes
- Présomption d'innocence ou de culpabilité? L'exemple de la “loi bâillon” sur les écoutes téléphoniques qui viole les recommandations de l’OSCE concernant l’emploi de sources et de matériels nécessaires aux investigations journalistiques au service de la démocratie.
Contacts:
Micaela Bracciaferri, Coordinatrice “Les Amis de Beppe Grillo à Paris »
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