A lot of "I thought Romney was going to win" was media hype to keep the game alive (it like Thunderdome). There's no way to dissect reality from fiction with all of the information channels combined with extreme polarization, but its certain that media gets the most out of a close race. And just for fun, here are white people mourning Romney's defeat: http://whitepeoplemourni... ----------------------------------------\\... I feel a little bad about this, really I do. And I realize there is something slightly wrong with me, but that page made me smile a little. Maybe there is some good that will come from all this suffering. For tomorrow,    is,   anoth   er,   day... I think Romney thought he was going to win because he deserved it.  He's always been given everything to him in life and he thought that he'd have the presidency.  That's how rich entitled people think: they should have everything because they deserve everything I have about as much sympathy for Romney's crying supporters as I'd have for Hitler's supporters when they learned of his death. When you party's core values include taking away people's rights and profiting from fear, you deserve to lose, and I sincerely hope it hurts like hell. No, Romney does not equal Hitler, but when your campaign platform is all about making sure gays are less equal and rape victims have to give birth to their rapist's babies, you have no right to complain when i make that obvious comparison. So those of you who supported Obama don't think he spent  millions on his re-election? Who is naive Kay? Romney never had a chance.  Blue states were gonna stay blue this cycle. I'm just glad I finally got rid of a 40 year in office democrat from  my congressional district. Sure, it was with another democrat. But at least he seems a little more moderate... "when your campaign platform is all about making sure gays are less equal and rape victims have to give birth to their rapist's babies, you have no right to complain when i make that obvious comparison." I'm sure Romney had some good if not great economical policies/reform for our country but the media always focuses on the negative/controversial issues which is (in this case) abortion and homosexual marriage.  This is all that we see and base our votes on.  Republicans could have had a great shot if they had found someone better to represent them...someone who is more in tune with today's world, youth, and generation instead of conservative Christian (Mormon) policies that openly discriminate against others.  This is why he really lost IMHO. BTW Kudos to all my yelp veterans! I'm a veteran myself and I hope you celebrate your Veterans Day with pride!  I heard we get a free meal at applebees! https://www.facebook.com... I have nothing against Obama in fact I voted for him!  I want him to have another 4 more years to see what he can do.  I want our country to move forward instead of backwards and yeah sure I'm going to get hate from all the Romney supporters but if you really want the GOP to get into office try updating your policies and campaign toward EVERYONE in this country instead of just the conservative rich.  Just my 2 cents. All the states that were expected to go Obama did. That's not a landslide. It's not a mandate. It is what was expected. The Incumbent party not losing a Senate seat is also not a surprise. The House gaining Republican seats however is. i think its all b/s anyway!... our votes don't mean anything.. if your vote won its only because that guy was already set up to win!!.. On another note i myself do not believe in homosexual marriage if your a homosexual you should not get married you take away from what marriage means it is only between a man and a women only a man and a woman can make babies read your bible it tells you ... I'm sure this is going to upset a few of you but oh well I'm not saying you cant do what you want but remember you are going to answer to GOD someday you don't have to answer to me or anyone Else!  don't hate me for what i feel because I'm sure you feel your way and i feel mine!... troy s. says: ^^^ Thats sad.  As outspoken of a support of Obama that I am on YT, I don't take joy in watching these people have their man get defeated. Election is over, lets all focus on working together to fix some of our problems. ==============================-=========\\... I can only feel bad for these people up to a point. Yes, those specific people feel a genuine chance to change the country was snatched away from them and it was caught on film. But to feel bad for a party that is basically saying they will tank the economy if they don't get to keep their tax cuts for the rich? A wise man once said "fuck that noise". I love how my conservative idiot friends  on the Facebook first alleged fraud, then once they saw the numbers, had to blame it on the ignorant masses going for Obama.  As if the Red States are loaded with intellectuals. Hi friends, I'm sorry I have not chimed in on this until just now, but to be completely honest with you, I have been drinking heavily since November 6th. In fact, I have been drinking all day and I can not be responsible for anything I say so I apologize in advance if I should happen to offend any of you STUPID IDIOTIC MUSH-BRAINED SHORT-SIGHTED BIRTH CONTROL PILL POPPING LIE-BERAL SCUMBAGS. Why did Ayatollah Obama get re-elected? Well friends, it's pretty obvious: The Republican party made the mistake of running a ticket that contained one Catholic, one Mormon, and ZERO Christians. Had the ticked featured one Mormon and one Christian or one Catholic and one Christian, I do not believe the Lord would have removed His hand of protection from the GOP. A presidential candidate and a vice presidential candidate  who were both non-Christians, though? It is obvious that this enraged the Lord and He chose not to stay all of your filthy hands has you cast your ballots for Barack Hussein. This does not in any way, however, absolve each and every one of you of your guilt and complicity in this matter. Don't worry, though, as I am praying night and day that all of your worthless souls will be spared the righteous judgment which you so richly deserve. I pray for you treasonous Democraps not because I want to, but because the Bible says I should: Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ----------------------------------------\\... I agree with Saint Vincent that Mormonism is not mainstream Christianity. I'm also glad to see he's been tossing a few back. It's about time Saint Vincent loosened up a bit. Hopefully, he'll get laid too! Hello everybody, I would like to take this moment to apologize for my outburst a few days ago. Everything I said was true, but I should have found a more constructive way of expressing those truths. Please forgive me. You did an excellent job of skewering Mormonism and several other groups. Besides, what's the big deal? You're not  the ambassadorial type anyway Saint Vinny. More like a raving cousin who passes through town once in a while. Brandon "Support Your  Local Businesses" M.-Uh are you aware that the area that was hit is full of Liberals? Don't forget the head Liberal is Mayor DOOMBERG. If any one deserves God's Wrath it's that Communist piece of garbage (no large sodas my ass). He DiD almost win. Did You happen to look at he popular vote? (Wish people would actually READ, rather than watch Honey Booboo!! @Maureen: a couple weeks back a study was published about the levels of bias at Foxnews and mSNBC. They found that about 60% of foxnews coverage of BO was negative. Meanwhile at MSNBC, they could find NO, none, nada, favorable coverage of Romney.  Almost funny how vociferous the complaints are at the left against foxnews, but SILENCE if its a "news" organization you agree with. But....living in the Bay Area, I'm used to the "freedom of speech as long as I agree with it" hypocrisy. Sad and almost funny!


Walter Day : I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be the center of attention. I wanted the glory, I wanted the fame. I wanted the pretty girls to come up and say, "Hi, I see that you're good at Centipede." Share this quote Brian Kuh : You know, he's gonna have to play it perfectly, he's at the hardest part of Donkey Kong, and it's not gonna get any easier. So we may have an exciting moment here, or you know, the pressure may get to him, one of those random elements might happen. Sounds like he just cleared another board, but we could have a wild barrel, or some aggressive fireballs. I thought I was gonna be the first FunSpot kill screen, and then I had three fireballs trap me, I had the hammer in my hand, they still got me. So anything can happen in Donkey Kong. So for someone else to beat me to the kill screen would be a letdown, but lets see what happens, maybe he'll crack under the pressure and maybe I'll get my chance to do it first. Share this quote Mr. Awesome : Everything would've fell right into place, but he forgot about one thing: About me convincing Steve Wiebe not to be a chump, talking him out of chumpatizing himself. Share this quote Robert Mruczek : When I have to watch that pile of eight tapes over there for Dwayne Richards' two-day Nibbler performance, that's 48 straight hours of paying attention and making sure he's doing everything correctly. Share this quote Adam Wood : I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I play video games, which I think is a far superior addiction to any of those other ones. Share this quote Mike Thompson : I've heard a lot of talk of Billy Mitchell, and I've heard a lot of talk of strange videos and things. But I haven't heard much in the way of him getting in front of a camera crew with people and getting a record in front of people. I haven't heard about that yet. Maybe he did that 25 years ago. But I haven't heard of him doing it lately, and it makes you wonder why not. Share this quote Jillian Wiebe : I never knew that the Guinness World Record Book was so... I never knew it was so important. Steve Wiebe : I guess a lot of people are... yeah, a lot of people read that book. Jillian Wiebe : [ while directly looking at Steve, her father ] Some people sort of ruin their lives to be in there. Share this quote Billy Mitchell : ...but competetive gaming, when you wanna attach your name to a world-record, when you want your name written into history, you have to pay the price! Share this quote Related Links You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process. To share this quote, copy and paste the following link into an email, instant message or webpage. Hide link


The first Europeans who explored the region were the Spaniards. They gave it the name of Nevada (snowy) due to the snow which covered the mountains at winter. The land comprising the modern state was inhabited by Native Americans of the Paiute , Shoshone , and Washoe tribes prior to European contact. It was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, turning into Mexico at 1821 (Mexican independence day). The United States gained the territory in 1848 following its victory in the Mexican-American War , and the area was eventually incorporated as part of Utah Territory in 1850. The discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1859 led to a population boom that was an impetus to the creation of Nevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, as the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War (the first being West Virginia ). [ 9 ] Nevada is known for its libertarian laws. [ citation needed ] The establishment of legalized gambling and lenient marriage and divorce proceedings in the 20th century transformed Nevada into a major tourist destination. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] Nevada is the only state where prostitution is legal, though it is illegal in Clark County and Washoe County which contain Las Vegas and Reno, respectively. The tourism industry remains Nevada's largest employer, [ 12 ] with mining continuing to be a substantial sector of the economy as Nevada is the fourth largest producer of gold in the world. [ 13 ] Nevadans usually pronounce the second syllable of their state name using the /æ/ vowel of "b a d". Many from outside the Western United States pronounce it with the /ɑː/ vowel of "f a ther" / n ə ˈ v ɑː d ə / . Although the latter pronunciation is closer to the Spanish pronunciation, it is not the pronunciation preferred by locals. Notably, George W. Bush made this faux pas during his campaign for the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election . Vindication later came when President Bush campaigned at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on June 18, 2004. The president opened his talk by proclaiming that "It's great to be here in Nevada / n ə ˈ v æ d ə / ," emphasizing the correct "A" – the crowd roared its approval when he light-heartedly noted, "You didn't think I'd get it right, did ya?" [ 15 ] Bush subsequently carried the state in the election. Assemblyman Harry Mortenson has proposed a bill to recognize the alternate (quasi-Spanish) pronunciation of Nevada, [ 16 ] though the bill was not supported by most legislators and never received a vote. The native pronunciation is the de facto official one, since it is the one used by the state legislature. Nevada is almost entirely within the Basin and Range Province , and is broken up by many north-south mountain ranges. Most of these ranges have endorheic valleys between them, which belies the image portrayed by the term Great Basin . Much of the northern part of the state is within the Great Basin, a mild desert that experiences hot temperatures in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter. Occasionally, moisture from the Arizona Monsoon will cause summer thunderstorms; Pacific storms may blanket the area with snow. The state's highest recorded temperature was 125 °F (52 °C) in Laughlin (elevation of 605 feet or 184 metres) on June 29, 1994. [ 17 ] The coldest recorded temperature was −52 °F (−47 °C ) set in San Jacinto in 1972, in the northeastern portion of the state. [ 17 ] The mountain ranges, some of which have peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 m), harbor lush forests high above desert plains, creating sky islands for endemic species. The valleys are often no lower in elevation than 3,000 feet (910 m). The southern third of the state, where the Las Vegas area is situated, is within the Mojave Desert . The area receives less rain in the winter but is closer to the Arizona Monsoon in the summer. The terrain is also lower, mostly below 4,000 feet (1,200 m), creating conditions for hot summer days and cool to chilly winter nights (due to temperature inversion ). Nevada and California have by far the longest diagonal line (in respect to the cardinal directions) as a state boundary at just over 400 miles (640 km). This line begins in Lake Tahoe nearly 4 miles (6.4 km) offshore (in the direction of the boundary), and continues to the Colorado River where the Nevada, California, and Arizona boundaries merge 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the Laughlin Bridge. The largest mountain range in the southern portion of the state is the Spring Mountain Range , just west of Las Vegas. The state's lowest point is along the Colorado River, south of Laughlin. Nevada has 172 mountain summits with 2,000 feet (610 m) of prominence. Nevada ranks second in the US, behind Alaska, and ahead of California, Montana, and Washington. This makes Nevada the "Most Mountainous" state in the country, at least by this measure. Nevada is the driest state in the United States. [ 18 ] It is made up of mostly desert and semiarid climate regions, daytime summer temperatures sometimes may rise as high as 125 °F (52 °C) and nighttime winter temperatures may reach as low as −50 °F (−46 °C). While winters in northern Nevada are long and fairly cold, the winter season in the southern part of the state tends to be of short duration and mild. Most parts of Nevada receive scarce precipitation during the year. Most rain that falls in the state falls on the lee side (east and northeast slopes) of the Sierra Nevada. The average annual rainfall per year is about 7 inches (18 cm); the wettest parts get around 40 inches (100 cm). Nevada's highest recorded temperature is 125 °F (52 °C) at Laughlin on June 29, 1994 and the lowest recorded temperature is −50 °F (−46 °C) at San Jacinto on January 8, 1937. Nevada's 125 °F (52 °C) reading is the third highest temperature recorded in the U.S. just behind Arizona's 128 °F (53 °C) reading and California's 134 °F (57 °C) reading. Las Vegas strip . The majority of Nevada's population lives in Clark county. Nevada is divided into political jurisdictions designated as counties . Carson City is officially a consolidated municipality; however, for many purposes under state law it is considered to be a county. As of 1919 there were 17 counties in the state, ranging from 146 to 18,159 square miles (380 to 47,030 km 2 ). Clark County is the most populous county in Nevada, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its residents. Las Vegas, Nevada's most populous city, has been the county seat since the county was created. Clark County attracts numerous tourists. An estimated 40 million people have visited Clark County in 2009. [ 21 ] Eight days prior to the presidential election of 1864 , Nevada became the 36th state in the union. Statehood was rushed to the date of October 31 to help ensure Abraham Lincoln 's reelection on November 8 and post-Civil War Republican dominance in Congress, [ 25 ] as Nevada's mining-based economy tied it to the more industrialized Union . As it turned out, however, Lincoln and the Republicans won the election handily, and did not need Nevada's help. Nevada is one of only two states to significantly expand its borders after admission to the Union. (The other is Missouri, which acquired additional territory in 1837 due to the Platte Purchase .) In 1866 another part of the western Utah Territory, whose population was seeking to avoid Mormon dominance, [ citation needed ] was added to Nevada in the eastern part of the state, setting the current eastern boundary. Nevada achieved its current southern boundaries on January 18, 1867, when it absorbed the portion of Pah-Ute County in the Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River, essentially all of present day Nevada south of the 37th parallel . The transfer was prompted by the discovery of gold in the area, and it was thought by officials that Nevada would be better able to oversee the expected population boom. This area includes most of what is now Clark County . Mining shaped Nevada's economy for many years (see Silver mining in Nevada ). When Mark Twain lived in Nevada during the period described in Roughing It , mining had led to an industry of speculation and immense wealth. However, both mining and population declined in the late 19th century. However, the rich silver strike at Tonopah in 1900, followed by strikes in Goldfield and Rhyolite , again put Nevada's population on an upward trend. Gambling erupted once more following a recession in the early 20th century, helping to build the city of Las Vegas Unregulated gambling was commonplace in the early Nevada mining towns but was outlawed in 1909 as part of a nation-wide anti-gambling crusade. Because of subsequent declines in mining output and the decline of the agricultural sector during the Great Depression , Nevada again legalized gambling on March 19, 1931, with approval from the legislature. Governor Fred B. Balzar 's signature enacted the most liberal divorce laws in the country and open gambling. The reforms came just eight days after the federal government presented the $49 million construction contract for Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam ). [ 26 ] The Nevada Test Site , 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the city of Las Vegas, was founded on January 11, 1951, for the testing of nuclear weapons . The site is composed of approximately 1,350 square miles (3,500 km 2 ) of desert and mountainous terrain. Nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site began with a 1 kiloton of TNT (4.2 TJ) bomb dropped on Frenchman Flat on January 27, 1951. The last atmospheric test was conducted on July 17, 1962, and the underground testing of weapons continued until September 23, 1992. The location is known for having the highest concentration of nuclear-detonated weapons in the U.S. Over 80% of the state's area is owned by the federal government. The primary reason for this is that homesteads were not permitted in large enough sizes to be viable in the arid conditions that prevail throughout desert Nevada. Instead, early settlers would homestead land surrounding a water source, and then graze livestock on the adjacent public land, which is useless for agriculture without access to water (this pattern of ranching still prevails). According to the Census Bureau's 2012 estimate, Nevada has an estimated population of 2,758,931 which is an increase of 38,903, or 1.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 58,379, or 2.2%, since the year 2010. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 81,661 people (that is 170,451 births minus 88,790 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 337,043 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 66,098 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 270,945 people. According to the 2006 census estimate, Nevada is the eighth fastest growing state in the nation. [ 27 ] The center of population of Nevada is located in southern Nye County . [ 28 ] In this county, the unincorporated town of Pahrump , located 60 miles (97 km) west of Las Vegas on the California state line, has grown very rapidly from 1980 to 2010. At the 2010 census, the town had 36,441 residents. [ 29 ] Las Vegas was America's fastest-growing city and metropolitan area from 1960 to 2000, but has grown from a gulch of 100 people in 1900 to 10,000 by 1950 to 100,000 by 1970. [ citation needed ] From about the 1940s until 2003, Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the US percentage-wise. Between 1990 and 2000, Nevada's population increased 66.3%, while the USA's population increased 13.1%. Over two thirds of the population of the state lives in the Clark County Las Vegas metropolitan area . The rural community of Mesquite located 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Las Vegas was an example of micropolitan growth in the 1990s and 2000s. Other desert towns like Indian Springs and Searchlight on the outskirts of Las Vegas have seen some growth as well. Large numbers of new residents in the state originate from California, which led some locals to feel that their state is being " Californicated ". [ 30 ] A small percentage of Nevada's population lives in rural areas. The culture of these places differs significantly from that of the major metropolitan areas. People in these rural counties tend to be native Nevada residents, unlike in the Las Vegas and Reno areas, where the vast majority of the population was born in another state. The rural population is also less diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. Mining plays an important role in the economies of the rural counties, with tourism being less prominent. [ 31 ] Largely African American sections of Las Vegas ("the Meadows") and Reno can be found. Many current African-American Nevadans are newly transplanted residents from California. Asian Americans lived in the state since the California Gold Rush of the 1850s brought thousands of Chinese miners to Washoe county. They were followed by a few hundred Japanese farm workers in the late 19th century. By the late 20th century, many immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and recently from India and Vietnam came to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city now has one of America's most prolific Asian American communities, with a mostly Chinese and Taiwanese area known as "Chinatown" west of I-15 on Spring Mountain Boulevard, and an "Asiatown" shopping mall for Asian customers located at Charleston Avenue and Paradise Boulevard. Filipino Americans form the largest Asian American group in the state, with a population of more than 113,000. They comprise 56.5% of the Asian American population in Nevada and constitute about 4.3% of the entire state's population. [ 39 ] At the 2010 census, 6.9% of the state's population were reported as under 5, 24.6% were under 18, and 12.0% were 65 or older. [ 32 ] Females made up approximately 49.5% of the population. [ 32 ] Las Vegas was a major destination for immigrants from South Asia and Latin America seeking employment in the gaming and hospitality industries during the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, but farming and construction are the biggest employers of immigrant labor. Senior citizens (over age 65) and young children or teenagers (under age 18) form large sections of the Nevada population. The religious makeup of Nevadans includes large communities of Mormons , Roman Catholics and Evangelicals ; each is known for higher birth rates and a younger than national average age. American Jews represent a large proportion of the active adult retirement community. Church attendance in Nevada is among the lowest of all US states. In a 2009 Gallup poll only 30% of Nevadans said they attended church weekly or almost weekly, compared to 42% of all Americans (only four states were found to have a lower attendance rate than Nevada). [ 43 ] The economy of Nevada has long been tied to vice industries. "[Nevada was] founded on mining and refounded on sin—-beginning with prizefighting and easy divorce a century ago and later extending to gaming and prostitution", said the August 21, 2010 issue of The Economist . [ 47 ] The Bureau of Economic Analysis [ 48 ] [ 49 ] estimates that Nevada's total state product in 2010 was $126 billion. Resort areas like Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe , and Laughlin attract visitors from around the nation and world. In FY08 the total of 266 casinos with gaming revenue over $1m for the year, brought in revenue of $12 billion in gaming revenue, and $13 billion in non-gaming revenue. A review of gaming statistics can be found at Nevada gaming area . The state's Per capita personal income in 2009 was $38,578, ranking nineteenth in the nation. [ 50 ] Nevada's state debt in 2012 was calculated to be $7.5 billion, or $3,100 per taxpayer. [ 51 ] As of August 2011, the state's unemployment rate was the worst in the nation at 13.4%. [ 52 ] In portions of the state outside of the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas, mining and cattle ranching are the major economic activities. By value, gold is by far the most important mineral mined. In 2004, 6,800,000 ounces (190,000,000 g) of gold worth $2.84 billion were mined in Nevada, and the state accounted for 8.7% of world gold production (see Gold mining in Nevada ). Silver is a distant second, with 10,300,000 ounces (290,000,000 g) worth $69 million mined in 2004 (see Silver mining in Nevada ). [ 53 ] Other minerals mined in Nevada include construction aggregates, copper, gypsum, diatomite and lithium. Despite its rich deposits, the cost of mining in Nevada is generally high, and output is very sensitive to world commodity prices. As of January 1, 2006, there were an estimated 500,000 head of cattle and 70,000 head of sheep in Nevada. [ 54 ] Most of these animals forage on rangeland in the summer, with supplemental feed in the winter. Calves are generally shipped to out-of-state feedlots in the fall to be fattened for market. Over 90% of Nevada's 484,000 acres (196,000 ha) of cropland is used to grow hay , mostly alfalfa, for livestock feed. Nevada has by far the most hotel rooms per capita in the United States. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, there were 187,301 rooms in 584 hotels (of 15 or more rooms). The state is ranked just below California, Texas, Florida, and New York in total number of rooms, but those states have much larger populations. Nevada has one hotel room for every 14 residents, far above the national average of one hotel room per 67 residents. [ 55 ] Prostitution is legal in parts of Nevada in licensed brothels, but only counties with populations under 400,000 residents have the option to legalize it. Although prostitution employs roughly 300 women as independent contractors, and not a major part of the Nevada economy, it is a very visible endeavor. Of the 14 counties that are permitted to legalize prostitution under state law, 8 have chosen to legalize brothels. State law prohibits prostitution in Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), and Washoe County (which contains Reno). However, prostitution is legal in Storey County, which is part of the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area . The state sales tax in Nevada is variable depending upon the county. The minimum statewide tax rate is 6.85%, with five counties (Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, and Mineral) charging this minimum amount. All other counties assess various option taxes , making the combined state/county sales taxes rate in one county as high as 8.1%, which is the amount charged in Clark County. Sales tax in the other major counties: Carson at 7.745%, Washoe at 7.725%. The minimum Nevada sales tax rate changed on July 1, 2009. [ 56 ] Road from Carrara, Nevada towards the marble quarry in the background. Interstate 15 passes through the southern tip of the state, serving Las Vegas and other communities. I-215 and spur route I-515 also serve the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Interstate 80 crosses through the northern part of Nevada, roughly following the path of the Humboldt River from Utah in the east and passing westward through Reno and into California. It has a spur route, I-580 . Nevada also is served by several federal highways: US 6 , US 50 , US 93 , US 95 and US 395 . There are also 189 Nevada state highways . Nevada is one of a few states in the U.S. that does not have a continuous interstate highway linking its two major population centers. Even the non-interstate federal highways aren't contiguous between the Las Vegas and Reno areas. The state is one of just a few in the country to allow semi-trailer trucks with three trailers—what might be called a " road train " in Australia. But American versions are usually smaller, in part because they must ascend and descend some fairly steep mountain passes. RTC Transit is the public transit system in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The agency is the largest transit agency in the state and operates a network of bus service across the Las Vegas Valley , including the use of The Deuce , double-decker buses , on the Las Vegas Strip and several outlying routes. RTC RIDE operates a system of local transit bus service throughout the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Other transit systems in the state include Carson City's JAC. Most other counties in the state do not have public transportation at all. Additionally, a 4-mile (6.4 km) monorail system provides public transportation in the Las Vegas area. The Las Vegas Monorail line services several casino properties and the Las Vegas Convention Center on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, running near Paradise Road, with a possible future extension to McCarran International Airport . Several hotels also run their own monorail lines between each other, which are typically several blocks in length. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is the busiest airport serving Nevada. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport (formerly known as the Reno Cannon International Airport) is the other major airport in the state. The Nevada Legislature is a bicameral body divided into an Assembly and Senate. Members of the Assembly serve for 2 years, and members of the Senate serve for 4 years. Both houses of the Nevada Legislature will be impacted by term limits starting in 2010, as Senators and Assemblymen/women will be limited to a maximum of 12 years service in each house (by appointment or election which is a lifetime limit)—a provision of the constitution which was recently upheld by the Supreme Court of Nevada in a unanimous decision. Each session of the Legislature meets for a constitutionally mandated 120 days in every odd-numbered year, or longer if the Governor calls a special session. The Supreme Court of Nevada is the state supreme court . Original jurisdiction is divided between the District Courts (with general jurisdiction), and Justice Courts and Municipal Courts (both of limited jurisdiction). Incorporated towns in Nevada, known as cities, are given the authority to legislate anything not prohibited by law. A recent movement has begun to permit home rule in incorporated Nevada cities to give them more flexibility and fewer restrictions from the Legislature. Town Boards for unincorporated towns are limited local governments created by either the local county commission, or by referendum, and form a purely advisory role and in no way diminish the responsibilities of the county commission that creates them. In 1900, Nevada's population was the smallest of all states and was shrinking, as the difficulties of living in a "barren desert" began to outweigh the lure of silver for many early settlers. Historian Lawrence Friedman has explained what happened next: "Nevada, in a burst of ingenuity, built an economy by exploiting its sovereignty. Its strategy was to legalize all sorts of things that were illegal in California ... after easy divorce came easy marriage and casino gaming. Even prostitution is legal in Nevada, in any county that decides to allow it. Quite a few of them do." [ 61 ] With the advent of air conditioning for summertime use and Southern Nevada's mild winters, the fortunes of the state began to turn around, as it did for Arizona , making these two states the fastest growing in the Union. Prostitution is specifically illegal by state law in the state's larger jurisdictions, which include Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), Washoe County (which contains Reno), and the independent city of Carson City . Otherwise, it is legal in those counties which specifically vote to permit it. Nevada's early reputation as a "divorce haven" arose from the fact that, prior to the no-fault divorce revolution in the 1970s, divorces were quite difficult to obtain in the United States. Already having legalized gaming and prostitution, Nevada continued the trend of boosting its profile by adopting one of the most liberal divorce statutes in the nation. This resulted in Williams v. North Carolina , 317 U.S. 287 (1942), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina had to give " full faith and credit " to a Nevada divorce. Nevada's tax laws are intended to draw new residents and businesses to the state. Nevada has no personal income tax or corporate income tax . [ 63 ] Since Nevada does not collect income data it cannot share such information with the federal government, the IRS . [ 64 ] Nevada's state sales tax rate is 6.85 percent. Counties may impose additional rates via voter approval or through approval of the Legislature; therefore, the applicable sales tax will vary by county from 6.85 percent to 8.1 percent in Clark County. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, imposes four separate county option taxes in addition to the statewide rate – 0.25 percent for flood control, 0.50 percent for mass transit, 0.25 percent for infrastructure, and 0.25 percent for more cops. In Washoe County, which includes Reno, the sales tax rate is 7.725 percent, due to county option rates for flood control, the ReTRAC train trench project, mass transit, and an additional county rate approved under the Local Government Tax Act of 1991. [ 65 ] The lodging tax rate in unincorporated Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip, is 12%. Within the boundaries of the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson, the lodging tax rate is 13%. Corporations such as Apple Inc. allegedly have set up investment companies and funds in Nevada to avoid paying taxes. [ 66 ] Nevada provides friendly environment for the formation of corporations, and many (especially California) businesses have incorporated in Nevada to take advantage of the benefits of the Nevada statute. Nevada corporations offer great flexibility to the Board of Directors and simplify or avoid many of the rules that are cumbersome to business managers in some other states. In addition, Nevada has no franchise tax . Non-alcohol drug laws are a notable exception to Nevada's otherwise libertarian principles. It is notable for having the harshest penalties for drug offenders in the country. Nevada remains the only state to still use mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for marijuana possession. However, it is now a misdemeanor for possession of less than one ounce but only for persons age 21 and older. In 2006, voters in Nevada defeated attempts to allow possession of 1 ounce of marijuana (for personal use) without being criminally prosecuted, (55% against legalization, 45% in favor of legalization). However, Nevada is one of the states that allows for use of marijuana for medical reasons (though this remains illegal under federal law). Nevada voters enacted a smoking ban ("the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act") in November 2006 that became effective on December 8, 2006. It outlaws smoking in most workplaces and public places. Smoking is permitted in bars, but only if the bar serves no food, or the bar is inside a larger casino. Smoking is also permitted in casinos, hotel rooms, tobacco shops, and brothels. [ 67 ] However, some businesses do not obey this law and the government tends not to enforce it. [ 68 ] In 2011, smoking restrictions in Nevada were loosened for certain places which allow only people age 21 or older inside. [ 69 ] Nevada has been ranked as the most dangerous state in the U.S. for five years in a row, just ahead of Louisiana [ 70 ] [ 71 ] In 2006, the crime rate in Nevada was approximately 24% higher than the national average rate. Property crimes accounted for approximately 84.6% of the crime rate in Nevada which was 21% higher than the national rate. The remaining 20.3% were violent crimes and were approximately 45% higher than other states. [ 72 ] In 2008, Nevada had the third highest murder rate , and the highest rate of robbery and motor vehicle theft . [ 70 ] Latest data also ranks Nevada as having the highest rate of women killed by men, for the third year in row, and Nevada has topped the list five out of the last six years. [ 73 ] [ 74 ] Due to heavy growth in the southern portion of the state, there is a noticeable divide between politics of northern and southern Nevada. The north has long maintained control of key positions in state government, even while the population of southern Nevada is larger than the rest of the state combined. The north sees the high population south becoming more influential and perhaps commanding majority rule. The south sees the north as the "old guard" trying to rule as an oligarchy . This has fostered some resentment, however, due to a term limit amendment passed by Nevada voters in 1994, and again in 1996, some of the north's hold over key positions will soon be forfeited to the south, leaving Northern Nevada with less power. Historically, northern Nevada has been very Republican . The more rural counties of the north are among the most conservative regions of the country. Washoe County, home to Reno, has historically been strongly Republican, but has become more of a swing county at least at the federal level. Clark County, home to Las Vegas, has become increasingly Democratic . Clark and Washoe counties have long dominated the state's politics. Between them, they cast 87 percent of Nevada's vote, and elect a substantial majority of the state legislature. The great majority of the state's elected officials are either from Las Vegas or Reno. An August 2012 Public Policy Polling survey found that 47% of Nevada voters supported legalizing same-sex marriage, with 42% thinking it should be illegal, and 11% were not sure. In a separate question, 80% of Nevada voters supported legal recognition of same-sex couples, while 17% opposed all legal recognition and 3% were not sure. [ 80 ] UNLV is most remembered for its men's basketball program , which experienced its height of supremacy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Coached by Jerry Tarkanian , the Runnin' Rebels became one of the most elite programs in the country. In 1990, UNLV won the Men's Division I Championship by defeating Duke 103–73, which set tournament records for most points scored by a team and largest margin of victory in the national title game. In 1991 , UNLV finished the regular season undefeated. Forward Larry Johnson won several awards, including the Naismith Award . UNLV reached the Final Four yet again, but lost their national semifinal against Duke 79–77, and is referred to as one of the biggest upsets in the NCAA Tournament. The Runnin' Rebels were the Associated Press pre-season No. 1 back to back (1989–90, 1990–91). North Carolina is the only other team to accomplish that (2007–08, 2008–09). The state is also home to one of the most famous tennis players of all time, Andre Agassi . Along with significant rises in popularity in mixed martial arts (MMA), a number of fight leagues such as the UFC have taken interest in Las Vegas as a primary event location due to the number of suitable host venues. The Mandalay Bay Events Center and MGM Grand Garden Arena are among some of the more popular venues for fighting events such as MMA and have hosted several UFC and other MMA title fights. It has currently held the most UFC events with 74 events held in total. Area 51 is located near Groom Lake , a dry salt lake bed. The much smaller Creech Air Force Base is located in Indian Springs, Nevada ; Hawthorne Army Depot in Hawthorne ; the Tonopah Test Range near Tonopah ; and Nellis AFB in the northeast part of the Las Vegas Valley . Naval Air Station Fallon in Fallon ; NSAWC, (pronounced "EN-SOCK") in western Nevada. NSAWC consolidated three Command Centers into a single Command Structure under a flag officer on July 11, 1996. The Naval Strike Warfare Center (STRIKE "U") based at NAS Fallon since 1984, was joined with the Navy Fighter Weapons School ( TOPGUN ) and the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School (TOPDOME) which both moved from NAS Miramar as a result of a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision in 1993 which transferred that installation back to the Marine Corps as MCAS Miramar. The Seahawk Weapon School was added in 1998 to provide tactical training for Navy helicopters. Nevada enjoys many economic advantages, and the southern portion of the state enjoys mild winter weather, but rapid growth has led to some overcrowded roads and schools. Nevada has the nation's 5th largest school district in the Clark County School District (projected fall 2007 enrollment is 314,000 students grades K-12). [ 85 ] While the state was recently one of the fastest growing in the country , population growth slowed down to a halt in 2008. [ 86 ] In August 2008, it was announced that Boyd Gaming would halt construction on a 4.2 billion dollar project called Echelon , which was to replace the old Stardust Resort & Casino . The reason cited for this is lack of funding/credit from banks. Coyote Springs is a proposed community for 240,000 inhabitants in Clark and Lincoln counties. It would be Nevada's largest planned city . The town is being developed by Harvey Whittemore and has generated some controversy because of environmental concerns and allegations of political favoritism. [ 87 ] ^ The distinction of highest point in Nevada goes to the summit of Boundary Peak, so named because it is very near the Nevada-California border, at the northern terminus of the White Mountains. However, Boundary Peak can be considered a subsidiary summit of Montgomery Peak, whose summit is in California, since the topographic prominence of Boundary Peak is only 253 feet (77 m), which falls under the often used 300-foot (91 m) cutoff for an independent peak. Also, Boundary Peak is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) away from its higher neighbor. Hence Boundary Peak can be described as not being wholly within Nevada. By contrast, the prominence of Wheeler Peak, 13,063 feet (3,982 m), is quite large and in fact it is the twelfth largest in the contiguous United States. Wheeler Peak is the highest point in a radius of more than 200 square miles (520 km 2 ) and is entirely within the state of Nevada.


Time For A Change When I was little and I'd done something wrong -- which seemed to happen a lot -- my mother would set the oven-timer and wait for me to confess. If I confessed of my own accord, her forgiveness came more easily. If the oven-timer went off before my guilt got the better of me, the punishment would often be disproportionate to the crime. Halfway through our fish suppers the timer goes off and I jump in my chair, trying to work out what I've been caught out doing. It's a Pavlovian response which spans the twenty-five years since I moved to London as if I'd never left. 'Is there something you wanted to discuss?' I um and ah and shift in my seat. 'Do you need money?' 'I told you I'm fine at the moment.' 'You're just here for a holiday then?' 'I wanted to see how you were doing.' My mother comes back through, wiping her hands on her skirt. She sits down and sips her water. 'It's been a while. Did you move my bags somewhere?' 'I've put you in your old room,' says my mother. 'I wasn't sure if you'd be bringing a friend, so the double in the spare room is made up too. Just in case.' I chase the last curl of batter around the plate with my fork. Then I tell them I'm tired from the journey and I'm getting an early night. Upstairs I stretch out on the single bed, under a curly-edged poster of David Bowie, and listen to my parents watching television in the room below. Eventually they switch it off and I quickly turn out the bedside lamp so that when they pass my bedroom door they won't see a light and come knocking and bothering me. Their footsteps creak along the landing, pause and then continue. I can hear them brushing their teeth. They talk in voices too low to pick out individual words. I wait for what feels like an hour then I slip off the bed and pad downstairs in my socks. I shut the kitchen door carefully before switching on the lamp on the dresser. I sit down at the head of the table in my dad's seat, and practice. Come on boy, out with it. You're a real disappointment. When are you going to move back and take over the family business. We all know how badly you're doing down in England. Nobody respects you. What kind of man do you think you are. You can barely support yourself, what are you going to do when you have a family to support. When I was your age I owned my own business. I speak in a hard whisper, hands on my knees bunched into fists, eyebrows pinching together across my forehead. I freeze, thinking I can hear a creaking from upstairs but it's just the boiler in the utility room; the central heating must be on a timer. I move along into my mother's seat and put my hands palm upwards on the table, leaning forward on my elbows. Am I going to live to see my grandchildren. Do you know how much your father worries about you. Why don't you visit more often. Are you happy, are you really happy. I don't think they treat you right at work, what happened to that promotion you were expecting. When we talk on the phone you sound so distant. Are you seeing anyone. You can bring her home, next time. We're always interested to meet new people. I don't care where she's from. The chair scrapes on the floor tiles as I move across to my chair. I leave damp handprints on the varnished surface of the table. In my chair, I struggle to find the right words. I sit with my mouth partly open, running my tongue over my teeth. 'Can't you sleep?' It's my dad in the doorway. 'Something on your mind?' 'Just getting a glass of water.' I follow him up the stairs. He waits outside my room as if expecting me to invite him in. 'Sleep well.' They sit there the next morning -- after I tell them -- letting spoonfuls of muesli drop back into their bowls. I hold on to my wrist and massage it with my thumb, waiting for someone to say something in response. Eventually, my dad breaks the silence. 'You're not moving back then.' 'No, I'm staying in London.' 'There are plenty of gay bars through in Edinburgh. We read about them in the newspaper.' I assure him it's not because of a lack of scene. I cite my friends, my job. 'Is this why you didn't get the promotion?' 'It took a lot of effort for you to say that, didn't it.' She's smiling, but the hand holding the spoon is trembling. 'Thank you for being honest with us.' She turns to my dad. 'Christopher, can you pass the milk please.' I tell them I'm going to wash my face. I pause outside the kitchen door, but they're discussing when the spring bulbs are likely to start, given the frosts. In the bathroom I lock the door and turn the bath taps on, then I call Benedict on my mobile. 'I just told them. It went okay.' 'I'm so proud of you.' The line is crackly. 'I'm so glad we can move forward.' 'Will you look at the list of rentals I left out? We could go to the open viewings next week.' 'Tell them I'm really looking forward to meeting them. Tell them to come visit us in our new place. We'll have to find somewhere with a spare bedroom.' I say I have to go. 'I'm sorry I didn't think you'd go through with it.' I tell him it's okay. Down in the hallway I stand with my mother and look at the line of family portraits on the wall. There are no photographs of her, my father or me. Out back by the fertiliser shed I help my dad heave sacks through the ankle-deep snow and onto the mini-trailer for the pick-up on Monday. Good, manly activity to assert our common ground. Pity I've always hated gardening. 'Your mother has pies for lunch,' he says. 'From the bakery.' 'Is that a new roof on the shed?' 'I painted the door in the autumn. There were problems with rats.' It's a relief to be back to normal. There's a satisfying rhythm to the work and I find it easier than I remembered. He puts the radio on and we work side by side to The Week in Westminster and From Our Own Correspondent until my mother calls us in to wash up before lunch. The kitchen is warm from the cooking. In my reflection in the window I can see that my cheeks are chapped red like my dad's. I use the small pink, plastic nailbrush in the utility room to get the last of the dirt out. There's geranium-scented gardener's hand cream from Crabtree and Evelyn next to the sink and it leaves my hands so greasy I find it hard to turn the round door handle to get back out. When I do I notice that the oven-timer is on but all I think is that it must be for the pies, although I can see them right there in front of me on the table. My plan was to ease them into it. For their own sake. When your son announces he's gay in his mid-forties, I thought maybe it'd be easier if they were told it was a recent development. Give them time to get their heads round the idea before being confronted with proof positive. Like a live-in boyfriend. Like a live-in boyfriend less than half my age. My mother cut Benedict off mid-sentence -- hanging the phone up -- and set the oven timer for an hour. I'll give her that, she believed in me enough to give me the chance to own up. After it went off that second time, I can see that it's just the timer that has been set: the oven itself isn't switched on. I wonder why my mother has so many sheets to soak. She gets up, taking her half finished plate over to the sink and tipping the leftover pie into the bin before switching the beeper off. She scrapes the plate loudly, then throws the cutlery into the washing-up bowl and bursts into tears. 'When did you start lying to me?' My mother waits by the sink for an answer, then sits down and asks me again. I push a crust to the side of my plate and try to smile. 'I know this is difficult for you to take in.' 'My son tells me he's gay. Fine, I'm happy if you're happy.' 'I've wanted to tell you for so long.' 'How long?' She waves her hand in my father's direction. 'He says he didn't know. I didn't know. How long have you known for?' Even if I wasn't tipped off by the set expression on her face, the atmosphere screams out that this is a trick question. Turns out the real question is, why give your boyfriend your parent's home phone number if you don't want him to call it. Don't ask your boyfriend to go house hunting so the pair of you can move in together unless you expect him to get over-excited and call your mobile phone ten times but you can't hear it because it's up in your old room and you're outside. But it's so important that he thinks, well, I know this was just in case of emergencies but this is an emergency because he needs to know if you can take the Wednesday morning off work because that's when the estate agent has some openings. And, after all, your parents know everything now. Because that was the only condition he gave you about moving in together, that you were honest with them about everything. 'You weren't supposed to find out like this.' 'How were we supposed to find out? When did this really happen?' I shrug in what I hope is a placatory fashion. 'He said you're moving in together. He invited me to come stay for the house-warming. Who is he?' 'You'd really like him.' Even to my ears, it sounds lame. 'I've always known I'm gay, but I've only been out since I moved to London.' She freezes. My father is the first to work out the maths. 'Twenty-five years?' I nod. He nods back and that's that, he and I are back to normal. It's a liberation and for a moment I can overlook the fact that my mother still hasn't moved. My chair squeaks against the floor tiles when I stand up to give Dad a hug. I turn and open my arms to her too but she's gone. * In my room at The Glendower, the socks over the radiator are more or less dried so I move them to the back of the chair, stretching out the soap-washed stiffness of the material at the same time, and put my underwear on to cook instead. The mobile reception in this room is awful. I blame the oak panelling. Finally I find a patch near the window and send Benedict another apology text. I am not expecting a reply. I pad through to the en-suite and brush my teeth, trying to find reasonable answers to the questions I imagine he would be asking, if he were talking to me. Why are you still there. Don't you know how important this week was to me. I really needed you there at the gallery opening with me. Have you told your mother she can't talk to me like that. Why did she say she had no idea who I was. Have you really told them. What's going on up there. Why haven't you come back. If you lose your job because of this, who is going to pay the rent on our new place. Have you asked your dad for the deposit money yet. There are answers, but no opportunity to explain them. * Dad is waiting in the doorway. He still has his slippers on. He tells me she's in the sitting room but that I shouldn't expect too much. He tries to take my case in for me but I tell him I can manage just fine. The pull-out handle comes off as I bump it over the doorstep and one of the wheels comes off too. Then we're laughing, both of us, although it was a bloody expensive piece of luggage and I hope I still have the receipt. He makes tea and says we can have a look in a minute, he's sure there's something I can use instead. We sit at the table and I ask if my mother has said anything more about the situation and he says no, not really. 'Twenty-five years of silence, that's what she said on Saturday. Tit for tat.' Then he reaches out and pats my hand. 'I'm sure she'll reduce the sentence eventually.' It's hard to stop laughing. After a moment dad joins in. 'What time's your train? I can give you a lift to the station.' I tell him the taxi's booked. On our way upstairs, I poke my head round the sitting room doorway. My mother turns her head away to stare at the fireplace. Neither of us say anything. Dad pulls my arm. 'There's probably something in the spare room cupboard. Come along.' I let him herd me away from her. From the back of the top shelf my dad pulls down a small, red leather case. 'Nobody will miss this,' he says. 'I don't remember us ever using it. Must have been there for years. Look at this dust.' 'Should we check?' 'Better not to bother her.' He takes out a handkerchief and polishes up the brass fittings with a bit of spit. 'It never hurts to get rid of old baggage.' We're off again laughing away, bordering on hysteria. Everything fits in except my laptop bag. 'Better to carry it separately anyway,' dad says. 'It'll be lighter for you. Saves your back.' I put the laptop to one side and take out my cosmetic bag, trying to stop my spare shirt from creasing too badly. Dad advises I roll it rather than fold it and goes to check on my mother. Smoothing the shirt into the corner, my fingers brush against a small, zipped inside pocket and I both feel and hear the crispness of paper. It's an envelope. Two envelopes. And a wad of cash. There must be at least a grand. One envelope is handwritten, no address, just two names. Christopher & Jacob . My mother's handwriting. Unopened. The second letter is typed, sealed, stamped and addressed: never sent. The name on the front is Kitty Patterson. I can't tell how recent it is; my mother's typewriter broke about five years ago but worked perfectly up until the end. There are low murmurs from the sitting room. I stuff the cash and the letters back in the suitcase. Then I take out the letter marked Christopher & Jacob , zip the pocket up, buckle the case up and put it next to the front door. I walk back into the kitchen and wait for my dad to join me. 'Is there anything you want to tell me?' Dad looks puzzled at my question. 'Anything at all. Clear the decks. Tit for tat.' 'Just that I love you, son.' I keep looking at him. 'And I'm sure your mother loves you too.' I think about the unopened note and I think well then . Dad goes into the hallway to call the taxi and I set the oven-timer and go to see my mother.


The Depressing Lot of the Conflicted American Mother Motherlode Book Club Motherlode has asked women at different stages of their family and career lives to respond to Elisabeth Badinter's "The Conflict" by describing how reading it has affected their views or plans for work and motherhood. The following is a continuation of an ongoing conversation. KJ , you asked if reading Elisabeth Badinter's provocative screed, "The Conflict," influenced the way I think about how to manage work and motherhood. It did -- but not in the way Ms. Badinter intended. Let me explain. My husband and I are in the pre-child stage, so I often turn over in my mind how I will handle a career that's been at the center of my life for eight years with the demands of motherhood. In the freshest, most intriguing section of Ms. Badinter's book, she argues that embrace of "the natural" -- breast-feeding, avoidance of all chemicals and vices while pregnant, eschewing the epidural during birth -- has subjugated women. I can see where women who buy fully into natural motherhood are cutting off other possibilities. When you're still breast-feeding your 3-year-old, it might be difficult to devote yourself to work in quite the same way. But Ms. Badinter seems to completely exaggerate the pressures of this natural lifestyle. She makes the La Leche League sound like a milk-obsessed militia, forcing women to breast-feed against their will. It might be because none of my friends have children, or because I worked in women's media for so long, but I don't feel much pressure at all to breast-feed my future kinder for a set period of time, or to eat my placenta . I read my colleague and friend Hanna Rosin's marvelous " The Case Against Breastfeeding " in The Atlantic three years ago and was thoroughly convinced that if I couldn't or didn't want to breast-feed, my offspring wouldn't be pallid and dull-witted. So Ms. Badinter didn't move me much on the natural front, but the way that her book did shift my take on work and motherhood is that she made me even more depressed about the pitiful support that American women have for any choice we might make about either one. Since the book is not geared toward an American audience, I doubt this is the takeaway Ms. Badinter intended. But we're one of the few countries that doesn't have paid maternity leave ; child care is more expensive than the median monthly rent in every state; and you can forget about paternity leave in most scenarios. I knew things were better for many European mothers, but it wasn't until I read the statistics in Ms. Badinter's book that I saw how pathetic the comparison really was. Because she is French, Ms. Badinter focuses most on the benefits for French mothers: six months' maternity leave, access to child care, free nursery school. We keep hearing about how French parents are superior -- the stereotype is at least that they're less neurotic -- but it would be easier to be less anxious if there were more structural support for parents in the first place. If anything, this book made me feel as though when it comes down to deciding what to do about balancing work and motherhood, the decision will be an economic one, not one mandated by the iron fist of the La Leche League. I suppose my parting thought about this would be that for most women who don't have incredibly high paying jobs or wealthy spouses, these "choices," about work and family aren't actually choices. We weigh our particular circumstances and attempt to figure out the best course of action. The notion that scads of women are chucking fulfilling jobs to be handmaidens to idealized, natural motherhood just doesn't ring true to me. But I'm curious to hear what the other book clubbers think about Ms. Badinter's lively work, and whether, as an envoy from pre-child-land, I don't understand the kind of judgments that other mothers, and society, are truly making about your individual parenting decisions. Jessica Grose is the deputy editor of Vulture.com , New York Magazine's culture site. Her debut novel, Sad Desk Salad, is out in October from William Morrow. About Motherlode Raising healthy, happy, well-adjusted kids isn't easy. At Motherlode, we cover it all -- homework, sex, child care, eating habits, sports, technology, the work-family balance and much more. KJ Dell'Antonia , the lead blogger for Motherlode, has been writing about the personal, cultural and political aspects of family life for a decade now. She is also a former corporate lawyer and prosecutor and a New York City exile, who is now raising four kids, two dogs and a cat in rural New Hampshire. Come join her in a conversation about the parents we are and the parents we want to be. Among other things, "Far from the Tree" is a tribute to parents who live the daily grind, who celebrate incremental victories, and who avoid reading books about their child's diagnosis until they're ready.


I will sing sing a new song A 7 I will sing   sing a new song Em 7 D I will sing    sing a new   song C 2 To the Lord Chorus 1 G Let Your Kingdom come D Let Your will be done Em 7 C 2 On earth     as it is in Heaven G Ev'ry heart proclaim D The mercy of Your name Em 7 C 2 On earth     as it is in Heaven G    D    C 2 Verse 2 G                        Dsus God give   us new ev'ry morning C 2 Mercy as daily bread Em In the name of Jesus D                                    C 2 In the name of Jesus we pray G                Dsus And lead   us not to temptation C 2 But deliver us with Your hand Em In the name of Jesus D                                        C 2 In    the name of Jesus we pray (REPEAT CHANNEL and CHORUS) Bridge G For the Kingdom is Yours D And the power is Yours Em 7 C 2 And the glory forever amen


It's been a brutal election season. It seems that our nation is irreparably divided, but we are still good people. Sometimes you have to look for it and sometimes you accidentally find it. With security cameras everywhere, they are bound to find people at their best as well as at their worst. Watch this video and enjoy. And next time you see a security camera, let them catch you doing something really awesome. Here's the video:


Interview: Hello Games on Joe Danger 2: The Movie and PSN Delays Joe Danger took a detour during his journey back to PSN -- but he's finally arrived For many, the Joe Danger franchise will forever be associated with PlayStation. After struggling to find a publisher, Guildford-based indie developer Hello Games signed up to Sony's widely-publicised 'Pub Fund' scheme -- a move which provided the studio with financial support in return for exclusivity. The game proved to be one of the PlayStation Network's biggest hits of 2010, prompting positive word-of-mouth from multiple corners of the PlayStation community. In order to celebrate the game's overdue arrival, we sat down with Hello Games' technical director Ryan Doyle to discuss delays, inspirations, and the future of the Joe Danger franchise. Push Square: You know where we're going to start. The PlayStation 3 version of Joe Danger 2: The Movie is out today in Europe, but what took so long? Ryan Doyle: [Laughs]. To be honest, it's all very long and complicated and, honestly, boring. Ultimately, we hadn't been able to say anything about the PS3 version at all. We wanted to, obviously -- we really, really wanted to tell people it was coming, but we couldn't. It's been really hard, but now we've finally announced it's coming out, hopefully it's pleased everyone. PS: Are you happy with the reaction so far? RD: Yeah, it's been really nice. I've been busy, so I haven't had a chance to see much of it on the internet, but what I have seen has been really good. I'm glad people appreciate that we've explained what happened. PS: So, as PlayStation 3 owners, what can we expect as compensation for the slight delay? RD: [Laughs]. Well, there's another ten hours or so of content, and that's based on the pure experience of the original game. There are more of the old-school Joe Danger motorbike levels, because a lot of people seemed to miss that a little bit. Hopefully, that'll satisfy everyone. Pursuit force PS: Can you talk a little bit about the game's movie aspect? What sort of themes does the game go through during the campaign? RD: It's all sorts really. The game is the result of us watching loads of old films. PS: It shines through! RD: [Laughs] Yeah, if you look at the level names they're all puns. In fact, you probably saw that on Twitter -- loads of fans were giving us really cool puns. In terms of the inspirations, though, there's Indiana Jones , and then there's lots of James Bond and 60's spy and sci-fi stuff too. We also incorporated some really crazy stuff in the "Deleted Scenes" section of the campaign. One example is where you play as a bear on a unicycle. There's some time-travel stuff as well, where, for example, you race through a jungle inhabited by dinosaurs. So, there's plenty of variety compared to the first game. PS: Cool. Talking about the original game, why did you decide to go absolutely mad with the sequel? RD: Well, to be honest, we wanted to do more with the original game anyway, but we couldn't. It was just four of us at the time, and we were fairly limited in what we could do. In the jungle PS: Have you grown, then? RD: Yeah, there are a few more of us now, and it's given the opportunity to do this. We've got a lot more resources to put a ton more variety into the game. But, as I was saying, the first game came about by playing with lots of toys and stuff, whereas the sequel emerged as a result of watching loads of old classic movies. It's perfect for where Joe Danger's going, and it gave us the excuse to do pretty much anything. PS: You're probably not talking about it just yet, but is this the last we're going to see of Joe Danger? Are you thinking about trying something different now, or are you keeping that quiet? RD: Well, we've got the iOS version still to come, but at the moment we're not planning Joe Danger 3 or anything like that. We want to move on a bit and work on some new IP. Being independent has given us the freedom to do that, so we don't want to get stuck doing the same thing. Being independent has given us the freedom to try new ideas, so we don't want to get stuck doing the same thing PS: Whatever you decide to do, make sure you release it on PSN at the same time as everywhere else, yeah? RD: [Laughs]. Yeah. PS: Do you have any final words you'd like to share with the rest of the PlayStation community? RD: I just hope that they understand where we're coming from with the delay, and I really hope they enjoy the extra content. PS: Alright, thank you so much for your time, and the very best of luck with the game -- we can't wait to play it. RD: Cheers. Are you eager to play Joe Danger 2: The Movie? Did you enjoy the original game? Let us know in the comments section below.


I have to think about my companions, I can't be selfish and I have to think of what's best for Spanish sport, especially tennis and Spanish players and give fellow sportsmen with better preparation the chance to compete. I've waited until the final moment of my preparation and my training, but I cannot do it." Nadal did not mention any specific injury, but he cancelled a charity match in Madrid on July 4 because of tendon problems in his left knee. Speaking after his elimination from WImbledon but prior to his withdrawal from the London Games, Nadal had said: "I am doing everything possible to recover. After Roland Garros I had a difficult time, but the excitement is at its maximum, I am working as hard as I can and hopefully I will be at 100 per cent. "I am the one who is most worried. I hope that things improve and my intention is to arrive in London well prepared and recuperated. It is for this that I work every day. "Carrying the flag will the something unforgettable and I hope that Spain continue on the path of success it has been on for the past few years." The tennis competition, which will be held at the All England Club, begins on July 28 with Serbia's Novak Djokovic the top seed.


All car seats have an expiration date . Generally, it's 6 years, but contact the manufacturer of the seat to find out what the expiration date is. Never buy a used car seat if you don't know its full history and never use a car seat that has been in a crash . Don't use any products in the car seat that didn't come from the manufacturer . Car seat fabrics meet strict fire safety codes. Add-on toys can injure your child in a crash. Remember Car seats are made for travel . Don't leave your baby for hours on end in the car seat outside of the car. Did You Know? Securing babies in rear-facing seats has proven to be the safest option to support their head, neck and spinal cord to prevent injuries. Toddlers under age 2 are safer riding rear-facing, if the seat allows it.


Sub menu The impact of student and migrant employment on opportunities for low skilled people This study looks at the impact of student and migrant employment on opportunities for low skilled people. It improves our understanding of the changing nature of low skilled work, and the attitudes and motivations of low skilled people and employers in one local economic area. The study presents little evidence to support anecdotal suggestions of students and migrants displacing low skilled people from opportunities in the local labour market. Instead it highlights the varying job search priorities and techniques employed by different groups of individuals when seeking low skilled work; and explores how far they match those of employers. This study looks at the impact of student and migrant employment on opportunities for low skilled people. It improves our understanding of the changing nature of low skilled work, and accounts for the attitudes and motivations of low skilled people and employers in one local economic area: the city of Coventry and the wider Coventry and Warwickshire sub-region. Following a mixed method approach of interviews, focus groups, secondary data analysis and a UK wide literature review, the study presents little evidence to support anecdotal suggestions of students and migrants displacing low skilled people from opportunities in the local labour market. Instead the study highlights the varying job search priorities and techniques employed by different groups of individuals when seeking low skilled work; and explores how far they match those of employers. The research considers the impact of student and migrant employment on three aspects of employability: the ability of lower skilled workers to find employment; to remain in employment, rather than cycling between paid work and unemployment; and to progress within work, for example through engaging in training. It also illustrates the importance of the local economic and demographic context when seeking to promote employment and progression in work amongst low skilled people. In essence, this study represents a valuable contribution to the policy debate around creating a sustainable market for skills that can support economic growth and individual progression for all.


The two men weren't exactly the best of friends during the bitter 2008 Democrat primary between Obama and Bill Clinton's wife Hillary Clinton, the former senator and now US Secretary of State. Apparently the two men are putting their disagreements aside for the sake of party unity and other reasons and now enjoy a "quasi friendship." Most television viewers will be watching the Cowboys-Giants NFL opening-night game instead of the political convention, but in case you're interested, AP indicates that "Bill Clinton's convention speech is expected to be an enthusiastic plug for Obama and the economic policies he has pursued as president -- and stir nostalgia for the former president and first lady." According to a piece by Ryan Lizza in The New Yorker , however, Clinton allegedly made a blunt assessment of Obama in 2008 while trying unsuccessfully to get the late Sen. Ted Kennedy to endorse his wife's presidential candidacy over Obama: Tim Russert told me that, according to his sources, Bill Clinton, in an effort to secure an endorsement for Hillary from Ted Kennedy, said to Kennedy, "A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags." The late Tim Russert was the long-time moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. Clinton was quoted in the book Game Change as saying roughly the same thing, but the reference was instead to "getting us coffee." Bill Clinton apparently didn't want his wife to wait until 2016 to make a presidential run either. Before Obama locked up the nomination, the New York Post reports that "Klein said Clinton had convened a meeting at his Chappaqua, Westchester, home to urge his wife to challenge Obama for the 2012 nomination." In June, Clinton has also got in trouble with his own party for remarking that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney had a " sterling business career " and possessed the necessary threshold qualifications to serve as commander in chief. Secretary Clinton, by the way, is nowhere near the Charlotte convention site. She is on a diplomatic mission to Asia.


' I wouldn't have been able to do it...' Nigel Lewis, whose 21-year-old son is severely disabled, has every sympathy with the parents of Ashley X She is known as the Pillow Angel and her story is one of the most moving and morally perplexing most of us will ever come across: Ashley X, the severely disabled little girl from Seattle who, thanks to modern science, will remain a child for ever. Their decision to ask doctors to administer hormones to their nine-year-old daughter -- who is in a vegetative state because of a rare brain condition and cannot walk, talk, hold her head up or swallow food -- to stop her growing, has sparked an intense ethical debate. One can only imagine what a harrowing week it has been for them since they tried to explain the treatment and their reasons for pursuing it via the internet. This followed the furore caused by the publication of a paper in a medical journal written by the doctors who treated Ashley X, describing the case (although the family were not named). Ashley's parents feared that if their daughter matured naturally, she would become too big and too heavy for them to lift or move easily. High doses of oestrogen, which cause bones to fuse, will restrict Ashley's height to 4ft 5in, while her breast buds and womb have been removed surgically. Her parents are adamant they have done the right thing. While they have had many messages of support, they have also been harshly criticised. I neither support nor condone the specifics of their decision, but I do feel deeply for them. My wife and I know all too well the anxieties they face in trying to do the best for their child. Our son Andrew was born with severe disabilities. The official term used to describe his condition is spastic quadriplegia with multiple learning difficulties. In Andrew's case, this means he has no voluntary movement. Initially, my wife and I looked after Andrew at home with the support of carers, visits to a respite centre and a local nursery school for disabled children. Even when he was a tiny it was incredibly hard work, especially when our second son Matthew, who was perfectly healthy, was born when Andrew was three and a half. Caring for Andrew, was a 24-hour job that was both emotionally and physically draining. By the time he was five we'd come to the painful realisation that we couldn't cope with him at home. We found a good residential school where he stayed until he was 19, coming home every holiday. Two years ago, he moved to a full-time residential care home near us. He is now 21 and his life expectancy is no more than 30. Making him as comfortable as possible is all that matters. As a natural consequence of Andrew's disabilities, he weighs only 33kg and is the size of a 10- or 11-year-old. The desire of Ashley's parents to keep her small struck a chord with me because there is no doubt in my mind that Andrew's small size makes caring for him easier. Nevertheless, it's still very tricky to lift him; his body is rigid and he can't help you by clinging on, so he's a dead weight. An adult weighing 12 or 13 stone would present a far greater problem. However, I don't think I would have been able to do what Ashley's parents have done. Surgery and hormone treatment are significant interventions and I would not have wanted to take such drastic action. But if Andrew's doctors had told us when he was five or six that they could arrest his growth then, we would at least have thought it through. You naturally want to know about anything that might help your child. What it is harder to judge though, is whether it would be worse for Andrew himself if he was bigger. Modern lifting equipment enables adults with severe disabilities to be taken out and about and parents and carers do everything necessary to give them all the experiences they can, even if it is more physically demanding. The physical impact of keeping severely disabled children small is only one aspect of this debate. There is another factor. In their blog, Ashley's parents say that they feel it is more dignified for their daughter to have a body that is better suited to her cognitive state, and our own experiences suggest that many people, perhaps subconsciously, share this view. We make regular trips to the hospital with Andrew where lots of people say things like, "poor little chap". It somehow seems more acceptable to others that Andrew looks like a child. But whatever the driving factors behind Ashley's parents' choice, it is something only they have the right to decide. Making the right decisions for a child is the most important thing for any parent, but when that child will always depend upon you for everything, it becomes even more significant. In my view, unless you have had a severely disabled child, you cannot possibly begin to imagine the choices you might find yourself making. I wish Ashley X and her family well.  For information about support for disabled children and their families www.nch.org.uk


Initial Surface Impressions I posted this on the Blitz Forums, but I know some folks aren't registered there. I am definitely looking forward to a Metro target(or Modern UI now.) A Surface was sitting on my desk when I arrived this morning. Fedex must have been out and about early. Some very quick impressions after getting it up and running. Packaging: The box and design were nice and felt high quality. It was easy to unbox and the presentation was nice. Fit and Finish: It has a very nice feel and the quality is excellent. This will sound crazy, but it is the nicest power adapter that I have ever seen or felt. I think you will have to hold it to understand. Apple?s look nice, but they feel cheap because they are made out of plastic. This has the nice look, but it is metal? Or something that feels like metal and it is black. It is very nice. I had read that the magnetic adapter wasn?t as nice as magsafe and that is correct. It could do use with a little more powerful magnet. The keyboard cover is very nice. It has a felt back. I find it very easy to type with. It actually seemed very natural switching between the touchpad, keyboard and screen. All the reviews said 4 or 5 days to get up to speed. I don?t think I will have that issue. Screen: This was a big deal for me. As some background, I am seriously into screen quality. I have a 30? Dell IPS panel with 2560x1600 res as my primary and I have a Pioneer Kuro Plasma at home. My laptop has an RGB LED, anyway, you get the picture ;) When I heard that it was 1366x768 I was skeptical, even though MS said they did all this mumbo jumbo to make it look good. Well, MS was telling the truth. The screen looks great and if I was guessing resolution, I would have guessed much higher. Usage: It feels very smooth and the touchscreen is very responsive. Setup was easy and Windows 8 is very at home here. I definitely think MS put it in the best light. I have been using iOS for years, but for me it has felt more like a toy or presentation layer. I have never used it as a productivity tool. I really think you could take this on a trip and do some serious work but you can also remove the cover and use it as a straight tablet. I have been using Windows 8 for about a month on my laptop and I like it, but it definitely feels more at home on the tablet. I got to play around with the Surface RT at the microsoft store the other day. Its definitely a refresh from the sea of iPads and Androids tablets. Although not sure if it can replace my iPad as the tablet of choice yet. My friend has a Samsung Slate tablet and while it can run the full version of Windows 8, its definitely not something i would want to carry around as a tablet. Gonna wait for the Surface Pro...


Top KIELY WILLIAMS lyrics KIELY WILLIAMS - Spectacular lyrics Last night I was drunk I don't remember much But what I do comes in pictures Thats how gone I was But he was tall and he was buying So I gave him a try and Said he was built like a stallion And the man wasn't lying Last I remember I was face down Ass up, clothes off, broke off, dozed off Even though I'm not sure of his name He could get it again if he wanted Cause the sex was spectacular The sex was spectacular (yeaaah) The sex was spectacular The sex was spectacular So it was the morning after I couldn't get home faster Doing the walk of shame In the same clothes from yesterday I think he pulled a track out When he was blowing my back out What was I drinking I cant believe I blacked out Last I remember I was face down Ass up, clothes off, broke off, dozed off Even though I'm not sure of his name He could get it again if he wanted Cause the sex was spectacular The sex was spectacular (yeaaah) The sex was spectacular The sex was spectacular You can say what you want but You can call me a slut but What he did to me last night felt so good I must have been on drugs I hope he used a rubber Or I'mma be in trouble Problem is I don't remember Except for rollin' over Give it to me, give it to me Ooh baby what a ride ride a ride ride So smooth like it beats I like the heat Ooh baby what a night night Right right


Emeralds - Just To Feel Anything Until a couple of years ago, the electronic noise and extended synthesiser workouts of the prolific Ohio-based trio Emeralds were only familiar to people who had encountered them live or stumbled across one of their numerous self-released CD-Rs, most of which showcased them jamming in their basement. Then came two fine studio albums, What Happened? and Emeralds appearing almost back-to-back in 2009, followed by the highly acclaimed Does It Look Like I'm Here? in 2010. Whilst Emeralds haven't released anything under their own name since then, the individuals behind the band have been anything but idle. Guitarist Mark McGuire has released a few solo albums and has toured extensively, synth guru Steve Hauschildt issued a trance-influenced album on Kranky, and John Elliott has been busy running his own label Spectrum Spools which has released over 20 albums in the last couple of years, some of which (Imaginary Softwoods, Outer Space, Mist) are actually groups or side-projects which he plays in. The three of them have now regrouped for Just to Feel Anything , their fifth full album release under the name Emeralds, and the album's overall sound is unmistakably them, with the familiar intertwining of Hauschildt's pulsing Krautrock-style synth work and McGuire's freeform guitar solos, although there are noticeable attempts to stretch themselves and try to push things forward. Whereas a lot of those early home recordings and live events were built around improvisation and jams, their studio albums have always seemed more controlled and planned than that. Just to Feel Anything follows this path. Although the seven tracks here show that these three musicians could go off at any moment into lengthy improvisation, there is a very strong sense of melody and composition. It appears carefully arranged and composed rather than just being a record of a jam session. This time around the band has subtly introduced new instruments and sounds into the mix. As well as the bank of synths and guitar effects that create their sound, they have adopted Fender Rhodes piano, organ and acoustic guitar, but perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of the steady beat of the distinctive Roland TR-808 drum machine. This gives tracks like 'Andrenochrome' and 'Everything is Inverted' a pulsating, danceable core. The most dominant influence may still be the German synthesiser experimentalists of the 1970s but, perhaps due to the presence of the 808, Just to Feel Anything evokes the music of the 1980s more than on their previous releases. Even a title like 'Andrenochrome' hints at the gloss and the excess of that particular decade. Another less predictable '80s influence is evident on 'Through and Through' which, with its soft synth underscore and straight forward lead guitar lines, could almost be an outtake from one of Mark Knopfler or Ry Cooder's film scores. Normal service is resumed for 'Everything is Inverted', which is a much faster track and is basically a frantic duel between the twin leads of McClure's guitar and Hauschildt's synth. 'The Loser Keeps America Clean' provides more contrast and is at odds with the rest of the album. It is perhaps the only track where you can't distinguish the separate parts of the band as they have come together to create a large wall of noise, which is only broken up with some fluttering electronics. The title track, 'Just to Feel Anything' is more familiar Emeralds territory - a pulsing synth pattern which builds up, and trancelike elements which combine with McGuire's fluid guitar lines. Although the faster, 808-propelled tracks were the highlights of my first few listens, closing piece 'Search for Me in the Wasteland' is a beautiful, dreamy ending. Guitars are carefully layered and they weave around a cyclical melody. Again, this is one that could spiral off into a huge improvised piece but they are disciplined enough to make it work within the confines of the studio album. Overall, Just to Feel Anything is the sound of a band moving forward whilst holding on to the elements that make them special. At times it feels very different to their earlier work, yet still manages to fit perfectly with their other releases, and that's quite a good trick to pull off.


It is always a source of humor -- dark humor, to be sure -- that the traditional media is way, way behind the curve when it comes to understanding a story, particularly when it involves unions. So, you know how all those politicians are now rushing around, wringing their hands about the recent violence in King's Cross? Well, hello, unions have been way ahead of the curve here. Two years ago -- TWO YEARS AGO -- a coalition of unions representing doctors, nurses, paramedics and police officers demanded that politicians act to stop alcohol-fuelled violence. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand why: those front-line workers have to deal with the violence and it's an occupational hazard. While politicians -- the same ones rushing to the microphones now -- sit home in comfort, its the union workers who have to transport injured people to hospitals, stitch up the wounds, and restore order in the streets. The campaign, called Last Drinks , was pretty clear about what needed to be done: The coalition believes strongly in evidence-based policy solutions.  And the evidence shows that the most effective way to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence in the Australian context is by placing restrictions on the late night sale of alcohol.  In particular, the recent experience in Newcastle has shown a sustained decrease in the number of night-time assaults of over 30 per cent -- which was achieved after a number of restrictions were placed on licensed venues in the Newcastle CBD.  These restrictions include: 3am closing time for all venues; Lock-outs at venues from 1.30 am; and Restrictions on the sale of high-alcohol content drinks (such as shots) after 10pm. By the way, it's already worked, as you can see from this news report : The Last Drinks coalition, a group of union-led police, doctors and nurses, says the measures have helped reduce late-night violence since being introduced in Newcastle. So, here you have one shining example of the wiseness and knowledge of workers, and the union leaders who represent them, on the one hand, versus the short-sited rantings of craven politicians, on the other hand. If it wasn't for ideology -- meaning, why should we listen to unions? -- politicians might have listened to the people leading the Last Drinks campaign , and, maybe, just maybe, one young man, Thomas Kelly , would still be alive, and a lot more people would have returned home to sleep in their beds, with no injuries other than a bit of a hangover.


Baldurs Gates, Icewind Dales, Neverwinter Nights. All of them & expansions for 11.50 I posted this in the Baldurs Gate thread in gaming but I noticed over at steam that people were thinking the Neverwinter Nights collection for $30 was a good buy so this properly is I guess and needs a bargain forum post. I wonder how long it would actually take to play all of these to completion? They're all famously insanely long as well as insanely good. Baldurs Gate 2 is 200 hours! You're probably looking about a penny an hour for this collection!


I want to know your plans and how involved in them I am. When I go to sleep for good will I be forgiven? And If you want roses you can go buy a bouquet. If that just won't cut it, well what can I say? You're what keeps me believing the world's not long dead, Strength in my bones put words in my head. When they pour out to paper, it's all for you. 'Cause that's what you do. That's what you do. I want to know your fears, from your feet to the back of your ears. When they raise the landing gear will your heart stay here? If you could forgive me for being so brash, well you you could hit me or whip me, I'd savor each lash. You're what keeps me believing the world's not long dead, Strength in my bones put words in my head. When they pour out to paper. It's all for you. Cause that's what you do. No more fighting. This is only a waste of our time 'cause soon we'll be leaving. Will this strength still be mine? I'll look out for you until I die, 'til I rot. 52 Comments Song Meaning: (I PROMISE IM NOT A JESUS FREAK) First of all, there are a couple different versions of this song floating around. I think this site has both of them. This one is the original album version, I think its off Is a Real Boy. This one sounds like a love song, and i'm pretty sure it originally was, but later he changed a few lines to describe his relationship with god. This is easy to see in the first verse and chorus, but becomes a little more clouded in the second verse and bridge. This is because of the lines "When they raise the landing gear, will your heart stay here." Its a little tricky to interpret this in a religious context. The plane taking off is a symbol for him leaving the earth (dying) and his question "Will your heart stay here?" Is asking does god focus only on the living? Will his soul be forgotten once he dies? This goes back to his original question "When I go to sleep for good, will I be forgiven?" He's afraid if he isn't forgiven for his sins he'll be forgotten in God's Eyes. The bridge is talking about the changes he'll make in his life. How he doesn't want to spend what little time he has on earth fighting. And when he changes the tense to "our" in "Its only a waste of our time" he's telling the audience directly that fighting over petty things is worthless. The second part of the bridge "I'll look out for you..." Is about his constant search for God in his life. The lines "I'll remember you..." Is meant to read I'll keep you in mind as I live my life. Weirdly enough this is a praise song (Which is strange because i'm pretty sure Max is Jewish.) The other version I know of changes a few lines and is totally about the precursor to a long distance relationship. I promise I'm not a jesus freak I just think that this is the best interpretation of this version. PS. "If you wanted roses..." is about how he isn't about to dedicate his life to worship, or give sacrifice to prove his faith. General Comment: I just wanted to say that I completely disagree with thatiswhy. I'm 100% positive that he says "you can go buy a bouquet". This is because Max Bemis isn't really your everyday guy. He's not going to buy this girl flowers just to make her feel better. He's saying that if she wants them, she can get them herself, and if that doesn't work then "oh well, what can he do about it" type of thing. Because she's still what keeps him believing this world's not gone dead. And that should be enough. General Comment: "and if you want roses you can go buy a bouquet if that just won't cut it well, what can i say what does that?mean??? i dont get it!! help me out guys," To me I hear "I'll buy a bouquet". anyways I interpret that in a literal way, as in: the guy will do anything for this girl. If she says roses will fix everything, he'll buy her a bouquet. If that's not enough, what can he say to make it better? ( what a cute part, hah... Anyways I think it's pretty obvious that this song is about a boy sharing his feelings for a girl he loves that he will never see again.(wow run-on sentence) I can't decide if the boy and girl were in a rocky relationshp and he's trying to say he loves her no matter what happened (as a few past people have thought) or if they were never dating and the girl maybe didnt even know the boy existed. I'm leaning towards the former though, for such lines as "If you could forgive me/ for being so brash" and "no more fighting/ this is only a waste of our time". Perhaps it's a mix of both; the boy loved the girl for a long time and only a short while ago they started dating, but the relationshp was vey rocky and upsetting. Now that the girl's leaving forever, the boy regrets all the time he wasted without her and wishes she could just understand how much he loves her. It's overall a very cute but also upsetting song... the kind where you wish the singer would make it a happy ending at the end. But of course, there is no happy ending.


The manager of the Neptune Global Equity fund said leading indicators point towards an acceleration in growth over the next six months. Consequently, Geffen has maintained a cyclical bias with a focus on the US and the 'superior growth potential' of emerging markets. 'Reflecting our conviction in the economic recovery, we have continued to add to our US exposure, which is currently at its highest historic level,' said Geffen. 'In addition to gaining access to the US recovery -- which we believe will be borne out in the Q4 corporate earnings seasons -- we have also sought high quality global companies with growing market share in emerging economies.' To play this theme, Geffen has bought consumer stocks that he believes have strong balance sheets, dominant market share and resilience against margin pressures. 'We also favour more cyclical names in the consumer discretionary and energy sectors, including Halliburton -- our top performer in the third quarter,' he added. In terms of emerging markets, Geffin said they are cheap relative to developed markets as well as to their long-term averages. China, for instance, is trading on a P/E multiple of 11 times versus its peak of 30. 'Relative to their contribution to global growth, we believe these valuations are unjustified and we fully expect to see the emerging markets re-rate -- particularly China and Russia, two of our long-held overweights,' said Geffen.