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so much for that Why yes there is a story behind this photo: "I took this picture at the pre-Super Bowl NFL Tailgate Party last week of my brother and Urban Meyer. My brother's hat was backwards but he twisted it around as I set up for the pic. Thought you might enjoy." --Jared of Sports Power Weekends As you may have heard on National Signing Day Urban Meyer inked a lot of five-stars (and poached as many three-stars from his conference rivals), then rounded on the rest of the B1G for not faring so well. MaizeNBlueInDC took to the Scout rankings to confirm, compiling the recruits by state to demonstrate how each conference was doing versus its footprint. He starts with a chart that seems to suggest the Big Ten recruited just like every other major conference except the SEC which I graph: The parts I faded are the top two teams from each conference according to Scout's team rankings, respectively Bama/Texas A&M, UCLA/Wash(!), Mich/OSU, Okla/Texas, Clemson/FSU, and Rutgers/Cincy. That's what Urbz is whining about; he and we finished with the 1 and 2 teams to Scout, and the fourth Big Ten team doesn't appear until two spots above Kentucky. Course I'm not sure what Meyer expects to say at the coaches meeting except "Stop being MAC coaches promoted to your Peter Principle limit." For QED purposes, a reminder of Big Ten coaching hires since 2007: - 2007: Saban/Tressel acolyte who turned Cincy into a BCS team, LSU's DC, Mack Brown's recruiting guy, Indiana's OC who coached Ball State before Hoke. - 2008: WVU's head coach who invented the spread 'n shred - 2009: Eastern Kentucky's head coach (hired in '08 under grooming plan) - 2010: Bob Stoop's longtime OC - 2011: SDSU's head coach, NIU's head coach - 2012: Two-time national championship winner at Florida, Toledo's head coach (CBs under Tressel), a Belichick assistant - 2013: Utah State's head coach, Kent State's head coach (WRs under Tressel) Recently the SEC has taken to hiring rising star high school coaches who spend a year at Arkansas State, but they've also pilfered Bielema and hired a string of successful coordinators and guys who turned mid-majors into Top 10 teams, and, you know, former national championship winners who tried the NFL because their NCAA dynasties were no longer challenging. Returning to the Diary of the Week at hand, the rest of the charts use the state data to show things like the SEC has a third of the nation's talent while Big Ten states accounted for a sixth—every other conference is less than us. In the comments turd furguson charted where the schools line up in ranking vs avg prospect rank to see if they're just hauling in more kids period. That also makes for easy graphing and general usefulness so: In other takes on meeting Meyer's standards, here's EGD with a list of Urban-approved, non-"Don't be a Peters'd MAC coach" tips for Big Ten coaches heading out on the recruiting trail. Basketball, the What's Leftening: Two of the three remaining tough games for basketball were just played. Our Big Ten opponents all have enough rough stuff still to play that everyone's expected to end up 14-4. Etc. A better-late-than-never wrap-up of things Brian said on the D.C. trip—if you ask your local alumni chapter nicely (and you don't live in a crappy, unvisitable place like Dallas) you too can get a visit. The weekly LSAClassof2000 stats thing is a Geographic survey of freshmen in the Bentley database that's mostly useless if you don't take out the walk-ons—I had a hell of a time with that same problem when I did the historical team makeup from Ohio (the yellow part) graph for 2011 HTTV. Free throw attempts = EFFORT (and refs but mostly EFFORT!) A made-up backstory for rapture guy (the guy who reached ecstasy in that one gif); the real story will be on these pages soon courtesy of Ace. Lacrosse opponents primer. Please give details. Blockhams was pretty funny. Requested: A diary on Michigan's ski team, which is club but I'm told is pretty good this year and has Bob Thomas's son on it (and competes in a division called "Michigan Men"). [After the jump: the winner of last week's "Find me a Game…Stauskus lookalike from the Fab Five" contest, and some stuff from the board.] It is a day after National Signing Day and the Big Ten has inked yet another lackluster group of mostly 3-star recruits. Fearing a further drift toward mediocrity, representatives from each relevant school have secretly gathered together. Their goal: rescuing the competitive future of their once mighty conference! A prayer is offered to AIRBHG and thanks given unto BHGP for allowing me to rip off their format. Scene: A little-used back room of the Palmer House in Chicago, its walls lined with trophies honoring the conference's academic achievements, and tasteful sweaters. A group of men and a duck mill about, most huddled around a smartphone showing walrus porn. One is eyeing the gilded stand lamps, apparently wondering if they're bolted down. They are watched by a shadowy figure in a ski mask. JIM DELANEY enters… : It's the…no, Brady we're not doing the thing. [More. Oh so much more, after the JUMP!] PREVIOUSLY: The Offense Following up yesterday's breakdown of the 2013 recruits on offense, here's a look at Michigan's defensive class—click each player's name to see their original commitment post: |Maurice Hurst Jr.||DT||MA||3||4||4||3| And now, some superlatives: BEST POSITION GROUP: Linebacker This class is pretty evenly spread across the position groups—an argument could be made for pretty much any group on the field. In an effort to avoid giving all of the awards to Dymonte Thomas, I'll go with the linebackers here. After 2012's big haul, Michigan only needed a couple of linebackers in the class, and they filled their two spots with a pair of very solid prospects in Mike McCray and Ben Gedeon. The lone linebacker spot the 2012 class didn't cover was on the strong side, and McCray's size (6'4", 230 lbs.) and athleticism make him an ideal fit there. Gedeon, meanwhile, is a stellar athlete—he also starred at running back for Hudson—who should be able to cover the field sideline-to-sideline from the weakside linebacker position. Honorable Mention: Safety, Cornerback BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Strongside DE There isn't one, and that's the only hole in this class on the defensive side of the ball. After Michigan brought in three SDE-types in 2012—Matt Godin, Tom Strobel, and Chris Wormley—there wasn't a major need, especially with in-state standout Malik McDowell firmly in their sights for the 2014 class. MOST LIKELY TO START FROM DAY ONE: Dymonte Thomas Defensive highlights start at the 4:22 mark.* It's distinctly possible that no member of the 2013 class starts on defense next season, and that's a very good thing for Michigan. If one will, however, it's safety Dymonte Thomas, a dominant force in the state of Ohio at both running back and safety for the last three seasons. Michigan has to replace Jordan Kovacs, and if Jarrod Wilson isn't ready to step in at free safety, it's likely that Thomas Gordon will play there while Thomas slides in at strong safety. Thomas may be the best pure athlete in the class—if he wanted, he could've easily been a four-star running back recruit—and he brings a very physical presence to the secondary. He should be an asset in run support off the bat and he has all the tools necessary to be solid in coverage, as well. Down the road, I think Thomas will be an all-conference—or even All-American—player, and it may be tough to keep him off the field this fall. Honorable Mention: The only other play I see having a shot to start this year is Taco Charlton—he's an impressive player and the weakside DE spot is open to competition. That said, I don't see that happening unless Michigan gets hit by the injury bug. *Also of note: those are junior highlights. His senior reel is well worth a look. SUREST THING: Dymonte Thomas See above. Frankly, I'm surprised Scout was the only service to rank him as a five-star. Honorable Mention: Henry Poggi. Poggi may not be a superstar—he doesn't always explode off the ball on film—but he seems like a guy who should at least be a solid starter down the road. BOOM OR BUST: Jourdan Lewis I've seen cornerback Jourdan Lewis play in either a game or camp setting over a half-dozen times at this point, and he's an outstanding athlete who could conceivably contribute in the return game or even at receiver. When he played across from current Wolverine Terry Richardson as a junior, I thought Lewis was flat-out the better player—he's a little taller and is extremely good at making a play on the ball. After giving him a closer look this year, however, I noticed a couple holes in his game: There are a couple major concerns I have with Lewis, however, that were on display on Friday night. He does rely on that recovery speed far too much in man coverage—if OLSM's quarterback had thrown that hitch on time, for example, I don't think Lewis would've been able to break up the pass. Then there's run support, where Lewis is very limited by his small frame; at his size, he has to be completely committed to throwing his weight around and tackling with proper technique, and I don't see that at this point. He tends to dive for an ankle-tackle and shies away from major contact—there's a stark contrast between him and Webb, who's both bigger and more willing to lay a hit. Lewis has all the athleticism necessary to be a very good cover corner, but he's going to need to add some weight, embrace the physicality of the run game, and refine his coverage skills if he wants to be a major contributor at cornerback. If that doesn't work out, he could flip to offense and be a playmaker in the slot, so his versatility gives him a lesser chance of flaming out, but there's no guarantee he'd stick there, either. I think Lewis is a prospect with a high ceiling, but he's going to have to work to get there. Honorable Mention: Maurice Hurst Jr.—the athletic big man could wreak havoc on the interior, but he's got to learn to play low. MGOSCOUTED STAMP OF APPROVAL: Taco Charlton When I drove down to Pickerington to see defensive end Taco Charlton's Central squad take on crosstown rival North (and fellow commit Jake Butt), I expected to see a raw pass-rushing specialist. Instead, I saw him play an instrumental role in keeping North running back Godwin Igwebuike (Northwestern commit) well below his usual numbers, sacrificing his personal stats to key on the run—and he still came up with 1.5 sacks: Despite having a reputation as a pass-rush specialist, Charlton was instrumental in limiting Igwebuike on the ground, finishing with ten tackles and 1.5 sacks. He was largely tasked with keeping contain, and I don't recall a single instance where a running play got outside of him if it went to his side. While he sometimes allows offensive linemen to get their hands into his chest off the snap, he did a solid job of engaging and using his hands to shed blocks. He played a very disciplined game against the run, showed off a very high motor—especially impressive since he also moonlighted at tight end and on special teams—and always seemed to end up around the football. As a pass-rusher, Charlton showed off more of a power game than what I've seen from him on camp film, getting his hands inside the blocker and bull-rushing to great effect. He still has that impressive speed around the edge and got pressure on a couple of speed-rushes, but for the most part he went right at his blocker—likely due to his contain responsibilities against the run. Charlton has also really begun to fill out; Michigan lists him at 6'6", 249 pounds after he enrolled early, and he's got the frame to easily get up to the 270-pound range without losing his impressive quickness. I think he could factor into the weakside DE rotation as soon as this fall, and down the road he could be the edge-rushing threat that Michigan has lacked at DE for some time. Honorable Mention: Jourdan Lewis, Delano Hill. I've covered Lewis; Hill wasn't a guy I really focused on while watching Cass Tech since he was a long-time Iowa commit and there were so many D-I prospects on the field, but it wasn't hard to notice him anyway—he always seemed to find his way to the football and was a solid tackler once he got there. SLEEPER: Channing Stribling When cornerback Channing Stribling earned an offer—and subsequently committed—at Michigan's camp over some more highly-touted prospects (including eventual teammate Reon Dawson), he was a complete unknown despite coming from a football powerhouse at Matthews (NC) Butler. He was immediately pegged as an underrated sleeper, and after a senior season spent making big play after big play, it seemed like he was on the verge of making a huge leap in the recruiting rankings. That never quite happened—Stribling ended up as a three-star across the board, so the sleeper label still fits. At 6'2", 170 pounds, he's very tall for a cornerback, and his playmaking skills were on display all year—in one game last fall, he had two receiving touchdowns, a defensive touchdown, and a kickoff return for a touchdown. If Stribling can fill out his frame and refine his coverage skills, he could be a very good corner; he's also extremely raw, and maintaining the quickness to cover college receivers at that height is no easy task. Honorable Mention: Delano Hill Here's the pics I could assemble from 2013 signing day, because the most exciting thing that happened today was 18-year-olds signing pieces of paper and standing by fax machines. If you've got others post 'em below with attribution and I'll add. To begin, here's ESPN's lead photo with Shane Morris and Wyatt Shallman in a DeLorean, because if you're going to take the Michigan program Back to the Future why not do it with some style. Also the stainless steel construction… stand back. The rest via the jump. It is Signing Day 2013, and if you weren't aware, Michigan has a pretty, pretty good class. With this post—and its accompanying defense post (coming tomorrow)—I'll attempt to give you a solid overview of the class, its strengths and weaknesses, and hand out a few superlatives. Let's start with a look at the offensive class as a whole and their final rankings from the recruiting services—click on each player's name to see their commitment post: And now, some specifics: BEST POSITION GROUP: Offensive Line. This offensive line class is arguably the best in the country, finding strength both in numbers (six) and quality (five of the six are consensus four-stars or above and made All-American teams). As Michigan continues to fill in the holes left by some disastrous offensive line recruiting under Rich Rodriguez, this couldn't have come at a better time. Among the group, guard Kyle Bosch is the most likely to crack the two-deep early; he's on campus early and has college-ready size—Michigan lists him at 6'5", 311 lbs.—to go with a polished set of skills. He won't start right away (let's hope) but could factor in as a backup. Center Patrick Kugler—the son of longtime NFL OL coach and current UTEP head coach Sean Kugler—might be the best of the bunch, though. He'll hit campus as the most physically gifted Wolverine at the position, and while he shouldn't be forced to play right away, he should be a multi-year starter down the road. Honorable Mention: Running Back, Quarterback. BIGGEST WEAKNESS: No elite receiver Yes, this class lacks a blue-chip wideout. Csont'e York and Jaron Dukes are both big targets who can go up and get the ball, while Da'Mario Jones could be a playmaker in the slot, but none are can't-miss prospects. This issue is mitigated somewhat by Michigan's strong recruiting at tight end—get a couple playmakers there and the pressure comes off the receivers in the passing game—but you'd still like to see a top-flight guy on the outside. Honorable Mention: The only other issue with the offensive side of the class is the lack of a second quarterback for depth purposes, something the coaches decided wasn't necessary. Otherwise, every need was filled. MOST LIKELY TO START FROM DAY ONE: Derrick Green Not only is Green the top-ranked recruit in the class, but he comes in at a position of great uncertainty and, as of late, middling production. He's got the body of an NFL running back as a high school senior and is a perfect fit for Al Borges's ideal offense. It's unknown whether Fitz Toussaint will be ready to start the season after his ugly leg injury and his production was lacking in 2012 anyway; Thomas Rawls failed to impress in his stead. Green's toughest competition for the bulk of the carries may even come from fellow 2013 commit DeVeon Smith, arguably the best back in the state of Ohio. Either way, expect a freshman (or two) to make a big impact in the backfield next season. Honorable Mention: DeVeon Smith, Jake Butt SUREST THING: Patrick Kugler Covered in part above, Kugler is as close as you'll get to a can't-miss offensive line recruit. At 6'5", 280 lbs. before setting foot on campus, he's got better size than any Michigan center of recent vintage. His father spent nine years coaching offensive line in the NFL, and Patrick's film makes it apparent that he's absorbed a lot of his father's teaching—from a technical standpoint, he's very advanced for his age. He participated in the Under Armour AA Game and held up very well against some of the best defensive linemen in the country. Kugler's only competition at center right now is Jack Miller, who's been groomed to take over the position for a couple years but was too undersized to see the field as a redshirt freshman in 2012. Miller should step in and start in 2013—it's unrealistic to expect Kugler to have enough command of the offense to make the O-line calls after a few weeks on campus—but it's going to be hard to keep Kugler off the field in 2014 and beyond. Honorable Mention: Derrick Green, Kyle Bosch BOOM OR BUST: Logan Tuley-Tillman Offensive lineman Logan Tuley-Tillman has the prototypical left tackle frame at 6'7", 307 pounds. He's also a relative newcomer to the game of football and spent his high school days overpowering opponents with sheer size and strength—as a result, he's got a long way to go from a technical standpoint. At last summer's Sound Mind Sound Body camp, Tuley-Tillman and David Dawson both got extensive work in with Michigan OL coach Darrell Funk—Funk used Dawson as an example for how to execute certain technical aspects of line play, then spent a good deal of time trying to get Tuley-Tillman to that level. If Tuley-Tillman can put it all together, he's the future at left tackle and could even develop into an NFL prospect. With so much ground to cover, however, he could also get buried on the depth chart by more polished players. It should help that Tuley-Tillman is already on campus—with a redshirt year all but guaranteed, he'll have plenty of time to work on the fundamentals before worrying about seeing the field. Honorable Mention: Shane Morris, Chris Fox MGOSCOUTED STAMP OF APPROVAL: Jake Butt Among the players I checked out last fall—on offense: Morris, Shallman, York, Dawson, Butt, and Hill—tight end Jake Butt really stood out with his performance on the field. Playing against cross-town rival Pickerington Central—featuring fellow Wolverine Taco Charlton—he hauled in nine catches for 93 yards and a TD while also making an impact at defensive end. Some of my impressions from that game: Butt did a great job of snatching the ball away from his body and caught everything thrown his way. While he could be a little sharper out of his breaks, he runs crisp routes and positions his body well to give his quarterback a big target while warding off the defender. He was able to find space up the seam on multiple occasions but was also comfortable working on the perimeter, at one point catching back-to-back out routes when Central cheated to the inside in coverage. He's not going to juke past too many defenders after the catch, but he usually finds a way to fall forward for extra yardage. At 6'6", 235 lbs., Butt has an ideal frame for the position, and his blocking really impressed me as well. He's another early enrollee, and I'd be surprised if he took a redshirt—he may not start from day one, but he's a better blocker than Devin Funchess and could give Michigan a scary one-two combo at tight end/H-back. Honorable Mention: David Dawson, Shane Morris THE SHANE MORRIS CATEGORY: Shane Morris An overview of Michigan's 2013 class is incomplete without mentioning the team's quarterback of the future. Morris dropped from five-star status on Rivals and 247 after a senior season marred by mono and an uneven performance at the Under Armour AA Game, but he still has the highest ceiling of any of Michigan's commits. The first thing that stands out about Morris is his arm strength—the ball explodes out of his hand with seemingly little effort. When he's on, it's a sight to behold. The problem—and ultimately why he dropped in the rankings—is that he's yet to show consistency; he still needs work reading defenses and relies too heavily on his arm strength to fit the ball into windows that sometimes aren't there. Those expecting Morris to come in and take the starting job need to temper their expectations severely—the job is Devin Gardner's, and barring injury it'll stay that way. Morris could very well come in and earn the backup job over Russell Bellomy, however, and with a couple years of development he could be special. Honorable Mention: Shane Morris SLEEPER: Da'Mario Jones Michigan snatched WR Da'Mario Jones, a Westland John Glenn product, away from Central Michigan, so he certainly flew under the radar for the bulk of the recruiting cycle. That may have been the product of playing in a league that doesn't get much exposure, however—Allen Trieu reported($) that UCLA, Alabama, Florida State, Michigan State, and Georgia all came to see him last week, though no offers came when he made it clear he was ticketed for Ann Arbor. While the other two receivers in the class, Csont'e York and Jaron Dukes, are big guys who were on the receiving end of a lot of jump balls in high school, Jones is a guy who's shown his ability to work underneath and break big plays after the catch. With Drew Dileo and Jeremy Gallon back in 2013, he may not see the field right away, but down the road there's a clear role he can fill in the slot—a position that, granted, may be marginalized by the increased emphasis on tight ends—and nobody else on the roster who fits that mold after next season. Honorable Mention: Wyatt Shallman, Khalid Hill National Signing Day still ongoing, but we already have a pretty good idea how things are going to play out. 6:00 a.m. - The sun has yet to rise in College Station, Texas. A lonely fax machine sits in Kevin Sumlin's office. There is no way for it to know the hell it is about to experience. It can't comprehend such things. It is just a machine. 7:10 a.m. - Brian Kelly receives his 100th Letter of Intent for 'Lennay Kekua,' to go along with 37 for 'Manti Te'o's Fake Girlfriend' and 6 for 'That Catfish chick.' "Very original, jackass," he thinks to himself. Kelly looks in his mini-fridge, but finds it empty. He calls up Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick, and threatens to leave for the NFL if Notre Dame doesn't pony up breakfast. 7:13 a.m. - An out-of-breath Swarbrick arrives with an Egg McMuffin. Kelly grunts a half-hearted, "okay I'll stay." Om nom nom 7:44 a.m. - Out of absolutely nowhere, damn near every five-star recruit in the country commits to Ole Miss. Yep. Ole Miss. This is in no way suspicious. Stuff like this happens occasionally; the best players in the country will sometimes all decide, basically at the same time, to attend the same school, even if that school hasn’t won its conference since the Kennedy Administration. Why are you so suspicious of this? Just because Ole Miss is 13-24 (and 4-21 in conference) over the last three seasons? Or because Ole Miss has never been ranked higher than 15th in Rivals’ rankings? Or because one of their five-star recruits tweeted out a picture of a pile of cash recently? That’s all just circumstantial evidence, man. 8:02 a.m. - Michigan blog circles awaken, but unlike most are unconcerned with the events of this day. For you see, Michigan is different than the other schools, who view the purpose of recruiting as stockpiling talent and accumulating star ratings. Michigan is not concerned with such things. Michigan attempts to accumulate Michigan Men. Men who think only of the team. The team, the team, the team. And though they are few in number, their moral standing and forthright character will make them superior athletes, scholars, and gentlemen at the end of the day. Some players may be more highly ranked than these Michigan Men, but those rankings do not capture the essence of teamsmanship and sportitude that make these Michigan Men special. And though those more highly ranked players may choose other schools, in doing so they demonstrate that they are, in fact, not Michigan Men, and were therefore unworthy to don the winged helmet. Those who stay, gentlemen. Those who stay. 8:12 a.m. - Word hits Michigan blog circles that Derrick Green has submitted his LOI. Michigan fans respond with a "WOOOOOOO FIVE STAR RUNNING BACKS BABY!!! OUR CLASS KICKS YOUR CLASS'S THREE-STAR ASS. SUCK IT, DANTONIO. NUMBER ONE!!!" 8:54 a.m. - A kid with discernable football talent sends his paperwork to Colorado. All are confused. Did… did you watch the last few years? 9:10 a.m. - ..."What is this madness?" wonders the poor fax machine. He has not stopped churning for a moment. He is on his third drum of toner and sixth ream of paper, and there seems to be no end in sight. There is no time to contemplate the greater meaning, however, as another fax is coming in... 9:36 a.m. - A bright-eyed and talented young running back from Iowa beams ear-to-ear as he hands his paperwork to his high school athletic director. "Send this to the attention of Kirk Ferentz at this number, please," he says. As the fax machine starts to whir, the young man feels a strange twinge in his right knee, and he suddenly senses that someone, or something, is behind him. He turns, but nothing is there. He shrugs and laughs it off. Alas, it is too late for him already. 10:01 a.m. - Urban Meyer enters his office to gaze upon the hundreds and hundreds of LOIs on his desk. Seemingly every major recruit in the country, including those who already enrolled early at other schools, has sent their pledge to Ohio State. Meyer feels a touch of guilt for having not explained better to all of these young men that most of their offers were not "committable." Meyer sifts through the pile for the letters from the 21 kids he really wanted, and places the rest of them in the recycling bin. 11:53 p.m. - Mark Dantonio picks up... you know what? No one really cares. File Photo. I think. I didn’t look very hard. 12:01 p.m. - Brian Kelly calls Jack Swarbrick and and informs him that he is considering leaving to coach the Baltimore Orioles, and that he is rather hungry. 12:07 p.m. - Swarbrick arrives with a chicken carbonara sandwich from Quiznos. Kelly reaffirms that he is still completely devoted to Notre Dame. 12:47 p.m. - Bo Pelini receives a letter of intent from a highly touted defensive lineman. Pelini immediately calls the young man and berates him for 20 minutes for his inexcusable penmanship. YOUR Fs LOOK LIKE F***ING Ts. AND HOW THE HELL IS THAT A D? 2:17 p.m. - In Tuscaloosa, a dozen non-contributing underclassmen and a handful of oft-injured juniors are asked to load all of their equipment onto a truck as part of a "new drill." They don't suspect anything, despite the fact that their first task upon arriving at Alabama had been to unload about a dozen sets of football pads and other equipment from a truck very much like this one. 2:58 p.m. - A Tennessee commit tells local reporters how excited he is to compete for an SEC Championship. No one has the heart to tell him. 3:39 p.m. - ... Too much. This is simply too much. His motherboard smoking, his outer shell warped from the heat, the poor fax machine longs for the sweet release of death. They are coming slower now, but the short break between letters only offers cruel hope that maybe, just maybe, the the previous letter will have been the last. And yet, each respite is interrupted by OH COME ON, WHO THE HELL NEEDS THIS MANY WIDE RECEIVERS? 4:11 p.m. - In West Lafayette, Darrell Hazell hears the knock on his office door that he has been dreading. Brady Hoke enters, walks to Hazell's desk, and picks up Hazell's pile of LOIs. Hoke thumbs through them slowly, removes one from the pile, folds it neatly, and places it in his pocket. Hazell starts to protest, but realizes the futility. Danny Hope had explained to him about the natural order of things. Hoke adjusts his wizard hat and leaves without a word. Hazell vows revenge, but deep down he fears he may just be fooling himself. 6:41 p.m. - Gus Malzahn once again checks the connection on his fax machine. Had he given his recruits the wrong fax number? I mean, he DID have some commitments, right?

Restrictions of freedom The 1966 Compulsory Mental Care (Certain Cases) Act was replaced by: - The Compulsory Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1128) - The Forensic Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1129) The care of people suffering from mental disorders is covered by the general provisions of the Health and Medical Service Act (SFS1982:763). The Compulsory Mental Care Act covers mental care combined with custodial and other coercive measures. The Forensic Mental Care Act applies in cases which are not covered by the Compulsory Mental Care Act such as people who have been ordered by court to receive mental care or who have been arrested, remanded in custody or admitted to a unit for forensic psychiatric examination or to a correctional institution. In the introduction to the English translation of this law, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (1993) described the objectives of this legislation as follows: "The new legislation has the effect of strengthening legal safeguards for patients and augmenting judicial control. In addition it makes better provisions for the protection, laid down by the Constitution Act, against deprivation of liberty and forcible bodily interference, and it brings the rules on compulsory mental care into line with the 1983 recommendations of the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe. The new legislation is intended as a more adequate response than LSPV to the development of psychiatry during the past decade in favour of close restrictions on coercive care. Mental care shall as far as possible be provided on a voluntary basis. Compulsory mental care is only to be resorted to when there is no possibility of care on a voluntary basis. The purpose of compulsory care shall be for the patients to become capable of voluntary participation in continuing care." The conditions for involuntary internment Under the Compulsory Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1128) a person can be interned if: S/he is suffering from a serious mental disturbance and on account of his/her mental state and his/her personal circumstances, the patient generally has an absolute need of mental care which cannot be provided for in any other way than the admission of the patient to a medical institution for qualified psychiatricall day care, and S/he objects to such care, as is referred to above or, on account of his/her mental state, is manifestly incapable of expressing his/her consent to care. It is stated that when appraising the need for care under this paragraph, it should be considered whether the patient constitutes a danger to the safety or physical or mental health of another person. The procedure for involuntary internment On the basis of a special medical examination conducted by an authorised doctor, a medical certificate (care certificate) must be issued and forwarded without delay to the medical institution where the question of involuntary internment is to be considered. The examination must only be performed if there is reasonable cause for doing so. The certificate should show that there is reason to suppose that the above-mentioned preconditions have been fulfilled. It should also include an account of the nature of the mental disturbance and any other circumstances which necessitate care. An admission order is then issued and within four days the patient is taken to the care institution, where it must be decided within 24 hours whether s/he is to be admitted against his/her will. During this time, the doctors on duty have the right to prevent the patient from leaving the hospital. A chiefmedical doctor in a mental care unit decides on compulsory admission. This cannot be the same doctor who issued the care certificate. A patient who is in voluntary care can be admitted into compulsory care by the chiefmedical doctorif the conditions have been fulfilled and it is feared that the patient on account of his/her mental disturbance may inflict serious injury upon him/herself or some other person. For such decisions, a care certificate must be issued by anotherdoctor. In such cases, the chief medical doctor must apply to the county administrative court within four days requesting permission for the continuation of compulsory care. The duration of involuntary internment If the internment lasts for more than four weeks, the chiefmedical doctor must apply to the county administrative court for permission to extend the internment. An account of the care and treatment needed must be appended to the application. If the application is granted the internment may be extended by four months. Afterwards, if internment is still necessary, a further period of six months can be granted and this is renewable. If the court rejects the application, compulsory care must cease immediately. The right to appeal The patient may appeal to the county administrative court against the decision of chiefmedical doctor’s order for compulsory care. Before the court hears the appeal, a statement is requested from the chief medical doctor on the circumstances which led to the compulsory care and details of the support and treatment which was planned for the patient. Unless further investigation is required, the case should be tried within eight days of the appeal. Under paragraph 30 of the Compulsory Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1128) a patient advisor (known as a supporting person) shallbe appointed at the request of the patient. A patient adviser can be appointed in other circumstances if the patient does not object. The appointment of the supporting person is governed by the provisions of the Act on Patients’ Committees (SFS 1998:1656). The role of the supporting person is to support the patient in personal matters for as long as s/he is receiving compulsory care. The supporting person is entitled to visit the patient in the institution. S/he cannot improperly divulge or utilise matters coming to his/her knowledge in the course of the assignment and relating to the patient's health status or personal circumstances in general. The restriction of personal liberty Paragraph 20 of the Compulsory Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1128) deals with isolation. A patient may not be isolated from other patients unless this is necessary. This could be due to aggressive or disruptive behaviour which seriously impedes the care of other patients. An isolation order can be made for up to eight hours and can be prolonged for a further eight hours. Under special circumstances the duration of eight hours can be extended. As with restraint, an isolation order can only be made by the chiefmedical doctor and isolation for more than 8 hours must be notified to the National Board of Health and Welfare without delay. The National Board of Health and Welfare previously issued general guidelines on "the use of protective measures for people with dementia in special accommodation for service and care” (SOSFS 1992:17 and 1997:16).According to these guidelines, a person with dementia cannot be locked up to prevent him/her from leaving a building. However, the installation of a device which makes it difficult to open a door is permitted as it is intended to delay and not prevent the person from leaving. Similarly, an alarm system can be installed, but if the alarm goes off staff must merely try to persuade the person to return to his/her room. The general guidelines were recently cancelled. However, the National Board of Health and Welfare gives the same advice. Restraint and other coercive measures The use of coercive measures is covered by the Compulsory Mental Care Act (SFS 1991:1128). In paragraph 19 of this act, it is stated that if there is immediate danger of a patient seriously injuring him/herself or another person, the patient may be briefly constrained by means of a belt or similar device. The order for restraint must be made by the chiefmedical doctor. Care personnel must be present during the period for which the patient is kept under restraint. This period can be prolonged if necessary, but in such cases the National Board of Health and Welfare should be informed without delay. The need for sufficient personnel To avoid coercive measures, it is necessary to have sufficient personnel in dementia care. After a successful campaign by Demensförbundet (The National Dementia Association) the Swedish Parliament has requested guidelines on the number of personnel in nursing homes for people with dementia. The Government has entrusted the National Board of Health and Welfare to elaborate such guidelines. Demensförbundet would like recommendations on minimum staffing levels, preferably covered by law. However, there is strong opposition to minimum levels from the organisation representing counties and municipalities. In this connection, it is important to have trained personnel, adapted premises and principals who are present. A controversial commission has presented proposals regarding coercive and protective measures. According to Demensförbundet and others, the proposals of the commission undermine the civil rights of people with dementia and their relatives/carers. The proposals are currently being discussed by the Government. Demensförbundet has directly pointed out to the minister responsible the negative consequences of the proposals of the commission, The Health and Medical Personnel Act (SFS 1998:531) has been replaced by the new Patient`s Safety Act (SFS 2010: 659). In accordance with the act, the National Board of Health and Welfare takes the appropriate measures to deal with situations in which the care provided does not satisfy the criteria for good care and the safety of patients. Abuse is covered by the Social Services Act (SFS 2001:453). Chapter 14, paragraph 3 states: “Every person, active in the social services, who observes or becomes aware of serious abuse or of an obvious risk of abuse with regard to activities against or which may be against individuals within the social services, shall report the matter immediately to the social welfare committee. The above provisions also apply to professionals in private practice of a similar kind. The report shall be submitted to the party responsible for the activity. In Sweden, driving licences are granted for life. The renewal procedure is a mere formality involving a change of photograph every ten years. However, a medical examination is required for the renewal of driving license for heavy vehicles after the age of 45. Under the 1998 Driving Licence Act (SFS1998:488), doctors are obliged to report patients who are obviously unfit to drive. Chapter 10 paragraph 2 states: "If a doctor, when examining a driving licence holder, concludes that this person is obviously medically unfit to hold a licence, the doctor shall report this to the Swedish Transport Agency Before reporting, the doctor shall inform the licence holder. There is no obligation to report if there is reason to believe that the licence holder will conform to the doctor's instructions to refrain from driving a vehicle for which a licence is required." There are regulations and guidelines for the practical application of this in the statutes of the Swedish Transport Agency (TSFS 2010:125). Chapter 10 in these statutes covers dementia and other cognitive disorders. According to the statutes of the Swedish Transport Agency, dementia constitutes an obstacle for the possession of a driving licence. When dementia is considered mild, possession of a license for a normal car and motorcycle can be granted. In the "general advice" section, it is stated that dementia should be considered mild if the patient, despite a notably deteriorated ability to function professionally and socially, nevertheless can lead an independent life with a relatively sound sense of judgement. It is also stated that dementia is determined either on the basis of a diagnosis made according to conventional medical practice, or on an assessment, based on the information available, that the criteria for such a diagnosis have been fulfilled. Such criteria are those which are specified in a criteria-based system for the classification of diagnoses e.g. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the international Classification of Diseases (ICD). In the case of mild dementia, a certificate should be prescribed by a doctor and a review carried out at appropriate intervals to determine whether the person should be allow to have a driving licence. The 1966 Compulsory Mental Care Certain Cases Act Last Updated: mercredi 14 mars 2012

Matters of note from around Johns Hopkins In 1962, an accountant from Steubenville, Ohio, named George H. Thompson began collecting the writings of H. L.Mencken, the acerbic social critic and Baltimore newspaper columnist who cast a jaundiced eye on American society during the first half of the 20th century. Thompson began by acquiring a few books here, some pamphlets there, then a few more books. By the time he died in 2006, he had assembled a trove of nearly 6,000 items that leading Mencken scholar Richard J. Schrader has called the greatest private collection in existence. |A poster from the 1880s, promoting Baltimore's Oriole Festival. In his memoir Better Days, H.L. Mencken recalled the Oriole Festival parade as his first childhood memory. That prompted George H. Thompson to acquire the poster for his remarkable collection of Menckeniana.|| It now resides at Johns Hopkins. In August, the Sheridan Libraries announced that the university had acquired the entire collection, partly through purchase and partly through a gift by the Thompson family. The books, magazines, and other items will be cataloged and stored at the Library, which already has the Robert A. Wilson Collection of Mencken's works. Says Schrader, an English professor at Boston College, "By adding this to the Wilson, Hopkins now has a Mencken collection second only to [that of] the [Enoch] Pratt [Free Library], which has the Mencken archives. In terms of books, Hopkins clearly rivals the Pratt and they're the better of anyone else." Thompson was an astonishingly thorough collector. Schrader says of him, "Though not a scholar by profession, he made himself one. He knew things that hadn't been written down yet [by professional Mencken scholars]." Among the roughly 3,300 books are not just all the various editions of Mencken's work. There is also, for example, a volume about the Russian revolutionary Maxim Gorky's 1906 trip to the United States; because the book's appendix quotes a single paragraph from a letter written by Mencken, Thompson added it to the collection. He amassed the complete 15-year run of Mencken's magazine The Smart Set but also added any periodical that so much as published a photograph of Mencken. In the collection are letters, T-shirts that quote Mencken, and audio recordings not only of him but of events where he was discussed. Cynthia Requardt, the Sheridan Libraries' curator of special collections, believes the 2,000 magazines are the heart of the collection. Many of them are rare and hard to preserve; Schrader says that Thompson was a careful conservator, so that most of the collection is in superb condition. Even a brief look through the cartons of periodicals reveals that Mencken wrote for just about anybody. His work appeared in every leading magazine, as well as The Smart Set, of course, and The American Mercury, which Mencken founded with George Jean Nathan. But he also published articles in a woman's periodical called The Delineator ("A Journal of Fashion, Culture, and Fine Arts") and appeared in Gent, a journal of . . . well, actually, a mid-20th-century girlie magazine that billed itself as "An Approach to Relaxation." Sheridan librarians are in the process of opening boxes, indexing their contents, and placing items in the Mencken alcove of the George Peabody Library, which already holds the Wilson Collection. Requardt says the target date for completion of the cataloging is the next Mencken Day in September 2008. —Dale Keiger Lisa Cooper, SPH '93, got some great news late last September-the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation had named her one of its 2007 MacArthur Fellows. The fellowships recognize extraordinary, creative individuals in art, science, and public affairs with grants of $500,000 paid out over five years. Cooper, a professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, was cited for her landmark work in helping to overcome racial and ethnic disparities in Born in Liberia, Cooper is the first woman of African birth ever to be named full professor in the School of Medicine. She began as an instructor in the Department of Medicine in 1994. Her first research found evidence that cultural and social factors exert strong influence on whether a person suffering from depression seeks medical help, and where. Her subsequent work found that ethnic minorities harbored greater fears of addiction to anti-depressant medications; that African Americans regard spirituality as significant in the treatment of depression; and that, compared to whites, African Americans are more likely to be suspicious of physicians and hospitals and ask fewer questions of doctors. Cooper's current projects are a pair of trials. One is studying whether better communication skills among doctors and patients affect the patients' adherence to treatment for hypertension. The other is examining what happens when physicians and caregivers are taught how to deliver care that is culturally tailored to African Americans suffering from depression. She says she plans to apply her $500,000 MacArthur grant to extend the focus of her work to more people living in disadvantaged communities around the world. —DK The boxes have been accumulating for 115 years, ever since The Baltimore Afro-American weekly newspaper was founded in 1892 by a former slave, John Murphy Sr. There are now more than 2,000 cartons stashed in the back rooms of its offices on N. Charles Street. Scholars do not know what might be in those cartons because the archive has never been |A World War II-era photo from The Baltimore Afro- American|| Beginning next January, that situation will be remedied. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation recently granted $476,000 to Johns Hopkins to collaborate with Morgan State University and the newspaper to sort the Afro-American's trove and make its contents available to the general public. Faculty, archivists, librarians, and students will comb through the boxes and assemble an online database of descriptive tags, called finding aids, that will permit scholars to efficiently search the archive. The grant will support training of Hopkins and Morgan State students in archival methods. Ben Vinson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Africana Studies, and Winston Tabb, the Sheridan Dean of University Libraries at Hopkins, are excited about the opportunity for learning that it will offer students. "This is a new kind of teaching model that involves students from multiple classrooms and multiple universities in a new kind of detective work," Digging through the boxes has already produced the manuscript of an otherwise unpublished Langston Hughes play that apparently appeared in the Afro-American in the 1930s, as well as letters written by Hughes in the 1920s. "And those are just the tip of the iceberg," says publisher Jake Oliver, the great-grandson of the paper's founder. The Afro-American published work by notable black journalists and intellectuals such as Hughes, William Worthy, and J. Saunder Redding. More famous names appear in the visitor sign-in books, including Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Martin Luther King Jr., Billie Holiday, and Thurgood Marshall. Afro-American archivist Marilyn Benaderet believes the archive's true treasure lies in its record of daily life. "You can look at the photographs throughout the years and you'll be able to tell a lot about African Americans in those specific periods," she says. "You don't have a lot of that in African American history before the civil rights era." Tabb hesitates to predict when the project might be completed. The Mellon grant extends for three years, but Tabb says the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Sheridan Libraries will continue to support the project beyond that period. —Robert White Since the fifth grade, Nikeeta Khetan's life plan has looked something like this: Graduate from college, head straight to Harvard Law School, embark on a career as a lawyer. But now that she's a Johns Hopkins senior, double majoring in economics and political science, Khetan has rethought that plan. Instead of starting law school in the fall, she's decided to work in either banking or consulting. She hopes to accept a job offer by Thanksgiving and join the workforce in July. "I need more time on my own away from school before I make the three-year, $150,000 commitment to law school," says William L. Brown The decision to work right after graduation instead of going to graduate school has become more common for Hopkins undergraduates. According to an annual survey by the Johns Hopkins Career Center, 47 percent of the Class of 2006 was working full time six months after graduation, compared to 42 percent of the Class of 2004. Only 38 percent of the Class of 2006 was enrolled in a graduate or professional school after graduation, compared to 41 percent in 2004. There are no figures prior to that year. Mark Presnell, director of the center, which serves students from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering, points to the healthy economy as one reason for the increase in Hopkins students seeking jobs after college. Another factor, he suspects, is the Whiting School's current greater emphasis on industry jobs as opposed to academic research. Then there's the growing presence of humanities majors among Krieger School undergraduates. They get a good general background in research, analysis, and problem solving as liberal arts majors, then look for jobs to which they can apply these skills, Presnell says. Between 2005 and 2006, the annual number of appointments students made with career counselors increased by 58 percent, from 1,131 to 1,786. And the number of employers participating in on-campus career fairs has grown by about 25 percent in the last few years. "This year for the first time we closed the Fall Career Fair to employers because we don't have any more room," Presnell says, noting that 105 companies were scheduled to participate. To accommodate the growing number of job-seeking graduates, Presnell has added two staff members to the Career Center's office, increased the number of employers who recruit on campus by 35 percent to 334, and changed the center's Web site to better teach students about finding internships and jobs. In addition, his staff reaches out to freshmen and sophomores about how to get internships and gain valuable work experience outside the classroom. "We're definitely more active in the Hopkins community, especially with younger students," Presnell says. "Now it's no longer employers asking, 'Did you have an internship?' They want to know if you've had two or three." —Maria Blackburn Candida Singleton has long been a regular at the Orleans Street branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. A couple of times a month, Singleton walks the few blocks from her East Baltimore house to the library with her son, Demond, so he can check out books on sports and the solar system. "I want him to read every day," she explains. |Photo ©Patrick Ross / Patrick Ross Photography|| Since August, the Singletons have walked to a new 15,000-square-foot building at the corner of Central Avenue and Orleans Street. As part of a land swap with the Enoch Pratt, Johns Hopkins Medicine acquired the public library's former site at Broadway and Orleans to build a pavilion for patients and their families. In exchange, Hopkins built a new $5.1 million library on a parcel of land donated by Baltimore. The new library is about the same size as the old building but has more meeting space and a design that's more open and inviting, says Michael Iati, director of architecture and planning for Johns Hopkins Hospital. "The building is not elaborate, but it's just such a nice, calm, elegant space," he says. "It looks like a space that you'd want to spend time in." Features include a children's story room, a teen area, 16 computer stations, and free wireless Internet access. The branch also houses the Pratt Center for Technology Training, where free computer classes are so popular there are waiting lists to enroll. The meeting room-which the old branch didn't have-is being used for community meetings and for library programs such as teen art classes and author visits. "Our meeting space is one of the most popular things here," says branch manager Virginia Fore. "[By early fall] we already had people asking for bookings in January." Located within walking distance of four schools, including Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and Sojourner-Douglass College, the branch has come to be thought of by Enoch Pratt executive director Carla D. Hayden as the library's education branch. Its use by area students of all ages has exceeded her expectations. She says, "We already knew that we were the on-ramp to the information superhighway, but this branch is really a shining example of that." —MB In nursing, the push for professionalization has been a constant. The latest evidence: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has recommended that by 2015, practitioners in advanced fields-clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners-should hold a doctor of nursing practice (DNP). In response, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing has created a DNP program that will enroll its first cohort of 25 students this January, with a second class to begin studies next September. |Offering nurses the chance to practice at the highest level makes sense, says Phyllis Sharps.|| Given nurses' increasingly important role in health care, offering them the chance to practice at the highest level makes sense, says Phyllis Sharps, professor in Nursing's Department of Community and Public Health and a member of the task force that put the Hopkins program together. "It's nursing moving toward being more consistent with the preparation of the other allied health professions." The degree, she says, will be in line with the MD that physicians earn, or the PharmD for pharmacists. Hopkins' new DNP came out of the recommendations of the AACN, the accrediting agency for four-year and higher nursing programs. A few years ago, the AACN advised that a practice-focused doctoral program-rather than a master's degree-should be the new standard for expert advanced practice nurses. Those practitioners currently certified with master's degrees will be grandfathered and not compelled to earn the new doctorate. The School of Nursing already offers a research-based PhD, but this new degree is different, focused on clinical practice for nurses in the field, such as nurse practitioners, and indirect practitioners such as nurse informaticians and health policy analysts. It is meant for working nurses who already hold master's degrees and will be offered as a combination of electronic and classroom interaction. Students will come to campus for two weeks of classes, and once more for a final presentation, each semester, with the rest of their work conducted online. The 38-credit degree is designed to be completed in four semesters, says Kathleen White, director of the current master's program and interim director of the DNP program. Also important for most nurses will be the $9,500-per-semester price tag, which falls within the reim-bursement limits of many of their employers. About 140 DNP programs already exist around the country, but most, like the one at Hopkins, are relatively new. Unlike some programs that focus narrowly on just nurse practitioners, White says, Hopkins' DNP will reach out to a broader spectrum. "We are going to stress the importance of leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration," she says. "We are going to include both direct and indirect practice, and that will also distinguish us." The eight faculty members on Hopkins' DNP working group meet once or twice a week to hash out course descriptions, curriculum, and other details. White is excited for the first 25 students who will take their place in the program. "It should be a rich cohort," she says. —Kristen A. Graham In the mid-1970s, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling and Scottish surgeon Ewan Cameron reported a startling finding: Advanced-cancer patients treated with megadoses of vitamin C survived significantly longer than patients not so treated. Vitamin C therapy was a controversial idea. Many researchers dismissed it, asserting that Pauling's study had been flawed. At the end of the decade, the Mayo Clinic conducted large-scale trials, testing vitamin C on a number of cancers. The trials found no consistent benefit to Pauling's therapy. Now a research team led by Chi V. Dang, Med '82, professor of medicine and vice dean for research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has found there might be something to Pauling's idea, after all, though for unexpected reasons. Dang and his team were trying to learn how the Myc oncogene, prevalent in at least 25 percent of cancers, triggers tumor growth. They knew that when activated, Myc produces highly reactive molecules called oxygen free radicals. The prevalent belief was that these free radicals damage DNA, which leads to cancer. According to this idea, if an antioxidant like vitamin C worked, it was by preventing free radicals from doing damage. In their study, Dang and his colleagues implanted mice with human lymphoma and prostate cancer cells and activated Myc, which produced free radicals. Then they gave the mice water spiked with one of two antioxidants, including vitamin C, to destroy the free radicals and thereby prevent DNA damage. After a few weeks, the researchers found that the tumors implanted in the treated mice had not grown. The antioxidants apparently had worked. But not as expected. The control mice, not given antioxidants, showed tumor growth and an abundance of free radicals-but not DNA damage. The researchers realized that if tumors grow despite the presence of free radicals and undamaged DNA, then, in the test mice, it wasn't the destruction of free radicals that halted the tumor growth. The antioxidants had to be working some other way. "That was a surprise," says Dang. He and postdoctoral fellow Ping Gao, lead author on the paper, thought the answer might lie with a protein. Malignant tumors often deplete the oxygen in their vicinity, which would inhibit their ability to convert sugar into energy were it not for HIF-1, a protein that enables energy conversion without oxygen. The flourishing cancer cells in the untreated control mice had an abundance of HIF-1. The treated mice did not. HIF-1 levels depend on the presence of free radicals. The researchers hypothesized that destroying free radicals by applying antioxidants worked because it lowered HIF-1 levels, eliminating the cancer's back-up energy source. To test their hypothesis, they repeated their experiment with a mutant form of HIF-1 that is not dependent on free radicals. In that test, the cancer cells survived the antioxidants. If more animal research confirms the findings, Dang hopes to design a human clinical trial around antioxidants. In the meantime, he cautions that there is still no hard clinical evidence that vitamin C cures cancer in people. "You can't keep smoking your two packs of cigarettes a day and just start taking vitamin C," he says. —Kristi Birch Ralph A. Alpher, a former Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) physicist considered the "lost father" of the Big Bang theory, died on August 12 in Austin, Texas. He was 86. |Ralph A. Alpher|| Along with his adviser, the Russian-born physicist George A. Gamow, Alpher today is widely recognized for pioneering work on a formula to calculate the abundance of elements left after the explosive creation of the universe 14 billion years ago. Alpher posited an initial matter, which he dubbed "ylem" (Greek for "primordial elements of life"), that decayed after the Big Bang. As the infant universe cooled, the particles left from this decay-protons, neutrons, and electrons-combined to form all the known elements. In 1948, The Physical Review published Alpher and Gamow's findings, which were based on Alpher's doctoral dissertation at George Washington University. Several months later, Alpher and APL physicist Robert Hermann published a paper that said there must be remnants of the Big Bang still echoing in space as background radiation. There was no confirmation of their theory until 1964, when Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson of Bell Telephone Laboratories, using a powerful radio astronomy antenna, stumbled upon traces of the radiation that Alpher and Hermann had predicted. The discovery received wide acclaim and in 1978 earned a Nobel Prize for Penzias and Wilson. Alpher's contribution went mostly unacknowledged. Alpher's theory later paved the way for physicists John Mather and George Smoot, who, with the aid of NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer satellite, found temperature fluctuations in cosmic microwave background radiation. The discovery further bolstered the Big Bang theory. Mather and Smoot shared a Nobel Prize in 2006. Alpher would later be recognized by several physicists who sought to give him overdue credit for his work. The professor emeritus of Union College attempted to set the record straight himself with his book, co-authored by Hermann, Genesis of the Big Bang (Oxford University Press, 2001). Two weeks before his death, Alpher finally received high honors when he was awarded the National Medal of Science. Due to Alpher's failing health, his son accepted the award on his behalf in a July 27 White House ceremony. John C. Sommerer, director of science and technology and chief technology officer at APL, says that although unheralded for most of his life, Alpher's contributions to physics and the field of cosmology are considerable. "He made the inference that the expansion of the universe began suddenly, and that that beginning left a relic still detectable. That is huge," Sommerer says. "He basically laid the groundwork for discoveries that would later be worth four Nobel Prizes. Not bad. Unfortunately, he was awarded none." —Greg Rienzi In the cult TV show The 4400, characters ponder use of a fictional drug called promicin. Take it, and there's a 50 percent chance you will develop a supernatural ability like, say, telekinesis. The catch? Fifty percent who inject themselves with the neon-green liquid suffer a painful That's an absolute benefit-and-risk equation that Edward J. Bouwer can appreciate. If only more health choices were so black and white. In his new book, The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks (Springer, 2007), Bouwer, chairman of the Whiting School's Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, and co-author Erik Rifkin, president of an environmental consulting firm, argue that too often the benefits of drugs, screening tests, and elective surgeries are presented as certain. The truth can be murkier. "Unlike diseases caused by pathogens, with chronic diseases we often don't know the direct cause, just risk factors," Bouwer says. "All this uncertainty is brought into the picture." Uncertainty and misinformation, the book argues. Take cholesterol, to which Bouwer and Rifkin devote two chapters. Unless you've been watching too much cult TV, you've heard high cholesterol cited as the primary controllable risk factor associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). Nearly 20 million people worldwide take cholesterol-lowering medications such as Lipitor and Zocor. Television commercials claim that the risk of CHD becomes markedly lower when you use drugs to reduce your blood serum cholesterol levels. Bouwer and Rifkin take issue with terms such as "markedly," saying that high cholesterol is just one of many risk factors associated with heart disease, and that two large and reputable clinical studies found that nearly the same number of individuals with normal cholesterol acquire CHD. One significant problem arises from citing statistics for relative risk reduction instead of absolute risk reduction, say the authors. Drug companies, the media, even health professionals often use a relative risk reduction percentage to convey a benefit. But that can be misleading. For example, if only one out of 100 people gets liver cancer when using drug X, compared to two out of 100 not on the drug, drug X could be marketed as reducing the risk of liver cancer by 50 percent. But that's the relative number. The absolute risk reduction in this case would be only 1 percent. Try advertising that statistic. "How often do we hear things like, 'Eat chocolate and you have a 10 percent chance of such-and-such not happening'?" Bouwer says. "We are bombarded with relative risks, and we don't know how to put them into context, unless we have the absolute numbers." The public should give more weight, Bouwer says, to the latter figures. In addition to cholesterol, the book examines risks and benefits of screening tests for prostate and breast cancer, drinking chlorinated water, and using anti-inflammatory drugs such as Vioxx. The authors also look at the risks from smoking and exposure to environmental contaminants such as dioxin and radon. To demonstrate absolute health risks and benefits in a more vivid and immediately graspable manner, they developed a graphic-a 1,000-seat "Risk Charac-terization Theater" (RCT), complete with stage and seats. Using existing data, the authors darken seats to represent the number of people likely to benefit from a medication or be at risk from an environmental contaminant. One of the book's RCT graphics, for example, illustrates that if 1,000 people with elevated cholesterol levels (280 mg) were sitting in a theater, only one additional person out of this group would die from CHD, compared to the same number of those with normal cholesterol. In the case of colorectal cancer screening, the RCT shows that one colon cancer death would be avoided for every 1,000 people screened.vv Presented with clear and easy-to-read data, Bouwer says, people can make better-educated decisions. "In a lot of cases, the health benefits of a drug or test are overstated and the risks not made clear," says Bouwer. "When you use absolute risks, [the actual benefit] really shows up." Bouwer says he doesn't want people to stop listening to doctors or abstain from screenings or medications. Rather, he hopes a book like this will enable people to make more informed decisions and better assess health risks them-selves. "Science cannot tell you what is an acceptable risk," he says. "You have to decide for yourself." —GR Imagine examples of rude behavior. Didn't take long, did it? Surveys indicate that most people believe uncivil behavior is on the increase, and they have no trouble compiling lists of bad manners. In 1997, P. M. Forni, professor in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences' Department of German and Romance Languages and Literatures, co-founded the Johns Hopkins Civility Project (now the Civility Initiative) to promote study and discussion of manners in contemporary society. Ten years later, Forni has collaborated with the Jacob France Institute at the University of Baltimore to survey people in the Baltimore area on the rude behavior they consider most offensive. Says Forni, who next spring will publish The Civility Solution: How to Prevent and Respond to Rudeness, "What struck me was that several of the transgressions had to do with behaviors proscribed by law. People chose big issues over pet peeves." Below is "The Terrible Ten," the survey's list of the worst behavior, according to the respondents, ranked by degree of offensiveness. 1. Discrimination in the workplace The three riders of the health care apocalypse "Consistency, complexity, and chronic illness: These are the three riders of our health care apocalypse. These are the three challenges we must confront. The presidential candidates have been talking a lot about costs and insurance coverage. But until we confront consistency, complexity, and chronic illness, no effective cure for our ailing health care system is feasible." Earlier this year, 28 MBA students from the Carey Business School lived many a wide-eyed child's dream: They got to meet Cal Ripken Jr., former Baltimore Orioles star and newly inducted member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. But the students weren't asking for autographs; they were presenting their research meant to help Ripken's company, Ripken Baseball (RBI), achieve greater success. |Former Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripkien Jr. wants his business to grow, with some help from Johns Hopkins.|| The students are the first cohort of the school's MBA Fellows program, a track that differs from traditional MBAs in its project-based approach. Typically, an MBA program consists almost entirely of coursework, with perhaps a single culminating project, called a capstone. But these MBA students eschew the quad and the classroom in favor of real-life learning: two years and nine projects with actual companies. Rick Milter, who directs the program, calls it "nothing but capstones." RBI, owned by Cal and his brother Bill (also a former major leaguer), operates two minor league baseball teams in Maryland, training academies for amateur athletes and coaches, a nonprofit foundation, and a sports management service. Milter and the Carey Business School faculty approached the company because it needed expert advice on improving its overall growth strategy, especially regarding geographical expansion-where best to locate a new academy or tournament destination? The cohort split into six teams, four of which concentrated on analyses of possible real estate opportunities. The students did case studies to determine the feasibility of locations according to criteria such as demographics, climate, and accessibility. The teams came back "with an unbelievable array of ideas," says Chris Flannery, RBI's chief operating officer. Some of those ideas had nothing to do with potential sites. MBA fellow Shirley Murry and her team designed a new educational initiative called the "Ripken Way." "The concept capitalized on Ripken's image and principles," she says. "We suggested that they implement a curriculum that includes education through sports, the Ripken values of keeping it simple, making it fun, and celebrating success." RBI has published the "Ripken Way" on its Web site and begun using it in its management training curriculum. Murry is now working on an individual project with the company, doing competitive and market analyses to help it open a facility in Southern California. According to Flannery, much of the students' work continues to have an impact on the company's future direction. "It's still alive today," he says, praising their efforts. —Simon Waxman, A&S '07 Compulsory love and obligatory fear "[Religion] tells us that we could not arbitrate our most essential integrity-the difference between right and wrong-if we were not afraid of the celestial dictatorship. A dictatorship that tracks us while we sleep, that can convict us of thought-crimes because it knows what we're thinking before we think it. This is the origin of totalitarianism-the unending fear of someone whom you must fear and are ordered to love, compulsory love and obligatory fear and no escape and no freedom and no privacy." The Johns Hopkins Magazine | 901 S. Bond St. | Suite 540 | Baltimore, MD 21231 Phone 443-287-9900 | Fax 443-287-9898 | E-mail firstname.lastname@example.org

Windows Mobile 6.5 - The Full Feature List Microsoft announced Windows Mobile 6.5 today. The software is still not quite ready for release but will go to manufacturers soon and will start arriving on handsets towards the end of 2009. WM6.5 brings all sorts of new features to Windows Mobile Pro (touchscreen) and a handful to Windows Mobile Standard (non-touchscreen). WM Standard saw its big feature update with 6.1, and with Professional plays some catchup with 6.5. As of this writing, it doesn't appear that any current Windows Mobile smartphones will receive an update to WM6.5. Instead, many of the new devices announced at MWC09 will be upgradeable to 6.5. Overall, you should know that 6.5 matches up pretty well with many of the leaks we've seen in the previous weeks. The emphasis here is "finger-friendly," and it means that you'll be able to leave your stylus in the silo. We have a brand-new Zune-esque Today Screen, a new Hexagon Start Menu, "embiggened" softkey menus, and an all-new version of Pocket Internet Explorer. There also are plenty of small touches throughout, like a new unlock screen that's better than anything else out there. Still, at the end of the day, 6.5 is definitely not the radical improvement we've all been waiting for with Windows Mobile. There are plenty of improvements, but it's clearly not a game-changer. So as we run down the new features, we won't pull any punches, but don't let the occasional gripe get you down, 6.5 really does look to be a solid release, it's just that deep down it's still Windows Mobile 6. But do note that everything you see here is from an alpha build. So if something looks a little janky, it just might be. Enough of the preamble, time to get on to the screenshots and features. Read on! Enough of the preamble, time to get on to the screenshots and features. Read on! The new features of Windows Mobile 6.5 that likely will give you the most mileage are also the least-flashy and longest-overdue. We're referring to the fact that WM6.5 is finally starting to become finger-friendly. Throughout the entire OS you can drag to scroll — including the "end of list bounce" so often cited as uniquely iPhone. Many UI elements like the Start Menu are thumb-friendly, as are all of the soft-key menus. While this new finger-friendly focus will filter down to third-party apps, it may not happen right away, so don't give up that stylus just yet. Plus, well, Windows Mobile still seems to be stuck with resistive screens instead of capacitive. New Today Screen The new Today Screen is just as you've seen elsewhere: nice big text with indicators telling you the number of new items within. As you select the different elements, they expand to reveal more information so that you can click in to the related app. One nice touch that's new (or at least no longer squirreled away) since WM Standard's sliding panels is the ability to directly access your IE favorites. The new Today Screen is definitely very slick, giving you a clearer view of your wallpaper while still presenting plenty of useful information. For those who love to customize their Today Screen up the wazoo, you can always revert back to the standard Today Screen in order to use your plugins and Today Screen apps. New Start Menu We're going to go ahead and file the new Windows Mobile 6.5 Start Menu under "Be careful what you wish for." See, many of us here at WMExperts have long railed against the traditional drop-down Start Menu. There is plenty wrong with it — it's not finger-friendly, it tries to cram a desktop UI into a smartphone, it's kind of squarish and ugly, it's a bit of a pain to configure. We asked Microsoft to get rid of it, so it did. The new Start Menu is as you see above: a flat list of hexagons (though some are folders, letting you drill in). You simply swipe-scroll to see them all. The good parts: it's clearly designed to be finger-friendly; you can visually tell whether you're at the top or bottom because you can always see that you've 'run out of hexagons;' you can (finally) rearrange the icons to your liking. ... Which brings us to the bad. Re-arranging of icons doesn't happen via tap-and-hold then drag-n-drop. Instead, you can "Stick" an icon by "sending it to the top" and then amongst the icons you've stuck, you can move them up or down. So it's a great way to create a handful of favorites. But once you really want fine-grained control of the location of all your apps, you're going to find yourself in a nightmarish miasma of tapping, holding, moving top, tap-holding again, moving down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. The irony of it is, we were almost better off with the standard square grid. First of all, square grids are friendlier to the D-Pad (you can still use that on the hexagons, by the way, going left or right just takes you to the one left/down or right/down — ala Q*Bert). Second of all, at least when we were forced to have our apps listed in alphabetical order, we knew where to go for "Tetris." Now we need to either remember that it's one of those stickied apps or scroll down, and down, until we find it. The inability to create custom folder and/or pages (ala the iPhone) really hampers the Start Menu. Still — we asked them to give us a finger-friendly Start Menu, and so they did. It's just that the thing feels half-done. New Lock Screen If you want to wash the bad taste of the new Start Menu out of your mouth, just lock the screen on Windows Mobile 6.5. The new lock screen is seriously great. As you can see above, you're presented with your wallpaper, the date, time, and upcoming appointments. You're also presented with a button up top that you can slide left or right to unlock. Already we're caught up with most modern smartphones here: a simple today screen with slide-to-unlock that provides you with just a bit of information. But wait, as they say, there's more. Notice that the button up top has a number on it. If, instead of sliding left or right, you slide down, you get the following: Now your lock screen shows you exactly what those three alerts are. In the example above it's one voicemail, one missed call, and one missed IM. Now what you can do is slide one of those secondary buttons to unlock your phone and jump directly to the indicated task. If it's a voicemail, it unlocks and calls your voicemail. If it's an e-mail, it unlocks and jumps to Pocket Outlook ... and so on and so forth. Very nifty, Microsoft. We're fans. Pocket Internet Explorer Pocket Internet Explorer 6 is here, built off of Internet Explorer 6. Web designers, this is the part for the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Done? OK, let's move on. As you can see from the screenshot above, PIE6 does a (pretty) good job rendering pages accurately. You also get larger buttons on the bottom for back, favorites, keyboard, search, and a catch-all menu. These buttons disappear when you're zoomed in, so they don't get in the way of what you're reading. As for that zooming, you'll be doing it via the zoom bar instead of by some sort of multitouch fanciness. Yes, there will be an App Marketplace. Latest we've heard is that it will be on 6.5 only (but we're hoping that will change). No, we don't know much more than that. OK, yes, we do know one more thing, it will be called "Windows Marketplace for Mobile." No, we don't know what Microsoft has against simple names, either. Improved Look and Feel Windows Mobile has never been the prettiest thing out there. And while 6.5 isn't going to win any beauty contests either, it does at least sport a look and feel that seems as if it belongs in 2008 (and maybe even 2009 in a few places). What about Windows Mobile Standard? For those of you wondering just what 6.5 will bring to Windows Mobile Standard, the answer is most of the above. As we said earlier, many of the new features on 6.5 relate to it becoming more finger-friendly, but that doesn't really apply to non-touchscreen devices. So stay tuned for more on 6.5 standard, but expect the improved look & feel, Pocket IE, and the App Marketplace at the very least. Wait, that's it? Isn't this little more than a Skin? Well, er, not really, no. Windows Mobile 6.5 appears to be all about giving Windows Mobile a small shot of UI juice to help the platform maintain until the next version of Windows Mobile gets out the door. There aren't a lot of innovations here that haven't already been covered by the likes of HTC and other third-party developers. There are a few bits that are genuinely new — we're fond of the unlock screen and also think Pocket IE does look good. There are plenty of bits that just plain don't do that much more. But don't forget that Microsoft also released the My Phone service as well as Microsoft Recite. Also, truly, the real hotness often comes from manufacturers, who are out in force at MWC09.

This week saw two more days of testimony in the administrative hearing to determine a recommendation on whether John Freshwater should be terminated as a middle school science teacher in the Mt. Vernon school district. The main witness for the two days, December 29 and 30, was Freshwater himself undergoing cross examination after his direct examination which is summarized here. The proceedings went very slowly under both direct and cross examination because Freshwater has become much more cautious about answering questions, has begun reading all exhibits offered slowly and thoroughly, is frequently asking for clarification or rewording of questions, and in some cases repeatedly avoided answering until at a couple of points the referee intervened, instructing him to answer the question asked. For additional coverage by reporters at the hearing I refer you to Pam Schehl’s story in the Mt. Vernon News here (29th) and here (30th), and to Dean Narciso’s stories in the Columbus Dispatch here and here. For updates by a creationist of the Kent Hovind kind who is also attending the hearing, see here. The two days are summarized in 8,000 well-chosen words below the fold. Rick Warren Testimony Rick Warren (no, not that Rick Warren!), a former soccer coach at Kenyon College, was the first witness on Tuesday, Dec 29. Warren was an acquaintance of Freshwater and attended his church. Now living in Connecticut, he testified now since it was his first trip back to Ohio since the hearing started. Warren had been invited to speak at the middle school Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and an email from Freshwater’s school account to Warren about that had been introduced early in the hearing. Warren testified that the email from him appeared to have been altered, and that in particular, he would have not used the salutation and signature style in the email. Born and educated through high school in Jamaica, Warren testified that he uses a “British style” in his email, that in a continuing email exchange with a peer or subordinate he does not use a salutation and that the signature he uses varies from formal to informal depending on the recipient. The signature in the email in the hearing exhibit did not correspond to what he used in that kind of context. As Pam Schehl reported in the story linked above, Warren testified that the email looked like someone may have backspaced to remove Jordan’s name. (“Jordan” is Freshwater’s daughter, who it was testified sometimes used Freshwater’s school email account for FCA business.) John Freshwater Cross Examination The rest of the two days were taken up with cross examination of Freshwater by David Millstone, attorney for the Board of Education, [added in edit:] and redirect examination by R. Kelly Hamilton, Freshwater’s attorney. (Direct examination by Hamilton earlier this month is here; direct examination by Millstone during the Board’s case presentation is here.) First I’ll note that Freshwater was defensive and even truculent through most of the cross examination. As Pam Schehl reported, it got to the point on occasion when the referee intervened, instructing Freshwater to answer the question asked. From Schehl’s story: For instance, Millstone attempted to find out when Freshwater understood that he was supposed to remove his Bible from his desk, and asked the question more than once. “When did you understand you had to remove the Bible from your desk?” asked Millstone. “Please restate the question,” Freshwater replied. “What was your understanding after you were told to remove the Bible?” “Your wording there … It’s a conflicting mess.” “Did you understand you were told to remove your Bible?” Millstone asked. “You can’t be deceptive and put things out of context.” “Did you understand you were told to remove the Bible from your desk?” “Yes, to remove it from my room.” Shepherd said that was not the question, and Millstone repeated it. Freshwater again answered “Yes, from my room.” “That’s not responsive to the question,” Shepherd advised. Millstone repeated the question again and Freshwater answered, “Yes.” That gives the flavor of the testiness that cropped up often over the two days of Freshwater’s testimony. The cross examination was a bit chopped up and covered a number of issues. I’ll try to break this up into topic areas, though there’s considerable overlap in some cases. Contract and rights questions After initial questions about his acquaintance with Rick Warren and their respective roles in the WIll Graham evangelical event held in 2007, Millstone moved on to the master contract with the bargaining unit. Freshwater testified that he had never been a member of the bargaining unit, but that he was subject to the bargaining agreement. He testified that he received salary and benefits determined in the contract, but was not particularly aware of the contract provisions. He agreed that he had testified earlier in the hearing that he didn’t know he had rights under the contract. Millstone asked if he had a copy of the contract. Freshwater replied that he didn’t know. Asked if he had an electronic copy, he testified that might have, but didn’t recall reading it. Aked if he might have obtained one to check because of his 2003 proposal to introduce the ‘critical analysis of evolution’ in 8th grade, Freshwater replied he ddn’t remember. Millstone introduced a CD found in Freshwater’s room after his suspension that contained the 2002-2005 contract. Freshwater said he didn’t recall looking at it. Millstone asked if Freshwater reviewed the contract once the investigation started. Freshwater replied he had not. Asked if he reviewed it with his attorney, R. Kelly Hamilton, Freshwater replied, “We talked about a lot of things.” He didn’t recall if Hamilton had specifically briefed him on his rights under the contract. “He advised me of a lot of rights.” Asked again if he was briefed on his rights under the contract, Freshwater repeated “He advised me of a lot of rights.” (Note: For attorney/client confidentiality aficionados in the crowd, Hamilton objected to this line of questioning but was overruled on the ground that Freshwater had testified in direct about his rights, about some advice from his attorney concerning them, and about his lack of knowledge of them, so this line of questioning was allowed by the referee.) After considerable pressing from Millstone and repeated rewording of the question (a pattern that become more and more pronounced over the course of cross examination), Freshwater finally conceded that “I’m sure Kelly talked to me about those rights … without a doubt.” Asked if in his interview with the investigators he knew he had rights, Freshwater replied, “Yes.” Hamilton asked if Freshwater had talked with an attorney on or before April 16, 2008. (Recall that the rally on the public square in Mt. Vernon where Freshwater read a statement written by “Coach” Dave Daubenmire was on April 16, 2008.) Freshwater replied that he had not. Asked if he met with Hamilton on or before the 16th, Freshwater replied he had not. Asked if he had met with attorney Roger Weber (spelling?) on or before the 16th, Freshwater amended his earlier response, saying he met with him and Weber the evening of the 16th. (That was modified in later testimony to the 17th.) Taping of the investigation interview Freshwater testified that he had several meetings with Hamilton in advance of his interview with the HR OnCall investigators on May 15th, 2008. Asked, he said it was his idea to record the interview, and that HR OnCall agreed to that. Asked if he agreed to provide HR OnCall with a copy of the tape within 48 hours, Freshwater didn’t recall that. Millstone then turned to a transcription of the tape produced by Freshwater himself and previously introduced, and read the portion where Freshwater had agreed to provide a copy within 48 hours. Asked, Freshwater said he made the copy(ies?) in the day or so after the interview. Asked if he remembered giving a copy of the tape to HR OnCall, Freshwater replied he did not, but that he had given one to the union representative who was at the meeting and one to Bill White, Middle School Principal. He didn’t remember when he gave them the tapes. Asked if he sent an email to White telling him he would give White a copy, Freshwater testified that he may have, but didn’t recall it. Presented with a copy of an email telling White he was going to give him a copy of the tape, Freshwater made a rambling response, saying “I have become very cynical, and what I’m seeing done in here, in what you and the other attorneys have done, it is … I’ve become very cynical.” Freshwater mentioned “forgery” and said he didn’t know if the email is “kosher.” In an emotional outburst he said, “Forgery, things have been changed … I can’t really tell you if this came from me or not.” The ‘forgery’ theme recurred several times in subsequent testimony, based on Rick Warren’s testimony about the possibility that his email had been altered. We then trudged through a long series of questions about the 15 affidavits Freshwater had prepared for the HR OnCall investigators but never submitted to them. Basically, it established that Freshwater and Hamilton met multiple times to prepare them and that Freshwater signed all but one on May 25, 2008, at a temporary office Hamilton had set up at Trinity Assembly of God, Freshwater’s church. We also learned that Freshwater could not remember how much time was spent on each. A few specific notes on the testimony surrounding the affidavits: 1. With respect to the Tesla coil issue, Freshwater said he was surprised that it arose in the course of the independent investigation, since he assumed it had been resolved with the instructions from Principal White to not use them any more and the destruction of the one he used, which he claims was at Principal White’s instruction. 2. Regarding the alleged teaching of creationism/ID, Freshwater testified that after the Board of Education turned down his 2003 proposal he depended on the objectivity and bias language of the state academic content standards (large pdf, p. 216) as bases for his teaching. Throughout his testimony Freshwater has cited that benchmark as justification for using such materials as the giraffe and woodpecker handouts and, as of this most recent testimony, providing extra credit to students for attending and writing a paragraph about “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” More on that later. 3. Freshwater agreed that David Daubenmire wrote a statement over Freshwater’s name for the April 16, 2008, rally on the public square, and that Freshwater said if it was supposed to be his statement he should read it. While he testified that he read only part of it–he couldn’t remember exactly what part(s)–he would not have excluded anything in it. 4. Freshwater argued in one affidavit that the investigators misconstrued a statement he made in answer to a question of whether he prayed with students. He had responded that he prays all the time. The investigators interpreted that to mean that he did pray with students. Freshwater claims that what he meant was a “Nehemiah Prayer,” by which I understand Freshwater to mean essentially a silent prayer made at every juncture of life – this is apparently close to what he meant. 5. In the interview with the investigators Freshwater agreed that he made “the same pattern on yourself as you do on kids.” However, he testified today that he just hits one spot on his own arm. On the kids, if they “leave [the arm] up I slide it down and then go across.” Asked if in the interview he said it was an “X” and not a cross, Freshwater agreed. 6. Jeff Kesner, the OEA rep with Freshwater in the interview, mentioned several times that Freshwater had the right to submit a comprehensive response to the allegations; Freshware responded (in the interview transcript) “All right.” Comprehensive response to allegations issue Millstone referred to section 402 of the master contract, which gives a teacher the right to submit a comprehensive response. Millstone asked if Freshwater chose not to do so. Freshwater replied that was not correct, that “I was waiting for the second interview.” That was with reference to several mentions of a possible second interview with the investigators in the initial interview. There is some confusion about what happened to that second interview. Freshwater claims that it was scheduled and then cancelled. Somewhere in my earlier notes there is more about it but I can’t find that now. Millstone asked if Freshwater or Hamilton had asked about scheduling the second interview. In a non-responsive answer, Freshwater concluded “Why would I have to?” He didn’t remember if they in fact had. He was asked if he submitted the witness list he had prepared after the second interview was cancelled. He replied, “I was waiting for them to contact me.” Millstone referred Freshwater to the grievance provisions in the master contract, and asked if he had filed a grievance. Freshwater replied he had not. Federal case deposition and Answers in Genesis Millstone then turned to Freshwater’s deposition taken a few months ago in the Dennis suit in which he is still a defendant. Freshwater said that he had not seen or reviewed the deposition prior to its introduction in this hearing, even though it was filed with the federal court after a 30 day waiting period for corrections. Freshwater said his assigned attorney in the federal suit, a Mr. Deschler (who has attended some of the hearing sessions but was not there this day), did not send him a copy of his deposition. Freshwater agreed that in the deposition he was asked about the Answers in Genesis site, and denied that he had referred Zachary Dennis to it. He also agreed that in his testimony earlier this month he said he had not referred students to AIG’s site. However, Millstone referred to Freshwater’s hearing testimony in October, 2008, when he said he did refer Zach to AIG (Millstone read from the transcript of that testimony), and when he said he had referred perhaps a dozen students to AIG’s site and that he had accessed AIG’s site in class. Freshwater today testified that what he actually did was take a group of adults and young people from his church to the AIG creationism museum, and that some were current or former students in his class. Asked, Freshwater denied that AIG had ever been a “research tool” for his classes. Asked if he passed out materials in class advertising an AIG event in Knox County in the 1994-95 school year, he replied that he had not. Presented with a memo from then-Principal Jeff Kuntz instructing Freshwater not to give extra credit for students attending the AIG event, Freshwater did not recall it. Millstone asked if Freshwater gave extra credit for students who attended a “Hellfire” event in Mt. Vernon. He didn’t recall. (I’m not sure what that was. It might be associated with this ministry. That’s not at all certain, though.) Freshwater testified he was not aware of it. Student questionnaires, trilobites, and religion Turning to a new topic, Millstone asked Freshwater if he used any activities at the beginning of the school year to get to know the students. Freshwater replied that he did. Millstone asked if he recalled the questionnaire used by Bonnie Schutte, a high school science teacher. (See here for her testimony.) Millstone asked Freshwater if he used a similar questionnaire. He replied he did not. Millstone then introduced a “Science Student Data Sheet” filled out by Zach Dennis (having received clearance from the Dennis family attorney–present in the hearing room–to disclose Zach’s questionnaire). It is a questionnaire about prior science knowledge, and includes an exercise in which students are shown an object and are asked to describe it. Zach’s questionnaire was part of a larger set of similar questionnaires found in Freshwater’s classroom after his suspension. Millstone asked if that questionnaire refreshed Freshwater’s memory about it. Freshwater slewed off into a sort of mini-rant, saying “I want to state that this bothers me because I’ve never seen this before.” Asked “Did you use this with students at the beginning of the year” Freshwater replied “No.” Millstone asked if Freshwater ever did an exercise in which “you give them an object and have them write a description of it to determine the accuracy of their observations.” Freshwater replied “I’ve done some things like that.” Millstone asked if Freshwater had ever told his students that trilobites were extinct 400 million years ago, and one or more was found with a sandal print on it. After four repetitions of the question, reworded each time, Freshwater answered ‘yes’ to the first part and ‘no’ to the second part. (That was another new general pattern of his testimony this day: Freshwater often asked for rephrasing of questions.) I have read some of the students’ answers to that ‘describe a trilobite’ question in questionnaires from a stack found in Freshwater’s classroom, with the names and any identifying information concealed so I could not identify individual students. The answers to a number of them followed an interesting pattern. There would be two paragraphs. The first paragraph used phrases that one would expect from new 8th graders describing a trilobite fossil: “a fossil,” “a trilobite,” “a grey rock like a fossil,” “extinct 400 million years ago,” etc. Then there would be a break in the description, and in a new paragraph one would read the “one was found with a sandal print on it,” or “maybe lived at the same time as humans.” (See the Index to Creationist Claims on this.) It was a strange pattern, and looked as though the students first gave their own description, and then a little later regurgitated some creationist malarkey. It wasn’t clear where the creationist malarkey came from, and not all the questionnaire responses I read showed that pattern. Millstone asked if Freshwater used a survey that tries to determine the ways in which students would learn. Freshwater said he didn’t recall. Millstone asked if Freshwater ever asked students if religion was important to them. He denied that. Millstone then introduced a Multiple Intelligence Survey, also filled out by Zachary Dennis and also part of a larger set of questionnaires found in Freshwater’s room after his suspension. One question on the survey asks whether religion is important to the student. Freshwater denied giving the survey to students. It was not made clear in testimony (or questions) whether the two questionnaires were commercial or home-brew. At a guess, I’d say the Multiple Intelligence Survey is a commercial instrument and the Science Student Data Sheet was home-brew. Bear in mind that while the questionnaires were found in Freshwater’s classroom, the only direct evidence that he used them are the two introduced in the hearing that were filled out by Zachary Dennis. However, as I noted above, I read a number of the responses to the “describe an object” exercise in the Science Student Data Sheets (with students’ names and identifying information concealed) that were in the same set from which Zachary’s came, so I myself have very little doubt that Freshwater used at least that one in the 2007-2008 school year despite his denials. Homosexuality and sin Recall that James Stockdale testified that Freshwater told his class that science can sometimes be wrong. As an example, Stockdale testified, Freshwater told his class that scientists who hypothesized a genetic link to homosexualilty are wrong because the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin, and it is therefore a choice, not genetic. Millstone asked Freshwater if he personally believes that the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin. Freshwater replied, “I have no opinion on that.” Millstone asked Freshwater if he believes that homosexual behavior is a sin. Freshwater replied, “I have no opinion on that.” Millstone asked if the Bible says homosexual behavior is a sin. Freshwater replied, “I have no opinion on that.” Dec 30, continuing Freshwater cross examination August, 2008, BOE meeting Millstone asked if Freshwater addressed the Board of Education during the public comments period at its August 4, 2008, meeting. Freshwater agreed that he had done so in order to make sure there was no confusion and mistakes about facts. Millstone asked if Freshwater gave the Board his 15 affidavits (which had been prepared the preceding May). He replied he did not. Millstone asked if those affidavits weren’t Freshwater’s comprehensive response. Freshwater replied he didn’t give the Board a written response. Freshwater’s 2003 proposal on “critical analysis of evolution” Recall that in 2003 Freshwater attempted to persuade the district to include “critical analysis of evolution” in the 8th grade life sciences curriculum. His proposal was a near-verbatim copy of Intelligent Design Network’s Objective Origins Science Policy. He first took it to the Science Curriculum Committee, which turned it down, and then took it to the Board of Education. Millstone asked if Freshwater had appeared before the Board when he made his proposal. He replied that he had, after the Science Curriculum Committee rejected it. Millstone asked whether Freshwater had provided the Board with any supporting materials. Freshwater thought perhaps he had, maybe a Mason-Dixon poll in Ohio. (Freshwater did not note that the poll asked whether intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution; he has consistently denied that he wants to teach intelligent design or creationism.) Millstone asked if Freshwater provided the Board with a letter signed by Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and Steven Chabot (R-OH) regarding the teaching of evolution. Freshwater didn’t think so. He said he followed the No Child Left Behind Act, especially the so-called Santorum Amendment. Millstone introduced an article titled “Survival of the Fakest” by Jonathan Wells, which Freshwater had used in his science class prior to 2003, and asked Freshwater if he provided it to the Board in support of his proposal. He couldn’t recall. (But I do recall: Freshwater did in fact distribute that article in support of his proposal in 2003. I was at that Board meeting.) Millstone asked if Freshwater was familiar with a document titled “Ten Questions to Ask Your Biology Teacher.” Freshwater responded, “You’ll have to refresh me on that. I’m not recalling.” Millstone introduced the document, printed from the link above at iconsofevolution.com. After reading it, Freshwater said there were “… some good examples of bias in it, with the peppered moths and the embryos.” (He is here returning to his appeal to the academic content standard regarding objectivity and bias that he has used to justify his use of various creationist materials.) Asked again, Freshwater said “I’m not familiar with that. He wasn’t sure if he had used it as support for his proposal in 2003. Once again, Freshwater did that document in support of his 2003 proposal. (Yes, Ken Ham, I was there!) Millstone asked if Freshwater has a copy of Wells’ “Icons of Evolution.” Yes, he does. Has he read it? Parts of it. Millstone asked when the 2003 proposal was developed. Freshwater said that through the 2002-2003 school year he was watching the No Child Left Behind Act “moving through, Santorum was moving through.” And he was watching the direction the school was going, there was a lot of activity in science teachers, and again the Santorum “attachment” (sic) going through. Millstone asked if that was Federal, and Freshwater agreed. Asked what came to Ohio, Freshwater replied the 10th grade standard to critically analyze evolution but not teach ID. (See the 2002-2003 achives here for more than you want to know about that.) Asked if he followed the debate in Ohio, Freshwater said he knew there was some discussion. Millstone asked Freshwater where his proposal came from. Freshwater replied “lots of different spots and places.” Asked what “spots and places,” Freshwater said that “… when you Google something like this you get lots of places, and I can’t zero in.” Referring to page 1 of Freshwater’s 2003 proposal, Millstone read “This statement … copied from intelligentdesignnetwork.org.” He asked Freshwater if that means it came from Intelligent Design Network. Freshwater replied, “No. You have to put it in context. It wasn’t religious.” There followed considerable jousting about whether “copied from intelligentdesignnetwork.org” means the proposed policy came from the Intelligent Design Network, with Freshwater bobbing, weaving, and dodging to avoid saying so and repeating that it doesn’t have anything to do with religion. Millstone asked who was involved in preparing the proposal. Freshwater replied himself and a few others. Asked what others, he identified his wife and Evie Oxenford (former sister-in-law of Bill Oxenford, another middle school science teacher). He couldn’t recall any others. Millstone asked if a Barry Sheets was involved. Sheets was director of the American Family Association of Ohio, which (among other things) set up Science Excellence for All Ohioans (of which Sheets was executive director) to push the ID agenda in the Ohio State Board of Education in 2002-2003. Freshwater replied that he may have had email correspondence with Sheets and/or some phone conversations with him, and that it may have been about the proposal. Millstone asked if Freshwater knows what intelligentdesignnetwork.org is. Freshwater said he wasn’t sure, but obviously he had been there. Millstone asked if Freshwater knows what Access Research Network is. He doesn’t. Millstone asked if Freshwater knows what the Discovery Institute is. He replied he has been on that site, but he can’t say much about it. He said he knows about it from watching “Expelled.” Millstone asked if the goal of his proposal was to teach the 10th grade biology standard in 8th grade, and he replied “Yes.” Legos and self-assembly For this I’ll steal Dean Narciso’s account in the Columbus Dispatch: John Freshwater said yesterday that he couldn’t recall ever using Lego blocks to illustrate a scientific point in his eighth-grade science classroom. David Millstone, an attorney for the school district here, then played an audiotape of an April radio program in which Freshwater described using Lego blocks to show that cars, buildings and other structures cannot build themselves. If you mixed up the blocks for years, the likelihood that they would become something tangible is improbable, Freshwater told the show’s host, Dr. Patrick Johnson of Rightremedy.org. He compared the blocks to human cells and said that the chances that a random combination of cells could become an eyeball are “slim to none.” Freshwater also said he used the experiment in science classes until 2003, when school officials told him to stop. Asked yesterday by Millstone why he couldn’t recall the blocks exercise, Freshwater testified that his students initiated it. “Mr. Millstone, you have to understand my classroom. Students are doing experiments and bringing in things all the time,” he said. The podcast of the radio program is here. The “Right Remedy” is underwritten by Pass the Salt Ministries which–by no coincidence whatsoever–is operated by “Coach” Dave Daubenmire. Freshwater’s segment begins around 18’30” and I’ve transcribed a bit that was played in the hearing beginning around 21’30”: Patrick Johnston (PJ): Tell us about the Legos. I thought that was a fascinating illustration of one of the problems of evolution. Tell us about the Legos. I thought that was fascinating. John Freshwater (JF): A student showed me many years ago, and I used it up until 2003, the Legos, he … uh … he actually did it for his senior paper. He showed it to me. It’s a very simple demonstration, gathering up a bunch of Legos and he made … when he demonstrated he made an airplane or a car out of the Legos, and he had bunch of other ones, same pieces, and he scattered them all on the floor, put them in a box and threw them on the floor, and, uh, he asked the kids to watch them there. And then we wacthed them for a while, and he says ‘Now, if we watched these things for a day will they form this car or this airplane?’ The kids said ‘No.’ ‘If we watched them for 5, 10 years would they turn into this airplane?’ ‘No.’ ‘Or anything like this airplane?’ ‘No.’ So he strung it out to 10,000 years, millions of ears, what’s the chance of this becoming like this airplane or this automobile? And the kids all agreed that it won’t happen. And then he .. we compare it to the eyeball. What is the complexity of the eyeball compared to the very simplicity of Legos coming together and putting … coming together and forming a car-like structure. And we all know just a simple cell or groups of cells forming an eyeball is so complex with its DNA molecules that the chances of that happening are slim and none. PJ: Right. Wouldn’t you say that it’s a fair assertion to say that science has never seen order come from disorder. We’ve never seen complexity come from a random collision of anything. JF: Absolutely. That’s a law. That’s a law. No sir, that’s a law. Thermodynamics. PJ: Right. Second law. Now why are professors fearful of offering that criticism of macroevolutionary theory? Because, you forking moron, it’s a specious goddam claim, that’s why! Fearful? SPARE US THE IDIOCY! (Ahem) Forgive me for shouting. The smugly arrogant ignorance of creationists is sometimes too great to bear calmly. In that clip from April 25, 2009, Freshwater displays a profound ignorance of the science, and in my view he wholly disqualifies himself from teaching science in a public school. I truly wonder if these people believe that since–in their twisted world–order cannot come from disorder, each and every snowflake is hand-crafted by God. That’s a busy deity these days. Millstone asked again if he used that exercise. Freshwater replied “Students did it. I encourage … involvement by students.” Contrast that answer with his remark in the interview that “I used it up until 2003.” Freshwater is having more and more problems with inconsistent stories. (More on that later.) Building a tall building Millstone noted that Freshwater previously testified [I have no idea when] about building tall buildings, to demonstrate building technologies. He asked if Freshwater ever used handouts with that demonstration. Freshwater said yes, instructions for it. Millstone introduced an article from a magazine called Science World titled “Reaching for the Sky,” from 1988. (It’s not online; the archive only goes back to 1992.) It was among the materials in Freshwater’s room after he was suspended. Millstone asked if it was given in conjunction with the ‘tall building’ exercise. Freshwater replied “It’s clear you’ve gone through my classroom. I’m just wondering what else you have.” And “This worksheet is a Science World magazine purchased by the school that I received for many years. I cut out many articles from it.” The article discusses the problems of building tall buildings exposed to high winds. There are a couple of sentences referencing the Tower of Babel in the first couple of paragraphs. I transcribe them here: One of the main ingredients in a tall building, according to Seinuk [an engineer], is “ego.” Somebody has to want the tallest building bad enough. He adds, “there is something about men ever since the Tower of Babel that wants to go up and up and up. The Tower of Babel was topped off, unfinished, at seven stories. In the biblical story, God made the construction crew speak so many languages that they couldn’t communicate and finish their work. The article goes on to discuss the engineering problems associated with building skyscrapers. There are some paragraphs marked with marginal notes or lines. Millstone asked if Freshwater had testified earlier that he made notes in texts on what he wanted to cover. Freshwater agreed that he did. Millstone then introduced another copy of the same article from Freshwater’s classroom with the same marginal notes and lines marking paragraphs. However, this one also has handwritten notes in the roughly two-inch space above the title on the first page. The notes provide a rough chronology of the lead up to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 (which is referenced as “Gen 11”). The notes are headed “After the Flood,” and run in two columns: -TOWER REACHING TO HEAVEN -PROUD ETERNAL MONUMENT TO THEMSELVES -BOND US TOGETHER -HARD BURNED BRICKS -GOD - ‘NOTHING WILL BE UNATTAINABLE FOR THEM” (sic on the quotation marks) -GOD - SENTENCED THE PEOPLE - DIFFERENT LANG. Below the title is “BABEL - CONFUSION.” Millstone asked Freshwater if that was his handwriting on this exhibit. Freshwater invoked the ‘forgery’ possibility, said it was not his handwriting and he did not recognize the notes. While he was answering, R. Kelly Hamilton, his attorney, silently mouthed “forgery” to Millstone, and showed the exhibit to Freshwater’s wife, who laughed derisively. We then had some histrionics from Hamilton about forgery that I didn’t get notes on. Hamilton asked for a recess so he could “… caution my client to be … um … cautious” about documents. The request was denied. As it happens, I have a paper copy of the article with the handwritten notes and I also have a scan of the lesson plan that Freshwater wrote and gave to former Superintendent Maley in 2006, which his attorney submitted as an exhibit in the hearing, so I compared the writing on the two documents. Bearing in mind that I am not a professional handwriting analyst, there are a number of clear similarities between the writing on the handout and the writing on the lesson plan. Both use a species of block printing rather than cursive writing. The form of a number of letters is very similar in the two documents. 1. The trailing leg of the capital “R” is noticeably extended to the right, tracing a significantly ‘flatter’ slope in both documents than that, say, in a typewritten “R”. 2. The half-circle of the capital “P” in both documents is noticeably elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse sloped up roughly 45 degrees from the horizontal. 3. The same is true of the half-circle of the capital “R” in both documents. 4. Similarly, the right half-circle of the capital “D” is sloped up to the right in both documents rather than being symmetrically convex to the right. 5. In both documents the cross-bar of the capital “T” is fully extended to the left of the vertical stroke but is truncated (a few instances) or wholly absent (most instances) on the right side of the vertical stroke. 6. The vertical stroke of the capital “L” leans slightly to the right in both documents, with the angle between the vertical and horizontal strokes 10 or 15 degrees less than 90 degrees. 7. The capital “K” has a characteristic and obvious distortion of the upper right quadrant that is identical in the two documents. No doubt there are others, but the specific and obvious similarities I described together with the impression of overall similarity induced by such things as the relatively close spacing between letters within words as compared with a relatively wide spacing between words strongly suggests to me that the same person wrote both documents. Later in his testimony Freshwater identified the handwriting on the lesson plan as his own. It follows that the ‘Babel’ notes were also written by him if my analysis is correct. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution - The Premise and Problem That’s the title of a handout Freshwater used in 2006 to which a parent had objected. At (former) Superintendent Jeff Maley’s instruction, Freshwater prepared a justification for using the handout. That justification included the lesson plans I mentioned above. Millstone asked where in the lesson plan the handout was tied to an academic content standard. Freshwater identified the ‘bias and objectivity’ standard that he has been using to justify the use of such materials. It appears that Freshwater or his advisers are reading Panda’s Thumb, because he has begun trying to relate ‘bias’ to data. Recall that the seventh grade standards talk about the replication of observations and reproducibility of results. So Freshwater said that the use of the ‘Premise’ handout was justified on that standard because “There’s some data there, the number of fossils in museums.” Millstone pressed, asking how he would use that. Freshwater replied, “You’re really stretching me on this. I don’t know how I taught that this day.” Specified and Irreducible Complexity In the lesson plan for Monday, April 3, 2006, there are a couple of interesting entries in the column Freshwater entered the daily topic(s) in. They are “specified complexity” and “irreducible complexity.” Millstone asked Freshwater what “specified complexity” is. Freshwater replied, “I do not know.” Millstone asked what standard or benchmark it is relevant to. Freshwater replied, “I don’t know. I’d have to be refreshed on that.” Millstone asked Freshwater if the name “William Dembski” was familiar to him. He answered it was not. Millstone asked if Freshwater knew Dembski is an intelligent design proponent. Freshwater said he didn’t know the name. Millstone asked what “irreducible complexity” means. Freshwater said he didn’t recall, and would have to be refreshed on that. Millstone asked if Freshwater had ever heard of Michael Behe. Freshwater said that he had, that his son spent a year at DeSales University in Pennsylvania, and Lehigh University is near there and Behe is at Lehigh. Millstone asked if Freshwater was aware that irreducible complexity is an argument for intelligent design. Freshwater replied, “I was given a book by him [Behe]. I’d have to refresh my memory on it.” We then had a strange little sequence in which Freshwater came close to denying the validity of his own exhibit introduced into evidence by his attorney. Referring to page three of the document, Millstone asked if Freshwater made them. Freshwater replied, “I would assume I did.” Millstone asked, “Is this the lesson plan that you prepared?” Freshwater replied “I would assume that is mine. I’m being very guarded because of some of the things that have taken place…I’m being very cautious.” Millstone asked, “You entered this [exhibit] into evidence?” Freshwater replied, “Yes.” Millstone asked, “Does ‘I assume’ mean you have doubts about it?” Freshwater replied, “I’m being cautious.” Millstone asked, “Did you prepare this lesson plan?” Freshwater replied, “I would say yes.” Millstone asked, “Is this your handwriting on it?” Freshwater replied, “Yes.” Expelled for Extra Credit Millstone asked if Freshwater gave an extra credit opportunity for seeing “Expelled.” He replied that he did. Millstone asked what academic content standard that addressed. Freshwater replied, “The document speaks for itself.” Millstone asked again what standard the movie was relevant to. Freshwater went back to his ‘bias and objectivity’ claim. Millstone asked what bias was exhibited by the movie that supports the standard. Freshwater replied, “There was a lot of data there, and it’s a movie about evolution.” He said it was “a science documentary and there aren’t many of them.” (Yeah, yeah, I know: the tongue bleeds. Recall that we were enjoined to silence in the hearing room on pain of expulsion.) Millstone asked what data there were in it. Freshwater replied there were times and dates. Millstone asked what experiments did the data support. Freshwater replied that he’d have to see it again to refresh himself on it. Millstone asked again what the bias was that the movie was showing. Freshwater replied, “You’re asking me to interpret it. … Each student watched it and had their own interpretation.” I’m skipping some stuff that doesn’t seem to me to be real pertinent or interesting. The Tesla Coil Resurrected! Millstone introduced into evidence a plastic bag containing the remnants of the Tesla coil that Freshwater said he destroyed December 10, 2007, by dropping a brick/block on it several times. He said he did so pursuant to instructions from Principal White. Freshwater had later given it to his attorney, who surrendered it to Millstone some time or other. It sure enough was in pieces. A Conscious Decision? This is about when the exchange described in the Mt. Vernon News story quoted above came in. Immediately following that exchange, Millstone asked Freshwater when he understood that. He replied two different times, April 7, 2008, and April 16, 2008. Millstone asked if Freshwater made a conscious decision that he wouldn’t remove it. Freshwater replied, “Define ‘conscious’.” Millstone asked if Freshwater made an “intentional decision” not to remove it. Freshwater replied “Give me a date.” The referee interjected an instruction to Millstone to associate the question with one or both dates. Millstone asked if Freshwater made an intentional decision not to remove the bible on April 7. Freshwater replied, “It was not removed on that date. Please define “intentional.” Millstone asked if on April 7 Freshwater made a decision not to remove the bible. Freshwater replied, “I needed clarity on it then. I was doing a lot of research on it.” He mentioned consulting Finding Common Ground, used in the Nazarene University class taught by David Daubenmire. Millstone asked, “On April 16 did you make a decision not to remove it?” Freshwater replied, “On April 16 I made a constitutional decision not to remove it.” (Emphasis in his tone of voice.) “I had a constitutional right to have silently at the corner of my desk.” Millstone asked if, before making the decision, Freshwater prayed with his family over whether to comply. Freshwater replied, “I pray all the time. I pray on all my issues.” So, Millstone summarized, “You prayed with your family on the Bible issue, and you made a constitutional decision to keep the Bible on your desk.” Freshwater replied that was correct. That ended cross examination. Freshwater redirect examination In redirect Hamilton first asked Freshwater if there’s a difference between trying to prove a point and tring to demonstrate the truth. Freshwater answered, “Yeah, the Board is trying to prove a point.” Asked if he thought they have demonstraetd the truth, Freshwater answered, No.” Asked what in what areas they Board had not demonstrated the truth, Freshwater replied to go all through the HR OnCall investigation report and the Board’s termination resolution. Hamilton had Freshwater read the enumeration of teachers’ rights in section 402 of the master contract. Then he asked if at any time Freshwater’s personal activities interfered with his teaching. Freshwater answered “No.” Hamilton asked if Freshwater ever received a clear directive concerning his Bible. Freshwater answered, “No clear directive.” Hamilton asked if Freshwater met with Daubenmire on April 16, 2008, (the day of the public rally on the square) as “a citizen engaged in activities you had a right to on the town square.” Freshwater answered “Yes.” Hamilton asked if Freshwater had a constitutional right to keep his Bible on his desk. He replied that he did. Turning to the union, Hamilton ascertained that Freshwater was not and had never been a member of the bargaining unit. Freshwaer said he didn’t get updates on union matters – “I wasn’t in that loop.” Hamilton asked what help Freshwater had received from the union. Freshwater replied, “Very little.” Asked, Freshwater testified that he had been asked by the union to sign a letter stating it had no responsibilit toward him. Freshwater said he didn’t sign it. Hamilton asked about his first meeting with Freshwater, what they talked about the first hour. Freshwater said it seemed strange. Hamilton said he (Hamilton) was trying to determine if Freshwater was a whacko (his word), where Freshwater stood spiritually, before he took the case. Hamilton asked if Freshwater had a bad attitude about Catholics. He replied that his son attended a Catholic university (DeSales) for a year, and he wouldn’t have let him do so if he had a bad attitude toward Catholics. Hamilton asked if HR OnCall had done all they could to get to the truth of the matter or were they trying to prove a point. Freshwater replied that they were trying to prove a point. Hamilton asked whose responsibility it is to ensure that the bargaining agreement is followed. Freshwater replied it was the administration. Hamilton asked if Freshwater was ever sent a copy of the investigators’ report. He said he had not. Hamilton asked if anyone told him he should get his comprehensive response turned in. No. Hamilton asked if the contract says a teacher has to make sure the comprehensive response is in. No. Hamilton asked if Superintendent Short or Principal White had ever told him he could file a grievance. No. He asked if Freshwater felt he was treated differently from Lori Miller, who was told she could file a grievance. Yes. Regarding the several versions of Freshwater’s testimony regarding Answers in Genesis, Hamilton asked if it was conflicting or clarifying. Freshwater said it was clarifying. Hamilton asked if Freshwater had ever been evasive in his testimony. Freshwater replied, “No. It may have looked like that, but I was being guarded.” Regarding his 2003 proposal, Hamilton asked if Freshwater ever tried to hide information. (I found that interesting, since the “10 Questions” handout Freshwater used in the Board meeting in 2003 had the source redacted.) He replied he did not. He was asked if he used one source or multiple sources. Multiple. With respect to the Legos deal, Hamilton asked if when Millstone asked his question Freshwater remember the Legos exercise. He said he did not. Hamilton asked if Millstone playing the clip from the radio interview refreshed Freshwater’s memory. It did. Hamilton asked if Freshwater or a student brought in the Legos and do something with them. A student, Freshwater replied. Hamilton asked if prior to the Johnston radio interview he and Johnston had talked. Freshwater said they had, and that Johnston had done some research on the Mt. Vernon situation. Hamilton asked if Freshwater or Johnston brought the Legos issue up. Freshwater said Johnston did. (I genuinely wonder how the Hell Johnston knew about it to bring it up.) Referring to a conversation between Hamilton and Dean Narciso, a reporter from the Columbus Dispatch, during an earlier break in the hearing, Hamilton asked Freshwater what he would do if Narciso filed a story tomorrow saying Freshwater lied about using the Legos. Freshwater replied that Narciso would “have a hard time getting an interview out of me.” Hamilton asked if Freshwater had seen “Expelled” before assigning it. No, he said, he just assigned it. It was a “science documentary.” Hamilton asked if there were multiple biases showin in “Expelled,” and Freshwater answered there were. Asked, he said there was evidence for evolution in it, and that is showed multiple sides. Hamilton asked if some things had been presented in the hearing that indicated someone looked through his room, and Freshwater agreed that was the case. Hamilton asked what happened to Freshwater’s teacher’s version of the text and his lesson plans. Freshwater said the district has them as far as he knows. Hamilton asked if those texts and lesson plans would provide exculpatory evidence for him. He replied they would. Hamilton asked if the Science Student Data Sheet was familiar. Freshwater answered, “No.” Hamilton asked if the Multiple Intelligences Survey was familiar. Freshwater answered, “No.” Hamilton noted that the “Ten Questions to ask your biology teacher about evolution” sheet introduced into evidence by Millstone was printed on 12/9/2009, and asked if Freshwater every used it in class. Freshwater answered “No.” (Of course, no one has suggested he used it in class. He used it as part of the supporting material for his 2003 proposal.) Freshwater testified he was not familiar with the ‘Building’ article, and testified that the handwriting on it is not his. (Recall my remarks above.) Hamilton asked why Freshwater went on the local conservative talk radio show last week. Freshwater said it was to extend a hand to the current Board of Education, before the membership changes the first of the year, to try to resolve the issue, and to try to ensure they knew that the master contract had been breeched, and that they did not have considerable information – the 15 affidavits. Referring to the use of the Tesla coil, Freshwater said that most students pull away quickly, and that there is no evidence that Freshwater has harmed a student in 21 years of using it. Referring to the call-in portion of the talk show after Freshwater’s presentation was done, he said that I (naming me) had implied in a call that Freshwater had lied, and that he was angry about it. In actual fact, I called in and described the three different answers Freshwater has given in sworn testimony on three different occasions, and said “That bothers me.” I did not accuse him of lying; I merely laid out what he’d said on thse three occasions. See A Bonsell in the Offing?. Finally, Hamilton asked if the Board’s presentation of evidence in the hearing has been selective in nature vs putting on everything that’s relevant. Freshwater replied “Selective.” That ended redirect examination and we were kicked out of the building before recross could start. So we resume January 15, when I expect Freshwater’s case to be concluded and the Board’s rebuttal to begin. We have still another day in January scheduled, but I am beginning to feel some faint hope that this will finish before the daffodils bloom in another spring.

The story of Rollo Mosari Born during the dawn of the New order on Duro near the main Duros spaceport of Tenak Sha. Grew up playing video games and watching freighters taking off from the spaceport. Ended up hearing a lot of stories from the spacer folk and always knew that is what he was going to do. His father told him he had the Spacer look, like most of the Duros they were natural pilots. He grew up hearing over the Holonet about the great things that Chancellor Palpatine was doing for the Galaxy. But the Spacers he talked to told of a different story. Strict customs, high tariffs and taxes, and the ever present and powerful Imperial Navy. He understood studying history in school that the "Empire" would not be tolerated forever…someone was going to fight back and bring back the good old days of the Old Republic. Once he reached the age of majority (16 years) he was put into service with his Uncles Company Duros Trading Unlimited. He started out as lowly technicians working on an out of date Xiytiar-Class Transport. For 2 years he kept on working and started specializing on targeting systems. Since the transport normally doesn’t have and weapons the Lasers it did have were heavily modified and needed constant attention. Then his big break came. While the craft was in hyperspace he was working on the Dorsal Turbo laser controls. When the ship was pulled out of hyperspace buy a rogue asteroid. Since his uncle preferred to stay on the main shipping lines that meant only one thing…Pirates. As the craft made a hasty Reversion, the pilot was not able to avoid the asteroid in its path. The dorsal side scraped along the asteroid overloading the top shields and casing the bulkheads to seal on the top levels. Rollo was left alone in the turret. Quickly sizing up the situation he immediately manned the Turbo-Laser and did a quick start up. Knowing he would have only a few shots before the cold systems overloaded he turned on the targeting system to see what was happening. It wasn’t working. He was going to have to use the mark one eyeball to fire the cannon. Looking out the window he saw a Corellian Corvette. There was one major flaw in the design and he knew that was the transport only chance. Taking careful aim just like he did playing "Star Commander" as a kid he lined up the cannon, and fired 3 shots directly at the radiator fin of the Corvette. Three shots and three direct hits. The captain of the Corvette would now be worrying about a possible reactor overload instead of it quarry. Soon after the situation was under control, he was ask to report to the captains quarters. He was congratulated and given the choice of becoming an officer on the ship. At the age of 18 Rollo became the Executive Navigation officer of the transport. Once he became an officer he spent more time in the simulators on the ship. His reputation started growing as an expert marksman. And after a year he was given the chance to become a Z-95 fighter pilot. And one of the escorts for the transport. The years passed, and the company started to profit from the ability to transport goods, with out loss. This also started perking the interest of some of the more little reputable transport companies. One day the Transport was doing a cargo transfer in the Tatoo system. After the transfer was complete the ships (both the Xiytiar-Class Transport, and the other Action IV Bulk freighter) un-docked. A squadron of Supa fighters came hypering in, and then to add to the confusion the Bulk freighter exploded (from a scuttle charge or bomb) Rollo and a few of the other Z-95s and Y-wing scrambled to intercept the Sup/Fs. Quickly Rollo realized that he might make the big jump on this light fight. The Supa was much heavily armed and armored versus the Z-95. The Supa fighters Quickly took out the Y-wings and made a B-line toward the Transport. The 8 Remaining ships launched Torpedoes and his home for the last 6 years. 16 torpedoes were launched, 32, then 64, not even the guns on the transport or the Z-95s could take out enough in time. Tears started streaming down his eyes as he saw his life being blown to bits. His mouth on its own screamed his frustration and rage as he tried to take as many Supa fighters as possible. Soon after the last one Hypered away, totally ignoring what was left. All that was left was the wreckage of the battle. His Z-95 was not capable of hyperspace and already took some hull damage. His only chance was to try and land on Tatooine. Coaxing what was left of the Z-95 into the atmosphere the repulsors and some of the atmospheric systems we out. Even the Ejection seat didn’t work. Rollo was able to do a belly landing with some scrapes and bruises in the Dune Sea. So after landing the fusion system in the Z-95 starting doing a cascade failure. Quickly getting some survival equipment out he left, in search of civilization. After 2 month of wandering around through the desert and sandstorms. Delirious, and de-hydrated, he finally saw something in the distance. Some sort of fortress carved out of a mountain. He quickened his pace, hoping to at least find some shelter. As he got closer he realized there was some sort of battle going on. Strangely garbed people who rode banthas, and were using makeshift weapons. And in the fortress he saw small Brown robed creatures running about in confusion. Bringing out his survival Blaster and a few grenades his decided to attack the strange robed people attacking the fortress. Once the attackers realized someone that knew how to fight was attacking them they quickly left the area with loud hoots and howls. He found the residents willing to accept him into their fortress. Not knowing there language, or customs he was thankful for the food and water they provided. And some much needed rest. After a few days under the care of the Jawas, he realized he was not really welcomed. The Jawas gave him 2 parting gifts. A cobbled together swoop, and a barley functional R2 unit to guide him to the nearest human settlement. Several Times during the weeklong trip the swoop broke down, or the Droid broke down trying to fix the broken down swoop. When a sandstorm hit him he was able to hide in a cave that was carved out of a Mesa. Shortly after entering the cave he started getting edgy, something was bothering Rollo. Then a piercing scream deafened him from inside the cave. Rollo stood there paralyzed and a 30-foot monstrosity came towards him. With Brown scales and three horns, and it was obviously a carnivore. While he was frozen in place and the monster approached His R2 unit let out and even more impressive Howl. This brought Rollo to action. Grabbing the Swoop he immediately fled the area. Coming back at nightfall to see the lights from the R2 unit patiently waiting for him. The Droid lurched forward and properly fell flat on its front side, reviling a long gash on its back…the monster left its mark, and the R2 was now beyond all repairs. He was able to finally find the City of Mos Eisley. It was easy to find that with the freighter traffic leaving, Rollo felt like it was a homecoming of sorts. Finding a job and the spaceport and a mechanic, he waited his time out until he could get off-planet. He didn’t know it at the time because his was trying to convince another Duros about upgrading his ship with some less then legal parts. But he did notice the old man with the energy sword, and he knew that something important was happening, he just didn’t know what it was. After the Imperial left for whatever reason he was working on the engine of a transport. He accidentally tripped over a shipping crate, and out spilled blasters…military grade blasters. He knew that these were illegal, Class 1 Imperial Customs infraction. This was something big, and he wanted a part of it. He was holding one of the blasters when the Captain walked in. he looked at Rollo. Was he going to kill him? The standoff seemed to last forever, until the captain ask him "Would you like to see what those are for?" Rollo nodded. The captain was a rebel cell member delivering supplies to another cell near the core. He asked if Rollo wanted to join. This is when he knew he was going to be able to fly again. http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/3129/r2d2.gif "'May gods stand between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk.'" BOW DOWN BEFORE the Official Forum Pun-isher Official XWA flight instructor I finally took some time to read throught the whole post and I really liked it ! Are we supposed to contribute to it or just wait for the sequence ? I'd really like to read what's next ! "Citius, Altius, Fortius" Dood, you make your own installment to the story. That's the whole point of RPing. it is a good start to a character. I had a few idea of my own about him, but i really never got around to adding to it. This part takes place after he joined the rebellion. the time frame starts soon after the battle of Yavin, and end shortly b4 the battle of Endor. PLease feel free to add any suggestions or commants about this story. Rebel Alliance and New Republic Service record for Rollo Mosari Age 24: Joined Rebel Alliance with Alabard’s Comets Stationed in Tapani Sector in the system of Shiva Age 28: Promoted to Commander and was placed in charge of Avid Squadron Stationed in the Minos Cluster on the planet Karideph Age 32: Resigned from New Republic, and was placed in command position of Operations took place in the Core systems Age 38: Joined forces with Coalition of Freedom and Liberty. Main operations in Cooperate sector Age 41: Re-joined New Republic as Rear Admiral Founded and created New Republic Escort Service Age 42: Present day Having quit his job on Tatooine, Rollo traveled the space lanes toward the core. And was pitched the idea of joining the Rebel Alliance against the horrors of the Empire. Rollo didn’t really can about politics, he just wanted a chance to fly, and he knew his skills as a marksman, and as pilot would serve this Having arrived in the Tapani sector he started learning about local events, and the political situation, he had to, if was going to operate as Intelligence/Pilot for the rebel cell. He started sympathizing for the Nobel houses that have been tarnished by the beginnings of a civil war. And the rise of the Empire. From what he read the Empire was mainly patrolling the Shapani bypass, guarding the bacta convoys that went for the core. Not much was done within the sector, but he knew that some houses were more sympathetic to the Empire, and those houses seemed to be gaining power over the Pro-Rebel houses. Quickly he proved him self to the squadron leader as a superb pilot, and to Rollo’s surprise, a very efficient Intelligence operative. The days passed listening to the holonet receiver, and interpiting coded messages. Along with the occasional travels into space, acting like pirates, and going after imperial shipping. Rollo rarely rested, and focused on improving his abilities. One of the main missions of Alabard’s comets was to eavesdrop on Imperial Activities, and identify any known Ubiqtorate, COMPNOR, or ISB operatives, or Operations. Suffice it to say a few dozen Rebel personnel were woefully ill equipped to keep track of it all. Rollo was delegated to keep in charge of anti-Imperial group called the “Justice Alliance Network”. This group makes its manifest to be more destructive then, in their words “The weak Rebellion”. Willing to blow up the imperial Infrastructure in a big messy way. Through some careful investigation Rollo found out one of the JAN cell leaders was a professor in the Mrsslt University. Also he realized that by being a very loud and active rebel unit, the JAN could hasten the speed that the Empire would take control of the Tapani sector. The Jan was well funded, and had some of the latest military equipment, even on occasion prototype weapons and devices. Obviously there was a powerful source funding JAN, and it wasn’t any of the houses (at least not enough to make a difference), or the rebellion. Rollo had a hunch it was The Empire itself. Somehow, the ISB got wind of Rollo’s snooping around, and sent a Saber Rake gang after him. The Saber Rakes were a group of Young nobles who main weapon was Light-foils. Light-foils are a lower powered version fo a lightsaber, but more used for dueling. Saber-rakes started with original Light-foils, but as their numberr grew, they tried creating their own. Of cousre, since they were not force users they could never create one as reliable as a ture jedi could. One danger of the Light-foil was its chance to Explode. Which also gave the Saber rakes more thrill of using such a renowned weapon. Since Rollo was undercover as a Trader, he could not carry his normal weapons. If fact, for once Rollo had none. Fortunately for him, to humans, all Duros look the same. An apparently innocent Duros was first encountered by the saber Rakes, and later Warned Rollo. Sensing that his cover was blown, Rollo quickly borrowed a Swoop, and high tailed to the Mrsslt Spaceport. With the Saber Rakes in close pursuit. Due to his quick thinking, and seting the Swoop to overdrive, he was able to beat the Saber Rakes to his ship. As Rollo was taking off, he realized that there was unwanted passenger on his Transport. One of the Saber Rakes hid himself on the ship, and waited. Using some loose upper bulkheads. He was able to subdue the Saber Rake. And disarm him. The saber Rake was furious for 2 reasons. That he last to a commoner, and he lost to an Alien. The Saber Rake charged Rollo, with a backup Light-foil. In the cramped quarters Rollo's only chance was to defend himself with the light-foil in his hand. As the light-foils clashed the worse thing possible happened. Both Light foils exploded and the contained energy killed the saber rake, and blew off Rollo's arm. Due to the high traffic of Bacta in the area. Rollo was able to use an emergency Bacta medical Clasp. It healed the wound, but it never would be able to grow back. Rollo limped back to the Comet’s and received further medical attention. Fitted with a life like prosthetic arm. The artificial limb was a constant reminder of not being prepared. And not thinking ahead. Month passed, it was learned that the JAN was planning to attack and destroy a Torpedo Sphere. An Imperial Siege Engine designed to take out planetary shields. The Empire would realize that the Sector would become a political hotspot and would Tighten it’s grasp on the Tapani Sector and the whole sector would Erupt into civil war. Joining a rebel troubleshooter group. They were able to board the Torpedo sphere, and prevent its distraction. For his efforts in Intelligence gathering, and subterfuge. Rollo was promoted to Commander, transferred, and given his first command Now, don't forget about your exploits as a flight instructor K_K Cool! I should do Rwos' story... At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have revenge. |All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:08 AM.| Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. LFNetwork, LLC ©2002-2011 - All rights reserved.

A Patient's Guide to Sternoclavicular Joint Problems The sternoclavicular (SC) joint is important because it helps support the shoulder. The SC joint links the bones of the arms and shoulder to the vertical skeleton. Most SC joint problems are relatively minor. However, certain types of injuries require immediate medical attention. This document will help you understand - what the SC joint is - what kinds of problems can develop at the SC joint - what treatments are available What does the SC joint look like? The SC joint connects your clavicle (collarbone) to your sternum, which is the large bone down the middle of your chest. This attachment is the only bony joint linking the bones of the arm and shoulder to the main part of the skeleton. Like most joints, the SC joint is made up of two bones covered with a material called articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is a white, smooth material that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Articular cartilage allows the bones of a joint to rub together without much friction. Only a small section of the SC joint actually connects to the sternum. This makes the bony connection somewhat unstable. However, extra ligaments cross the SC joint to give it more stability. Ligaments attach bones to other bones. It seems like this construction would make SC joint dislocation common, but a dislocation is actually very rare. The ligaments surrounding the SC joint are extremely strong. These ligaments are very effective at preventing dislocations. Four different types of ligaments hold the joint in place. - The intra-articular disc ligament attaches to the first rib and divides the joint into two separate spaces. This ligament is very thick and fibrous. - The costoclavicular ligament is short and strong. It attaches underneath the clavicle to the first rib just below. It helps steady the SC joint during certain motions. - The interclavicular ligament supports the ends of both clavicle bones near the SC joint. It passes over the top of the sternum, connecting one clavicle to the other. - The capsular ligament reinforces the capsule that surrounds the SC joint. This ligament keeps the sternum end of the clavicle from pointing up as the other end of the clavicle drops down. A part of the clavicle called the physis does not turn into bone until you are about 25 years old. The physis is a section of cartilage near the end of the clavicle. Bone growth occurs at a physis, which is also called a growth plate. Between age 20 and 25, the cartilage physis fuses into bone. Injuries to the physis in people under 25 may look like an SC joint dislocation. But sometimes the injury is actually a fracture through the growth plate. Related Document: A Patient's Guide to Shoulder Anatomy What causes SC joint injuries? The SC joint is one of the least commonly dislocated joints in the body. Car accidents cause nearly half of all SC dislocations. Sports injuries cause about 20 percent. Falls and other types of accidents cause the rest. These sorts of traumatic injuries can also cause injuries to the physis in people under 25 years old. Indirect force causes most injuries to the SC joint. Indirect force involves something hitting the shoulder very hard. The shoulder is pushed in and rolled either forward or backward, affecting the SC joint. When the SC joint is dislocated, it is usually an anterior dislocation. This means that the clavicle is pushed forward, in front of the sternum. Dislocating in the opposite direction is less common because the ligaments on the back side of the joint are so strong. Direct force against the front of the clavicle can push the end of the clavicle behind the sternum, into the area between the lungs. This is called a posterior dislocation. It takes a lot of force to cause a posterior dislocation due to the strength of the ligaments behind the joint. Posterior dislocations can be very dangerous, because the area behind the sternum contains vital organs and tissues. The heart and its large vessels, the trachea, the esophagus, and lymph nodes can all be seriously damaged in a posterior dislocation of the SC joint. This can cause life-threatening injuries to the heart and lungs. Immediate medical help is required to get the SC joint back into position after a posterior dislocation. What does an SC joint injury feel like? Different SC joint problems have different symptoms. You will know immediately if your SC joint has dislocated. Dislocation causes severe pain that gets worse with any arm movements.In anterior dislocation, the end of the clavicle juts out near the sternum. This causes a hard bump in the middle of the chest. In posterior dislocation, a bump is usually not obvious. The joint will feel different to your doctor. Posterior dislocations can cause difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or a feeling of choking. Some patients have trouble swallowing or have a tight feeling in their throats. Sometimes force may only sprain the SC joint. Mild sprains cause pain, but the joint is still stable. In moderate sprains, the joint becomes unstable. In rare cases, patients have a stable joint but a painful clicking, grating, or popping feeling. This indicates an injury to the intra-articular disc ligament. This type of injury causes pain and problems moving the SC joint. Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative arthritis that tends to get worse with age. Injury to a joint can result in the development of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis eventually causes pain and stiffness. Usually these symptoms go away with anti-inflammatory medications, rest, and heat. If the symptoms last for six to 12 months, some type of surgical treatment may eventually be needed. What tests will my doctor run? Diagnosis begins with a complete history and physical examination. Usually the doctor is suspicious of an injury to the SC joint when there is pain and swelling over the joint. The joint may look deformed. You will need to get an X-ray. Special X-rays can show your doctor both the clavicles and SC joints. Your doctor may also want to get a computerized tomography (CT) scan. CT scans show bones and soft tissues such as ligaments and tendons. CT scans are more precise than X-rays. They can help your doctor more clearly see the problem in your SC joint. What treatment options are available? The treatment your doctor recommends will depend on the type of injury to your joint. A mild sprain usually gets better by resting the joint for two to three days. Ice packs can be placed on the sore joint for 15 minutes at a time during the first few days after the injury. Moderate sprains may require some help to get the joint back into position. A figure-eight strap wraps around both shoulders to support the SC joint. Patients with a moderate sprain may need to wear this type of strap for four to six weeks. The strap protects the joint from another injury and lets the injured ligaments heal and become strong again. Doctors have different ways of treating anterior dislocation. Some feel that surgery is needed when the dislocation is severe. Most doctors treat the anterior dislocation by letting it heal where it is or by performing a closed reduction. Closed reduction involves pulling, pushing, and moving the clavicle until it pops back into joint. It can be very painful. Most patients are given general anesthesia before the procedure, or at least some form of muscle relaxant. The intense pain and muscle spasms caused by the dislocation can make reduction almost impossible without some form of anesthesia. After closed reduction for anterior dislocation, your SC joint will need to be held perfectly still. Moving the SC joint will cause pain and may even dislocate the joint again. Your doctor will probably recommend that you take pain medication and wear a figure-eight strap for at least six weeks. If your doctor suspects posterior dislocation, you will need to have a complete physical examination right away. A series of X-rays and CT scans will be needed. It is important that your doctor have as much information as possible about what organs may be affected by the dislocation. Doctors almost always use closed reduction to treat posterior dislocations. This requires general anesthesia, because of the pain and muscle spasms. The most common type of closed reduction involves lying on your back, with your dislocated joint near the edge of the table. The arm is pulled out and then brought back into place. You can usually hear the clavicle pop back into joint. Sometimes doctors need to grab the clavicle and pull it out from behind the sternum. If this doesn't work, a special kind of clip is used to pull the clavicle out. A figure-eight strap is used for at least six weeks after closed reduction for a posterior dislocation of the SC joint. Sometimes closed reduction for a posterior dislocation does not work, or SC joint problems become chronic. In these cases, adult patients may need surgery. The risk of harm to your heart, lungs, and other organs behind the sternum is too high. Posterior dislocation has been known to cause a ruptured esophagus, laceration of major veins, and pressure on major arteries, among other complications. These problems can kill you. Posterior dislocation has also been known to cause hoarseness, a sudden onset of snoring, and voice changes with arm movement. Most of the time the goal of surgery is to stabilize the SC joint. When the ligaments are too severely damaged, the clavicle is surgically attached to the rib instead of the sternum. The joint will still probably be unstable, but the displaced clavicle no longer compresses the organs behind the sternum. Growth Plate Injuries Injuries to the growth plate of the clavicle usually heal without treatment. (As mentioned earlier, the growth plate is a section of cartilage near the end of the clavicle where bone growth occurs.) Only rare cases require surgery. In younger children, the growth of the bone will remodel the fractured bone. Remodeling actually causes the collarbone to straighten as the child grows. In young adults, there is less of this straightening effect because their bone growth is nearly complete. Osteoarthritis of the SC joint usually responds to treatments such as rest, ice, physical or occupational therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications. If the symptoms of osteoarthritis do not respond to basic treatment over six to 12 months, surgery may be needed. If nonsurgical measures fail to relieve your pain, you may need surgery. The most common procedure for SC joint osteoarthritis is resection arthroplasty. A resection arthroplasty involves removing the surface of the clavicle next to the sternum. This keeps the arthritic bone surfaces from rubbing on one another. The remaining end of the clavicle eventually attaches to the rib with scar tissue. This stops the end of the clavicle from moving around when you move your arm. Your surgeon will try to keep from disturbing the ligaments around the SC joint. But if the ligaments are damaged and loose, a tendon graft may be used to tighten the connection between the end of the clavicle and the first rib. Surgeons use a piece of tendon taken from the wrist or a piece of fascia taken from the thigh. These are referred to as tendon grafts or fascia grafts. The graft is then sewn through the end of clavicle and connected to the first rib. Surgeons prefer not to use metal pins or wire to fix an unstable SC joint. These implants could puncture the vital organs behind the SC joint. What should I expect after treatment? If you don't need surgery, you should start range-of-motion exercises as pain eases, followed by a program of strengthening. At first, exercises are done with the arm below shoulder level. The program advances to include strength exercises for the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles. The goal is to get your shoulder moving smoothly. Your physical or occupational therapist will give you tips on controlling your symptoms, which may include using tape to help hold the SC joint in place. You will probably progress to a home program within four to six weeks. Your surgeon may have you wear a sling to support and protect the shoulder for a few days. A physical or occupational therapist will probably direct your recovery program. The first few therapy treatments will focus on controlling the pain and swelling from surgery. Ice and electrical stimulation treatments may help. Your therapist may also use massage and other types of hands-on treatments to ease muscle spasm and pain. Therapy can progress safely and quickly after a simple arthroscopic resection. Treatments start out with range-of-motion exercises and gradually work into active stretching and strengthening. You need to avoid doing too much, too quickly. Therapy goes slower after surgeries that require a tissue graft. Your arm is usually placed in a sling to prevent shoulder movement for several weeks. After this time, you'll begin with passive exercises. During passive exercises, the shoulder joint is moved, but your muscles stay relaxed. Your therapist gently moves your joint and gradually stretches your arm. You may be taught how to do passive exercises at home. Active therapy starts four to six weeks after graft surgery. Active range-of-motion exercises help you regain shoulder movement using your own muscle power. You might begin with light isometric strengthening exercises. These exercises work the muscles without straining the healing joint. At about six weeks, you will start more active strengthening. These exercises focus on improving strength and control of the rotator cuff muscles and the muscles around the shoulder blade. Some of the exercises you'll do are designed to get your shoulder working in ways that are similar to your work tasks and sport activities. Your therapist will help you find ways to do your tasks that don't put too much stress on your shoulder. Before your therapy sessions end, your therapist will teach you a number of ways to avoid future problems.

It’s never too early to start on your Halloween decorations! Taking a slight departure from my normal posting of photography stuff to put up a tutorial on how to make your own custom carved pumpkins. You can now get Halloween pumpkins that are made out of foam instead of the real thing. While not quite as fun to carve, they will last from year to year. So all your work into making your perfect pumpkin masterpiece doesn’t rot away at the end of the season. You can safely store it away and bring it out again next year! Along with these new pumpkins, new carving techniques came about. It was in 2005 when I first did a carved pumpkin like this. Found some information on the web and gave it a try. Turned out pretty good and it really wasn’t that hard to do. The hardest part is making the template so it looks good. Once you have a good template, the carving goes fairly quick. I’m going to walk you through how I carved the dog pumpkin so you can do one yourself. And since I’m posting this at the beginning of September, you’ll have plenty of time to do this before Halloween! Foam Halloween Pumpkin Before you start, you’ll need to buy a foam pumpkin. Before Halloween it’s super easy to buy these. Just go to your local Michael’s store (or other craft store if you don’t have one of them nearby) and you can purchase as many as you’d like. They come in various sizes, I suggest the largest version since they are the easiest to carve. More room means more details you can carve. If you do go to Michael’s to buy it, don’t just run off and buy one! All you have to do is google “Micheal’s coupon” and you’ll find 40-50% off coupons you can use on a single item. Why pay $25 for a foam pumpkin when you can pay half that! Creating The Carving Template The first thing that we need to do is create a nice carving template. Without a good template, you won’t end up with a good carving. For the starting image you’ll want to find one that’s nice and clear with good detail. Most of the detail will be lost during the conversion process, but having the detail to start is better. It’s also best to have an image where the background is fairly plain. A busy background will just make the process harder. For this part, you can use something like Photoshop or GIMP. This isn’t a tutorial on using either of those products, so I’m going with the assumption here that you know how to use them. One thing you need to keep in mind while you are making the template is how many “colors” you have on a carved pumpkin. You really only have three colors that are easily controlled. First, you’ll have dark areas where the orange skin on the outside is intact. This will mostly block all the light from inside the pumpkin, so these areas will be dark. Next, you’ve got areas of the pumpkin where the orange skin has been removed but there is still foam “meat” remaining. These areas will glow orange. You can make them glow more or less orange by how thick the foam is, but that gets to be more difficult and is definitely a much more advanced type of carving! Finally, you have the areas of the carving where you’ve removed everything. The skin and the foam meat are gone and you can see inside the pumpkin. These areas will be the brightest, they will glow very strong. When you are making your template you want to keep this in mind, there’s only really 3 colors. You’ll have dark areas where there is skin, glowing areas where the skin is removed, and very bright areas where everything is cut out. Let’s get to making the template, here’s the image I started with: While this is a decent starting image, it’s not without it’s problems. The main issue is the wooden stair tread behind the dogs ears. They blend into the ears, so we’ll need to remove those stair treads eventually so that we get a nice clean edge for the ears. First thing we do is desaturate the image and turn it into a greyscale image. You can either desaturate the colors or convert the image to grayscale, either works: Converting to B/W isn’t enough, we still have too many shades of grey. What we really want is only three colors – black, white, and grey. To do this we’re going to use the posterize command. Posterize lets us convert an image with many colors into one with less colors. Here we are going to select three to start with. When we do that though you can see that the ears are completely blended into the background: Not what we want. To overcome this I used the dodge tool to lighten the wooden stair tread and separate the ears from the background from the desaturated image: Now when the image is posterized we get a nice clean separation from the background: The posterization step is the hardest part of the whole process. Converting the image down to only three colors is what’s going to be the most difficult. This image luckily converted over very easily. But others (like the portrait one in this post) are much harder to convert. What I’ve always done when it doesn’t convert over that well is increase the number of posterization colors. You’ll probably find four colors look good for one area of the image, but six looks better in a different section. What you have to do is start to convert in sections. Posterize to four colors and then hand convert that into three colors for the one good section. Then posterize the original B/W to five colors, again hand convert the section that looks good now into three colors. This is the artistry part of doing this, it’ll take time and lost of trail and error to get a good final template. At this point I changed the background over to black. Really didn’t need to because in the end I changed it back into white. Ok, now that we have a good template we have to cut out what we want to carve. For the dog I just wanted to do his face. Now I could just cut the head off but then I’ll have a smooth line below the face which really won’t look right: To fix this I then cloned, rotated, and warped portions of the dog’s fur from the side of the face to the bottom of the head: The end result is the bottom of the head looks more natural, it looks more like fur rather then I took a pair of scissors to a picture! Once I had the face like I wanted it I then removed the excess background and resized the image to fit properly on the pumpkin. Take your pumpkin, measure the side of it, and figure out how big of a carving you want and can fit on the pumpkin. Once you’ve figured that out you can resize and print out the template: Prepare The Pumpkin At this point I like to prepare the foam pumpkin. By that, I mean cut a hole in the bottom and clean out the inside. Yup, even though it’s a fake foam pumpkin we’re going to need to clean up the inside a little bit. First, take a knife and cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin. Doesn’t have to be too big, big enough that you can fit your hand inside. Once you’ve got a hole cut in the bottom, take a look inside the pumpkin. What you’re going to see are molding ribs inside the pumpkin. That’s what we need to clean up. If there’s a bright enough light inside the pumpkin you’ll see the ribs because the body of the pumpkin will glow, but the ribs will glow darker since there’s more foam at those spots for the light to travel through. To clean out the ribs we’re going to use a surform shaver. It’s a small rasp file that removes material when you pull it against the material you are trying to shape. The problem is the normal size of the shaver is too big for us to use: The solution is to cut down the handle so that it’s just the head of the shaver. You’ll still be able to grasp it and use it inside the pumpkin to shave off the extra rib material. Once you’ve used the shaver the ribs inside the pumpkin will be much less then they were before: Just be careful, if you shave too much you’ll cut a hole right through the pumpkin! Not what we want. Glue The Template On The Pumpkin Some people transfer the template to the pumpkin by using a pin and poking holes into the pumpkin. That will not give you very good results. What you want to do is glue the template onto the face of the pumpkin, that way you’ll know exactly what material you need to remove. For gluing onto the pumpkin you want to use Elmer’s Washable Glue: We want to use this specific glue because after we’ve carved the pumpkin there will still be some of the template left on the pumpkin. That remaining template is removed by soaking the pumpkin in water so it disolves the glue and the paper template comes right off. Take your pumpkin and place the template on the outside spot where you used the surform shaver inside the pumpkin to remove the ribs. All you are doing is determining where up/down you want to place the template. Once you’ve found your spot flip the template over and coat the backside completely with glue. You don’t have to go overboard with the glue, but just make sure all the surface of the paper is covered. After it’s all covered in glue flip it back over and start pressing it onto the pumpkin. You also want to put some more glue on the front of the template: What you are trying to achieve is that the paper is completely soaked with glue. When it’s completely soaked with glue you’ll be able to press it into the groove of the pumpkin. You want to keep smoothing it out till there are no air bubbles or excess glue under the template, so it’s flat against the pumpkin skin. After it’s all flat against the pumpkin set everything aside for at least a day to dry. You want to be sure all the glue has dried, otherwise trying to carve the pumpkin will make a big mess. Time To Carve The Pumpkin For carving the pumpkin we’re going to use a rotary tool. The most common one is the Dremel rotary tool, which just about everyone has probably heard about. But you can use other brands too, I’ve got one by Durabilt and it works just fine: One thing you do want to get is the Dremel flex shaft. It makes doing the carving a whole lot easier. Instead of having to hold the entire weight of the tool, you just have the weight of the end of the flex shaft. Makes it much easier. You will also need some bits for the rotary tool. You can use the cutting bits, but what I’ve found works the best is diamond bits. They work by sanding the foam away. The bits are extremely cheap and they come in all sorts of different sizes and shapes which is nice. This is the set I use: If you use these and a dremel tool it doesn’t take long to carve out the pumpkin once the template is on it. Here’s the final template glued on ready for carving: Here’s a video of the pumpkin being carved out: It’s really not that hard, just take your time. Every template is kinda unique in the order you’ll want to carve it out. Sometimes you’ll go over the carving and remove the skin since that’s what mostly needs to be done. Then do the cutout portions. Other times it might make more sense to do the full cut out sections first. It’s kinda trial and error with you learning as you carve more pumpkins. Clean The Pumpkin The only thing left now is to place the pumpkin template down in a little water. Let it sit in that for a couple hours, then the glue and extra template material will wipe away easily. At this point you’ll probably look at what you carved and think it looks horrible! But luckily it’s when there’s a glow stick or LED candle inside and it’s dark that the pumpkin comes alive! As you saw from the beginning of this post, you don’t have to just do pets. You can also do portrait pumpkins too! Maybe my pumpkin carving skills are good enough and you are into HDR photography so you will recognize the portrait. Here’s the template before it was carved: And a video of the portrait being carved into the pumpkin: Hopefully Trey Ratcliff won’t be too upset with me carving his face into a pumpkin! (Trey, if you are, let me know and I’ll take down all images, video, and mention of this ever happening!). Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure out how to do an HDR carving in the pumpkin, otherwise I would have definitely carved him that way! I do hope that some of you out there will follow my tutorial and carve your own pumpkin. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask by leaving a comment. I’ll try my best to answer it so you and others will know how to do these. If you do carve a pumpkin though, let me know and send a picture! I’ll add it to the post so others can enjoy your handy work.Related posts:

From the Medical Staff Directors: Focus on Value, Not Volume Value-Based Purchasing. If you have not heard this term yet, you will likely become familiar with it soon as it begins to affect the way we are all reimbursed for the work we do. What is Value-Based Purchasing? Value Based Purchasing comes out of the push by employers to contain health care expenses and use their market power to promote quality and value of health care services. It is a concept where buyers hold providers accountable for both cost and quality of care. It focuses on reducing inappropriate care and identifying and rewarding the best-performing providers. Information on cost and quality is gathered and analyzed on competing providers and health plans. The purchasers then contract selectively with plans or providers based on demonstrated performance. Plans receive a score that reflects a combination of quality and cost indicators. The best-performing plans and providers are rewarded with greater volume of enrollees. In January, Medicare began tying almost $1 billion in payments to the quality of care with bonuses and penalties to nearly 3,000 hospitals. The payment change was created by the federal health law and is known as the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program. It is part of the government’s effort to shift away from paying hospitals and doctors based on the quantity of care they provide with no regard for how good a job they did. For example, Medicare is reducing payments to all hospitals by 1 percent. It then calculates a score on how much money each hospital deserved to get back based on the quality of its care. While every hospital is getting something back, almost half aren't recouping the 1 percent they forfeited and thus are net losers. Over the next four years, the program will expand to encompass 2 percent of all Medicare payments. At St. Mary's, we are actively working to ensure that we are in the group with the best performance. St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Staff Directors Kay Barrett, Lee Carter, Timothy Crummy, James Goodsett, Anne-Marie Lozeau, Kyle Martin, Jeff Welch New Leaders on Board Dr. Greg Burnett begins March 11 as St. Mary’s new vice president for medical affairs and chief medical officer. He will be joined by four other vice presidents (one of them interim and one with regional strategic responsibilities) who will be helping to lead St. Mary’s Hospital to the next tier of excellence. VP/MEDICAL AFFAIRS: Dr. Greg Burnett most recently was an OB/GYN physician and division medical director with Marshfield Clinic. Prior to that, he was president and vice president of medical staff at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, and had served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force. His health care experience includes physician recruitment, credentialing, major construction projects, hospital relationship management and direction of medical and surgical specialties. While with Marshfield Clinic, he played a crucial role in expanding primary care and urgent care access to four new clinics and implemented a customer excellence program. He also implemented multiple new service lines in Eau Claire, including cardiovascular surgery, bariatric surgery and a hospitalist program. Dr. Burnett received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He holds a doctor of medicine degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and has his master’s in health care management from the Harvard School of Public Health. VP/CARDIAC SERVICES & OPERATIONS: Also joining St. Mary’s March 11 is Craig Sommers as vice president overseeing cardiac services and operations. Most recently he was executive director of the Genesis Heart Institute and cardiac service line for the Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa. His experience there covers two campuses and includes interventional areas, diagnostic, programs, research, surgery, inpatient care, outpatient and clinic practices. Among his accomplishments are creating operating efficiencies using LEAN tools, reducing heart failure readmissions and leading the team to achievement of Thomson Reuters Top 50 Heart Hospital designation in 2011. Prior to joining Genesis, Craig was the Administrative Director at Mitchell Hospital part of the University of Chicago Hospitals system. There he oversaw cardiology, general medicine, oncology and surgery. Craig earned his B.S. from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, and his M.H.A. from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. VP/OPERATIONS: Jonathan Lewis, who is currently vice president of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for St. Mary’s Dean Ventures, will start March 25 as our new VP of Operations. At SMDV, Jon oversees three free-standing ambulatory surgery centers owned jointly by SSM Health Care of Wisconsin and Dean Health System. His areas of responsibility include regulatory compliance, risk management, budgeting and finance, quality improvement, project management, infection control, building services, emergency preparedness and information technology. A registered nurse who holds a master’s in business administration from Edgewood College, he has served as a critical care nurse, transplant coordinator for UW Hospital, project manager for the implementation of an electronic medical record and clinical manager. INTERIM VP/PATIENT CARE SERVICES: While a national search for a permanent VP is under way, nationally known nurse leader Barb Campfield joined St. Mary’s in January to fill the role performed by Joan Beglinger for 22 years. Barb is president and principal for Partners for Clinical Success, a national consulting firm specializing in leadership, quality and safety improvements, education and peer review, and program development for acute care organizations. Among the many hospitals throughout the country where she has provided interim chief nurse executive services is our SSM St. Mary’s Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. REGIONAL VP/STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: A familiar face from Dean will join our regional Wisconsin team and be part of the SSM Health Care corporate strategic planning team. Todd Burchill, who served four years as Vice President for Strategic Planning and Business Development at Dean, will begin March 11. Most recently, he was Vice President of Business Development for the Advocate Medical Group in Chicago, where he worked on physician acquisitions and physician growth strategies for the Advocate hospitals. He also held positions in several Chicago strategy and financial firms as well as played roles at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and Henry Ford Health System, Detroit. He holds a master’s degree in health systems management from Rush University and a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration from Pennsylvania State University. Todd will be filling the role previously held by Marilyn Biros, who will be working with Todd until her retirement April 4. Intra-Operative Anesthesia is Going Live in Epic Anesthesia departments throughout all of the affiliated hospitals are in the process of adopting the Epic Anesthesia program, which captures and integrates all anesthesia activities into the Epic Record. What does this mean for you? What is happening? With the change, the anesthesia physicians and CRNAs will create their pre-operative evaluations, intraoperative records (graphic and notes) and post-operative notes using a new Epic tool. Their ordering process remains the same but begins within the new tools. While learning new workflows and ways to document is always a challenge, Epic will offer real-time access to patient care information and better patient monitoring and reporting capability. The Janesville hospital anesthesia providers went live successfully Jan. 22 and now use the Anesthesia module routinely in their operative anesthesia care. What does this offer to Epic users? Surgeons, their Advanced Practitioners and other providers on a patient’s team will not need to change their clinical or electronic health record activity. The Epic Anesthesia program will produce a new Anesthesia Record report available in Chart Review > Encounters listed as “Anesthesia Event.” It includes the Pre-Op evaluation, Intra-operative data (graphic, events list including anesthesia start and stop times, and medications) and the Post-Op note. All of the information captured during anesthesia will be available in this single report. After go-live, there will be no more scanning of separate paper anesthesia records. When is this happening? The operating rooms at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison will go live Tuesday, March 12, 2013. The Surgery and Care Center in Madison will go live Tuesday, April 2, 2013. – Dr. Jim Porter Four Drugs OK’d for Use Lexiscan, Omnicef, Toviaz and Relistor have been approved by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Read the Pharmacy Newsletter. Easy Access to Library Resources St. Mary’s Medical Library offers easy ways to get the information you need – among them, a quick and easy search through online journals and the “Ask a Librarian” button on the Medical Connections and the Medical Library websites. Read more. Lay It On the Line for Us – Take Our Survey! 2013 is St. Mary’s second year of participating in the Press Ganey Physician Partnership Survey, which focuses on satisfaction as well as engagement. The response rate for 2012 was 53%, and our goal for 2013 is 65%. Your ongoing input is essential as we work in partnership to create an environment where clinical excellence and your work satisfaction flourish. Any questions about the survey may be directed to Sara Sievers at 259-5380. If you received an invitation letter from Press Ganey, please complete the paper questionnaire or use the link provided to complete your survey online. The survey period ends March 27. Know a Nurse Who Deserves a Scholarship? Applications are due March 22 for the 2013 St. Mary’s Nursing Scholarships, and physicians can play a role by encouraging good candidates to apply ultimately advancing our health care workforce. To be eligible for the $1,000 to $5,000 grants, nurses must be enrolled in a BSN or MSN degree program, have earned at least half the required credits by May 31, work at least half time and have at least three years of work experience with St. Mary’s Hospital or Care Center. Applications are available in Human Resources, St. Mary’s Foundation or click here. BACK TO TOP Some Tips to Boost Patient Satisfaction A recent survey by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) revealed this simple act as a way to boost patient satisfaction: Pull up a chair. When doctors sit down to talk with them eye to eye, patients report feeling more empathy, interest and concern from their providers. Here are some tips to effectively meet the patient's needs: - Fully enter the room and make eye contact with a patient when discussing treatment. - Sit down whenever possible. Physicians who sit down during their visits are rated by patients as having spent more time than those who remain standing. - Allow the patient to "tell their story" without interruption. The average amount of time that a physician allows a patient to speak before interrupting is approximately 20 seconds. - Inquire, before departing, if there is anything else that the patient would like to address. Studies show patients save the most salient or troubling questions for the end of the encounter. Walking in Your Shoes: Gifts from St. Mary’s Foundation Physician Spotlight: Dr. Lori Wendricks House Dr. Lori Wendricks has an alter ego. Yes, in her professional life she employs her maiden name (Wendricks) but in her personal life she takes her husband’s last name (House). But it doesn’t end there. Just ask the 10,000 skiers at last month’s American Birkebeiner cross country ski event. Thanks to her proven ability and passion for the 54-kilometer Birkebeiner Trail, Lori was selected to portray Queen Inga in the re-enactment of the 800-year-old legend that inspired the creation of “the Birkie.” As the queen, she was dressed in a 13th-century costume and donned wooden skis to lead 10,000 skiers from Hayward, Wisconsin, to Cable, Wisconsin. The event celebrates the historic rescue of Queen Inga’s son during the Norwegian Civil War in 1206. (For more details: http://www.birkie.com/page/show/463961-history) She is pictured with St. Mary’s Foundation Executive Director Sandy Lampman. Nordic skiing is among her favorite pastimes when she’s not helping women with their health and the birthing process. Board-certified in gynecology and obstetrics/gynecology, she joined Dean Clinic in 2000. In addition to obstetrics, her medical interests include endometrial ablation, hysteroscopic surgery and pelvic floor reconstruction. She received her bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and did her residency training in 2000 at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons and the Wisconsin Medical Society. St. Mary’s Foundation made distributions and commitments of $1,257,776 in 2012. Many of them directly affect your work on the medical staff. Recent purchases include Crit—lines • Vein Viewing Systems • Maestro 3000 Cardiac Ablation System • Vocera System • Cordless/Wireless Barcode Scanners • EEG—Monitor Nerve Integrity • Hearing Screener. Memorial Fund Honors Dr. Karl Rudat The life and work of Dean physician Dr. Karl Rudat are celebrated through a new fund established by St. Mary’s Foundation. Gifts will support St. Mary’s Birth Suites, where Dr. Rudat delivered babies for 34 years before he passed away unexpectedly in 2011. To make an online gift, click here and be sure to designate “Other” and note that you wish to support the Dr. Rudat Fund. New St. Mary’s Intranet to Launch in April The one-stop shop for policies, procedures, clinical resources, St. Mary’s news and SSM system initiatives will get a new look and tighter organization in April. Look for improved functionality, navigation and search engine to help find the resources needed to work effectively and efficiently. In addition, the site promises job-specific links that will promote better information sharing and engagement among colleagues. Click the image on the right for a larger view at the new site. In Memory: Don Logan Dr. Donald C. Logan, retired Dean Clinic cardiologist, passed away in early in January 2013. He joined Dean in 1975 and was instrumental in developing what has evolved to be the Dean & St. Mary’s Cardiac Center. In 1995, he became the first medical director for St. Mary’s/Dean Ventures and then in 1998 became the first chief medical officer of Dean Clinic, serving in this role until he retired in September 2006. A memorial service will be held later this spring in Madison. New Faces on the Medical Staff Click here. Dr. Robert Gilbert and Dr. Mark Kaufman were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their leadership and vision with Dean. During his career, Dr. Gilbert served as chair of the DHS Board of Directors, became Dean’s first Medical Informatics Director and was a pioneer and advocate for instituting the electronic health record. Dr. Kaufman, who will retire in June, played key roles at Dean Health Plan: a Medical Director and then Chief Medical Officer. He later served as DHS Board Chair, Interim CEO and Chief Medical Officer for Dean Clinic. Honors and Recognitions Congratulations are in order for institutional successes and for our colleagues who go above and beyond the duty of their day (or night) jobs. Phyllis Fritsch, President and CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce for her commitment to quality health care in rural areas from the early 1970s to present. Sarah Coyne, an attorney for SSM Health Care of Wisconsin and partner with Quarles & Brady law firm, was recognized as a 2013 Leader in the Law by Wisconsin Law Journal. Turville Bay MRI & Radiation Oncology Center, which is jointly owned by St. Mary’s and Meriter, broke ground on a new MRI clinic on Deming Way in Madison. This fourth location for these services will be operational by spring 2014. Guardian Angels: Nine physicians have been honored as Guardian Angels during the second and third quarters of 2012 for their exceptional care. Patients and families have made a gift to St. Mary’s Foundation to honor the following physicians: Dr. Edward Ahrens Dr. Richard Lee Carter Dr. Susan Davdison (Maternal Fetal Medicine) Dr. Michael Holt Dr. John Phelan Dr. Karl Szewcyk

Slate of candidates includes many incumbents, familiar namesWritten by Tom Konecny | | firstname.lastname@example.org From Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez to longtime Congressional representatives Marcy Kaptur, Bob Latta and Teresa Fedor to Lucas County Commissioner Carol Contrada, area voters will find plenty of familiar names on the Nov. 4 ballot, with a few new challengers thrown into the mix and several races unopposed. Polls are open on Election Day 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Early voting is available at BTC Properties, 1946 N. 13th St., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 1, 1-5 p.m. Nov. 2 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 3. For the lone open Lucas County Commissioner seat, incumbent Democrat Contrada, the board’s president, squares off against Republican challenger Kevin Haddad. “I am coordinating regional economic development initiatives to bring jobs to Lucas County, ensuring a strong economic future; fighting to restore Lake Erie and protect our local water supply; and championing criminal justice reforms to keep our neighborhoods safe,” Contrada said. “I am committed to solving these critical issues and will continue to provide strong leadership and get results for the citizens of Lucas County.” Haddad is a former trustee for Sylvania Township and longtime owner of Kevin Haddad Design Group on Monroe Street. “I’m running because there’s been no balance on the county courts for 12 years and no one’s overlooking the funding,” he said. “When you have three people who agree on 99 percent of everything, their view on funding is not necessarily in the people’s interests. I’m looking out for the taxpayers’ dollars to see that things are paid for correctly.” Lucas County Auditor In the race for Lucas County auditor, incumbent Democrat Anita Lopez faces Republican John Navarre. Navarre has worked in the Lucas County Auditor’s office for the past 12 years, most of that time as a state-certified licensed appraiser. Navarre also has experience in residential and commercial property departments. “My main goal is to make sure that everyone’s property is valued fairly and equitably without any bias,” Navarre said. “I want to make sure that no one in Lucas County is paying more than their fair share.” Lopez has served as auditor since 2006, and ran for Toledo mayor last year. Previously, she served as Lucas County recorder from 2004-06, worked for the City of Toledo under Mayor Jack Ford, and has served on the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education. Lopez did not respond to an interview request. Ohio House — District 44 In the race for 44th District Ohio House of Representatives seat, Democrat incumbent Michael Ashford faces Republican challenger John Insco. Ashford is serving his second term in the Ohio House. Prior to that, he was appointed to Toledo City Council in 2002 and served as president in 2007. He could not be reached for comment. Insco is a drugstore chain district manager who believes that experience will translate well into government. “Business people understand government. We deal with the excess regulation, overreach, bloated rules and regulations, and most agree that if the presidential election was run today, [Mitt] Romney would win by a landslide,” Insco said. “As a district manager, I have ran over 30 major chain drugstores with sales over $100 million and overseen a staff of well over 200. Compare that in the real world to a community organizer.” Ohio House — District 45 In the Ohio House’s 45th District, Democrat incumbent Teresa Fedor will square off against Republican challenger James Nowak. Fedor has represented the 45th and 47th Districts since 2010. She previously served in the House from 2000-02, and in the Ohio Senate from 2002-10. Fedor also served in the Air Force and Ohio National Guard. Nowak has worked as a Toledo attorney for the past 30 years, and ran unsuccessfully for a Toledo City Council seat last year. Neither Fedor nor Nowak responded to a request for comment. Ohio House — District 46 In the Ohio House’s 46th District, Democrat incumbent Michael Sheehy faces Republican Drew Blazsik. Sheehy is serving an unexpired term in the seat vacated by former state Rep. Matt Szollosi. Sheehy has served in municipal government for nearly two decades, including several terms as president of Oregon City Council and most recently on Oregon Council’s Public Utilities and Environment Committees, as well as being chairman of Oregon Council’s Safety Committee. “One of the things I’m concerned about is the water crisis,” Sheehy said. “I have legislation which will help reduce the nutrient load that goes into the Maumee River system. I have been very involved, so I’m pretty well versed in what’s going on. I’m also very keen on the fact that our jobs and quality of life are protected in Northwest Ohio.” Blazsik has worked in business for the past 11 years. He graduated from the University of Toledo and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in economics. “My vision for Ohio is to utilize my economics background to make Ohio the most competitive state for jobs and the best place for raising a family,” Blazsik said. “I got into politics because I felt like the free market is under attack in this country. I feel like it’s imperative for Ohio to have strong leaders that have the ability to explain how the free market system has lifted people out of poverty and created the greatest wealth seen in history.” Ohio House — District 47 Republican incumbent Barbara Sears is running unopposed for the Ohio House’s 47th District seat. Ohio Senate — District 11 Democrat incumbent Edna Brown, the minority whip, is seeking to retain her Ohio Senate District 11 seat against Republican challenger Ernest McCarthy. Brown was elected to her position in 2010, previously serving in the Ohio House from 2002-10. She also worked for 32 years with the City of Toledo, followed by an eight-year tenure on Toledo City Council (1994-2002). “My vision for the next General Assembly is to work in a bipartisan manner to address critical issues such as cuts to local governments and schools; adequate treatment and access to mental health treatment, addiction services and substance abuse, particularly the heroin and opioid epidemic,” Brown said. McCarthy is hoping to win by spreading his message by foot. “As your senator, I will truly promote economic development and small business growth in the Toledo area,” McCarthy said. “We truly need our elected officials promoting jobs and the benefits of the Toledo area. When elected, you can be certain I will work to bring jobs to the Toledo area and truly promote small business growth.” U.S. House — District 5 The 5th District finds Republican Bob Latta, now in his fourth term, facing competition from Democrat Robert Fry and Libertarian Eric Eberly. Latta, a lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio, served as a Wood County commissioner from 1991-96 before serving in the Ohio Senate from 1997-2001, and the Ohio House from 2001-07. “I am constantly in the district meeting with my constituents and listening to their concerns on how federal laws and regulations affect them, and I take these views with me when I cast my votes in Washington,” Latta said. “Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have worked to foster an environment where individuals and businesses can succeed.” Fry, a Navy veteran, has served as a minister in Maumee for 29 years. “I’ve lived and worked a lifetime for the people in District 5, and I don’t like what I’m seeing in Washington,” Fry said. “People need represented, and I’ve only seen the corporations represented. There must be a balance between the corporations and the people. Our working middle class is being pushed into the working poor.” Eberly, a real estate agent and chef, has lived in Bowling Green for over 12 years. He has served as executive committee treasurer and secretary of the Libertarian Party of Wood County since 2010. “My campaign has been focused on changing mindsets and changing methods in Columbus,” Eberly said. “The hyperpartisan legislature and state offices have not had the best interest of our local communities in mind, and we have seen mostly continued campaigning from officeholders, and less work toward solid ends that benefit Ohioans long term.” U.S. House — District 9 In District 9, Democrat Marcy Kaptur is serving her 16th term, the senior-most woman in the U.S. House of Representatives. She faces independents Cory Hoffman of Huron and George Skalsky of Cleveland and Republican Richard May of Cleveland. “I have been privileged to serve the people of Ohio’s 9th District in robust and lean economic times,” Kaptur said. “Throughout these years I have delivered results and a proven track record of service. The life of our family here in northern Ohio mirrors the struggles of families throughout the region. A desire to serve others, a diverse educational background, experience in urban planning and development, and the experiences I have gained as a senior legislator, provide a strong base from which I seek to continue to serve.” Hoffman, an attorney who joined the Navy Reserve while a student at Bowling Green State University, is running in his first campaign. “I’m tired of living in a bad economy and we don’t have to,” Hoffman said. “Congress has the power to fix it and they don’t either out of ignorance or malevolence.” Skalsky said he doesn’t think he’s going to win, but hopes his candidacy calls attention to issues. “I am a write-in candidate in order to focus my attention on calling for a broad ‘pro-big-D democracy in America’ movement,” Skalsky said. May worked for 23 years as a warehouse circulation manager for the Cleveland Edition and Plain Press newspapers, and said he believes that helps him in understanding working-class voters. Lucas County — Judicial In Lucas County, Democrat Jay Feldstein and Republican Lisa McGowan are vying for Common Pleas Judge, Domestic Relations Division, and either Democrat Ian English or Republican Mark Davis will be elected Common Pleas Judge, General Trial Division. A lifelong Toledoan, Feldstein has practiced law for 35 years. He’s also practiced extensively in domestic relations proceedings as well as other areas of law, including criminal defense and civil litigation. “If elected, it would give me an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, while also giving back to the legal profession,” Feldstein said. McGowan is a magistrate with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, where she has served since 1999. “Once I started hearing cases as a judicial officer, I knew that I could do so much more for our court and the families we serve,” McGowan said. English has worked for the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office since 2001 and has also taught at the University of Toledo as an adjunct professor. Davis has practiced law and taught classes at the University of Toledo for the past 10 years, in such varied topics as environmental, construction, criminal, contract, fraud and medical malpractice law. Prior to his law career, Davis was involved in business, having worked in Europe and traveled to over 60 countries. Both English and Davis support the formation of a drug court. State — Judicial Two state justices of the Supreme Court will be elected: Democrat Tom Letson is challenging Republican incumbent Sharon Kennedy, and Democrat John O’Donnell is challenging Republican incumbent Judi French. Letson, who has practiced law for 20 years, is currently in his fourth term as a state representative in Trumbull County. He is not eligible to run for another term there. Prior to her 2012 election to the Ohio Supreme Court, Kennedy served at the Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division and as administrative judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division. O’Donnell is a judge in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. Neither Letson nor Kennedy responded to an interview request. French was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court by Gov. John Kasich. “Having been a judge on the 10th District Court of Appeals for eight years, I was ready to jump into this position when Gov. Kasich appointed me to fill a vacancy in January 2013,” French said. “Now I have a 10-year record as a judge who defines my role in a limited way and does not legislate from the bench.” O’Donnell said the most important trait for a judge is independence. “Public confidence that courts are independent may wane if judges are seen as too closely connected to the powers that be in the political branches,” he said. More statewide races Republican incumbent Josh Mandel faces Democrat Connie Pillich for State Treasurer. Republican incumbent Dave Yost faces Democrat John Patrick Carney and Libertarian Bob Bridges to retain his State Auditor position. For attorney general, incumbent Republican Mike DeWine will face Democrat David Pepper. Incumbent Republican Jon Husted will face Democrat Nina Turner and Libertarian Kevin Knedler in the race for Secretary of State. Tags: Anita Lopez, Bob Latta, Carol Contrada, Cory Hoffman, Drew Blazsik, Edna Brown, Eric Eberly, Ernest McCarthy, Ian English, James Nowak, Jay Feldstein, John Insco, John Navarre, Judi French, Kevin Haddad, Lisa McGowan, Marcy Kaptur, Mark Davis, Michael Ashford, Michael Sheehy, Richard May, Robert Fry, slider, Teresa Fedor, Tom Letson

Newspaper Page Text LL-' ii-?-a_i_. i.._ J. C. QARLtXGlOX, EDITOR, LAUlvKNS, Juno 8th 1887. *-* 1-'-iJ-'j .\?9 gggggagggg ?---as Subscription Prlce--12 Months, $1.00 l'A Y Alli. r. IN ADVANCE. -Ll-J_1_ __i .i Kate? Tor Advertising. Ordinary Ad vertlnoniontH, per ROU a rc, One umor tion, 11.00; each subsequent inser tion, 60 Centn. Liberal reduction made for large Ad? A HMltloi S MATTEll. Onco mon* wc cull upon thc thinknig men of Laurene County, und especially of the town of I .mi rons, to stop; look matters squarely in the face and rise toaetlon. The cotton factory to be built at Moun tain Shoals is a matter of tho great est concerti to t hi* place. Asa cot ton market alone, wo can prosper; but to have thc trade of that flour ishing section around this factory taken from us, will'be felt by'every business man. Year by year wc aro being surrounded by factory towna which aro growing prosper ous, while they.drawjthoir lifeblood from tin's county. Will it ever be thus? Will our men of means-,our substantial business men, sit dowu and allow their property to depre ciate, Ttheir business to fail and their town to dry up? if wo allow thc cotton trade to bc etlt up and distributed to all the towns around us, wc must not expect a healthy commerce, or prosperity in any di rection. For a few weeks it really ?cerned that our people had awak ened from.thoir stupor and realized thc situation and made an effort to master it. One would have thought that the cotton factory for Laurens was an assured fact, but the bubble soems about to burst. It looks ns though those who rose with most lusty shouts have been first to fall into silence, and tho whole matter now appears to tho publie as a dream, thc child of a sickly imagi nation or tho production of indiges Even now, the growth of factory towna around us can be turned to advantage. We can maKo these fcodors if only we turn our bands towards improving our cotton market. Laurens is favored in lo cation, our railroad facilities are unsurpassed in this section, and all wc want is a start in the direction of manufacturing enterprises. Just think ofit! In two weeks Kl XT Y THO USA XI) DOLLA RS were subscribed to a factory for Lau rens, and yet for want of a leading spirit who had tho nerve and pluck to hold on', the enterprise, failed to grow to completion! Lotus all make a desperate effort-a long pull and a pull altogether-to build this factory, and then the grand possibilities before us will bc reali It must he acknowledged that tho views of Secretary Lamar on "Southern Progress," which wo printed last week, however unwel comed, ore to a groat extent true. We know that while there aro signs of tho greatest prosperity in some mining districts and especial ly tho cities contiguous, yet thc great mass of people, those who constitute the South, have scarcely been fanned by this wave of prog ress. Tho great trouble with this country to-day; the reason why we are not more prosperous, is because the Southern farmers have never learned to make ti dime. They strive to make dollars. Our people must learn there are other ways to make money besides planting cotton. They must realizo that it is not work alone, but thrift, frugality and judgment that ls needed. Our people must catch on to some of the "yankee tricks." Of course honesty and fair dealing is essential, for no deception ever pays, but thoy should learn that even here in this cotton country, an honest penny can be turned more than once in a A casual glance over the South is sufficient to show that Secretary Lamar is right when he says that some sections of this country are moving forward in tho lino of prog ress at an astonishing pace, and it requires no prophet to predict that thc next ''.condo will bring a revo lution in nor industrial methods. The reason why wo make so lit tle progress, is that wo attempt too much. One factory or other indus try started in a modest way and gradually worked up, it mutters not how insignificant a beginning it may have, if it ia finally placed on a paying basis, is worth more to the community thnn thc most gi gantic enterprise which starts out with a great blowing of horns, but from want of cxperince or other causes falls. We need solid paying enterprises such as will offer safe Investments to capitalists. It is not for show that wo want factories, but to prove that money can be mode in the South outside of cot ton fields. We urge tho necessity ol a cotton factory at this pince, not only because lt will bring thousands ?it'dollars, hore tg}rfJ?o expended at homo for snell things as tho farmers of tho county cnn produce pr oil tn? bly, but bocauso there is tho strong est reasons to believe that it would be profitable to stockholder.?. But it is a mistake to suppoeo that only a cotton factory will bring this result, Humlrcds?of entcrpri* ses could bo mon Honed which would go far towards dispelling thc depression that always exists in exclusively agricultural districts. A poor carpenter a tow year? ago in this state, met with an accident which disabled him for heavy work. Ho set to work, and with the limit ed means he could command, erec ted a rude shop to manufacture split-bottom chairs. To-day he is ono of tho wealthy manufacturers Ol Georgia. A blind mau in u neighboring county was taught to make brooms a short while back, and now he has a factory that con sumes more raw material,-broom corn-than can bc procured in this ?State. ?Mo it is cveryhcrc. Other places are moving forward, diversi fying industries* While we arc din cussing the advantages? "Wo u?s liko to make such a prediction, bid unless there is i\ change and that soon, Laurens, the most favored county in thc? State, will bo far bo hlnd iu industrial progress. OUR WASHINGTON LETTER. (Hy Our Regular Correspondent.) Washington, May 2Sth, 1887 ?Since I last wrote you the tillich discussed National Drill has been formally opened and has passed t'irough various vicissitudes, al ready. It has boen visited by ter rille rain s*orm.s on several succes sive evenings, accompanied by cy clones which forobore to perform any more serious antics than tho smashing up of thc apparatus con nected with the Pyorama, thc car rying away of tents ami their con tents from tho camp ground, the unroofiigof tb?? spectator's grand stand, and many others of a simi Despite ali these discouragements tho Drill is still progressing in a fairly creditable manner. Kvery morning tho Pyorama and the soldiers and the spectators come up smiling for tho programme of the day, as if there was nothing se rious about, a cyclone, and tho spec tacle proceeds. The city is so full of soldiers and strangers that ono is forcibly reminded of Inaugura tion times. Hands play, bugles call, the shrill lifo is heard, and drums beat all day long. The lively men aro doing a rushing business and making the streets as lively as pos sible. Carriages, landaus, herdlcs, cabs, tandem teams, jaggers, bug gies, in short, every available con veyance is in demand by the visit ing sightseers. The bicycle and tricycle depots too are entirely be reft of machines, many of the sol dim-boys taking advantage of this method of locomotion while sojour ning in the wheelman's paradise. They aro perfectly enthused with its miles and miles of broad asphalt pavement, where never so muon as a gravel .comes in contact with Thc most brilliant day of tho Drill was Wednesday, when the troops in fun dress parade were reviewed by the President. The people turn ed outen masse and literally over flowed tho streets along tho line of march. Business was temporarily suspended along thc route and bus iness people jo?ix 1 tim throng of sight-scers.|Tho Ptcsidont occupied a flag draped stand erected on Penn sylvania avenue in front of tho White House, and he was surroun ded l.y the Governors of several ?States with their staffs, some of the Cabinet officers, and a few other prominent people. General ?Sh?rif dan was there, also Mrs Cleveland, who was, ns HSlial, thc cynosure of of al; eyes. General Augur, tho Comman dant of tho camp, rode at the head of the procession, surrounded by his staffs, all mounted, and receiv ed marked recognition from tho stand. The ?Stuart Horse Guards, ! of Richmond, came next at tho hoad of tho Virginia brigade. Govcnor Deo was proud of the showing made by bis ?State, and from his placo on tho stand applauded the. soldiers heartily. Must of tho tinifoilUH weroresplendent, while tho Com mandant wore a suit of dark blue with black cord trimmings and a plain white helmet. Not a private soldier In the parado had a uniform half so plain and simple as his. While the marching was for the most part good, there invaribly ap pearer! a waver in tho linc just when tho soldiers passed the Presidential stand and would have, like to show to the best advantage. This was attributed to the desire of men to got a good look at the President and his pretty wife about whom they lind heard so much. Many a side glance was cast up into the grand stand at the expense of good form. It became necessary to change the styl? of march, and sev eral Jialis were made in conse quence. Knob, time thc order, pa rado rest, Was given, the soldiers in tho vicinity Of the stand turned about and kept their eyes Axed up on the Presidential party until they were ororcd to march again. Tho gel"vices of the. camp hospi tal have been in constant demand since the beginning of tho Encamp? menl. Every day dozen* of the lads-far from hom?--unod treat menl, prescriptions and nursing of somo kind. Tims far most of the patients who have been brought lu bavo been overcome by tho heat when on parado. These amature warriors aro unused to military hardships, and guard duty at night in tho rain is an experience now to most of them. Tho hospital ls in Charg? of the lied Cross ?Society, and Miss (Mara Harton, its president, is the presid ing gen ?us of tho place Just as tho Commandant's flag wu* raised at ?w^^?f/A'iliiifi'jfaiimui*. ..... J J:? headquarters on opening day, flags of various European nations were hoisted at the sumo time by the lied (..ros.-. People, in addition* to their especial flag. Those Hugs were pre sented to Miss Harton at ditl'erent times hy various European sover eigns in recognition ot services on tile battle Held and in camp, ill rar ing for the sick and wounded. She is proud of her collection of nation al Hags which she regards as the finest in this country, and which being direct gifts from tim sover eigns, are of tlie most exquisite tex ture and finish. Thoro are so immy of them that they cannot all he Heat ed nt once,so every day a new set PRO H IBI T ION. nv c. h. ri KI:. One of the amusing things is to soe how some editors point the mc? ral of the Michigan election. Ina total of at least ;,.8.,'.,000, the Amend ment is debated by about 4^00, Even had no votes been stolen from us, this would mean th ul all that was necessary was t?-, convince 2,000 moro voters in evder to make Pro hibition triumphant. And yet wo are numerously told that wo sure ly hUttt soo now tho hopelessness of ibo fight. "Strange to say, we do Tho Haddock trial ended as it was tim foregone conclusion it would end-either in acquittal or disagreement of the jury. It was a packed jury, any quantity of money was in Hie hands of tho de fense, and was used without scruple. Juror O'Connel says that he was repeatedly approached and asked to name Ids price. The rumsellor has adopted assassination as his weapon, and is it a wonder that public indignation in America is reaching white Inuit? I>r. Talmage Nails a Ide. There is now going the rounds of the. Press a reported interview witli Dr. Talmage, in which the Doctor is made to express himself in favor of High License. We clipped the interview and sent it to Dr. Tal mage, and here is Iiis answer: "Of course that interviewon High License is a sham. I have had many letters about it. Whenever interviewed I have in unmeasured terms denounced liigh License ns a compromise with the devil. It is an armistice that will give the en emy time to reorganize, ids forces, i am for prohibition, state and na tional, and the news from Michi gan makes me think that the day ls not so far distant us some had T. De Witt Talmage." Thc Philadelphia Press originat ed the bogus interview. Tue Iowa ?State Register says, "Thc warfare Upon the sale of liquors of all kinds has been so suc cessful that tho great majority of the saloons with which the State was for a long time cursed have boon entirely abolished, and prohl I bitiOU is reigning absolute in four? fifths of the counties in the state." I The soul of Haddock ia marching Ten years ago, whim I entered (his temperance work, my father (who changed wo. ids a few years sinee) used to advise me to keep my eyes open as I travelled and as siam as I saw a good chance to get Into the newspaper business again to drop lecturing oa temperance and take up tho pen, "for," said he, "thistemperance work is merely a temporary excitement-a sort of moral itch on tlie body of society that will soon be allayed." Well, I kept my eyes open, but the longer I travelled, the more I found lo do, and to-day, like every worker in tho j field, I find it impossible to answer ! all the Macedonian eries for help. The excitement has blown over "the other w-ay," and every State, Territory and civalized country is on fire with temperance and pro ! bibi tory enthusiasm. For once In Iiis life, my father's head was not level,-L. J. Beauchamp. Tho Devil once paid a visit to an old hermit and gave him choice of three evils, among which was tho vico of drunkenness. The hermit chose drunkenness, und while un der tho influence of this alcoholic hell broth, he WUS soon committing tho other two evils. Thus doe:, strong drink lay tho foundation for tho innumerable evils that afflict mankind. It opens Pandora's box. It floods this fair land with seas in carnadine, It should ho put under Hecate's! Lot it to relegated to the infernal religions! The voice of Dod in nature, history, provi dende ami the Hilde, thundos in Sinai's tones, "Tlie Saloon Must Gol Voto Out Whiskey. Minden, La., Mareil 16th.-The Prohibition agitation in this State is under tho direction of a non-par tisan State Committee. An impor tant meeting of this committee was held recently in New Orleans, and it was decided to hold a South Lou isiana Prohibition Temo?rnnce Convontloil in that city April 19. Thc plan ol'campaign for this year ic to work up the temp?rance agita tion thoroughly hy July, Angust, and September, before tho State political canvass gets undor way and voto whiskey out of as many parishes and wards as possible. Thc Rochester Browing Compa ny ia manufacturing a bar for a Boston Saloon ut a eost of 120.000. Anti prohibitionists In Wiscon sin hnvo organized a State associa tion and put out a state lecturer. And yet they say "Prohibition is a "While tho apathy of some of our chuten mombors and other good citizens of Laurens county is dis couraging their indifference is more than offset by tho earnostcoss and zeal of i\ lends who are found in State o? South Carolina. COUNTY OF LAU lt KN s. Court of Probate. Silas. ti. Knight, Plaintiff, Robert Knight. Tilomas Knight, benja mln F. Landford, Ulliam Landlord. Wistar A. Knight. Woltor Scott Knight in his in-ti vidual right amt as executor of Si as Knight, deceased, l'an nia K. Knight, ItobOCUtl 1*. Thomas, itohort ii. 'idiomas, Kinma Nations nco Thomas, John W. Thomas, Marv IO. Lesley nco Tilomas, Nancy A. Thomas, Estollo Thomas, William A. Tilomas. Wisiar Douglas, William Douglass, Frederick Douglass, Scott Douglass, FI fred L. Knight, Samitol H. Knight, John W. Knight, Walter T. Knight. Nancy Jones, John M. llotcolmbo in his own rigid and ns executor of Silas Kniglit, decoas cd,and Sandi Knight, Sarali H. Rey nolds nee Tilomas. Silas Douglass?. To the defendants nla)vo named; You p.re heroby summoned and ro qulrc*. to answer tho complaint In this act?on, which is tiled in tho oillco ol tho Tudgo of Probate. for tho said County, amt io servo a copy of your answer to tho said complaint on tim subscribers at their ollleoat I ?aureus F. II., South Carolina, Mithin twenty days after the service hereof, exclusive of "the day of snell service; ami if you fail to answer the complaint within the timo aforesaid, tho plaudit! in this ac tion will apnlv to tho Court for the re lief domAlldotl in the complaint. Dated, 22nd April. A. D. 1887. [Seal .1 A . W. bl' RN81 DU, J. F. b. C. FERGUSON A F F. A TI I ER SO N, To thc Defendants above named ; You will take notice that the .oimmons amt complaint in this action were tiled in the olhco ot tho Judge of Probate for I.aurons County South Carolina, on tho 22 day of April, IH87. . FKllursoN A: FKATIIBItHTONK, Flaintiir.s attorm vg. May 25,18S7. nt STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. COUNTY O F Ii A T ll E N S. Court of C ommon Ple?,s. Joshua S. ''raig, assignee,' aa ai ntl M Emma Workman, Caro lina Workman, Thomas M Workman. Sherard Work man, Klhort Workman, bi/./.io Ounningliam nen \ ffumntont. Workman, Martha Harris, nco Workman, Nannie Workman, Margaret .vin Workman and John J lMuss ami John W Furgu son under the arm name of Piusa A Ferguson. To tho defendant Martha Harris neo You arc hereby summoned and requi red to answer the complaint in this ac tion, which is filed in the OfUCO of the clork of tho court of common Ficus, for tho aald county, and to servo n copy ?if ? your nnswer to thu said complaint on tho subscribers nt their Oftlce I,aurons O II, 8 C, within twenty days after the scr\ loo horeot, exclusive of tho day of snell service ; and if yoi fail tn nnswer the Complaint within the limo aforesaid, tho plaintiff in this action *lll apply to tim ?on rt tor the relief demanded in the bated M ?iv Kith. IKS7. [Seal] <i W SliKLL.CC C v. Fr.mirsoN ?V FKATII HUSTON K. Plain! ill's at torneys. Tf tho defendant Martita llitrris nee Workman -You will please take notice, that the complaint in this action was tiled in the ofUOO of tin' clerk ot court tor Laurens counts- on the 10th dav of Slav Fr: Urti" SON A FK.S ru BnSTONV.. State o? South Carolina, COUNTY OF LAURENS. Corur OF COMMON PI.F.AH. W. II. wilkerson, assignee, \ tirfit i mt v Martha K. Dolt. William L. f Summon* To Ibo dnfendnnt Martha Iv. Roll ; You are herohy summoned ami requi red io answ er the complaint in tills ac tion, which is tiled in the oflleo of the Clerk of the Court of Common Fleas, for tlie said County, and to serve h copy of I your answer to the said complaint o? the subscribers at their ofllco at Laurens 0 IL, S. C., w.tliln twenty ?days |aft< " the service hereof, exclusive ot'tho day of] Htichacrvlco; and if you fail to answer tho complaint within tho timo afore said,tho plaintiff in thia action will ap ply to thecourt for the rebe' di niand od in the complaint. Dated May 'i"r?I, A. D. 18*7. PEHGUHON A FKATIIKUSON, Te tho defendant Martha K. Roll ; You will please tako notice that the Complaint and Summons in tlie above stated ease were flied in the OfllCO of the Clerk of Ctmimoii Fleas for Laurens CountV, South Carolina, on the .'dst day (d' April 1K87. PEKQUSON A PRATHKUHON, Plainll Ta Attorneys. State of South Carolina. L A U lt ? N 8 (' O U N T Y, IN PHI IRATE COL'RT. Whorcns, (? W.Sholl, c. c. c. p.has applied to motor Letters of Admin istration on the Estate of Jnines TllOSO uro therefore to toto and admonish nil ami singular the kin dred and creditors of said deceased, to be and appear before me at a Court of Probate, to he holden at my office nt Laurens C. H., on the l!7th day Of June, 1887, at IO o'clock, A. M.,'to show cause, if any they can, why letters should not he Given under my hand and seal this, tho 21th day of May, I8K7. A. W. RURNSIDE, J. IN L. C. Icc ! Ice ! ! BY THE CAR-LOAD, _ . _ | All orders will have prompt attention. (Jail for our Ice Cold and Refreshing Soda Water and all other drinks sci ved at a First-Class Soda Laurens - 8. C. The Eishdam bridge across Ree dy River, will bc let to tho lowest bidder for repairs on thc luth of June at ll o'clock, A. M., with thc right to reject any bids. County Cornmfcsion l>. C. Mn y 25, 18S7, rt Commencing Sunday, May Olli lKSO, at 0:15 A. M., Passenger trains will rim as follows. "Haslem time." TO ANO KltOM CIIAIILKKTON. BAST (tinily) Dopa ft (Jolumbiit at 0 30 a ni r? 27 p in Due Chin biston ai II 35 a III DOO pm WI.ST (daily except Sunday.) Depart Chai loxton 7 20 a nt V> IO p in Due Columbia 10 35 a m 1U 50 p m TO AND nioji 0AMDUN. East (daily except Sunday.) Dp Cohnnbia 0 30 a m 5 05 )> ni 0 27 p m Due Camdon 12 37 p m 7 42 p m 7 1" ?> ni Weat (daily except Sunday.) Dp ('anulen 7 4a a in . 45 a ni 3 15 p ni Duo Columbia 10 25 a in 1035 am 10 00 pin TO AN!? l ito.M AUUU8TA and CU AHI.KHTON Dp Augusta 0 05 a in 4 40 n ni 10 .'15 p m line (.'liarlesion 11 00 am t> 30 pm li '25 am Dp Charlostcn ('? 38 am 5 IO pm I0 30 pm Due Augusta 11 30 a in 10 25 p m 7 30 a in Connections mad? at Columbia with Columbia ?V. Greenville Railroad bv train arriving at 1040 a in and departing tit 5 27 p m. At Columbia Junction with Charlette, Columbia dc Augusta Railroad bv ??lino train lo and from nil pointa on both roads, l'asssjngors take supper at At Charleston with steamer for New York ; ai. tl wit li s tem uer for Jackson ville and polntson the st. John's lt. vor Tues days mid Saturdays; with Charleston tV Savannah railroad to and from Sa vannah and points in Pisrlda daily. At Augusta with Georgia and Central ramonda to and from all points West and South, with Augusta ?fe Knoxville railroad by 10 35 p III train east, and 7 30 a ni trakl west. At blackville to and from pointa on barnwell railroad. Through tickets cnn bo purchased to ali points South and Wost nv applying to D. MCQUEEN. Agent, I 'ohimbia, S. C. John II. Pock, General Manager. D, C. Allen, Uoneral Passenger and Piedmont Air Line. RICHMOND* DANVILLE R, R. Columbia .V Greenville division. Condensed Schedule in 'effect May Otb, Traills run on 75th Meridian time,) South. No. 52.North. No 53. IA- Walhalla 8 55 am j Lv Col limb ll 00 am " Seneca 0 17 ami" Newberry 1 03pm " Abbeville 10 45 am " Ninety Sx 2 30 jun " Lau rona 8 15 nm" Groonwd 2 52 pm " Gr roon vi I 0 45 am';" Groonvl. 533 pm " G roon W ll 1250 pilli" Laurens 5 55 pm " Ninety Sx 1 20 pin " Abbeville 4 15 pin " Newberry 3 05 ?un .' Seneca ti 02 pm Ar Column 507 pm!" Walhalla 0 35 pm " Augusta 0 20 pm South No 2 North No 1 Lv ('(dum 10 50 am .\r Hprtnhg 3 is pm Flat Itok 5 5.1 pm Lv Ashville ll 30 am " Hondsyl 12 12 ?un " Flat Ilk 12 55 pin " Spart il hg 11 30 pm | " UoillUtlvl 0 07 pm Ar Columb s 09 pm I " Ashville 7 io pm "Augusta poi . " Atlanta 10 40 pin No's 1 and 2 run solid between Co) tl 111 bia and Ashoqille. No 53 makes close connections at Columbia for AllRIAHta No 1 makes close connection at Co lumbia for ("Marleston. I). CA RD WE LL, Asst Pass. Agt. SOL. HAAS, Columbia, S. C. JAS b. 'l'A V LOR, .tenn Pars Alon A new four room cottage, in tiie town of Laurens for rent conven iently located. Terms reasonable (?ne hu nd rod ?ind fifty seven acres bond nerirCross Hill, in good state of cultivation . Well watered, good houses, situated on Hie projected line ol R. lt. for sale via X Hill C lin ton, A bargain offered,Termseusy Wc w ill OItel' next week for sale, a largo lot of property in "ind nour thc town of Luurons. Also u Hi.e plantation in Abbeville county. For Rent : A splendid residence in (hi Town of Laurens and ono of the most .sui table houses in Tow n fora boarding Situated on Main Street lihou* fifty yards from public square. House containing ten rooms be sides servart house stables, und good garden etc. Tobins very mod Titree atoro houses in th'* town of Lau 3000 acres land, located in ditleron portions of Lau ron a county. Fon SALK or RUNT - A number of solondld residences in tho town *' Laurens. A nev, Hmo house nt High Point on tho G J oV S lt R, 1'riee low A splendid stand foi a si ore. F< r particulars ns to any of ibo abovo propertv call in or address J M HAMPTON, Port Royal & Augusta Railway,. Ill once! bee. 26, ISSO. Time twith Meridian Ono hour slower than C. A- (I. It. R- time. Greenvilonnd Lanrcnn Railway. Leave Laurens 6 noa m l is p m Arrive Ilnrksdalos n Sit *' l 15 " Knights I?32" IM? " " Oraycourt 637" 155 14 " Fountain Inn 7 OJ " 1 is ,i " Hlmpsonvillo 7 2.1" 2 34 " " M au ld i ii 7 41" 2 13 " Oroonvillo 8 10 " 3 13 " Loavn Greenville 1000" 353 " Arrive Mauidln I020?? lao " " Simpson ville lo 47 " 4 311 ?? " Fountain Inn ll 06 " 4 5K " O ray cou ri 1183" r-" " Knights ll .'is " 5 30 " " Itarfcsdalos ll 44 " fi 37 " " Laurens 12 10 p m i, 03 " Greenwood, Laurens and Spartanburg. (.oing South Daily. Leave Spartan burg ll 25 a m f>3o a in " Mooro 11 53 " fi 17 " " Woodruff 13 17 pm 665 " " EtlorOO 12 35 " 7 vi " " Lanford 12 42 " 7 30 " " Ora 1266" 7 50 " " LniirtniH 1 16 " H 10 " " il iel. Point 1 10 " 0 21 " " Wato-iloo 182? 0 43 " " oronr.a 2 15" 10 23 " Arrive Greenwood 235" 1100 " Irfjnvo " 5 00 a in 2 35 " ll 2ii " "Anderson lt 00 a ni 5.10 " Arrive Augusta 10 30 am 0 15 pm 5 50 pm "Atlanta 7 00 am. " Savannah 2 30 p nt. " JackNonvlllo 12 00 nr. Hoing North Dally. I,aavo Atlanta 7 30 p m. " Jneksonvi'lo 2 30 " "Havannah S 10 " " larlestonl 4 00 a nt " Augusta 12 15 p ni 7 50 a m s 30 n m Arrive Anderdon 2 15 p ni Slit) m Arrive Gleenwood 5 80 pm ii 20 ?m 2 25" Leave Greenwood ll 20 a 111 240 " Arrive Coronara 1140" 3 10 " " Waterloo 12 01 pm 4 00 " " High Point 12 li " 4 22 " " Coi; eos 12 30" S 05 " " Ora 12 :K? " 5 10 " " Lanford 107" 5 58 " " Enoroo 1 15 " o lo " " Woodruff 1 85 " li 45 " " Mooro 2 00" 7 27 " " Sparenburg 2 30" 8 15 " Onneotions Si Greenwood to ?nd from nil points on olunibln A Greenvil le railroad. At Spartanburg with A?h villo A Hpartanborg R R, A. ?v C,, Air Linc for pob.ta forth. At Augusta with Georgia, South Carolina and Central E. T. HAR LION, ii. P. A. W. W. Starr, Sup't, Augusta, Oft, Big Lot Sohoc ISTio? lin? or jVLov ing Etil ?iz?3 of J? J. H. 0 O O P Mammoth Groeory IIouHCcnn bo of Fresh Groceries Which WC Will sel ties wu: ting such will do well io get they might save money "AND DON' ALSO, Wo have several stamin rd offer on good terms. So? us or W. F T. IR,. Coo] Doors, Sash, Blinc Kondy Prepared,' Hough, Gre PINE AND G Y PK tine Mantels a specialty, t Come and ? GRAY & AIS ? April 6, 1887-(f MINTER <(. IA MUSSON 'S Furn you eau buy the cheapest and Ix Wo win not ho ii .lust think of lt, n nico nil walnut set, IO p market, $8600, Vory handsome walnut a Neat bods for fl 1H). Neal mn nans for $'> ~~ Wo koop constantly on band Mattresses, lied Springs, Lounges, Bal) - . \\uro also head) Dry (rnuls, Dress GoodSimes, Ii?nt fail to examine our atock and pri moi ey, ami money save-.; ls money made. UVE in -t ? r So I,aureus, S. fl. May lh, 1>.S7 Nm B A ItKi?lt ? ? II ? F. [ lieg to inform the publie that I am prepared c servo t hem aa Tonaonlal A r tist in m t?.nowfiu&rtoi'H, under the Itob o: ..ay. j i*. 1). Il .UAN'H TDFL W H BALL, Ofrico over National Hunk. Oftioe day?-Mondaya and ucsdaya. POMONA, N. C., Two and ono half miles west of Greensboro, N. C. Tho main line of tho lt. & 1). it. lt. imsses through the grounds and within lot) foot of thc office. Salem trains make reg ular slops twice daily going eatdi way. Those interested in Prill t and Fruit prow ing art- cordially invited to inspect this the largest nursery in the Slate und one of the largest In tho South. Tho proprietor has for ninny years visited the lending nurseries North and West and corresponded with those of foroigi: countries, gathering every fruit that was cal culated to suit thc South, both na tive and foreign. The reputation of Pomona 11 ill Nur.-eries is snell that many agents going out from Greensboro representing ot lier nur series, try to leave the impression that they are representing fliest* nurseries. Why do they do it? Let the publie answer. I have In stock grow ing (and cnn show Visitors th< same) the largest and best stock of trees Ac,, ever shown or seen in'a?>y two nurseries North Carolina, [consisting of ap ple, peach, pear, cherry plum, grape, Japanese persimmon, .lap ai ese plum, apricots, nectarine, Russian apricot, mulberry, quinces. Small fruit: Strawberry, rapberry, currant, pecan, English walnut, rhubarh, nsparagun, evergreens, shade trees, ro.se* , Ac, Give your order to my authoriz ed agent or order direct from tho nursory. Correspondence solicited Descriptive catalogue free to appll j. VAN LINDLEY, Guilford County, N. 0, May 18, 1SK7. nm Cheapest Carpets in ~ ATX<3TXST .A. - Stock Larger and Price? Lower than Ever. rw-^ho largest Stock South. Moquet. I llrtiHftlcs, Three plv ami Inaraitii Car pets, Hugs, Mats, t'rurnb Cloth a. Window curtains, Window cornice? nnd Polen. Canton and CttOOS mutt i HRH, dhromotr, Loco curtains and Hod? fur niahingH. Write for aainploa. Jas. G. Bailie Sc Sons, ni.i-,.ni Htreet, Augusta, Goorala, ml 3 87-0. )1 BOOKS Just liding for ma,l*L K ll & C O 1 S found ?i full ufid completo ?tock How fm OASH. l'?r our price? before) buying. For T YOU FORGET IT." brands of GUANOS', which -we. >. BARKSDALK be?oie buying Der &, Co. en, Dry, Long und Short. ogotlior with Nico Woik. Laurons C. H.? S. C. iture Palace is the placo where .st Furniture in the South, locos, marble for %H\ .vi, worth in nov et, tn pieces, marilin top, for Jb> 00. i: Neal HOI chairs, six for$275. I a complete stock of y Carriages, also Carpets and Rugs. put rt ors lor lints, Olothi lie and Milliuery, cos before haying as wo will save vim Wewin mit be mtclorsolo). J EL m i e s o n Loaders of Low prices. I THF. LAUHKXS IVAR. I. r. JOIfNSON. W? lt. Kielli.V. JOHNSON ?i KICIIKY, ATTORN;:vs AT KAW. orrin: Fleming's f?ornor, Northwest fiile of Publie Square. LAURENS, C. IL, . - - 8. C. j. w. riaimsoN, c. ? . FKA rn KUM TONK FERGUSON A F KAT 11K RSTO N E ATTORNEYS AT LAW, LAU KENS C. fl., - - - fl. (\ "W. HE. jVCetrtin, ATTORNEY AT LAW, LAURENS C. ll , - - - H. O J. <*. OAKLINGTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW LAURENS C. IL, - - 8, r OllleO" Advortiaor Building. W.O. ll KN KT, V, V. M'OOWAW ii EN ET & MCGOWAN, ATTOKNEYS AH' LAW, LAURENS C. IL, - . 8. C. N.J. liol.MKS. lt. V. flIMPHOX, HOLMES A SIMPSON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, LAURENS C. IL, - - - H. C. ATTORN FY AT LAW, LAU HENS, S. C. Office over ?toro of W. L. floyd. Sten m & Water Brasa Yal rcs Il ra ns und Iron A Full SUKIC.OI Suppl!?*, tW??f MMJ BELTING. PACKING and OIL. At BOTTOM PRICES A > u IN rroci ron ?rKEl'AllOJ PKONFTl.Y DONg._*j DEO. R. tOMBABD & CO. Foundry, Machins and Holler Work!, AUGUSTA, GA. A COVE r^ftSKNOltlt DEPOT,

Ok, I’m going to revive this blog. Thank you to all of you who have sent me emails requesting that I continue writing. My apologies for going MIA! Without trying to come across as though I’m making excuses, it was difficult for me to keep writing after I broke my arm last January. The recovery took about a year – even now, typing for extended periods of time strains my hand. I’m still rebuilding strength from my damaged nerves over a year later. After not writing for a while, it was difficult to jump back in. So, I just decided to just do it (lame Nike reference, I know!) Aside from the broken arm things at the Rubicon Project have been exploding. We grew 270% on a revenue basis in 2009, went from 35 to 150 employees, set up offices all around the world (London, Australia, Hong Kong, etc.), raised $33MM in venture capital and launched a bunch more products. Needless to say, things have been a little nuts for me. Rather than use that as an excuse, it has inspired the topic of this post. I run a very different company today than I did a year ago. Running a global company with multiple product lines, a much larger team (spread out in offices around the globe) and hundreds of millions of dollars flowing through our platform has completely changed the dynamics of the business and my role has needed to change in it, accordingly. Personally, this has been a big shift for me, and one that came quite rapidly. I could have never planned for Rubicon’s rapid success and the last thing on my mind was how to plan for the evolution of my role within it. In short, I’ve had to go from playing “running back”, to “quarterback” to now “coach.” There is a big difference from “doing things” and “being responsible for things getting done” and it’s a difficult switch for scrappy entrepreneurs (who are used to doing everything themselves in the beginning) to make. Two years ago, I was building desks along with my co-founder Craig to keep our engineers building, our sales people selling and our support team servicing. It was the right thing to do at the time. Today, the company footprint is very different, its goals are more complex, the risks in the business are intensified, the opportunities are greater and more plentiful and I have a lot more people to answer to as the overall equity value of the company has dramatically increased (investors, employees, shareholders, etc.) I’ll write a series of posts on CEO/Founder evolution, but the one that I want to focus on right now is probably the biggest lesson I have learned: Get the hell out of the office! My company is no longer confined to the walls of our headquarters in L.A. We now exist in San Francisco, New York, London, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and soon to be in more cities, countries and continents. We have customers, partners, employees, press and investors in all of those places and prospective ones as well. We’re operating in different economies, with different laws, cultures and markets. Sitting in our headquarters in L.A. would give me a limited and skewed version of what’s really going on in the company and in the markets we operate in around the world. The only way for me to get a true picture of our evolved, global business is for me to experience it directly, and sitting at my desk only hindered my ability to gain a broader, more global perspective. I learned a great lesson from Peter Sealey (former CMO of Coca-Cola, President at Columbia Pictures and now professor at Stanford and Berkeley.) Peter told me a story about how when he was at Coca-Cola, they tried many times to break into the market in China. After millions upon millions of dollars and a few people getting fired, multiple attempts to break into the market had failed. Confused by the repeated failure, Peter decided to take matters into his own hands and fly to China. The first thing that he did when he landed was go to a café. He ordered a Coke and they delivered it to him warm. He took a sip. Peter asked me if I have ever had a warm Coke. I said no. He said, “if you have ever had a warm Coke, you would never drink a Coke again. It’s awful.” Peter immediately changed all of their marketing to “Drink Coke Cold.” (from their usual “dancing bears and balloons” feel-good type campaigns) and the rest was a great success. The moral of the story is clearly that you sometimes need to experience things yourself to understand them, develop a feel for them and be able to soak up information to make those critical gut-feeling calls that entrepreneurs and business leaders need to make everyday. So, I’m doing just that. I vowed to get out of the office. The first step was to change my role internally. I was spending a lot of time doing things like editing press releases, product roadmap reviews, putting together presentations, etc. It was too “in the weeds” and it was preventing me from taking an external perspective on the business looking in. I was also slowing things down. I would get involved in a project, then I’d have to leave on a press or customer tour for weeks. In the meantime, the project would stall. I became a bottleneck. That was the first thing that needed to change. Fortunately, I already had a strong leader within the company, my co-founder and our COO, Craig Roah. I shifted all internal responsibility and day-to-day management to him. Everyone in the company now reports to Craig directly. Not to over-simplify business operations, but it’s like baseball. Throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball – that’s baseball. Business is: build great product, sell great product, support great product – that’s business. There is no one better in this market to build and support great product than Craig. Together, Craig and I decided that we needed to put someone in charge of selling. Fortunately, we also had a great leader there, JT Batson (recently referred to as G.O.D. in the January 18th, 2010 issue of Forbes.) We rolled up all revenue responsibilities under J.T. In short, I simplified my internal responsibilities and lines of communication so that I would not be a bottleneck to the organization. This was a difficult transition. It required great discipline to “get out of the way.” and to “teach people to fish” rather than bringing them the fish. Some employees questioned my commitment to the business, wondered where I was because I wasn’t jumping in with them to solve every problem, I wasn’t sitting at my desk next to them like I used to and I also became much more selective with the meetings that I decided to accept. It was absolutely the right thing to do and the business is much stronger as a result, but it was a somewhat painful transition personally. I’m not a parent, but I imagine there are similarities to a parent sitting back and letting their kids make mistakes, knowing that it will only help them grow smarter and stronger. So, my first goal was to make myself unnecessary to running the business internally. I was successful in accomplishing this. My next goal was to figure out what my role should be as “coach” instead of “quarterback.” Here is what I came up with as a start: 1. Right Team: a. Make sure I have the right team managing the business b. Ensure they work well together c. Mentor the team 2. Right Goals: a. Set the vision for the company b. Bring them perspectives from the market (financial and industry) c. Ensure that the team is setting the right goals based on the above a. Internally (managers and staff) b. Externally (customers, press, analysts, financial community) 4. Investor Relations & Board Communication: a. Ensure the company has the capital accessible to achieve its goals b. Keep all shareholders in sync so we have everyone marching toward the same goal in full force In order to do this, it’s important that I have all of the information. I can’t absorb this information by sitting in our corporate headquarters. I need to go to every country that we either operate in or intend to operate in. I need to absorb the cultures of those countries and explore the markets and economies. I need to see how advertising works in each of those countries and compare/contrast them to the U.S. markets that we’re familiar with. In some countries, I need to understand the government or legal impacts on the business, either operationally (e.g. employment laws, patent law or taxes) or advertising market-specific. For example, in certain countries, people are bound to employment contracts (mainly for their protection) so they are required to give many months notice if they are going to quit to go to a new company. Conversely, companies are also required to give them similar notice in the event of a layoff. This can play a pretty significant impact when you’re planning on entering these markets (i.e. you can’t enter them as quickly as the U.S., for example) or the risks involved (i.e. you can’t unwind a mistake as quickly either.) Let’s compare communication, which is one of our cultural values. There are cultural nuances that exist within regions or countries. Just as New Yorkers (i.e. very direct) communicate differently than Angelinos from L.A. (i.e. more laid back), the same exists from country to country. Right now, I am in Australia and I’ve noticed that people are pretty direct and often don’t use pronouns in their writing or communication. Personally, the lack of a use of pronouns in emails (e.g. “Hi Frank. Wanted to reach out to you to schedule a meeting.” – omitting the “I” before “wanted”) is a pet peeve of mine. I view it as a sign of laziness. However, in Australia, that seems to be common communication. This is a small example. There are larger ones, such as how the Japanese will politely say “That’s very difficult” and what that really means is “there is absolutely no way we are going to do that!” Market nuances are extremely important. In the U.S., there is a big ad quality and content quality challenge for publishers and advertisers. Publishers don’t want “belly fat ads” on their site and premium brands don’t want to show up next to them. In Germany, their standards are extremely high. They consider an ad quality problem to be when a BMW ad shows up on the same page as a Honda ad (i.e. thinking that the Honda brand is of lower quality.) Direct interaction with economies can also tell you a lot. Since it was my first time in Australia, I did some site-seeing in between business meetings. I learned that it seems that Australians are concerned about the economy and have pulled back spending on things like eating out and entertainment, however, they still spend on travel. Travel is important to them. This is very different than the U.S. This could be good information when deciding where to invest or focus in certain markets or regions. Talking directly to employees in offices outside of headquarters is crucial. You learn a lot about how they view communication with their sister offices, what they’re seeing in the market and you can absorb their ideas. All of this information is important when trying to fill the logical part of your head with information that you need to develop that “gut feel.” I have seen the company evolve quite a bit over the past six months. As a result of the changes I’ve put in place, I believe the company is much more scalable and sustainable. I am not a bottleneck and the team has become far stronger. It is parallel processing and doing so in multiple time zones on multiple continents and has melded well with multiple cultures. This is important to me for both geographical expansion as well as inorganic expansion through acquisitions. We completed our first acquisition mid-2009 (of OthersOnline) and the culture mesh has been fantastic – they are some of our best people. We anticipate doing more acquisitions, and proving that we can absorb one successfully was a good test for us. I hope that by traveling and spending more time out of the office that I’ll be able to: a) Gain the direct information, exposure and knowledge that I need to make the right “gut calls” for the business going forward, globally b) Expose the team to new ideas, experiences and challenges c) Figure out what the next big thing is for Rubicon while the team is cranking away on our current big thing I can go on and on… I think you get the point. Get out of the office! P.S. – While traveling, I’ve had to put my Pay It Forward events on hold… I feel really bad about it. I’m working on figuring out how to incorporate the events into my travels and will hopefully be able to turn it into more of a global event. Stay tuned…

LYNG, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, ET AL. v. PAYNE ET AL. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT Argued March 24, 1986 Decided June 17, 1986 Under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, the Secretary of Agriculture has authority to make emergency loans to farmers who suffer economic losses as a result of a natural disaster. Pursuant to a rule of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), the Secretary required loan applicants suffering from disasters occurring between December 26, 1972, and April 20, 1973, to file their applications by April 2, 1974. That rule embodied the command of Pub. L. 93-237 to keep such loan programs open at least until that date. During this period, loans were available on terms far more generous than under later versions of the authorizing statute. In 1976, a class action was instituted in Federal District Court, in which respondents represented farmers who had been eligible for loans during this period as the result of a Florida flood occurring in early April 1973, but who, because of lack of notice, had not been aware of their eligibility. It was alleged, inter alia, that the FmHA's failure to publicize the program more fully violated its own regulations, and an injunction was sought to require the FmHA to reopen the loan program. The District Court granted the requested relief, finding that the FmHA, in violation of one of its own regulations, had failed to give adequate notice of the availability of loans, and requiring the agency to reopen the program for the period from April 15, 1981, to June 15, 1981. The Court of Appeals affirmed on different grounds, holding that the FmHA had failed to comply with another regulation that required it to notify the public through the news media of the program's generous terms. After an earlier remand from this Court, the Court of Appeals adhered to its prior views and reinstated its decision, observing that petitioner Government officials' liability was premised on the FmHA's failure to follow its own regulations. O'CONNOR, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C. J., and BRENNAN, WHITE, MARSHALL, BLACKMUN, POWELL, and REHNQUIST, JJ., joined. STEVENS, J., filed a dissenting opinion, post, p. 943. Bruce N. Kuhlik argued the cause for petitioners. With him on the briefs were Solicitor General Fried, Assistant Attorney General Willard, Deputy Solicitor General Geller, Robert E. Kopp, and Richard A. Olderman. Theodore L. Tripp, Jr., argued the cause and filed a brief for respondents. JUSTICE O'CONNOR delivered the opinion of the Court. Federal law vests in the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to make emergency loans to farmers who suffer economic losses as a result of a natural disaster. See Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Act), 321-330, 75 Stat. 311, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 1961-1971. [476 U.S. 926, 928] Pursuant to an agency rule, the Secretary required loan applicants suffering from disasters occurring between December 26, 1972, and April 20, 1973, to file their applications by April 2, 1974. 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974) (later codified at 7 CFR 1832.82(a) (1975)). That rule embodied a statutory command to keep the loan program open at least until that date. Pub. L. 93-237, 87 Stat. 1025. The question presented is whether a federal court has the remedial authority to reopen this long-terminated loan program on the basis of its finding that the Secretary, in alleged violation of another rule, failed adequately to notify affected farmers of the program's availability and terms. In early April 1973 torrential rains struck 13 counties in the northern part of Florida. Initial estimates, which were later sharply reduced, projected that resulting crop and property losses would be in excess of $3 million. In light of the scope of these anticipated losses, on May 26, 1973, President Nixon declared the region a major disaster area. 38 Fed. Reg. 14800 (1973). See Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Pub. L. 91-606, 84 Stat. 1744 (repealed or transferred 1974). As a result of this declaration, the Secretary of Agriculture came under a statutory obligation to "make loans" to qualifying individuals in the region. 7 U.S.C. 1961(b) (1970 ed., Supp. III). At the time of the declaration, the federal disaster relief program, like much of the rest of the Federal Government, had become embroiled in a budgetary dispute between the Executive and Legislative Branches. In 1972, Congress had passed Pub. L. 92-385, 86 Stat. 554, which authorized emergency loans under terms far more generous than those available under later versions of the Act. Under the 1972 law as implemented by the Secretary, loans carried a 1% interest rate and were not conditioned upon the unavailability of alternative sources of credit. In addition, the Secretary was [476 U.S. 926, 929] directed to forgive outright up to $5,000 of the principal of the loan. On December 27, 1972, as part of a larger, administration-wide effort to control what were viewed as excessive congressional appropriations, the Secretary directed that regional Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) officials effectively cease processing loan applications. See generally Berends v. Butz, 357 F. Supp. 143 (Minn. 1973); Impoundment of Appropriated Funds by the President: Joint Hearings before the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Impoundment of Funds of the Senate Committee on Government Operations of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 93d Cong., 1st Sess., 532 (1973). Aware that the "forgiveness features and low interest rates provided for by Public Law 92-385" had contributed to the unilateral executive decision to curtail the program, Congress attempted to resolve the crisis by repealing those provisions. S. Rep. No. 93-85, p. 1 (1973). Public Law 93-24, 87 Stat. 24, which became effective on April 20, 1973, set the interest rate on emergency loans at 5%, limited the availability of loans to those unable to obtain credit from other sources, and eliminated entirely the provision that had previously allowed for cancellation of a portion of the principal. A grandfather clause provided that the terms of the earlier act, Pub. L. 92-385, would remain applicable to disasters designated between January 1 and December 27, 1972. Left unclear, however, was the status of disasters occurring during the 4-month period between December 27, 1972, and April 20, 1973, the effective date of Pub. L. 93-24. Congress resolved this uncertainty by passing Pub. L. 93-237, the provision at the center of this case. Section 4 of the new Act provided that, "[n]otwithstanding the provisions of Public Law 93-24," loans "with respect to natural disasters which occurred" during this interim period would be governed by the more generous terms of Pub. L. 92-385. In addition, 10(c) provided that the deadline for applying for a loan would be extended 90 days beyond the date of the enactment [476 U.S. 926, 930] of Pub. L. 93-237. This 90-day extension supplanted the established regulatory policy of the Secretary to accept loan applications for crop losses only if filed within nine months of the formal disaster declaration. (For physical losses the deadline was 60 days.) According to the Conference Report, the purpose of the extension was to make sure that the FmHA's "administratively set deadlines" took into account the confusion among farmers concerning the numerous changes in federal disaster relief law in the recent past. S. Conf. Rep. No. 93-363, p. 6 (1973). The bill was signed into law on January 2, 1974. Thus, the congressionally mandated 90-day period for loans under Pub. L. 93-237 expired on April 2, 1974. The Florida flood coincided with this period of confusion in the administration of federal disaster relief. Between May 26, 1973 (the date the disaster was declared), and January 2, 1974 (the date Pub. L. 93-237 became law), the loan program was administered pursuant to the terms of Pub. L. 93-24. Accordingly, during this initial loan period, farmers had nine months, or until February 26, 1974, to submit applications for emergency loans. At the time of the May 26, 1973, Presidential disaster declaration, and throughout the initial loan period, FmHA rules required the agency to follow certain procedures designed to notify potential borrowers of the availability of disaster relief. 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973). In addition to a general obligation to "make such public announcements as appear appropriate," the regulations required the FmHA County Supervisor to inform various local officials and "agricultural lenders" of "the assistance available under [the] program." Ibid. 1 It is undisputed that during the initial loan period no applications were filed. [476 U.S. 926, 931] On February 15, 1974, approximately six weeks after the enactment of Pub. L. 93-237, the FmHA issued instructions to its staff concerning the implementation of the new emergency loan program. App. to Pet. for Cert. 48a. Shortly thereafter, the Secretary published these instructions without material change in the Federal Register. 2 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974) (later codified at 7 CFR 1832.81-1832.92 (1975)). The Federal Register publication set out in detail the terms and conditions of the new program, including the 1% interest rate, the $5,000 forgiveness provision, and the absence of any requirement that the applicant demonstrate the unavailability of other credit. 39 Fed. Reg. 7571 (1974). The regulation also specified that "the termination date for acceptance of applications . . . will be April 2, 1974." Id., at 7570. Also included in the staff instructions were directions that "State Directors and County Supervisors . . . inform the news media, including newspapers, radio, and television in the affected counties of the provisions of P. L. 93-237." App. to Pet. for Cert. 49a (later published as 1832.82(a) of the "Special Emergency Loan Policies . . . Implementing Applicable Provisions of Public Law 93-237," 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974)). Attached to the instructions was a suggested news [476 U.S. 926, 932] release. 3 App. to Pet. for Cert. 50a-51a. The release explained that farmers who had not yet received an emergency loan could apply for such a loan at the local FmHA office. Although not setting out the details of the new program, the model release did state that "loan applications will be taken under the terms of a new law (P. L. 93-237) enacted January 2, 1974." Id., at 51a. Consistent with these instructions, the State FmHA director forwarded the sample news release to local agency offices. Those offices in turn sent copies to the local media, and, on at least two occasions, the releases were carried in newspapers in the north Florida disaster area. Record, Defendants' Exhibits 10-12. During this second loan period, that is, the period between the enactment of Pub. L. 93-237 and the expiration of the 90-day deadline on April 2, 1974, no more than four farmers from the Florida disaster area applied for emergency loans. On August 19, 1976, respondent Payne, a north Florida farmer, instituted the present action in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Although he had received actual notice of the special 1974 emergency loan program, he sought to represent a class of approximately 2,500 farmers who had been eligible for loans under that program but, because of lack of notice, had not been aware of their eligibility. Contending that the FmHA's failure to publicize the program more fully violated the agency's own regulations and deprived them of property without due process of law, respondents sought an injunction directing the FmHA to reopen the loan program under the terms prevailing during the period "up to and including April 2, 1974." Complaint 6. The District Court certified the class and granted the requested relief. 4 In a variety of different ways, the court [476 U.S. 926, 933] found, the FmHA had failed to give adequate notice of the availability of loans. Most of the notice deficiencies specifically found by the court occurred during the initial loan period. It found, for example, that a number of farmers had left a June 1973 meeting with the incorrect impression that they were ineligible for loans, that FmHA officials knew of this misimpression, and that they failed to correct it. The court also found that press releases describing the terms of both the initial and new loan programs were incomplete. Finally, the court determined that, in violation of the specific requirements of 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973), the FmHA had failed to notify various state and county officials of the availability of emergency loans. The District Court did not allude to the specific notice requirements promulgated by the agency in connection with the implementation of Pub. L. 93-237. See 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974) ( 1832.82(a)). Apparently assuming, however, that the earlier notice requirements contained in 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973) continued to apply during the new loan period, the court held that the agency's failure to adhere to these requirements required it to reopen the new loan program for a 60-day period extending from April 15, 1981, to June 15, 1981. In particular, the court premised the remedy on the FmHA's failure "to make such public announcements as appear appropriate." Ibid. The Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed, but on different grounds. Payne v. Block, 714 F.2d 1510 (1983). It accepted the District Court's various findings concerning the FmHA's failure to comply with the notice requirements set out in 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973). Those findings, however, "pertain[ed] only peripherally" to its decision to affirm. 714 F.2d, at 1519. Regardless of any violations of 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1), the court concluded, the FmHA had failed to comply with its self-imposed obligation to notify the [476 U.S. 926, 934] public of the new loan program. The agency had announced in the Federal Register that it would "inform the news media . . . of the provisions of P. L. 93-237." 39 Fed. Reg. 7570 (1974) ( 1832.82(a)). This it had not done, the court believed, because the news releases announcing the new loan program had failed to explain its generous terms. In view of the established proposition that agencies are duty bound to adhere to their own procedures, the court held, the most appropriate remedy for the violation was an injunction directing the agency to reopen the loan program. In reaching this conclusion, the Court of Appeals rejected the Government's argument that the April 2, 1974, application deadline was required by an Act of Congress and, therefore, beyond the authority of the District Court to expand. In the court's view, Pub. L. 93-237 had merely required the FmHA to extend its administratively set deadline for 90 days. Nothing in the Act, however, divested the agency of discretion to extend it further. The Secretary sought review in this Court, and we granted the petition for certiorari, vacated the judgment below, and remanded for reconsideration in light of our decision in Heckler v. Community Health Services of Crawford County, Inc., 467 U.S. 51 (1984). Block v. Payne, 469 U.S. 807 (1984). In Community Health Services, the Court held that, even assuming that principles of equitable estoppel ever applied against the Government, "a private party surely cannot prevail [on that theory] without at least demonstrating that the traditional elements of estoppel are present." 467 U.S., at 61 . The Court of Appeals, observing that petitioners' liability was premised not on a theory of equitable estoppel but on the agency's failure to follow its own regulations, adhered to its prior views and reinstated its decision. Block v. Payne, 751 F.2d 1191 (1985). Because the decision below exposes the Federal Government to substantial potential liability and because its reasoning implicates important questions about a federal court's [476 U.S. 926, 935] remedial powers, we again granted certiorari. Block v. Payne, 474 U.S. 815 (1985). We now reverse. The Secretary's principal argument in this Court is that the remedy granted below shares all of the essential characteristics of an equitable estoppel against the Government and, accordingly, should be analyzed on those terms. We acknowledge that the practical effect of the injunction requiring the reopening of the loan program is to estop the FmHA from relying on the validly promulgated regulatory deadline as a basis for refusing to process further loan applications. 5 And we readily agree that, had respondents sought relief on an equitable estoppel theory, they could not prevail. As we observed only recently, even assuming that the Government is ever subject to estoppel, a "private party surely cannot prevail without at least demonstrating that the traditional elements of an estoppel are present." Heckler v. Community Health Services of Crawford County, Inc., 467 U.S., at 61 . An essential element of any estoppel is detrimental reliance on the adverse party's misrepresentations, id., at 59 (citing 3 J. Pomeroy, Equity Jurisprudence 805, p. 192 (S. Symons ed. 1941)); and neither the named plaintiffs, much less the 2,500 members of the class they represent, have sought to demonstrate such reliance. Moreover, the only misconduct specifically found by the District Court was the failure to give effective notice of information that, at least with respect to the second loan period, was concededly published in the Federal Register. Our cases leave no doubt that "failure to fully publicize the rights . . . accorded" by an Act of Congress does not "give rise to an estoppel against the Government." INS [476 U.S. 926, 936] v. Hibi, 414 U.S. 5, 8 -9 (1973) (per curiam). See also Heckler v. Community Health Services of Crawford County, Inc., supra, at 63 ("[T]hose who deal with the Government are expected to know the law"); Federal Crop Ins. Corp. v. Merrill, 332 U.S. 380, 384 (1947). As the Court of Appeals correctly observed, however, respondents' inability to satisfy the stringent requirements of common-law estoppel does not independently decide the case. Indeed, beginning with their initial complaint and throughout the course of the litigation, respondents have never sought to rely on estoppel as a basis for recovery. Their theory instead, and the theory on which the lower courts granted the injunction, is that the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq., authorizes this kind of relief to remedy the FmHA's alleged failure to comply with its duly promulgated notice regulations. It may well be that some of the same concerns that limit the application of equitable estoppel against the Government bear on the appropriateness of awarding other remedies that have a close substantive resemblance to an estoppel. We reject, however, petitioners' suggestion that any remedy that can be analogized to an equitable estoppel is necessarily invalid, regardless of the source of the cause of action, unless the plaintiff succeeds in proving all the elements of common-law estoppel. Cf. Honda v. Clark, 386 U.S. 484, 494 -495 (1967). Indeed, any other rule has the potential for divesting the courts of the remedial authority specifically envisioned by Congress under the APA. If, for example, a farmer had filed a loan application prior to the expiration of the loan deadline and a court determined that the denial of the application after the deadline's expiration was "arbitrary, capricious [and] not in accordance with law," 5 U.S.C. 706(2)(A), the appropriate remedy under the APA would be to direct that the application be granted or reconsidered. Although this would, in a sense, estop the Government from applying the deadline, we have never suggested that the applicant would be under an [476 U.S. 926, 937] obligation to satisfy the requirements of proving an equitable estoppel to obtain the relief specifically available under the APA. The question before us then is not whether the Secretary should be estopped from applying the deadline, but whether the relief afforded by the District Court was appropriate under the APA. Respondents contend that the notice regulations, having been promulgated pursuant to the Secretary's delegated rulemaking authority, had the force and effect of law and therefore were binding on the agency. To remedy this noncompliance, they suggest, the District Court had the authority under 5 U.S.C. 706 to "compe[l] `action unlawfully withheld' [notice] and `set aside agency action' [application of the deadline] found to be `without observance of procedures required by law.'" Brief for Respondents 21 (quoting 5 U.S.C. 706) (bracketed material in original). To prevail on this theory, respondents must clear at least three substantial hurdles. At the outset, not all agency publications are of binding force, Schweiker v. Hansen, 450 U.S. 785, 789 (1981); and it remains to be shown that the notice provisions, which began life as unpublished staff instructions, are the kind of agency law the violation of which is remediable at all. Second, an agency's power is no greater than that delegated to it by Congress. Thus, even assuming that Pub. L. 93-237 left the Secretary some discretion to extend the 90-day deadline beyond April 2, 1974, it would hardly be an abuse of that discretion to refuse to do so many years after the disaster had receded if such an extension would be inconsistent with the intent of Congress. Finally, the "agency action" respondents seek to have set aside is the "application of the deadline." Yet, with the exception of respondent Payne, who clearly has no standing, 6 there is no [476 U.S. 926, 938] allegation that any member of the class has ever applied for a loan. Although the APA includes "failure to act" in its definition of reviewable agency action, 5 U.S.C. 551(13), it is far from clear that relief under the APA is appropriate when the allegedly aggrieved party has failed entirely to present its claim to the agency. Cf. Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319, 328 (1976). We need not, however, definitively resolve any of these issues. Nor need we confront the Secretary's broader contention that it is in all instances inappropriate for a court, reviewing for agency compliance with the APA, to set aside one validly promulgated regulation to remedy an alleged violation of another entirely independent one. An essential predicate of the relief granted below is that the FmHA in fact failed to comply with its own rules. As we now explain, the Court of Appeals' conclusion that the FmHA violated its self-imposed obligation to give notice of the loan program is insupportable. The Court of Appeals relied exclusively on the FmHA's purported violation of 1832.82(a), the new notice provision, to uphold the injunction directing the Secretary to reopen the loan program. Although the agency did issue press releases, the court reasoned, its failure to describe the generous terms of the new program breached its regulatory obligation to "`inform the news media . . . of the provisions of P. L. No. 93-237.'" 714 F.2d, at 1520, quoting 39 Fed. Reg. 7570 (1974) (emphasis supplied by Court of Appeals). This reasoning is demonstrably incorrect. Public Law 93-237 itself said nothing at all about the availability of a reduced interest rate, the possibility of partial forgiveness of the loan principal, or the elimination of the requirement that credit be unavailable from other sources. It merely stated that "[n]otwithstanding the provisions of Public Law 93-24," loans with respect to disasters occurring prior to April 20, 1973, would [476 U.S. 926, 939] be administered under Pub. L. 92-385. Thus, the statement in the news release that "loan applications will be taken under the terms of a new law (P. L. 93-237) enacted January 2, 1974," though not a model of clarity, was no less informative than were the "provisions" of the Act the release was endeavoring to describe. App. to Pet. for Cert. 51a; 7 CFR 1832.82(a) (1975). Moreover, the Court of Appeals' holding runs roughshod over the established proposition that an agency's construction of its own regulations is entitled to substantial deference. United States v. Larionoff, 431 U.S. 864, 872 (1977); Udall v. Tallman, 380 U.S. 1, 16 -17 (1965). The publicity directive that was later codified at 7 CFR 1832.82(a) (1975) was originally issued as a staff instruction designed to describe the procedures for implementing Pub. L. 93-237. App. to Pet. for Cert. 48a-49a. Accompanying the instruction was a sample press release identical in all pertinent respects to those sent to the media in the area of the Florida disaster. Id., at 50a-51a. Because the suggested release obviously reflected the agency's contemporaneous understanding of the scope of the publicity directive, it is logically untenable to suggest that the agency violated the directive by issuing press releases modeled explicitly on the sample. The Court of Appeals specifically disclaimed any reliance on 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973), the Secretary's previous publicity directive, to support its affirmance of the District Court's judgment. As they are entitled to do, however, respondents now defend that judgment on the alternative theory that the agency's violation of this earlier notice provision warranted the remedy of an injunction reopening the loan program. We find this theory no more supportable than that relied on by the Court of Appeals. As an initial matter, any violations of this regulation that occurred during the first loan period are plainly irrelevant. Starting with their complaint, and throughout the course of this lengthy litigation, respondents have sought to have the loan program reopened [476 U.S. 926, 940] under the more generous terms available under Pub. L. 93-237. And such was the relief granted by the District Court. App. to Pet. for Cert. 45a. As a simple matter of causation, any failure to inform respondents about the old loan program cannot support the remedy of requiring the FmHA to process loan applications under the "terms and benefits" available under the new one. Ibid. Nor do we believe that any noncompliance with the terms of 7 CFR 1832.3 during the second loan period would justify the District Court's remedy. 7 Although the District Court did find that this provision had been violated during the initial loan period, it is far from clear from the face of its opinion that it found any such violations during the second period. Even assuming such findings, however, we agree with the conclusion of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that the notice provisions of 7 CFR 1832.3 were no longer applicable during the period after the enactment of Pub. L. 93-237, at least with respect to disasters declared prior to the date the new law came into force. See Emergency Disaster Loan Assn., Inc. v. Block, 653 F.2d 1267, 1270 (1981). By its terms, 1832.3(a) requires only notice of the loan program in place at the time of the Presidential disaster declaration. See also 1832.92 (1975) (describing 1832.3 as [476 U.S. 926, 941] setting out procedures for reporting natural disaster designations). Accordingly, its plain language casts serious doubt on respondents' assumption that it was also intended to serve as a means of giving notice of midcourse changes in the terms of the loan program long after the disaster had been declared. Any ambiguity about the regulation's reach is dispelled by the history of Pub. L. 93-237 itself. As the Court of Appeals recognized, Congress was acutely aware of confusion in the administration of the Nation's disaster relief laws when it enacted Pub. L. 93-237. 714 F.2d, at 1516-1517. S. Conf. Rep. No. 93-363, p. 6 (1973). A central objective of the new Act was to correct this confusion by clarifying the credit terms available during this period and by requiring the Secretary to extend the application deadline to compensate for prior "uncertain[ties]" in the law. Ibid. Consistent with that objective, the Secretary announced in the Federal Register the new procedures the agency would follow to "implemen[t] applicable provisions of Public Law 93-237." 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974). These procedures, which included the notice provision later codified at 7 CFR 1832.82(a), were designed to "supplemen[t] and modif[y]" the procedures that had been in place under the old regime, including 7 CFR 1832.3(a). While this language is ambiguous, the regulatory history strongly suggests that in adopting notice procedures specifically geared to the new law, the Secretary intended for those procedures to be the principal mechanism for spreading the word about Pub. L. 93-237 in areas in which a disaster had already been declared. Aware of Congress' belief that prior efforts to implement the old program had failed, this history suggests, the Secretary sought to take a different tack to assure effective implementation of the new one - notification of the media pursuant to 1832.82. This interpretation is confirmed by 1832.92, also adopted as part of the FmHA's efforts to implement Pub. L. 93-237. 39 Fed. Reg. 7575 (1974). There, the Secretary specifically provided that for any "new" disaster designations, notice [476 U.S. 926, 942] should be given pursuant to 1832.3. There is no mention whatever of 1832.3 in the balance of the regulations dealing with disasters that had already been declared at the time the regulation was published. A fair inference from this omission is that for disasters, such as the Florida flood, that had already been declared at the time of the enactment of Pub. L. 93-237, the Secretary intended that 1832.82(a), rather than 1832.3, provide the appropriate mechanism for notifying affected farmers about the new loan program. Accordingly, any failure to follow the old notice provisions during the second loan period was entirely consistent with the Secretary's intended approach and provides no permissible basis for ordering the new program reopened. We conclude, therefore, that the lower courts erred in holding that the Secretary's conduct violated the only notice procedures relevant to the implementation of Pub. L. 93-237. Accordingly, even assuming, arguendo, that reopening the loan program would have been an appropriate remedy had the relevant regulations been violated, awarding that relief was clearly improper in light of the FmHA's compliance with its own procedures. Nor can the relief be supported on the theory, not addressed by either court below, that inadequate notice of the loan program deprived respondents of property without due process of law. We have never held that applicants for benefits, as distinct from those already receiving them, have a legitimate claim of entitlement protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendment. Walters v. National Assn. of Radiation Survivors, 473 U.S. 305, 320 , n. 8 (1985). Even on the assumption that they do, however, the notice published in the Federal Register, as well as that afforded by the Secretary in full compliance with his own procedures, was more than ample to satisfy any due process concerns. See 44 U.S.C. 1507 (Publication in [476 U.S. 926, 943] Federal Register "is sufficient to give notice of the contents of the document to a person subject to or affected by it"). Accordingly, the judgment of the Court of Appeals is reversed. [ Footnote 2 ] Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3), the agency dispensed with notice and comment, explaining that any delay in implementing the provisions of Pub. L. 93-237 would be contrary to the public interest. 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974). [ Footnote 3 ] The publicity directions, but not the model news release, were later published in the Federal Register, id., at 7570, and the Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR 1832.82(a) (1975). [ Footnote 4 ] The District Court also directed the FmHA to give appropriate notice of the loan program. The Secretary concedes that compelling notice was [476 U.S. 926, 933] within the remedial authority of the court if, in fact, adequate notice had not been given previously. The issue is, in any event, moot since all members of respondent class now clearly have notice of the provisions of Pub. L. 93-237. [ Footnote 5 ] The Secretary has abandoned his claim that the statute itself expressly disabled the Secretary from extending the deadline beyond April 2, 1974. See S. Conf. Rep. No. 93-363, p. 6 (1973) (describing Pub. L. No. 93-237 as requiring the Secretary to "extend" the "administratively set deadlin[e]" by 90 days). [ Footnote 6 ] Because Payne had actual notice of the new loan program and actually applied for a loan, the Secretary argued in the Court of Appeals that Payne lacked standing to complain that the publicity was inadequate. The Court of Appeals granted a limited remand, and the District Court entered an [476 U.S. 926, 938] amended final judgment naming as class representative another class member who allegedly had not received notice of the program. App. to Pet. for Cert. 46a-47a. [ Footnote 7 ] JUSTICE STEVENS makes much of the fact that the new regulation was not issued until February 27, 1974, several weeks after Pub. L. 93-237 was signed into law. In his view, this delay violated the command of 1832.3(a) to provide notice "immediately." This reasoning is flawed in several respects. First, it entirely ignores our conclusion that, by its terms, 1832.3 was simply inapplicable to the new loan program. Second, even if somehow applicable, 1832.3 requires the State Director to provide "immediat[e]" notification to County Supervisors only after he himself has received notice from the "National Office"; and it is undisputed that the Secretary did not issue staff instructions until February 15, 1974. Finally, it is far from clear that a time lag of a mere few weeks between the enactment of a new law and the issuance of implementing regulations fails to qualify as "immediate" action within the meaning of the pertinent regulation. JUSTICE STEVENS, dissenting. When Congress enacts a generous program to provide relief for the victims of a natural disaster, the Secretary of Agriculture has a duty to implement that program in the spirit which motivated its enactment even if he believes a more parsimonious policy will serve the national interest. On January 2, 1974, Congress enacted such a program to benefit, among others, the Florida farmers who had suffered serious losses as the result of a disaster that the President had declared on May 26, 1973. Pub. L. 93-237. On the date the statute was enacted, as well as the date of the disaster and the date of the President's declaration, regulations were in place that required the Department to give appropriate notice to the State Director, the appropriate county officials, the agricultural lenders in the area, and the public. See 7 CFR 1832.3(a) (1973). Ante, at 930-931, n. 1. The regulations plainly stated that effective notice should be given "immediately." The District Court found - and the Court does not disagree - that the Secretary failed to comply with 1832.3(a). For several weeks after the enactment of the statute, the Secretary took no public action. On February 27, he promulgated a new announcement - which was explicitly intended to "supplement" the existing notice regulations - requiring that advice be given to the news media. Pursuant to that announcement, an ambiguous and uninformative news release was prepared and distributed. The Court nevertheless holds that (1) the release complied with the supplementary regulation issued on February 27 and (2) the supplementary regulation somehow superseded the specific 1832.3(a) notice provisions which were already in place when the [476 U.S. 926, 944] statute was enacted. These holdings, I submit, misread the regulations and are not faithful to the intent of the Congress that enacted the governing statute. Before explaining in greater detail why I agree with the District Court and the Court of Appeals' findings concerning the Secretary's flagrant violation of the notice regulations, I shall briefly comment on the timeliness of the action and the Court's correct rejection of the Government's primary challenge to the propriety of that remedy. This litigation was commenced on August 19, 1976. In the Court of Appeals, the Secretary contended that the action was not timely because the emergency loan program authorized by Pub. L. 93-237 expired on April 2, 1974. The Court of Appeals held, however, that "where, as here, exigent circumstances beyond the farmers' control precluded intended beneficiaries from applying for loans, the agency had the power to extend the loan period and the District Court was within its power in ordering the agency to do so. To hold otherwise would allow the FmHA to totally fail to provide notice to congressionally intended potential beneficiaries and avoid being called to task for such conduct." Payne v. Block, 714 F.2d 1510, 1517 (CA11 1983). 1 In this Court, the Secretary has abandoned his claim that he had no power to extend the deadline for loan applications. Ante, at 935, n. 5. The Secretary has argued, however, that the remedy ordered by the District Court was improper because it rested on an equitable estoppel theory. The Court today correctly - and unanimously - rejects this argument, thus answering the central question of law that prompted it to grant [476 U.S. 926, 945] certiorari in a way that completely repudiates the submission of the Solicitor General. 2 Thus, neither the doctrine of estoppel nor the passage of time since the emergency loan program's administrative deadline was authorized has any bearing on the question that controls the outcome of the case. That question is whether the Secretary provided the intended beneficiaries of the emergency loan program with the notice that was required by law. The question is best answered after briefly describing the historical context in which it arose. In 1972 and 1973, the Secretary of Agriculture took the position that he was not obligated to implement emergency loan programs authorized by Congress if he thought it was unwise [476 U.S. 926, 946] to do so. 3 His position was consistent with administration policy concerning other programs authorized by Congress at that time. See Train v. City of New York, 420 U.S. 35 (1975); Berends v. Butz, 357 F. Supp. 143 (Minn. 1973). As a consequence of this fundamental disagreement between the Secretary and Congress, two legislative measures were adopted that provide the background for this case. First, in response to the Secretary's view that the then existing emergency loan programs were too generous, Congress made three important changes in the programs effective on April 20, 1973. It increased the interest rates from one percent to five percent; it denied eligibility to farmers who could obtain credit elsewhere; and it discontinued the practice of forgiving $5,000 of the principal indebtedness. Thus, after April 20, 1973, the emergency loans were considerably less attractive than they had been before. Second, after several months of uncertainty as to whether the old or the new terms applied to disasters during the period in which this case arose, Congress adopted Pub. L. 93-237 for the specific purpose of making the earlier, more generous loan terms available to a specific class of farmers, including those in northern Florida, who suffered severe crop losses as a result of a specific disaster. Thus, respondent farmers had two opportunities to apply for emergency loans - between May 26, 1973, and January 2, 1974, at the higher rate, and between January 2, 1974, and April 2, 1974, at the more favorable rate. Throughout this period - and for several years thereafter - the Secretary's regulations provided a detailed procedure for giving notice "immediately" to the appropriate County Supervisors and requiring the State Directors to [476 U.S. 926, 947] make "such public announcements as appear appropriate." 4 The District Court found, and the Court of Appeals agreed, that the Secretary not only failed to comply with this provision, but actually disseminated a good deal of misinformation. Thus, for example, the State Director advised the County Supervisors, in information intended for public release, that applications had to be filed prior to July 30, 1973 - which was correct for loans relating to physical damage - but totally omitted any reference to the fact that the deadline for production loss loans was several months later. In my opinion, however, the more important violations were those that occurred during the second application period - after January 2, 1974, when Congress authorized loans at an interest rate of one percent and on terms that it is difficult to believe any informed and eligible farmer would have refused. The notice regulations that were in effect during the first application period remained in effect during the 90 days after the enactment of Pub. L. 93-237 on January 2, 1974. 5 Notwithstanding [476 U.S. 926, 948] the dramatic change in the loan terms authorized by that Act, no notice of any kind was published in the Federal Register - or anywhere else - until February 27, 1974, when two-thirds of the reopened application period had already expired. This complete silence for a period of almost two months was unquestionably a plain violation of the regulations' command - if the regulations were, in fact, applicable - that the "State Director will notify the appropriate County Supervisors immediately . . . and will make such public announcements as appear appropriate." 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973) (emphasis added). On February 27, 1974, the Secretary did publish the conditions of the new program in the Federal Register, and also supplemented the existing notice regulation with the publication of staff instructions that State Directors and County Supervisors should inform the news media of the provisions of Pub. L. 93-237. See 39 Fed. Reg. 7569-7571. It is thus perfectly clear that the Secretary did not comply with the 1832.3(a) notice regulations that were in effect when Pub. L. 93-237 was enacted. The Court does not disagree with this conclusion. Rather, it takes the remarkable position that the failure to follow those notice provisions is irrelevant because the Secretary did comply with the instructions promulgated in February. This reasoning is severely flawed. First, the Court's conclusion does not accord with the language and structure of the February 27 notice provisions. Nothing in these new staff instructions stated or implied that they were intended to replace or to withdraw any of the preexisting notice procedures. Instead, the published notice explicitly stated that the publication of the new provisions "supplements and modifies" the existing regulations, including 1832.3(a). 39 Fed. Reg. 7569 (1974). "Supplementing" and "modifying" are hardly words that suggest the kind of wholesale obliteration envisioned by the majority. 6 [476 U.S. 926, 949] Second, under the Court's own logic, 1832.3(a) should have been fully applicable for the first two months of the second loan period. If, as the Court suggests, it was the February 27 Federal Register publication that superseded the existing regulations with respect to Pub. L. 93-237, then presumably the earlier regulations were fully in force until then. Yet the Court flatly states that 1832 simply was inapplicable in the second loan period - even for the significant amount of time in which the "superseding" regulation was not in place. Finally, the Court's analysis conflicts with the obvious purpose of Congress in passing Pub. L. 93-237. If the new instructions are given the construction that the Court accepts today, they enabled the Secretary to defy or ignore the will of Congress just as effectively as when he simply refused to make emergency loans on the terms authorized by Congress. Given the fact that regulations requiring adequate notice were in effect at the time Congress adopted a special statute to benefit the victims of specific disasters already declared by the President, surely the Secretary had a duty to comply with the pre-existing regulations during the 90-day period specified in the Act. To conclude otherwise, as the Court does, has an anomalous result. Under the Court's analysis, Congress, in liberalizing and extending the loan program, also created some kind of Bermuda Triangle that made blatant violations of the longstanding 1832.3(a) notice requirements mysteriously disappear and have no legal effect. Indeed, the incongruous consequence of the Court's reasoning is that, if Congress had never passed the new statute, the Secretary would have continued to be bound by the extensive [476 U.S. 926, 950] 1832.3 notice provisions in January and February 1974. For those months would have been within the original loan period. By extending the period and making the terms more favorable, however, Congress somehow vitiated - or permitted the Secretary to vitiate - those notice provisions for the months and program in question. Thus, the majority's conclusion that 1832.3(a) did not apply to the Secretary's administration of Pub. L. 93-237 is erroneous. I also disagree with the majority's conclusion that the Secretary's efforts satisfied the February 27 notice requirements, which were later codified at 7 CFR 1832.82 (1975). Those duly promulgated requirements unequivocally stated a mandatory obligation: "State Director and County Supervisors will inform the news media including newspapers, radio, and television in the affected counties of the provisions of P. L. 93-237." 39 Fed. Reg. 7570 (1974). The Secretary does not argue that the single publication of the emergency loan terms in the Federal Register itself constituted compliance with this duty. His claim of compliance during the second application period also rests on the preparation and distribution of a news release. That release, however, did not disclose the loan terms that were authorized by Pub. L. 93-237. Indeed, the only reference to the new statute, the "provisions" of which the Department had a mandatory obligation to explain, was the following: "These loan applications will be taken under the terms of a new law (P. L. 93-237) enacted January 2, 1974." App. to Pet. for Cert. 57a. An instruction to inform the news media "of the provisions of P. L. 93-237" surely should be construed to require that the news media be informed of the loan terms that the statute authorized. 7 Such a construction would reflect, not an interpretation [476 U.S. 926, 951] that "runs roughshod over the established proposition that an agency's construction of its own regulations is entitled to substantial deference," ante, at 939, but a simple adherence to the regulation's "plain language." Cf. Young v. Community Nutrition Institute, post, p. 974. It is therefore clear that the new 1832.82 requirements also were not followed. In short, the Secretary followed neither the pre-existing 1832.3 requirements nor the newly promulgated 1832.82 requirements. The effect was predictable. Although thousands of farmers were eligible for the program, no more than four received loans. As a result, although Congress had shown its intense commitment to this program by repeatedly legislating and by honing the program in an attempt to overcome executive intransigence, the sustained congressional efforts went for naught. 8 [476 U.S. 926, 952] In my opinion, the Court's holding allows an executive agency far too much discretion to disregard the plain intent of Congress. The Secretary did not implement the program authorized by Pub. L. 93-237 in the spirit in which it was enacted. "As conceived and passed in both Houses, the legislation was intended to provide a firm commitment of substantial sums within a relatively limited period of time in an effort to achieve an early solution of what was deemed an urgent problem. We cannot believe that Congress at the last minute scuttled the entire effort by providing the Executive with the seemingly limitless power to withhold funds from allotment and obligation." Train v. City of New York, 420 U.S., at 45 -46. The failure to advise the farmers of the congressionally mandated loan provisions was merely a variant of the theme repudiated in Train. I would affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals. [ Footnote 1 ] In a footnote, the Court of Appeals added: [ Footnote 2 ] The only "Question Presented" by the Solicitor General in the Government's certiorari petition was the following: "Whether the Secretary of Agriculture may be equitably estopped from enforcing a valid regulation establishing a deadline for filing of applications for Farmers Home Administration emergency loans on the ground that the agency's news release announcing the availability of loans did not specify the generous terms of the program." Pet. for Cert. I (emphasis added). To its credit, in rejecting the Government's equitable estoppel argument, the Court belatedly acknowledges that it unnecessarily prolonged this litigation by vacating the first judgment entered by the Court of Appeals in 1983 and remanding for further consideration in the light of our decision in Heckler v. Community Health Services, Inc., 467 U.S. 51 (1984). See Block v. Payne, 469 U.S. 807 (1984). In light of the possible incongruity of considering this challenge 13 years after the natural disaster that triggered the loan obligations, moreover, it is important to emphasize that there has been no suggestion of dilatoriness by respondents. For unexplained reasons, the case took five years before it reached trial. Since then, it has been the Government that has prolonged the proceedings every step of the way - by appealing to the Court of Appeals; by asking this Court to dispose of the case in light of an equitable estoppel case; and by seeking certiorari again after the Court of Appeals correctly noted the inapplicability of the estoppel doctrine. Thus, the unusual length of time between the original program and our consideration of it is irrelevant; to the extent that it is relevant, the Government bears the responsibility for almost all of the delay. [ Footnote 3 ] See Impoundment of Appropriated Funds by the President: Joint Hearings before the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Impoundment of Funds of the Senate Committee on Government Operations and the Subcommittee on Separation of Power of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 93d Cong., 1st Sess., 532 (1973) (testimony of Secretary Butz). [ Footnote 4 ] At all relevant times the Code of Federal Regulations contained the following provisions: [ Footnote 5 ] Although the majority concludes that the regulation did not apply to Pub. L. 93-237, it does not contest that the 1832.3 regulation, detailing the required procedure for administering emergency loans, remained in effect during the pertinent period. [ Footnote 6 ] Indeed, as the Court points out, ante, at 941-942, another of the requirements promulgated on February 27 specifically referred to the [476 U.S. 926, 949] 1832.3 requirements. See 39 Fed. Reg. 7575 (1974), codified at 7 CFR 1832.92 (1975) ("Instructions for handling new designations will be forthcoming. In the meantime, natural disasters should be reported and designation requests submitted in accordance with the procedure set forth in 1832.3"). Far from "confirm[ing]" that the 1832.3 requirements were now inapplicable to already designated disasters, that regulation supports a view that the new regulations were intended merely to supplement the pre-existing 1832.3 requirements. [ Footnote 7 ] Because Pub. L. 93-237 authorized the generous terms by reference to the earlier statute in which they were spelled out in detail rather than by repeating them in the text of Pub. L. 93-237 itself, the Court states that [476 U.S. 926, 951] the press release "though not a model of clarity, was no less informative than were the `provisions' of the Act the release was endeavoring to describe." Ante, at 939. This is a disturbingly cavalier approach to the duty to give appropriate notice to the farmers that Congress was trying to help. Moreover, it is not even accurate because the release did not mention the fact that the program that had been available under prior legislation was again being made available. Without either a mention of the actual terms or the fact that the earlier program was being revived, the press release was virtually meaningless, and certainly less informative than the statute itself. [ Footnote 8 ] In view of the majority's statement that the "Court of Appeals specifically disclaimed any reliance on 7 CFR 1832.3(a)(1) (1973) . . . to support its affirmance of the District Court's judgment," ante, at 939, it bears emphasis that the Court of Appeals disclaimed such reliance only because it found the violation of 1832.82 so patent:

In the monthly "Ethical Inquiry" series, we examine ethical questions, highlighting a broad array of opinion from journalism, academia, and advocacy organizations. Our intent is to illuminate and explore the complexity of some of the most vexing ethical questions of our time. Ethical Inquiry: March 2013 The ethics of international aid: Who should direct international aid efforts? We all want the world to be a better place, but how to make that happen? Many focus on helping their own, local communities, but some are drawn to problems affecting communities across the planet. Maybe these problems are truly global, like global warming or gender inequality, and maybe these problems are region specific, like preserving dying languages or addressing specific political conflicts. There are as many different ways to approach aid as there are situations in which aid is needed. Choices made by those directing and implementing aid efforts can make or break a project. Especially in cases where aid flows from developed to developing nations, the issue of who should be responsible for directing and implementing those aid efforts is very real. In this installment of “Ethical Inquiry” we ask: Who has the right to make those choices? Who should be in charge of directing what money and which resources goes where, and to what end? Should it be the professionals? Those who are most passionate? The intended beneficiaries? Those supplying the resources? Governments and/or international organizations? In the field of international development, credentials like educational degrees are not the only factor in an individual’s “professionalism.” According to Dave Algoso, an international development professional, all one needs to be a professional is commitment: in order to be considered a professional in the international development world, you need the same level of commitment required of any other professional discipline. In other words, this needs to be your only job, not just a part-time project. This commitment and lack of emphasis on marketability becomes clear when professionals make the decisions. Most professionals do not spearhead “sexy” aid projects (that is, projects working on big-name, easily understood and publicly supported issues like HIV/AIDS, extreme poverty, or microfinance). Instead, most work on projects that may seem smaller and less exciting, but still have a huge impact on communities. On a larger scale, though, professionals spearheading large-scale efforts can be the source of much controversy. Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs and his Millennial Villages Project provides an example of this controversy. His project is not only large in physical scale, but also large in its implications – causing many to question whether the huge implications of the project negatively impact the ability of the leadership to critically examine the effects on the ground. Concerned that those directing projects can be too close to the issue, some call for a new emphasis on research into the effectiveness of any aid project and not just into the idea of the project. Many in academia suggest that accountability in the actual work of the organization is key, with the previously linked articles being several among many examples addressing the role, challenges, and strategies of accountability within the international aid world. Maybe that is the most effective place for professionals to focus their efforts? Those with passion and moral conviction Should we trust that people with passion and moral conviction are guided by these intangible forces, and that while they might fail it is only by accident? There are certainly examples of people with absolutely no experience doing incredible things for others a world away – but there are also examples of such people doing more harm than good. Nicholas Kristof thinks that the good done by these people far outweighs any harm, and that their actions exponentially increase the benefits by inspiring others and sparking a desire to do good in many more people. There are many examples of these types of people those motivated by passion but not experts in the work they are taking on, including Greg Mortenson with the Central Asia Institute – made famous by his book Three Cups of Tea – and Sam Childers with the Angels of East Africa – made famous by the recent movie Machine Gun Preacher starring Gerard Butler. Both of these organizations inspire many people, and so both have huge constituencies that they draw upon to allow them to do an incredible amount of work. Kristof might argue that these are the people who are the future of international aid, and that despite a few hiccups the work they are doing is better than nothing. Others, however, criticize the tangible actions of the organizations and believe that despite their great resources they do more harm than good. The issues are different for each: with Greg Mortensen the primary issues have to do with the veracity of his statements regarding how and why he started the institute, and the distribution of the institute’s finances. This undermining of trust and problematic finances has caused many to question whether he is the correct leader for an international aid effort, and whether he is trustworthy or capable. In the case of Sam Childers, the founder of Angels of East Africa and the protagonist in Machine Gun Preacher – the criticism is of his methodology and the ethics of how he is helping. He goes on raids to free the child soldiers that his organization supposedly works to rehabilitate, violently extricating the children from the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda to orphanages with conditions which some call unacceptably negligent. Those whom the aid is intended to benefit On the other side of the situation are those whom the aid is intended to: the beneficiaries. Development guided by the beneficiaries is generally called “community-driven development,” and according to the World Bank “potentially constitutes an important approach in the repertoire of development interventions because it is designed to place less stress on government line agencies by optimizing the use of community actors, yet at the same time reach very large numbers of poor people.” While this explanation takes a very donor-specific approach to the issue – perhaps unsurprising, given that it is the World Bank’s wording – essentially this type of development is lauded as being most effective because of the high emphasis placed on fostering responsibility within the community, empowering individuals and giving them control over their own situation. Through his analysis of processes of local accountability practices Chris Roche explicitly addresses this, stating that “social-accountability initiatives have the potential to give a voice to those who should ultimately be benefiting from the actions of international aid organisations to express their views, and thus allow the effectiveness of aid and also international advocacy to be assessed; and they may also have the potential to start to shape what a future international agenda needs to encompass.” (See “Oxfam Australia’s Experience of ‘Bottom-Up’ Accountability” in Development in Practice 19(8)).) This particular mode of development has a large number of proponents, including American Jewish World Service president Ruth Messinger and Eliza and Judy Dushku of THRIVE-Gulu who spoke at Brandeis University’s annual ’DEIS Impact! festival of social justice in 2012 and 2013, respectively. These speakers echo what many adherents to community driven development say; that is, as others have put it, “listen to poor people, don’t just hand out cash.” “I want to tell you that the developing world … is littered – literally – with buildings that were built by well-meaning clubs. Ask a community, “What is that building up on the hill?” and they say “Well, you know, 10 years ago people came here and they built a school.” I say, “Oh, really?” “Yes,” they say,” but we have no money for teachers.” Or, “That’s not the place for a school.” Or, “That’s not really what we needed – but they came and that’s what they wanted to do.” Not only is that disrespectful of the fact that people best know what they need and need your help in making it come true, but it gives a lousy reputation to the Westerners who go to these countries. People arrive with obvious wealth and resources and physical, human power and then they do something that’s in their brains that they think is what the community needs – but not what the community says it wants.” That being said, obviously issues can arise. Judy Dushku, professor of politics at Suffolk University and a founder of THRIVE-Gulu touched upon this in her talk, discussing the wishes of the people in Gulu regarding what they wanted from THRIVE-Gulu: “We didn’t want to build a security fence around the acre, that was not one of our priorities. But, one of our other things apart from ‘from victim to survivor to thriver,’ one of the other models we have for ourselves is that we believe ‘there should be nothing about us without us.’ So, we have always asked our beneficiaries, what do you want us to do.… We have staff there, we pay them salaries and they’re a great staff and we consulted them and said ‘we would like to complete a building on the property’ but at the time they said not until we get a security wall…. So now we have a beautiful $30,000 wall.” It wasn’t until later that the organization realized why the wall was needed (to prevent theft of the computers being supplied to the community). At times the wishes of the community may seem counterproductive to their developmental needs in light of limited resources, particularly limitations of time and money. Thus, the question must be asked, do those receiving the benefit of aid know what is best for improving the situation? Certainly policies of economic development enacted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund known as Structural Adjustment Programs (discussed below) stand in stark opposition to this, given their fundamental basis in the proposition that their knowledge and expertise are better than any other ideas of economic development. Are the beneficiaries too close to the situation? Do they lack the relevant expertise and experience compared to other potential leaders? Those with the resources (i.e. money and to some extent, time.) The question of whether those with money and time should be privileged is another aspect that must be taken into account. This question exists on two primary planes: the individual, and the structural. On the individual level, this debate can be seen whenever a celebrity starts an organization dedicated to a particular cause, for example the musician Bono and his work in Africa. Many journalists pointed out that not all Africans were supportive of his work on their continent, arguing that the aid being given was not only not what was needed, and did more harm than good. Encouragingly, Bono has taken these critiques seriously, but given his placement as a huge media figure with substantial resources at his disposal has continued his work in the region. On the structural level, there is an ongoing debate on the implications of the flow of aid from the “first world” to the “third world.” Analysts like Tomohisa Hattori do not see international aid as the straightforward story of simple philanthropy, but rather as a far more complex structural system based on dominance and indebtedness, with socio-political implications beyond the act of aid distribution (See “Reconceptualizing Foreign Aid” in Review of International Political Economy 8(4)). The majority of aid does flow from organizations in the United States, Europe and other affiliated states to wherever it is intended, which might have unintended consequences. USAID has been criticized for many reasons, particularly concerning its programs of food distribution from crop surpluses within the US. The agency has attempted to address some of these issues. Nonetheless, many argue that basing their efforts on redistribution of food from the US to other regions of the world costs more, undermines local economies, and in many cases does not provide adequate nutrition. Studies like that by Mesfin Bezuneh, Brady J. Deaton, and George W. Norton assessing the effects of programs based on working for food or developing local food continually point to the benefits of longer-term emphasis being placed on local agricultural production, which in large part runs counter to the work being done by USAID (See “Food Aid Impacts in Rural Kenya” in American Journal of Agricultural Economics 70(1)). Those with resources are a potentially a huge asset and can do much good; the question is whether or not they are living up to their potential. Governments and/or International Organizations Governments and large international organizations like the United Nations, the World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund are among the largest potential resource-rich aid sources. They are responsible for much of the grand total of international aid – but should they be? There are many who believe governments or large international organizations are best able to enact international aid. Governments have massive resources at their disposal – political force, money, and personnel, to name just a few – with which they can affect huge change, which is particularly essential in a crisis situation. Furthermore, one of the greatest roles a government can play in these situations is in legitimizing the situation, and drawing international and popular attention to an issue. These two aspects in particular form the basis for such international campaigns like the Millennium Development Goals, which claim to find solutions as much in advocacy and attention building work as in resource management. Given their size both governments and international organizations like the UN tend to act as support mechanisms for smaller projects – USAID, the UNDP, and other such institutions have myriad projects in virtually every field of development. They act on a large scale, but simultaneously on a very individual basis. Gilbert Rist suggests, however, that this flow of aid from the governments of richer nations to poorer nations is “genuinely hegemonic, because it appeared to be not only the best [solution] but the only possible one.” (See The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith). Aid is political, in his view. Whether aid is political or not, politics can affect the manner in which aid is distributed. The IMF and World Bank are prime examples of this, with their chosen method of fixing what they see as a broken system being the aforementioned series of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), that are designed to stimulate economic growth and are a requirement for applicant governments seeking a loan to enact prior to receiving World Bank or IMF funds. These SAPs have come under a huge amount of criticism, however, with observers suggesting that they work only in very few cases, and in the majority do more harm than good. Inept government policies do not only originate from overseas, however, but can be seen in the misguided policies of many local governments. James C. Scott describes a series villagization schemes in Tanzania, which he says “were often spectacular failures. As units of production, as human communities, or as a means of delivering services, the planned villages failed the people they were intended, sometimes sincerely, to serve.” (See Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed) Final Thoughts: A combination approach? International aid and the development of socioeconomic conditions around the globe is cited by many to be the problem of our time, yet as we can see there is no clear answer to who should spearhead an effort to fix it, let alone what that effort would look like. In part this is because it is such a complex issue. It is political, but at the same time more than just political actors are involved in the flow of aid from country to country. So, of all those involved, who should take charge? Perhaps there should be some sort of collaboration? Good aid is as simple as good leadership and good business – it needs multiple points of view, contends and international humanitarian worker respected blogger J. (who stays anonymous to avoid conflict of interest issues). Perhaps the Gates Foundation’s ideology of bringing together highly qualified individuals to work together on the same problem with input from locals will lead the way to a sustainable future. But even then, who should be guiding the direction of the efforts? Should it be those with the greatest experience and the most knowledge about the process? Or, should it be those who are living the problem, and have the most at stake? Should it be those who have their strength of belief and moral certitude? Or, should it be governments or large organizations that direct the flow and enactment of aid? Or, should it simply be whoever has the money and the time? Does passion trump experience? Is the institution more competent than the individual? These are not easy questions, and may be questions without a clear answer. But decisions about international affect the health and well-being – even the very survival – of literally thousands if not millions of people around the globe. What do you think? Have suggestions for additional content that looks at the ethical issues surrounding international aid? Let us know: - Comment on this "Ethical Inquiry" on the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life's Facebook page. - Send an email. - And follow the Ethics Center on Twitter: @EthicsBrandeis. This installment of "Ethical Inquiry" was researched and written by Ariana Hajmiragha ’13.

We're not beaten yet! By Lady Liberty This is a story, at least in part, of three women. They're separated by years and individual circumstances, but they're tied together by something I don't doubt they'd all prefer they didn't have in common. Some time ago when we were all much younger, my boyfriend and I often got together with a small group of friends to listen to music, play cards, and have a few drinks. Among that group of friends was a pair of newlyweds who I'll call Bob and Kate (all of the names I'm going to use are fictitious; you'll see why in just a minute). Bob was in college like most of the rest of us were while Kate had only just graduated high school. A sweet, quiet, petite little blonde, she obviously adored her husband. One night, our usual group was hanging out at Bob and Kate's apartment. Kate was quiet that night, even for her. At one point, while the men were checking out a new stereo system, I took her aside and asked her if she was okay. She promptly burst into tears and went on to tell me that her wonderful husband had been angry with her the other day and had hit her several times with his closed fists. I was horrified. I told Kate that she needed to get out of that apartment and then out of that marriage. She looked at me with her big blue eyes in shock. "But I love him!" she said. In between then and now, I lived in a big city where my closest friend happened to be a woman I worked with. Late one night, I got a panicked telephone call from Cindy. Through her sobs, I eventually got the story. It seems she'd discovered that her husband, Gary, was having an affair. When she confronted him with what she knew, he was far from ashamed. In fact, he picked her up and threw her against a wall. After the police took Gary away in handcuffs, emergency room doctors found that Cindy had three cracked ribs in addition to various and sundry bruises. I jumped out of bed, got dressed, and drove to Cindy's house where I spent the night. I helped her collect up Gary's clothes and went with her to deliver them to him where he was staying with "the other woman." I held her while she cried, and despite not liking children, cared for her young daughter for a few days until she was ready to move forward on her own with plans for a new place to live and then a divorce. The last time I heard from Cindy, she told me that she'd talked with a minister who told her that Jesus didn't want her to get a divorce, and that she and Gary should have another child to heal their marriage. She told me that Gary was going to church, that she knew that Jesus would change him, and that she was prepared to do what Jesus wanted and would try to get pregnant as soon as possible. She also told me that, while she appreciated my help, she wasn't going to talk with me ever again because I wasn't of her faith and was thus of Satan. Before she hung up, she confessed that the minister told her that, too. More recently, a friend of mine got into an argument with her boyfriend. As the fight escalated, he began breaking things in her home and then moved on to physically attack her. Fortunately, she got him to leave the house before she was seriously injured. I encouraged her to file a police report and to spend the night at my house. She declined to do either. When I gently asked her if she wasn't just a little afraid he might come back again and pick up where he left off, she told me that she didn't care what he did to her, that she didn't want to live without him. (In fairness to her, those initial comments came from shock and some serious emotional hurt. She's since bucked up well and informed him that she won't be seeing him again unless he agrees to get professional help, a decision I unequivocally support.) It's relatively easy for someone outside of such circumstances to look dispassionately on the circumstances and suggest what might be the best course of action. It's often considerably less obvious when you're caught up in the situation yourself. There are those Americans who look at some of the things our country is doing and know that they're essentially wrong. But much like Kate, they're horrified at actually doing anything about it. Instead, they make all sorts of excuses and, even when the excuses run out, will end the debate with an impassioned, "But it's my country, and I love it!" There are those who would suggest that the War on Terror means that abuses of civil liberties are acceptable. The First Amendment is under active attack from authorities who are infiltrating and surveilling activist groups who happen to represent an opinion contrary to government policy (in one case, the police are accused of taking on actual leadership roles and "directing" protests). Meanwhile, the Fourth Amendment effectively no longer exists as federal officials fight to continue and even broaden electronic surveillance with little or no oversight, and defend provisions of the PATRIOT Act that allow secret searches with no more than a written request. Thanks to the War on Terror, our traditional rights to travel have been severely abridged up to and including our inclusion on lists of people considered to be a threat. Such lists, of course, might be fine if they weren't both the product of exaggeration and error. Numerous innocent people, including those from allied countries, have either suffered delays or been denied boarding as a result (the one moment of levity in all of this was the day that Senator Ted Kennedy discovered his name was on the list). The problems are only exacerbated when we learn just how difficult (if not outright impossible, unless you're Ted Kennedy) it is to correct any of those mistakes! The War on Terror has obliterated Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights for those deemed "enemy combatants." At long last, even the Supreme Court determined that the Bush administration had gone too far in its actions when it unilaterally established a tribunal to try those brought to trial. But hundreds of men still languish in cells on Guantanamo with no trial — or even any charges — in sight, and virtually no communication with the outside world. Even the most base of criminals is entitled to hear the charges and the evidence against him (even if, in cases involving national security, the rest of us can't)! I love this country, too. In fact, I love it enough that I believe abusive behaviors sully what it has been, and what it can be again. Kate should have kicked Bob to the curb. When she didn't, she effectively told him that his behavior was acceptable. The next time he hit her — and there's almost always a next time — he'd have even less restraint because he'd have even less fear for any repercussions. The same thing is true with government abuses. The longer we endure them, the more acceptable they'll become. There's little question that we have some problems in this country. Some of those problems, we're told, could be solved if only we put religion back into the public squares, our schools, and our government. People from politicians to public officials, and from preachers to some in the general population, say they think the country should "go back" to the principles on which it was founded. What they mean when they say that is that we should be — and behave as — a Christian nation. It's true that the original colonists of the New World were Christian (albeit of a particularly serious sort). They arrived on our shores because they wanted religious freedom after having been mistreated in Britain as a result of their faith. Unfortunately, the Puritans immediately proceeded to do everything for themselves that they'd so hated in England (in fact, some of the first executions in Massachusetts involved those who happened to adhere to the "wrong" form of Christianity). Recognizing the obvious problems with that attitude, the Founding Fathers deliberately avoided establishing any kind of official religion; George Washington himself wrote (in the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797) that the "United States is in no way founded on the Christian religion." Those who want the Ten Commandments to be posted everywhere because our system of justice is based on the Ten Commandments are apparently unfamiliar with either. I wrote at some length about this topic a couple of years ago; suffice it to say here that only a couple of the Ten Commandments have any correlation at all in statute law. Those who want creationism taught in schools are, in reality, undermining science education in this country and pushing us still further behind in all-important efforts involving technology development. Religion is a deeply felt and deeply personal thing. It simply cannot be a mandate. The people who believe that Jesus will solve all of the country's problems are forgetting that there are those who don't feel about Jesus as they do and who, in fact, feel pretty much that way about somebody completely different. Far from offering any kind of a solution, such a position would result in horrific anger and open rifts between those of various faiths. After all, even Christians don't agree on everything since many particulars happen to be based on one sect or another (look no further than birth control, gay marriage, and abortion for examples). The only place that Jesus is the answer is in the hearts of those who truly think so. If Cindy's husband, Gary, really let his faith in Jesus change him, good for him — and for her, too. But a minister telling her she mustn't divorce a man who seriously hurt her because Jesus doesn't want her to is another story. The one thing I personally believe with a good deal of certainty is that people who truly have faith in Jesus themselves wouldn't try to force Jesus — either by law or through coercion — on anybody else. One of the things I told my friend after the violent altercation with her boyfriend was that she can't make him change. He has to want to. And before he can want to, he's got to recognize that he actually has a problem that needs changing. Until that happens, he's likely to deal with his anger in the future just like he's dealt with it in the past. Even a good therapist isn't going to put a dent in a head that houses a mind that's absolutely sure it's not the one with the problem! It's thus imperative that we make sure our politicians know that there are problems and, just as importantly, we have to be sure they know that we know. This sounds obvious, but it's apparently not: Despite knowing there are Congressmen who accept bribes or use drugs, who have the poor judgment to have affairs or speak entirely out of turn, who regularly vote for things that directly contradict their oath to the Constitution, and worse, voters keep re-electing them. Every time we cast a vote for a man or a woman who really has no business representing the vast majority of us who are pretty decent human beings, we tell them that we expect less from them than we do from ourselves. We tell them it's okay that they abuse our trust right along with our rights. Is it really any wonder that most politicians aren't acting to fix some of the problems so many of us say we perceive? By voting for them after they've done little or nothing to fix the problems before — or, in fact, after they've actually contributed to the cause and the extent of the problems! — we're saying that we don't care, or even that there isn't a problem after all. Is it any wonder, then, that politicians go blithely on their way after the balloting is complete? I believe that this time, my friend will stand firm. I believe that she's not about to let this man into her house until he sees there's a problem and takes steps to get it corrected. In the same way, I believe that we must all stand firm. If there are problems, they must be acknowledged before there can be any thought of fixing them. And frankly, one of our biggest problems are the politicians themselves. Don't you think it's time we drew our own line in the sand and told them we've had enough of their abusive behavior? I sure do! I've never been in a relationship with anybody who's hit me. That doesn't mean that I don't know it's wrong. Most of you, like me, have probably not been the object of abuse by the authorities (at least not yet). But that doesn't mean we can't recognize that kind of thing when we see it. The question is what each of us will do about it. Will we be like Kate and make excuses until we're finally beaten senseless — or worse? Will we be like Cindy and grasp at hope but take no other action? Or will we stop weeping and worrying, stand up despite our pain, and say: Enough! Fix it — or get out! Lady Liberty, a senior writer for ESR, is a graphic designer and pro-freedom activist currently residing in the Midwest. More of her writings and other political and educational information is available on her web site, Lady Liberty's Constitution Clearing House, at http://www.ladylibrty.com. E-mail Lady Liberty at Get weekly updates about new issues of ESR!

"There's a doomsday prophet in us all" Lettre Internationale (Denmark) 10 (2006) The Danish edition of Lettre Internationale – the newest member of the Eurozine network – offers a bulging file on "The dream of Europe" in its new issue. Perhaps, asks editor Andreas Harbsmeier in his editorial, the European dream is still alive, in spite of – or even because of – the recent "No" to the constitution from France and the Netherlands? Perhaps this forced time-out is a golden opportunity to rethink the European project? Of course such rethinking must have a critical stance. In a long and highly interesting talk with the German-Danish anthropologist Michael Harbsmeier, Austrian essayist Karl Markus Gauß describes Europe as "an attempt to establish a tamed capitalism". From that perspective, the fact that the eastern European countries have come to represent "the type of raw capitalism we know from the US" is deeply disturbing. It forces Gauß, known as a strong advocate of the last round of enlargement, to talk about "a kind of paradoxical historical dialectic, when Europe grows and at the same time shrinks." Every two weeks, the Eurozine Review rounds up current issues published by the journals in the Eurozine network. This is just a selection of the more than 80 Eurozine partners published in 34 countries. All Eurozine Reviews Truth and reconciliation? Lettre would not be Lettre if it limited its scope to Europe. Closing the issue, Jens-Martin Eriksen talks to Youk Chhang, director of the Cambodian Documentation Centre, about recent attempts to deal with Cambodia's nightmarish past. Trials against leaders of the Khmer Rouge are about to start, 26 years after their rule ended. And Jakob S. Larsen goes to Rwanda to try to find his way in the tragic legacy of the 1994 genocide: "Faced with so much cruelty committed by one side of the conflict, the international community was prepared to do whatever it took to convince itself that the other side represented reason, compassion, and ordered states." Unfortunately, reality is more complex than that... The full table of contents of Lettre Internationale (Denmark) 10 (2006). There is a doomsday prophet in us all. At least if one believes Norwegian author and essayist Stig Sæterbakken. "I love big accidents", he confesses in the new issue of Swedish Ord&Bild, and adds a footnote: "My immediate reaction to 9/11 was: Yes!!!". The painfully candid article – wandering from the author's potential presence at the Twin Towers that ill-fated day to a planned suicide – confirms Sæterbakken's position as one of the most interesting contemporary authors in Europe: always controversial and never uncomplicated, he forces the reader to confront the less flattering sides of both self and society. Sæterbakken's fascination with catastrophes is not about "Schadenfreude" (and, after a short moment of intensive exhilaration, he, just like everyone else, "puts on a serious and empathic face and says: 'Oh God, how terrible!'"). It is rather about a constant craving for a state of emergency, an exceptional situation in which the normal rules no longer apply. And about our consciousness of death: "We love to see what we fear the most." Sweden's self-image: The main theme is dedicated to Prince Wilhelm (1884-1965), one of Sweden's first media stars and a productive filmmaker, who created over two dozen documentary films between 1920 and 1949. At a time when widespread poverty and poor housing standards were at the top of the Swedish political agenda, the so-called "PeWe" films painted a very different picture: a perfectly ordered little world that has probably meant more for the Swedish self-perception than most would like to acknowledge. Or, as editor and author Erik Andersson puts it in his introduction: "A Leibniz society where life is hard and strenuous, but where everything is perfectly arranged into the best of worlds. Every family, every farmer and fishing boat, every stone-cutter and priest is statically placed in an organic whole that throughout history has come to make up what we call the Swedish nation." Also of interest: Anders Stephanson reads the spy novels of John le Carré, where the personal and the political become more important than the spying game itself. And translator Ulla Ekblad-Forsgren continues her unflagging efforts to introduce German-language literature to Swedish readers. This time with an excerpt from Ingo Schulze's brick of a novel Neue Leben (New lives). The full table of contents of Ord & Bild 6/2005. That "design is luxury" is a widespread misunderstanding. "When today we speak of designer pans or designer furniture, we don't mean well-crafted and durable, functional and aesthetic products that are affordable for everybody", writes Markus Frenzl in du. "It is most often the superfluous and expensive that we mean, which places image, branding, or formal bauble above the content." The designer writes about the image problems that an industry concerned with image is facing, and recalls the forgotten ideals of a discipline. How, at the outset of design in the eighteenth century, porcelain manufacturers began differentiating between aesthetic but useless luxury ware and simple but functional objects. How later, with industrialization, it was deemed necessary to wrap new technical products in an ornamental shell. And how, only in the late nineteenth century, the liberation from historicism connected better design of industrial products with a new claim to social relevance. After that, most of the creative schools – from art deco to Bauhaus – saw themselves as the base for a new society and a spearhead of cultural reform. Cultural historian Wolfgang Ulrich writes about the phenomenon where it is no longer only the designer that determines the shape of an object: neurologists and art historians alike are involved in product design. For instance, the use of childlike facial features to awaken feelings of compassion is applied by sectors as diverse as the food, automotive, cosmetics, and computer industries. du's design focus also includes an interview with Rido Busse, who in 1977 founded the "Plagiarius", an award for the most brazen product plagiarism; sociologist Sighart Neckel shows that the desire to style our surroundings as we please has to do with the fact that we cannot bear to live a life that befalls us; and Michael Richter's photographs show that forms have been the same since the beginning of mankind. The full table of contents of du 4/2006. "What does the digital have in store for us?" asks Esprit in an issue on the future of the Internet. According to Joëlle Farchy, lecturer in cultural and media industries at the Sorbonne, it is not only that digital technology is making access to and reproduction of cultural products increasingly simple, it is also forcing a reconsideration of the production of cultural value itself. Restricted access is on the rise as business increasingly exploits the web's commercial potential. Mediating between users and commerce are public regulators: these take into account the contradictory dynamic of transparency and restriction, writes Philippe Chantepie of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. And in a cool assessment of the web's radical promise, Bernhard Benhamou asks whether the fundamental intuitions that permitted the dynamism of the Internet can still be defended when they appear as the infrastructure of national sovereignty and enrichment. Discussing the Internet's democratic role, Azi Lev-On, of the University of Pennsylvania, and Bernard Manin, of New York University, question whether the Internet opens up perspectives for political participation and discussion. Is the minimal condition of authentic democratic discussion – confrontation with other people's ideas – really present online? Elsewhere in the issue: contributions on the implications of the "Contrat Première Embauche" (the controversial law reducing employers' obligations). Bernard Perrat writes that economists' failure to offer viable reforms lay in their neglect of social, legal, and personal dimensions of employment. And trade union leader François Chérèque discusses the breakdown of negotiations during the March protests and considers how to re-instigate social dialogue. The full table of contents of Esprit 5/2006. A double-issue of Estonian Vikerkaar returns to the contested memories of WWII, following up a conference held last year in Tallinn entitled "History and Memory. The Legacies of the Second World War". In "Historicizing the traces of memory", French intellectual historian François Dosse warns of the dangers of exaggerated commemorative events, contrasting them with the patient "work of memory". Drawing on ideas of the late Paul Ricoeur, Dosse reminds the historian of his or her duties in the wider context of practical human activity. Looking at how the memory of the Franco-Prussian War, the Second World War, and the Algerian War have been put to political use, French historian Patrick Garcia describes how the nationalist way of construing the past has given way to an internationalized and diverse model known as "presentism". Jean-Paul Minaudier, professor at the Paris Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations, argues that it is Estonia's commmunist past that distinguishes its commemoration of the Second World War from the French. Reconciliation of the conflicting outlooks is possible among historians but remains wishful thinking in the wider public opinion, he concludes. Also to look out for: Tiina Kirss and Ene Koresaar analyzse narrative stereotypes unconsciously used in biographies of Estonians, basing their observations on the archive of people's recollections of Nazi occupation held at the Estonian Literary Museum. The full table of contents of Vikerkaar 4-5/2006. Ji 41 (2006) In Ukrainian society, old anti-nuclear taboos and prejudices are in flux; struggling for economic independence from Moscow, the new Ukrainian leadership is being forced to reconsider the option of nuclear energy. It is ironic that while the Chernobyl disaster initiated an anti-nuclear movement that formed the embryo of the national independence movement, today nuclear power is a positive symbol of Ukrainian independence from "energy superpower" Russia. Twenty years after the Chernobyl disaster, the new issue of Ji is devoted to the renaissance of nuclear energy. The contributions reflect this dilemma by offering two different discourses: the ecological and the geopolitical. Within the ecological discourse, Aleksey Yablokov deals with the long-term social and human costs of the disaster; Yuriy Babinin addresses related problems of nuclear waste utilization; and Hanna Hopko and Oleh Suprunenko reflect on the public anxiety that Ukraine is becoming an international waste dump. Articles by Yaroslav Bulych and Serhiy Yermilov on the problems of Ukrainian energy policy represent the geopolitical discourse, while Belarusian essayist Yakov Polyeskyy goes beyond the discursive dichotomy in an analysis of the political and economic capitalization of Chernobyl by the Ukrainian and Belarusian elites. The full table of contents of Ji 41 (2006). Kulturos barai 4/2006 "Political schizophrenia" is how Andrius Martinkus labels the double standards that were handed down by the Soviet political elites in Lithuania. Citizens were supposed to wear idealist and patriotic faces in their interaction with the outside world; but when it came to life within the country, they were told to be realists, in other words, to suffer for Lithuania. In their article about patriotism, Vladimiras Laucius and Vytautas Radzvilas note that being a patriot means being able to subject one's egoism to the common good of the state or society. Emotional patriotism is much more powerful than rational patriotism, say Laucius and Radvilas, because sentimental "love of the homeland" is not seen as a duty or a sacrifice and costs nothing. Also to look out for: Kestutis Milkeraitis takes a look at Lithuania Minor, an official state before WWII with around 250 000 inhabitants, now reduced to around 5000 of their descendants; a focus on Hungarian author Peter Nádas; and historian Edvardas Gudavicius on how the Grand Duchy of Lithuania accepted European values. The full table of contents of Kulturos barai 4/2006. Beginning on 22 June 1941, the western part of the Soviet Union, including occupied Estonia, was declared to be in a state of war. This meant that all questions of defence, public order, and national security were put into the hands of Soviet military authorities. Peeter Kaasik looks at the mechanics of the resulting violations of international law and crimes against humanity. Crimes committed were tried by military tribunals; and new legislation and regulations were the basis for mass arrests and repression near the war front. According to the Hague Conventions, says Kaasik, many of the punishments at this time for so-called crimes were in fact concrete violations of international military law. Given that citizens of an occupied country cannot be forced to serve in the occupier's armed forces, the so-called deserters or evaders of Soviet mobilization should not have been regarded as criminals. Also of interest: Five years ago, Estonia began to create a genetic database of its inhabitants for the purpose of medical research. But this combination of genetic, genealogical, and medical data could be an ethical time bomb. No wonder Estonians are sceptical when it comes to disclosing their personal data. But, argues Ene-Margit Tiit, Estonians need reliable statistics. She offers the solution of data encryption, where only a few trustworthy key holders can access the identifying parts of the data. Data, says Tiit, represents invaluable national wealth, and its protection is just as important as the protection of the rest of cultural property. The full table of contents of Akadeemia 5/2006. This is just a selection of the more than 50 Eurozine partners published in 32 countries. For current tables of contents, self-descriptions, and subscription and contact details of all Eurozine partners, please see the partner section. Original in English

It’s been almost a year since NY Times unveiled the secret to the revolutionary No-Knead Bread. And while fads come and go, this certainly is a recipe that has transcended the fickleness of foodies. It’s time to revisit the bread…. as many of us have been brainwashed by this summer’s ice cream! We’ve made close to 60 loaves since last November and I’ve got to tell you, it is still one of our family’s favorite things to eat. I firmly believe that every person should bake a loaf of bread at least once in their lifetime. Granted, it’s easy to just drive to your local bakery to pick up a loaf, but have you ever experienced the intense joy of smelling freshly baked bread coming from your very own oven?! Foodgasmic eyes-roll-to-back-of-head, soul softly moaning as you tug a piece of warm, pillowy mound gently with your teeth. In case you’ve not heard of No Knead Bread….let me tell you about it. Baking bread does sound intimidating…all that kneading and loaf-shaping business is best left to pros. But what if I told you that you don’t even have to knead or shape, that it is so easy my little son makes it. No Knead Bread recipe so insanely brilliant – no sticky fingers, no doughy mess, no intricate measuring, no complicated kneading. Totally hands-off. The crust is thin, crisp and snaps as you cut into the loaf. The interior of the bread holey, chewy, airy and light. If bread could sing, this would be an angelic choir. In Dolby digital surround sound. Now, with that, how could you not try No Knead Bread? It only takes 3 minutes to mix and a wooden spoon. You can’t even boil spaghetti in 3 minutes! So, without further blabbering, I’ve pimped out my son to demonstrate that baking No Knead Bread is so simple a 4-year old can do it. Of course I had to bribe him with 2 temporary tattoos. Cheap labor. 10 cents apiece. There is nothing that says, “I’m a kick-ass no knead bread baker” more than a tattoo of a killer whale. Move over Bourdain, here comes someone cuter… So, let’s start. 3 cups of bread flour in a big bowl. secret: I sometimes use 1/2c whole wheat flour + 2 1/2c bread flour 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast: 1 teaspoon of table salt (secret: I use 3/4 tablespoon of kosher salt. Why the difference?) Add 1-1/2 cups of lukewarm water. Sorry no pic – he dumped water before I could pick up camera. But you know what “dumping water” looks like! Stir. Use those muscles, boy. Stir like a badass-baker with whale tattoos would stir! See? This is what it is supposed to look like…a shaggy, goopy mess. Wrap up the no knead bread dough Give it a kiss good night and let the no knead bread dough sleep for 12-20 hours on counter or in a nice, warm, cozy place. secret: I’ve let it sit for as little as 8 hours and it still tastes great! I did knead with wet hands just a little tiny bit to make up for the time OR you can add a touch more yeast. After sleeping, the no knead bread dough should look like this: (better than what I look like in the morning.) Dump out on floured surface: Wet your hands. This will prevent the very sticky dough from sticking to your hands. If you find dough sticking to your hands, wet again. Why not flour your hands? You could, but you want to keep the flour: water ratio pretty even. Since we are adding flour to the surface, I balance it out by wetting my hands. It is the high water content that makes this bread so deliciously light and the crust very crisp. With wet hands, grab the dough and fold over all ends towards the middle. Turn dough blob over so that you get a nice, smooth, tight surface. Try to tuck the dough ends under to get that taut surface. Gently move dough onto a piece of parchment paper (I used a floured towel, but it can stick to the towel easily, so I recommend parchment.) Cover. Let nap for 2 hours. It should puff up nicely and double in size. secret: When I run out of time, I sometimes let it sit only for 1 hour! If you let it nap in a tall, narrow bowl (pictured below), the dough rises nice and tall, about 6″ high. If you leave it out on the counter – that is fine too, the dough will rise up and also out….making a flatter No Knead Bread loaf, about 3″-4″ high.They will both taste the same, just looks a little different. A half hour before the nap ends, we will need to begin preheating your baking vessel. Slip a covered pot into the oven. Crank up the heat to 450F. Let it pre-heat for 30 minutes or longer. The perfect pot for No Knead Bread Let’s talk about the pot. So, you know you’re going to put the pot into a very very hot oven. Make sure that the pot can withstand 450F. Generally, if the pot is cheap, flimsy, has plastic handles and a remnant from your poor college days, it’s probably not going to be safe to use in that hot of an oven. Use a 5-qt or larger cast iron, ceramic, Pyrex, stainless steel or enamel pot. Just check your pot collection – look for large, heavy, no plastic. Round, oblong – doesn’t matter. Should be at least 4″ tall. I use my Le Creuset emameled cast-iron. Yes, my cover has a thick plastic knob – but I did call Le Creuset’s customer service and they said while their literature says safe to 400F, it is still fine at 450F. Now, I don’t know whether the gal who talked with me really had the authority to tell me such a thing….but after over 30 loaves, my pot is still unblemished. After pre-heating, remove the hot pot from oven. Time to bake No Knead Bread If you’re using parchment, just lift the entire parchment with dough and place into the pot with the parchment paper on bottom. If you’re using a floured towel, place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of your pot. This prevents the dough from sticking to the pot. Lift the towel, turn it over and just plop this wobbly dough into the hot pot. Doesn’t matter how it lands – actually, the messier it lands, the more “rustic” it looks. Shake pot a bit to even out the dough. “It looks like a belly button!“ ~Andrew Cover and put back into the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Photo below is peeking through oven door after 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake further for 15-20 minutes. To check – you can either tap the bread (should sound low, hollow, like a drum) or take its temperature (should be 210F in middle). Here is No Knead Bread just after baking. See? I told you that “messy” turns out “rustic!” Kids- don’t you DARE tell me that your toy room looks “rustic!!!” GO CLEAN YOUR ROOM! Remove and let cool. The No Knead Bread really does sing – the crust crackles as it cools. Listen to it! secret: Because the bread has such high water content- the crust will not stay crisp forever. If you aren’t eating soon, you can re-crisp the crust by re-heating it in a 350F oven for 10 minutes. Thats it! You will be rewarded with a thin, crunchy brown crust, large, open holes. The bread is slightly chewy, flavorful and perfect texture. Making your own bread is deeply soul satisfying, it makes me feel like I am so close to the earth. Eat with good butter – like Kerrygold or Lurpak – splurge on your butter for this loaf! Just a little story for you: The first time Andrew and I made this bread together, I let him mix all the ingredients together the night before. We watched it bake together. When it came out of the oven, Andrew wanted to cut into it immediately. But we had to wait until it cooled. Then it was time. As I placed the tip of my knife into the bread and moved down through the crust, the snap and crunch of the crust gave way to tender, spongy body. I knew even without tasting it, that it was the most perfect loaf of bread that I have ever made. Andrew and I slathered butter on our slices. We sat on the kitchen floor, my hands still with traces of flour, and had a wonderful moment of just enjoying bread that we made together. Just like his Po-Po, Andrew loves bread. Each time, he would come ask, More bread please with arms outstretched. I would place a warm buttered slice in his small hands – he cradled it so gently, carefully ran to the stairs, never taking his eyes off the prize. He sat on the third step and ate his bread, wiggling his toes between bites. Three times he did this. Yes, this is my son. Perhaps one day when he is older, he will read this recipe and story and remember how his Mommy taught him how to eat homemade bread – with lots of butter and with eyes closed, totally savoring every single bite. Recommended Equipment for No Knead Bread See the kids make German Oven Pancakes Also try: Dip bread in Olive Oil and Dukkah No Knead Bread Recipe No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose's experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why's of how this bread works. Ingredients:3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour) 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 1 teaspoon fine table salt (or 3/4 tablespoon of kosher salt) 1 1/2 cups warm water Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel...something that can go into a 450F oven.) 1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop. 2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Place a large sheet of parchment paper on counter. Plop your dough onto parchment paper. Lift parchment paper up with dough and place into a large bowl. Cover bowl with a towel. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you've got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F. 3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Grab the ends of the parchment paper and lift entire wobbly dough blob out of bowl into pot. Doesn't matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Best way to eat it? Smear a warm slice with some good butter (Kerrygold and Lurpac are both found in your grocery stores, usually on top shelf)

Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 28th, 2013 Here’s the thing. Fans of the franchise should be pleased with the latest entry. The series has been a solid October tradition for some time now. When you consider the low cost of creating one of these films with the proven box office numbers, this was all really a no-brainer, to say the least. You’re going to get more of what you are expecting, and the film throws in enough new angles and tricks to keep the idea as fresh as possible. However, there is a flip-side to all of this. I don’t think it’s very likely that you can enjoy this film quite so fully if you have not seen any of the previous films. The history is of vital importance if you’re going to appreciate where all of this is going. That isn’t to say newcomers won’t be entertained. There are enough jumps and shocks to have a relatively good time. Still, if you haven’t gotten yourself caught up in the franchise’s mythology, you might want to make that effort before going to see this film. It was my intention to watch the first three again before I saw this one. I couldn’t find the time. I wish I had. I did see the first three films, and I still feel like I needed to refresh myself before the journey into number four. Alas, that was not meant to be, and this review will suffer somewhat because of that. I very strongly encourage you to take in the story so far before venturing to your local multiplex. You say you don’t have the time either? Here’s a quick history lesson to get you caught up. You should be warned that here there be SPOILERS of the first three films: The first film introduced us to Katie (Featherston) and her boyfriend Micah (Sloat). Strange things are happening in their home. It starts out small: keys on the floor, strange sounds. That sort of thing. Micah decides to set up a video camera 24/7 in their bedroom and wherever else they happen to be in the hopes of capturing the mystery. What we get is a lot of mundane footage punctuated by an escalating haunting and eventual possession of Katie. It’s goodbye poor Micah, and Katie is left smiling into the camera. The film was made for just a little over 10 grand and made $108 million in the USA alone. The idea was clever, actually, and it took the found-footage concept to a level that did away with constant shaky cameras, although not entirely. The scares were in the sounds more than anything else. More importantly, the film proved you can make money without showing any blood and guts. The second film takes place just before the first and dovetails neatly into that story. It follows Katie’s sister Kristi (Grayden) and her husband Daniel (Boland). They are bringing home their new son Hunter. This time the footage comes courtesy of the security cameras placed both inside and outside the house. The haunting appears to center around poor little Hunter. The film introduced a possible explanation for Katie and Kristi’s familial curse. There’s hypothesizing about someone in the family having made a deal with the devil to gain wealth. I guess this also explains how everyone in this franchise lives in such nice houses, has great state-of-the-art tech toys, and doesn’t appear to actually work. The film ends with Katie killing the couple and absconding with baby Hunter. The postscript tells us they were never seen again, but we know better, don’t we? This film pulled in a little less money but still managed $85 million on another several-grand budget. Like Dire Straits once said, it’s money for nothing. I’m not sure if the chicks were free. Along comes the third film and a box of found video tapes by the sisters brings us back to 1988 when the girls were very young. This time Dad’s a wedding videographer (finally a working stiff) who uses VHS camcorders to capture the strange events going on in his home. The young girls have an imaginary/invisible friend named Toby who appears to be at the center of the strange goings-on. The film added a far more aggressive haunting. There was little subtlety in this one, which involved entire rooms crashing down. The film broke the bank again, getting back up above the $100 million mark once again. When you pull in the total sales of the three fills worldwide, you get nearly a billion bucks in box office receipts. Was there any doubt we were going to see number four? Now we’re back in the present. Couple Doug and Holly are played by real-life husband and wife Stephen Dunham and Alexondra Lee. They have a young daughter, Alex (Newton) and adopted son Wyatt (Lovekamp). This is your everyday kind of family with no apparent connection to the cursed family. Our suspicions get aroused when they take in the neighbor boy Robbie (Allen) when his mother has to go to the hospital. With the arrival of Robbie, strange, and by now familiar to fans, things arrive also. This time it’s the use of laptops, cell phone cameras, and video game motion cameras that provide the found footage. Comic relief can be found both in Alex’s older boyfriend Ben (Shively) who “accidentally” taps into Alex’s laptop camera and records her sleeping. It wasn’t him, you see. His computer “just does it”. While he doesn’t capture the hoped-for suggestive material, he captures Robbie doing some strange stuff. Thus the mission to set up the other camera coverage is begun. More comic relief can be found in a father who has apparently checked out. When the footage is shown to him, he appears completely cool that this guy was recording his teenage daughter while she was sleeping. You pretty much know the rest. Strange things are captured on the footage, and the mystery continues. I have to say that I appear to be alone in finding the film to be worthwhile. Most of the people in my screening were pretty down on the film. Their arguments simply can’t be denied. There’s little new ground here, and there’s certainly a ton of lull in the action. I agree 100% with those assessments. Here’s where I differ. So what? What kind of new ground were you expecting? This is strictly formula here, and I don’t go to these films expecting to encounter elite philosophy or intricate story. I go there for the jumps and the fun. If that’s why you go, you won’t be quite so disappointed. It’s not completely true that there is no new ground here. The best part of the film, for me, was the revelation of the tracking dot lights projected by the Microsoft Kinect. When viewed through infrared they flood the room with literally thousands of white dot lights that track a person’s movement to control the game. I never knew about this and have since verified this stuff is real. Not only is it a new visual turn, but it adds some of the creepiest footage of the franchise. It’s pretty eerie watching the “phantom” move, revealed only by the shifting pattern in the lights. I have to give the filmmakers some credit for creating those images. While acting in these films has never been anything to write home, or the readers at Upcomingdiscs, about, I have to say I was quite impressed with young Brady Allen’s performance as Robbie. The kid sells the creepy stuff quite well indeed. Some of his expressions are priceless. He’s a joy to watch in action. The film has also been touched by real-life tragedy. Stephen Dunham died suddenly of a heart attack at the young age of 48 in September. The film includes an appropriate dedication to him. It’s always sad when an actor dies before getting to see a project they worked on released. It’s doubly sad here as his real wife co-starred in the film with him. Widescreen 1.78:1 presented in 1080p HD. This sequel is beyond appearing as a “found footage” film. A couple kids set up some HD-capable cameras to capture the odd occurrences in their house; therefore the clarity is justified. Said clarity boosts the dynamic use of the Xbox Kinect’s sensor lights in the night vision shots of the living room, making it the most unique and interesting visual gimmick in the film (or dare I say: series) that puts a modern twist to ghost sightings. The AVC codec dances around 31-33 Mbps. English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is the main track with 5.1 Dolby Digital available in French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Sound is this film’s greatest ally. The filmmakers want us to jump at everything, especially the false scares (or “the bus” for all you film academics out there) and so every sound effects volume has been cranked to the maximum. So while you’re adjusting the volume knob in order to hear the dialog, suddenly a door opening (even if it’s not quickly) rattles your eardrums. It’s a great trick since you can’t really fight against it, unless you’re willing to watch it on mute. This set comes with a Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Download Copy of the film. Extended Version: Included on both the Blu ray and DVD is a version that runs 10 minutes longer than the “Theatrical” version. Due to the repetitiveness of the types of stillness to thrills technique this film employs, the added scenes are masked in the overall sameness of the entire film. If you’re completely captivated by this type of “Boo!” film, then watching the extended version does no harm (except to your heart, perhaps). The Recovered Files: That is a fancy way of saying “deleted scenes.” Half an hour of additional spooky bits that are not in either cut of this film. Though, just like the additions to the “Extended” version, they are indistinguishable from the other moments, therefore are hardly missed nor would be that intrusive if spliced back in (other than making the film unbearably long). Finally, you need to stay through the credits. Don’t worry. They’re quite short on these films. There is an extra scene that might be a return of an earlier character. It is also rumored to be a tease for a Spanish language spinoff film that is now being prepared. Apparently the film has a huge Latino following, and Paramount might be looking to capitalize. Whatever the real intention of the scene might be, you won’t want to miss it. You can be sure it’s going to pay off down the road in some way or another. Paranormal Activity has reigned as the Halloween champ for four years now after dethroning the Saw franchise. I see Sinister positioning itself to do the same to Paranormal Activity in the not-so-near future. For now, maybe there’s still just a little more life in these legs than most people seem to believe. For now, at least, “it’s happening again”. The Audio/Video and Special Features portions were written by William O’Donnell

MTV News sat down with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Saturday in Nevada, but we weren't alone. We were [article id="1598407"]armed with your questions[/article], and we took them directly to the senator himself. (MTV News extended a similar offer to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, but he declined.) It was your last chance to bring your issues directly to the candidate before the polls open Tuesday. Obama took on a wide range of topics, including gay rights, gun violence, civil liberties and even sagging-pants ordinances. But now we're giving you the last word — the senator's conversation with Sway is below, but to see what the people behind the questions thought of Obama's answers, tune in when "Ask Obama" airs Monday (November 3) on MTV at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET, and on MTV Tr3s at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. ET. Sway: Senator Obama, thank you first of all for engaging young Americans today, as well as throughout the year. You have always been here for the MTV audience, and I want to say that we appreciate your time. Barack Obama: Thank you so much, Sway. I appreciate it. Sway: Well, we have a lot of great questions from our audience, so I'm going to get straight to it. Obama: Let's do it. Sway: The first question is from joi0924, and she's from San Antonio: "The young people today cannot afford to go to college because of the cost of tuition. What are your plans as our next president when it comes to making it easier for young people to attend college?" Obama: Look, this I can relate to. I went to college having to take out student loans, went to law school having to take out student loans. Michelle took out student loans. When we got married, I think together our total loan payments every month was more than our mortgage when we bought a house, and that lasted for about 10 years. And I meet students — I think the average student is taking out $25,000 to $30,000. That's a huge burden, especially in a time when wages and income are not going up. So here is what we want to do: increase the Pell Grant program, eliminate banks as middlemen from the direct loan program — they're taking out billions of dollars in profits — take that money, apply that to increasing the number of loans that are out there and reducing the rates, and then what I want to do is provide a $4,000 tuition credit for every student, every year, in exchange for national service. If they participate in Peace Corps, working in their community in some fashion, obviously joining the military. We are going to make sure that they can afford their college tuition. And in certain areas, like teaching, where we really need teachers, especially in math and science, and nursing, where we really need nurses, we will potentially provide them with even more than that in order to get the high-quality teachers and nurses that we really need. Sway: OK, and that sounds great for those that want to attend college. What about those who are already in college, say for example we have Sev88. He is from Buffalo. His question is: "I am in my junior year of college. I am very worried about paying back my student loans. I have heard your plans for making college more affordable, but what are you going to do for the graduates that are already tens of thousands of dollars in student-loan debt?" Obama: We may try to see if we can set up some programs to see if we can consolidate some of these loans. There is only so much we will be able to do going backwards. What we can focus on is going forward. I think there are a lot of students out there who have already paid off their loans and they may not be happy with it. They might not mind getting some of their money back too. What we want to do is just make sure that each student who is currently in school — and by the way, this isn't just four-year colleges and universities. My attitude is, if young people are going back, going for two years at the community-college level for technical training of some sort, they are returning to school after having worked for a while, all of that is part of creating a knowledge-based work force that is going to be the key to our competitiveness long-term. This is not just good for young people, it's good for the economy as a whole. Sway: What are some of the programs you said for people that have already incurred the debt? Obama: As I said, what we are looking at potentially is being able to consolidate some of the loans, and if they are part of a broader pool, we may be able to lower interest rates on the debt that they already owe. But the key is going to be going forward, making sure that young people in the future are able to afford to go to college. Sway: Our next question is from Matt from Iowa: "If your desire is to spread the wealth around, what incentive is there for me to try to work hard? If I am only going to get more taken away from me, the more money I make, why wouldn't I just slide into a life of relaxation and let rich people take care of me? And a lot of people are asking similar questions, and I wanted you to specify. What does this mean exactly?" Obama: What is amazing to me is this whole notion that somehow everybody is just looking out for themselves. I mean, the fact is, we just talked about student loans. When young people who have the drive and the skill to go to college can't afford to go to college, how do you think we pay for scholarships or loan programs? That money doesn't grow on trees. It's got to come from somewhere, and the attitude that I have is that, if we want to grow our economy, the way it grows is from the bottom up. You don't just give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires. What you do is make sure the tax code is fair. I want to give a tax cut to 95 percent of working Americans, but in order to pay for that, I'm going to take the tax rates back to what they were in the 1990s for people who are making more than a quarter of a million dollars a year. Now for people who are making more than a quarter of a million dollars a year, if they are paying 2 or 3 percent higher in taxes, the notion that they're somehow going to stop working, or that this young man is going to not want to be successful, that just doesn't make any sense. Back in the 1990s, we created more millionaires, more billionaires, because the economy was growing, everything was strong, at every income bracket, people were doing well. So this idea, that somehow everybody is just on their own and shouldn't be concerned about other people who are coming up behind them, that's the kind of attitude that I want to end when I am president. Sway: Just out of curiosity, for those that are being taxed that are making more than $250,000 a year, how much difference would it be from how they are being taxed today? Obama: Well, right now, they are getting taxed at 36 percent. Under Bill Clinton in the 1990s, they were being taxed at 39.6 percent. You are talking about a 3.6 percent difference, and for the average person who is making half a million, a million dollars, now people like you Sway, that's chump change, that's nothing. But it could make a big difference for that young person who is trying to figure out whether they can go to college or not, if we could give them more of a break or more scholarships or grants to go to college. Sway: For the record, I don't make that kind of money, so I am going to go ahead and say that. All right, my next question is from Joseph from Brooklyn, New York. Joseph says: "Mr. Obama, my name is Joseph Stort, and I come from Red Hook, Brooklyn. I know at least 40 people who were murdered because they grew up in a climate of hopelessness. How can we begin to inject hope into the inner cities, to those society has deemed unreachable?' Obama: It's a big problem and we are not going to be able to turn it around overnight. I don't want people thinking, "I'm president, and suddenly you don't have any gangs on the streets, and you don't have any drugs being peddled on the corners." But I think that over the course of eight, 10 years, we can start moving in another direction, and it involves starting when they are young, investing in early childhood education, making sure that our kids are getting a healthy start, having a comprehensive health care program, so that every young person is getting the checkups they need, if they need eyeglasses, if they have a hearing impairment, if they're getting their vaccinations, whatever it is, making sure they are healthy and happy when they start school. That is point number one. Point number two is improving K-12 education, improving our teachers, giving them higher salaries. Also giving them more support, having after-school programs and summer-school programs so that the kids have some place to go and having a criminal-justice system that is focused more on prevention and not just apprehending criminals. You look at, for example, the way we deal with nonviolent, low-level drug offenders, first-time drug offenders, it turns out drug courts that force them to go to rehabilitation, where they are carefully monitored, is actually much more successful in preventing them in going back into a life of crime than just throwing them in a jail somewhere, and if we have a smart approach and not just a tough approach, but also a smart and tough approach to how we deal with the criminal-justice program, that can have an impact as well. There is a great example, the Harlem Children's Zone, a guy name Geoffrey Canada started this. It has a comprehensive approach to young people in that area, and you are starting to see graduation rates go up, college-attendance rates go up, reductions in terms of delinquency, so we can make progress on this stuff, but it takes sustained effort, and over the long term in the inner city, we obviously have to create jobs, so people have a path where they can see, "If I do the right thing, that's where I am going to end up," and right now, I think too many young people see that they don't have choices. So economic development in these communities, making small-business loans to communities, making sure we are building infrastructure and hiring young people to work, for example, in making buildings in the inner city more energy-efficient, that's good for the homeowner or the apartment-dweller. It is also an opportunity to train young people to insulate homes and do other stuff that might lead to a career in construction someday. Sway: What about the relationship between the citizens and law enforcement, what can we do to improve that? Obama: Law enforcement is generally a local issue, city, state, but one thing I think a president can do is to have a Justice Department that is thinking about working with local law enforcement to create best practices. So instead of waiting until there has been some question about whether there has been a civil-rights violation, have the Justice Department work with these law-enforcement agencies ahead of times, saying if you want a fair, just, law enforcement that has a good relationship with the community, here is what we found has worked over the course of time. So for example, when I was in Illinois, we set up one of the first-in-the-nation laws prohibiting racial profiling, but we didn't just say, "Don't racial profile." We went in and we, the state, gathered statistics in terms of local law enforcement, helped them to train their folks in terms of what is an appropriate traffic stop, how should you treat people. It's not perfect, but what it does is it creates a different kind of culture, that is going to be thinking about, "How do you deal with a community?" Sway: The next question is from Gonzalez F. from Washington, D.C.: "I have been here in the U.S. since I was 3 years old. I didn't have a choice to come here. I have gotten accustomed to the American lifestyle. I can't even remember what Mexico looks like. My question is, will you help young immigrants, like us, become citizens of the United States?" Obama: I have been consistent about this. What we need is a comprehensive approach. We are serious about the borders. We make sure folks aren't breaking the law. We crack down on employers who are unlawfully hiring undocumented workers, but we also provide a pathway to citizenship that has to be earned. People have to register, pay taxes, they have to pay a fine if they have come here illegally, they have to make sure they are learning English, if they don't already know English, they go to the back of the line so they don't get a legal residency before people who have applied legally, but I think we have to have a practical approach to this thing, so we make sure we have a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That has been our history. We've got to do it in a way that isn't about left or right, ideological battles, we've just got to solve the problem. Sway: The next question comes from GangstaGigz, out of San Leandro, California, which is near my home town of Oakland: "I was wondering, what is your reaction to Proposition 8, and would you vote yes or no on it?" And for our audience, Proposition 8 is the California state ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage. Obama: I have stated my opposition to that. I think it is unnecessary. I believe that marriage is between a man and woman and I am not in favor of gay marriage, but when you're playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that that is not what America is about. Usually constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them. What I believe is that if we have strong civil unions out there that provide legal rights to same-sex couples that they can visit each other in the hospital if they get sick, that they can transfer property to each other. If they've got benefits, they can make sure those benefits apply to their partners. I think that is the direction we need to go. I think young people are ahead of the curve on this, for the most part. I think their attitude generally is, "We should be respectful of all people," and that is the kind of politics I want to practice. Sway: So you would vote ... Obama: I would vote no on the proposition. Sway: Our next question comes from Eric out of Huntington Beach, California: "There are numerous cultures and subcultures in the United States today. Powers-that-be set statutes with monetary penalty on how people wear their clothes. Do you find it intrusive on civil liberties to create such ordinances?" And you know I got 'locks. Obama: I wasn't going to pass a law, man. You look tight. Sway: I know people have piercings, tattoos. Eric, in particular, is talking about a ban on sagging pants. Do feel like people should be penalized? Obama: Here is my attitude: I think people passing a law against people wearing sagging pants is a waste of time. We should be focused on creating jobs, improving our schools, health care, dealing with the war in Iraq, and anybody, any public official, that is worrying about sagging pants probably needs to spend some time focusing on real problems out there. Having said that, brothers should pull up their pants. You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What's wrong with that? Come on. There are some issues that we face, that you don't have to pass a law, but that doesn't mean folks can't have some sense and some respect for other people and, you know, some people might not want to see your underwear — I'm one of them. Sway: In regards to piercings, tattoos, I had a friend who worked for UPS and he had 'locks. He almost lost his job, but he fought for it. In regards to those things, how do you feel? Obama: It's one thing if an employer discriminates on the basis of gender or sexual orientation or, obviously, race or ethnicity. I think employers can set standards. Now you got 'locks, but it looks clean, man, it's tight, and my little girl has twists, Malia, and to me, it looks great. Obviously I would be upset if she were discriminated against on that basis. On the other hand, if you are working at a fancy store and you show up to work in jeans and a shirt and you have a tatoo across your neck like Mike Tyson, for them to say, you know, "That is not the kind of image we are trying to project," obviously, that is in their rights as well. I think any business has the right to say, "This is the kind of tone we want to set," as long as they aren't discriminating on the basis of things people can't control. Sway: I want to ask you about online rumors. You've been impacted by them as much as any other candidate, and I want to know, what do you do about this? Because a lot of people are going into the polls, and they consider these things they heard online true. Obama: It's a huge problem, but it is one you've just got to battle through. You can't control the Internet, and I am a big believer in freedom of speech and, obviously, hard-core obscenity or child pornography, there are areas where it is legitimate to intervene. But generally, my attitude is the Internet is something that should be free to access whatever information they want. It is amazing to me that people believe what they read on the Internet all the time, unfiltered. I mean some e-mail pops up, whether it is selling them something that doesn't make sense or some letter from Nigeria saying you can make money if you just send me your bank-account number, or in our politics, we have been subject to a number of people falsely saying I am Muslim — I'm Christian — suggesting I wasn't born in this country, even though I just walked by the hospital where I was born. There have been all kinds of crazy rumors out there taking place, and the best thing we can do is just battle bad information with good information. We try to make sure we get our story out. We use the Internet as well as any campaign ever has, and I want to continue to use the Internet as a way, not just for us to get our information out, but for people to give us back suggestions and recommendations and ideas and input. That's part of what democracy is about, that is part of what has been exciting about out campaign. Sway: You are in the final hours right now, and you have a gigantic audience that is watching you right now. What can you tell them about the importance of getting out to vote? Obama: You've got a younger viewership on MTV, so let me be specific to the young people. Every decision that is going to be made in this election, or by the next president, is going to have an enormous impact on your lives. We've talked about some of them: your ability of whether you are going to afford to go to college, whether we have got an economy that's creating jobs for the future, whether we've got a tax code that is fair and gives everybody a chance at a better life, whether or not we are dealing with things like climate change, that could affect the well-being of the planet, are we continuing with two wars and how does that impact young people who are typically the ones who are fighting wars, what are we doing in terms of the criminal-justice system and making sure that's fair. All those issues are going to be decided right now. And you've got a big difference between myself and Senator McCain on almost every issue. And if you are satisfied with how the country is going right now, then I'm probably not your best option, but if you think we need fundamental change to make this country work the way it should and to give you a better future, then I hope you go to the polls. And if you don't know where to go, you can get on our Web site, www.voteforchange.com. You can go and vote. In many states there is early voting, in which case you can vote even before Election Day, but on Tuesday, even if there are long lines, just make sure that you are exercising your voice, because it can make all the difference in the world. First-time voters, we want to hear from you! Text VOTE to 66333 with your first name, age, state and a comment about your experience, and your message could appear on the air Tuesday. Get informed! Head to Choose or Lose for nonstop coverage of the 2008 presidential election, including everything from the latest news on the candidates to on-the-ground multimedia reports from our 51 citizen journalists, MTV and MySpace's Presidential Dialogues, and much more.

June 8, 1967 — the fourth day of the Six Day War between Israel and Egypt, Syria and Jordan — was a beautiful day in the Mediterranean. The USS Liberty was in international waters off the coast of Egypt. Israeli aircraft had flown over the USS Liberty in the morning and had reported that the ship was American. The crew, in close proximity to the war zone, was reassured by the presence of Israeli aircraft. But at 2:00 p.m. sailors sunbathing on the deck saw fighter jets coming at them in attack formation. Red flashes from the wings of the fighters were followed by explosions, blood and death. A beautiful afternoon suddenly became a nightmare. Who was attacking the USS Liberty and why? The attack on the Liberty was an attack on America. The Liberty was an intelligence ship. Its purpose was to monitor Soviet and Arab communications in order to warn both Israel and Washington should the Soviets enter the war on behalf of its Arab allies. The Liberty was armed only with four machineguns to repel boarders. Its request for a destroyer escort had been denied. The assault on the Liberty is well documented. With no warning, the Liberty was attacked by successive waves of unmarked jets using cannon, rockets and napalm. The attacking jets jammed all of the US communications frequencies, an indication they knew the Liberty was an American ship. The air attack failed to sink the Liberty. About 30 minutes into the attack three torpedo boats appeared flying the Star of David. The Israeli boats were not on a rescue mission. They attacked the Liberty with cannon, machineguns and torpedoes. One torpedo struck the Liberty mid-ship, instantly killing 25 Americans while flooding the lower decks. The Israeli torpedo boats destroyed the life rafts the Liberty launched when the crew prepared to abandon ship, sending the message there’d be no survivors. At approximately 3:15 two French-built Israeli helicopters carrying armed Israeli troops appeared over the Liberty. Phil Tourney could see their faces only 50/60 feet away. He gave them the finger. Surviving crewmembers are convinced the Israelis were sent to board and kill all survivors. The Israeli jets destroyed the Liberty’s communication antennas. While under attack from the jets, crewmembers strung lines that permitted the ship to send a call for help. The USS Saratoga and the USS America launched fighters to drive off the attacking aircraft, but the rescue mission was aborted by direct orders from Washington. When the Liberty notified the Sixth Fleet it was again under attack, this time from surface ships, the Fleet commander ordered the carriers America and Saratoga to launch fighters to destroy or drive off the attackers. The order was unencrypted and picked up by Israel, which immediately called off its attack. The torpedo boats and the hovering helicopters sped away. Israel quickly notified Washington that it had mistakenly attacked an American ship, and the US fighters were recalled a second time. The USS Liberty suffered 70% casualties, with 34 killed and 174 wounded. Although the expensive state of the art ship was kept afloat by the heroic crew, it later proved unsalvageable and was sold as scrap. No explanation has ever been given by the US government for Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and President Lyndon B. Johnson’s orders for the Sixth Fleet to abort the rescue mission. Lt. Commander David Lewis of the Liberty told colleagues that Admiral L. R. Geis, commander of the Sixth Fleet carrier force, told him that when he challenged McNamara’s order to recall the rescue mission, LBJ came on the line and said he didn’t care if the ship sank, he wasn’t going to embarrass an ally. The communications officer handling the transmission has given the same account. A BBC documentary on the Israeli raid reports confusion about the attacker’s identity almost resulted in a US assault on Egypt. Richard Parker, US political counsel in Cairo, confirms in the BBC documentary he received official communication an American retaliatory attack on Egypt was on its way. The US government’s official position on the USS Liberty corresponds with Israel’s: The attack was unintentional and a result of Israeli blunders. This is the official position despite the fact that CIA Director Richard Helms, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Assistant Secretary of State Lucius Battle, and a long list of US Navy officers, government officials and Liberty survivors are on record saying the Israeli attack was intentional. According to Helms, Battle and the minutes of a White House meeting, President Johnson believed the attack was intentional. Helms says LBJ was furious and complained when The New York Times buried the story on page 29, but that Johnson decided he had to publicly accept Israel’s explanation. “The political pressure was too much,” Helms said. US communications personnel, intelligence analysts and ambassadors report having read US intercepts of Israeli orders to attack the Liberty. In one intercept an Israeli pilot reports that the Liberty is an American ship and asks for a repeat and clarification of his orders to attack an American ship. One Israeli who identified himself as one of the pilots later came to America and met with US Representative Pete McCloskey and Liberty survivors. The pilot said he had refused to participate in the attack when he saw it was an American ship. He was arrested upon returning to base. The Liberty flew the US flag. The ship’s markings, GTR-5, measured several feet in height on both sides of the bow. On the stern the ship was clearly marked USS LIBERTY. Mistaking the Liberty for an Egyptian ship, as Israel claims to have done, was impossible. The Israelis claim the Liberty flew no flag, but two US flags full of holes from the attack exist. When the first flag was shot down, crewmen replaced it with a flag 7 feet by 13 feet. This flag with its battle scars is on display at NSA headquarters at Ft. Mead, Maryland. Admiral John S. McCain Jr., the father of the current US senator, ordered Admiral Isaac C. Kidd and Captain Ward Boston to hold a court of inquiry and to complete the investigation in only one week. In a signed affidavit Captain Boston said President Johnson ordered a cover-up and that he and Admiral Kidd were prevented from doing a real investigation. Liberty survivors were ordered never to speak to anyone about the event. Their silence was finally broken when Lt. Commander Jim Ennes published his book, Assault on the Liberty. It is now established fact that the attack on the Liberty was intentional and was covered up by President Johnson and every administration since. There has never been a congressional investigation, nor has the testimony of the majority of survivors ever been officially taken. Moreover, testimony that conflicted with the cover-up was deleted from the official record. Disgusted by the US government’s official stance discounting the survivors’ reports, Admiral Tom Moorer, retired Chief of Naval Operations and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, organized the Moorer Commission to make public the known facts about the attack and cover-up. The Commission consisted of Admiral Moorer, former Judge Advocate General of the US Navy Admiral Merlin Staring, Marine Corps General Raymond G. Davis and former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Akins. The Commission’s Report concluded: “That there is compelling evidence that Israel’s attack was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill her entire crew. “That fearing conflict with Israel, the White House deliberately prevented the US Navy from coming to the defense of USS Liberty by recalling Sixth Fleet military rescue support while the ship was under attack. “That surviving crew members were threatened with ‘court-martial, imprisonment or worse’ if they exposed the truth; and [the survivors] were abandoned by their own government. “That there has been an official cover-up without precedent in American naval history. “That a danger to our national security exists whenever our elected officials are willing to subordinate American interests to those of any foreign nation.” Why did Israel attack the Liberty? Was something super secret going on that is so damaging it must be protected at all cost? Some experts believe Tel Aviv decided to sink the Liberty because the ship’s surveillance capability would discover Israel’s impending invasion and capture of Syria’s Golan Heights, an action opposed by Washington. Others believe Israel was concerned the Liberty would discover Israel’s massacre of hundreds of Egyptian POWs, a war crime contemporaneous with the attack on the US ship. Still others believe that Israel intended to blame the attack on Egypt in order to bring America into the war. It is known the US was providing Israel with reconnaissance and that there were joint US-Israeli covert operations against the Arabs that Washington was desperate to keep secret. Survivors with whom I spoke said the attack was the easy part of the experience. The hard part has been living with 40 years of official cover-up and betrayal by the US government. One survivor said that he was asked to leave his Baptist church when he spoke about the Liberty, because the minister and fellow church-goers felt more loyalty to Israel than to a member of the congregation who had served his country. His church’s position was that if our government believed Israel, the survivors should also. Survivor Phil Tourney said that “being forced to live with a cover-up is like being raped and no one will believe you.” Survivor Gary Brummett said he “feels like someone who has been locked up for 40 years on a wrongful conviction.” Until the US government acknowledges the truth of the attack, Brummett says the survivors are forced to live with the anger and dismay of being betrayed by the country they served. Survivor Bryce Lockwood has been angry for 40 years. The torpedo that killed his shipmates, wrecked his ship and damaged his health was made in the USA. Survivor Ernie Gallo told me he “has been haunted for four decades” by the knowledge that his commander-in-chief recalled the US fighters that could have prevented most of the Liberty’s casualties. Every American should be troubled by the fact that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense prevented the US Sixth Fleet from protecting a US Navy ship and its 294-man crew from foreign attack. They should also be troubled that the President ordered the Navy to determine the attack was unintentional. This article is based entirely on documented sources and on interviews with six of the survivors, Capt. Ward Boston, and Bill Knutson, the executive officer of the USS America fighter squadron sent on the first aborted rescue mission. The Moorer Commission report is available online at usslibertyinquiry.com. For the BBC documentary on the USS Liberty, Dead in the Water, go to whatreallyhappened.com. See also Army War College document. A detailed account showing that the attacking Israeli pilots were aware that the Liberty was an American ship can be found in the October 2, 2007, Chicago Tribune. See New York Times, Sept. 24, 1995 for Israeli massacre of Egyptian POWs. The USS Liberty site is full of information.

We all know they do, the only people worrying about it are women. orchid / 217 posts i prefer wearing nothing rose / 770 posts Kim Kardashian is wearing the wrong size jeans, and you can tell. Other than that, these other ladies look wonderful. Kudos. Curvy girls BEEN rocking the skinny jeans and they rock em quite nicely. orchid / 103 posts hmm i love skinny jeans. i just bought a new pair this week^^ orchid / 135 posts Curvy yes. Fat nooooooo!D’; Ehh…I don’t like how I look in skinny jeans. I have no hips, and I’m short. People still say that I look good in skinny jeans 😀 It’s just the confidence that comes with it that makes thing a lot more awesome Yhyh curvy girls can wear whatever they want but fat girls NO.lol. what about girls with short legs? I’m only 5 feet, my legs look pretty short… not sure I can pull these off… I want to try though.. I’m curvy but I don’t really fit into most skinny jeans (My rear end is too big). 😛 I think that it all depends on your body type as to whether or not you can look good in skinny jeans. I like how they look better on skinny girls, but that’s just my personal opinion. These women are all so beautiful, but do not look good in skinny jeans. daisy / 613 posts Ah, I dunno. I don’t own a pair of skinny jeans, but I do have a pair of straight leg jeans. I like them okay. The thing is, I have really abnormally thick calves, so the pant kind of bunches up around my knees or something. I dunno, skinny jeans just look kind of weird when I wear them. I think the key for the curvy women skinny jean look is to wear heels to elongate the legs and create a slimmer profile. Well of course “curvy” women can rock the skinny jeans! Was there ever any doubt? magnolia / 1369 posts since when was there a doubt about curvy girls wearing skinny jeans? Kim, Beyonce & Mariah look fine. The rest, not so much. Curvy, okay. Chubby, no. There are more flattering jeans for them. orchid / 146 posts yea they all look pretty good. I don’t like skinny jeans. On anybody. dahlia / 2942 posts I don’t like skinny jeans. I’m so glad it’s summer and I don’t have to wear them anymore [since I can’t wear bootleg anymore, it’s “out” now]. I have liberated my legs from these tight pants and now I’m wearing breezy sundresses. Everyone can rock skinny jeans =P No and no. The only problem I have with ANYONE wearing skinny jeans is when they form muffin tops. DDDDDDDDD:That’s terrible. Anyone can wear anything they want. As long as it fits properly, and they are comfortable. I think what makes me not like them on these girls is the actual styling and way they are wearing them. It’s just not flattering. A longer top, or some flowing layers with them would be much more suitable. Venus looks AWFUL. Not to mention, the whole look on her is OUTDATED. Politely disagree. Skinny jeans are for skinny girls. @Rhapsodical_Hazie@xanga – my same problem. I can’t stand muffin tops on anyone. *shudder* skinny jeans are ugly. @Rhapsodical_Hazie@xanga – ew, muffin tops are gross in any clothing. At least three of those pairs of pants are actually straight leg jeans. And straight leg jeans look wonderful on curvy girls, because they don’t squeeze unflatteringly around the calves, causing awkward bunching at the knees as seen in Kim Kardashian’s photo. @Nina1981@xanga – I’m 5 ft too! I used to wear boot cuts, but recently switched to skinny jeans, I really like them better. Don’t get the one’s that are too tight, maybe the one that fits YOU perfectly. I get size 1, not too big or too tight(but that depends on your size). You can always style them with flats or heels. =) @Ba8yAzNgUrL@xanga – Thanks! I’m a size 1, so maybe a size 2 then so it’s not too tight.. I need to go shopping lol I’m curvy, and I’ve never had the nerve to try. haha..Just always assumed it wouldn’t work for me. I’m short too, so I don’t have long legs to balance it out =/ the three pictures below beyonce are not flattering. @Nina1981@xanga – if your legs seem short wear some pointy toed shoes with your skinny jeans, it’ll help a lot! I have the same problem. haha! Noooo way. I’m quite curvy (have the exact measurements of J. Lo, minus 1 inch on each measurement), and I would NEVER wear skinny jeans! They overemphasize your hips and just make you look shorter/chunkier. I always grimace when I see curvier girls wearing them; it’s just not flattering! Plus, with the emphasis on the big hips, they can very easily make you look like a mom instead of a younger woman (if you ARE a younger woman). sunflower / 331 posts I disagree. And I’m “curvy” too. Anybody can rock skinny jeans and look good. Fit matters, size doesn’t. I’m a curvy size one and short (5’2) and I’ve worn skinny jeans that looked awful on me, as well as some that looked great. I personally don’t think skinny jeans look flattering on ANYONE with curves. Straight cut, yes. You need something to help balance out the curves. I’m curvy, and I know very well that skinny jeans aren’t the best jeans to wear. I think they look beautiful, and it makes me feel better about my curves. I don’t need to be 120 lbs to rock anything. Plus, personality reflects. I think skinny jeans can look good on ANYONE as long as they are the right size and fit. I think skinny jeans really depend on the shirt you wear with them.So of course, curvy girls can rock skinny jeans. orchid / 141 posts Curvy women can rock the skinny jeans if they get the RIGHT SIZE AND WASH for the jeans. @Snuphalufa_Neff@xanga – Great idea- thanks! orchid / 126 posts i wish i was curvy 😛 Anyone bigger than Kim K or beyonce should NOT wear them,because then they wind up being unflattering. I LOVE skinny jeans!!! Whoever said they couldnt? I actually think they pull it off the best. daisy / 630 posts if you’re self-consious about your hips and thighs like i am, then skinny jeans are the last thing you would want to be wearing.i think they only look good on skinny girls. Curvy and TALL women with WELL-FITTED skinny jeans are okay. I just don’t find them comfortable D: Women who have really big thighs do NOT look good in skinny jeans. but some have curves and there thighs arent so big and they wear there skinny jeans well. EWWWWWWW.mariah looks good.but the rest….eeeeeek. they’re beautiful, but the jeans simply don’t flatter them.soooo no, many curvy girls can’t rock skinny jeans, sorry. some of these girls look AWFUL in them.i’m 5’8″ and a size 8, curvy but not fat. i’m realistic, and i won’t dream about wearing skinny jeans until i’m a 6. magnolia / 1055 posts i can’t do skinny jeans, and i’m below average sunflower / 403 posts Regardless of trends, I can’t wear them. They’re do not look good on me. I prefer jeans that flatter rather than emphasize my hips! I’ll always wear bootcut… Beyonce looks good, Mariah looks OK, and if Kim’s were the right size she’d look good as well. The rest, they can wear what they want and I don’t have to look at them. im curvy i wear skinny jeans I’m pretty curvy , though I haven’t tried skinny jeans yet. Curvy girls can wear whatever they want and the whole skinny jeans look good only on skinny girls is bull. I like all these pictures because all the woman pull them off very well OMG, FEATURED ON LOVELYISH?! WAY. TO. GO.! No. I’m curvy and I wouldn’t dream of it. Skinny jeans make their (our) legs look shorter and fatter and our butts look bigger. sunflower / 308 posts I think it looks better on someone with skinner legs. Of course curvy women can rock skinny jeans!! Work it girls! Curvy girls can rock skinny jeans too.. @englishpearl@xanga - second this! Only two of those women from all of those pictures looks nice. For the most part… I REALLY disagree. And that’s coming from a curvy chick. orchid / 171 posts I’ve never really been a skinny jean wearer. I’m still stuck on flares. orchid / 106 posts Definitely. I have a big ass, I only have one pair of skinny jeans, and they’re alright, but I think thin people are probably more comfortable. But I think if they make it in your size, then you should be able to wear it. So more power to em. Curvy women ftw! Work those hips! I’m proud to have curves too, so why not show them off in skinny jeans? Some of those women look great, but some, not so much.I think it really depends on how your weight is distributed, not just your weight. Women who are pretty curvy and carry more weight carried in their butt and not as much in their thighs can pull it off. They don’t really look good on women with big thighs. whoever said they couldn’t? fat people on the other hand, eeehhh, not so much. sunflower / 312 posts @turnyalightsdownlow@xanga – Love the way you think. your pictures are just counterarguments.. Here curvy women wearing skinny jeans is taboo, and the ones who do do it end up being shunned. I am quite fond of them myself. 😀 no! not a good idea. skinny jeans suck in general I’m 5’4” and I guess I’d be considered curvy. I personally don’t wear skinny jeans because they make my thighs look even bigger than they already are >.People tell me I look good in them (I’ve worn one pair at the advice of my friend) but since I don’t feel confident in them, I stick to other styles.They look good on some curvy girls, depending on what else they’re worn with. I’ve seen curvy girls in tight skinny jeans with a skin tight t-shirt. Not the most flattering look. It looks bad if you see muffin tops @Prayforplagues707@xanga – Exactly, it looks good if you’re wearing it with the right top. eh, it depends. i’m pretty curvy, but if i’m going shopping and i try on a pair of skinny’s some look good others don’t. so ehh i’m short and “curvy” (is that code for ‘fat’? if so, then yeah, i’m a little chubby, lol), and i like the way i look in my skinny jeans! it’s not as much about the body type as it is about the fit and the way you style it. depends what they’re wearing on top, i guess. O_o No. These women are gorgeous, there’s no denying that– but these jeans look terrible on them. I’m “curvy,” and would never wear these at the size I am because it just doesn’t look right– there are so many wrinkles and creases because the jeans are too tight! When skinny people wear skinny jeans there aren’t many creases. IMO skinny jeans are meant for “skinny” people. curvy or fat? @Nina1981@xanga – i’m short too. and a little curvy. so i got the short end of the stick :/.@Meowmeowkimmaee@xanga – i still wear bootleg! @ayeHEARTyoo@xanga – hehe i don’t have the guts to stand out amongst the sea of skinny-jeaned teens at school @Meowmeowkimmaee@xanga – hah i only have one pair of skinny jeans. and they fit weird on me. i think i got them on sale..? all my other jeans are bootleg. they just flatter my frame so much better. skinny jeans just make me look shorter and chubbier. @ayeHEARTyoo@xanga – straight jeans are a good compromise and i have 1 pair of those. i have 2 pairs of skinny, and a 3rd i sometimes borrow from my sister. to avoid wearing skinny jeans so much during the winter, i compensated by wearing my bootleg jeans with boots that went up to my calf or around there. Skinny jeans aren’t just for skinny people. orchid / 179 posts yes, they can “rock” them– that’s an attitude thing. but do they actually look good? i would say no. i’m a curvy girl, and i avoid skinnies like the plague, but i could definitely rock them if i wanted to. i recently finally bought a pair, but they’re dark and not super skinny, and i only wear them with empire waisted tops or things that will cover how they muffin-top me. i think that do that to most curvy girls. sunflower / 496 posts I don’t like it… at all on skinny and curvy girls. I prefer dresses Eh… They look good, but they can afford to get themselves custom jeans. 😛 My athletic legs don’t stand a chance! There is a difference between “curvy” and fat, a difference which has been blurred recently. Yes, curvy girls can rock skinny jeans! But fat is not necesarrily curvy and skinny jeans can easily be unflattering on anyone even somewhat chubby. hydrangea / 94 posts yh Beyonce and Kim K look okay. The rest look….. not so great. I’m not skinny myself but I know that skinnies only look good if you’re slimmer! @noree_n@xanga – … no sorry they dont work together. dont think about it. @englishpearl@xanga – agreed. looks like fucking shit Hell no. Honey, they’re called SKINNY jeans for a reason, k? Serena Williams ROCKS! No, I don’t think they look good on curvy girls… @aiinos@xanga – Agreed. First of all, I NEVER say “curvy women” to mean “fat/overweight women”. There are slim curvy women too, and some fat women with no curves, only rolls. It may sound harsh, but in my defense, I am a fat women with hardly any curves….lol Anyway, I said before I think slim women look better in skinny jeans while overweight people don’t. I was wrong But (in my opinion) not all of those women in the pics look good in them. It’s just that I heard from several fashion consultants (on TV & the web) that people should try to balance their top & bottom. But it does depend on the specific person’s body shape. skinny jeans make EVERYONE look like a triangle (big part at the hips, point at the toes), excluding victoria’s secret models and the like. Curvy girls can, but whythefuck would they want to? I hate the way skinny jeans look. On everyone. All the time. @likenvrbefore@xanga – What’s wrong with big hips? @SeaChaCha@xanga – I’ll certainly level there. I think if you have the confidence to pull it off, then you’ll look good in them. @Imp_is_lurking@xanga – i’m cool with big hips. i’m just saying that it makes hips look ten million times bigger than they actually are when there’s a straight line to your feet. idk if that makes sense but… yeah. i wouldn’t consider myself curvy, but i’m certainly no twig. i must admit, however, that all of these women look terrible. if they didn’t feel fat before, they sure should now. i think skinny jeans are gross and too-soon-retro and basically impractical in all ways. they do not look good on “skinny” girls either. it’s dumb…really dumb, the trends we tend to think we should follow… “curvy” *cough* fat *cough* *cough* girls shouldnt wear skinny jeans. theyre called SKINNY jeans for a reason. nobody really wants to see that. the only reason i wear them, as a matter of fact, is to remind myself that i need to lose weight. It kinda makes them look fatter than they actually are. Curvy, yes. Chubby, nooooo. well there’s a different between curvy and fat.. if you’re curvy and skinny, no problem- skinny jeans are meant for skinny people. but the majority of women like the ones in those pictures? absolutely not. it’s just not flattering and i dont think they should bother (i’m curvy and too large/short for them too) @XxskinnyxxhippoxX@xanga – Coming from a girl that calls herself hippo? @likenvrbefore@xanga – Ohhh. Gotcha. @shy__away@xanga – *applause* @SurveyLady@xanga – Very well thought out, I’d say. I Only wear HIGH waisted skinny jeans, why? because my upper top is smaller than my bottom so i normally find it hard to find a size that fits my waist AND my hips… most skinny jeans will fit my hips and butt… but will be tooo big on the waist and that looks horrid whereas high waisted ones sit on me perfectly! I like skinny jeans sometimes, but they really aren’t that comfortable for everyday wear. Plus, there have actually been medical studies done that suggest skinny jeans worn for extensive periods of time can cause internal problems, as well as yeast infections–so, everything in moderation, people. As far as skinny jeans on curvy woman, I don’t have a problem with it. I think woman should wear whatever they want as long as it fits properly, they’re comfortable in it, and most importantly, they feel confident in it. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And if you don’t, fake it. i’m fairly curvy, and i don’t wear skinny jeans. yes of course anyone can wear whatever they want..but i think there are better cuts for curvier body types. a few of the girls on the thinner side of curvy (like mariah) in the above pics still look pretty good, but i think overall this type of jean just accentuates larger hips and thighs.just a matter of opinion though.. as long as the person rocking them is comfortable curvy, short girls such as myself, don’t look good in skinny jeans. they make my legs look shorter and fatter than they really are. not attractive. I’m curvy. Honestly, a lot of bigger girls look really bad in skinny jeans. Not because they are curvy, but because they are not toned or they do not have the right blouse on. You shouldn’t have lumpy thighs in skinny jeans and you should not have a tight blouse on (if you’re of bigger proportions). & lengthening the leg is always a plus. Don’t wear flats or flips flops – wear heels. They make your legs AND butt look better. Its about how you wear them, not who wears them. well if you want an HONEST answer, and this is my opinion which is neither right nor wrong…..I think birthday suits look best on curvy ladies it doesnt matter. skinny jeans are not meant for curvy people unless they are trying to lose the weight that makes them curvy. I don’t know why you’d want to look like that. @Rhapsodical_Hazie@xanga – YES! Hate muffin top… it makes even thin girls look fat. I think skinny jeans look good on skinny girls. I’m athletic, so my calves are too big for them, but I think bootcut jeans look better on girls with wider hips anyway. Kind of balances them out, you know? I THINK THAT WOMAN HAVE A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS TO LOOKING GOOD IN WHAT THEY WEAR AND ARE SO PICKY SOMETIMES….NEITHER WAY IF THEYRE PRETTY THAN THEYRE PRETTY DOESNT REALLY MATTER…IT ALL WORKS THE SAME.. of course curvy girls can rock skinny jeans. fat people can too. just where a shirt long enough to cover like the sides of your stomach because they’ll be squeezing out of the jeans and all that. and i’m short and i only wear skinny jeans. am i the only person who think its wrong to say “oh you have to be tall and skinny” just to wear some damn skinny jenas? well i hope not. cherry blossom / 29 posts Skinny jeans look the best when they are filled out by nice curves. daisy / 723 posts I think that a skinny jean can’t suit anybody… It’s just awful eiher on skinny, normal or plump girl. If you mean curvy like Beyonce, who is really tiny.. just has a booty! But the other fat bitches.. ew. Anyone can wear whatever they want, but girls with wide hips should be aware that skinny jeans make your hips look wider, and that may not be the look they’re going for (but if it is, cool). I’m curvy, I love skinny jeans. I find they make my legs look longer @XDaemonessX@xanga – amen to that. I always thought skinny jeans were gorgeous on curvy people. Sometimes I think they look worse on skinny people because it’ll make them look even skinner. On curvy people, it highlights the curves in a sexy, classy way. No…sorry but the curvy look best is soft fitting fem lines. Not harsh strait ones. Strait leg slimcut with a low rise is what curvy girls should shop for in skinny jean land. Or anyone for that matter who wants to avoid mega thigh. I think skinny jeans are made for teen shapes, not mature or curvy ones. orchid / 160 posts i seriously don think curvy women can pull of skinnies….and that includes me T_T No, and no. Skinny jeans are a fashion fail no matter who is in them. NONE of those women appear to be curvy. Except MAYBE the fifth photo down, the girl all the way to the left. But even then… barely. Sorry. This is made of fail. Show me a plus-sized girl who rocks skinny jeans and maybe I’ll discuss it. Of course they can, who doubted it?In a lot of ways I think they look better in skinny jeans than the uber skinny girls. @Mr_Jin@xanga – I’m pretty sure a lot of people say that about your face. I’ve never been a fan of skinny jeans. i loooove skinny jeans. & i agree with Rhapsodical_Hazie, the only problem is when they form muffin tops! other than that, if they fit and you can rock them.. so be it! I am a curvy girl esp in the hip area, and I don’t think skinny jeans are the most flattering. I don’t wear them but my best friend wears them and looks really cute. it’s really a personal call. no they cannot i dont like it. woah wait,….kim cardasia whatever chick isnt wearing skinny jeans, kiddo. The girls look so pretty with their skinny jeans I only wore them once I guess Im over curvacious hahaha I look good in ’em but I dont wear ’em at least not anymore i had given up hope on wearing skinny jeans. curves are a blessing and a curse. cherry blossom / 40 posts They’re all fat its not so much whether they good on a certain body type, but a person. Fashion isone thing but it takes a personality to have style …. I’m curvy and don’t suit skinny jeans … low rise boot cut from one particular brand, now that suits me! it works on some. others, not really. i personally love skinny jeans. i don`t think i`m curvy though. @Nina1981@xanga – I’m 4’11” and I rock the skinnies :D. I’m so sick of shallow people. These woman aren’t “fat”, idiots. Anyone can look good in skinnies if they are confident in them. curvy women look good in skinny jeans but skinny women take the cake……..honestly!!!! @BunnyParfait@xanga – Aww that’s not nice. Boohoo, you hurt my feelings. LOVE curvy women in skinny jeans. Absolutely no question. It is the shapeless women at the skinny and ultra heavy ends of the spectrum that need to disguise their *lack* of curves. Curvy women look good in anything that shows their shape. I could care less what ANYONE, shape or size is wearing. As long as they for cloths on, I approve. If a fat, chubby, cuvy, slim, stick figured girl want to wear the latest trend, who am I to judge. I personaly hate the skinny jean. @Mr_Jin@xanga – Time heals all wounds. (: I’m glad MOST of the pictures are of curvy women and not fat women. I think people forget the difference… …And yes curvy women can rock skinny jeans. Kim looks good, everyone else uh, no. I’ve always wanted to wear skinny jeans, but I’m curvy and short so I’ve never thought they look good on me. Maybe with heels… but I think skinny jeans are the kind of things I’d prefer to wear with flats. Wish I could figure out how to make it work though. Take it from a guy, if you’ve got thunder thighs.. better to not wear em… Too many dress code restrictions in force to wear them too often. @Meowmeowkimmaee@xanga – I’ll bet you look really good in them too. Want a friend? @Rodeney123@xanga – wtf? Ahhh NO! Sorry. Curvy girls can rock skinny jeans. But FAT girls or even heavy set girls need to be really careful and dress for their body shape. Skinny jeans even make skinny girls look 20kgs heavier. Not something you want to draw attention to if you have a weight problem. I think bootcut jeans look less spandex-y and balance the legs more– on skinny or curvy or no waist or whatever girls!! Sure, they look fine, whatever. I hate wearing them because I feel like I’m choking to death. I will continue to wear baggy flare jeans, and I don’t give a shit. i think it depends on your thighs. if they’re proportional to your legs and the rest of your body, you can wear them, no matter how curvy you are. but it’s people like me who have problem. big bottom, small top. ugh. No. they fail. Not my style, I think skinny jeans always look awful no matter who is wearing them. @Nina1981@xanga – I’m five foot also and I wear them You just need to buy them from a place that sells different inseam sizes. sunflower / 271 posts I don’t like it. i’m not as “skinny” as my other friends, but i’m not fat either. i rock it :] keri hilson (in her video “turnin me on”) is the only curvy woman i’ve seen so far who can rock skinny jeans. Maybe I’m superficial but …Eww. I actually think skinny jeans look much better on thin people. peony / 1 posts being a skinnier girl to be honest, all those women just look kinda fat too me. well most. some are healthier, but all the 5 girls in that one pose are overweight. i dont think any of them should be wearing pants that tight. okay sorry but no, curvy girls canNOT wear skinny jeans, it does not look right.. the only picture above that looked really nice was the one of kim kardashian (or however her name is spelt), and it would have looked even better on her if they were a darker wash. so im sorry to all you “curvy” girls, but please, do not wear skinny jeans, they look awkward, usually muffin top goes along with them which does not look nice, and on top of thinking they can pull off skinny jeans, they also think they can wear tight tops that show all their rolls, especially back rolls that go around their bras. and while im ranting about this, please, curvy girls, STOP wearing just a t-shirt, and tights underneath , with or without a belt to accessorise .. you look horrible not hott . There is a new brand of jeans that are absolutely fabulous for curvyshaped women of all sizes. The brand is Little in the Middle, and thisjeans line caters to all sizes of women that have a curvy shape. Oneof the most interesting thing that it does; is that it is sized onesize smaller in the waist than in the hips, so it eliminates that awfulgap in the back of your jeans that let your rear end hang out whileseated while offering a great fit. I think that this would be a greataddition to your listing of jeans brands for future articles.http://www.Littleinthemiddle.com I am a curvy gal. And the first time I tried on skinny jeans I was mortified! So I just told myself that the style wouldn’t work for me. But then this year I found a great pair that didn’t make me look that bad. SO I bought them. I love em! WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED Notify me of followup comments via e-mail buy a blogad

Are there clear signals about the direction Japanese equities will take, or are there too many mixed signals? EuroWeek asked leading Japanese equity fund managers for their views. The participants included: Tony Roberts, Invesco: Our strategy has been very defensive. While restructuring at Japanese companies has helped earnings grow, the economic cycle remains the key determinant of profits. The cycle is mature and remains vulnerable to any drop in external demand. Valuations in much of the market do not reflect this ? we remain defensively positioned. Andrew Rose, Schroder: In broad terms we have been overweight in better quality large cap firms and small cap deep value situations. While individual names may change we think there is further to go in this strategy and accordingly do not currently envisage significant change to this broad positioning. Robert Rowland, Fidelity: Regardless of the market environment, we always employ a bottom-up stock picking strategy based on in-depth analysis of corporate fundamentals. We focus on companies that are capable of creating value by increasing free cash-flow and raising returns on assets and invested capital. It is possible that Japanese share prices could face further periods of volatility, due to uncertainty about the outlook for the global economy during the second half of 2004. However, once investors refocus on Japan's improving corporate fundamentals (strong earnings growth across a broad range of sectors and historically low valuations), the downside for the major equity indices is likely to be limited. Shigeki Sakaki, Nomura Asset Management: At the beginning of this year we expected a recovery in corporate profits. These have risen slightly higher than our initial view and, with growth of around 25%, have grown above the analysts' and brokers' expectation of 15%-20%. But the performance of the stock market on the whole has been disappointing for us, compared to the strength of corporate performance, although one of the reasons for this may be the high oil price. In the next six to 12 months, we expect the stock market to go up a little or move sideways. But if oil prices fall and global economic prospects improve, the market could look brighter. Naohiko Sasaki, Kokusai Asset Management: Our strategy is to buy on the dips, especially the companies which seem to offer a high potential for meeting our performance targets and where the stock prices seem to undervalue the company. Our outlook is for the market to edge higher mainly due to the advance of management innovation at corporate Japan and expectations that Japan will break out of the deflationary spiral. What is your outlook for corporate profits and therefore how do valuations in Japan compare to the major overseas markets of the US and UK? Invesco: We expect corporate profit forecasts to be revised down over the next few months. Given this and the low return on equity, Japan is a relatively unattractive market. Schroder: The profits outlook remains encouraging with underlying growth in excess of 10% possible for this year and next. This leaves Japan trading on a P/E multiple in the mid-teens, which compares favourably with long term history. International valuation comparisons are broadly favourable, more so versus the US than the UK. Free cashflow yields for the three markets are broadly comparable but with Japan having the lowest dividend yield, suggesting there is greater scope to benefit in Japan if recent signs are sustained that more of this free cashflow generation will be used to reward shareholders. Fidelity: Corporate fundamentals continue to improve, as demonstrated by firms' historically low break-even ratios, rising profit margins and their elimination of excess debt. Valuations of Japanese shares are looking increasingly attractive, with the current P/E ratio standing at around 17 times, the lowest level in 30 years. Nomura (Sakaki): We expect corporate profits to continue to increase, but at a slightly slower speed ? around 10% on a year-on-year basis. Japan is slightly cheaper than the US or UK markets, which may be slightly overvalued. Europe is about right, but there is not much difference between the performances of the major markets and I expect that to continue. Kokusai: Profits will increase in 2004 and 2005, but the growth rate will be lower. Compared with the US and UK, Japanese companies have a higher likelihood of meeting their performance expectations and therefore the market seems to be relatively cheap. What sectors are you overweight or underweight and why? Invesco: We choose to invest in companies with stable earnings and low valuations. This has led to overweight positions in pharmaceuticals, utilities and railways. Given our current view of the cycle, we are underweight cyclicals such as steels and chemicals. We also have no exposure to banks. Schroder: Our approach is bottom-up but looking at the sector exposure we are overweight trading companies, land transport, pharmaceuticals, the car sector and electronics. Fidelity: As of the end of July 2004, the largest three sector overweights in the Fidelity Funds Japan Fund were transport equipment, electrical appliances, and glass/ceramics. The largest three sectors we were underweight were electric power and gas, pharmaceuticals, and IT and telcos. Nomura (Murao): Given that the major driver of the Japanese economic recovery has been the export sector, we structure our portfolio to benefit from overseas growth, investing in names with global operations. Kokusai: We are bullish on steel, trading companies, marine transport and automotive. We see rises in goods and services prices, economic growth in developing countries and increase in the global sales of Japanese car makers, which are relatively attractive in terms of valuation. What are the key factors you are watching for that will affect your view of the market in the next six to 12 months? Invesco: The current cycle is being driven by external demand so the key factors to watch will be demand from America and Asia, especially China. Schroder: There are three that stand out. First whether the economy, which has probably peaked in terms of rate of growth, settles into a trend rate of expansion. Secondly, whether deflation finally ends with the consequent knock on effects on monetary policy. Thirdly, whether micro reform is sustained and in particular whether improved shareholder awareness among listed Japanese firms continues and broadens. Fidelity: Our prime concern is the sustainability of corporate earnings into the financial year ending March 2006. Factors that might affect corporate earnings should vary company by company. However, in general terms we are looking for confidence in China's soft landing scenario, sustained economic growth in the US, final resolution of banks' non-performing loans and further reductions in idle corporate assets so that companies can improve their asset turnover. Nomura (Sakaki): Oil is a very big factor. Our major export markets are China and the US, so the strength of their economies is very important. Domestically, capital expenditure has recovered, but is still much lower than cashflow. We do not expect a big jump, but with a two to three year horizon, there is a chance it will rise more sharply. Will Japan register and maintain domestic economic growth, or will the near term future of the stock market continue to be determined by corporate restructuring and the volatile world economy? Invesco: The world economy (especially the US) will be key. Interest rate rises in the US will hold back consumption growth from an already heavily indebted consumer. There is also less room for fiscal measures, such as tax incentives, to boost the US economy. In addition, fixed asset investment in China, which has helped many Japanese companies, reached unsustainable high levels. Profit margins and growth rates are likely to deteriorate here. Schroder: Some recent economic data has disappointed expectations but on balance we expect the economy to grow at close to its trend rate of 2%-3% in real terms and at a somewhat slower rate in nominal terms in the next 12-18 months. The key remains the consumer, with recent data sending out conflicting signals of improving consumer confidence but little support from income growth. Against this background, developments at the corporate level will continue to be important in determining stock market returns. Fidelity: Although a number of leading indicators have softened, Japan's economy appears set for a period of slower growth rather than a recession. Any loss of momentum in the external environment will of course curb Japanese exports. However, developments at the micro level warrant optimism. Nomura (Sakaki): If exports are strong then capital expenditure will be strong so there will be external demand still driving the domestic economy. We still expect to see growth, but more slowly than before. Exports to China have risen sharply ? last year they grew around 30%. This year they have slowed to 15% growth, but that is still a very high rate. Kokusai: Increasingly strong moves are afoot for the Japanese economy to be on a self-sustaining recovery track due to widespread promotion of structural adjustments of the Japanese economy. This trend will continue though it will be affected by global economic volatility in the short term. What is your view of the bank sector restructuring and how it will affect bank profitability and the broader economy? Invesco: Banks have made more progress in dealing with their balance sheets' bad loans. However, loan growth remains negative and we are not seeing improvement in banks' lending margins. It is hard to see significant benefits to the broader economy. Schroder: The large banks have made significant progress in reducing bad loan exposure and have also benefited from rising equity prices. So far, restructuring has led to little progress in terms of pre-provision operating performance with loan volumes continuing to shrink and asset margins showing few, if any, signs of improvement. The improvement in bank balance sheets should eventually lead to greater traction in monetary policy, lack of which has been a major structural impediment to the economy, but for the time being corporate Japan is cash generative in aggregate and not a net borrower as a result. Fidelity: We feel that the banking sector as a whole is moving in the right direction. As the final disposal of bank non-performing loans (NPLs) is one of the prerequisites of the Japanese economy to break out of deflation, we expect that further industry consolidation in the banking sector should accelerate the NPL workout process. Nomura (Sakaki): The major banks have written off huge amounts of NPLs and their operating profitability is reasonably good. Once they have taken the losses, their profitability should approach normal conditions, unless any hidden bad loans come out. In the case of smaller financial institutions, they might have to write off more NPLs and regional banks certainly need to make a greater effort. Kokusai: Elimination of NPLs is in the final stage, and final disposals nearly complete. This will have a favourable impact on entire economy. Banks continue to advance restructuring and consolidation, which will help to enhance profitability. Corporate Japan has in recent years restructured, reorganised and radically improved its balance sheet and cashflows. Are companies now doing enough to expand, or should they be returning more cash to shareholders? Invesco: Dividends are rising, but it is sad to see that the dividend payout ratio is actually falling. Many companies have been buying back shares in recent years and holding it as treasury stock. However, getting companies to cancel this stock is far more difficult. Unwinding of cross-shareholdings in Japan should lead to more shareholder-friendly management but progress remains slow. Schroder: The two objectives need not be mutually exclusive. There are examples (including major companies) where the scale of liquidity that has built up on the balance sheet and of cashflow generation is such that it is possible to grow the business and return more to shareholders. Indeed this needs to happen if the degree of balance sheet inefficiency at these companies is not to worsen further. What is required is a long term strategy that defines and justifies how shareholder reward will be determined. This is becoming more common but there is still quite a lot further to go. Fidelity: Currently improvements in corporate earnings and cashflow point towards healthy growth in capital expenditure. Also, a number of companies are executing share buybacks and increasing the dividend payout ratio. Nomura (Sakaki): So far, companies have been paying back debt. Now some companies are investing money, some are buying back shares, but dividend yields are still low in Japan generally. Share buybacks are more likely. Kokusai: They should invest in businesses with growth potential. On the other hand, mature companies should return money to stockholders through company stock buybacks or increasing dividends.

Fortescue opens the world's heaviest haul railway AUSTRALIA: A remarkable iron ore railway has been built across the Pilbara region in record time. John Kirk reports. The Fortescue River is the only permanent watercourse in the Chichester Range of the remote Pilbara region in northwestern Australia. The area is famous for its mineral deposits, and in 2003 the Fortescue name was adopted by a mining company with ambitions to compete in the booming market for iron ore. The market is being driven by insatiable demand from China, and Fortescue Metals Group arrived on the scene to compete against established giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Defying the odds, the weather and the critics, FMG shipped its first iron ore to China in mid-May. Exploratory test drilling had begun just 42 months earlier - in that period FMG managed to plan, design and build a mine with ore processing facilities, plus a 260 km heavy haul railway and a port for Cape-size ships with ship loader and train unloading plant. FMG has holdings or tenements spread over 40 000 km2 - about the same size as Switzerland. This far exceeds the combined tenement areas of both Rio Tinto (11 000 km2) and BHP Billiton (7 000 km2). The Fortescue story is as much about its CEO Andrew Forrest as it is about iron ore, the Pilbara, open access infrastructure and China. Forrest is passionate about the Pilbara and about Australia's role in the global economy. When he first announced his dream to become a significant iron ore producer in the Pilbara, the experts laughed, but the jokes have since stopped. Forrest has proved his detractors wrong, and in the process he has built the world's heaviest haul railway. Originally, Fortescue had no intention of building its own line. The company made numerous attempts to secure access for its trains on the existing Pilbara iron ore railways owned by BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Despite winning several legal battles, they eventually lost the war through political intervention and had to invest an estimated A$2·5bn to build their own 260 km railway linking their mine at Cloud Break with their new Herb Elliott Port near Port Hedland. The original plan was to produce 45 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of iron ore, but this was subsequently lifted to 55 mtpa. Remarkably, this first-phase production has sold out, and agreements have been signed for an additional 50 mtpa. A long-term agreement was signed in March 2007 with Baosteel, China's biggest steel producer, for up to 20 mtpa, as well as a joint venture to mine magnetite. Since then, more than 35 sales agreements have been signed, and the top 10 Chinese steel mills have all agreed supply contracts. In a clear indication of the importance of its Chinese customers, Fortescue has opened its first offshore office in the Pudong business district of Shanghai. In March this year FMG announced that it was going to ramp up production to meet increased demand from the Chinese steel mills with the expectation that once the project was fully completed and commissioned, it would be looking to produce over 100 mtpa. In an expression of confidence in the future, Forrest predicted that once new deposits in the Solomon region were developed, annual production could increase to around 200 mtpa. This compares with BHP's current output of about 135 mtpa and Rio Tinto's estimated 115 mtpa. On May 15 2008, the conveyors at Herb Elliott Port completed loading 180 000 tonnes of high quality 'Rocket' iron ore on to the Cape-size vessel MV Heng Shan, which translates as Everlasting Mountain. This marked the culmination of an extraordinary achievement by around 12 000 people who have worked on the project. Celebrated as the 'First Ore On Ship', it was the first official shipment to China, quickly following a trial consignment of 70 000 tonnes that had been dispatched as part of the port's commissioning process. FMG had celebrated another landmark moment on April 5 2008 when it carried its first load of Cloud Break ore to Port Hedland. The train, named the Alannah MacTiernan Express after Western Australia's transport minister, carried the first ore 185 km from Hunter Siding to the port. On the next day, a manual team and the Plasser & Theurer SUM2000 tracklayer placed the last sleepers and connected the final piece of rail linking Cloud Break to the mine. In a letter to the Australian Stock Exchange dated April 8 2008, FMG reported 'as of 02.30 this morning its railway is fully connected between Cloud Break and Port Hedland. The last of the rail sleepers and rail line have been laid along the main line between Fortescue's Herb Elliott Port through to the ore preparation facility at Cloud Break, some 260 km to the south.' The railway is built for 40 tonne axleloads, making it the heaviest haul railway in the world. For comparison, the other Pilbara railways operate with axleloads of 35 tonnes and 37·5 tonnes, while the trans-Australian main line was recently upgraded to operate at just 21 tonnes. Unlike the other Pilbara railways, FMG's line was built for open access. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary and railway owner, The Pilbara Infrastructure Pty Ltd (TPI), FMG will negotiate access to the line with other Pilbara-based mining companies. This reflects the company's philosophy of providing infrastructure to develop its assets for the benefit of the Pilbara, Western Australia and Australia. The key design objectives and philosophy of the railway were to limit its impact on the environment, to make the line as short as possible, to minimise adverse gradients and to ensure efficient maintenance to the highest standards. Construction began in November 2006 with infrastructure specialist Laing O'Rourke's rail team in charge. The completion deadlines were tough - the entire railway had to be built from scratch and operational in less than 18 months. Cyclone threats, wet weather, finding skilled people and maintaining machine availability in a remote area of Australia all provided challenges to the construction team. Two manual tracklaying crews at each end of the line complemented the SUM tracklayer, and productivity of the machine was improved during construction to enable it to lay up to 3 km of track a day. Cyclones in March 2007 cost the company considerable construction time and caused the death of two workers. The delay prompted FMG to accelerate the work programme to get the railway back on schedule. Work forged ahead at more than six sites, and Fortescue's own mine team provided 40 people and 18 pieces of equipment to help complete earthworks and capping. The 1 435 mm gauge line used 38 000 tonnes of continuously welded 68 kg/m rail supplied by China's Panang Steel; 420 000 concrete sleepers made by Austrac in Port Hedland; countless Pandrol clips; eight bridges and 360 culverts. There are four short 250 m long sidings, three 3 km passing loops, and one balloon loop at the port, plus a siding at the Cloud Break mine with a 3 km spur on the south end. From Cloud Break the line heads northwest to the Chichester Range, running parallel to BHP's Mount Newman Railway for around 100 km and crossing it using a flyover. It then runs directly towards the coast. The unloader is located just south of BHP Billiton's Boodarie yard, and a conveyor takes the ore over the Finucane Island road and the Goldsworthy Railway to the ship loaders. Laing O'Rourke's Rail Regional Manager (West) Graeme Spragg summed up the kind of hurdles the team had overcome to meet the deadline. 'A radiator on the SUM tracklaying machine blew, so the team came up with an innovative stop-gap measure, plumbing up a series of 200 litre drums and filling them with water and ice until a replacement arrived. This saved several days' lost production and typified the determination of the whole project team in meeting the target milestone dates.' Spragg said the decision to operate two independent materials trains instead of one also helped increase productivity. 'Within two days of using the two materials trains we set what we believe to be a new Australian tracklaying record of 3 292 m in a single day', he said. In all, 285 km of track was laid and eight bridges were built. Locomotives and rolling stock The initial order of 816 ore wagons was manufactured in China by CSR in Zhuzhou Rolling Stock Works and shipped from the port of Zhangjiaga. The wagons are in permanently coupled pairs and are fitted with rotary couplers for tippler unloading. After arrival, the wagons were deployed over completed sections of track as part of the company's dry commissioning process. It is understood that another 160 wagons are on order. In full operation, FMG will run 2·5 km long trains of up to 240 wagons hauled by two GE Dash 9-4400CW diesel locomotives - a design that is already proven in the harsh Pilbara environment. Setting a new benchmark in heavy haul railways, the wagons have a tare weight of 23 tonnes and can carry up to 137 tonnes of ore. Each trainload will consist of about 30 000 tonnes of ore. The fleet of 15 locomotives was supplied by United Group in partnership with GE Transportation. The locomotives and wagons are equipped with electronically-controlled air brakes from New York Air Brake. According to NYAB, their EP-60 technology improves braking performance, allowing long and heavy trains to operate at higher speeds with improved safety and fuel economy. Stopping distances are shorter and in-train forces are considerably reduced. Four former Robe River and Hamersley Iron C-636R Alco units were rebuilt by GTSA Engineering in Perth and used to haul tracklaying and construction trains. Owned by Coote Industrial, the locomotives were leased to Australian Rain Mining Services, a subsidiary of South Spur Rail Services. All four were fitted with 'Pilbara cabs', painted in FMG's colours and given individual names. Operations and unloading Simplicity and efficiency are the keys to FMG's railway operation. When the line is fully operational, two banker locomotives will assist the two train engines to haul the loaded ore train to the top of the Chichester Range grade and will then return to the mine. The bankers will in turn be replaced by the locomotives off the next empty train arriving from Port Hedland, ensuring that motive power with adequate fuel is always available. Currently, trains are operating with three Dash 9 locos hauling up to 240 wagons. No signals are operational as yet, so train orders called Proceed Authorities are issued to the driver of each train for safe working. The PAs are issued over a UHF radio network via 10 repeaters sited along the line. Each locomotive is equipped with two radios and a satellite phone. Track Access Authorities are issued for trackwork and maintenance by train control currently located in Port Hedland, but with a planned move to Perth once the operation is up and running. Like the other Pilbara rail operators, FMG will use single person crews. The twin-cell rotary dumper at Anderson Point was supplied by Metso Minerals and was manufactured and assembled at the AGC workshop in Kwinana, south of Perth. The cells incorporate a fixed beam and onboard hydraulic clamping. The wagons are positioned using an indexer, two wagons at a time. The system then rotates the two tippler cells through 160° to ensure a fast dump. Metso Minerals designed the system to accommodate a throughput of 80 wagons/h, with a cycle time of 90 sec. The infrastructure at Anderson Point is designed to handle the first phase of FMG's 55 mtpa output, and it is expected that later expansion will include a second and third train unloading system. FMG is committed to building strong local communities in this remote part of Australia. In August 2007 Forrest announced an important housing programme, promising to build 250 high-quality, environmentally-friendly homes in Port and South Hedland in his 'battle against fly-in fly-out, socially de-stabilising work practices'. The housing 'directly swings the tide back against fly-in fly-out which exacts such a heavy toll against sustainable local communities and the families of all involved', he said, adding that 'the Pilbara is not a short term quarry. It will sustain major wealth generation for Australians for hundreds of years. The Pilbara therefore can and must host long-term, fully-sustainable and high-quality living Pilbara communities.' Construction is now underway, and the first homes are expected to be ready by mid-2008, defying the shortage of builders in many WA mining towns. The open access battle FMG has taken a strong stand in support of open access infrastructure in the Pilbara, believing that access will open up a number of isolated iron ore deposits in the region. The company is practising what it preaches. After signing an infrastructure agreement with the Western Australian State Government in December 2004, Fortescue set about designing and constructing rail and port facilities that would meet its own requirements as well as support the development and sale of the Pilbara's stranded iron ore bodies. The company website proclaims that 'Fortescue's open access infrastructure will increase the throughput capacity of Port Hedland and remove a fundamental barrier to entry for junior mining companies. As a result, increased production, competition and efficiencies will result for the bulk mineral exports in the Pilbara region.' Looking at its own future, Fortescue is facing considerable investment to expand its existing rail infrastructure to link new mines with its port. Through TPI, FMG has made three applications to the National Competition Council to open up lines owned by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton under Part IIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974. The company wants access to BHP Billiton's Mount Newman line for its proposed Mindy Mindy project, which it owns in a joint venture with Consolidated Minerals. The other applications were to open Rio's Hamersley Iron rail network and the BHP Billiton Goldsworthy rail network. Both BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have argued, so far unsuccessfully, that the rail line was part of the production process and therefore proprietary. In an application to the National Competition Council in January this year to open up Rio Tinto's Robe River Railway, Fortescue Executive Director Graeme Rowley said 'Fortescue is seeking to open the tremendous transport logistic synergies available in the Pilbara to all Australian mining companies. There are sufficient stranded iron ore deposits in the Pilbara, which alone many not be of sufficient scale to support their own infrastructure, yet could become viable with access to existing infrastructure such as the Robe River railway.' Although FMG has won the major legal battles to gain access to BHP Billiton's Mount Newman rail lines, the success has been undermined by federal government intervention, particularly former treasurer Peter Costello's decision not to support the National Competition Council decision in 2006 that Fortescue be given access. 'Three decisions, one by the National Competition Council and two by the Federal Court, have now ruled in favour of Fortescue's attempts to gain access to a railway our planning forefathers always intended would be open to third-party access', Rowley said. Nor is there much support from the new Labor government. BHP scored a small victory when federal resources minister Martin Ferguson indicated that he would review the Trade Practices Act legislation that governed third party rail access, particularly in relation to the public interest provisions. 'We've got to work out a framework which guarantees further investment by BHP ... and further investment by Fortescue, but not on terms which destroy what is the best mining logistics chain in the world', Ferguson was quoted as saying. FMG has vowed to press on with its attempts to gain access to the other Pilbara railway lines and has in the meantime signed up a three-part Pilbara port handling, ship loading and rail haulage memorandum of understanding with Atlas Iron. The one-year deal starting in March 2009 will see TPI rail 3 mtpa of ore from Atlas's Abydos project. Product from the company's Pardoo mine will be transported by road to Port Hedland and shipped out through Fortescue's port facilities. 'While Atlas is planning to haul Pardoo iron ore to Port Hedland by road, we believe that rail is the safest and most commercially viable means to haul iron ore', said Atlas Managing Director David Flanagan. 'Wherever we can work with infrastructure owners to achieve a workable rail solution, we will.' It is too early to predict the future for FMG. Forrest is certainly upbeat about expansion plans to meet the growing demand for Pilbara iron ore, and the share price at the time of writing reflects this optimism - FMG shares were trading at A$10·71, up from A$5·66 in November 2007. - CAPTIONS: Three GE Dash-9 locos haul a loaded train from Cloud Break mine. - A ballast train waits to deliver its load as construction makes progress in February. - FMG's ore wagons were manufactured in China and are fitted for ECP braking. Equipped with rotary couplings for the tippler at the port, each pair of wagons can carry 274 tonnes of iron ore. - Planned extensions from Fortescue's main line include branches to Christmas Creek and the Solomon area; when the Solomon mines are in production, FMG could be railing 200 mtpa to Port Hedland. - An empty train leaves Herb Elliott Port; the BHP Billiton hot pellet plant in the background is to be dismantled. - Track on the Fortescue main line consists of 68 kg/m rail supplied by Panang Steel from China with Pandrol fastenings and concrete sleepers made by Austrac. The ore and the mine Commercial mining of high-grade Marra Mamba haematite ore commenced at Cloud Break in late 2007. Marra Mamba ore was originally rejected by early miners as 'fool's gold' because they didn't believe it was possible to make steel from the crumbly yellow cakey-looking ore - it didn't look like the hard, blue-grey haematite ores. However, Marra Mamba ore is relatively high grade with around 62% iron content, has lower impurities than some Australian iron ore, and its low silica content makes it particularly attractive in iron making processes. FMG is using a mix of traditional mining methods and a few innovations of its own. It is the first iron ore mine in the world to use surface mining rather than the traditional drill, blast and crush, deep open-cut method. Surface mining has a number of advantages, including reduced downtime due to blasting; cleaner pit floors resulting in less damage to vehicles and tyres; and environmental restoration can be undertaken almost immediately after mining has occurred. Mining commenced during December 2007 with four Wirtgen surface miners operating on a single shift in the first two of Fortescue's four start-up pits, Daydream and Hayman. Both pits produced about 650 000 tonnes of ore in the first three months, and by the end of this year the Green and Hook pits should also be in operation. At full production 14 Wirtgen surface miners will be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Milestones in the Fortescue story Early 2003 The Metal Group Pty Ltd acquires Allied Mining & Processing and changes name to Fortescue Metals Group. May 2003 Fortescue acquires first tenements at Cloud Break and Christmas Creek. Oct 2004 Iron ore sales agreement with Hebei Wenfeng and Ping Xiang Iron & Steel. Dec 2004 Infrastructure WA State Agreement signed. Jan 2005 FMG raises A$70m through convertible note issue. Feb 2005 FMG discovers significant iron ore mineralisation in the Cloud Break area. Oct 2005 FMG signs sales agreements for 38% of initial planned production of ? 45 mpta and begins trial mining at Cloud Break. Dec 2005 Mining State Agreement signed. Feb 2006 Commencement of earthworks at Anderson Point, site of the port. Apr 2006 Feasibility study for Cloud Break and Christmas Creek completed. Jul 2006 Federal Environmental Approval granted. FMG signs a Subscription Agreement with Leucadia National Corp of the USA; dredging commences at port. Aug 2006 FMG settles A$3·2bn capital raising and A$2·7bn debt underwriting. Nov 2006 Railway construction commences with earthworks and the marshalling yard. Dec 2006 Detailed Proposals for Mining Approval agreed. Mar 2007 Iron ore sales agreement with Baosteel, taking sales of initial 45 mpta output to 100%. May 2007 Iron ore sales agreement with Tangshan and agreement with Fengli. Jul 2007 Institutional equity placement A$504m raised; tracklaying commences. Aug 2007 Fortescue joins S&P/ASX 100 index. Oct 2007 China Office Opened in Shanghai; commercial mining starts at Cloud Break. Nov 2007 FMG announces substantial estimates of Inferred Resource for the ? Solomon East Project area. Feb 2008 Railway bridges completed. Mar 2008 Railway earthworks completed and train unloader commissioned. Apr 5 2008 Construction of railway completed and first load of ore moved by train; wet commissioning of Herb Elliott Port with trial ore shipment. May 15 2008 First shipment of ore loaded at Herb Elliott Port, Anderson Point.

Selected transcriptions from CARB’S April 22 public hearing Just before we went to press with the May issue of Equipment World the California Air Resources Board and staff held a public hearing in Sacremento to present it’s plan for addressing the criticisms brought up in February by the Associated General Contractors of America. As we reported in the May issue under the subhead “Get your numbers right,” AGC had argued that California’s contractors were already meeting CARB’s required emission levels – and will do so for years to come because the recession has idled many machines and CARB overestimated the state’s construction fleet and the amount of diesel used in construction machines. CARB staff presented their plan for accommodating these changes and admitted their models for off-road diesel emissions may have been off by a factor of 1.4 to 2 (40 to 100 percent.) But CARB’s proposed modifications to the plan seemed like so much weak tea considering the magnitude of their error. Contractors and industry spokespeople were hardly satisfied. After the staff presentation, the public comment period was strongly critical of both the proposed plan and the failure of CARB to get it’s calculations for diesel emissions anywhere near accurate. Space and deadline considerations for the magazine did not allow us to to publish much of the lengthy testimony that followed, however below we cite selected quotes from members of the public who spoke out at the meeting: Rental: National chains will survive, California-based stores will not: Michael Graboski, American Rental Association We’ve been honest with you, the board and the staff, and we’ve been supportive of the regulations. But I’m here to tell you that the rental businesses today are hurting just like everybody else. We see a storm ahead because both the on and off-road rules impose requirements that few rental businesses are going to be able to satisfy going forward, and I’m going to explain to you why. Our business model is based on replacement. Our fleets are some of the cleanest in the state; however, our businesses tell us that they have not been able to invest in new equipment since about 2008. The fleets have aged, and when the economy recovers we will resume buying new equipment, because that’s our business model. But modeling some of our cleaner fleets have shown that while they may be complaint through 2013, we’re going to fail in 2014 for both rules, even assuming recovery and investment gets back underway. We have an economist, HIS Global Insight, and they believe that the economy is going to bottom this year and they believe – or they have stated that real rental revenues will have fallen by about 58-percent since 2007 for the current year. They also think that there’s going to be a V recovery and our real revenue is going to reach back to 2007 levels sometime in 2014 or maybe 2015, that’s more optimistic than some other studies I’ve seen. But our businesses tell us that they will be probably delayed a year from when the economy reaches recovery stage, till they can go ahead and make investments necessary to new equipment, because their balance sheets have been so severely damaged and their fleet values are so greatly depressed. Others say that we’re too optimistic, but I don’t know, and I don’t know what your crystal ball says. The problem with our picture is that the V, the top of the V, the recovery is coincident with when the attainment demonstration has to be made. And if we guess wrong, the rules that are here are going to really morally wound our businesses. So I would suggest that you can’t rush to fix things again with the uncertainty in recovery timing and the impact on emissions. So we would propose that you stay the rules, and since waivers haven’t been granted, there’s no current harm; don’t enforce them when the waivers are awarded. And unless you have certainly regarding attainment, ask EPA to extend that attainment date. The recession has invalidated the plan and a clear path to attainment doesn’t exist. And perform an honest analysis of the emissions, a realistic analysis, and create certainty for business and only revise the rules when you’ve done that. American Rental Association is 231 businesses in California, approximately 500 separate stores. We have fleets anywhere from small fleets to very, very large fleets. Some of the larger fleets, which are national chain fleets, like Hertz and United, have horsepowers in the range of 300,000 horsepowers in their fleets. National chains will survive because they’ll be able to move equipment in and out. But the large independents that have many stores, some up to 20 stores, many of them only function in California, and they’re feeling a lot of heat right now. What we did was we took their actual DOORs fleets and we used Global Insight’s predicted investment projections based on revenue projections. We didn’t put any timeframe delay in, and we find that even the very, very cleanest large fleets that in 2007-2008 timeframe had an age of let’s say three years, now have an age of five years; next year it will have an age of six years without investment money to recover. And if you try to roll that forward in time, even assuming that you’re going to have money to buy back, you can’t pass the 2014 or 2015 regs. We could greatly decrease the size of our fleets, but then what happens is that there is insufficient equipment available when business picks back up in order to sustain the investment that’s necessary for the business. Changing regs midstream short changes manufacturers: James Jack, Emissions Control Technology Association One of the things that we want to strongly urge the board to consider as we move forward is the the impact the changes to the regulation will have on the investment that clean technology manufacturers have made in California. When California started regulating diesel emissions, these regulations spurred companies to make significant investments in research and development that have resulted in new pollution control patents and new pollution-reducing devices, such as diesel particulate filters. The manufacturers of these retrofit devices have developed clean technology solutions that will help the state meet its clean air goals, also providing equipment owners a more cost-effective way to comply with the regulations, by allowing them to retrofit instead of replace their equipment. Further changes to the regulation, however, put manufacturers of clean technology equipment at risk. They’ve built their business model, secured investment capital, and deployed significant resources in California based on the regulations that this state has adopted. Their ability to generate a return on that capital for their investors, shareholders, and employees is depending on the state meeting the regulatory commitments it has made. Significant changes to the environment will put this investment at risk and will threaten the economic viability of these manufacturers in California. If the manufacturers are unable to sustain their investment many will be forced to leave the marketplace altogether, stifling the growth of California’s green economy and leaving California fewer choices to meet its clean air goals. More importantly, such changes in the regulator environment can send a chilling message to other clean technology innovators who are looking to California as an incubator for clean technologies and to be the engine for the nation’s green economy. Slide the rule forward five years Michael Kennedy, AGC As you know, for some time AGC is focused on the emissions inventory that provided the foundation for this rule. We did that because we don’t quarrel with the balance you’ve tried to strike between the economy and environmental protection. We do believe in improvement in air quality in California. We have wives, we have children, we have neighbors in this state, and we’re not asking you and we do not ask you to relax your objectives. What I’m going to do today is just turn to the last page in the book. AGC has just completed an update of its 2009 inventory of emissions from the regulated fleets. What you have in front of you is a slide summarizing where the latest information leads us in NOx emissions from the regulated fleets. The red line in this graph represents the original emissions inventory that the staff conducted. The white line represents the goals you have set for our fleets. And the yellow line is what the best information available today tells us about where the emissions are actually going to be. Now I talk about the best information available today, we’re talking about the DOORS data that was not available at the time this rule was developed. I’m talking about data indicating that there are approximately 7.5-percent of the vehicles in the fleet who operate low-use, and I’m talking about data made available by your Board of Equalization and the U.S. Department of Energy on diesel fuel consumption in the state of California. If I could go to the second slide, please. This is a similar slide for particulate matter. Again, the red line represents the original emissions inventory on which you based your decision to adopt this rule. The white line represents the environmental objectives that you set for our fleets. And the yellow line indicates where we are today. Before going on I want to emphasize just one small point; the yellow line on these graphs does not represent anything relating to the downturn in the economy. The emissions projections that you have in front of you here and that we have provided to each of you individually are based on the same activity levels and growth factors that your staff used to develop their original emissions inventory. This is reflective of changes coming out of the DOORS data, the low-use equipment, and a reconciliation between the model and the diesel fuel consumption. We do not advocate that you abandon the model, but we do find it necessary to adjust it. Finally, I just want to make it clear that by all accounts we have a large cushion. We have an opportunity to provide some direction to where we go from here, and I urge you to provide that direction today. I would just ask you, it is our recommendation that you slide the schedule for this rule for five years, and I want to underscore that merely delaying enforcement of this rule will not achieve your objectives. As recently as last week a local contractor sold seven more pieces of construction equipment and laid off three more mechanics. Unless or until the schedule itself is slid, merely delaying enforcement will not affect the economic outcome. Business people see the water building behind the dam; they know it’s going to break. Numbers wrong by a factor of 3.5: Jim Lyons, Sierra Research We’re the company that has done the updated emissions inventory. It’s only recently been made available to CARB staff. I understand they’re looking at it. I just wanted to make a couple of points about what we’ve done that I didn’t hear out of the staff presentation. First, unlike the December inventory, this one has been updated with an additional dose, if you will, of DOORS data from February. Our vehicle population is about 150,000, not the 100,000 or so we had in December. And we have looked at this issue of the top-down or fuel-based calibration of the off-road model. Specifically what we’ve done is we have accounted for things like the use of clear fuel in off-road equipment. We have accounted for the use of fuel in all the equipment subject to the rule. I’ll just conclude by saying while the staff has got their adjustment of a factor about 1.4 to 2, our analysis indicates that that factor is about 3.5, so we would feel that you have even more cushion than the staff has led you to believe. Industry needs some clear direction: Michael Steele, AGC Good morning. Thank you. Just a couple of points. I’m very pleased to hear today that the staff now agrees that the previous inventory is too high. We have a difference of opinion, as Jim just pointed out, in terms of how far off the inventory is. One thing that kind of concerns me though is that I heard that this issue sort of first came up when Professor Harley’s report came out, I think I heard them say December – it was actually September of last year. But actually Professor Harley was not the first person to raise this issue about the adequacy or the accuracy of the off-road model. That was raised by Professor Robert Sawyer back in 2000. It was also raised earlier by Dr. Harley before this rule was even adopted, in a contract paper that he wrote for the Air Resources Board back in 2004. So this issue of the off-road model having a problem in terms of the fuel analysis has been out there. I’m glad we’re finally hearing about it today before the board. I also want to comment on this enforcement relief. The enforcement relief is a statement by staff that they will not enforce the rule until EPA grants the waiver. And as they have acknowledged, they have no legal authority to enforce the rule until EPA grants the waiver. On the same day they announced this enforcement stay, which is a sham, they wrote a letter to the EPA urging immediate granting of the waiver. So on the one hand they’re sending out this message to the community that relief if forthcoming, on the other they’re begging EPA to withdraw the relief. What staff slides show this morning is also that what we have been telling you, which is the way that fleets are complying with this rule is by shrinking, is true. They say that 55-percent of the fleets are taking advantage of the shrinking fleet low-use exemptions, and as we have pointed out, that is an economic disaster for the industry. You don’t cope by getting smaller and smaller and smaller and eventually disappearing. And we can have more delay and more time for study, that’s all well and good, but the industry needs some clear direction from you today and the staff needs clear direction. I was very pleased that Chairman Nichols started out by saying that the job today is to provide clear direction to the staff and that you have to make decisions despite the uncertainties. The clear direction the staff needs is to provide relief and to provide relief that pushes this schedule out, by simply saying that we will provide some deferral of the deadline until 2013, 2015, whatever you might pick, but then you have to catch up, you’ve got a giant balloon payment due, is just inviting disaster. And from a business perspective, if you know that you’re going to have to catch up in three years, you’ve got to start making those expenditures now, when you can least afford it. The exodus of business from California: Tom Brown, AGC As stakeholders in the industry and stakeholders in this regulation, we are truly committed in providing accurate data. We believe, as submitted by Sierra Research, the most recent report sheds new light. While we understand staff continues to review and examine this data, we also want to remind the board and staff of the sensitivity of this regulation and the impact to the construction industry. The impact alone to operating engineers, to brothers and sisters that operate equipment, is upwards of 38 to 40-percent of unemployment. Those are devastating numbers. These individuals now find themselves wondering how are they going to pay for their health insurance, how are they going to pay for the bills by not having a job, keeping in mind these are well-paid individuals that are on the average cost an employer somewhere between $65 to $72 an hour. So these folks are people that generate a fair income; they’re not the ones that you would say that were overextended and got themselves in trouble. Another concern is the exodus of businesses in California, small businesses, the backbone of America, the entrepreneurs of our nation. Whether it be the recession or the financial inability to make the immediate investments in equipment is totally unfair to these individuals and their firms during these times. The model advised and most recently submitted by Sierra Research clearly shows that we have achieved these goals the staff and the board has set out long before they were needed. Respectfully, we request the board’s schedule be deferred to 2015 of this regulation. I thank you. Maybe I could have kept 20 of those tractors? Mike Shaw, contractor I’m a San Diego County resident, I’m a grading contractor and equipment owner. And I think that one of the things that has become apparent today is that you have a flawed model from which this regulation has been built on. It’s going to be an academic discussion with some very bright people to determine maybe how flawed the model is; you say between 40 and 100-percent; we think perhaps as much as 300-percent or more. And, you know, again, these bright people are going to come up with a resolution for this over time and come to an agreement; that’s pretty neat. Now on the other side of the table you have people out here, people like me, that have taken steps towards compliance. I’m a compliant contractor now, after having spent between $5 million and $6 million on new engines and retiring over 45 pieces of equipment, 28,000 horsepower. It’s really encouraging to me to hear today in this room that maybe we were off only 100-percent and maybe I only had to spend $2.5 million instead of the $5 million I’ve already spent, and maybe I could’ve kept 20 of those tractors that I had to get rid of to become compliant today. So I’m a little discouraged about this process and I think it’s very important that before anything else happens you come to the bottom line on this thing. We still have to make these boots comply because they take a lot of time and a lot of planning, cost a lot of money. So this has got to be fixed before you move on. Bottom line on this thing, I think that it’s my belief and I have reviewed the Sierra information for as well as I can read it; it looks pretty good to me. I don’t think there’s any question you can’t push this thing back five years, to 2015, and still get everything that you want. My comments. Put aside feelings and decide the case on the facts: William Davis, Southern California Contractors Association I’m the executive vice president of the Southern California Contractors Association. And my job, the way I look at it anyway, in dealing with this agency is to be cooperative, informative and constructive as an advocate for our industry. I’m not among those who describe your staff or yourselves as folks with cloven hooves and horns. And we hope to keep moving forward in that direction. And in that spirit I’d like to wish each of you a happy Earth Day. I didn’t hear anybody do that today, which sort of surprised me considering the celebration that’s going on outside and inside the building. I don’t think I’ll mention Lenin’s birthday because it just doesn’t seem to play. But one of the things that you also said today, Chairman Nichols, is that in making decisions about these regulations, that you have to consult with your feelings and beliefs on a personal basis. And as an attorney, and I think Ms. Kennard is also an attorney, we were sort of hoping that you guys would consider yourselves a jury. A jury has to put aside their personal feelings and beliefs and decide the case on the facts. Our industry would prefer that you use the standard for criminal juries, beyond a reasonable doubt, but we would settle for preponderance of evidence. And as is with this microphone we don’t believe that this regulation can be a one-size-fits-all document. We think this rule should offer maximum flexibility and maximum incentives for our industry, more flies with honey than vinegar, my mother used to say, and I think that there is something in that. For example, if you were to grant the AGC request to change the requirements for the regulation to 2015, it would put everybody in the pool for[Carl] Moyer money and other kinds of grants. Not the program at South Coast, which is a seven-year program but everybody else. We think that that incentive would be a good incentive to get large and medium fleets to retrofit early. We have concerns about having an active and vibrant industry in California that helps provide technological solutions to these problems as well. There are some other issues, with the staff comments this morning, we don’t actually use the recession word in construction. We call it a depression when you’re down 50 percent from where you were five years ago. We don’t expect to return to those levels, which is 2005, anytime soon. And there are several others. I guess I’ll have to submit them in writing to you. Postpone the entire rule, not just target dates: Dave Harrison, director of safety, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 3 Before I go into what I was going to say I wanted to make a small point. Just last week Toyota closed their plant down in Freemont laying off 5,500 Californians. And I come here today and I see a Toyota on display out in front of the Cali PA building. A little disheartening. I’m here once again to participate in the regulatory process and help to ensure that the off-road rules are implemented in a responsible manner. You still have a rule that’s unsafe, unreasonable and financially crippling, and you still do not have a waiver to legally implement that rule. It’s frustrating because we asked for an extension of the entire rule two years ago. Now we’ve got common causewith these other folks, the gentleman that spoke earlier that spent millions of dollars to comply with a rule that you can’t legally enforce, and we told you so two years ago. So welcome to our frustration. We’re also asking that when you postpone the rule, you postpone the entire rule. Reporting on initial compliance and all your target dates as AGC has asked. And if you only postpone the compliance dates and not the target dates you’ve essentially created an impossible goal and are forcing our contractors to climb what was once a steep hill to now a sheer cliff. They call that compression, and it doesn’t work. It’s going to double and triple the problem. We believe that improved air quality is a must, but we do not believe that it should be achieved at the pure expense of Californians. The AGC is giving you a fresh look. The economy is giving you reduced activity and reduced inventory. You have the tools to achieve your goals. You just now have to choose to use them. Your new number one principle—get the numbers right: Michael Lewis, Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things today. And I wanted to say that I think it’s time to overhaul this regulation, not just tinker around the edges. I’m a little disappointed that the staff didn’t come up with some more specific things for you to get your teeth into today, so I’m going to give you several. First and foremost on your guiding principles you need a new number one. It needs to be get the numbers right. Nowhere in any of what’s been presented to you today is anybody suggesting that they’re going to spend time to get the numbers right, and that’s what you need to do. This rule was based on a whole set of assumptions and numbers in the beginning that we now have corrected. We have fuel. We have fleet makeup. We have low use. We have load factors. And those numbers all need to be updated and gotten right because until they’re right you’re asking us to spend hundreds of millions of dollars, billions of dollars to reduce phantom emissions, and we’re not going to do that. Secondly, I don’t think it’s fair to combine the savings we’ve realized, the emissions for this rule with the trucking rule. We’ve joined with the trucking associations and we are about to undertake an analysis of the truck rule model, very similar to the one that AGC did. And we believe that we’re going to be able to demonstrate significant reduced emissions as a result to that analysis, and that needs to be taken into account separately. With regard to your instructions today I would suggest you do the following. You need to tell your staff to revise this rule, to keep the reporting, keep the idling, keep the sales disclosure and put everybody on the same timeline as the small fleets, the 2015. That would give us the certainty. The second thing is to tell your staff to go back and fix the model. They’re not going to do that by September. It’s probably going to take until sometime in 2012 to do that. But you need to update the model. You need to reflect the fleet changes. You need to review the load factor data, which we believe is also inflated. You need to revisit the growth assumptions. None of those things were changed in the AGC analysis, and if you add those in that bottom line on their chart drops off the page. And I think it’s important to get those numbers right and revisit them and fix this rule before it will go into effect in 2015. Finally, we’ve been working on that draft bubble concept that I told you about. We have some language. We’re testing it on some fleets right now. I would like to inject it in the process at some point, perhaps for that later round of changes. It’s going to involve some changes on your part because we’re going to want to include portable equipment, forklifts and perhaps some other rules in that bubble, and that’s going to cause some dislocation in your organization, but I think it will be worthwhile. I’m just concerned that this rule has needlessly cost us millions of dollars already. It’s put quite a few contractors out of business. Ad it’s very important that we get the numbers right and use that data as the basis for moving forward. Protect proactive and compliant fleets: Nick Pfeiffer, Granite Construction Granite owns a fleet of about 900 pieces of off-road equipment and also owns a fleet of about 900 on-highway trucks, so I’d like to think we have a pretty good understanding of exactly what fleets are up against with both of these rules. I also have been engaged with current staff for the last five years or so as these things have been developed. I would like to thank staff for noting some of our comments over the last couple of months in their presentation but would like to stress two specific items that I’d like to be considered with any amendments. The first is that they need to protect proactive and compliant fleets. Some items here that I just want to hit on– there needs to be fair and equitable enforcement of these rules as they are on the books to protect fleets that have taken actions and invested money in complying. With regard to any amendments, there needs to be recognition of and reward for early actions, similar to what was done with the ARB 2X credits, rewarding the early repowers, things like that. And then lastly, there needs to be adequate time between any amendments and the compliance dates that those amendments affect so that fleets can adjust their compliance strategies. It’s a very complex thing. There’s budget cycles. You have to invest money years in advance of the compliance space, so there needs to be time for fleets to adjust their strategies. This being said, Granite operates in the same construction industry that the rest of the people who have testified today operate in. The industry, the market is down in California, and there’s no disputing that. And so there – we feel there needs to be some relief given so that there’s some breathing room there. Looking at it from Granite’s perspective, with a diverse fleet of equipment of not only on-road and off-road but portable equipment and everything else, the single largest hurdle for us compliance wise is the 2014 on-highway DPF deadline. That’s what construction companies run up against because it’s such a black and white deadline, and for many vocational trucks there’s not a retrofit options. Given there’s a lot of developments in retrofit technology, but the trucks just do not lend themselves to retrofit. So to close I would say we definitely think there’s a lot of merit in the bubble concept that’s been floated out there. That would allow fleets to manage the compliance with these rules, the same way that they manage their fleet as one big fleet of equipment. And just to reiterate, the two items I’d like to stress is the need to protect proactive and compliant fleets, and secondly to allow some economic relief over the next – over the foreseeable future.

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I lost my internet for a long time and I could not get on put I have to try to get on eventually.Sorry I let greatwh1teshark down on the voice acting. I got a sore throat from well all of a sudden and I can't talk a lot so I probably won't be online for a while...oh and for greatwh1teshark...I'll see if I can try to do the parts. It's been great over here.I haven't talked to anyone in a awhile.Well anyways I'm level 15 now so hurray for nothing.Whelp here my DA user name: trickyclown.deviantart.com .Hurray... 2009-11-06 21:42:06 by TheFlameAlchemist Well here at Spain it's easy to communicate with everyone.The Spanish is quite different than the on I'm used to hearing and I've found a job and am hoping Minotaki is okay back in U.S.A.So how has my fellow newgrounders been doing?any questions about Spain? I'm writing chapter 3 of S.S.B.R but the storyline...I just got lost in it but I'll see what I can do.In the meantime I've just been watching the recent episodes of FMA:Brotherhood and stuff.Nobody has spoke to me since and well just hanging until things get smooth and easy again.Oh the link is on the left hand side of this userpage if you want to watch FMA:Brotherhood. I've moved to Philadelphia,PA!.Now I'm staying here for a while but then I'm leaving again.So I'm visiting Minotaki[Scianikitty] for a while and staying at her place.Also Chapter 3 of S.S.B.R will not but out for a while so I will have to wait.If you have anything to say go ahead say it now. I know,but I've been busy and haven't been able to either get on or write the story as usual.So in the meantime you could just either read chapter 1 of my story orread chapter 2 instead.I'll have to take a break from the story for now and catch up on work.I'll give you a list of stuff to keep ocupied until I make a new post.Sorry to Sam(sorrygirl99,spriteharvester,better atbrawl7777(joseph),chat-man,xellon,gr eatwh1teshark, and any other friends but I won't be on in a while but heck,you got other people to talk to right?Well in conclusion,here is the list... Meanwhile in a country way far in the east...Central,Amestris. "Okay let's see here protest,bills,fines what else!So much paper whats next essays!"complained Roy Mustang (the colonel of Central,Amestris and A.K.A The Flame Alchemist).Someone then knocks on the door."Yeah who is it!"yelled roy"Ok sorry who is it?"he then corrected himself."It's me Second Lieutenant Breda sir."said Breda."Alright come in."responded Roy."So what do you need?"he asked."Well I have family back at home and it's my brother's birthday tomorrow and I would like to ask for a legal pardon if you please?"Breda asked."Well let's see...fine but don't take long ya' hear?"said Roy."Thank you very much sir!"said Lieutenant Breda as he bowed down."Yeah go before I change my mind!"said Roy."Well then might as well open these windows."said roy as he walk over to open the windows.As soon as he lifted up the window Kamek came flying in and landed on the floor."You!You gotta help me!"said Kamek.Roy's eyes widened."Do I even know you because your not even human."he said."Of course not I'm a Koopa but enough about me you have to help me stop this horrible monster that I lost control of and now he wants the world for himself!Kamek explained himself and was gasping for air."Why should I obviously when you said you lost control that meant he is your monster making you a bad guy which comes to the conclusion of why should I help you."explained Roy."Because if you don't he'll create an army of mutant piranha plants and take over the world!said Kamek."Piranha plants?What's that?"asked Roy."They're plants that are mixed with piranhas and walk and go through pipes and stuff.responded Kamek."So I can burn them easily they're plants right?"said Roy."Well yeah but they'll be hundreds,thousands,millions!"yelled Kamek.Roy sighed."Alright!Besides maybe I might even get promoted for this.Also,why did you come to me for this?"asked Roy."Well because your one of the main people of an armed organization that can help me with this case!"explained Kamek."Hmm I see very well let me get changed to an undercover outfit I'll be back soon enough give me about an hour."said Roy while open the door to the hallway."An hour!?"said Kamek."Yeah I live far from here."said Roy."Alright!"said Kamek."But do it change quick."Meet me at the nearest warehouse from here it's empty and abandon,there we will talk."said Roy."Okay then.I'll be off."said Kamek as he went on his broom stick and flew out the window."This better be worthwhile I think I can use some action."said Roy and left the room followed by locking it."I sure hope this guy can help because I need the extra hand."said Kamek while flying to the warehouse 2 blocks from the office.Meanwhile back in the far far west in Mushroom Kingdom."So this is the above world.This is what I was missing out on?"said Piranha-X54."This world is so much more different then what I had imagined."Piranha-X54 then looks forward and sees a goomba."What's this?"he wondered."Woah!"said the goomba in a surprised manner."What...the..heck...is that?Are you one of master Kamek's new prototypes?"asked the goomba."Prototype?No!I am the ultimate being!"said Piranha-X54 with pride."Now where have I heard that before?"said the goomba to himself.Then Piranha-X54 slams his vine like arm towards the goomba and smashes it."Let...me...rephrase...that."said the goomba while fading away."What a waste!"said Piranha-X54."This is the other companions of Kamek?No wonder he is so weak.Well better get started,maybe there are others that look like me!I'll have to recruit new members to create an indestructible army!HAHAHAHAHA!"laughed Piranha-X54.Back at Central..."Well this looks fine in fact awesome but I should ask the Führer for a legal pardon,a long one at that.But I must never forget my sole goal!I will become Führer and not no Hitler stuff either!"Said Roy."Well then let's get started.Roy then drove back to the Military office and knocked on the Führer's door."Excuse me?Führer Bradley?May I come in?I have a word to speak about."said Roy."Yes?Mustang come in glad to see you.What is this word you would like to speak of?"asked Führer King Bradley."Well you probably wouldn't understand but earlier today there was this turtle thing on a broom stick and told me about a monster that was going to take over earth as it's own and he said I can help."explained Roy."So can I help?"Roy asked."This is tough because you are one of my highest ranked men mustang.But I will let you go but remember where you belong.I'll also let you take 2 of your men with you,understood.?"said King Bradley while laying his hand on roy's shoulder."Yes sir!I won't let you down!"said Roy."Very well!Down go dying now!"said King Bradley while walking back to his chair.Roy then leaves the room and walks out of the military office,opens the car door and drives to the warehouse 2 blocks ahead of the office.Roy then looks up and down towards the building."So this is it?"He said."Let's get started then."Roy said with a smirk on his face.(the screen then fades to black). ~To Be Continued... 2009-09-17 22:19:35 by TheFlameAlchemist After the brawl era it was a peaceful planet and at the time Bowser was caged and Petey Piranha was burned too bits and master hand and crazy hand have been taut up that way they couldn't move or do any tricks.Yes,peace was a good sign at the moment until someone or something unexpected had broken out and now a new group of heroes must conquer the new evil that approaches... Meanwhile in a underground laboratory in the mushroom kingdom under Bowser's abandoned castle."HaHaHaHaHaHa!My project is complete after very very long years of work he is finally complete!*Presses a button that opens a tube*You...are...Piranha-X54 also known as Patrick Piranha but, we will go with Piranha-X54 shall we?"said the evil Kamek who took Bowser's castle as his own and chose to continue on his project that he started a very long time ago which is now completed and called his project Piranha-X54."Now!Obey!I am your master,your king, and your creator!Rise!"commanded Kamek.Piranha-X54 responded"...No...I am your master and your king.I have seen your ways and I will be stronger and I want this world to be mine...and mine it shall be!"yelled Pirahna X54."WHAAAT!No you shall belong to me and destroy my enemies!"replied Kamek."Why me then?Why?"asked Piranha-X54."Becuase I who am not strong enough have infused most of my powers into you which has increased your mental abilities,speed,strength, and maybe you got some of my magic abilities."Responded Kamek with an unfair grin."Then I am much stronger than you correct?"asked Piranha-X54."Why of course!Then again you can't underestimate me!"responded Kamek."Then this must be no trouble then."said Piranha-X54 and came out of the tube and taut one of his vine like arms and grabbed Kamek."Hey!Let go you foul beast!I never said touch I said obey!Obey you ingrate!Demanded Kamek."No you stay out of my way!This world is mine now!"yelled Piranha-X54 and tightened Kamek a little more."Gah!What..else..do..you...want?Y ou aren't even supposed to be like this!Looks like I overwhelmed you with so much power that you've gone against me!But to say the truth I'm proud because really,you were actually supposed to be the very first piranha plant to be created but Bowser didn't like you made his own version therefore you are a mere prototype!After all,you weren't that cool looking either!I think petey looked better than you but petey has seen better days he's now burnt ash after Mario took care of him!"explained Kamek."So...you mean I am a prototype,a nothing?"asked Piranha-X54."Well...yes and if you get rid of me you won't survive in the world alone!Mario will eventually get you and burn you down."said Kamek."No!If you have survived this long and now I am stronger than you I will live longer and stronger than you right?"asked Piranha-X54."Well sort of but you still will not survive!"yelled Kamek."Oh really?"asked Piranha-X54 in a clever manner and threw Kamek in through the roof and into the sky."Ahhh!I'll get you!You despicable prototype!"yelled Kamek as his voice got lower."Now!Onto world domination!HaHaHaHaHaHa!"laughed Piranha-X54 in a very evil way and escapes through the door and thinks to himself"Who is this Mario character?Is he stronger than I am is he like me or is he like Kamek?Will he assist me on world domination or will he try to destroy me?So many questions for this world that I plan to dominate am I up for it?I must find allies first perhaps then I may begin."Piranha-X54 then jumps out of the castle and goes undergrounds and walks through tunnels. 2009-09-16 21:19:16 by TheFlameAlchemist Well as most of you don't know I'm going to start writing my new story Super Smash Bros.Revolutions(S.S.B.R) and I will submit it to betteratbrawl7777's shop.But I will start some other time and I will upload chapters here on my posts soon so yeah expect it soon.

Author's Note: I'm trying to keep all the balls juggling, so rolling back here again. Picks up directly from the last scene . . . which you might have to go back and reread again :) But they're at the window. Twitter: ffsienna27 – For story announcements, etc. If the alerts, (or the site), are down, this is a backup to find out what's going on for postings. There's also some random randomness that is my brain. Tumblr: sienna27 – More randomness. Prompt Set #31 (June 2011) TV Show: Judging Amy Title Challenge: The Burden of Perspective The Decisions We Make Emily swallowed down the lump forming in her throat. Her eyes began to burn. There were bodies . . . body parts . . . all over the street below them. It was a scene from Hell. But even worse than that, worse than the dead . . . a tear spilled down her cheek . . . were the others. The ones still moving. The ones still screaming. The ones on fire. And though she tried desperately to block out the connections that her brain was racing to make, she knew . . . this is what had happened on the plane. This is what had happened to her parents. Blown up, blown to pieces and then set on fire. The images in Emily's mind began to morph with the images in the street, and suddenly her hand flew up to clamp in a vice over her mouth. Hearing a sickening gag from his side, Hotch's attention snapped away from the horrific aftermath of the attack down in the street, to an ashen Emily on his left. She was about to throw up. "Okay, okay," he quickly tightened his hold around her waist as he hurriedly moved them away from the window, "come on sweetheart." Though Hotch's tone was generally . . . by default . . . fairly calm and controlled, in this instance he could hear that wasn't really coming through. But given the stress of the moment . . . he continued half dragging, half carrying Emily back to the bathroom . . . he wasn't feeling particularly calm and controlled. He was feeling pretty FUCKING agitated! Okay Aaron . . . he angrily reminded himself . . . keep it together. You can't have a frigging meltdown too! Fortunately for Emily's stomach . . . and Hotch's self-control . . . they only had to travel across the suite. It was a large suite, but still, it was only a distance of perhaps eleven paces. So his not so soothing nonsense came to an abrupt end as Emily saw the door and bolted out of his grasp. Hotch was two steps behind, coming through the doorway just in time to watch her gun fall from her hand and clatter to the tile. And then she began retching into the toilet. The word was a much a prayer as a curse. It was that kind of day. And as Hotch hurried over to pull Emily's hair back, he was simultaneously jamming his own weapon back into his holster. Though many people were put off by the act of seeing somebody else get sick, he felt no such visceral hesitation as he reached down to help her. Given what he did for a living, the things he'd seen, such a biologically human act as throwing up, no longer affected him at all. It was nothing. But Emily's sobbing wasn't. It was something. Something terrible. Those gasping, teary breaths for air as her body shook against his, was a sound like nails on a chalkboard. He knew intellectually that the crying was another . . . simple . . . biological imperative. Her body was reacting to the emotional and physical traumas she'd suffered that week. It was piling them on, coupling them up, with the terrible events that she'd just witnessed down in the street. It was normal. He knew these things . . . but still . . . the sound was killing him. He again was overcome by feelings of helplessness. And again, he wanted to think of some way to make this better for her. But . . . as he was slowly coming to accept . . . again, there was nothing to be done. All he could do was just be there for her. And that . . . he took a breath and closed his eyes . . . was that. Fortunately . . . for both of them . . . Emily had very little food in her stomach, so there was little to be expelled. So once that apple was gone, she fell back against him. She was scrubbing her hand over her face as she tried to both stop crying, and to catch her breath. He just held her tight. "Better?" He whispered in her ear. Slowly . . . with a sniffle . . . she nodded. And then she squeezed his hand where it was resting on her hip. "Yes," she gasped, "I'm sorry, I just . . . I . . . I'm so sorry." God, what was WRONG with her? Losing it like that was COMPLETELY unacceptable! The one thing that Emily was grateful for . . . the only thing TO be grateful for . . . was that she'd lost it up in the relative safety of the hotel room. But what if they hadn't been? What if they'd been down in the middle of that kill zone when she'd suddenly flashed on the moment of her parents' deaths? And then what if she'd had a total breakdown then? Hotch would have been too preoccupied with her well-being to take care of himself, that's what. And without a doubt . . . she would have gotten him killed. That realization . . . that very likely outcome . . . was enough for Emily to push him away from her. She needed the space. And of course he tried to pull her closer. But his murmurs that it was okay, that there was nothing to be sorry about, were simply bringing fresh tears to her eyes. He was too sweet to her. Too good to her. And she didn't deserve it. Not if she couldn't find a way to start functioning in the world again. Functioning without him. And as Emily climbed to her feet . . . trying to keep a small distance between them . . . she could see Hotch reaching out for her again as he too stood up. After he'd been so incredible to her this week, the last thing that she wanted to do was hurt his feelings. And this was clearly not the moment to have a ridiculous discussion about "feelings" in general, so she felt a momentary panic clawing up as she again tried to move away from him. 'Please don't touch me,' Emily prayed as she turned away. And for the first time in days . . . unbelievably . . . somebody up there seemed to be listening to her prayers. Because just as Hotch's fingers closed around her forearm, there came a pounding on the hotel room door. And then a split second later. "HOTCH! EMILY! OPEN UP!" Emily's eyes widened as they snapped up to lock onto Hotch's. It sounded like him. Hotch apparently agreed. Though he didn't answer her directly, she saw his brow darken as his hand fell away from her arm. It landed back on the butt of his pistol. "Stay here," he commanded while rushing past her and out of the bathroom. When he disappeared into the common area, Emily suddenly remembered that she'd dropped her own weapon a moment ago. So she spun around, her eyes scanning frantically to see where it had gone. There . . . she took two steps and reached down . . . it had slid half under the other vanity. After she'd snatched her pistol off the floor, Emily checked the safety again and then jammed it back into her holster. All the while that was happening . . . those few seconds . . . she'd heard Hotch yelling for the person at the door to "hold on." And then as she turned back to the sink, he called out to her directly. This time confirming that it was indeed Iain and Simon. And then hearing the door open and close . . . and the men begin talking in frantic whispers . . . Emily grabbed the travel bottle of Scope off the counter. And as she quickly rinsed out her mouth she felt a pang of sympathy for the men that had come to their door. The poor bastards. A random terrorist attack in the middle of a security assignment was probably worst case scenario for them. It would be for her. And knowing that the shit had most definitely hit the fan . . . and that they would need to be part of the cleanup crew . . . Emily turned on the faucet to splash cold water on her face. It was time to get it in gear. It was time to stop being Emily. Emily was too fucked up to function right now. She needed to be Prentiss. Prentiss didn't take shit from anyone. And she sure as hell didn't burst into tears in the middle of a crisis. That was unacceptable. THAT would not happen again. So after she'd taken a few breaths to find her center . . . to find Agent Prentiss . . . Emily looked up into the mirror. Her face looked too thin and her skin looked too pale . . . but there was a hardness there too. It pleased her. It was a bit of her old self coming back up through the scar tissue. And that's when she made herself a vow, a vow that she wouldn't lose control like that again. Not on this trip. If not for her own safety . . . her jaw clenched . . . then she had to keep it together because of the others. Under no circumstances would she have anyone . . . Hotch especially . . . getting himself hurt or killed trying to look after her. She could look after herself. Yes . . . she began angrily tying her hair up into a ponytail . . . she needed Hotch's emotional support right now. But that was it. And that was during their private time. But otherwise, she needed get to her shit together. She wasn't a God damn invalid. So it was time to stop acting like one. With that new . . . hardened . . . mindset, Emily smoothed her hair back behind her ears, straightened her shirt, and then turned towards the bathroom door. As she stepped out into the common area, all three heads swiveled to look at her and away from the stack of weapons she could see now sitting on their coffee table. Hotch had broken open Morgan's oversized duffel bag. It was obvious that the three men had been assessing their options on fire power, and now it was obvious that they were assessing her mental state. It was pissing her off. Still though . . . she started walking across the room . . . she knew that they meant well. But she just wasn't in the mood for it. She was in the mood to kick some ass. "What's happening outside?" Her voice was slightly hoarse. But it wasn't an emotional response, just the evidence of her getting sick minutes earlier. Hotch stared at Emily for a moment before her brow went up and her expression hardened even further. He knew that look . . . it was one of his . . . so he quickly dropped his gaze away from her face. Apparently this was not a moment where he was allowed to show any concern for her well being. Okay. Fair enough. So his attention . . . and his gaze . . . snapped back to the bag of supplies in front of them. "It's bad," he started explaining as he picked up one of the blue vests from the duffel Morgan had packed for them, "you need to put this on, Simon talked to a friend of his in security. There are men in the hotel." As Emily's eyes widened in alarm, she stepped up in front of Hotch. "How many?" She asked as he held the Kevlar out for her to slide her arms in. His response was clipped, and when Emily turned her head to tighten the straps on her vest, Hotch's eyes followed her fingers. Then he added quietly. "We're going to hole up in here for now." Just saying the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. They were wrong. He didn't want to stay holed up in here. He didn't want to stay holed up anywhere. He wanted to jam a half dozen clips into his pocket, pick up one of the two assault rifles that they'd packed, and go charging off into hell. He'd done it before. But not today . . . he reminded himself as turned to pick up his own vest . . . not with Emily in the condition that she was in right now. She wasn't up for it. "What?" Emily sputtered as her head snapped up. Her expression instantly morphing from cautious agitation to full blown pissed off in ten seconds flat. "No! Absolutely not." Without even looking up, Hotch shook his head, "Emily . . ." That was all he got out before she cut him off. "NO, Hotch. That's not happening. We," she started, but then her brain processed the free will concept and she hurriedly corrected, "I am not going to stay up in this room and build a little fortress while there are people are getting slaughtered downstairs." Was he fucking NUTS! "Damn it Emily . . ." Aside from the swearing, the second time there was a clear bite to Hotch's tone as he tried to cut in. It was obvious . . . he was losing his patience. Then he looked up, and their eyes locked in a contest of wills. Whose was stronger? On this one point . . . they were evenly matched. Even then though . . . even in his clear anger . . . Emily could see the concern on his face. It was shifting across his stony features . . . he was trying to do what he thought was best for her. He was trying to protect her. But she was having none of it. "No!" She snapped as she angrily pushed her finger into his chest, "don't you even think about saying it! People aren't going to be murdered," she shoved him aside to start digging into their bag of weapons, "because I'm in the midst of a 'personal crises'!" Her last words were spoken with bitterness as she started shoving clips into her pockets. "Now you three can come with me," she continued as she turned, her eyes again locking with Hotch's now furious ones, "or not. But I'm not staying here. Those people need help." Of course she knew that if they wanted to stop her . . . they could. She was strong, but . . . her gaze coolly shifted around the three armed men glaring at her . . . they were stronger. And again . . . she looked down to check the safety on one of the Glocks . . . there were three of them. But she wasn't going down without a fight. Again, she'd had enough of this shit. She wasn't a victim. Okay . . . she felt a stab of pain in her chest . . . fine, she was. She was the victim of a terrible tragedy. And that was a label she was going to have to wear for the duration. But that wasn't all she was. She was also an F.B.I. Agent. A person with a sworn duty to uphold the law and to take care of people that couldn't take care of themselves. Just because they were no longer on American soil, that didn't change her basic core values. This is what she did. This is who she was. And it was time to get on with it. Hotch's fingernails dug into his palm as he watched Emily shove the revolver into the waistband of her jeans. That was joining the pistol already on her hip and the assault rifle that she was now picking up out of the bag. She was so God damn STUBBORN! Sometimes he just wanted to toss her in a cell! Trying to push down his outward mask to cover his emotions, Hotch's gaze shifted, snapping back and forth between the two men that Rossi had paid to the protect them. They were staring at Emily . . . and they looked pissed. And rightfully so. He was pretty pissed himself. And he wanted to yell at Emily, to tell her that this wasn't their business and that she was to take her guns and go hole up in the bedroom. That she wasn't leaving. That it wasn't safe out there. But this was a woman who hadn't had a "safe" day on the job since she'd signed up for the Behavioral Analysis Unit eighteen months earlier. She didn't lead a safe life. And though Hotch wanted to protect her . . . his stomach turned as he heard more screaming in the streets She was right. They didn't let innocents get slaughtered just because they were having personal problems. If that was the case, Hotch himself wouldn't have shown up for work once in the last two years. And it was obvious was from how Emily was carrying herself right now, she was not the emotionally fragile woman that he'd been taking care of the last few days. That woman was gone. For now anyway. And in her place . . . he felt a spot of warmth in his heart . . . was someone that he knew quite well. And she was back with a vengeance. Which was to be expected. Emily was so kind, so empathetic . . . so dedicated . . . that her protective instincts for others, had overridden her protective instincts for herself. And hence the return of the woman who slammed drunks through plaster walls, and serial killers through plate glass windows. That woman could do anything. And though it went against every instinct he had to protect her, to protect what was becoming his, Hotch knew that she needed to do this. 'They, needed to do this,' he corrected. So he took a breath. And then he slowly exhaled. And with that release of carbon dioxide, he let go of his anger at Emily . . . it had no place here. What she wanted to do was right, what he wanted to do was wrong. He was being selfish. It was a simple as that. With that, he reached back into the bag of weapons and began sifting through the cartridges. If they were going to charge off into hell . . . and they were . . . they'd damn well better be armed for it. Now he just had to tell the other two that they were leaving. "Gentlemen," Hotch's tone was even, his gaze averted, as he began sliding cartridges into his pants pockets, "I understand your position here, and I'm sorry to make your lives more difficult. But," he looked up, "Emily's right. We need to go downstairs." His eyes dropped back down as he picked up the other rifle, "but please don't feel any obligation to come with us," his jaw twitched as he heard another explosion out the window, "this is our job. This is what we do, but this is clearly not the assignment that you were paid to carry out." He wasn't about to make these men feel guilty . . . feel anything . . . about the choice that they needed to now make for themselves. They weren't agents, hell they weren't even soldiers . . . not anymore. They were just mercenaries. Admittedly kind ones. But still, for them this was just a paycheck. But for him and for Emily . . . she reached over and squeezed his hand . . . it was more than that. It was their way of life. One that they couldn't turn their backs on now. After a brief clench of Hotch's fingers . . . it was a thank you for supporting her, for trusting her . . . Emily shoved two more clips into her already full pockets, picked up her guns and started towards the door. Too much time had been lost already. The noises from the floors below were starting to drift upwards. It was gunfire. Gunfire and screaming . . . the muscles in her shoulders tightened as she undid the deadbolt on the door . . . lots of screaming. There was no more time to waste. But she knew that Hotch would be right behind her. One thing . . . since the beginning . . . he'd always been right behind her. He always had her back. And the others . . . slowly she turned the door handle . . . well, that was their choice. No judgment either way. These weren't decisions you made for others, you just made them for yourself. What you could live with. And what you couldn't. So as Emily stepped into the hallway, her finger was sliding off the trigger of her M4 Carbine. It wasn't her regular weapon . . . generally only entry teams considered this a regular weapon . . . but it was one that she was well certified to use. And for today . . . her head swiveled back and forth as she checked the quiet corridor . . . this would be her best friend. As she took a step towards the northwest staircase, she felt Hotch's hand fall to her shoulder. And then his warm breath touched her ear. "If you ever pull that shit when we're at work, I'll have you suspended for insubordination. Do you understand me?" She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Yes," her voice was also a whisper, "but I promise that I would never take advantage like that. You do know that," her left brow inched up, "right?" Hopefully he did . . . otherwise this relationship would never work. At her words . . . her question . . . she saw Hotch's expression soften. Then he reached over to squeeze her fingers. "I do." He said with a sad smile, "I just needed to hear you say it." And then he let go of her hand as he stepped in front of her, swinging his own semi-automatic off of his shoulder. "All right," he slid off his safety, "now let's go get some bad guys." A/N 2: This story is primarily an 'emotional journey' for Emily. But as there is a new element here, I wasn't about to have her curl up in the closet all weepy and catatonic while people got killed. I just saw a situation like that, her concern for others, overriding her personal traumas of the moment. You know you just get pissed off and that helps you redirect your energy to more positive efforts…like killing bad people. We'll find out next time what's up with Iain & Simon. And this was also a good opportunity to explore how H/Ps personal relationship, will impact their work one. This is the one world where they're thrown together as a couple without the gradual build (even in Chances they had that month in between) so there are basic things here to learn about each other. And confirming that they both understand Emily's outburst was a special case, not to be repeated, needed to be addressed. Hope you all enjoyed the new twist here. I did :) I like writing BAMF Emily, and I have her going in three different worlds right now, but each one is a very different version. That's what I'm enjoying about them, just the subtleties of the different situations and how her behavior manifests. Busy week coming with Christmas and all, but I have a lot of stuff on deck so updates should be fairly regular. As in every few days.

Hi everyone, and welcome to the live blog for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony. We’re Eric Hynes and Claiborne Smith, and we’ll be your tag-team virtual hosts for tonight’s festivities. For the second year in a row, the Awards Ceremony takes place few miles north of Park City at the Basin Recreation Fieldhouse at Kimball Junction. The football field sized space has been split into two halves: a party lounge with bar tables, stools, and buffet tables; and a ceremonial half with folding chairs facing a stage comprised of giant building blocks decorated in this year’s Festival’s colors of yellow, black and white, and signs heralding this year’s theme, Look Again. At the Festival’s opening day press conference, Festival Director John Cooper spoke of how Hollywood and indie films are moving father and father apart, stylistically. As more Transformers populate megaplex screens, the range and diversity of stories emerging from indie filmmakers—on full view for the past 10 days of the Festival—becomes richer. The state of independent film is “very healthy, it’s creative, it’s original,” Cooper said. “I think the stories are as diverse as they can be. They’re personal and I think they’re a unique perspective on the world we live in.” He talked about how every year people ask him what the themes of the Festival are, but “the truth is, they’re aren’t any. Independent film is the theme.” All told, 27 awards will be given out over the next 60 minutes, so prepare yourselves for a flurry of activity on this blog. And start familiarizing yourselves with the filmmakers and titles you’re about to hear. Something tells us that you’ll be talking about them in the months and years to come. Updated 7:21 PM: The evening kicks off with a “Voice of God” introducing the Festival Director, John Cooper (we don’t think it was actually God - just the voice of God). Cooper looks chagrinned. “We had this whole bit where [Parker Posey] was ready to come out as the Queen of indie film to the music from Aida,” Cooper said. Posey was supposed to be the evening’s emcee tonight, but she fell ill. Sad handlers are holding her queen garb, one of whom is even wearing her crown. Cooper wishes her well; so does the audience. Cooper introduces the Executive Director of Sundance Institute, Keri Putnam. She encourages everyone to get involved with the Institute beyond these 10 days of the Festival. “We’re active 365 days a year and all over the world discovering and supporting new independent artists—so please visit us online, come see some of our public programs, and really be part of our community.” Putnam presents the second annual winners of the Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaking award, which were announced earlier in the week, to: Shonali Bose, Margarita With a Straw (India); Etienne Kallos, Free State (South Africa); Ariel Kleiman, Partisan (Australia); Dominga Sotomayor, Late to Die Young (Chile) Cooper’s back on stage, thanking the Festival staff and 1850 Festival volunteers, giving special mention to those volunteers who’ve worked more than 100 hours during the Festival: “The 100 Club.” The indie film community took a hit this week - with the death of beloved indie film producer Bingham Ray. Cooper gets a little choked up reading from an appreciation of him written by a friend of his, a poker partner - Ray was described as “a fierce competitor and raconteur,” someone who started out at the Bleeker Street Cinema. He was “intimately involved with some of the figures he used to protect” and “as with everything else, he had no problem challenging them when he thought they were wrong.” Cooper thanks this year’s filmmakers for sharing “your stories and your souls” with audiences at the 2012 Festival. Cooper confesses he’s had a dream - a dream of a co-host. He introduces director and actor Katie Aselton, whose thriller Black Rock played in the Midnight section at this year’s Festival. Aselton is helping Cooper host tonight’s awards ceremony. They tell everyone they’re thanking God right now so that all the filmmakers who will be on stage tonight to accept awards can make their thank you’s brief. Brief! Cooper then introduces renowned biological anthropologist Helen Fisher to present the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, which is presented to a director with an outstanding film focusing on science or technology as a theme; it comes with a cash award of $20,000. Updated 7:32 PM: Cooper and Aselton return to the stage and introduces natty, argyle-sweater wearing Trevor Groth, director of programming for the Sundance Film Festival. He announces the winners of the Shorts Program, presented by Yahoo!, which were presented earlier in the week. Jurors included Shane Smith of TIFF Bell Lightbox, King of the Hill creator Mike Judge, and Pariah director Dee Rees, a big winner at last year’s Festival. Groth also announces the first annual Shorts Audience Award. Holly Boyer from Yahoo! joins Groth on stage. Audiences across the nation have been voting on the winner of the Shorts Audience Award. And the award goes to ... The Debutante Hunters, directed by Maria White. White tells the audience that she and her husband volunteered for the Festival 10 years ago, so to end up winning is something very special for her. “We had thousands of thousands of people see our film that we never expected to see it,” she says. Coming up next, the winners of the World Cinema Competition Documentary Competition. Updated 7:47 PM: John Cooper and Katie Aselton introduce the jurors for the World Cinema Documentary Competition: Clara Kim, curator of the Walker Art Center, filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno, and BBC Storyville founder Nick Fraser. Twelve internationally produced films, from Canada and Denmark to China and Palestine, competed in this section this year. “We saw some incredible films, and have the distinct pleasure of giving 5 prizes for this category,” says Kim. The first prizewinner is about, “A man whose humble and rich existence reminds us of the integrity of life.” Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize for its Celebration of the Artistic Spirit: Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul (Sweden/UK) “Is this really happening? This was supposed to be six minutes for Swedish TV,” says Bendjelloul. He introduces subject Rodriguez, who stands from his seat and receives rich applause. Read our coverage of Sugar Man’s world premiere. Teno introduces the next award winner. “Many filmmakers have been taking the camera and making films. Cinematography is very, very important - it rises to the level of artwork. Sometimes you leave a film and for a long time, some images from the film you have just seen flash in your mind. In a state of propaganda and people in this kind of oppressive regime are behaving.” Winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award for Documentary Filmmaking: Putin’s Kiss, cinematography by Lars Skree (Denmaerk) Director Lise Birk Pedersen accepts for Skree. Kim presents the next winner, “A seamless journey into independently minded individuals.” Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award: Indie Game: The Movie, edited by Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky. (Canada) “Two years ago we hopped into a Toyota without cruise control, and never imagined that we’d be here, ” say the filmmakers. Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award: 5 Broken Cameras, directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi (Palestine/Israel/France) “I can’t believe I’m standing here,” says Burnat. “This film was a gift from the beginning. It was a gift for me to go to this village building where I spent many years.” Regarding the next prize: “A great film, a tough film, and unforgiving film,” says Fraser. “Apparently intelligent men, acting in what they think is their best interest, turn the rule of law into an oppressive system. The jury loved this film - we hope it goes out into the world and changes people.” Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize in Documentary: The Law in These Parts (Shilton Ha Chok), directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (Israel) “This is the hardest film I’ve made,” says Alexandrowicz. He thanks the doc program at Sundance Institute. “This is an amazing moment for me as a filmmaker, but it’s a film about a painful and unresolved subject. What you find out in the film, and in other films in this festival, is that upholding law doesn’t always lead to justice. It can even be used as a tool against certain segments of society. We have to oppose them, and if necessary we have to break them.” Updated 7:57 PM: Cooper introduces the jury for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition: New York Film Festival director Richard Pena, filmmaker Alexei Popogrebsky, and actress Julia Ormond. Fourteen films from countries such as Japan, Argentina, Turkey, and the Czech Republic competed in this section this year. Winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Artistic Vision: Can, directed by Rasit Celikezer (Turkey) “What can I say? This is a story. This is long days; this is a great story, Sundance,” says Celikezer. “Thank you, so much. I dedicated my film to all kids and now I'm dedicating this award to my little daughter and all other kids. Thank you so much.” Winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award, Dramatic: My Brother the Devil, cinematography by David Raedeker (UK) “I went on a journey with this film, and it was a rollercoaster,” says Raedeker. Winner of the World Cinema Screenwriting Award, Dramatic: Young & Wild, written by Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutierrez, Pedro Peirano (Chile) “Do you want to cry? Me too. We grew up in a country during the dictatorship,” says Rivas. “Since I was seven I wanted to be a filmmaker to escape that violent reality. Every film is an act of love.” Winner of the World Cinema Directing Award, Dramatic: Teddy Bear, directed by Mads Matthiesen (Denmark) “That’s great, man. Great surprise. Just want to thank Sundance. It’s a pleasure coming here. Everything around this Festival, the audiences, is great,” says Matthiesen. Claiborne Smith talked to Matthiesen for Sundance.org. For a film that Ormond calls, “an extraordinary hymn”: Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic: Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta se Fue a Los Cielos), directed by Andres Wood (Chile/Argentina/Brazil/Spain) Wood can’t be in attendance, but sends an acceptance speech remotely, which Ormond delivers. “We are delighted and surprised we wish we were there tonight to celebrate with you. We want to think the people of the festival, jury and audience. We accept it on behalf of the Chilean community.” Coming up next, the Audience Awards. Updated 8:11 PM: Cooper introduces Tim Heidecker, known to viewers of Adult Swim, where his subversive shows like "Tom Goes to the Mayor" and "Tim and Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job," have aired. Heidecker presents the Best of NEXT Audience Award (the 2012 Festival is the fourth year for the NEXT showcase, which features films by often new filmmakers of bold, pure storytelling). “I was hoping we could do something right now,” says Heidecker. “Would everybody mind standing up for one second, please? Okay, you can sit down. Thank you very much. Do we have any walk outs? I usually get some walk outs.” He prompts the NEXT films to scroll across the screen, but the video appears to malfunction. “Those were all terrible films,” he jokes. “Well, who the hell cares.” Winner of the Best of NEXT Audience Award: Sleepwalk with Me, directed by comedian and writer Mike Birbiglia The first thing Birbiglia does is mention Craig Zobel’s Compliance, another NEXT film, which he says is his favorite film in the Festival. “Without guys like Miguel Arteta telling me I could direct when I couldn't,” he says, “I wouldn't be here.” Read Birbiglia’s comments from the Sleepwalk with Me premiere. Aselton introduces veteran actor and political activist Edward James Olmos, appearing in the 2012 Festival film Filly Brown, who in turn introduces, seemingly off-the-cuff, filmmaker Robert M. Young. “He’s truly the father of independent film in America. He's a giant amongst those of us who are independent filmmakers in this country This man helped create Sundance Institute, and we want to thank you on behalf of the entire industry,” says Olmos. “I don’t think I deserve to be up here,” Young says. “I was at the first Sundance—I know a number of you here and I'm honored just to be recognized. I’m 87, still going, still making films.” Olmos continues, introducing the Audience Awards. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award for Documentary Film: Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul (Sweden) Bendjelloul brings up Rodriguez, who’s dressed in trademark black, from dark mane to shiny leather pants. “I’m so excited I can’t catch my breath. He’s the whole hero of my life,” Rodriguez says about Bendjelloul. Read our coverage of Sugar Man’s world premiere. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award for Dramatic Film: Valley of Saints, directed by Musa Syeed (India/U.S.A.). This is the second win for Valley of Saints - earlier this week, the film received a $10,000 award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for the innovative way the film depicts the scientist at the heart of the film. Producer Nicholas Bruckman accepts. “My only job was to make our awards here,” he says, “and I only just made it.” Updated 8:19 PM: Clips from the U.S. Documentary and Dramatic Competition films are shown. Mike Birbiglia, fresh off his recent win for Sleepwalk with Me, presents the U.S. Competition Audience Awards, sponsored by Acura. “Because the first thing you do when you make an independent film is choose your luxury sedan,” Birbiglia says. “Once you do that, you’re pretty much done.” Winner of the U.S. Documentary Competition Audience Award, presented by Acura: The Invisible War, directed by Kirby Dick. “I never thought I’d win an audience award,” Dick says. He dedicates the award to the many soldiers who have been raped within the American military. “This award really is to them (the victims), so this epidemic stops.” “You are heard, you are appreciated, you are not forgotten, and you are no longer invisible,” says producer Amy Ziering. Winner of the U.S. Dramatic Competition Audience Award, presented by Acura: The Surrogate, directed by Ben Lewin. Standing ovation for Lewin, whose film routinely received standing ovations during the Festival. “A word of advice to independent filmmakers,” says Lewin. “Don’t sleep with the leading lady. Sleep with the producer.” He’s accompanied by his wife, producer Judi Levine. “Love is a journey,” he adds. “That’s it.” “I think I learned very early that it’s good to sleep with the director,” adds Levine. Read Claiborne Smith’s profile of The Surrogate’s John Hawkes. Coming up next, the winners of the U.S. Documentary and Dramatic competitions. Updated 8:35 PM: Aselton come back on stage - it’s time for the awards for the U.S. Documentary and Dramatic competition awards. They introduce Heather Croall, the director of the Sheffield Doc/Fest, one of the best documentary festivals in the world. Two special jury prizes - a rarity. Winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize for Grace Under Pressure: Love Free or Die, directed by Macky Alston The film is about what happened after the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire came under fire for electing an openly gay man as its bishop. Alston’s on stage - 15 years ago, I was here with another film. I remember the first time I didn’t get into Sundance. I remember the bathtub. I remember the raging tantrum - my husband taking my photo in the audience can attest to that. And then the day came when we heard we got into Sundance with this film and I was a bigger mess than before.” Winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Defiance: Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, directed by Alison Klayman “I think I’m too nervous to say too much,” Klayman says, but she thanks Ai Weiwei and her family and crew. She asks the audience to flip the bird - she takes a photo and plans to send it to Ai Weiwei. Cliff Martinez, former member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and film composer for many of Steven Soderbergh's movies, including sex, lies, and videotape and Contagion, presents the “life’s blood of independent cinema,” the Special Jury Prize: Dramatic for independent film producing. The award goes to Smashed producers Andrea Sperling and Jonathan Schwartz. Sperling isn’t in attendance but Schwartz thanks her - “all the credit in my life goes to my wife Jennifer,” he says. He thanks Ry Russo-Young and James Ponsoldt, who we worked with this past year in producing their films. The Special Jury Prize: Dramatic for ensemble acting goes to the cast of The Surrogate. Producer Judi Levine is back on stage - “I have to tell you this was an extraordinary experience. The cast brought everything they could to their characters” - she heaps praise on Helen Hunt, John Hawkes, and William H. Macy. Aselton introduces Tia Lessin, who produced and directed the groundbreaking Trouble the Water, about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina—that documentary won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award. Winner of the Excellence in Cinematography Award for U.S. Documentary Filmmaking:Chasing Ice, Jeff Orlowski Orlowski thanks Sundance and his father, who taught him how to do photography, and James Balog, the subject of the film, who taught him “how to be an artist.” Cinematographer Amy Vincent (Hustle & Flow) comes on stage to present the... Winner of Excellence in Cinematography Award - Dramatic to: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Ben Richardson Richardson seems surprised. “Above all, I want to say thank you to Behn Zeitlin. I wish my dad could see this” and to his mom, “who never in my whole life doubted I could do the things I wanted to do.” Award-winning documentary editor Kim Roberts presents the... U.S. Documentary Editing Award to: Detropia, edited by Enat Sidi Roberts explains that the award is given to Sidi “for trusting in the power of verite ... and in the cadence of poetry.” Filmmaker Heidi Ewing is onstage with her. “I feel very privileged that I get to make films with my friends,” Sidi says. Actor Anthony Mackie comes on stage to give the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. “Sometimes you see a movie without a script and it lets you know how important a screenwriter is,” Mackie says. “Sometimes you see a movie that exemplifies the idea of creative thought.” The winner is Derek Connolly, the screenwriter behind Safety Not Guaranteed. Connolly looks way too young to be getting an award of this stature. “I’m going to keep this brief or my head is going to explode all over the first row,” Connolly says. He thanks the producers and crew. Cooper and Aselton introduce director Fenton Bailey, who's made many appearances at the Festival over the years, from Party Monster to Becoming Chaz. Winner of the U.S. Directing Award for Documentary Film: Lauren Greenfield, director of The Queen of Versailles “I want to especially thank Jackie Segal and her family for bravely sticking with the story when it changed in unexpected ways,” Greenfield says. Humpday and Your Sister's Sister director Lynn Shelton is now on stage to announce.. Winner of the U.S. Directing Award for Dramatic Film: Middle of Nowhere, director Ava DuVernay Shelton explains that the Award goes to DuVernay for providing “a glimpse into the world of those left behind.” DuVernay say she’s “stunned” and “very happy” - she thanks her producers, the crew, her fellow filmmakers, and a cast “led by this brave, generous soul,” Emayatzy Corinealdi - she stresses that it’s important for the film to be seen beyond Park City and for “filmmakers of color to see one another’s films and have them seen.” It's now time for the Grand Jury Prize in the Documentary category - writer and documentary maker Charles Ferguson's No End in Sight: The American Occupation of Iraq premiered at the 2007 Festival and won a Special Jury Prize that year. Ferguson says the jury wanted to give more awards than they were allowed to - many of the films are about the same thing, “what the hell is happening to the United States.” But one film stood out, he says. “The film made us feel and think about this problem in a new way.” Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary: The House I Live In, directed by Eugene Jarecki The film is about America’s criminal justice system, and why so many Americans are incarcerated. Jarecki says, “We began a journey many many years ago when someone I love in the audience very much ... she inspired me to be very concerend about social justice and it set me and my team on a journey to find out what’s happening to families like Manny’s” ... “it’s a terrible, tragic little secret” we have in America, he says. The criminal justice system is “tragically immoral,” Jarecki says and we need reform - putting people in jail for nonviolent crime must end, he says. “I thank those men and women who shared their stories with us.” Updated 8:51 PM: The last award of the night: Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is now on stage to present: The Winner of the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic Beasts of the Southern Wild, directed by Benh Zeitlin “With powerful and raw performances ... this film represents what independent film is all about,” Lin explains. Zeitlin brings some of the film’s cast and crew on stage with him. “I got nothing to say,” says the film’s star, Quvenzhane Wallis. “That's why I told you to talk to the mic.” “We should have a ton of people up here,” Zeitlin says. “We had more freedom to make this film than any first-time director has had in America. I hope this movie is a flag that goes up to tell producers to allow filmmakers to be as wild as they could be to direct a film.” He thanks his family in Louisiana and seems happily overwhelmed. A big group hug is happening on stage. Cooper and Aselton are back on stage. “I’ve always wanted to be Parker Posey,” Aselton says and the night ends. Thanks to everyone out there for following us throughout the Ceremony - see you next year!

credit(redirected from had to credit) Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Financial. credit,granting of goods, services, or money in return for a promise of future payment. Most credit is accompanied by an interestinterest, charge for the use of credit or money, usually figured as a percentage of the principal and computed annually. Simple interest is computed annually on the principal. ..... Click the link for more information. charge, which usually makes the future payment greater than an immediate payment would have been. The credit system is founded upon the lender's confidence in the borrower or in his collateralcollateral , something of value given or pledged as security for payment of a loan. Collateral consists usually of financial instruments, such as stocks, bonds, and negotiable paper, rather than physical goods, although the latter may also be accepted as such. ..... Click the link for more information. and general possessions. Credit may be classified according to the industry using it, its quality or liquidity, or the length of time for which it is extended. Basically there are two kinds, business and consumer. The chief function of business credit is the transference of capital from those who own it to those who can use it, in the expectation that the profit from its use will exceed the interest payable on the loan. Thus business credit increases the productive power of capital. Consumer credit permits the purchase of retail commodities without the use of cash or with the use of relatively little cash. It is estimated that some 90% of all wholesalers' and manufacturers' sales, and more than 30% of all retail sales are made on a credit basis. In the larger banks, credit-analysis departments determine the amount of credit that may safely be given to loan applicants. Data as to credit risk are supplied by agencies organized for that purpose. The chief agency in the United States is Dun and Bradstreet, formed by a merger (1933) of R. G. Dun & Company (1841) and the Bradstreet Company (1849). If more credit is granted than the community can liquidate, there is inflation; if too little is granted, there is deflation. A lack of business confidence may cause credit to dissolve, thereby contributing to economic crises, panics, and depressions. In bookkeepingbookkeeping, maintenance of systematic and convenient records of money transactions in order to show the condition of a business enterprise. The essential purpose of bookkeeping is to reveal the amounts and sources of the losses and profits for any given period. ..... Click the link for more information. , the credit side is the side of the account on which payments are entered; hence, the term credit is sometimes applied to the payments themselves. See credit cardcredit card, device used to obtain consumer credit at the time of purchasing an article or service. Credit cards may be issued by a business, such as a department store or an oil company, to make it easier for consumers to buy their products. ..... Click the link for more information. ; debtdebt, obligation in services, money, or goods owed by one party, the debtor, to another, the creditor. When contested, debts are collected by a civil suit upon which the judge renders a judgment, and an execution is levied on the debtor's property. ..... Click the link for more information. ; debt, publicdebt, public, indebtedness of a central government expressed in money terms, often referred to as national debt. The debt is computed differently by nearly every nation. ..... Click the link for more information. ; installment buying and sellinginstallment buying and selling, buying and selling of goods on credit, with the stipulation that payments shall be made at specified intervals in set amounts. The goods may be used by the buyer before or upon first payment, but legally belong to the seller until the last payment ..... Click the link for more information. . See F. T. Juster, Household Capital Formation and Financing, 1897–1962 (1966); W. E. Dunkman, Money, Credit, and Banking (1970); F. Ando, An Analysis of Access to Bank Credit (1988). (in Russian, akkreditiv). Credit account A type of bank account opened upon instruction from the payer at the bank serving the other contracting party who is dispatching the goods, rendering services, and so forth. The opening of a letter of credit creates an opportunity for the other contracting party to obtain payment for the commodity, work, or services immediately upon fulfillment of the obligation under the conditions stipulated in the letter-of-credit draft. Letters of credit are used as cashless transactions in making payments by socialist organizations as well as in international payments relating to commercial operations. Letter of credit A security empowering the individual in whose name it is written to receive the amount stated in the letter of credit at a banking institution (bank or savings office). The letter of credit is paid by the banking institution at the place where it is presented from the money deposited with a savings office or withdrawn from the account of its holder; with international payments it is paid in accord with an agreement between banks. E. G. POLONSKII one of the two sides of bookkeeping balance sheets (usually the right-hand side). In asset accounts a credit entry shows a reduction in the particular type of fixed or working capital, whereas in liability accounts it indicates an increase. In operating accounts the credit has various meanings depending on the purpose and structure of the account. For example, in production accounts the credit registers the prime cost of the output produced, whereas in comparable sales accounts it registers the proceeds from sale of the output. economic relations among various people, social groups, and states that arise when value is transferred for temporary use on condition of repayment and, ordinarily, of payment of interest. Precapitalist systems. In precapitalist systems usurious credit was typical; the usurers gave loans either to small producers (peasants and craftsmen) or to slaveholders and feudal lords. Extremely high interest rates were charged on the loans, and credit was not usually used for production. Usurious credit intensified the exploitation of borrowers by creditors and facilitated the breakdown of precapitalist forms of production. Although usury is typical of precapitalist systems, it continues to exist under capitalism and is particularly widespread in colonial countries and countries that have only recently been liberated from colonial oppression. In the early 1960's the total indebtedness of peasants in India to usurers (monetary debts and debts in kind) was estimated at 18 billion rupees. Under capitalism. Capitalist credit is the movement of loan capital; it expresses both immediate and basic class relations. The immediate relations are those between financial (loan) capitalists and functioning (industrial and commercial) capitalists. In terms of basic class relations, capitalist credit is a focus of exploitation between the class of capitalists and the class of hired workers. Because the source of loan interest is surplus value, created by hired workers, the loan capitalists by charging interest participate with industrial and commercial capitalists in the exploitation of hired labor. Usurious loan money operated as capital only for creditors; in the hands of borrowers it served merely as a means of purchase and payment. Capitalist loan money serves as capital for both the creditors and the borrowers because the latter use it for investment in capitalist enterprises. As capital circulates, temporarily free monetary capital inevitably forms. At the same time, industrial and commercial capitalists periodically need additional sums beyond their own means for purposes of expansion. Through credit the temporarily free monetary capital of some capitalists is transferred to the hands of others, thus resolving the contradiction between the temporary availability of unused monetary capital and the nature of capital as value that is constantly in motion earning surplus value. The chief forms of capitalist credit are commercial credit and banker's credit. The participants in commercial credit are the functioning (industrial and commercial) capitalists who sell one another goods on credit, that is, with delayed payment; the instrument of commercial credit is the promissory note. The object of this credit is capital in commodity form, and the pur-chase transaction is accompanied by a credit transaction. The course of commercial credit is parallel to the course of active capital operating in production and commodity circulation: as production and commodity circulation increase, there is greater commercial credit and vice versa. Unlike commercial credit, banker's credit is a relationship between a financial (loan) capitalist and a functioning capitalist; the former is the creditor and the latter is the borrower. The substance of banker's credit is not commodity capital but monetary loan capital, which is separate from industrial and commercial capital. The credit transaction is not accompanied by a purchase transaction; it is an indepen-dent act by means of which loan capital is moved. Banker's credit has a specific course of development that does not coincide with the course of active capital. For example, during periods of crisis, when production decreases, the demand for banker's capital increases. Commercial credit is given directly by certain functioning capitalists to others; the banks ordinarily serve as middlemen between the actual creditors (financial capitalists) and the actual borrowers (functioning capitalists). Banker's credit thus assumes the form of bank credit. In the capitalist economy, credit plays an important role and a dual one. It facilitates capitalist reproduction and accelerates its growth while at the same time deepening and exacerbating the contradictions inherent in capitalism. Capitalism needs credit primarily as an elastic mechanism for moving capital from some sectors to others and evening out the profit rate. Credit facilitates the large-scale efficient use of money by increasing the speed of its circulation, allowing the development of an extensive system of clearings, and replacing metal money in circulation with credit money (such as bank notes, bills of exchange, promissory notes, and checks). The development of credit accelerates the sale of goods and thus helps reduce stocks of commodities. By reducing handling costs, credit leads to a decrease in the proportion of monetary and commodity capital and to an increase in the proportion of productive capital, which increases the size and rate of profit for the capitalist class. Credit plays an important part in the centralization of capital. First, it strengthens the position of large-scale capitalists in the competitive struggle with small ones. Second, the growth of corporations is closely tied to the development of credit. Credit also intensifies the concentration and accumulation of capital, which leads to an increase in the degree of worker exploitation. Thanks to credit the monetary savings and income of the non-capitalist classes and strata of society deposited in banks and savings offices also become a source of capital accumulation. However, by accelerating the development of capitalism, credit simultaneously deepens the basic contradiction between the social nature of production and the private capitalist form of appropriation. Capitalist credit loaned at high interest rates to workers as consumers is a secondary type of exploitation that supplements and intensifies the primary type carried out by the capitalists in the production process. Credit accelerates production growth during periods of industrial upsurges and thus intensifies overproduction and deepens economic crises. In the age of imperialism. A number of new phenomena have arisen in the credit sphere in the age of imperialism: the consolidation and high concentration of credit leading to monopolization, the extension of credit periods, state assumption of control over a significant part of credit, and the transformation of credit into an important tool of state-monopoly capitalism. As the concentration of production progresses and reaches a new stage under imperialism, the credit requirements of capitalist enterprises grow and the amounts of credit per enterprise increase. Technical progress leads to a change in the structure of industrial capital—growth in the organic structure of capital and an increase in the share of fixed capital. Investments in fixed capital are to a significant degree facilitated by long-term credit, which increases in volume and importance. Under imperialism, credit becomes monopolized. On the one hand an everlarger part of credit resources is concentrated at a few large banks; on the other hand an increasing share of credit is used by monopolized capital, which strengthens its position in the competitive struggle with unmonopolized enterprises. The processes of strengthening the state's role in the credit sphere are linked with the gradual transformation of monopoly capitalism into statemonopoly capitalism. The capitalist state uses an ever-increasing mass of credit resources. The state debt grows. State regulation of credit becomes a constituent part of state-monopoly regulation of the economy. The credit system is increasingly state-controlled. The enormous concentration of capital investments in the key economic sectors that are technically the most progressive has become possible through the concentration and monopolization of credit. Credit plays an important part in maintaining the high rate of capital formation typical of most of the industrially developed countries during the 1950's and 1960's. While accelerating the growth of capitalism's productive forces and the development of large-scale machine industry, credit at the same time fosters preparation of the material conditions essential for the transition from capitalism to socialism. The banking system created under capitalism becomes a powerful tool for building socialism after the victory of the proletarian revolution. The bourgeois theories of credit. Capitalist economists have concerned themselves with the study of credit and its role and tasks in the process of capitalist reproduction. The principal bourgeois credit theories are the naturalist theory and the capital-formation theory. The naturalist theory of credit, whose founders were the classical bourgeois political economists A. Smith and D. Ricardo, became widespread in the 19th century. It equated loan capital with real capital (embodied in means of production and goods) and assigned credit an insignificant part in the economic life of society, seeing it only as a means of transferring physical goods (above all, means of production) from one owner to another. For its time the naturalist theory of credit was progressive; it stressed that credit depended on production. Its main weakness, which was revealed by K. Marx, lies in the failure of its advocates to understand the uniqueness of loan capital as a special economic category that cannot be included under money or real capital and has its own specific movement. In addition, advopates of the theory underrated the role of credit in the accumulation and centralization of capital and, therefore, in the acceleration of the growth of capitalist production. The naturalist theory of credit was accepted by some vulgar economists in the 19th century (including J. B. Say and J. McCulloch). The forefathers of the capital-formation theory of credit, the British economists J. Law (18th century) and H. MacLeod (19th century), considered credit to be a motive force in production growth. Credit was equated with money and capital and assigned a crucial role in increasing national wealth. The basic flaw of the view was its faith in the miraculous power of credit divorced from production. In actuality, as Marx proved, credit is based on production and is not capital by itself, although credit and banks provide active assistance in the functioning and development of capitalist production. In the 20th century, with the development of banking and the active intrusion of banks into industry, this theory became predominant. Its chief representatives, the German economists J. Schumpeter and A. Hahn, saw credit as the crucial factor in society's industrial development and believed that banks had a capability for granting unlimited credit, supposedly multiplying wealth. The capital-formation theory of credit is erroneous in its essence and is permeated with capitalist apologetics because it proclaims the idea of the endless flourishing of capitalism through infinite expansion of credit. In the period of the general crisis of capitalism, the theory of the capital-formation role of credit has been combined with the idea, advanced by J. Keynes, of the control of steady growth in capitalist production by the state and the central bank of the country. E. IA. BREGEL’ Under socialism. Socialist credit expresses economic relations that arise in the process of redistributing monetary resources. The physical expression of this process is the formation of a national loan fund that is then used for temporarily enlarging circulating assets and expanding the fixed assets of socialist enterprises and organizations. In the socialist economy, credit relations take the form of bank credit only. Commercial credit given by certain enterprises to others existed in the USSR and a number of other socialist countries during the period of transition from capitalism to socialism. Credit is constantly needed in the producing and distributing of goods. It is essential to those enterprises that create seasonal stocks of physical assets or incur seasonal production expenditures; the enterprises find it economically inexpedient to use their own circulating assets in these cases. Credit is also needed by those enterprises where disruptions occur in the rhythm both of sales receipts and payments during the circulation of fixed assets and working stocks. Further, credit needs arise in the process of settlements between the suppliers and purchasers of goods; a period of time elapses from the moment the goods are shipped or transferred to the purchaser until the money for the goods is received, and suppliers should use bank credit to ensure fulfillment of production plans during this time. Operating enterprises need long-term credit to carry out capital expenditures, which increase the efficiency of fixed productive assets and strengthen economic accountability. Under socialism the source of credit is the money turned over to banks for safekeeping; they use it to provide credit to the national economy. Namely, the sources of credit are the money of socialist enterprises and organizations that is temporarily free in the process of the circular flow of productive funds and circulating assets, special-purpose monetary funds (including the production development funds of industrial enterprises, the material incentive fund, and the indivisible kolkhoz funds [the capital of the kolkhozes]), and state budget cash resources, which form because budget incomes exceed expenditures every year and temporarily free money appears. Also among the sources of credit are special bank funds formed through budget appropriations (such as the fund for granting credit for the capital expenditures of operating industrial enterprises and the fund for kolkhoz credit), deposits by the population in savings offices and banks, and the banks' own monetary funds and profits, which arise primarily because banks receive more interest than they pay. In socialist society, credit is awarded to enterprises and organizations by banks. In the USSR three banks credit the national economy: Gosbank (State Bank) of the USSR, Stroibank (Construction Investment Bank) of the USSR, and Vneshtorgbank (Foreign Trade Bank). The banks ensure the most complete accumulation and the planned distribution of credit resources; in addition they keep track of how efficiently the resources are used in production and distribution. Planned use of credit is organized according to the banks' credit plans, which on the one hand determine the volume and direction of bank loans and on the other, establish the necessary monetary resources. The credit plans of Soviet banks and the banks of the other socialist countries are closely coordinated with the financial plans of the enterprises and sectors of the national economy and with commodity turnover plans, the state budget, and other elements of the national economic plan. Credit plays an important part in the socialist economy. It promotes accelerated turnover of physical assets and monetary resources. By giving special-purpose loans, the bank satisfies the enterprise's r -ed for additional money and by the same token creates conditions for the accelerated turnover of productive and circulating funds. The development of credit promotes economic accountability, reduced production and distribution costs, and increased profitability. Because credit is repayable and is given for a strictly determined time, it stimulates the economically expedient use of money and improved organization of production and distribution. The fact that credit has a cost—that banks charge interests on loans—strengthens the material interest of enterprises and organizations in economizing on loan money and accelerating its turnover, which, in the final analysis, leads to the strengthening of economic accountability. Credit promotes the rational and economically efficient use of money for capital expenditures. Using long-term credit for capital expenditures increases enterprise accountability for correct and efficient use of borrowed money and for timeliness in paying back bank credit. The economic ties between industry and agriculture are growing stronger because of the development of credit. Strengthening these ties is one of the paramount factors taken into account in planning monetary circulation. Finally, credit creates favorable conditions for the development of foreign trade links. Goods can be imported despite a negative trade balance, thus eliminating the need to use gold for payment. Credit also fosters an increase in the export of goods and helps consolidate the established markets and create new markets for the goods of the socialist countries. Credit is also an important factor in the continued integration of the socialist economies. Development of the economies of the socialist countries is accompanied by an increase in the role of credit in the process of expanded reproduction. There are three principal trends in this growth. First, the proportion of credit in the total sum of circulating assets increases, for two principal reasons: the development of the system of granting credit on the basis of shared participation and the expansion of credit for payment. After the credit reform carried out in the USSR in 1930–32, above-norm balances of physical assets and seasonal production expenditures began to involve credit. Beginning in 1933 bank credit began to participate in the formation of norm-controlled stocks of physical as-sets. The so-called credit for payment, which is given to purchaser-enterprises when temporary financial difficulties have deprived them of money needed for immediate payment of bills to suppliers, became widespread. With development of the system of short-term credit, the share of borrowed circulating assets in the total sum of circulating assets of state and cooperative enterprises and organizations (except kolkhozes) increased. In 1970 the share of borrowed circulating assets was 45.9 percent, whereas in the mid-1930's it was slightly more than 25 percent. Second, the use of credit for capital investments in industry is expanding significantly. Until 1966 most of the credit for capital expenditures was given to kolkhozes and other cooperative enterprises and only a small part went to state industrial enterprises. With the beginning of the economic reform in 1966, the share of long-term credit in the total money being used for capital investments has been systematically increased. Capital expenditures for the rebuilding and expansion of industrial enterprises and for the introduction of new technology are paid for through the enterprises' own savings, depreciation deductions, and long-term bank credit. With the transfer of sovkhozes to full economic accountability, the sovkhozes' own capital and bank credit operate as sources of capital investment. Third, the importance of credit in the international economic relations of the socialist countries is growing. The system of bilateral credit relations is being supplemented by a fast-developing system of multilateral credit. A special international organization, the International Investment Bank, has been established to organize multilateral credit. Credit links between the socialist countries and the developing countries are expanding. Credit given to the developing countries is a powerful force in the industrialization of these countries and the consolidation of their economic independence. The system of credit relations between the socialist countries and the developed capitalist countries is expanding. In the early 1970's it became a common practice for the socialist countries to conclude barter deals with the capitalist countries; in this case the credit received by the socialist countries (in the form of money, equipment, and technical know-how from abroad) must be paid back later with part of the output produced by the newly built enterprises. Such deals help accelerate the fulfillment of long-range economic plans and sharply expand the production capacities of a number of economic sectors. The role of credit as an economic stimulator is steadily growing; as a result the influence of financial and banking agencies on mobilizing production reserves and increasing production efficiency is becoming stronger. The financial-credit mechanism is being used more extensively to accelerate technical progress and intensify production. V. S. GERASHCHENKO REFERENCESMarx, K. Kapital, vol. 3, sec. V, chs. 21–36. In K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 25, parts 1 and 2. Lenin, V. I. “Kustarnaia perepis' 1894/95 goda v Permskoi gubernii i obshchie voprosy 'kustarnoi' promyshlennosti.” Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 2, sec. 8. Lenin, V. I. Razvitie kapitalizma v Rossii. Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 175–79. Lenin, V. I. “Iz ekonomicheskoi zhizni Rossii.” Ibid., vol. 6. Lenin, V. I. Imperializm, kak vysshaia stadiia kapitalizma, chs. 2–4. Ibid., vol. 27. Lenin, V. I. “Uderzhat li bol'sheviki gosudarstvennuiu vlast'?” Ibid., vol. 34. Lenin, V. I. “Tezisy bankovoi politiki.” Ibid., vol. 36. Trakhtenberg, I. A. Sovremennyi kredit i ego organizatsiia, 2nd ed. Moscow-Leningrad, 1931. Trakhtenberg, I. A. Kreditno-denezhnaia sistema kapitalizma posle vtoroi mirovoi voiny. Moscow, 1954. Bregel’, E. la. Kredit i kreditnaia sistema kapitalizma. Moscow, 1948. Bregel’, E. la. Denezhnoe obrashchenie i kredit kapitalisticheskikh stran, 3rd ed. Moscow, 1973. Atlas, M. S. Razvitie bankovskikh sistem stran sotsializma. [Moscow] 1967. Bortnik, M. lu. Denezhnoe obrashchenie i kredit kapitalisticheskikh stran. Moscow, 1967. Anikin, A. V. Kreditnaia sistema sovremennogo kapitalizma. Moscow, 1964. Shenaev, V. N. Banki i kredit v sisteme finansovogo kapitala FRG. Moscow, 1967. Kreditno-denezhnaia sistema SSSR. Moscow, 1967. Denezhnoe obrashchenie i kredit SSSR, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1970.

Resources for Diverse Job Seekers Information on Rights The Advocate - Offers job and internship opportunities at The Advocate and Out Magazine companies based in Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY. Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Internships - The only national organization whose central mission is to increase the number of outstanding openly LGBT public servants at all levels of government. Gayellow Pages - USA & CANADA directory of organizations, businesses, resources, etc. for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexed and generally Queer Community LinkedIn GLBT Professionals (and Friends) (includes job board) National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Provides information on events, publications, and policies at the national level and at the local level. There are possible employment and internship opportunities with the organization at their offices in Washington, New York, Cambridge and Los Angeles. Fellowships and work-study are also provided. ProGayJobs.com - Dedicated to the employment needs of the GLBT professional workforce. Texas State University Career Services - Great list of informational interview questions to ask about prospective employers, as well as other resource links. UPenn’s Career Planning and Job Search Guide for LGBT Students and Alumni - Information on deciding how out you want to be, researching organization policies and climates, resume writing, interview strategies and coming out on the job. The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - This online resource combines news items of relevance to the gay community with larger workplace issues. Pride At Work - Mobilizes mutual support between the organized Labor Movement (AFL-CIO) and the LGBT Community around organizing for social and economic justice. People of Color American Indian Science and Engineering Society - National, nonprofit organization which nurtures building of community by bridging science and technology with traditional Native values. Through its educational programs, AISES provides opportunities for American Indians and Native Alaskans to pursue studies in science, engineering, and technology arenas. The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management - A consortium that awards 200 full fellowships annually to students of color seeking advancement in the business field. This year the Consortium will offer 400 full fellowships to students who qualify for study at one of the member schools. Diversity Employers - Career development issues for African-American students and alumni Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program - Apply for semester or summer internships in the public or private sectors. iHispano.com - The leading source for Hispanic and bilingual professionals. Search for positions, create a resume and read career-related articles. INROADS - Non-profit organization that trains and develops talented young people of color for professional careers in business and industry. Institute for Responsible Citizenship - Great summer leadership program for talented African American male college sophomores. Latpro.com - Leading source for Spanish/English and Portuguese/English bilinguals throughout the Americas. National Association of Asian American Professionals - Serves to educate not only our members through professional development but also raise Asian American awareness in corporate America and ensure that Asian Americans are included in diversity programs. NemNet - National minority recruitment firm committed to helping schools and organizations in the identification and recruitment of minority candidates. Free membership includes: E-mail notifications of new job listings and upcoming career fairs; access to a network of employers and on-line resources; free consultation; complementary/discounted passes to events sponsored by nemnet.com and its affiliates. Open Education Database’s Scholarship Guide - Funding resources for African-American students Saludos.com - Job search resources targeting Latinos and highlighting bilingual opportunities SEO-Sponsors for Educational Opportunity - Provides talented college students of color with orientation, training, internships, and on-going career and professional development in many challenging fields, including philanthropy, information technology, law and investment banking. Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science - Encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for research careers and science teaching professions at all levels. People with Disabilities American Council of the Blind - Job Connection - A listing of jobs nationwide, by category (rehabilitation agencies, media, etc.). CollegeInternshipProgram.com - CIP’s full-year postsecondary programs provide young adults with Asperger’s, High-Functioning Autism, ADHD, Nonverbal and other Learning Differences with the social, academic, career and life skills necessary for success. Community Options - Provides the services and supports that empower people with disabilities to live as independently as possible, including providing the evaluations, support and follow-up required to assist individuals with pursuing employment taking into consideration the needs of individuals with disabilities. Free. Disability.gov - Excellent site provided by the U.S. government. Information about your employment rights, gain access to job bank and resume-building sites, and learn about work incentives for Social Security recipients and job accommodations. Links are also included relating to working for the government, vocational rehabilitation, welfare-to-work, veterans employment. Federal Employment of People with Disabilities - This page explains Federal policies toward hiring people with disabilities and workplace accommodation, and provides detailed instructions for people with disabilities who are interested in applying for a job in the Federal government. Job Accommodation Network - A free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the employability of people with disabilities. Learning Disabilities Association of America - Resources for adults Mobility International USA - Empowers people with disabilities around the world through international exchange and international development. Look for downloadable booklet: “Preparing for an International Career: Pathways for People with Disabilities”. National Business and Disability Council - This resource, primarily targeted for employers but also useful for job seekers, has the benefit of national recognition. The site sets itself up as the leading resource for employers seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace and companies seeking to reach them in the consumer marketplace. Office of Disability Employment Policy - This federal office’s website offers valuable information and tips, as well as access to join a database of candidates sent to employers, for job seekers with disabilities. Veterans’ Guide to Getting Hired - LearnHowToBecome’s website with a variety of resources. Key elements of the guide include: - Job search tools for veterans - Unique job search challenges faced by veterans - Various vocational rehabilitation programs for vets Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Careers Factsheet - DHS has the lead for the federal government for securing civilian government computer systems, and works with industry and state, local, tribal and territorial governments to secure critical infrastructure and information systems. The DHS Cyber Factsheet provides an overview of DHS’ mission in protecting the nation’s cyber space and our commitment to veterans. FedsHireVets.gov - One-stop resource for Federal veteran employment information Hero2Hired - For Reserve Component service members to connect to and find jobs with military-friendly companies, H2H also offers career exploration tools, military-to-civilian skills translations, education and training resources, as well as a mobile app. Support for H2H is provided through the Department of Defense’s Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. The Military Wallet: Assistance with translating military experience into civilian terms to effectively write resume job descriptions. My Next Move for Veterans - Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site helps you explore career options. Texas Veterans Commission - Employment assistance Texas Veterans Leadership Program, Texas Workforce Commission - Employment resources and referrals Troops to Teachers - Troops to Teachers is a U.S. Department of Defense program that helps eligible military personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools where their skills, knowledge and experience are most needed. US Department of Veteran Affairs - Dedicated to Vet Success in transition, at work, on campus, at home, in the community and for the veteran’s family. SU students can contact the representatives at ACC or TAMU Central Texas. VA for Vets - VA for Vets helps Veterans and transitioning Military Service Members find federal or non-profit careers. TheVA for Vets Career Center tools provide opportunities to translate military skills, build federal resumes and search and apply for open positions. VA for Vets is the flagship initiative of the Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO). Also, Career Center Coaches are available 24/7 at 1-855-VA4VETS (824-8387). Private Sector Resources BradleyMorris.com - Largest military job placement firm in the U.S. Military.com - Job board powered by Monster.com The Mission Continues - The Mission Continues awards community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans, empowering them to transform their own lives by serving others and directly impacting their communities. Mission Continues Fellows serve for six months at a local nonprofit organization addressing key educational, environmental or social issues. TAOnline.com - Largest source of transition assistance online TransitionCareers.com - Technical and security clearance career fairs for the DoD and intelligence community Continuing Education Resources for Veterans - article from Accredited Colleges online The Veteran’s Guide to Developing Resumes - The National Association of Colleges and Employers provides great tips for veterans moving into civilian careers. Advancing Women - Skills-building organization, supporting success in the workplace through strategy and mentoring which help route around traditional barriers. Association for Women in Computing - Non-profit professional organization for women and men who have an interest in information and technology. The Association is dedicated to the advancement of women in the technology fields. Black Career Women’s Network - LinkedIn group of national networking organization dedicated to supporting the professional development of African-American women. Catalyst - Helping to build inclusive environments for women at work. Feminist Career Center - Includes a searchable database of jobs and internships. Feminist.com - Women’s Careers and Professional Organizations - Site with a multitude of links to various careers, sites, and information of interest. Feminist Majority Foundation Internships - Develops creative long-term strategies and permanent solutions for the pervasive social, political, and economic obstacles facing women. Provides internship opportunities in feminism and public policy. Meetup.com - List of meet-ups of women who are entrepreneurs National Partnership for Women and Families - Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that uses public education and advocacy to promote fairness in the workplace, quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor - Promotes profitable employment opportunities for women, to empower them by enhancing their skills and improving their working conditions, and to provide employers with more alternatives to meet their labor needs. Women For Hire - Job fairs nationwide targeting women for business and industry positions

About this project What is this project? This is the premiere cast recording of my dramatic musical about the life of Jesus Christ, titled: Son of Man. It is a little over two and a half hours long, and involves more than thirty world-class soloists, along with group vocalists, a large choir, full orchestra, and a number of ethnic instruments, all emotionally drawing us into that blessed Life who, two-thousand years ago, forever changed our world. I plan to release the recorded music first. Logistically, I intend to first record the entire production, and release it as two separate albums...Act 1 in the early spring, and Act 2 several months later. It is my intention to first build confidence in the public’s mind and heart of the majesty of this work. I want them to fall in love with the music and the telling of the story! And this will hopefully create in them a strong desire to attend the musical when it comes to the stage sometime after the release of the recorded music. Why did I create Son of Man? For the past thirty years, I have been writing and recording songs that point people to God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I have focused the whole of my career on producing these inspirational works. Songs like “His Hands”, “Never a Better Hero”, “Greater Than Us All”, “Face to Face”, “Women at the Well”, “Broken”, “Gethsemane”, “Him, and Him Alone”, as well as many others have helped me fulfill what has felt like my life’s mission and purpose. However, over the past seventeen years, I have slowly, but steadily, undertaken the creating of this musical project, Son of Man, because I have wanted to put forth a portrayal of Jesus Christ on the stage like I have never seen Him there before. I personally don’t feel like His real story has ever been told there, nor has He been depicted correctly or sufficiently so as to produce saving faith. For instance, in some national productions, the person of Jesus is represented in such a way so as to appear too unsure of Himself, too weak, too common, not divine enough, etc. Meanwhile, others have chosen to go completely the other way, so that when they put Christ on the stage, He is only there for a short moment, and only in an iconic way; we, the audience, mostly see Him from behind, or we only hear Him quoting a scripture in a sonically enhanced voice. From these latter approaches, Jesus comes across as being so different from everyone else around Him that He feels alien, and unapproachable. And for me, none of these illustrations of the Man Jesus will do. So, I have tried with Son of Man to create an image of Christ in flesh that represents His divinity and power, as well as His approachableness and humanity. In everything that is humanly good and right, we see Christ right there along side His associates. We see a Savior who loves, who finds joy in the human soul, who dances with His brothers (He was, after all, a Jew), and who makes the most out of His earthly experience. Meanwhile, He stands out as far superior and so much more of a man than anyone else alive. We see Him in His humility, but also in His boldness and strength. He is not afraid to raise His voice and cry out while He preaches, and yet He is always in control of who He is. This musical is entirely sung. Therefore, Christ sings along with everyone else to communicate, to teach, to work His miracles, to pray, and to bless. It is a living, breathing Jesus Christ before us on the stage. And yet His wisdom, His manifestations of miraculous power, His overwhelming love, and the confidence of His teachings amaze the rest of humanity around Him. He is on the one hand like every man, and yet unlike any that has ever lived. This is the Jesus you will find in Son of Man. Synopsis of the Story The story begins in 67AD, more than thirty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. A lone figure is seen approaching the city of Jerusalem in the middle of the night. It is one of Jesus’ trusted and still-living apostles, John the Beloved, who has come to the Holy City to gather out the Christians who live there, and lead them away from the region. John prophetically senses an inevitable doom that will soon come upon the city. He has sent word ahead of him to trusted and strategically situated believers who are now waiting for him to arrive. The opening song: “We Leave at Dawn” surges with energy as John begins knocking on select doors within the city walls, and those disciples waiting inside begin to fan out across the city in order to gather all who have been alerted of the planned exodus. Meanwhile, not far from where John began knocking on doors, a man is praying on his rooftop for the coming of the Messiah. This man, Judah (the only fictional character in the story), was once an associate and friend of John the Beloved, as they were both, in their younger years, disciples of John the Baptist. Judah, recognizing John in the moonlight, comes down off his roof to communicate with him. Their interaction reveals Judah’s lost faith, especially in Jesus as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. John the Beloved, hoping for one last chance to enlighten his friend, makes it known to Judah that he wishes he could tell him Jesus’ real story—the story Judah never knew because he turned away from Jesus years before. Judah is intrigued, and agrees to listen. We flash back in time some 68 years earlier to a little town called Nazareth, where Mary, a teenager, is seen praying in private to God. From here, we watch the Christ story unfold from Jesus’ birth all the way past His death and resurrection, and on to where Jesus’ chosen apostles are being led away to martyrdom. They all disappear from the stage, except John the Beloved who is left testifying before the audience. He steps forward and suddenly we are back where we were at the beginning, Judah having just listened to John’s retelling of the remarkable story. Judah has to make a decision. Does he believe what he has just heard and felt? Does he believe it enough to leave behind all he knows and follow John’s prophetic leadership? Would you? In the musical, there is a large cast that joins Christ on the stage: Mary of Nazareth (His mother), Gabriel the angel, Joseph the Carpenter, Shepherds, Angels, John the Baptist, a host of Israelites, Satan, evil spirits, John the Beloved and his brother James, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, other apostles, Nicodemus the Pharisee, other Pharisees, Mary Magdalene, Caiaphas the High Priest and members of the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Roman soldiers, the fictional character Judah (who represents the views and attitudes of the Jewish people longing for their Messiah), and others. For this premiere cast recording, I have assembled an amazing array of vocalists, almost every one of which hails from the musical theater world here in Utah. The unique flavor found in each of their voices, along with their highly developed gifts of lyrical expression add a rich, emotional power to the telling of the story of the Christ. They succeed in artfully drawing us into His world. Things I Have Done Through the Creation Process I felt that it would be useful for me to see the story of Jesus found in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) in harmony, in completeness, and in one continuous read. So I took those first four books of the Inspired version of the King James New Testament, along with a Gospel harmony, and prayerfully abridged those passages that overlapped or repeated in two or more of the four Gospels. The abridgment is divided into sections of the Lord’s life and work, as if in separate books: Prologue, Birth & Childhood, John the Baptist, Beginning of Miracles, First Judean Ministry, Galilean Ministry, etc. It has its own verse order that obviously could not correlate with the differing numbered verses in the Bible. As well, I’ve added some footnotes if they felt they would be helpful to me in defining the biblical terms or setting better. And while I make no claims that this abridgment is prophetic, or even perfect in its scholarship, it has been useful to me, as it was created for my sake alone, that I might be able to see the particular details of the story of Jesus unfold before me in a more complete, linear way. Then, again, with much prayer, while reading through that abridgement of the gospel narrative, I wrote down notes, song ideas, and phrases that jumped out at me as most essential in telling the story of the Christ. I had to condense much, since it felt unwise to create a work that would last much more than two and a half hours in length. This meant I had to find the core message of Jesus’ life, and let that portion ring out “loud and clear.” Seventeen years of writing, rewriting, sharing with others, refining, adding connective, musical dialog between the songs so that the story flowed and felt complete, hiring an amazing artist to create scenes of the events I had envisioned in my head…all this has brought Son of Man to this pivotal place in its journey. For me, it has been a labor of love, and an exercise in patience, persistence, and humility. I have removed some of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever written (a difficult task for any creator) in order to keep the story short enough and moving along to its appointed ending. Through this entire process, I have come to understand Jesus better, love Him more ardently, and through my own suffering along the way, find fellowship with Him in this temporary world. The Importance of This Work To many people, Jesus is an icon only, not reachable, not tangible, but mysterious and ethereal. He’s a statue or a painting, but not flesh and blood. And while the statues and paintings are valuable as a reflection of His magnificence, they are not sufficient to produce the communion He desires with us. Yes, He deserves the honor, tribute, and glorious legacy they afford Him. However, for Jesus to truly have the power in us that He yearns for, we must remember that He came to earth as a Man. He ate and slept, worked and perspired. He loved His family and friends, as well as the many people He encountered. He experienced temptation and sickness, rejection and homelessness, hunger, thirst, and fatigue. He felt all that humanity feels. Eventually He suffered pain and agony beyond what any human being can endure, that He might redeem us from sin and rescue us from the grave. He descended into the human experience and came to fully comprehend us through the life He lived and the death He died. What if our current world could better understand this Jesus? What if, through means of our modern, media-driven pop culture, a retelling of the Christ story appeared on the stage that both artistically and spiritually gave sharp focus and purpose to the life of the Man, Jesus? Would not such a marvelous result be worthy of every effort? Would it not be worth the personal cost? It has felt worth it to me. Now, if I have proven myself to be a faithful ambassador of the love of God, and the salvation of Jesus Christ to the world…if you have ever been blessed in some specific way because my music has existed, whether it has brought you inspiration, peace, comfort, hope, or even a strengthening to your faith, I now appeal to you for your help. Join me in this endeavor. Help me finish what I started seventeen years ago. Help me present the real, approachable, flesh and blood, redemptive Jesus Christ to the world through Son of Man. As far as costs go, to record a project this large in length and with this vast arsenal of musicians is almost like recording four solo albums…nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes of music, with full orchestra, a large 100+ voice choir, group vocals (for curious townspeople, courageous apostles, contentious Pharisees, believing multitudes, hostile crowds, etc.), ethnic wind instruments indigenous to the Middle East region, and over thirty vocal soloists…it is a massive undertaking! Over the course of the creation of this project, I have been able to raise a little bit of funds, which have allowed me to do some preliminary recording. Portions of these recordings are now the finished tracks of some of the different cast members’ lead vocals. These several vocal tracks have been necessary in that they have provided me with a powerful way to demonstrate the emotional beauty of the music, as well as call attention to the world-class talent of the cast. And therefore, these few tracks have become a magnificent tool with which to generate a growing interest in Son of Man. Now, however, in order to finish the rest of the vocals, and surround them with a lush and soaring orchestral score, additional funds are required. So, to complete the recording with excellence, the double album budget breakdown (158 minutes of recorded music) is as follows: - Full Orchestra - $75,000 - Soloists, group vocals, and large choir - $25,000 - Studio Costs - $30,000 - Art Design Costs (album and web design) - $5,000 - CD & Art insert Duplication, 6000 units - $7,500 - Travel Costs (seeking wide scale distribution) - $2,000 - Kickstarter fees (8-10% of total raised) - $14,000 - 17,000 - Distribution of rewards - $8,500 TOTAL = $170,000 Any additional funds raised will allow me to prepare and print songbooks, hire artists to create additional art pieces that will become iconic to the Son of Man Musical, create beautiful storybooks with the lyrics of the songs (including scriptural insights and much of the artwork), and develop and execute a large scale marketing plan, all to help further Son of Man's presence in the world marketplace. Who is this Son of Man? The Bible tells us that at one point during Jesus' ministry, after He had told the people that He, the Son of Man, must be lifted up and die so He could draw all men unto Him, the people asked Him, saying: “We have heard that Christ abideth forever. How sayest thou, The Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” It is my profound desire to answer that question through this production. Risks and challenges After this project is successfully funded, the only foreseeable obstacles will be getting everyone scheduled and into the studio in a timely manner so as to be able to deliver finished masters by early spring. But, Utah is rich with musical talent. I have been recording here for years, and the pool of competent musicians is deep and wide. As well, the recording studio - Platinum Sound and Mastering Labs (Bountiful, Utah) - is eager to help me finish this work. I also have an artistic design team and regional product distributor in place. So, funding is the next critical step.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter Support this project - (30 days)

Huskers Battle Buckeyes in Play4Kay Game (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (14-10, 4-7 Big Ten) Thursday, Feb. 14, 8:06 p.m. (Central) Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.) National TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler-PBP; Stephanie White-Analyst) Promotion: Play4Kay Game (Wear Pink to Promote Cancer Awareness/Research) Radio: 25-Station IMG College Husker Sports Network (PBP-Matt Coatney; Analyst-Jeff Griesch) (107.3 FM-KBBK, Lincoln; 93.3 FM-KFFF, Omaha; 880 AM-KRVN, Lexington) Free Internet Audio: Huskers.com Huskers Return Home to Battle Buckeyes in Play4Kay Game The Nebraska women's basketball team returns home after a successful two-game Big Ten road swing to battle Ohio State on Valentine's Day at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Thursday night. Tip-off between the red-hot Huskers (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten) and the surging Buckeyes (14-10, 4-7 Big Ten) is set for 8:06 p.m. (central) in Lincoln. Kevin Kugler and Stephanie White will team up for the call of the live telecast on the Big Ten Network in Nebraska's annual Play4Kay game to promote cancer awareness and research. Husker fans are encouraged to wear pink. The Husker Sports Network will provide a live radio broadcast of the game with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call, including flagships B107.3 FM in Lincoln, The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. A free live audio stream will be available on Huskers.com. Ohio State comes to Lincoln riding a three-game winning streak following a 59-52 win at Northwestern on Sunday. The Buckeyes have won three straight since dropping a 62-53 decision to the Huskers in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 31. OSU fell to 1-7 after the loss to Nebraska but is climbing the conference standings after wins over Indiana, Wisconsin and the Wildcats. Nebraska stretched its Big Ten winning streak to six games by claiming its fifth victory in six Big Ten road games this season with a 76-75 win at Iowa on Monday night. Nebraska's six-game Big Ten winning streak ties for the second-longest conference winning streak in school history. NU's four straight road wins sits all alone as the second-best conference stretch in program history, trailing only a perfect 8-0 road record by the 2010 Big 12 champion Huskers. Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten) 3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - So. - F - 4.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg 23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - So. - F - 9.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg 35 - Jordan Hooper - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg 00 - Lindsey Moore - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 15.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg 24 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg Off the Bench 1 - Tear'a Laudermill - 5-9 - So. - G - 5.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg 13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - So. - G - 3.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg 10 - Meghin Williams - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 2.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg 14 - Katie Simon - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg 21 - Sadie Murren - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg 22 - Courtney Aitken - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986) 11th Season at NU (208-132); 23rd Season Overall (403-272) Ohio State Buckeyes (14-10, 4-7 Big Ten) 15 - Aleksandra Dobranic - 6-4 - Jr. - C - 4.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg 33 - Ashley Adams - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 9.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg 3 - Amber Stokes - 5-10 - RSr. - G - 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg 4 - Tayler Hill - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 21.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg 14 - Ameryst Alston - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg Off the Bench 22 - Darryce Moore - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg 31 - Raven Ferguson - 5-11 - So. - G - 5.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg 23 - Martina Ellerbe - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg 12 - Maleeka Kynard - 5-7 - So. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg 13 - Cait Craft - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg 50 - Emilee Harmon - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg 11 - Shelbi Honeycutt - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg 25 - Amy Scullion - 6-0 - So. - G - 0.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg Head Coach: Jim Foster (Temple, 1980) 11th Season at OSU (275-79); 35th Season Overall (779-304) Huskers Play4Kay in Valentine's Day Battle with Buckeyes Nebraska returns to the Devaney Center for a special Valentine's Day clash with Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 14. Tip-off with the Buckeyes is set for 8:06 p.m. and the game will be Nebraska's annual Play4Kay game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game, as the Huskers will be sporting pink accessories to their white uniforms. Several pink promotions will be in place, and those affected by breast cancer and other forms of cancer will be recognized. Play4Kay is a national initiative sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association to promote cancer awareness and research. The initiative is named in honor of former North Carolina State Coach Kay Yow. Red-Hot Hooper Piling on Production During Winning Streak Jordan Hooper captured her second straight Big Ten Player-of-the-Week award on Feb. 12, following her 29-point, eight-rebound eruption in Nebraska's 76-75 road win at Iowa on Monday night. Hooper's effort in Iowa City followed a game-high 19-point, seven-rebound performance in a 55-50 victory at Northwestern last Thursday. Hooper, who has scored in double figures in 15 straight games including seven games with 24 or more points, has increased her team-leading averages to 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. During Nebraska's six-game winning streak, Hooper is averaging 24.3 points and 7.3 boards, while shooting 49 percent (51-104) from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range (18-42). Hooper is the only player in the Big Ten to rank among the top four players in the conference in both scoring and rebounding. Hooper Joins Husker Top 10 in Scoring, Rebounding Jordan Hooper's 29-point effort at Iowa pushed her career scoring total to 1,545 points, moving her into No. 10 on Nebraska's all-time scoring list in the 88th game of her career. Hooper's eight rebounds also increased her career total to 715, which ranks eighth in Husker history. She needs just 35 rebounds to catch Debra Powell (1982-85) at No. 7 on the NU career charts. Hooper is just the seventh Husker in history with 1,500 points and 700 rebounds in a career. Hooper Within Striking Distance of 200th Career Three-Pointer Jordan Hooper enters the Ohio State game with 197 career three-pointers poised to become just the second Husker in history to hit 200 career threes. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., would become the first player in the NU record book to reach the milestone as a junior. Career record holder Kiera Hardy entered her senior season with a then-school-record 196 career threes. One of the top three-point shooters in the nation, Hooper could set her sights on challenging Nebraska's single-season three-point record in 2012-13. Hooper, who hit 67 three-pointers in each of her first two seasons as a Husker, has already knocked down 63 threes through 24 games as a junior. Her 67 threes were the sixth-best totals in school history, and her 63 this season are the eighth-most by a Husker in a single season. Hardy (2004-05) and Amy Stephens (1988-89) share NU's season record with 85 made threes. Hooper, who ranks fourth in the Big Ten with an average of 2.6 threes per game, is on pace to end the regular season with 80 three-pointers. Hooper, Moore Cross 1,500 Career Points Against Wildcats Junior forward Jordan Hooper and senior point guard Lindsey Moore both crossed the 1,500-career point mark in Nebraska's win at Northwestern on Feb. 7. Hooper, who entered the game with 1,497 points, hit a three-pointer less than 20 seconds into the contest to reach 1,500. She has pushed her career total to 1,545 points in just 88 career games. Moore entered the Northwestern game with 1,489 points and finished a highlight-reel reverse layup against Karly Roser to hit 1,500 midway through the second half. Moore has pushed her career total to 1,519 and needs 22 points to catch Angie Miller in 11th place on Nebraska's career scoring list. Moore is the first Husker with 1,500 career points and 600 career assists (636). In fact, no other Husker has ever scored 1,200 points and dished out 600 assists. Moore to Make NU Record 123rd Straight Start Senior All-America candidate Lindsey Moore is expected to make the 123rd consecutive start of her career when the Huskers face Ohio State Thursday. The 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., has started every game of her career since leading the Huskers to a perfect 29-0 regular-season record and the Big 12 title as a freshman in 2009-10. Moore owns an 87-35 record as Nebraska's starting point guard and has guided the Huskers to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. Meggan Yedsena (1991-94) established the Nebraska record for consecutive career starts, after taking the court for tip-off in all 120 games in her outstanding four-year career from 1990-91 through 1993-94. Yedsena is the only Husker in history to start every game of a four-year career. Kelsey Griffin, a 2010 first-team All-American and a teammate of Moore's in 2009-10, owns the NU career record with 127 starts in 127 career games over a five-year period. Moore's starting streak is tied with Penn State's Nikki Greene for the second-longest active streak in the nation. Moore and Greene (99, plus 23 in 2012-13), trail only Texas Tech's Monique Smalls, who owns 125 straight starts (102, plus 24 in 2012-13). Moore Set to Break Husker Record for Minutes Played After playing the full 40 minutes in Nebraska's Monday night win at Iowa, Lindsey Moore needs just 11 minutes against Ohio State to break the NU record for career minutes played. The 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., enters the Ohio State game with 3,985 minutes played. Meggan Yedsena set the Husker record for career minutes with 3,995 in 120 games from 1990-91 to 1993-94. Moore needs just 15 against the Buckeyes to become the first Husker in history to play 4,000 career minutes. Moore Closing In On 200 Career Steals Lindsey Moore notched four steals in Nebraska's win at Northwestern on Feb. 7 to increase her career total to 194 and climb to No. 9 on the NU career steals list. Moore, who leads the Huskers with 46 steals this season, needs just six more to become the ninth player in Nebraska history with 200 career steals. She has pulled within striking distance of Maurtice Ivy at No. 8 on the NU career list. Moore needs 21 steals to match the 1988 Big Eight Player of the Year. Moore, who set a career-best with 72 steals as a junior in 2011-12, has claimed three or more steals in four of NU's 10 Big Ten games. In addition to her four steals at Northwestern, Moore had four steals in NU's Big Ten-opening win over Wisconsin. She added three steals at Minnesota (Jan. 20) and three more against No. 25 Michigan State (Jan. 24). Last season, Moore averaged four steals in three games with Iowa. Hooper, Theriot Hoarding Big Ten Weekly Honors Nebraska's Jordan Hooper won her second straight Big Ten Player-of-the-Week award on Feb. 12 to become the first player to win three conference weekly honors (Dec. 24, Feb. 5, Feb. 12) this season. Hooper, who also won three Big Ten Player-of-the-Week awards last season, has claimed six career weekly awards in less than two full seasons in the Big Ten. While Hooper is the only player to win three player-of-the-week awards, teammate Rachel Theriot is the only player to capture three Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors. Theriot joined Hooper in sweeping the conference honors on Feb. 5. Theriot added weekly freshman honors on Jan. 22 and Dec. 31. The last Husker to claim three conference freshman-of-the-week awards was Hooper, who brought home four Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Week awards in 2010-11. 2012-13 Huskers Join Select Few with Big Ten Streaks A six-game conference winning streak has been a rarity in Nebraska history. The Huskers' current six-game streak marks just the third time since the start of regular-season Big Eight play in 1982-83 that the Huskers have produced a six-game winning streak. In 2009-10, the Huskers won a school-record 16 straight league games on their way to a perfect 29-0 regular-season record and a Big 12 Conference title. The 2009-10 Husker squad earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before finishing 32-2 in the NCAA Sweet 16. The 1996-97 Huskers managed a six-game league winning streak early in the first-ever Big 12 Conference campaign. The 2012-13 Huskers matched that streak with a 76-75 win at Iowa on Monday. Nebraska Finds Road Success in Big Ten Play Nebraska secured its fifth Big Ten road win of the season with the Huskers' 76-75 victory over Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Monday night. Winning five conference games is a rarity in Husker history. In fact, the 2012-13 Huskers became just the fourth NU team to accomplish the feat since regular-season Big Eight Conference play began in 1982-83. All four of those teams have done it under Coach Connie Yori in the past six seasons. The 2006-07 Huskers that earned Yori her first NCAA Tournament berth at Nebraska became the first NU squad to claim five conference (Big 12) road wins. Yori's 2009-10 Huskers went a perfect 8-0 on the road on their way to a perfect Big 12 season and a conference championship. The 2011-12 Huskers added five Big Ten road wins in their first season in the conference. The 2011-12 Huskers also earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Only six Nebraska teams have produced winning road conference records in school history and all six went to the NCAA Tournament. Since joining the Big Ten, Nebraska is 10-4 in Big Ten road games and 3-1 in neutral site games at the Big Ten Tournament, giving NU a 13-5 record away from the Devaney Center against Big Ten teams. Scouting the Ohio State Buckeyes Coach Jim Foster brings one of the Big Ten's hottest teams into Thursday night's game at Nebraska. The Buckeyes have notched three straight wins since Nebraska's 62-53 win over OSU in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 31. Ohio State, which is playing host to the first and second rounds of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, has battled back from a 1-7 mark in the first half of Big Ten play to start the second half 3-0 and improve to 14-10 on the season. Jordan Hooper shot the Huskers to victory at Ohio State with 28 points, including five three-pointers, while Lindsey Moore added 11 points and six assists. Rachel Theriot pitched in nine points, five rebounds and six assists in the first meeting, as Nebraska led from start to finish. Ohio State's second half resurgence has been helped by the Buckeyes getting healthy. OSU entered the offseason with four returning starters minus All-Big Ten and WNBA point guard Samantha Prahalis from last year's team that ran to a 25-7 overall record and an 11-5 Big Ten mark (Tied-2nd). OSU was dealt a blow in the offseason when returning starter Kalpana Beach suffered a torn ACL and was knocked out for the season. Despite the setback, senior guards Tayler Hill and Amber Stokes kept the Buckeyes in the top 25 by running to a 10-3 non-conference mark. In non-conference play, Ohio State averaged 71.4 points per game. In Big Ten play, OSU's offense has struggled to score 64.8 points per game, despite playing six overtime periods through 11 games. They've managed 70 points just once in the last seven games, but are 4-3 during that stretch. They scored 70 or more in each of the first four Big Ten games, but went 0-4. Stokes suffered a sprained knee against Illinois on Jan. 6 and missed four games. Stokes returned to the court Jan. 27 against Penn State but was still limited by the injury against the Lady Lions and the Huskers on Jan. 31. Stokes, who was the 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, returned to the starting lineup on Sunday in Ohio State's 59-52 win at Northwestern. She had six points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes against the Wildcats. In five games since the injury, Stokes is 6.6 points and 3.0 rebounds with three steals. Before the injury, she was averaging 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Ohio State still features one of the Big Ten's most explosive offensive players in Tayler Hill. The senior guard is averaging 21.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per contest. Hill is OSU's top three-pointer shooter with 51 threes on the year. No other Buckeye has hit more than 18. Although OSU has won three of its last four, Hill is 1-for-20 in those games, including 0-for-6 at Northwestern and 0-for-3 at Indiana. She was for 0-for-5 in Nebraska's win in Columbus. Despite her shooting woes, Hill is averaging 21.7 points per game over the last four contests and is 34-of-40 at the free throw line. Hill's falling shooting numbers from outside, could be attributed in part to the 40.1 minutes per game she has played in 11 Big Ten contests. She's played 40 or more minutes in six straight games . Junior Ashley Adams, a 6-5 center, anchors OSU's inside game with 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Adams has started every game alongside Hill and is coming off 13 points and seven rebounds while playing the full 40 minutes at Northwestern. In the last five games, Adams has averaged 38.2 minutes per contest. She had her fifth double-double with 12 points and 10 boards in the first meeting with NU. Freshman point guard Ameryst Alston (6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.0 apg) has turned up her production significantly in Big Ten play, averaging 8.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-best 3.4 assists. Alston, who had six points and four rebounds in the first meeting with NU, has averaged 36.2 minutes per game the last five contests. Junior Aleksandra Dobranic, a 6-4 center, has joined OSU's starting five the last four games averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds during the stretch. She's averaging 4.1 points and 2.3 boards on the year. Darryce Moore, a 6-2 junior forward, adds more size off the bench with 7.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Moore has made 11 starts and is shooting 51.2 percent from the field on the year. Her last seven games she is shooting 38.1 percent, including a 4-for-4 night at Indiana. Sophomore guard Raven Ferguson has also made 11 starts but has played just 32 total minutes in the last four games, including 22 at Indiana. She is averaging 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds on the year, but has scored just five total points in the last five games. Martina Ellerbe (2.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Maleeka Kynard (2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and Cait Craft (2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg) all have started at least one game for Ohio State this year, as the Buckeyes have sampled 10 different starters this season. Emilee Harmon (2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Shelbi Honeycutt (1.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg) and Amy Scullion (0.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg) have all played roles for the Buckeyes this season. Nebraska vs. Ohio State Series History Nebraska leads the all-time series with Ohio State 5-4, including a 62-53 victory at Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 31. Jordan Hooper led the Huskers with 28 points and five three-pointers, while Lindsey Moore added 11 points in a low-scoring, late-night affair. Moore and Rachel Theriot combined for 20 points and 12 assists. Tayler Hill led OSU with 22 points and six assists, while Ashley Adams added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first meeting this season. The Huskers went 2-1 against the Buckeyes in NU's first Big Ten campaign. No. 24 NU ran to a 77-62 win over the No. 14 Buckeyes in the semifinals of the 2012 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis on March 3. It was the second win for the Huskers over OSU in a week, after No. 23 NU rolled to a 71-57 win over No. 8 OSU in Lincoln on Feb. 26. The Buckeyes own a 3-2 edge over the Huskers in the all-time series in Columbus, Ohio. NU is 2-1 all-time against Ohio State in Lincoln. Huskers Never Trail in 76-75 Win at Iowa Jordan Hooper scored a game-high 29 points to lead Nebraska to its sixth straight win in a 76-75 thriller at Iowa on Monday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Hooper hit 11-of-23 shots from the field, including a pair of early three-pointers to give Nebraska its fourth consecutive Big Ten road win. Hooper, a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., was one of five Huskers to hit two threes on the night, and she added eight rebounds. Senior point guard Lindsey Moore scored all 14 of her points in the second half while playing the full 40 minutes in a tremendous all-around effort. Moore added seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists while committing just one turnover. Brandi Jeffery pitched in a season-high tying 10 points off the bench. Jeffery scored eight of her points in the first half to keep the Huskers in control. Fellow sophomore Emily Cady added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists. Freshman Rachel Theriot added six points on a pair of big threes, the second giving NU its biggest lead of the game 64-52 with 8:32 left. Sophomore Hailie Sample pitched in four points, four rebounds and a career-high six assists. Sample added a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to help NU secure the win. Moore sealed the victory with two more shots at the line with 12.8 seconds left. The free throws were enough to save the Huskers from a furious Iowa rally in the final three minutes, capped by Theairra Taylor's three-pointer at the buzzer to trim the final margin to one. Moore had given the Huskers a 10-point lead at 68-58 with three minutes remaining on a short jumper, before Nebraska made mistakes and the Hawkeyes made it interesting. In the end, Nebraska left Iowa City with a victory and never trailed in the game. Nebraska hit 43.3 percent (26-60) of its shots, including 10-of-23 (.435) of its three-pointers. The Huskers were also a sizzling 16-of-18 at the free throw line. NU outrebounded Iowa 37-36, but lost the turnover battle 12-8. Morgan Johnson led Iowa with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots while hitting 9-of-11 shots from the field. Melissa Dixon added 19 points on 5-of-10 three-point shooting for the Hawkeyes, while Jaime Printy pitched in 16 points. Taylor finished with 11 points. Iowa hit 43.8 percent (28-64) from the field, including 33.3 percent (8-24) from three-point range. The Hawkeyes also hit 11-of-15 free throws. The Huskers took a 41-32 lead into the locker room at halftime after jumping to an 11-2 lead in the first 2:15. Iowa answered to tie the game at 11 with a 9-0 run of its own, but Hooper scored with 14:50 left in the half and NU did not relinquish the lead the rest of the half. Hooper led Nebraska with 17 first-half points and four rebounds, but picked up her second foul with 2:12 left in the half and the Huskers clinging to a 35-32 lead. With Hooper on the bench, Theriot and Cady hit three-pointers to close the half with a 41-32 lead. Cady, who also opened the first-half scoring with a three, hit 7-of-14 three-pointers in the first half, including two from Hooper and two from Jeffery. Jeffery, a sophomore guard, scored eight first-half points after putting up only four points combined in Nebraska's previous eight conference games. Iowa hit 13-of-27 (.481) first-half attempts, including 3-of-8 three-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws. Johnson hit all five of her first-half shots to lead Iowa with 10 points, while Printy added eight points and a pair of three-pointers. Big Red's Big Three Leading Huskers in Big Ten Play Junior forward Jordan Hooper leads Nebraska with 19.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in Big Ten action, and has averaged 24.3 points and 7.3 boards during NU's six-game winning streak. Senior point guard Lindsey Moore has added 14.9 points, and team bests of 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals in Big Ten play. Sophomore forward Emily Cady is just short of double-double production in Big Ten action, averaging 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds in conference play. Cady is also shooting 52.4 percent from three-point range and 84.2 percent at the free throw line, while adding 1.7 assists in Big Ten action. Moore, Hooper Rank High in Big Ten Stats Lindsey Moore leads the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2-to-1) with 132 assists and 59 turnovers through 24 games. It is one of eight categories in which Moore ranks among the top 15 in the Big Ten. The senior point guard from Covington, Wash., ranks fourth in assists (5.5 apg) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.406). She is eighth in free throw percentage (.821), 10th overall in scoring, while ranking 11th in both field goal percentage (.460) and steals per game (1.9). She is also 14th in three-pointers made per game (1.6). Hooper ranks among the top five in the Big Ten in four categories. She is No. 4 in the league in scoring (19.5 ppg), rebounding (8.5 rpg), and three-pointers per game (2.6). She also ranks fourth with 5.8 defensive rebounds per game. She ranks seventh in offensive rebounding (2.7) and free throw percentage (.828). Moore, Hooper Second Active Teammates with 1,500 Points Jordan Hooper (1,545) and Lindsey Moore (1,519) are just the second set of active teammates in Nebraska history with 1,500 or more points. Hooper and Moore both reached the 1,500-point mark at Northwestern on Feb. 7. The duo joins Maurtice Ivy (1,578) and Angie Miller (1,541) in 1986-87 as the only Huskers to play together in the same season with 1,500 or more career points. No Husker teammates have reached 1,600 career points in the same year. Hooper Seventh Husker with 1,500 Points, 700 Rebounds Jordan Hooper ha pushed her career totals to 1,545 points and 715 rebounds to become the seventh Husker in history to reach 1,500 points and 700 rebounds in a career. Hooper reached the 1,500/700 mark in her 87th career game at Nebraska. No other member of NU's 1,500/700 list played fewer than 111 games in their careers. Nebraska's distinguished 1,500/700 list includes first-team All-Americans Karen Jennings (2,405 points/1,000 rebounds) and Kelsey Griffin (2,033/1,019), along with 1988 Big Eight Player-of-the-Year Maurtice Ivy (2,131/778). Two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (1,859/804), Debra Powell (1,843/750) and Kathy Hagerstrom (1,778/874). Hooper has climbed to No. 8 on NU's all-time rebounding list and is one of just eight players in Nebraska history to record 700 career rebounds. Moore Narrowing Gap with Yedsena for Career Assist Mark Lindsey Moore became just the second Husker in history to reach the 600-career assist mark against Illinois Jan. 17. The 5-9 senior point guard from Covington, Wash., ranks No. 2 on the Husker all-time assist chart with 636, trailing only school record holder Meggan Yedsena (696, 1991-94). Moore is just the eighth player in Big Ten Conference history to reach 600 career assists. Moore, a Nancy Lieberman Award candidate, needs 67 assists to catch Yedsena at the top of the Husker assist list. Moore is averaging 5.4 assists in 2012-13. Moore crossed the century mark in assists as a senior with seven at Minnesota Jan. 20 and has pushed her season total to 125. She joined Yedsena as the only Huskers in history to record 100 or more assists in four separate seasons. Last season, Moore dished out 167 assists in 33 games, while distributing 183 assists as a sophomore in 2010-11. She opened her career with 154 assists as a freshman in 2009-10. Moore has produced a career-high 11 assists on four occasions (at Iowa, Jan. 8, 2012; Mississippi Valley State, Nov. 15, 2011; Florida A&M, Jan. 2, 2011; vs. UCLA, March 23, 2010). She has a season-high nine assists (Northern Arizona, Nov. 16) in 2012-13 and five games with eight or more assists this season. Cady Doing Double Duty in Big Ten Play Sophomore Emily Cady is playing well in her second Big Ten campaign, averaging 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds through 11 conference games. Cady, who owns a trio of Big Ten double-doubles after her 12-point, 10-rebound effort at Minnesota Jan. 20, is nearly averaging a double-double in league play. Cady, a 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., opened with 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in Nebraska's 70-52 win over Wisconsin Jan. 2. She hit 6-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-of-4 three-pointers to tie another career best. It was Cady's first double-double of the season. She notched her second Big Ten double with 11 points and 10 rebounds at Indiana Jan. 10. Cady hit 3-of-4 shots from the field, including her lone three-point attempt, and went 4-for-4 at the line. Cady produced a 17-point, nine-rebound effort at No. 8 Penn State, when she went 3-of-4 from three-point range. She added seven points and 12 rebounds in the loss to No. 14 Purdue Jan. 5, and nine points and eight rebounds against Illinois Jan. 17. She had 10 points and six boards in NU's win at Ohio State Jan. 31. In Big Ten games, Cady is shooting 46.6 percent from the field, including 52.4 percent (11-21) from long range. She also has connected on 32-of-38 free throws (.842). The increased production in conference play is nothing new for Cady, who averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in conference action last season. She earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, after averaging 7.3 points and 5.8 boards in regular-season non-conference play. Overall, Cady averaged 9.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals to go along with a team-best 28 blocked shots in 2011-12. Five of Cady's six career double-doubles have come against Big Ten competition and the sixth came against Kansas in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. She notched her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in NU's triple-overtime win at Purdue on Feb. 2, 2012. Cady, who has started 57 straight games, is averaging 9.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals overall. She owns 11 double-figure scoring efforts and six double-digit rebounding games as a sophomore to push her career total to 13. Theriot Battling for Big Ten All-Freshman Honors Rachel Theriot is coming on strong in Big Ten action and ranks among the conference's top five freshmen in scoring, rebounding and assists. Her 3.8 assists per game in league play lead all Big Ten freshmen, while her 3.6 rebounds rank fifth behind Northwestern forward Lauren Douglas (4.7 rpg), Wisconsin guard Nicole Bauman (3.8 rpg), Ohio State guard Ameryst Alston (3.7 rpg) and Purdue center Taylor Manuel (3.7 rpg). Theriot's 7.3 points per Big Ten game are fifth among league rookies. Theriot produced arguably her best effort of the season at Minnesota Jan. 20. The 6-0 guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, played a career-high 39 minutes and scored 13 points to go along with career highs of three three-pointers and eight assists in the win over the Golden Gophers. The effort earned her Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors for the second time. She produced another spectacular effort against the Gophers two weeks later in Lincoln with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting to go along with a career-high matching seven rebounds. She also dished out five assists with no turnovers. That effort, along with nine points, five rebounds and six assists at Ohio State on Jan. 31, earned Theriot her third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award in the past seven weeks. Theriot, is developing into a top contender for Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honors, increasing her overall season averages to 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. In Big Ten play, Theriot is averaging 7.3 points, 3.6 boards and 3.8 assists per contest. Through the first 12 games this season, Theriot was averaging just 3.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting just 27.3 percent from the field, including 13.3 percent (2-15) from three-point range. Over the last 12 contests, the freshman has turned up her production to 7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. She owns four double-figure scoring efforts in that stretch, after not scoring more than six points in any of the first 12 games. Over the last 12 games, Theriot is shooting 49.4 percent from the field, including 41.4 percent (12-29) from three-point range. Theriot scored a career-high 14 points while adding six assists and four rebounds in a win at Indiana Jan. 10. She hit 7-of-9 shots from the field, including all five of her first-half attempts, to carry Nebraska to a 20-point halftime lead. She captured the first Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award of career Dec. 31, after notching her first double-figure scoring performance against Grambling State Dec. 20. Theriot has played in all 24 games while making 18 straight starts, despite battling a foot injury. Laudermill Igniting Huskers at Both Ends off Bench Tear'a Laudermill is showing growth and maturity in her game over the past three months. The 5-9 sophomore guard from Riverside, Calif., has developed into a consistent offensive threat off the bench while providing pesky defense as Nebraska's defensive hound. Laudermill matched her career high for the second time in Big Ten play with 14 points to go along with three rebounds, an assist and two steals in a win over Minnesota Feb. 3. It was her second double-figure scoring effort of the season, joining a 14-point effort at Indiana Jan. 10. After scoring only six total points in Nebraska's first four games this season, Laudermill has scored at least four points in 15 of the last 19 games. She has scored in double figures twice in Big Ten play and is averaging 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.9 steals in conference action. She is also Nebraska's top on-the-ball defender. For the season, Laudermill ranks fourth among the Huskers in scoring with 5.6 points per game, while ranking third on the team with 28 steals - five more than her season total from 2011-12. In fact, she has more points, more assists and more steals, while shooting a higher percentage from the field and the free throw line than her freshman season, when she was one of NU's top players off the bench. Laudermill has improved immensely at the free throw line. As a freshman, she hit just 22-of-42 free throws (.524), but enters the Ohio State game 21-of-27 (.778) this season. Nebraska Celebrates Final Basketball Season at Devaney Center The Nebraska men's and women's basketball teams will celebrate their final season at the Bob Devaney Sports Center throughout the 2012-13 campaign. The Huskers will move into the new Pinnacle Bank Arena in downtown Lincoln in October of 2013. The arena, which is set for completion next fall, will become the new home of Husker men's and women's basketball in 2013-14. As part of the festivities at the Devaney Center during 2012-13, the Huskers plan to highlight the greatest moments and greatest players in the 37-year history of the Devaney Center At each men's and women's basketball home game during the season, HuskerVision will produce a big screen feature showcasing one of the most memorable moments in men's and women's basketball history. On the women's side, long-time Husker Sports Network basketball broadcasters Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch compiled the list along with Mike Babcock, who researched and wrote a detailed history of Husker women's basketball in 2000. The women's basketball moments range from Jan Crouch's 27-point performance on opening night on Nov. 12, 1976 to Lindsey Moore's triple-double on Jan. 2, 2011. They include championship celebrations in 1988 and 2010 and historic victories throughout the decades, while recognizing Husker legends such as Karen Jennings, Maurtice Ivy, Kelsey Griffin, Anna DeForge, Amy Stephens and more. During the season, fans also will be able to join the discussion through social media, offering their most memorable moments at the Devaney Center. The Nebraska Athletic Department created a special "Devaney Center Final Season" logo that is displayed on giant banners draped outside above the north and south entrances of the Devaney Center. Huskers.com Opens Voting for All-Devaney Teams Feb. 8 As part of its celebration of the final basketball season in the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the Nebraska Athletic Department is inviting fans to vote for their favorite players in Husker men's and women's basketball history. Fan voting for Nebraska's All-Devaney Teams opened on Feb. 8, and fans are encouraged to visit Huskers.com to vote for the best Huskers to grace Devaney's hardwood since 1976. Nebraska's long-time radio play-by-play announcer Matt Coatney offered his top five women's players, while Mike Babcock, Lee Barfknecht and Brian Rosenthal all chose their top players on the men's side. Fan voting closes on Feb. 22. Vote for the All-Devaney Women's Team and find out more about the best players in Nebraska women's basketball history at the following link on Huskers.com. Nebraska Improving Defensively in Big Ten Play Much of Nebraska's success in Big Ten play must be attributed to the defensive end, where the Huskers have improved significantly during conference action. In fact, NU ranks third in scoring defense through 11 Big Ten games. The Huskers are surrendering just 59.3 points per game, which trails only Penn State (56.4 ppg) and Michigan (58.3 ppg) allowed. Nebraska ranks fourth in conference play in field goal percentage defense (.376), while ranking second in three-point field goal percentage defense (.294). During Nebraska's six-game winning streak, the Huskers are allowing just 58.5 points per game, while holding opponents to 37.1 percent shooting and 29.5 percent shooting from long range. In non-conference play, the Huskers were allowing 60.2 points per game, while opponents were shooting 41.1 percent from the field, including 32.5 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Big Ten, Huskers Ranking High in National RPI The Big Ten is proving itself as an improved women's basketball conference in 2012-13. RealTimeRPI ranks the conference No. 2 nationally among all conferences, trailing only the Big 12 this season, ranking ahead of the Big East (3), SEC (4), ACC (5) and Pac-12 (6) among the top conferences in the nation. Penn State (5), Purdue (13) and Nebraska (25) give the Big Ten three top-25 RPI teams, according to the official NCAA RPI rankings (Feb. 11). Michigan (29), Michigan State (30) and Iowa (33) provide the conference with six top-50 RPI squads. Illinois (54), Minnesota (71) and Ohio State (72) give the league nine top-75 schools, while Wisconsin (90) adds a 10th top-100 RPI team. Northwestern (107) and Indiana (184) round out the Big Ten contingent among the 345 NCAA Division I women's basketball schools. Hooper, Moore Earn Spots on Wade, Naismith, Wooden Lists Junior Jordan Hooper and senior Lindsey Moore are being mentioned among the top players in the nation in 2012-13, and are candidates for the Wade, Naismith and Wooden awards. Hooper and Moore were among 25 college players named to the 2012-13 preseason Wade Watch List, announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Sept. 18. They joined each other on the Preseason Wooden Award Top 30 on Nov. 9. They appeared on their first national player-of-the-year watch list together last season, when they were both included in the Naismith Midseason 32 and they earned spots on the 2013 Naismith Trophy Preseason Top 50 on Nov. 15. Hooper and Moore are the first Husker teammates in history named to any of the three major national player-of-the-year watch lists at the same time. In 2011-12, Hooper was an Associated Press Honorable-Mention All-American, while earning WBCA All-Region 6 honors. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., was also one of five first-team All-Big Ten selections, and a member of the Big Ten All-Tournament team after averaging 18.9 points and a Big Ten-best 9.3 rebounds per game. Moore, a 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., was one of eight finalists for the 2012 Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top point guard. Moore joined Hooper on the Big Ten All-Tournment Team and was a second-team All-Big Ten choice. Moore ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in assists (5.1 apg), No. 5 in steals (2.2 spg) and No. 7 in scoring (15.7 ppg). Former Nebraska All-American Karen Jennings won the Wade Trophy in 1993, while All-American Kelsey Griffin was a finalist for the Wade, Naismith and Wooden awards in 2010. Hooper, Moore Earn Preseason All-Big Ten Honors Nebraska's Jordan Hooper and Lindsey Moore captured All-Big Ten honors while the Huskers were picked to finish second in the conference, when preseason polls were announced by the Big Ten Oct. 25. Hooper, a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team by both the conference coaches and media. In 2011-12, Hooper was one of five first-team All-Big Ten selections, while also earning Big Ten All-Tournament honors. She ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring (18.3 ppg), while leading the Big Ten in both rebounding (9.3 rpg) and double-doubles (14) last season. Moore, a 5-9 senior point guard from Covington, Wash., was one of five preseason All-Big Ten picks by the conference media. Moore ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten in scoring (15.7 ppg), No. 2 in assists (5.1 apg) and No. 5 in steals (2.2 spg) in 2011-12. Moore earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, while joining Hooper on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. Defending regular-season champion Penn State was the choice of the coaches and the media to win the 2013 Big Ten title. The Huskers were picked second in both polls, while Purdue was the coaches' selection to finish third. Ohio State was the media's choice to finish third. Huskers Load Up 2012-13 Schedule Nebraska's 31-game regular-season schedule features 19 games against 2012 postseason squads. NU's schedule is highlighted by 13 games against 2012 NCAA Tourament teams, including a matchup with Elite Eight qualifier Maryland and two games with NCAA Sweet 16 Penn State. The Huskers play three games against 2012 WNIT teams and three contests against WBI participants. The Huskers also play seven games against six teams that won conference titles in 2012. Maryland headlines the list of conference champs after claiming the 2012 ACC Tournament title. The Terps finished with a 31-5 record at No. 6 in the AP poll. NU also faces Big Ten regular-season champ Penn State twice and Big Ten Tournament champ Purdue once. In non-conference play, the Huskers tangled with Big Sky Conference champ Idaho State, Missouri Valley Conference champ Creighton and Summit League Conference champ South Dakota State. Big Red, Big Ten Schedule Strengths on the Rise Nebraska's Strength of Schedule continues to climb according to RealTime RPI, which lists the Huskers' SOS No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 23 nationally (as of Feb. 13). Overall, the Big Ten schedule strengths are impressive, including Penn State (11), Iowa (18), Purdue (19), Wisconsin (27), Illinois (28), Michigan (35), Minnesota (36), Northwestern (38), Ohio State (41), Michigan (48). The schedules of 10 Big Ten teams rank among the top 50 in the country. Michigan State (54) and Indiana (84) also rank easily in the top 25 percent nationally. Nebraska is facing one of the toughest regular-season schedules in school history in 2012-13. NU's Strength of Schedule has ranked among the top 30 nationally in four of the past five seasons, and the Huskers have faced a top-25 schedule so far in 2012-13. Nebraska has already played 13 games this season against teams that have produced 15 victories so far this year. Perhaps even more impressively, 21 of the Huskers' 24 games have come against teams that have already achieved double-digit win totals this season. The Huskers have played 14 games against top 100 RPI teams and each of their remaining five Big Ten games are set to come against top 100 squads. Injuries Continue to Slow Down Huskers Nebraska's offseason featured a laundry list of injuries. NU's entire starting five played injured in the Huskers' NCAA Tournament loss to Kansas to end the 2011-12 season. Emily Cady underwent offseason knee surgery, while Jordan Hooper and Hailie Sample each took extended rest to recover from stress reactions in their legs following NU's four games in four days at the Big Ten Tournament. Cady entered the season as one of the healthiest Huskers, while Hooper and Sample were limited by injuries. Lindsey Moore was slowed by a reoccurring injury, while NU's lone center Adrianna Maurer tried to recover from major back surgery in January of 2012. Maurer announced the end of her basketball career at Nebraska on Jan. 7, 2013, because of continuing pain. Senior forward Meghin Williams has been limited in practice throughout her four-year career by foot injuries. Freshman guard Rachel Theriot missed nearly three weeks of practice with a stress reaction in her foot, bringing the list of Huskers severely limited in practice to seven on a daily basis. Nebraska's other freshmen, Courtney Aitken and Sadie Murren, and sophomores Brandi Jeffery, Tear'a Laudermill and Katie Simon were healthy throughout fall practice. However, Aitken has been wearing a walking boot on her foot since mid-December and has not played since Dec. 5. Jeffery did not play at Penn State Jan. 13 or against No. 25 Michigan State because of a foot injury. She returned for limited minutes off the bench against Illinois, both games against Minnesota and at Ohio State, but is still listed as day-to-day. Murren has missed seven games with a back injury and is also day-to-day. NU's Four Returning Starters Solid for 57 Straight Games After starting 33 consecutive games together in 2011-12, Nebraska's four returning starters Lindsey Moore (122), Jordan Hooper (88) and sophomores Emily Cady (57) and Hailie Sample (57) have started all 23 games together in 2012-13. However, Nebraska's fifth starting spot has changed in 2012-13 with sophomore guard Brandi Jeffery starting NU's first six games and freshman Rachel Theriot starting the Huskers' last 18 contests. In 2011-12, fifth-year senior guard Kaitlyn Burke joined Moore, Hooper, Cady and Sample in NU's starting lineup for every game. Consistent starting lineups are nothing new for the Huskers under Coach Connie Yori. In fact, three times in Yori's 11 seasons Nebraska has used the same starting five for every game in a season, including all 33 games in 2011-12. The 2006-07 Huskers featured the same starting five for 32 games on their way to a 22-10 season and the NCAA Tournament. Yori's 2003-04 Huskers also used the same starting five for 30 games on their way to an 18-12 season and a WNIT bid. A full year with the same starting five is rare in women's college basketball. In fact, Nebraska was the only Big Ten team to feature the same starting five throughout 2011-12, and was one of only three teams in the 2012 NCAA Tournament to start the same five every game. Kansas State and BYU were the others. Over the past eight seasons (including 2012-13), Nebraska has used only 20 different starting lineups in 250 games. Hooper Puts Up Double-Doubles at Record Rate Jordan Hooper has climbed into a tie for third on Nebraska's career double-double list after producing her seventh of the 2012-13 season with 11 points and 11 rebounds at Indiana Jan. 10. It was Hooper's second straight double-double following a 15-point, 14-rebound effort against No. 14 Purdue Jan. 5. Hooper owns 24 career double-doubles, matching Nafeesah Brown on the NU career chart. In non-conference play, Hooper notched 24 points and 14 rebounds in NU's win at South Florida on Dec. 16. It was Hooper's second straight double-double, after producing 36 points and 12 boards in a win over No. 24 Florida State on Dec. 8. Hooper became just the seventh Husker in history to produce at least 20 career double-doubles, when she registered 29 points and 10 boards in NU's win over Idaho State on Dec. 1. Hooper added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Sam Houston State Nov. 20, after notching her first double-double of the year with 12 points and 14 boards against Temple Nov. 11. Hooper led the Big Ten and ranked among the top 25 players nationally with 14 double-doubles in 2011-12. Hooper, who produced double figures in 32 of Nebraska's 33 games, recorded 14 double-figure rebounding performances as a sophomore. Hooper's 14 double-doubles ranked as the third-highest single-season total in school history, trailing only first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin's 20 in 2009-10, and Nafeesah Brown's 16 in 1993-94. Griffin and Brown were both seniors when they produced their impressive double-figure totals. Hooper became just the fifth player in Nebraska history to post double-figure double-doubles in a season, joining Griffin (10, 2006-07, 20, 2009-10), Brown (16, 1993-94), Karen Jennings (13, 1990-91, 13, 1991-92), Maurtice Ivy (10, 1985-86) and Carol Garey (10, 1978-79). Hooper, a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., had 25 points and 10 rebounds in the Big Ten Championship Game loss to No. 21 Purdue on March 4. She added 21 points and 10 rebounds against No. 14 Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals March 3, and 15 points and 10 boards in little more than a half against Iowa in the Big Ten quarterfinals on March 2. Hooper produced arguably her most eye-popping double-double with 19 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in NU's win over Wisconsin Feb. 19, 2012. Her 18 boards tied for the 12th-highest total in school history and were the most by a Husker since Charlie Rogers grabbed 20 against Drake on Dec. 2, 1999. Hooper added back-to-back double-doubles with 22 points and 15 rebounds against Iowa Jan. 26, and 12 points and 16 rebounds at Illinois Jan. 29. She notched double-doubles in a personal-best four straight games from Dec. 18, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012. Hooper Building Off Super Sophomore Campaign Jordan Hooper became the first sophomore in school history to produce 600 points and 300 rebounds in the same season, finishing the 2011-12 campaign with 624 points and 306 boards. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., became just the fourth Husker ever to accomplish the feat. Hooper, an honorable-mention AP All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten pick, set the Nebraska sophomore single-season scoring record with 624 points. She eclipsed the 609 points scored by Kiera Hardy in 2004-05. Hooper's 306 rebounds marked the third-highest total in school history by a sophomore, trailing only 372 by Janet Smith in 40 games in 1979-80) and 314 by Carol Garey in 36 games in 1978-79. Hooper's 9.3 rebounds per game matched Smith's sophomore record. Only one other sophomore in NU history - Kathy Hagerstrom (1980-81) scored 500 points and grabbed 250 boards. Hooper's sophomore production was on a similar level to the two most productive seasons in school history. Karen Jennings, the 1993 Wade Trophy winner and a first-team All-American, produced 810 points and 319 rebounds in 32 games as a junior in 1991-92. Kelsey Griffin, a finalist for every national player-of-the-year award in 2010 and a first-team All-American, produced 685 points and 354 rebounds in 34 games as a senior. Fastbreakers to Hold Husker Roundball Run, April 27 The Fastbreakers Booster Club will hold its first Husker Roundball Run in Lincoln on Saturday, April 27, beginning at 9 a.m. The event will include 5K and 1.5-mile runs to provide fun and fitness for fans and runners of all ages. Adult registration fee is $30, while youth 13 and under can register for just $15. Entrants will receive an official Roundball Run T-shirt and a Husker party with continental breakfast and door prizes will be available following the events. Fans can register on-line at www.huskers.com/donate. Entrants are encouraged to register by Monday, April 8 to guarantee T-shirt size requests. Several sponsorships are also available to businesses and individuals. For more information about the Roundball Run, please contact the Kiley Abdouch at the Huskers Athletic Fund at firstname.lastname@example.org. Fastbreakers Announce Backboard Event Schedule The Fastbreakers Booster Club set the dates for three Backboard Events during the 2012-13 season. The events, which are held in the northwest corner of the upper concourse at the Devaney Center, tipped off on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m., 90 minutes before Nebraska's game against Maryland in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The second Backboard Event was held prior to Nebraska's Big Ten clash with Purdue on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip time was 1 p.m., while the banquet began at 11:30 a.m. This season's Backboard Events conclude with a luncheon prior to Nebraska's Big Ten regular-season finale with Penn State on March 3. The start times of the luncheon and game will be announced at a later date, after the Big Ten Network makes its television picks for the final two games of the season across the conference. Each event is scheduled to begin 90 minutes prior to tip-off of each game and will feature a speaker from the women's basketball staff. The cost of each event is $15 per person, and spots must be reserved no later than one week in advance of the event, either on-line at www.Huskers.com/donate (online registration available for current Fastbreakers Club members only), by calling the Huskers Athletic Fund at (402) 472-2367. Fastbreakers Announce Plans for Three Bus Trips Fastbreakers followed the Huskers to their first road game of the season, when Nebraska took on South Dakota State in Brookings, S.D., on Sunday, Nov. 18. The Fastbreakers also took a bus to Omaha for Nebraska's annual clash with Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The final road trip of the season is set for Nebraska's appearance at the Big Ten Tournament March 7-10 in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The Fastbreakers will leave Lincoln for the Chicago area on Wednesday, March 6 and will return following the Huskers' appearance at the tournament. The cost of bus ride is $170, and does not include game tickets. Beverages on the bus are included in the price, but no meals are included. For more details on the 2012-13 Fastbreaker Bus Trips, contact Doug Fry at email@example.com or call (402) 617-7039. All trips must be booked and paid for two weeks prior to departure. Huskers, Big Ten Earn Top 25 Mention in Polls Nebraska continues to receive votes in both major national polls, after having its school-record streak of 24 straight weeks listed in at least one of the major national top 25 polls snapped Jan. 14-15. In the Big Ten, Penn State and Purdue have been ranked in the top 25 in every poll this season, while the Huskers spent 10 weeks in the USA Today top 25 and six weeks in the AP Poll. Ohio State appeared in every USA Today poll until dropping out Jan. 8. The Buckeyes slipped from the AP Poll on Dec. 17. Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa have given the Big Ten seven different teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25 so far this season. Illinois (AP, Jan. 7) and Minnesota (USA, Nov. 20) give the balanced Big Ten nine teams that have received votes in at least one poll this season. Nebraska non-conference opponents have also littered the polls this season, led by AP No. 7 Maryland and AP No. 19 Florida State. Creighton and South Florida have also received votes in numerous polls. Yori's Huskers Own Success Against Top 25 Foes Nebraska has made a habit of knocking off top-25 opponents during Connie Yori's 11 seasons at the helm. In fact, the Huskers' 59-54 win over No. 25 Michigan State on Jan. 24, 2013, marked NU's 27th win over an AP Top 25 foe under Yori, including the second this season. Nebraska also knocked off then-No. 24 Florida State, 78-77, on Dec. 8, 2012. It was the Seminoles' first loss of the season. The Huskers defeated No. 14 Ohio State (March 3, 2012), after knocking off the No. 8 Buckeyes (Feb. 26). The first win over OSU marked NU's sixth victory over a top-10 foe under Yori. Prior to Yori's arrival at Nebraska in 2002-03, the Huskers owned just one win over a top 10 opponent in school history. NU produced five wins over AP Top 25 teams (at game time) in 2011-12, including a 93-89 triple overtime win at No. 15 Purdue (Feb. 2). The Huskers also knocked off No. 16 Penn State (Dec. 30) on the road in their first-ever Big Ten Conference game, while defeating No. 23 USC (Nov. 18) at the Devaney Center. In 2009-10, the Huskers set the school single-season mark with eight wins over top-25 teams. NU's top-25 wins that season came against No. 5 LSU, No. 9 Baylor, No. 10 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 13 Iowa State, No. 16 Iowa State and No. 22 UCLA. The win over No. 9 Baylor and freshman Brittney Griner, was Nebraska's first-ever road win over a top-10 team. The Huskers' three wins over top-10 foes in 2009-10, matched Nebraska's previous total from the previous 35 seasons. The highest-ranked team Nebraska has ever defeated was the 2004-05 Baylor team that went on to win the national title. NU outlasted No. 2 BU, 103-99 in triple overtime on Jan. 12, 2005. The Huskers' 21-point win over No. 10 OSU on Feb. 3, 2010, marked NU's largest victory margin ever over a top-10 team. Nebraska's 29-point win over No. 14 Iowa State in 2005 was NU's largest victory margin in history over a top-25 foe. Nebraska's 56-45 win over No. 15 Texas at the Devaney Center in 2008 also marked the lowest point total ever allowed by the Huskers against a ranked opponent. Before Yori's arrival at Nebraska in 2002-03, the Huskers had not defeated a top-10 team since a 73-67 win over No. 9 Iowa on Dec. 8, 1996, and had never beaten a top-five opponent. Nebraska's History of Success at Home The Huskers produced a 13-3 record at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2011-12. Since the Devaney Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are 386-129 (.750) in games played in the arena, including 144-87 (.623) in conference games. Since 2003-04, NU is 122-33 (.787) at the Devaney Center. NU has posted double-figure home victory totals in 10 consecutive seasons, including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2009-10. NU was 11-4 at home in 2010-11. The Huskers are 11-3 at the Devaney Center in 2012-13. Big Ten Network Providing Major Exposure for Huskers For the second consecutive season, Nebraska expects to have every regular-season and postseason game available in video form for Husker fans to follow all the action. For the first time in school history in 2011-12, all 33 games played by the Huskers were delivered by national television or live video streams to Husker fans. In 2012-13, Nebraska is enjoying its highest level of national TV exposure in school history, while adding two outstanding alternative video streaming sources. Overall, the Huskers will have 11 regular-season games televised nationally, including eight by the Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.com. Nebraska's battle with Purdue was televised nationally by CBS on Jan. 5, while the Huskers' clash with Penn State on Jan. 13 was carried live on ESPN2. NU's non-conference road game at USC (Nov. 23) was televised by the Pac-12 Network. Nebraska's final gam of the year at home against Penn State will be the final regular-season game carried by the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network is distributing 10 other Nebraska women's basketball games through live video streams on BTN.com. For complete television and live-stream listings, visit Huskers.com. Fans can subscribe to BTN.com by visiting http://video.btn.com/allaccess. A yearly subscription for all Nebraska events on BTN.com is just $79.95. Fans can gain access to every Big Ten event stream for just $119.95 per year. Monthly subscriptions are also available. Two of NU's BTN.com games (Michigan State, Jan. 24; Minnesota, Feb. 3) were also televised live statewide in Nebraska by NET. HuskersNside provides Husker fans more video streaming opportunities on the Internet. Nebraska's premium site on Huskers.com streamed NU's exhibition finale against Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 4), before streaming the season opener against North Carolina A&T (Nov. 9). Non-conference home games against Northern Arizona (Nov. 16), Idaho State (Dec. 1), Florida State (Dec. 8) and Grambling State (Dec. 29) also were streamed through HuskersNside. Nebraska's road games at South Dakota State (Nov. 18), Creighton (Dec. 5) and at South Florida (Dec. 16) all shared streams to HuskersNside subscribers. All three schools share NeuLion as an Internet partner. Monthly packages are available on HuskersNside for $12.95. Four-month passes are on sale for $39.95, while year-long passes are just $54.95. Huskers Putting Up Top 10 3FG Numbers Again in 2012-13 Nebraska has hit 158 three-pointers through 24 games to rank as the seventh-most threes in school history. It marks the 10th consecutive year that Connie Yori's Nebraska teams have produced a top-10 total in three-pointers made. The Huskers' 6.6 threes per game rank second in the Big Ten and 50th nationally. The Huskers have hit seven or more threes in a game 13 times in 24 contests in 2012-13, after hitting seven or more threes 17 times in 33 games last season. Nebraska has hit double-digit threes four times this year, including a season-high 12 in the Big Ten-opening win over Wisconsin on Jan. 2, and 11 threes against Oral Roberts and Northern Arizona. NU added 10 threes at Iowa on Feb. 11. The 2011-12 Huskers produced a record-setting three-point season, connecting on 230 threes on a record 759 attempts. Nebraska led the Big Ten with 7.0 made threes per game, matching the school-record the Huskers set in 2010-11. Nebraska's 230 threes surpassed the 225 the 2009-10 Huskers hit. NU's 759 attempts shattered the previous school recored of 661 also set in 2009-10. NU hit a 2011-12 season-best 14 three-pointers on 26 attempts against Mississippi Valley State, which marked the second-highest total in school history. It trailed only the 17 threes the Huskers hit against Vermont (17-33) to open the 2010-11 season. The Huskers hit double-digit threes four times last year. Prior to 2009-10, the school-record for three-pointers made in a season was 173. Before Yori's arrival, no Husker team had hit more than 132 threes in a season, or attempted more than 437. Hooper Leads Assault on Husker Three-Point Records In addition to her impressive scoring and rebounding numbers, Jordan Hooper has hit three-pointers at a record-breaking rate since her arrival at Nebraska. The 6-2 forward shattered the NU single-season freshman record with 67 threes (67-184, 36.4 percent) in 2010-11, and drained 67 more threes in 2011-12, which is the second-best total by a sophomore in Nebraska history. Hooper's 2011-12 season total trailed only Kiera Hardy's school-record total of 85 set as a sophomore in 2004-05. In 88 career games, Hooper has hit 197 three-pointers to rank second on the Nebraska career list. Hardy (267 3FG, 2004-07) owns the Nebraska record. In 2010-11, Hooper tied the Nebraska single-game record with seven three-pointers at Missouri on Feb. 2, 2011. She scored 31 points against the Tigers, including 28 on six threes in the second half alone. Hooper Plays Beast on Boards Jordan Hooper led the Big Ten and ranked among the nation's top rebounders with 9.3 boards per game as a sophomore in 2011-12. Her 18-rebound effort in a win over Wisconsin on Feb. 19 put her in rare company in the Nebraska record books, tying for the 12th-highest single-game total in school history. It also marked the best rebound total by a player in Coach Connie Yori's first 11 seasons at Nebraska. It was also the highest total by a Husker since Charlie Rogers grabbed 20 rebounds against Drake on Dec. 2, 1999. Hooper's 18-board performance represented her third time in seven games with 15 or more rebounds. She became just the seventh player in Husker history to grab 15 or more rebounds three times in a career. and just the sixth Husker to pull down 15 or more boards three times in a season, joining Janet Smith, Carol Garey, Nafeesah Brown, Pyra Aarden and most recently, Keasha Cannon-Johnson (2001-02). In back-to-back games last season, Hooper grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over Iowa (Jan. 26), before ripping down 16 boards in a victory at Illinois (Jan. 29). She joined Smith and Aarden as the only Huskers to pull down 15 or more boards in back-to-back games. Pinnacle Bank Arena to Provide New Home to Huskers in 2013-14 Nebraska continues preparations to move into its new home for men's and women's basketball - Pinnacle Bank Arena - next season. Construction on the $179 million arena has marched ahead of schedule with favorable building conditions for more than a year. The Huskers will continue to call the new Hendricks Training Complex home for practice, while the Nebraska volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics team will call the Devaney Center home for competition. The arena project was approved by voters in May 2010. Pinnacle Bank Arena is expected to open in the fall of 2013. Nebraska men's and women's basketball teams will be the primary tenants of the 470,400-square-foot facility, which can hold nearly 15,000 fans for Husker hoops. As the exclusive sponsor of the arena and arena site, the new arena website will be PinnacleBankArena.com. The agreement also calls for Pinnacle Bank to receive: three exterior signs; the Pinnacle Bank Arena logo on the center-hung scoreboard, public exterior doors and adjacent light pole banners; signs on the main and upper concourses; use of a center court suite and use of the arena for two days per year; and three locations for ATM machines in the arena. Husker Sports Network, Huskers.com Carries NU World-Wide The Husker Sports Network and Nebraska women's basketball have teamed up for well over a decade to take every game, home and away, around the world for free on Huskers.com. In addition to carrying every women's basketball free on Huskers.com, the Husker Sports Network flagship stations B107.3 FM-KBBK (Lincoln) and The Wolf 93.3 FM-KFFF (Omaha) provide strong FM signals for Husker women's basketball and volleyball. 880-AM-KRVN (Lexington) also provides a huge AM signal statewide in central Nebraska, while more than 20 stations have joined the Husker Sports Network's women's basketball coverage across the state. The Husker Sports Network is in its 18th season of producing and marketing the live broadcasts of Nebraska women's basketball in 2011-12. Women's basketball play-by-play announcer Matt Coatney and color commentator Jeff Griesch are in their 12th year together as the Huskers' broadcast team. Catch Coach Yori's Radio Show on the Husker Sports Network Nebraska Coach Connie Yori will appear on the Husker Sports Network regularly throughout the season with host Matt Coatney for the Connie Yori Radio Show. The show will begin with a regular, one-hour segment on the popular Sports Nightly Radio Show in December. The show will air regularly on either Monday or Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., depending on conflicts with other live events on the network. A tentative schedule for the show can be found below. Date - Upcoming Opponents - Time Monday, Feb. 25 - at Wisconsin (Feb. 28) / Penn State (March 3) - 8 p.m. March 4 or March 5 - at Big Ten Tournament (March 7-10) - 8 p.m. March 11 or March 12 - Season Review/Postseason Preview - 8 p.m. Monday, March 18 - Postseason Preview (NCAA Selection 6 p.m.) - 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19 - at Michigan (Feb. 21) / Iowa (Feb. 24) - 8 p.m. Bank of the West Coach Connie Yori Show The Bank of the West Coach Connie Yori Show is back for its 11th season in 2012-13, providing in-depth analysis and outstanding features in the year-long coverage of Nebraska women's basketball. Coach Yori and host Jeff Griesch will discuss the highlights, which begins in November and continues throughout the season. The show will be available on Time Warner Cable On-Demand this season, and also will be available free world-wide on Huskers.com. My TV (10.2/11.2) will distribute the show in Lincoln and Grand Island, while Huskers.com will have new shows available on Tuesdays during the season. Spencer Municipal Utilities in Spencer, Iowa, will also carry the show on SMU-3, each Thursday at 10 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 10 p.m. each week. The first Connie Yori Show will be available on Huskers.com on Thursday, Nov. 8. Shows throughout the season will be available on Huskers.com on Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 25, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, March 5 and either March 12 or March 19. There will be no show on Dec. 18, Jan. 1 or Feb. 12. Havers, Tvrdy, Ramacieri Feel at Home as Huskers Nebraska women's basketball coach Connie Yori announced the signing of three talented prep stars to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, Nov. 14, to join the Huskers for the 2013-14 season. Allie Havers, Hannah Tvrdy and Esther Ramacieri will join the Huskers in 2013-14 hoping to continue Nebraska's tradition of postseason play. Havers, a 6-5 senior forward from Mattawan High School in Michigan, will bring outstanding height, length and athleticism to the Huskers. Tvrdy, one of the winningest players in Nebraska High School history from prep power Seward, adds another player with a point guard's mentality to the Husker backcourt. Ramacieri adds international flavor to the Husker class, as the fourth Canadian to sign with Nebraska in 11 seasons under Yori. "We're excited about the addition of Hannah, Allie, and Esther to our Husker family," Yori said. "They all are hard-working kids who fit in our system both on and off the court."

Habitica is a productivity website which gives the impression that you are playing an RPG in real life and I have been using it for months now because of its benefits. First and foremost, bookmark your task page and make it visible on your web browser and change your browser setting such that Habitica web page shows up when you first open your web browser. So many people fail to accomplish their tasks not because for lack of willpower but because they simply forget their tasks and even more sadly their long term goals! By doing the above step you ensure that there is no excuse to forget what you have to do. Second, gameification of life will seem a bit ridiculous at first glance but set aside any preconcieved notions for a few weeks and allow yourself to see if this system works. If you are not ready to ‘gamify’ your tasks because you think the website is for toddlers or because your friends might judge you the wrong way, this is probably your procrastinator self trying to prevent you from improving. There is no shame in improving your life no matter how strange is the way you are doing it. Pay for subscription which will give you extra motivation because of the rewards. You may think that all those Habitica pets to find and raise are too much but as you become more disciplined and you accomplish more there won’t be enough to obtain after that. The reward system does not only encourage you with Habitica pets, you can spend your gold on buying combat equipment that helps you complete quests at a faster rate and you can buy gems that will unlock quests and equipment that people don’t normally have access to them. Join a party so that you will hold yourself accountable. Willpower is contagious, even if you live a gazillion miles away from your party members. What I noticed when I joined a party is that when 2-3 members received damage due to no accomplishing goals the rest of the team followed. However, when 2-3 members had succeeded with most of their goals (which showed after the boss damage calculation) then other members were inspired to not only get their shit together but also accomplish more than before. Congratulate and encourage your fellow members whenever they succeed in their goals. It’s a no brainer that receiving as well as giving positive feedback to others your confidence and belief in your ability to accomplish your goals will increase gradually. The Habitica team party system is made in such a way that it boosts your self-esteem by being able to comment on your team mates performances, hold yourself accountable to them and give and receive positive ratings when you do something good. Determine the difficulty of each task by taking into consideration the two following factors. The complexity and the amount of willpower it takes to accomplish it. For example, having a 5 minute cold shower is a very straight-forward process but it takes a lot of willpower to accomplish so the difficulty of this task would be ‘hard’. Additionally, sketching a complex figure on paper requires more thought and deliberation which increases the complexity factor and consequently makes it a ‘hard’ goal. What tasks should you fill out your Habits, Dailies and To-Dos list? There are a few general guidelines that I can give you based on my experience but as a general rule, there are no rigid structured way to adhere to. To begin with, my Dailies list is what gives me the most gold and experience points than the other two lists. This is also the one that receives the highest priority and it consists of tasks that I have to complete every day (some of them not during all days of week e.g physical workout, avoiding snacks) in order to achieve my long term goals. It starts with my morning routine down to brushing my teeth before sleep. These tasks are to be completed in some form of order but in way that can be adapted to the schedule. My To-Dos list consists mainly of small reminders to do some chores such as taking out the trash or other tasks that benefit me but are not scheduled on specific days. For example, I don’t really schedule when I have to shave and if I stumble on a podcast or a video that is useful to me I write it down on the list to watch it later on. The attention that goes on to this list should not be equalled with the Habits and Dailies listsIf you can’t keep up with a habit change the variability and be try to ‘’measure’’ your tasks whenever you can. Don’t just list ‘Book reading’ as part of your daily activities. It is better to say ’15 minute book reading’ and from then on just increase the time by 1 minute every day so that you can measure your progress. Having a good list of habits is above all else though. You need to think carefully of what you want to accomplish and you have to be realistic. A good list of habits is a list that comprises of things you can do consistently and will allow you to add more things to it later on as your willpower grows, so don’t go overboard with it. Moving on, healthy competition will push you further in Boss fights. Every time someone ended his day and saw that he had dealt higher damage to the boss I wanted to surpass this person despite the fact that we were on the same team. Every person in my team felt the need to kick their gears up and keep up with the highest scores. It certainly made me add more tasks to my lists and complete them just so I can deal more damage to the Boss and get over with it. It made me want to go the extra mile and do more things in my life that I would have otherwise slacked them off for days or weeks before completing them had I not been on Habitica. Useful system functions When you open the ‘Data Display’ option using your API you can get detailed reports on how much damage you will take if you don’t complete your goals and how much damage you will be able to deal to the Boss by completing your tasks and much more. You get to see the exact potential damage to your health from incomplete tasks which is reduced the more you do them. It’s a psychological effect that signals to your brain that ‘It gets easier’ the more you keep up with your tasks. At the same time you get to see exactly which days you skipped your tasks and you will be able to pick up some patterns so that you will become more consistent, especially with dailies. When you just don’t feel like doing it When you first set out to start a habit you will inevitably meet some resistance mid-way through your journey. During the first few days there will be lots of excitement and positive thinking and maybe someday dreaming of who you will become if you continue a new habit. But after that the excitement fades and in most cases, people forget why they even started a new habit in the first place. First of all you have to remind yourself why you are doing something by writing it down. Most people don’t even do that which is why they forget it in the first place. Second, use self-talk (discussed in more detail in Gorilla Mindset) to kick yourself into gear whenever you feel a bit down. Athletes have coaches to push them into taking action but most people are not athletes and they don’t have coaches, and this is where self-talk kicks in. By using self-talk you become your own coach during the hard moments, when you are challenged by temptation to give up because you found an obstacle in your path or when your feelings get in your way. That happened to me countless times; I would definitely count my failures to take action in the thousands or even tens of thousands and I’m still a young guy. For example, when I first wanted to start having cold showers I would always talk myself out of it every time and I kept making stupid excuses to avoid it. It was so unbelievably easy to believe the excuses that my mind was making up that it was causing me to almost forget why I wanted to start doing cold showers in the first place. After recognising the pattern of negative self-talk I would reverse it by saying ‘Come on Marcus after you get out you will feel incredibly powerful and energised’. Initially you are going to fail to follow through your task even after recognising the negative patterns but as long as you improve little by little, failure will be a rare event. There are stressful times where you will have to compromise your routine in the short term but such is life. Sometimes you just have to put your head down for a bit of time before moving on to the stuff that you really like. Eliminate temptation and over thinking Don’t deplete your willpower reserve by having to resist temptations or overthink simple things throughout the day. If you are trying to improve your nutrition plan, don’t place chocolate bars all over your working desk and the kitchen drawers and cupboards that you frequently visit throughout the day. Hide those sweet harmful demons in places that you don’t have on your sight all the time. With regards to overthinking, pick your work clothes before you go to sleep or have a pair of jeans, shoes and a jacket that you like to wear almost every day in order to save yourself from overthinking those simple things and consequently waste energy. Prepare foods from the day before, store them in your fridge and throw them in the microwave. Try to automate your decision making process as much as you can. You can worry about your clothes and food once you accomplish your other goals, but for now, live a simple life. In other words, spend energy on acting towards useful goals rather than avoiding useless activities. Gameification of life seems like a silly concept but it’s worth trying out this system if you are serious about self improvement. This website is more than just an RPG in real life because the end goal is long term improvement with a system that facilitates this process even if you are not a gamer like me. I have certainly noticed a huge difference between myself a few months ago and how I live today. I’m still very far from what I want in life but for the first time in years, I actually feel like I’m accomplishing something.

"Besides," Quinn interrupted, "If I tried to set Howie that far back we'd be lucky to get within twenty miles of New Bedford and a couple of days of the killing. The college in 1907-1908 had 150 students and a faculty of 16; it publishes an endowed historical series called The John P. Branch Historical Papers of Randolph-Macon College; and it is a part of the "RandolphMacon System of Colleges and Academies," which includes, besides, Randolph-Macon Academy (1890) at Bedford City, Virginia, and Randolph-Macon Academy (1892) at Front Royal, Virginia, both for boys; Randolph-Macon Woman's College (1893) at Lynchburg, Virginia, which in 1907-1908 had an enrolment of 390; and Randolph-Macon Institute, for girls, Danville, Virginia, which was admitted into the "System" in 1897. By Mary Bohun Henry had four sons: his successor Henry V., Thomas, duke of Clarence, John, duke of Bedford, and Humphrey, duke of Gloucester; and two daughters, Blanche, who married Louis III., elector palatine of the Rhine, and Philippa, who married Eric XIII., king of Sweden. After a marriage between the prince and Lady Diana Spencer, afterwards the wife of John, 4th duke of Bedford, had been frustrated by Walpole, Frederick was married in April 1736 to 1 Frederick was never actually created duke of Gloucester, and when he was raised to the peerage in 1736 it was as duke of Edinburgh only. In January 1768, offended by the growing influence of the Bedford faction which joined the government, Conway resigned the seals of office, though he was persuaded by the king to remain a member of the cabinet and "Minister of the House of Commons." They were held at Southill, near Bedford, on the estate of S. Bedford 3 have Magnetic Induction, 1900, 378. LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL (1639-1683), English politician, was the third son of the 1st duke of Bedford and was born on the 29th of September 1639. The old earl of Bedford offered £50,000 or £10o,000, and Monmouth, Legge, Lady Ranelagh, and Rochester added their intercessions. His attainder was reversed in 1689, and his son Wriothesley (1680-1711) succeeded his grandfather as 2nd duke of Bedford in 1700. The baronial house of Beauchamp of Bedford was founded at the Conquest by Hugh de Beauchamp, who received a barony in Bedfordshire. His eldest son Simon left a daughter, whose husband Hugh (brother of the count of Meulan) was created earl of Bedford by Stephen. But the heir-male, Miles de Beauchamp, nephew of Simon, held Bedford Castle against the king in 1137-1138. From his brother Payn descended the barons of Bedford, of whom William held Bedford Castle against the royal forces in the struggle for the Great Charter, and was afterwards made prisoner at the battle of Lincoln, while John, who sided with the barons under Simon de Montfort, fell at Evesham. Educational institutions include the Trinity and the Victoria Colleges of Music, in Manchester Square and Berners Street respectively; the Bedford College for women, and the Regent's Park Baptist College. In the year 1215 the barons having received intelligence secretly that they might enter London with ease through Aldgate, which was then in a very ruinous state, removed their camp from Bedford to Ware, and shortly after marched into the city in the night-time. In 1756 Extension and for some years subsequently the land behind Montague House (now the British Museum) was occupied as a farm, and when in that year a proposal was made to plan out a new road the tenant and the duke of Bedford strongly opposed it. Bedford House in Bloomsbury Square had its full view of Hampstead and Highgate from the back, and Queen's Square was built open to the north in order that the inhabitants might obtain the same prospect. By his wife, Margaret of Bavaria, he had one son, Philip the Good, who succeeded him; and seven daughters - Margaret, who married in 1404 Louis, son of Charles VI., and in 1423 Arthur, earl of Richmond and afterwards duke of Brittany; Mary, wife of Adolph of Cleves; Catherine, promised in 1410 to a son of Louis of Anjou; Isabella, wife of Olivier de Chatillon, count of Penthievre; Joanna, who died young; Anne, who married John, duke of Bedford, in 1423; and Agnes, who married Charles I., duke of Bourbon, in 1425. End of the harbour), which is served by steamers from New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard and Wood's Hole, and is connected with Siasconset by a primitive narrowgauge railway. During the war of 1812 the Nantucket fleet was the only one active; it suffered severely during the war, and in the decade1820-1830Nantucket lost its primacy to New Bedford, whose fleet in 1840 was twice as large. 1786-1789 Joshua Clayton Gunning Bedford Daniel Rogers' Richard Bassett James Sykes2 David Hall Nathaniel Mitchell George Truett Joseph Haslett Daniel Rodney John Clarke. Filled unexpired term of Gunning Bedford (d. He still for a short time retained influence with the king, and intended to employ George Grenville (whom he recommended as his successor) as his agent; but the latter insisted on possessing the king's whole confidence, and on the failure of Bute in August 1763 to procure his dismissal and to substitute a ministry led by Pitt and the duke of Bedford, Grenville demanded and obtained Bute's withdrawal from the court. Bay New Bedford has a good harbour, and on the Atlantic coast. Nantucket and New Bedford were the centres of the whaling trade, which, for the ' In 1905 Massachusetts produced 60'7% of the writing paper manufactured in the country. Other ports of entry in the state in 1909 were Newburyport, Gloucester, Salem, Marblehead, Plymouth, Barnstable, Nantucket, Edgartown, New Bedford and Fall River. According to the census of 1900 there were 33 incorporated cities in Massachusetts, of which 8 had between 12,000 and 20,000 inhabitants; 5 between 20,000 and 25,000 (Everett, North Adams, Quincy, Waltham, Pittsfield); 2 io between 25,000 and 50,000 (Holyoke, Brockton, Haverhill, Salem, Chelsea, Malden, Newton, Fitchburg, Taunton, Gloucester); 7 between 50,000 and ioo,000 (Lowell, Cambridge, Lynn, Lawrence, New Bedford, Springfield, Somerville); and 3 more than roo,000 inhabitants, viz. In 1910 the state charitable institutions were as follows: State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, Bath; State School for the Blind, Batavia; the Thomas Indian School, Iroquois; State Woman's Relief Corps Home, Oxford; State Hospital for the care of Crippled and Deformed Children, West Haverstraw; Syracuse State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children, Syracuse; State Hospital for the treatment of Incipient Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Ray Brook; Craig Colony for Epileptics, Sonyea; State Custodial Asylum for Feeble-Minded Women, Newark; Rome State Custodial Asylum for Unteachable Idiots, Rome; State Agricultural and Industrial School, Industry; State Training School for Girls, Hudson; Western House of Refuge, Albion; New York State Reformatory for Women, Bedford; the State Training School for Boys; and Letchworth Village, a custodial asylum for epileptics and feeble-minded. After the Dissolu tion the market was granted with the manor to John, earl of Bedford, and still belongs to the lord of the manor. He fought under John, duke of Bedford, at Verneuil on the 17th of August 1424, and throughout the next four years was Salisbury's chief lieutenant in the direction of the war. Suffolk had already been employed on diplomatic missions by John of Bedford, and from this time forward he had an important share in the work of administration. A riot took place in London, and at the bishop's entreaty, the protector, John, duke of Bedford, came back to England. As this dispute was still unsettled when the parliament met at Leicester in February 1426, Bedford and the lords undertook to arbitrate. He supported Bedford in his attempts to restore order to the finances. The Armagnac administrators who had been driven out of Paris by the duke of Bedford gathered round the young king, nicknamed the "king of Bourges," but he was weak in body and mind, and was under the domination of Jean Louvet and Tanguy du Chastel, the instigators of the murder of John the Fearless, and other discredited partisans. Meanwhile Bedford had established settled government throughout the north of France, and in 1428 he advanced to the siege of Orleans. The duke of Bedford died in 1435, and in the same year Philip the Good of Burgundy concluded a treaty with Charles VII. Nathan Bedford Forrest >> By a treaty concluded by Philip at Amiens in April 1423 with the dukes of Brittany and Bedford, John, duke of Bedford, married Philip's sister Anne, and Arthur of Brittany, earl of Richmond, became the husband of Philip's sister Margaret. When the duke of Bedford besieged Orleans the inhabitants offered to surrender, but to the duke of Burgundy; whereupon Bedford retorted that "he did not beat the bushes for others to take the birds."

11. What Advantage Did Mormon Seek by Selecting Cumorah as the Site for the Final Battle? Copyright © 2015 by Jerry L. Ainsworth Mormon doubtless considered many factors in his selection of the place for the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites: And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle. (Mormon 6:2) And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites. (Mormon 6:4; emphasis added) An understanding of a few historical realities is necessary if Book of Mormon readers are to understand fully the factors shaping the selection of Cumorah as the battleground. 1. The Nephites lived in the land southward The Nephites had lived in the land southward for close to 950 years. If we are correct about that land being Mesoamerica southward of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, then we must realize that other groups were living in that same area when Lehi landed and that these groups had been there for well over four hundred years (see Note 1 at the conclusion of this response). 2. Other peoples lived in the land northward The Book of Ether states that at least six families came to this continent with Jared (see Ether 1:41). The 1547 History of the Things of New Spain by Bernardino de Sahagun states that there were seven families. However, the Book of Ether is a brief account of only two of those families: “And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother” (Ether 6:1). Moroni’s history did not include the record of the other four or five families. Based on the comments of Mormon and Moroni, the land northward also included the “north countries” (see Mormon 2:3 and Ether 1:1). Presumably, there were existing cultures in those countries also—and all of these need not be remnants of the people of Jared. Mormon and Moroni also noted that within the land northward, there were “south countries” (Mormon 6:15), all of which were either south or southeast of the land of Cumorah. All of these cultures need not be associated with the three groups the Book of Mormon talks about (the people of Jared, people of Lehi, and people of Mulek), as there were certainly other groups that had traveled to Mesoamerica during Book of Mormon days. 3. Teotihuacan controlled Mesoamerica during Book of Mormon times Well-established groups of people were living in the land northward before, during, and after the Nephite nation developed in Mesoamerica. Evidently, Mormon and his family lived in one of these cities: “And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla” (Mormon 1:6). Archaeologists concur that the most powerful city in the land northward during Book of Mormon times was the city of Teotihuacan, whose ruins lie thirty-five miles northeast of Mexico City. Residents of this city had political control over all of Mesoamerica, which therefore included the Nephites and Lamanites. This control was political, not military, and came from the power they generated through trading and commerce. (See Esther Pasztory, Teotihuacan: An Experiment in Living [Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1997], Note 2.) A Battlefield Distant from Other Cultures Mormon was faced with numerous political and strategic factors in addition to those posed by the Nephites and Lamanites. He was not free to capriciously make a decision to schedule a final battle anywhere he wanted. That choice was certainly influenced, if not dictated, by political and cultural realities of the day. He could no more say to the Lamanites, “Let’s go to a populated land northward, a foreign country, and have a battle,” than the president of the United States could say to the president of Mexico, “Let’s take both of our armies to Ottawa, Canada, and have a final battle.” The Canadians would certainly not agree to that. I believe that existing cultures and countries were extant in AD 385 in the land northward and that Mormon had to consider them when deciding on a place for the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites. Scheduling such a battle adjacent to existing cities and countries would be one of those considerations. If he had moved his army of 240,000 Nephites (Mormon 6:11, 12, 14) to the wrong location, he would have ended up fighting more than the Lamanites. He wanted to fight the battle at a location that would give him an advantage, not a disadvantage. Factors That Could Produce an Advantage for the Nephites Given the time, location, and circumstances that Mormon had to deal with, what would give him the advantage he mentions in Mormon 6:4? 1. Human considerations Mormon had a quarter of a million people to consider when deciding on the location of the battle. Principal among his considerations was the providing of food and water for this large group—what was left of the Nephite nation. He also had to decide what to do with those Nephites not fit for battle—the old, infirm, babies, handicapped, sick, retarded, etc. Certainly, he did not want them at the battle. The ninth chapter of Moroni gives some clues as to what he did with such people. 2. Political considerations The location of the battle had to be set in a place that was acceptable to existing cultures, countries, and polities. Mormon doubtless required approval of (or at least acquiescence to) the proposed location from the political capital of that time and location, Teotihuacan (see Note 2). 3. Strategic considerations Mormon would have sought strategic advantages in the battle, perhaps including the following: A location that would take the Lamanites away from their base of operation and stretch their supply lines. A location that would take its physical toll on the Lamanite army in their efforts to reach the place of battle. A location that would facilitate the production of weapons of war—or the purchase of weapons of war. A place from which survivors could escape. Some Nephites, as well as the people of Ammon, had moved to the land northward over three hundred years earlier (see Helaman 2–3 and Ether 1:1). Some of these Nephites, under Mormon’s command, certainly had distant relatives in the land northward—including both Mormon and Moroni (see Mormon 8:5). If nothing else, Mormon knew that Moroni would need to survive and, with the plates, avoid the Lamanites by retreating farther northward. Being close to a route, as well as to distant relatives, would help in that regard. Minimally, Mormon’s wife’s family (Moroni’s mother) probably lived in the land northward. Incompatibility of the Tuxtla Mountains In my opinion, the Tuxtla area on the Gulf of Mexico, the area of Cerro Vigia (which some say is the hill Cumorah of the Book of Mormon), would be one of the last places a general would want to fight a battle. It is very close to the land occupied by the Lamanites (that is, the land southward after it was given to the Lamanites by treaty as described in Mormon 2:28–29), making it a short distance for the Lamanites to travel. It is only thirty miles from Tres Zapotes, a regional capital at the time of the battle of Cumorah (385 AD). Although food and water were certainly available in the Tuxtla area, to some degree that area was a marshland during the time of the battle of Cumorah. Other places farther north of Cerro Vigia had similar conditions of fresh, clean water and an ample supply of fish for food, but these areas would be much more difficult for the Lamanites to access and would also be more remote and not located close to other countries. For those and many other reasons, I have always placed the land of Cumorah closer to the Tampico area of Mexico—an area that appears to be a better candidate for Cumorah than the Tuxtla area where Cerro Vigia is located. I believe Cerro Bernal in the state of Tamaulipas to be the hill Cumorah where the final battle was fought. For many years, I have attended annual Maya conferences sponsored by the University of Texas and the University of Pennsylvania. I have always been perplexed that, to the best of my knowledge, I have been the only Latter-day Saint at the conferences. At the March 2007 Maya conference at the University of Texas, Dr. Richard Hansen of Idaho State University reported as follows: These earlier sites (BC 1000 and forward) were very complex and sophisticated and extended from LaVenta to the Pacific side of Mexico and then up into the highlands of Guatemala, as well as into the Mirador basin. Nakbe and other sites date to BC 1000. From BC 800 to BC 600, their buildings were crude. Then, around BC 600, something happened, and their buildings became much more sophisticated. They were developed and shaped more uniformly. After BC 600, there is evidence of influence from the highlands of Guatemala, which came down the Usumacinta River. I have known for years that the Nephite nation existed side by side with other cultures in Mesoamerica, but I did not know what percentage of those populations the Nephites represented. It may be possible in the coming years to determine, or at least project, an answer to that riddle. During the last two years, while attending the annual Maya conferences at the University of Texas and the University of Pennsylvania, I listened to reports given by archaeologists of cities along the Usumacinta River (river Sidon) that were abandoned in and around AD 350. This is the date Mormon gives for the Nephites abandoning their cities and moving to the land northward. Archaeologists report that some of these cities along the river were abandoned—but not all. In a few years, the archaeologists should be able to make an educated guess as to how many of the ancient cities along the Usumacinta (the Peten area of Guatemala and southern Mexico) were abandoned in AD 350 and how many were not. This information could give us a peek into what percentage of the cities in that area were Nephite and what percentage were not. Currently, it appears that more of the cities were non-Nephite than were those occupied by the Nephites, as most were not abandoned in AD 350. At the March 2007 Maya conference at the University of Texas, Dr. Charles Golden of Brandeis University reported that “We are finding a large number of Preclassic sites along the Usumacinta River that were abandoned around AD 350. There is a silent period before the places were reoccupied, or in some cases, they were not reoccupied.” I put those comments in quotes, but I was not recording them electronically. I was taking notes as fast as my writing would allow. I’m fairly certain the quotes are accurate, but they may not be exact. At the March 2007 Maya conference at the University of Texas, Dr. Megan O’Neill of the University of Southern California said the following: Rulers of the cities of the Usumacinta Basin also traveled to Teotihuacan to receive their bona fides, which legitimized their rulership. Those bona fides included a sign or symbol that was worn in the ruler’s headdress, giving him or her legitimacy. Given the political influence that Teotihuacan had over the existing cultures of that time, Nephite, Lamanite, and others, and because I believe Mormon was raised in Teotihuacan, it makes much more sense for the Nephites to accept Mormon, a fifteen-year-old boy, as their leader. Given the political power of Teotihuacan, the Nephites were rather obliged to do so. The facts that Mormon was also a “pure descendant of Nephi” and was large and politically well connected simply sealed the decision to accept Mormon as their leader. In Mormon 2:1, Mormon is a little vague as to whether he was the leader of the Nephite nation, the Nephite army, or both.

Primary Color is a browser extension that can be good for internet surfing for those users who is eager to find some advantageous shopping on-line. But such add-ons irritate users with the popping-up windows like all bundled browser extensions. If you did not download the browser add-on or you regret that the software is installed, so you can look through this article entirely and perform the method that will be helpful to remove Primary Color. If you need the quick effective program for its removal this browser extension, so you are welcome to use the handy program from this article. Main advantages of Spyhunter 4: - Eliminates all component parts created by Primary Color. - Can fix browser problems and protect browser settings. - Has System and Network Guards, so you can forget about malware. What is Primary Color? Primary Color is a program for browser that can be downloaded by a user, but also can be a bundled software to free program. Primary Color displays multiple advertising information in the form of irritating popping-up windows. Some users are not pleased with its work or are astonished that it is on the computer at all. So, Primary Color is one of the undesirable browser extensions that should be removed from thePC. 1. Install Primary Color Removal Tool: Step 1. Left-click Start Step 2. Choose Control Panel Step 3. 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The presence of any browser add-on can make the try to protect the security of the browser impossible. And, as a consequence, some online offenders are able to use your PC or collect your private information. If you cannot fancy your browser without browser extensions, then I can advise you to download extensions from well-known vendors only, possibly it will help you to protect the PC. But you should realize that it is better not to have any browser add-ons at all. It is important to understand that any installed browser add-on has already got the allowance to collect your private information that you enter when fill in some forms on-line. The information, including your telephone number, your name, your email, etc. Can be delivered to some advertising companies. Be provident downloading any browser add-ons and do not download them, if you have not a real necessity in it. Primary Color is a promotional add-on that installs some other dangerous objects. 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Here is the list of them: - Many ads and pop-ups shown by Primary Color - Very slow PC - Antimalware finds some dangers - Some changes in the browser (toolbars, homepage, search engine) - Search results are hijacked - Presence of Primary Color files, folders and registry entries Manual and Automatic Removal Methods? Manual ways of removal that you can execute to uninstall Primary Color from browsers are secure and not so complicated as you may think. Perhaps, only automatic way of removal is easier. This method is very powerful for the browser vendors worry about your right to install or uninstall any extensions. The way of removal will give you a chance to delete all the undesirable browser add-ons and ads will not annoy you any more. But occasionally, using this way of removal users notice that the program is installed again in the browser and they need to fulfill any other methods to delete it. Nevertheless removal way that give instructions to eliminate the files, folders and registry entries is the most harmful one. If you risk to use this removal technique, in this case you should retain only one simple rule: do not forget to create the backup of the registry. Also the method should be carried out only by the user that understands what and why he should eliminate.If you will delete several files or registry keys and values that do not pertain to Primary Color, then your system will not start up next time. Specialists will not step off and can take pleasure the effectiveness of this manual technique. Automatic method is the method when a user downloads any removal program to solve the issue. This method refers to the most safe and effective. It is also not a difficult one. You should just download the antivirus software that has Primary Color in its signatures. This removal way is more useful because you will have the antivirus that will guard the PC from the future possible computer infections. Concerning the money that users may spend on the removal of the virus I should say that some removal techniques are absolutely free, for example manual removal from browsers, manual professional removal (in the case if you will do it by yourselves), free antivirus software and the removal from Control Panel. But not all of them are powerful. The information about the effectiveness of these removal ways I describe in the table that is called ‘Removal methods statistics’ below. Speaking about the paid ways of virus removal, I should enumerate the Computer Repair Shop Service and paid Antivirus software. These methods are the most forceful. In spite of the great difference in the price (Repair Shop service depends on the complication of the issue and may cost up to $300, but paid antivirus costs up to $60) these removal techniques are almost equal in the effectiveness and in the results. I should also say that paid antiviruses always has support service (often free) that will solve your problem like in an expensive computer repair shop. Removal methods statistics |Removal method||Price||Effectiveness||Safety||Needed Time| |Computer Repair Shop||$130-$220||+++||+++||up to 4 days| |Paid Antivirus||$25-50||+++||+++||up to 1 hour| |$0||+/-||+/-||up to 3 hours| |From Control Panel||$0||+/-||++||up to 1 hour| |Manual Removal (Professional)||$0||+||–||up to 4 |Removal from browsers||$0||+/-||+/-||up to 1 hour| There is a plenty of useful programs and other antispyware software that can be installed to delete Primary Color and you can choose any of them, but I can advise you Spyhunter. This software is the best Primary Color Removal Tool in my opinion. Removing the add-on you also will afford to guard the system. Spyhunter is a program written by Enigma Software. It involves antispyware and antimalware features, so there are no computer infections that cannot be eliminated with the of it. Spyhunter has a regularly updated virus base that defends your PC from various everyday computer threats. Spyhunter 4 distinguish oneself from its previous versions with its outstanding and handy interface, its efficiency, effective guard and with the capacity not to conflict with other antivirus software installed on the PC. Thus, you can installseveral antispyware utilities simultaneously if you want. Spyhunter gives real-time protection, has Integrated SpyHunter Compact OS that let to remove the most stubborn viruses and the dependable live technical support. Spyhunter is compatible with Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Seven/8, it needs 256 MB of RAM, 75 MB of available hard disk space. How to use Spyhunter First of all you need to download Spyhunter on your PC. You can use the download link from this article. Next you should install Spyhunter like every antimalware tools. I should say that this antivirus tool can be installed easily and it will be comprehensible for most foreign users due to the wide range of languages that you are welcome to choose. This makes Spyhunter almost unreserved leader among all other world antivirus utilities. Being installed this antivirus tool needs update, ordinarily this action begins by itself, if not, so you should do it. When the update release is installed, you need to start a Scan. You are welcome to remove the tick in the Quick Scan check box, if you need to scan your computer utterly. But generally Quick scan is enough to define all probable threats and this function save your time and effort. When the scan is finished you can look through the list of computer infections and remove the ticks near the helpful programs that Shyhunter define as malicious or undesired tools. To remove the viruses you should left-click Fix Threats. If you have already paid for the license, so the computer threats will be eliminated. If you did not, then you you can do it now. This page characterizes several methods to remove Primary Color, I hope, they were effective for you and the undesired program for browser is removed. Nevertheless your PC can be infected every day and so it should be protected. I suggest you to have an antivirus program that will guard your system daily and will help you to the system at least once a week The downloaded antimalware software should have a extensive base of signatures and regular updates. The most modern antimalware utility has real-time protection. It is the protection that is able to find viruses on your computer when it is just trying to infect your system. Spyhunter comply all the listed claims. So, I suppose it is able to protect your computer better than any other and however it is able to create a real-time bar to all the everyday computer threats. This easy-to-use program will do a scan for you. It will reveal all the computer infections and even all the possibly unwanted programs. If you downloaded any useful utility for your work, but Spyhunter reveals it as the malicious program, but you are perfectly positive that the software cannot be malicious, so you can add it to Exclusions and Spyhunter will not remove it and never will detect it as a computer threat any more. If you need to scan just single file, so you can take advantage of Custom Scan function. You can also apply Process Guard or Registry Guard of this program for your convenience. I also want to advice you some useful actions that will protect your computer from Primary Color and other computer threats in the future: - Do not install any freeware from unknown creators. If you do not like to pay for software, then you should be very careful during the installation of the application. You should not miss the checkbox (usually small letters somewhere in the corner) that is responsible for the installation of any other applications. You should uncheck this checkbox. - Do not visit any malicious websites (porn, for adults, websites of unknown free software), they usually contain some worms or other variants of viruses. - Do not use torrents or other sharing web services, because you can download virus instead of the needed file. - Do not open email attachment from unknown persons. It can be a virus. - Install any antivirus software and make a scan of your system at least once a week. How to eliminate Primary Color easily (Video) About Author: Material provided by: Alesya Orlova

by Tef Poe Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. His next project War Machine 2 was released this Tuesday, June 5th and will be followed up by a full-length with DJ Burn One entitled Cheer For The Villain. Follow him on twitter @tefpoe. Get War Machine 2 here. Every week in I'm Just A Rapper Tef discusses modern life, hip-hop, and the deep connection between them. So I'm on Facebook, and I notice a status from Wally Wallace of Best Out Ent. -- an Indie label with a battalion hip-hop of acts making noise in various regions. The Facebook status from Wally was speaking on how his primary focus for the label in the future would be learning the science of writing a proper press release. I instantly liked the status and decided this week's blog subject would focus on a few things every indie artist needs to know. I'm not a master of the arts on every level, and I'm constantly focusing on learning tricks to the trade I don't know. I'm not a marketing genius, so some of these things may be common sense. I invite any and everyone to leave a comment with any type of advice that have been useful in their struggle to make it in the entertainment business. I am not a guru and there's a lot of stuff I don't know. But as a growing artist I am always willing to learn and share info. I see a bunch of articles like this written by douche bag people in the St. Louis music scene. So let me make this clear: I am not attempting to use this as an opportunity to act like I am Missouri's Lyor Cohen. In the grand scheme of things, I do not know a fraction of the things I should know about the industry. I know of a few age-old music industry remedies that work on some level, so I decided to share them: 1. Give Your Supporters Something to Believe In You need something larger than your music for your fan base to attach themselves to. Aside from your original songs throw out some freestyles over popular records to show your listeners that you have the talent to keep up with whatever is current in the industry. Rap over a popular beat and give them the mental reference of hearing you over music they are familiar with. Remember: No one cares about your songs, so you have to find something that will inspire them to believe in you. Find noteworthy causes you can attach yourself to. Give your career a life outside of your music. You can drop song after song and video after video but it simply won't work if the people do not believe in you. Take yourself out of the box drop a few freestyles periodically and kick a few freestyles at your live shows. Learn how to book your own shows and become a self-reliant machine. If you perform at a venue you should be the first person there and the last person to leave. Don't be afraid to work the room by shaking hands and having extended conversations with the supporters. Network with venues owners and artists in other cities. You have to sell your story and personality to the public. If you drop a free mixtape create an exit strategy that will eventually lead you to some form of a currency stream. Promotion works best if you allow it to run its course in phases. This gives the people a chance to learn about you and understand who you are. If they don't believe in you then they won't invest time and money into you. A fanbase that believes in the artist will do anything under the sun to help spread the word. This all basically starts with the artist deciding to become more proactive about their career. You need to take responsibility into your hands. Let your brain come up with comprehensive ideas that make sense and apply these things to your career. The more hands on you become the more you will notice the energy around you start to shift. You'll start believing in yourself on a totally different level than previously, and you'll notice the public doing the same. There is indeed strength in numbers and sometimes you need to dictate to the people what they should believe in. Respect the power of a grassroots campaign. Sometimes you won't understand the logic behind certain moves you need to make. They may seem too small for your persona at the moment. You start believing in yourself other people will follow. This is rap music we're discussing, so if you want to impress people show them you can rap at all costs. The problem is your rap skills and your rap records don't always rely on each other. Initially no one will care about your records hence the goal shouldn't be for you to push a song. You should focus on making a audience embrace your persona beyond the music. 2. Formulate a Realistic Plan Getting signed to Interscope in six months is not realistic on any level whatsoever. Getting signed to any major label, period, is not a realistic first step. As an artist you need to determine what demographic identifies with you. Learn about these people and the places they hang out. Find a way to discover what your core audience is. If you make music that sounds similar Dead Prez, then attempting to push it at clubs that only play trap rap may not work. The same thing applies on the reverse side of the coin. When we recorded "The Redeemer" I took a giant piece of cardboard and wrote out each and every goal the project was supposed to accomplish for me. I actually took this trick from J-Toth. I had realistic goals written on the cardboard. At the time most of my goals a bit more simplistic than they would be today. I wanted to make sure we initially gave away 500 CDs, hand to hand. I didn't have much money so it took me a while to work my way up to 500. Once we got there, I marked it off on the board and beefed up my respective goals. I had about 50 different objectives I wanted to accomplish, and having them organized on this piece of cardboard in my living room served as a reminder of everything I needed to do in order to gain more fans and overall support. I think having a realistic plan is the most important thing on the to do on this list. I saw an instant change in my situation from this activity. 3. You Need A Budget The primary goal of any indie artist should be to eventually find an investor of some sort. In the beginning, this is going to be extremely difficult and honestly for most individuals it may not happen. So you'll need to find different ways to invest in yourself. You also need to discover ways to gain sponsorships. Save money and apply it to your career. I see so many rappers waste money on stupid ish. You are not Dom Kennedy so spending money on the same kicks he has on is a waste when you can take those same ends and apply them to a video, a PR campaign, marketing, graphic design, etc. As a rapper, image is indeed important, so I agree with creating a fashion budget for yourself once you can afford it. But in the long run, what good do those new clothes do you if you don't have a fan base to wear them for. It's important to know that nothing moves in the music industry without cash. You decided to be a rapper so now you're same business as Jay-Z and every other rapper you idolize. Jay-Z has a trillion dollars, so now this is what you are competing against. Rappers who are signed to major labels are increasingly beginning to think like indie artists, since the labels are suffering financially more and more each year. If you are trying to become a rapper with zero money in the bank to invest in yourself, you have already lost the battle. 4. The Team Everyone talks about having a team and this is also a very, very, very important step. More importantly having the right team in place is the ultimate goal concerning this subject. You need to do everything you can to make sure everyone in your circle has the same exact dedication level. Partial dedication will only equate to partial results. I've longed spent time dealing with circles of people that were kind of dedicated to my cause. If you're going to be successful, everyone has to share the vision and be on the same exact mission. We all know the importance of having a team delegating responsibilities to each member. We very seldom discuss the need for everyone on the team to be completely dedicated to the music they are pushing. My music is not just my music -- my music belongs to my team. I don't create the music alone, I may conceptualize it but we all collectively give life to it. Everyone needs a job or task that should be performed daily. No one should be allowed to take a day off without reasoning. If for whatever reason any individual on your team does not feel that your music if the future of ALL music then do yourself a favor and cut them immediately. You shouldn't be surrounded by "yes men" but you do need to be surrounded by people that value your talent and will do everything they can to push it. According to my management I am the best rapper alive -- not only do they believe this, but they live it and breathe it. This is primarily why I decided to partner/sign with Overdose Ent. As an artist you need these type of believers in your corner fighting for you 24/7. There is absolutely no way you can make it without a team. If the team has dedication issues you are hustling backwards and wasting time. 5. Learn How To Type A Press Release You won't get many looks in the media if you have no clue how to present your music to it. Sometimes you may not have music to actually release at the time but you want to find a creative way to announce that you are currently working on a new project. This is why you need to understand the value of a press release. Professionalism is the key to success and releasing a song via Facebook with zero additional information being sent to hip-hop blogs, web sites, deejays of all sorts or fans on your email list is a complete waste of time. You don't have a record but you need to function and act like you do. Def Jam doesn't drop the new Rozay single via Facebook or Twitter and call it a day. A press release gives you the opportunity to build a campaign and notify the public and media about the things to come from your camp. This is one of the simplest yet most neglected ways gaining attention. I personally don't drop or do anything without attempting to have a press release attached or previously emailed to the proper personal. Compile a list of local media publications and send them a press release when there is noteworthy news about yourself to report. The press release often saves time for them and can be easily copied and published. Remember this is an image based industry and sometimes we focus so much on the image of our physical appearance we forget that the way we present our music also has an image attached to it. The lack of a press release in certain situations simply says your local and you don't have a team of people with special interests investing time into your career. 6. Understanding Your Market We live in Missouri, I know this might be a shocker to you but to the record execs in New York City there is no difference between Helena, Montana and St. Louis Missouri. Do you know anything about Helena, Montana's music scene? What was the last rapper you heard of from Helena? Does anyone in America give a damn about Helena hip-hop besides the people that live there? No. I hate to say it but this is how I view St. Louis. I love the Lou but this is not L.A., Miami, or Atlanta. The majors shut doors on us a while ago but for some reason St. Louis rappers seem to think this is the Bronx in the golden era. A lot of us allowed the success of Nelly and the St.Lunatics to fool us. They had a plan and it worked. God bless them but you are not them. They left the market and came back home shining like champions. You live Nebraska and you're the biggest indie rapper there. Guess what?? Nobody outside of Nebraska will likely give a damn. You have to understand your market and become familiar with how it moves. You need to learn about the type of business your market breeds. Kid Cudi left Ohio and moved to New York because there was no way in hell he would get signed living and dying in Ohio. There are no major labels here. The major labels have absolutely no clue wtf is going out here. The major labels do not care about what is going on out here in the middle of a country bumpkin cornfield. How are you going to maneuver in a market many industry professionals have labeled the dead zone? You need to understand the market you are working and learn how to make it work for you. If you don't understand the market your strategy for getting yourself out there will more than likely fail. You will spend years running around in the same circles, making the same mistakes, assuming that you are gaining ground when you actually are not. Learn about the market and build your strategy from there. 7. Marketing, Branding and Name Recognition The quality of your marketing campaign pretty much dictates the momentum of your career. The quality of your branding can potentially provide new ways for you to make money. Every day of my life I am fighting for a better understanding of how to properly market myself. These days I fortunately have people in positions higher than myself, responsible for finding creative methods to handle all of the above. Even though this is the case as the artist I am responsible for making sure I do everything humanly possible to spread my name around. I feel like I don't know much about marketing. The best advice I can give you in these regards is pitch your music to the people that identify with it. Originality goes three thousand times further than anything else in most cases. I was told by a person who shall remain nameless, "Nothing is organic in the music industry -- everything that happens is something someone made happen." I believe you have to make it difficult for people to ignore you. On some level you have to find a way to be everywhere at once. Marketing is about creating illusions and steamrolling people into believing in this illusion before they see the man behind the curtain. The power of your branding is in your hands. This can easily start with posters, stickers and mixtapes to hand out. You need to find creative ways to keep your name alive and active in the heart and minds of your demographic. This process helps create more fans. People typically only attach themselves to music that some sorta fire lit behind it. If everyone is talking about you then everyone will eventually start listening to you also. DJ Trackstar and Corey Black are two people I watched and learned from in this area. 8. Learn To Properly Use Social Networks This is about to turn into some sort of rant so follow me. Every day, I log onto to Facebook and Twitter to witness rapper after rapper use it the wrong way. My right to showcase my opinion about famous rappers on Twitter died when I decided to join the industry they are all in control of. Twitter has a widespread reach and you truthfully have no idea who's watching you. It's cool to follow Lil Wayne and see what he's tweeting about but it's smarter to follow his management, stylist, PR team, etc. There are at least 30 plus people attached to any celebrity you can think of. If you're on Twitter or Facebook acting like a fan boy or tweeting negative things about these people you are an idiot. I mean, if your goal is to stay on your couch tweeting forever then you're good. If you have the balls to live and die with these opinions then you're good. I realized along time ago everyone in the industry is connected. Managers are fired and rehired by different camps. A&R's leave one label and go work for the next. These relationships are all maintained over the course of time. You are not in the club yet, so it's probably not a smart move to say something unsavory about the people that run it. You're not in the game yet so none of that really matters. Rappers don't blog or say negative ish about other rappers unless they are ready for the problems that will follow. Remember once again, whether you know it or not, you are now officially in the same industry as Jay-Z and Eminem. They run this industry, and you don't. I would never go to work and write a paragraph about how my boss can't dress. I'd never go to work stand up on the break room table and yell out, "F%^k this place." People do these things and expect some sort of promotion to be gifted to them. By not watching what you say on Twitter this is exactly what you are doing. Spamming your songs and making stats about "doing it big" only make you appear to be an idiot. Who cares if you dropped a song on Facebook today and posted it on everyone's Wall. Spamming will definitely help you lose more potential fans than it will gain you. Social Networking gives you a chance to showcase your personality and give the people something besides the music to attach themselves to. It's cool to use this tool to promote yourself, but do it the right way: start a fan page, read about industry insiders and follow them on Twitter. You can use Twitter to reach out to artists in different cities. Promote your shows creatively by telling the fans what to expect. I let my fans do the spamming for me. If the music is good enough, and the campaign behind it is large enough, the fans will generate energy for you. 9. No One Cares About Your Music A friend of mine told me this ages ago, and it stuck with me. No one in the world cares about your music like you do. As artists, we like to complain, gripe and cry about being slept on. We all feel unappreciated and we think our first free mixtape deserves a Grammy. This feeling isn't unique to you. You're not the first artist that thinks his/her music will change the world, yet no one gets it. Stop crying and do everything under the sun to get your name out there. Work hard, sleep, wake up and work even harder. 10. Street Teaming You need a street team of some sort. If you can't afford to hire one then transform yourself into the street team and handle your business. I have a hired street team, and I also get out in the streets and handle business on my own. You need an army if you want to gain any traction. Ask your friends and family to put in work for you. Pass out flyers, hang up posters, go to club and pass out CDs to people as they leave. If you allow yourself to be ignored then you will indeed remain ignored. You need a crew of individuals who are ready to beat up the pavement and promote your music. Recruit anyone you can and turn them into a soldier offer them special incentives like free entry to your shows as rewards for being a part of the team. I spent time on regional street teams for Atlantic Records, Interscope and Universal. This taught me how to properly work my own projects. It also helped me build relationships within the music scene that I otherwise would not have formulated. I strongly advise everyone to work for another person's street prior to starting your own. The amount of knowledge you'll gain from this situation will change your life. Paul Wall started out as a street team member and used his experience in this sector to his own benefit. I think every rapper needs to do a bid as a street-team member. 11. Learn about Contracts and Percentages There are 3,000 different types contracts in this business. First of all, you need to have access to a lawyer after your career reaches a certain point. You can download a standardized recording contract from the Internet and read over it. I suggest you study it and learn about the language of the contract. There are a million rappers, but unfortunately hardly a fraction of them are educated about the makings of the industry. I know this might come as a shocker to you, but uneducated people do not rule the world. Most of the highest paid rappers in the industry are actually college educated. Yeah, your favorite gangster rapper has a college degree. My point is no one is going to give a million dollars to a unapologetic idiot if they don't have to. A&R's don't give a damn about your YouTube views. You're not special to them. They don't care about how many blogs posted your songs. They care about dollars and cents. The bottom line is they work for someone and that someone is not you. The entire industry is designed to protect the interests of everyone except the actual artist. Learn about your publishing rights and take advantage of the incentives offered to you through owning your publishing. Use the Internet to your advantage, by Googling a standardized recording contract. These are the types of things you should study in your spare time. I'm not filthy rich. I'm not a marketing genius. But I do believe nothing can stop you from deciding to work harder than everyone else. I see the potholes in my personal and grind and it motivates me to do better. We have the opportunity to become whatever we desire. We absolutely have to work at it like we've never worked at anything else. Nothing is guaranteed, but I sincerely believe hard work finds a way to pay off. Everything happens for a reason, the longer we live the more grow and learn. God bless every artist out there with the hopes of spreading their music to the masses. It's not going to be easy. If you work hard and create a plan that makes sense you can do it. Everything starts with the music but you need to know when to branch out and do other things in the name of the music. I write this blog once week with this very thing on my mind. It's about going the extra mile and doing what everyone else won't do. It's about going all over St. Louis, putting flyers and posters everywhere you can. It's about putting something unique together and giving it a chance to come alive. People aren't willingly fans of new music. You have to find a way to force yourself on to them without scaring them away. Everything in our lives is moving 300 miles per hour so keep your eyes and ears open. The industry is constantly changing so be aware of this and try to peaceful exist within the madness of the business. Your best bet is to be proactive and plan ahead of time at all cost. You need money to fund your goals. I don't word dreams because dreams don't come true and America's last great African-American dreamer was shot to death on a balcony. So my motto is forget a dream, set some goals and go for it. Learn everything you can being dumb won't cut it. Wack rappers succeed because they are often smarter than the people with talent. I read an article from Beanie Sigel a while ago. He said write a thousand raps because you'll need them all when you get signed. I took that advice and kept it with me. You can never read or know too much when it comes to the music industry. Everything you read about the business will have something that you can utilize for the rest of your career if you're smart about it. I research everything I can, including names of managers, studios and label employees. You have to become a machine if you want to win. I don't know it all but I'm willing to learn on a constant basis and this is the key to survival. Picks of the week Streetza Ria - Cold World (mixtape) http://www.datpiff.com/mixtapes-detail.php?id=368153 Snipes x BC -19 In My Nina (video) http://youtu.be/qXXIbyloJDo Alley Boy -I Say Nato Caliph -Add On Adultfur - Blazertone , Lonely Love Scriptz N Screwz -On 10, Brick http://youtu.be/8TjXa7EhiNo (dope animated video) Pusha T, Kanye West -New God Flow Indiana Rome feat Bryant Stewart - Hol Up Chief Keef - I Don't Know Dem, Everyday, Sosa Trixie -Little Miss Incredible 2- http://www.datpiff.com/Trixie-Little-Miss-Incredible-2-mixtape.369651.html

For all the talk of economic opportunities opening up as the Arctic Ocean thaws, new development and investment will remain constrained by tough environmental rules, high costs and harsh weather. That was the take-away message Sunday from the Arctic Imperative Summit at a swank hotel overlooking Alaska's only ski resort, where scores of visionaries gathered to discuss the Arctic's promising but star-crossed future. Attendees needed to look no further than the stuttering, start-stop-start experience of Royal Dutch Shell in the Chukchi Sea off Barrow at the top of the world. Shell executive Pete Slaiby recounted what has gone on in the six years since he arrived in Alaska to lead Shell back into the Arctic to drill in the Chukchi and the Beaufort sea to the east. Experts estimate more than 25 billion barrels of oil await beneath the seabed there. Shell has spent years trying to launch an exploratory drilling program. The company is optimistic it will be drilling soon, Slaiby said. But the summer is almost over, and it has only been in recent days that its two drilling rigs departed Dutch Harbor in Alaska's Aleutian Islands for Shell's Burger prospect in the Arctic 1,200 miles to the north and its Beaufort prospect even farther away. After spending $4.5 billion and fending off dozens of lawsuits, the company had hoped to begin drilling up to five wells in July. But regulatory hurdles and lingering sea ice delayed the effort, and the company will now be lucky to drill two wells. In an interview with reporters Sunday, Slaiby said Shell has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Interior Department that might provide the company with more drilling time. The problems are a setback not just for Shell, but for the oil-dependent state of Alaska that has pinned its economic hopes on Shell for years. Oil production has been declining for years at the oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. The state depends on oil tax to fund about 90 percent of its budget. It needs to keep oil flowing through the 800-mile trans-Alaska oil pipeline, and Shell is the great crude hope. Shell safely conducted exploratory drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas more than two decades ago, but left as oil prices sank and the costs of extracting oil rose. They've returned to resume exploration efforts with improved drilling technology and an unprecedented quantity of equipment to stop a spill. Despite the technological advances and Shell's experience, drilling has proven no easier this time around than in the past. And if Shell finds the elephant field for which it is looking, getting that oil into production could prove even more daunting. The Interior Department recently announced it's proposing to set aside much of the nation's 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to protect it from development. Shell has been thinking about threading a pipeline or pipelines across the reserve to connect to the existing oil line. David Hayes, an Interior deputy secretary, told an audience of about 200 at that Arctic Imperative Summit that the NPR-A proposal balances ecology and development. In addition to closing off environmentally important areas, the plan would lead to increased leasing opportunities for oil companies in the reserve, and allow access for a Shell pipeline. Some in the audience were skeptical. Former Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowsk said the Interior's plan, which could be finalized late this year, will prevent drilling in the most oil-rich areas of NPR-A, including near Teshukpuk Lake. It is an ecologically sensitive area considered a vital nesting site for migratory birds. With the federal government owning two-thirds of Alaska, and preventing industrial activity on most of it, development in Alaska often means "a lot of talk and very little actual production," Murkowski complained. What will the latest government land-protection plan do to any of Shell's hopes for pipelines spanning more than 200 miles across western Alaska to the trans-Alaska oil pipeline? Slaiby said Shell is evaluating. On the positive side, he said, the Interior Department is no longer considering an earlier proposal that would have limited development even more. But the new plan remains a concern. "When you hear the (Interior) secretary say, well it doesn't -- and I can't quote him exactly -- 'doesn't foreclose the possibility of a pipeline across NPRA,' that's not exactly a ringing endorsement," Slaiby said. But that is the least of the problems facing Shell at the moment. Few Arctic facilities Other, more-immediate challenges were on the minds of investors, political leaders and others at the summit. Infrastructure in Alaska's Arctic is woefully lacking. There are few roads and none that go anywhere; no railroads; and no deepwater port. Aircraft facilities and communications are limited. Cmdr. Thomas Ostebo, head of the U.S. Coast Guard's Alaska district, clearly laid that out. There were 95 ships with a total of 1,500 people aboard sailing above Alaska last week. He knew where about 45 of them were and the countries to which they were registered. One of the known entities was the Coast Guard's Healy icebreaker, part of an unprecedented but still minimal Coast Guard presence that includes some 40 personnel bunked in hotels in Barrow, the nation's northernmost community. Despite the Coast Guard's increased presence, thousands of miles of Alaska coastline remain lonely and desolate. The agency lack docks for fueling ships or taking on personnel and supplies, Ostebo said, raising questions about response capabilities in the event of a ship collision or an environmental catastrophe. He worried that things are spinning a "bit out of control" in the Arctic. The Coast Guard was recently called in to help with a rescue in Nome in Western Alaska. Getting there from Barrow took a day, he said. Regulatory hurdles and a lack of infrastructure aren't the only things limiting development. David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, said he doesn't believe the Arctic will be an attractive investment opportunity until the Law of the Sea Treaty is ratified by the U.S. Senate. Advocates have said ratification of the United Nations agreement will allow the U.S. to claim a California-sized area off the coast of Alaska, vastly increasing the nation's oil and mineral holdings. Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III said at the summit that it's a toss-up as to whether Congress will approve the treaty this year. Republicans, he said, "don't like like treaties.'' A Republican himself and a former chief of staff for Republican icon President Ronald Reagan, Baker said he believes the Law of the Sea Treaty is vital to U.S. interests, but it will take a full-court press by the Obama administration for it to have any hope of winning approval. Despite the hurdles to Arctic development, Shell has been creeping forward on its oil plans. Shell extra prepared To prevent a possible environmental disaster, Shell is required to have in place multiple layers of protection against a drilling well blowout, including a capping stack. That's now sitting near Shell's Chukchi drill site, Slaiby said. The prospect lies about 70 miles northwest of the village of Wainwright. In a worst-case scenario, the capping stack can be lowered over the well to stop a spill. Shell also plans to soon bring a 36-year-old containment barge to the Arctic. The Arctic Challenger is still being refurbished at a shipyard in Bellingham, Wash. The containment system is designed to capture spilling oil and bring it to the surface. Slaiby said it's Shell's belief that once the barge receives Coast Guard certification, and the company receives its final permits to drill, then Shell can begin doing preliminary well work that does not drill into hydrocarbon zones. "We're getting more and more optimistic about getting the Challenger out of Bellingham in the near-term," he said. "When that happens, it's our belief we can start work as quick as we have an APD (permit to drill), and that in hand we can do the work that doesn't involve hydrocarbons: the mud line cellar and the 30-inch and the 20-inch casing." Getting the Arctic Challenger from Bellingham to its position in the Arctic will take two weeks, Slaiby said. "There's no real show-stoppers to what needs to be done," said Slaiby of the Challenger. "It's a question of finishing up some pretty basic stuff to get ready." Ostebo of the Coast Guard said the Challenger is "real close" to being certified, but he stopped short of giving an exact date. Coast Guard reviews of the Challenger's systems are occurring daily in Bellingham, he said. Shell has submitted a letter to the Interior Department asking to extend its drilling window in the Chukchi, Slaiby said. Federal regulators required the company to stop drilling there by Sept. 24, to allow the company time to leave the area before sea ice sets in. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Shell's ice experts -- who have been pretty accurate so far -- expect that ice will form later in the year than expected this season, Slaiby said. If Shell's request is approved, that could give the company a couple extra weeks to drill. "We do see a later freeze-up this year, and we think it's supported by some pretty good data and analogous years," Slaiby said. "So we have gone and asked (regulators) to consider that, which (is an option) they had put together in their original permitting language." The Interior Department has not yet responded to the request, he said. As for the company's drilling site in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska's northeast coast, Shell's anchor handlers moved out of the area on Aug. 23 as part of the company's agreement with Inupiat whalers from the villages of Nuiqsuit and Kaktovik. The villages wanted Shell out of the way during the bowhead whale hunting season in the fall. Shell will move its drilling rig back into position there once whaling ends, an annual event that can take several weeks. Federal regulators have given Shell until Oct. 31 to drill in the Beaufort. Whale-hunting season is yet another of the unique hurdles confronting oil drilling in the Arctic. This is most decidedly not the Gulf of Mexico, where oil companies have been punching holes in the seabed on a regular basis for decades. Federal offshore areas in the Gulf -- those areas beyond state territorial waters -- now produce more oil than any state in the nation. Contact Alex DeMarban at alex(at)alaskadispatch.com

Y’all have probably seen the headlines—about fast foodworkers in NYC, Walmart employees across the country, small communities of hair braiders and manicurists taking to the street and the internet and making the case for the “living wage.” Or maybe you remember further back, to Taco Bell’s Tomato pickers in Florida who went on strike a decade ago to draw attention to slavery conditions and unfair wages in the tomato fields of Immokalee Florida, or the 2000 movement in Baltimore led by religious leaders and activitists who came together to argue that tax dollars shouldn’t subsidize poverty-wage jobs, and who saw the living wage movement as a means to address local policy towards the working poor. And then there are the more recent stories—about companies like Gravity Payments in Seattle, whose CEO cut his own salary in order to allow all of his employees a 70000 wage. About cities like Seattle, San Francisco, NYC, and Los Angeles, who have raised their minimum wage to $15. In all of these cases, wages are framed as a moral issue—those who argue for a living wage seek to alleviate poverty, to reduce economic, racial, and social inequality, to empower working people, and to address the gaping chasm of inequality that grows wider every year. But I bring all of this to your attention because it turns out that the living wage shows up long before the United States of America was a twinkle in the eyes of Thomas Jefferson. You see, long before we were debating wages in American society, Jesus was using them to teach the disciples lessons about God in our Scripture today. Let’s take a look at the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 20:1-16: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” A few things we can notice immediately about this story: - Things haven’t changed all that much since Jesus’ day. In this parable, the landowner needs laborers, and so what does he do? He goes to the ancient equivalent of the Home Depot and gathers some workers for his vineyard. So we know that in Jesus’ day, there were clear divisions—there was the landed, working class, and then there were the poor who provided day labor, those who left their families as the sun was rising and stood at the side of the marketplace for hours, hoping for a chance to make enough to pay for dinner. - How much could they hope to make? Well, it turns out that there was a standard daily wage in effect during Jesus’ lifetime too. In this case, the full day wage for an unskilled laborer was a single denarius, or about $20 in today’s currency. So in exchange for 10-12 hours of labor, the poor could hope to earn as much as $2 an hour for often backbreaking work. They are not paid for the time that they spend waiting for someone to show up and offer them work, so we have to assume that this was better than any alternative. - There are more poor people seeking a job than there are jobs to pay them. We can assume that this is true because the landowner in the story is able to return to the marketplace at noon and again at three, and finally at 5pm, which means that there are men who may have been waiting for a job for twelve hours before the landowner finds them. In each case, he agrees to “pay what is right,” which likely assumed they would receive less than the daily wage. All of this is the backdrop to the story that Jesus plans to tell about God. And I think that it is helpful to remember at this point that Jesus told lessons in parables like this because he could describe something familiar to his audience. We can assume, then, that the people he was speaking to were familiar with this economic exchange. This was the stuff of daily life for many of them. We can also assume something else, and that is this: that the people he was speaking to weren’t landowners. It is unlikely that a crowd of landowners had the time or the interest to follow Jesus around as he healed and taught in the countryside. What is more likely is that the laborers—again, the unskilled, the poor, the immigrants and the aliens—had little to lose in spending the day with Jesus. His ability to heal the sick and cure the wounded without expectation of payment likely made him quite popular amongst those who could barely afford to eat. Miraculous stories like the feeding of the five thousand probably sealed the deal for those who had little experience with the gracious providence of God. Because that is exactly where this story is going. Because like many of Jesus’ parables, the story of the laborers in the vineyard takes an unexpected turn. After a day of work in the vineyard, the laborers gather to receive their wage. The landowner asks them to gather together based upon the time at which they were hired, presumably to differentiate their wages, and he calls those who were hired last to come up first. Imagine the surprise of the other workers when they see that those who were hired last receive a full days wage! At first, they are excited—if this is how much the late-comers receive, then they are sure to receive even more! But expectation quickly turns to grumbling as they find that every person, from the last down to the first, receives the same. It seems unfair. They grumble against them landowner, pointing out how much harder and longer they have worked, forgetting that they have received the wage that they agreed to. The wage that seemed sufficient until another worked less and received the same. They do not consider the hours that their neighbors endured by the marketplace, praying for work. They do not consider the calculations that their fellow laborers may have made as they wondered how they would pay for bread for their little ones. All they see is the perceived unfairness of today’s boss. How often do we find ourselves in this situation—where we have labored long and hard to sustain a simple life, even as others seem to gain an easy life without much effort? How often have we found ourselves grumbling against the perceived ease of our neighbors, comparing our hardships against theirs? And how often have we felt that we were dealt an unfair hand, or than another was given an unfair advantage? How much energy have we spent building a ledger by which to compare our lives to our neighbors? And how often do we consider what we do not see? Because when we spend our time building a spreadsheet to compare ourselves to our neighbor, what we miss is the good news—a story about the unmerited generosity of God. Because Jesus never set out to offer a blueprint on how to earn God’s favor. This isn’t really a story about wages and unskilled labor at all. Rather, it is a lesson about how life in God’s Country is different than our own. In God’s Country, no person is left by the edge of the market place. In God’s country, God keeps going back to gather up those who have been forgotten, and gives them a place to offer their gifts. In God’s Country, everyone has enough to feed their family today. Jesus’ parable is a reminder to us that no person deserves the grace that God has offered. In the words of Paul: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ—by Grace we have been saved. In other words—It turns out that all of us are the late-coming laborers! By grace we have been saved through faith, and this is not our own doing, but it is a gift of God. None of us were here when the sun came up, and yet God has given us the gift of grace just the same. So perhaps it is time to give those who come after us a break. Perhaps we can make space for others to receive this gift which we did not deserve. And perhaps we can let go of the ledger sheet on which we measure our worthiness, and the worthiness of our neighbor, so that we can begin to appreciate the gift of grace for what it is: a living wage for all.

Do you know what today is? On top of being Halloween month, today is Friday the 13th! The very reason why I reviewed the movie I did last week, and why this week we’re doing Friday the 13th Part 2. Oh, and did you see Rising from the Crypt? Not only am I reviewing Friday the 13th movies every Friday this month, but a certain Dr. AzarRising is also reviewing Tales From the Crypt every Sunday. Horror’s coming at you from all sides this month my gravediggers and undertakers! But enough self-promotion. Let’s get to the movie. Friday the 13th Part 2(1981) Director: Steve Miner Starring: Betsy Palmer, Amy Steel, and John Furey Sadly, Kevin Bacon died in the first movie, so he won’t be returning this time around. Now that we’ve dealt with that disappointment, the movie opens with the sole survivor of the original movie, Alice, living alone in an apartment trying to retain some sort of semblance to a normal life as she argues with her mother on the phone. After the conversation, she goes to the kitchen feeling uneasy about something. Upon noticing the open window she believes she may be in danger, when suddenly a crew member throws a cat through the window! You read that correctly, a literal cat was literally tossed through an open window for a jump scare. The 80’s were truly a magical time. Recovering from that hilarious, I mean TERRIFYING ordeal, Alice opens the fridge to find Pamela Voorhees’ head in it. She’s promptly killed by an unseen attacker with an ice pick to the head. Again, I have to commend the movie for starting with a death scene so early. Roll opening title, and the movie proper begins. Five years later, counselors are being trained at a camp near Crystal Lake, but are warned not to enter the grounds. There’s a hefty amount of characters in this movie, so I expect lots of good death scenes, especially for the guy in a wheelchair. The first night, the new camp leader, Paul, entertains the group around a campfire, telling the story of Jason and recapping the first movie in a bit of exposition that doesn’t feel remarkably out of place. He talks like Jason is real, and still stalking the woods, when another counselor jumps out to scare the group. This was used by Paul as a way to put to rest any myths or legends about Jason. Later the same night, Crazy Ralph from the first movie shows up to warn the kids that they are all doomed as he had correctly foreseen the last time. But before he can give his warning, he’s promptly choked to death with barbed wire. So much for raising the alarms. Two new counselors venture to the forbidden grounds of Crystal Lake the following day, and after finding a dead dog, are caught by an officer who forces them to return to the camp. Investigating the camp, the officer sees a figure walking in the woods. Investigating the person, the officer finds a rundown shack. Investigating the shack, the officer is killed with a hammer. I find it funny that in two movies so far, for a franchise where the signature weapon is a machete, the only death by machete so far was Pamela Voorhees’ decapitation. Not sure if this is a case of revisionist history, but it’s odd that the weapon most closely tied to the character/franchise hasn’t been used much yet. Later that night, Paul gives the counselors one last night on the town before their training begins in earnest the next day. However, the two counselors that went to Crystal Lake, Jeff and Sandra, are forbidden from going. Mark, the aforementioned ‘guy in a wheelchair’, decides to stay behind because he knows no one wants to hang out with a guy in a wheelchair at a club/bar. He basically throws himself a pity party, but this convinces an attractive female to hangout with him. Only a handful of counselors we’ve already seen decide to go out for the night. Ginny, apparently a budding psychologist, muses that if Jason were present when his mother was killed, he’d have no way to distinguish between life and death, or good and bad. But Paul dismisses Jason as nothing more than an urban legend. While trying to get it on with Terry, Scott gets caught upside down in a rope trap. Terry goes to find something to cut him down with. As Scott hangs there, the unseen figure approaches and slowly slices his throat open. Terry returns to find Scott dead, and is then killed off screen. Damn these off-screen deaths. The movie is only 87 minutes, they could pad their runtime with more deaths, but I guess there’s enough deaths later on, at least I hope. Oh yea, now the fun starts. Mark, the wheelchair guy, continues being a downer, but Vickie, the girl that likes him isn’t having any of his negative shit, and is ready to give up. That’s right, ‘Wheels’ is about to get some, and you know that means he’s going to die instead. Sure enough, after being left on the porch to wait for Vickie, he takes a machete to the face (guess he found the machete!) that sends him rolling/tumbling down the stairs of the porch. It wasn’t the best death scene for the potential it had, but the buildup of this guy from a downer to potential love interest for, possibly, the most attractive woman in the movie, was alright. And that is commendable, you know until he eats steel with his face. The next few deaths happen fairly quickly, Jeff and Sandra, the couple that trespassed earlier in the movie, are killed while having sex. The killer shoves a spear through Jeff’s back (he’s on top like a gentleman) and it goes through him into Sandra and gets stuck in the floor beneath the bed. Beautiful. Vickie, wondering what’s taking Mark so long (ignoring the fact he had to find a way inside from the porch) goes to investigate and finds Jeff and Sandra in an uncomfortable position. She’s then confronted by Jason, finally confirmed to be the killer, but at this point he hasn’t gained his trademark hockey mask. Instead he’s sporting a stylish burlap sack over his head, and stabs her with a knife. After missing all the fun, Ginny and Paul return to the camp and find all the destruction. Jason attacks Paul, and Ginny runs away, and hides under a bed in a different cabin. While there, she sees a rat and pisses herself, giving away her position to Jason. He attacks her, but she wards him off by cutting his arm with a chainsaw and knocking him unconscious with a chair shot to the head (there’s a reason the WWE has outlawed that dangerous move). Unable to start her car, which for a bit of continuity was shown earlier to have problems, she runs into the woods and stumbles on the shack from earlier. In a back room she finds a shrine to Jason’s mother, with Pamela Voorhees’ head at the center, her sweater and the dead bodies of Alice, Terry, and the cop. Ginny puts on Pamela’s sweater and when confronted by Jason tries to play mind tricks on him, and they seem to be working until he sees the actual head of his mother. He attacks her, cutting her leg, and before he can kill her Paul reappears and jumps Jason. Ginny grabs a machete and buries it deep in Jason’s shoulder, seemingly ending the threat. Back at the cabin, Paul and Ginny find Terry’s lost dog, and are immediately attacked by Jason. Ginny is pulled through a window by an unmasked and disfigured Jason, but wakes up later in an ambulance. She’s calling for Paul, but he’s nowhere to be seen. The movie ends on a shot of Pamela Voorhees’ head in the cabin. Years of horror movie watching has trained me to expect her eyes to snap open, but they did not. On to the rating… As difficult as it is to be original in the horror world, it’s even harder when the movie is a sequel. Friday Part 2 was a rehashing of the first, with the only noticeable difference being that Jason is the actual killer this time around. And truth be told, I’m ok with that. Knowing there are 12 movies in the franchise, and where some of them go (New York City?) retreading the first, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There were some inventive kills (although still too many off screen) and better acting all around, except for Wheels, fuck that guy. My biggest gripe with the movie was the ending, I can’t help but feel like there some missing footage from the time Ginny gets pulled through the window, and wakes up in the ambulance. I don’t remember the 3rd well enough to know if they resolve this issue, but as it stands, that’s a big blemish on the movie. Otherwise, it really was a solid sequel, and deserves more credit as being a good 2nd entry in a franchise. (i.e. the sophomore slump most second movies suffer from. I’m looking at you A Nightmare on Elm St 2) For more from the author head over to azarrising.com

We improve people's lives through innovation in research and education Traveling, headaches and change in altitude Would you like to establish donor-advised fund for the above project? You may do so https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/ or by donating to us. Please see more details at: Our peer-reviewed research on sporadic Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis Did you know that in the US only, more than 83,000 people die from Alzheimer's disease every year? Among elderly, roughly every 10th is diagnosed with this condition! Moreover, there are nearly 5.5 Americans living with Alzheimer's disease. For comparison reasons, the population of Los Angeles is about 3.9 million people. We proposed and publisjed the novel pathophysiological pathway where we introduced the Dean number (the degree of curvature) that can help to explain the specific involvement of the Circle of Willis in atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease as anatomically different parts of the Circle of Willis would exhibit various degree of curvature which would predispose to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Ismailov suggested that such mechanism can explain some sporadic cases of Alzheimer’s disease in the presence of minimal damage from atherosclerosis as well as open up new avenues for prevention of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. For more info, click here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3817283/ This research needs your support. Thank you for considering us! High altitude and aging research: thinking outside of the mountain box Did you know that the oldest man from Bolivia (who is now 123) lives in the mountains at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet? Did you also know that some US large cities are located at high altitude such as Denver (5,278 feet), Cheyenne (6,062 feet) or Santa Fe (7,000 feet) etc. Previous large population-based studies found that residents of areas situated at 1500 m or above have longer life expectancies as compared to those who reside at sea level. On one hand, high altitude may have a detrimental effect on various anatomical structures such as muscle structure due to lowered muscle fiber density, mitochondrial volume and enzyme activity involved in aerobic oxidative metabolism. On the other hand, hypoxia can also trigger some potentially beneficial physiological reactions to protect human organism from damage. One potentially beneficial reaction is the higher production of erythropoietin (EPO) by human kidneys. Previous research evidence suggests that subtle hypoxia (5,340 feet) can result in increased production of EPO while presence at 3,000 m above the sea level may result in a sharp, almost 2-fold renal EPO production. Our previous research indicates that the rate of hospitalizations for some conditions is also lower at higher altitude levels. For instance, the proportion of heart failure discharges to all discharges in Maryland (low average altitude) is nearly 2-fold bigger than such proportion in Utah (high average altitude) (0.123 versus 0.064, respectively). In addition, we examined hospitalizations rates for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and we found that rates of AD are significantly lower in the “mountain” states of the US as compared to the states in the lowland area. For example, the proportion of AD discharges to all discharges in low altitude South Carolina or in lowland Maryland is more than 4-fold bigger than such proportion in high altitude Utah (0.017 versus 0.004 respectively). Evidence that high altitude may have lower rates of certain disorders may help to identify a new line of treatment such as various EPO regimens, hyperbaric chamber as well as justify new research in the area. On the other hand, evidence that high altitude may increase risk for various study outcomes may open up new “population at risk” (i.e. high altitude residents, elderly etc.) as well as new avenues for prevention and treatment. For instance, it is possible that individuals with chronic migraine are more likely to have an onset of new clinical symptoms when traveling to high altitude area, therefore such patients and their families would be advised to contact physicians prior to travel. Alzheimer's disease from a new angle Interestingly, it has been more than a century since the discovery of Alzheimer’s disease and yet, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease as well as its exact mechanism remains unknown. Once we understand the mechanism of the development as well as the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, we will be able to find an effective treatment. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease with a strong vascular component and the most frequent form of dementia. Common symptoms include confusion, irritability and aggressive behavior. Alzheimer’s disease affects language and memory skills as well as other vital functions. The prognosis varies from one person to another but is generally poor with the average lifespan of the Alzheimer’s patient of about seven years. Only about one in fifty individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease will survive longer than 14 years following the diagnosis. De la Torre and colleagues have proposed that lowered cerebral perfusion in combination with an energy-dependent intracellular metabolic breakdown can cause sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. A cascade of biochemical reactions can be initiated by decreased cerebral blood flow eventually leading to neurodegeneration. Results from several studies have supported the idea that cerebral hypoperfusion may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, population-based research supports the idea that Alzheimer’s disease may be associated with disorders that either have a strong vascular origin or may cause vascular hypoperfusion. Thus, cumulated research evidence has suggested that Alzheimer’s disease is linked to vascular pathology. However, the mechanism explaining how lowered cerebral blood flow can result in suboptimal delivery of metabolic substances to the brain tissue is not well understood. As mentioned earlier, the beta amyloid peptide deposition and its further accumulation can result in degeneration of smooth muscle cells in the endothelial wall to the extent of the appearance of defects in the wall itself. Other vascular changes include hyalinization and aneurismal dilatation of the vascular wall. Animal-based studies showed that long-term hypoperfusion can lead to vascular lumen distortion as well as basement membrane thickening. One of the theories is that a degenerated vascular wall can result in the normal laminar blood flow becoming turbulent. Amyloid deposits (as well as other changes described above) can disturb the structure of vascular wall by changing its geometry. In turn, there will be conditions for the appearance of turbulent flow, which can decrease the normal delivery of oxygen and other important chemicals to the brain tissue. In addition, wasted metabolic products can not be properly removed from local brain tissues. Please see our current projects for more information Stroke and geographic altitude: more research is needed! Did you know that roughly 140,000 people die each year from stroke in the United States? Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year! For comparison reasons, the population of Seattle, WA is nearly 750,000 and San Francisco, CA is around 852,000. Stroke mortality rates vary substantially not only internationally but often within each country. One of the classic examples is the variation in stroke mortality in the U.S. For decades, higher stroke mortality rates are reported in the Southeast of the U.S. particularly along the coastline. Such specific stroke rate pattern relates to several states including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The phenomenon has been called the “stroke belt”. In the same time, lower rates have been observed in the Northeastern of the U.S. and particularly lower rates have been reported in the Mountain region. Our analysis shows states with highest and lowest stroke mortality rates with regard to the mean elevation in those states. Those states that are traditionally included in the “stroke belt” in the order of increasing mean altitude (Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia) are painted using darker color. Several states (North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming Colorado) with low stroke mortality rates are painted using lighter color. Therefore, as it can be seen from the Figure, most population from the states with low stroke mortality live at much higher altitudes as compared to those living in the “stroke belt”. We hypothesized that the nonrandom stroke distribution is related to regional differences in individual levels of EPO, which production depends on the tissue hypoxia due to variation in altitude.If successful, future studies based on this hypothesis may open up new avenues for treatment of such an important health issue as stroke. Read more here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22626952 Traumatic brain injury and altitude: where do we stand? Did you know that 1.7 million Americans sustain a TBI annually? This is more than population of Philadelphia! Our recent high altitude research project proposes that high altitude can potentially trigger many negative post-head trauma outcomes such as post-traumatic headache, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Read more here: Glaucoma awareness month in Denver, CO Thank you to everyone who attended our glaucoma awareness seminars! Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization. In the U.S., more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness. Very importantly, it is estimated that over 3 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it. After cataracts, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans. Biosimilars: what are they? What is biosimilarity? Let’s take a look at the definition first. ‘‘The biological product is highly similar to the reference product notwithstanding minor differences in clinically inactive components, and there are no clinically meaningful differences between the biological product and the reference product in terms of the safety, purity, and potency of the product” (FDA on Biosimilars) Suppose that you need to make a copy of a paper with text. You may simply use a copy machine and you will get the exact same copy of your text. Similarly, you can get an exact copy of a small-molecule brand name drug, also called a “generic”. Copying biologic products more closely resembles ordering another one of the most recent generation computers with highly similar specifications. The new computer may vary slightly from your current model but will hold to the same performance standards. For example, the replacement computer will likely have slightly different design or other insignificant differences. Nevertheless, the replacement computer is fully capable to perform nearly exactly as the original. The scenario with the replacement computer is similar to biologic products. That’s because unlike small-molecule drugs, biologic products are manufactured from living organisms and cannot be exactly copied. However, a highly similar copy (“biosimilar”) of the referenced biologic product (like the replacement computer that you ordered), could be developed. This copy will be highly similar to the referenced biologic product in many important aspects such as efficacy, safety and purity but will not be identical. Therefore, biosimilars can be viewed as therapeutic alternatives to a referenced product. However, because of the difference in the manufacturing process, they are not identical to the referenced biologic products. Therefore, biosimilars cannot be classified as generic drugs Heart failure awareness month in Denver, CO Thank you to everyone who attended our heart failure seminars. Did you know that approximately 1 person dies from cardiovascular disease every hour in Colorado? Among adult Coloradans in 2013, only 6% were aware of having cardiovascular disease and only 26% were aware of having high blood pressure. Our team designed those seminars to serve as a resource for patients or caregivers who want an in depth understanding of various heart failure issues such as risk factors, clinical symptoms, prevention and treatment. 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Evidence that prevalence of important vision and ocular disorders, ocular injuries and their outcomes may vary at various altitude areas may open up new avenues for treatment, including emergency ocular trauma and optic nerve injury care. Such studies may help to identify various factors (i.e. age, gender, etc.) related to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of patients diagnosed with a number of vision and ocular disorders at various altitudes. For more info, please visit http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4346680/ Did you know? The production of neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain can be disrupted by thehypobaric hypoxia resulting from high elevation and this may contribute to methamphetamine us. Read more here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4225207/ Alzheimer's disease and altitude: are they connected? The following graphs from our publication indicate that Colorado has relatively low rate of hospital admissions with Alzheimer’s disease . For example, the proportion of hospital admissions with Alzheimer’s disease to all hospital admissions in our state is nearly 2.5-fold smaller than such proportion in the “lowland” states such as South Carolina or Maryland (0.007 versus 0.017 respectively), yet we are not as good as Utah (0.007 versus 0.004 respectively) and Utah, by the way, has higher average altitude compared to us (check that on web). For more info, please visit: Did you know that high altitude may increase risk of prematrity? In the 1950s, Colorado had the highest rate of premature births in the US. Read more http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146554/ WAYS TO HELP: We accept Bitcoin donations. A few Bitcoins can make a huge difference in our community and globally We also accept a donor-advised fund (DAF). You may wish to create such fund via Fidelity Charitable and select our non-profit. Our EIN is 46-3208078 Did you know that life expectancy in the United States has declined? It happened again following last year's decline and for the first time in more than two decades! Did you also know that the oldest man on Earth (who is now 123) lives in the mountains at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet? But did you also know that previous large population-based studies found that residents of areas situated at 1500 m or above have longer life expectancy as compared to those who reside at sea level. Read more about our research on aging and altitude. Answers that are yet to be found! CMDAT stands for Complex Mechanisms of Disease, Aging and Trauma. Did you know that CMDAT. Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, so your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law? We are also registered with the Benevity Causes Portal.

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This machine requires no motor and thus no electricity. Due to this, our hog roasting machines are exceptionally versatile. Having the ability to go anywhere to provide stunning catering, the hog roast machine really underlines great food, anywhere, anytime! Able to keep the pig hot all day long as it simmers gently in its own juices is another area that the hog roast machine shines. Great for feeding a lot of people over a broad time frame, our hog roasters allow the caterer to make the most of his or her event. The Spit Roast option is all about the theatre, which lets face it, is what a lot of our events revolve around. Of course, the food tastes great, as it does with the Hog Roast option, as the animal roasts and rests in its own juices. Accentuating the natural ability of a hog (or any animal for that matte) to self baste whilst cooking, the turning and rotating ability of the spit roast system helps to spread the juices as the pig cooks. Loved by all that see it, the hog roast system utilises an electric motor to give your guests a sight to behold. All of our machines also come in ‘combi’ form so that you can get the best of both worlds, as and when you please. Why should I buy one of your machines? There are numerous reasons to buy a machine from us, there really are. The fact that we have all of our items in stock is an advantage that no other machine manufacture can adhere to. As soon as we receive payment we can despatch any of our machines or manufactured products on a next day basis. Solid machines have been the norm for us for years now, however caterers often lose parts at events. Due to our stock items, all of our parts can also be despatched immediately; an invaluable service for the modern caterer. Benefiting from our in-house evolutionary design set-up, all of our machines have been improved over the years. Learning from our own catered events, we have been able to implement hundreds of changes, some large and some subtle, in order to make all of our machines efficient, powerful and easy to use for the lone caterer. How do I know that my machine will last? We love great engineering here at The Spitting Pig. It has driven us forward in every aspect of machine and product manufacture since we started building our very own machines. We use only the very best materials, such as stainless steel and toughened, coated and hardened steels within the structures of our machine bodies. Our design has ensured that, over the years, we have developed a range of hog and spit roasters that have an outstanding rate of performance when it comes to durability and resilience. All machines within our range come certified with a CE mark that ensures that each machine adheres to all necessary regulations. Giving you piece of mind, our machines also come with a fully comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty. Can your machines stand the rigours of commercial use? As all caterers will know, the tools needed to provide large amounts of food to many people on a regular basis must be durable before they can claim to be anything else. With hundreds and hundreds of catering events in our portfolio, we wouldn’t use our own machines if they couldn’t stand the rigours that the fast paced catering environment throws at them. More than this, if our machines needed constant repairs and work then the whole operation would lose its profitable edge. The fact that we made our own machines to use, well before we thought of selling them, means that these machines can’t just handle commercial use; they were purpose built for it. Making the most of stainless steels and precision tooling, our machines are as bullet-proof as they are pretty. They’re as powerful as they are graceful. And they’re as durable as they are efficient. How versatile are your machine’s as regards use by both mobile and static caterers? The landscape of catering is a constantly shifting one. It’s a place where our machines have found a natural ability to adapt and to perform with elegance and ease irrespective of their surroundings or their necessitated functions. The lightweight bodies combined with superior strength make our machines perfect for the mobile caterer. The 4 pneumatic tyres with strong wheels and an easy to use steering system allow for mobile caterers to get across field and gravel walk ways effortlessly. It’s these little things that count, and we know from our own experience at catered events that they make the difference between an easy day for the caterer and a tough slog. The large, cavernous body as well as the full length clean gas burners ensure that our commercial machines can cook a colossal amount of meat to a golden, crispy hue, whilst also allowing the mobile caterer the advantage of roasting vegetables simultaneously. As far as space versus function goes, it’s the best formula for the mobile caterer who wants to deliver top quality food, time and time again. The static caterer benefits from our machines in many ways. The fantastic design and aesthetic qualities of our machines allows them to be used as fantastic centre-pieces in open plan kitchens, as the turning hog never ceases to amaze. With a great adaptability as regards roasting function, our machines make a great addition to any kitchen. The ability for a restaurant to serve meat that is cooked using this machine on a regular basis holds a major advantage over their competitors. First of all, meat is much cheaper when purchased as a whole creature as opposed to fillets etc. Also, the taste derived from this cooking process simply has no parallel. Which machine is right for me? This is a question we get asked often by our customers. Faced by our broad and eclectic range of machines, our customers sometimes feel unnecessarily daunted. For the avid barbecue aficionado and enthusiast of the flame-grilled world, we have the exceptional Professional machine. Built using the know how gained in the commercial facet of catering, as well as benefiting from many of the design features found on the larger and commercial machines, this hog and spit roaster is the real deal. Getting much larger from that point on, the Titan, and Hogmaster represent commercial units that can be both hog, spit and ‘combi.’ They pack a mean culinary punch whilst keeping your pocket heavy. The Platinum commercial roaster is our front runner in terms of all out commercial performance. Built and styled to impress, this machine will keep on working, keep on wowing the crowds and keep your catering venture profitable. Whatever your flame roasting and spit roasting requirements, our broad range has something for everyone. Do your machines constitute a sound investment? Tough economic times go, to some extent, hand in hand with the idea that people won’t be as willing to spend as freely as they might have been. In a catering context, this places a large emphasis on the caterer getting the most from every expenditure they make, as regards their business purchases. Our machines embody the prime purchase in this respect. Often, the money spent in their purchase can be recouped in a matter of weeks. The machines are so versatile, effectively multiplying their value to the caterer with each of their additional capabilities. Further attachments available from us take this on again to a whole new level. Being such a competitive industry, the catering trade and those who work within it have to stay ahead of the game. Our hog roaster, spit roasters and combination units constitute the best product when it comes to an excellent rate of return on your investment. Why should I buy a machine for personal use? It sounds like you have been bitten by the hog roast bug already and are keen on doing a bit of hog roasting in your time, and we can’t say we blame you. But if you are looking for good reasons to buy your own machine then how about these. Standard barbecues simply cannot beat our machines; Our machines have a simply brilliant standard of construction; Hog roast tastes amazing on our machines; and if you ever want to host a huge party then you will be very well catered for. What is so special about your hog roast machines? Our machines certainly are that little bit special, we are quite proud to admit. But as for what makes them special, well, we think it has be the immense amount of hard work that has gone into designing and producing them because there really has been a lot of thought put into them. When you look at the engineering and design that each machine features, it really is a quite fantastic machine. Design and quality construction is everything and we think that all hog roast machines should have those same qualities. Why buy a machine when the UK weather is awful? There is no denying it, the British weather is patchy to say the least. Last summer was a bit of a washout to say the least and the days of long hot summers like in 1976 seem like a distant memory, but hog roast machines are a little more flexible and versatile than you think. You see, providing you have a roomy enough venue, you can just as easily use our hog roast machines indoors, and that means the oddities of the British weather won’t stand in your way if you want to get hog roasting with family, friends and relations. So don’t panic, invest in that machine and forget about the weather! Is using a hog roast machine cheating? Absolutely not! Just because hog roast was originally cooked on a huge spit over huge fire, it does not mean that you have to abide by the same medieval rules and cook yours the same way. It would be like saying that to cook your roast chicken for Sunday lunch that you need to cook that on a spit in the garden rather than in the fire! Whether you use the hog roast machine or spit roast machine, it is not cheating at all. All that matters is that the meat is cooked beautifully and tastes incredible – no cheating, just good eating. Is it so important that the machines look so smart? Not really, but you need to think about this from the view point of the people that are at the event or function. Some of these people could be very special guests and potential business associates of your clients. It can be important at such events to portray the right image and this is why it really helps that everything looks smart. Having a sparkling and modern looking machine not only makes everything look clean and healthy, it shows that that a bit of effort has been made to impress, and in business that can really earn you Brownie points…and some future bookings!

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Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas 21. The Abbe Scarron. There was once in the Rue des Tournelles a house known by all the sedan chairmen and footmen of Paris, and yet, nevertheless, this house was neither that of a great lord nor of a rich man. There was neither dining, nor playing at cards, nor dancing in that house. Nevertheless, it was the rendezvous of the great world and all Paris went there. It was the abode of the little Abbe Scarron. In the home of the witty abbe dwelt incessant laughter; there all the items of the day had their source and were so quickly transformed, misrepresented, metamorphosed, some into epigrams, some into falsehoods, that every one was anxious to pass an hour with little Scarron, listening to what he said, reporting it to others. The diminutive Abbe Scarron, who, however, was an abbe only because he owned an abbey, and not because he was in orders, had formerly been one of the gayest prebendaries in the town of Mans, which he inhabited. On a day of the carnival he had taken a notion to provide an unusual entertainment for that good town, of which he was the life and soul. He had made his valet cover him with honey; then, opening a feather bed, he had rolled in it and had thus become the most grotesque fowl it is possible to imagine. He then began to visit his friends of both sexes, in that strange costume. At first he had been followed through astonishment, then with derisive shouts, then the porters had insulted him, then children had thrown stones at him, and finally he was obliged to run, to escape the missiles. As soon as he took to flight every one pursued him, until, pressed on all sides, Scarron found no way of escaping his escort, except by throwing himself into the river; but the water was icy cold. Scarron was heated, the cold seized on him, and when he reached the farther bank he found himself crippled. Every means had been employed in vain to restore the use of his limbs. He had been subjected to a severe disciplinary course of medicine, at length he sent away all his doctors, declaring that he preferred the disease to the treatment, and came to Paris, where the fame of his wit had preceded him. There he had a chair made on his own plan, and one day, visiting Anne of Austria in this chair, she asked him, charmed as she was with his wit, if he did not wish for a title. "Yes, your majesty, there is a title which I covet much," replied Scarron. "And what is that?" "That of being your invalid," answered Scarron. So he was called the queen's invalid, with a pension of fifteen hundred francs. From that lucky moment Scarron led a happy life, spending both income and principal. One day, however, an emissary of the cardinal's gave him to understand that he was wrong in receiving the coadjutor so often. "And why?" asked Scarron; "is he not a man of good birth?" "He has, unfortunately, too much wit." "Well, then, why do you wish me to give up seeing such a man?" "Because he is an enemy." "Of the cardinal." "What?" answered Scarron, "I continue to receive Monsieur Gilles Despreaux, who thinks ill of me, and you wish me to give up seeing the coadjutor, because he thinks ill of another man. Impossible!" The conversation had rested there and Scarron, through sheer obstinacy, had seen Monsieur de Gondy only the more frequently. Now, the very morning of which we speak was that of his quarter-day payment, and Scarron, as usual, had sent his servant to get his money at the pension-office, but the man had returned and said that the government had no more money to give Monsieur Scarron. It was on Thursday, the abbe's reception day; people went there in crowds. The cardinal's refusal to pay the pension was known about the town in half an hour and he was abused with wit and vehemence. In the Rue Saint Honore Athos fell in with two gentlemen whom he did not know, on horseback like himself, followed by a lackey like himself, and going in the same direction that he was. One of them, hat in hand, said to him: "Would you believe it, monsieur? that contemptible Mazarin has stopped poor Scarron's pension." "That is unreasonable," said Athos, saluting in his turn the two cavaliers. And they separated with courteous gestures. "It happens well that we are going there this evening," said Athos to the vicomte; "we will pay our compliments to that poor man." "What, then, is this Monsieur Scarron, who thus puts all Paris in commotion? Is he some minister out of office?" "Oh, no, not at all, vicomte," Athos replied; "he is simply a gentleman of great genius who has fallen into disgrace with the cardinal through having written certain verses against him." "Do gentlemen, then, make verses?" asked Raoul, naively, "I thought it was derogatory." "So it is, my dear vicomte," said Athos, laughing, "to make bad ones; but to make good ones increases fame -- witness Monsieur de Rotrou. Nevertheless," he continued, in the tone of one who gives wholesome advice, "I think it is better not to make them." "Then," said Raoul, "this Monsieur Scarron is a poet?" "Yes; you are warned, vicomte. Consider well what you do in that house. Talk only by gestures, or rather always listen." "Yes, monsieur," replied Raoul. "You will see me talking with one of my friends, the Abbe d'Herblay, of whom you have often heard me speak." "I remember him, monsieur." "Come near to us from time to time, as if to speak; but do not speak, and do not listen. That little stratagem may serve to keep off interlopers." "Very well, monsieur; I will obey you at all points." Athos made two visits in Paris; at seven o'clock he and Raoul directed their steps to the Rue des Tournelles; it was stopped by porters, horses and footmen. Athos forced his way through and entered, followed by the young man. The first person that struck him on his entrance was Aramis, planted near a great chair on castors, very large, covered with a canopy of tapestry, under which there moved, enveloped in a quilt of brocade, a little face, youngish, very merry, somewhat pallid, whilst its eyes never ceased to express a sentiment at once lively, intellectual, and amiable. This was the Abbe Scarron, always laughing, joking, complimenting -- yet suffering -- and toying nervously with a small switch. Around this kind of rolling tent pressed a crowd of gentlemen and ladies. The room was neatly, comfortably furnished. Large valances of silk, embroidered with flowers of gay colors, which were rather faded, fell from the wide windows; the fittings of the room were simple, but in excellent taste. Two well trained servingmen were in attendance on the company. On perceiving Athos, Aramis advanced toward him, took him by the hand and presented him to Scarron. Raoul remained silent, for he was not prepared for the dignity of the bel esprit. After some minutes the door opened and a footman announced Mademoiselle Paulet. Athos touched the shoulder of the vicomte. "Look at this lady, Raoul, she is an historic personage; it was to visit her King Henry IV. was going when he was assassinated." Every one thronged around Mademoiselle Paulet, for she was always very much the fashion. She was a tall woman, with a slender figure and a forest of golden curls, such as Raphael was fond of and Titian has painted all his Magdalens with. This fawn-colored hair, or, perhaps the sort of ascendancy which she had over other women, gave her the name of "La Lionne." Mademoiselle Paulet took her accustomed seat, but before sitting down, she cast, in all her queen-like grandeur, a look around the room, and her eyes rested on Raoul. "Mademoiselle Paulet has observed you, vicomte; go and bow to her; don't try to appear anything but what you are, a true country youth; on no account speak to her of Henry IV." "When shall we two walk together?" Athos then said to Aramis. "Presently -- there are not a sufficient number of people here yet; we shall be remarked." At this moment the door opened and in walked the coadjutor. At this name every one looked around, for his was already a very celebrated name. Athos did the same. He knew the Abbe de Gondy only by report. He saw a little dark man, ill made and awkward with his hands in everything -- except drawing a sword and firing a pistol -- with something haughty and contemptuous in his face. Scarron turned around toward him and came to meet him in his chair. "Well," said the coadjutor, on seeing him, "you are in disgrace, then, abbe?" This was the orthodox phrase. It had been said that evening a hundred times -- and Scarron was at his hundredth bon mot on the subject; he was very nearly at the end of his humoristic tether, but one despairing effort saved him. "Monsieur, the Cardinal Mazarin has been so kind as to think of me," he said. "But how can you continue to receive us?" asked the coadjutor; "if your income is lessened I shall be obliged to make you a canon of Notre Dame." "Oh, no!" cried Scarron, "I should compromise you too much." "Perhaps you have resources of which we are ignorant?" "I shall borrow from the queen." "But her majesty has no property," interposed Aramis. At this moment the door opened and Madame de Chevreuse was announced. Every one arose. Scarron turned his chair toward the door, Raoul blushed, Athos made a sign to Aramis, who went and hid himself in the enclosure of a window. In the midst of all the compliments that awaited her on her entrance, the duchess seemed to be looking for some one; at last she found out Raoul and her eyes sparkled; she perceived Athos and became thoughtful; she saw Aramis in the seclusion of the window and gave a start of surprise behind her fan. "Apropos," she said, as if to drive away thoughts that pursued her in spite of herself, "how is poor Voiture, do you know, Scarron?" "What, is Monsieur Voiture ill?" inquired a gentleman who had spoken to Athos in the Rue Saint Honore; "what is the matter with him?" "He was acting, but forgot to take the precaution to have a change of linen ready after the performance," said the coadjutor, "so he took cold and is about to die." "Is he then so ill, dear Voiture?" asked Aramis, half hidden by the window curtain. "Die!" cried Mademoiselle Paulet, bitterly, "he! Why, he is surrounded by sultanas, like a Turk. Madame de Saintot has hastened to him with broth; La Renaudot warms his sheets; the Marquise de Rambouillet sends him his tisanes." "You don't like him, my dear Parthenie," said Scarron. "What an injustice, my dear invalid! I hate him so little that I should be delighted to order masses for the repose of his soul." "You are not called `Lionne' for nothing," observed Madame de Chevreuse, "your teeth are terrible." "You are unjust to a great poet, it seems to me," Raoul ventured to say. "A great poet! come, one may easily see, vicomte, that you are lately from the provinces and have never so much as seen him. A great poet! he is scarcely five feet high." "Bravo bravo!" cried a tall man with an enormous mustache and a long rapier, "bravo, fair Paulet, it is high time to put little Voiture in his right place. For my part, I always thought his poetry detestable, and I think I know something about poetry." "Who is this officer," inquired Raoul of Athos, "who is speaking?" "Monsieur de Scudery, the author of `Clelie,' and of `Le Grand Cyrus,' which were composed partly by him and partly by his sister, who is now talking to that pretty person yonder, near Monsieur Scarron." Raoul turned and saw two faces just arrived. One was perfectly charming, delicate, pensive, shaded by beautiful dark hair, and eyes soft as velvet, like those lovely flowers, the heartsease, in which shine out the golden petals. The other, of mature age, seemed to have the former one under her charge, and was cold, dry and yellow -- the true type of a duenna or a devotee. Raoul resolved not to quit the room without having spoken to the beautiful girl with the soft eyes, who by a strange fancy, although she bore no resemblance, reminded him of his poor little Louise, whom he had left in the Chateau de la Valliere and whom, in the midst of all the party, he had never for one moment quite forgotten. Meantime Aramis had drawn near to the coadjutor, who, smiling all the while, contrived to drop some words into his ear. Aramis, notwithstanding his self-control, could not refrain from a slight movement of surprise. "Laugh, then," said Monsieur de Retz; "they are looking at us." And leaving Aramis he went to talk with Madame de Chevreuse, who was in the midst of a large group. Aramis affected a laugh, to divert the attention of certain curious listeners, and perceiving that Athos had betaken himself to the embrasure of a window and remained there, he proceeded to join him, throwing out a few words carelessly as he moved through the room. As soon as the two friends met they began a conversation which was emphasized by frequent gesticulation. Raoul then approached them as Athos had directed him to do. "'Tis a rondeau by Monsieur Voiture that monsieur l'abbe is repeating to me." said Athos in a loud voice, "and I confess I think it incomparable." Raoul stayed only a few minutes near them and then mingled with the group round Madame de Chevreuse. "Well, then?" asked Athos, in a low tone. "It is to be to-morrow," said Aramis hastily. "At what time?" "At Saint Mande." "Who told you?" "The Count de Rochefort." Some one drew near. "And then philosophic ideas are wholly wanting in Voiture's works, but I am of the same opinion as the coadjutor -- he is a poet, a true poet." Aramis spoke so as to be heard by everybody. "And I, too," murmured the young lady with the velvet eyes. "I have the misfortune also to admire his poetry exceedingly." "Monsieur Scarron, do me the honor," said Raoul, blushing, "to tell me the name of that young lady whose opinion seems so different from that of others of the company." "Ah! my young vicomte," replied Scarron, "I suppose you wish to propose to her an alliance offensive and defensive." Raoul blushed again. "You asked the name of that young lady. She is called the fair Indian." "Excuse me, sir," returned Raoul, blushing still more deeply, "I know no more than I did before. Alas! I am from the country." "Which means that you know very little about the nonsense which here flows down our streets. So much the better, young man! so much the better! Don't try to understand it -- you will only lose your time." "You forgive me, then, sir," said Raoul, "and you will deign to tell me who is the person that you call the young Indian?" "Certainly; one of the most charming persons that lives -- Mademoiselle Frances d'Aubigne." "Does she belong to the family of the celebrated Agrippa, the friend of Henry IV.?" "His granddaughter. She comes from Martinique, so I call her the beautiful Indian." Raoul looked surprised and his eyes met those of the young lady, who smiled. The company went on speaking of the poet Voiture. "Monsieur," said Mademoiselle d'Aubigne to Scarron, as if she wished to join in the conversation he was engaged in with Raoul, "do you not admire Monsieur Voiture's friends? Listen how they pull him to pieces even whilst they praise him; one takes away from him all claim to good sense, another robs him of his poetry, a third of his originality, another of his humor, another of his independence of character, a sixth -- but, good heavens! what will they leave him? as Mademoiselle de Scudery remarks." Scarron and Raoul laughed. The fair Indian, astonished at the sensation her observation produced, looked down and resumed her air of naivete. Athos, still within the inclosure of the window, watched this scene with a smile of disdain on his lips. "Tell the Comte de la Fere to come to me," said Madame de Chevreuse, "I want to speak to him." "And I," said the coadjutor, "want it to be thought that I do not speak to him. I admire, I love him -- for I know his former adventures -- but I shall not speak to him until the day after to-morrow." "And why day after to-morrow?" asked Madame de Chevreuse. "You will know that to-morrow evening," said the coadjutor, smiling. "Really, my dear Gondy," said the duchess, "you remind one of the Apocalypse. Monsieur d'Herblay," she added, turning toward Aramis, "will you be my servant once more this evening?" "How can you doubt it?" replied Aramis; "this evening, to-morrow, always; command me." "I will, then. Go and look for the Comte de la Fere; I wish to speak with him." Aramis found Athos and brought him. "Monsieur le comte," said the duchess, giving him a letter, "here is what I promised you; our young friend will be extremely well received." "Madame, he is very happy in owing any obligation to you." "You have no reason to envy him on that score, for I owe to you the pleasure of knowing him," replied the witty woman, with a smile which recalled Marie Michon to Aramis and to Athos. As she uttered that bon mot, she arose and asked for her carriage. Mademoiselle Paulet had already gone; Mademoiselle de Scudery was going. "Vicomte," said Athos to Raoul, "follow the duchess; beg her to do you the favor to take your arm in going downstairs, and thank her as you descend." The fair Indian approached Scarron. "You are going already?" he said. "One of the last, as you see; if you hear anything of Monsieur Voiture, be so kind as to send me word to-morrow." "Oh!" said Scarron, "he may die now." "Why?" asked the young girl with the velvet eyes. "Certainly; his panegyric has been uttered." They parted, laughing, she turning back to gaze at the poor paralytic man with interest, he looking after her with eyes of love. One by one the several groups broke up. Scarron seemed not to observe that certain of his guests had talked mysteriously, that letters had passed from hand to hand and that the assembly had seemed to have a secret purpose quite apart from the literary discussion carried on with so much ostentation. What was all that to Scarron? At his house rebellion could be planned with impunity, for, as we have said, since that morning he had ceased to be "the queen's invalid." As to Raoul, he had attended the duchess to her carriage, where, as she took her seat, she gave him her hand to kiss; then, by one of those wild caprices which made her so adorable and at the same time so dangerous, she had suddenly put her arm around his neck and kissed his forehead, saying: "Vicomte, may my good wishes and this kiss bring you good fortune!" Then she had pushed him away and directed the coachman to stop at the Hotel de Luynes. The carriage had started, Madame de Chevreuse had made a parting gesture to the young man, and Raoul had returned in a state of stupefaction. Athos surmised what had taken place and smiled. "Come, vicomte," he said, "it is time for you to go to bed; you will start in the morning for the army of monsieur le prince. Sleep well your last night as citizen." "I am to be a soldier then?" said the young man. "Oh, monsieur, I thank you with all my heart." "Adieu, count," said the Abbe d'Herblay; "I return to my convent." "Adieu, abbe," said the coadjutor, "I am to preach to-morrow and have twenty texts to examine this evening." "Adieu, gentlemen," said the count; "I am going to sleep twenty-four hours; I am just falling down with fatigue." The three men saluted one another, whilst exchanging a last look. Scarron followed their movements with a glance from the corner of his eye. "Not one of them will do as he says," he murmured, with his little monkey smile; "but they may do as they please, the brave gentlemen! Who knows if they will not manage to restore to me my pension? They can move their arms, they can, and that is much. Alas, I have only my tongue, but I will try to show that it is good for something. Ho, there, Champenois! here, it is eleven o'clock. Come and roll me to bed. Really, that Demoiselle d'Aubigne is very charming!" So the invalid disappeared soon afterward and went into his sleeping-room; and one by one the lights in the salon of the Rue des Tournelles were extinguished.

May 28, 2018 – IssueMike Bodenchuk, Editor-at-Large Hunting in Oklahoma has been something of an enigma to nonresidents of that state. Located between Kansas and Texas to the north and south, and between Arkansas and Colorado, it would seem that Oklahoma has plenty of opportunity to produce big whitetails, plains mule deer and plenty of turkeys, but an apparent lack of hunting guides in the state makes locating a hunt difficult. Some of this appears to be a function of the state’s history. Known as “The Sooner State,” much of the former Indian Territory was settled in the late 19th century by homesteaders who claimed smaller tracks of land. Oklahoma, the 46th state, was granted statehood in 1907, and the Oklahoma Territory was merged with the Indian Territory at that time. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the “Dust Bowl” further broke up land holdings, and people abandoned certain tracts of unproductive land. Today, there are over 85,000 farms in Oklahoma, meaning that smaller tracts are common and larger landholdings, necessary for combined wildlife management, may not be the rule, but rather the exception. That is not to say that modern day Oklahoma lacks anything in wildlife management. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (wildlifedepartment.com) does an exceptional job helping landowners manage the wildlife and they promote hunting and public access in an exemplary manner. More on that in a bit. On a recent trip to Oklahoma, with an eye to cracking the code for outfitted hunting, I was surprised to find hunting and outfitting guides listed in a 17-page brochure published by Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation. While Oklahoma fishing guides need to be licensed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, hunting guides appear to be unlicensed and relatively unorganized. However, the tourism bureau has gathered over 50 operations under the banner of agritourism and published the brochure. The brochure can be obtained through a request from the Travel Oklahoma website (travelok.com/brochures) but an online listing is available from the agritourism website (Oklahomaagritourism.com). At the latter, 35 operations are listed, reflecting the marketing of hunting and tourism on private ranches. The brochure and the website offer directions to the operations, GPS coordinates (in case you want to look them up on Google Earth), a description of the services offered and the website or Facebook pages for the operators. Obviously, whether or not to book with the operators will be your choice after doing a lot of researching. Keep in mind that these operations are generally farm based, family-run operations that offer whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl and even upland hunting opportunities at relatively reasonable rates. There are even some hog-specific hunting operators listed (and Oklahoma has plenty of feral hogs). Accommodations won’t necessarily be 5-star lodges, but rather farm-based B&Bs, renovated farm houses and cottages. Most of the operators offer additional recreation for the non-hunter and some offer self-catering lodging. As for hunting opportunities, Oklahoma offers a lot of options, depending on where in the state you hunt. To my eye, the presence of black bears (and a black bear hunting season) in the southeast part of the state seems out-of-place, but there are plenty of bears and an opportunity for nonresident hunting there. Oklahoma has elk in the Wichita Mountains in the southcentral part of the state, and pronghorn and mule deer in the panhandle. While controlled hunt opportunities exist for all of these species, getting a decent hunt largely depends on landowner contact in the right area. The obvious hunting opportunities are for whitetail deer and turkey- largely Rio Grande turkey, although the eastern subspecies is available in the southeast. Big bucks require careful management, and the Oklahoma Wildlife Management Association (OK-wildlife.com) helps landowners get access to quality management assistance and represent the wildlife community politically. As good as turkey hunting can be in Texas, Oklahoma seems to be less prone to drought and offers more consistent spring gobbler hunts. Oklahoma deer hunting also appears to be less prone to EHD die-offs than neighboring Kansas, so consistent deer quality is available. For the do-it-yourself hunter, there are some 600,000 acres of public land in Oklahoma, including national forests and grasslands (hint- look for public prairie dog shooting on the grasslands), national wildlife refuges, national forests and state-owned wildlife management areas (WMAs). The WMAs each have specific public access regulations and some hunts are offered only through the controlled hunt process (by application and drawing only). But in addition to these areas, the State maintains an extensive walk-in program with private landowners dubbed the Oklahoma Land Access Program (OLAP, www.wildlifedepartment.com/olap). The OLAP lands are opened for specific purposes and specific seasons (i.e. spring turkey only, fishing only, etc.) and maps are available in advance to help you plan your hunt. I would suggest that the OLAP lands may be best for upland and spring turkey hunting but for trophy quality deer you should look to private land managed specifically for an older age class. The evolution of big game hunting in Oklahoma is far from over. While the listings discussed above are a starting point for hunters looking to the Sooner State for a unique experience, they are far from complete. The Agritourism listings favor the farm-based outfitters. Yet there are undoubtedly other outfitters who do not own the farms they hunt, but manage multiple properties for trophy deer. Add to this the hidden lodges offering quality waterfowl, spring turkey or upland hunts and there are plenty of opportunities. If you have hunted in Oklahoma, please file a hunt report and help other subscribers untangle the enigma of OK hunting. To get you started on researching hunts in Oklahoma, here are a few operations featured on the Oklahoma Agritourism Association website: - Addison Ranch (580-276-2439; www.addisonranch.com) located in south central Oklahoma, offers hunts for trophy and management whitetails, wild boar, turkeys and ducks. Lodge accommodations. See their YouTube channel for video of some of the quality bucks available on this ranch. - All About U Ranch & Outfitters (405-268-2684; http://allabouturanch.com) offer hunts for whitetail deer, preserve hogs and some exotics in south central Oklahoma. Private cabin accommodations. - Buffalo Waller Hunting Preserve (580-761-1382) on the Oklahoma Cherokee Strip in the northwest. Specializes in upland hunts for quail, pheasant and chukar, but also offers whitetail deer, turkey and ducks. - Gloss Mountain Outfitters (580-884-1305; glossmountainoutfitters.com) in the northwest. Offer guided and unguided hunts for whitetails, turkey, quail, pheasant and chukar. Lodge accommodations. - Hamm’s Sportsman Oasis (580-335-1892; hammsoasis.com) hunts 12,000-plus acres in southwest Oklahoma for bobcat and coyote, elk, wild hog, whitetails and turkey. Also, waterfowl and upland bird hunts. Motel-style lodge and diner on the property. - Island Ranch Outfitters (580-548-4712; http://iroutfitters.wixsite.com/rylanwhiteoutfitters) hunt a 5,000-acre cattle ranch in northwest Oklahoma on the Cimarron River. This is a wintering area for waterfowl. Offer duck, whitetail and turkey hunts. - Lazy S Ranch (580-305-7301; huntlazys.com) offers whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl, upland birds, wild boar and predator hunts on 5,000 acres in southwest Oklahoma. Lodge accommodations. - Mudcreek Outfitters (580-465-7558; http://mudcreekoutfitters.homestead.com) hunts wild hog, turkey and whitetails on 1,200 acres of woods and prairies in south central Oklahoma. - Rio Rojo Outfitters (940-585-1094; riorojooutfitters.com) has exclusive hunting rights to 12,000 acres along the Red River. Hunt whitetail deer, turkey, quail and dove. Lodge accommodations. - Rockytop Ranch (918-656-3564; https://huntrockytop.com) focuses on wild boar but also offers whitetail deer, turkey and predators in central Oklahoma. Cabin accommodations. - Stuart Ranch Outfitters (580-512-7004; stuartranchoutfitters.com) offer whitetail deer, turkey, wild boar and waterfowl hunts on 46,000-acre historic ranch in southern Oklahoma. - Wild Horse Creek Hunting (580-369-3344; www.pecanvalleyinn.com/New_Folder/) boasts 10 years of deer management on 2,500 acres of private ranchland in the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma. Semi-guided deer and wild boar hunting. - Windmill Outfitters (580-938-1001; http://windmilloutfitters.com) hunt in northwest Oklahoma, on 40,000 acres managed for quail, ducks, turkey and whitetails.

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A little about me before I respond further. I started out at a BMI of 41.9 and with a lap band I got down to a 17.5 BMI. That was in 06 before we knew what a horror lap bands would turn out to be. When I got to the point that I could not eat food with a band and started that appearance of a crack whore due to being so thin, I revised to a sleeve. For me, for my population, if we *can* eat, we *do* eat. I was not willing to remove the band and regain all that lard so I revised to a sleeve (below goal) to keep me from being big as a house again. That was in 6/08. Today I am a bariatric nurse, a US nurse living and working in Mexico, yes....... medical tourism but this is not like the Tijuana danger zone where it is a race to see who can kill the most people. I work for the best of the best in a safe city. I'm just heading off the uninformed opinions of, "Ewwwww, you went to Mexico? Are you still alive?" Uh, yes. Nine years and counting. Still a normal BMI as well. On to some comments.... WW may indeed have good results but I am not a fan. Com'on...WW depends on repeat business. It's nothing but a fad diet to ME. We all need to find a healthy eating lifestyle that helps us to achieve our goals and still stay satisfied. We do not need WW, Jennie Craig, TOPS, or any of the other nonsense. We need to learn about food, food triggers, and how to avoid them. Most people need to get down and dirty honest with themselves. I can't count how many patients are in utter denial. They SWEAR they eat like a bird but can't seem to get below a 60BMI. Seriously? It takes a LOT of calories to maintain a 60BMI body. I recall one patient who was a 60BMI and she swore up and down the ONLY food she ate on a daily basis was 1/4 of a skinless, boneless chicken breast. She decided, you see, that she was not eating enough thus she was in starvation mode. Turns out she also owned a bakery. Hmm... She wanted a lap band. We don't do lap bands, they are dangerous and ineffective long term. If we place a band we *know* a few years down the road we will get them back for a revision so it's just not ethical to place a band. But I still asked her, if she was not eating enough how would restricting her intake even more help her to lose weight? On some level these people know the truth they just can't bring themselves to admit it. That's okay!! Not everyone is ready to change their eating habits or have weight loss surgery (wls). You have to be ready or it isn't going to work. Others swear their metabolism is dead and that is why when they eat an entire cake in 2 days they gain. ?? It is their metabolism and not the cake. Underactive thyroid.... Don't think so. The cake still played a role and with meds and normal labs, they can lose just like everyone else. In my experience nurses are THE biggest offenders of the syndrome, "I don't have time for myself, I put everyone else in my life ahead of me including my patients." Bleh. Seriously, how much more time does it take to eat a cheese stick instead of a cheese cake? Obesity is a disease, nobody WANTS to be fat and if we could just diet and exercise, we would. BTDT. There is no cure for obesity but we do have excellent treatments and the best medical intervention today (statistically speaking) is surgery. Pills are an utter failure. ~~Then I read an extensive article in Time Magazine. It had shown that no matter what system was used to loose weight only about 3% kept it off for more than five years.~~ Come now, you are exaggerating! It's actually 4%. ;o) And that is assuming they can get it off at all but yes, stats show that once you hit a 30BMI you have about a 4% chance of losing to a normal BMI and maintaining that for 5 years. By the time you are a 30 BMI (obese) there are metabolic changes and it is just almost impossible to lose and maintain. Top off those metabolic changes with poor habits and it just plain does not work. ~~Since then I have been told to loose 100 lbs for a hip replacement to be preformed.~~ Yep yep yep, those joint replacements are designed for a normal BMI person. ~~ I looked into the Bariatric surgery and found that consistently people who had it done were happy with it for 7 years. but that most had regained the weight back in for those who had it over 11 years ago or more.~~ That is not necessarily true. Much depends on the surgery type. Bands and bypass that is probably very true. Not so with sleeves and DS. Bypass (RNY) used to be the gold standard merely because they didn't have many options. Medical science rocks and procedures have been improved drastically. Today the vertical sleeve gastrectomy is the #1 surgery type performed. Far less risk than bypass and the same weight loss and less regain to boot. But, that also depends on starting BMI. For higher BMI folks DS is the surgery type of choice. I think if you look up 12 year stats (1, 2, 5, 10, and 12 year stats are easily googled) you will find that many do very well beyond 11 years. But, many do not. Many look at wls as a diet and when they get to goal they go back to eating garbage. This is a lifestyle change. I totally overhauled my food lifestyle but I'll tell you, without my sleeve even with good foods and my current lifestyle I would be big as a house again because if I *can* eat, I *do* eat. I need the restriction, I need something to make me stop eating. With a stomach the size of a small banana I have no options to overeat. But, if I eat chocolate all day long instead of protein sure, I would regain. Yet when I eat protein there is no room for chocolate. ~~I personally worked with 4 nurses who had it done, and three of the four had regained all the weight back by the time I knew them~~ I believe you. I believe you are telling the truth. However, I have worked with hundreds of people and thousands on line, most have kept the majority of it off. Oh! There is a 3 year rebound/regain of about 10% that is pretty standard for folks. I didn't have that regain until 7 years post op when I was on a very high dose of Prednisone. I gained 20#. The only reason I didn't eat my right arm is because my face was already full of cake and pie. I was sooooooooo hungry while taking that crap. I do not blame myself for the 20# but I do blame myself for not taking it off again, it's actually not a big deal with my sleeve. I don't call a 10% regain failure, I still call it success. If someone loses 100# and regains 10#, I'm not going to knock them for that. ~~My daughter was 325 lbs when she had it done in 2004. I had advised against it, but she did it anyway. I must admit she was very determined, with gym visits and all. She went down to 147 lbs in less then 2 years. Now her last admitted weight was 247 lbs. Go figure!~~ Yep, this isn't a diet. It is indeed a lifestyle change. Did she have gastric bypass by any chance? I do not like that surgery type AT ALL. There is a small population that needs it, that is all they can do. But overall I believe the anatomy of the surgery type sets them up for failure a few years down the road. Regardless of surgery type if someone goes back to old eating habits they *will* regain. ~~What about pills and other drugs they are an over the counter and are part of the 150 billion dollar boondoggle being pulled over on the American people.~~ In the history of the US we have had two massive waves of obesity. The first was in the 50s when processed foods and McDonalds was introduced to the American public and the 2nd was in the 70s when nutritionists told people we eat too much dietary fat. We need a high carb/low fat diet and they are STILL pushing that line of nonsense. WE DID NOT GET FAT FROM DIETARY FAT! We got fat from white carbs. Not all carbs, white carbs. Flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and potatoes. We did not get fat from a juicy steak and a salad with full fat dressing, we got fat from the dinner rolls, pasta, potatoes, rice, cake, pie, cookies, candy, candy bars, Doritos, Cheetos, chips, and the list is endless. Todays science shows we actually need a full fat/low carb diet to do well. What happens when the dietician tells you to give your diabetic patient ooodles of carbs? You increase their insulin. What happen when you increase insulin injections OR produce your own insulin? That insulin turns those carbs into body fat. When happens when you decrease your diabetic patient's carb intake? You need to give less insulin on that insulin scale. You know, the bottom line for those that want to lose weight is to totally, 100% cut out WHITE carbs. Not all of them, just the white ones. Then there are some of us that will still gorge on the good foods and still be fat thus, my sleeve. It works for me. ~~Yet here again, if you are to make it to 80 years old being a bit overweight gives you less mortality potential then if you are rail thin. Enjoy being YOU! You are your own best friend.~~ But but but.... people are no longer just a bit overweight, they are FAT! Dangerously fat. This is the first generation, today, that is not expected to outlive their parents. Now, that is frightening!

Longer-than-usual piece for Time Out Delhi's recent theatre issue. A fortnight ago, we found ourselves sitting in the aisles of the packed Alliance Française auditorium – even though we’d bought tickets beforehand. The show was The Weekend Cocktail, by Dramatech, one of Delhi’s busiest theatre groups. It wasn’t exactly untested material – the sources included Roald Dahl, W Somerset Maugham and Sholem Aleichem – but the troupe wasn’t taking any chances, splicing in five musical numbers. Though an unmistakably Indian twang often broke out from under their posh British accents, there was a real sense of giving the audience their 300 rupees worth. A few days later, we were in a crowded basement in Panchsheel Park, where The Tadpole Repertory and a couple of their friends were putting on a show. The dramatic evening featured everything from skits to poetry readings, bossa nova songs and the inimitable Andrew Hoffland imitating accents of the world. Like the frequent performances Tadpole does in this basement lent to them by a friend, this was an informal gathering – a dog sat at our feet and watched proceedings, and there was hot punch to be had later. This fortnight, we’ll be at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav. Since its inception in 1999, BRM has become India’s largest, and arguably most prestigious, theatre festival. Organised by the National School of Drama, with all the intellectual heft and grand ambition you’d expect from that cultural behemoth, it has seen growth both exponential – from 58 productions in its first edition to over 100 this time around – and all-encompassing. The current edition has a primary focus on Tagore, a secondary one on Poland, includes productions from England, South Africa, Japan and France, and will bring Indian dialects like Santali and Tullu to Delhi’s stages for the first time. This is the red letter fortnight in the city’s theatre calendar. Somewhere within the boundaries of these three productions lies Delhi theatre. There’s the old guard at Mandi House, surfacing every once in a while to remind people why they are special. There’s the sharp commercial focus of groups like Dramatech and Pierrot’s Troupe. And there are a handful of independent voices, trying to emerge from the basement. Delhi theatre is in a curious state of flux. Even as the quantum of public performances increases, the amount of new writing seems to be shrinking. Selling out a show often means selling out literally – making concessions, using hackneyed material, repeating old tricks. It’s easy to forget while the Bharat Rang Mahotsav is on, but one gargantuan festival does not a theatre scene make. Put that festival aside, and Delhi’s theatre calendar starts to look rather bare. The only other time audiences get to see a bunch of plays from other cities is during the META festival, hosted by Habitat World. There are, of course, exceptions. Mumbai’s Akarsh Khurana brought the popular Classic Milds and The Interview to town this year. Lillete Dubey premiered the Broadway smash August: Osage County in the city where she received her first theatre training as a student in Lady Sri Ram College. Even this apparent victory was a compromise: the play was supposed to open in Mumbai, but the organisers couldn’t get bookings on the dates they wanted. “With Prithvi in Bombay or Ranga Shankara in Bangalore, groups are assured of a theatre audience,” said writer-director Neel Chaudhuri, of the Tadpole Repertory. “With the exception of the NSD, which doesn’t lend its halls out, there is no space like that in Delhi.” That might be why Quaff Theatre omitted Delhi from its travel plans for The Real Inspector Hound. And while last year’s META brought a bouquet of great productions to town, it was unfortunate that only two plays found their way to Delhi before the festival. Chaudhuri categorised Delhi audiences as “hungry for culture, as opposed to Bangalore, Bombay and Chennai, who have actual theatre audiences.” Khurana, one of the rare frequent fliers to Delhi, was more guarded, saying he’d had satisfactory responses to his plays here. He did, however, mention a resistance to adult humour: “I remember someone at the Habitat mentioned to the management that our play [A Guy Thing] was a little vulgar. Since then, I’ve been a little cautious of doing stuff of that nature, or jokes that are a little political, over here.” Even if we assume there are local playwrights too wary of audiences to actually publish, there’s no denying the paucity of original scripts currently emanating from Delhi. In the three editions of Writer’s Bloc in Mumbai, an annual forum for emerging playwrights to interact and come up with new work, Chaudhuri remains the sole Delhi writer to have been invited. It’s also telling that in each of the last two editions of META, only one Delhi play has made it to the final list of nominees (Tripurari Sharma’s Roop Aroop in 2010; Arvind Gaur’s Ambedkar Aur Gandhi, written by Rajesh Kumar, in 2011). Syed Alam, founder of Pierrot’s Troupe, recalled how different the scene was in his native Aligarh. “There, every play had to be original, contemporary, topical, otherwise it was not liked by the students,” he said. “Delhi theatre is suffering from intellectual bankruptcy. Everyone just does adaptations.” While Pierrot’s Troupe is guilty of a couple of adaptations itself (Big B, Tale of the Taj), it does balance this out by presenting original dramatic work like the Tom Alter-starrer Ghalib and the impressive solo piece 1947. It’s also one of the few local groups that can afford to pay its members a salary. They’re a successful group by Delhi standards, alternating historical dramas and broad comedies; and unlike Arvind Gaur’s comparably industrious Asmita, they come with little socio-political baggage. “People here need to stop giving these social messages,” Alam said. “As long as you’re not doing burlesques, if you’re staging something and charging people for it, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Both Alam and Chaudhuri stressed the importance of entering theatre with the awareness that it isn’t really a paying proposition. “I don’t see how people can realistically be expecting to earn a living from theatre,” Chaudhuri said. “I think it’s something you can foresee and work towards, but for that, you have to have something special and you have to toil, and I don’t think people are willing to do that.” Set against this gathering gloom is NSD Director Anuradha Kapur’s assertion that the theatre scene in Delhi is amongst the most forward-looking in the country. “There are a lot of young people here who are trying to find alternate spaces, alternate ways of expressions,” she said, mentioning Aditee Biswas, Zuleikha Chaudhari and The Tadpole Repertory as examples of Delhi artists doing interesting work. She did admit that Delhi’s output of fresh plays had fallen, and that Bangalore had raced ahead in that respect. “Abhishek [Majumdar], Ram Ganesh [Kamatham], they have the pulse of the language,” she said. Kapur also voiced a concern about Delhi theatre suffering from a lack of internal communication. That’s probably an understatement; at present, there’s hardly any collaboration between playwrights and directors from Delhi’s different theatre circles, and no common platform (such as a Delhi festival) that might bring them together. Still, Delhi theatre has made some important strides in recent years. For one, it’s started the difficult but necessary journey out of Mandi House. It’s begun to push an audience used to getting culture for free to part with the kind of money they’d pay for a movie ticket. There’s exciting work in new media, dance theatre and puppetry (Anurupa Roy in particular has gained a name across India for her puppet shows). And now, in addition to Bharat Rang Mahotsav and META, there are the idiosyncratic Ibsen and Short+Sweet festivals to look forward to – the former organised by Nissar and Amal Allana, the latter an offshoot of an international festival that began in Australia a decade ago and made its India debut here in 2010. Perhaps what’s needed now is a dedicated venue like Bangalore’s Ranga Shankara, though it might be worth asking whether we have the material to currently sustain a place like that. Alam pointed to the ever-increasing number of public shows in Delhi as a positive. “We’re doing good, bad and average plays,” he said, “and to survive, you need to do good, bad and average plays. You also have to do many plays.” Forty-eight years ago, Ebrahim Alkazi directed a now-legendary production of Andha Yug against the backdrop of Feroz Shah Kotla. Bhanu Bharti’s recent staging of the play in October this year at the same site was, in a way, Delhi theatre’s salute to itself. With some luck, it might also prove to be a bookend for one Delhi theatre era, and the beginning of another, even more fascinating one.

Chapter ten: Death Dance (A/N- sooooooo sorry this took so long. Like two weeks ago my grandmother died and we had to go down to New jersey which for like a few days. When I got back I had so many tests and projects to work on I had almost no time to work on it, and then the next I had a HUGE history project. So I guess you could say I was busy, lol, I hope this lives up to your standards….toodles….) Snape strode casually beside Lily, his black greasy hair playing dangerously around his eyes, giving those black darting pupils an even more unsettling sensation that shot chills rapidly down her spine. “So…” Lily whispered, deepening into her seat as he walked closer to her, “If you know where the letter is…. then….where is it?” The boy called Snape gave a menacing smirk, his pale thin lips curving into a, some how, infamous expression. “You always had such nice hair” he smirked curtly, placing himself in a seat beside her and twirling his white bony, skeletal fingers through her silken locks. Lily instinctively moved her head away, sliding her hand down her head and combing his spidery fingers out of her hair. “What are you doing?” she cried, her eyes like round saucers as she stared at the boy. The boy eased off, lying back in his chair, giving a casual shrug, “What ever I please” “You speak, boy, with an authority and arrogance that you do not own! So PLEASE…do-not-touch-me!” He heaved a sigh of amusement giving another shrug, “Doesn’t matter, mutts are to dirty for my taste” Lily’s snarled, pulling out her wand, “You want to say that again?” He gave a wicked laugh, a white hot ember burning in his eyes that made Lily shiver, “I could but it wouldn’t make a difference, I have what you want” “It’s a stupid letter, you can have it. I don’t need to know what it says!” He gave another laugh, “You obviously don’t know what I possess here do you?” “But it’s just a letter?” His eyes widened, those black obsidian pupils growing harder, “I have blackmail” “Not on me, that’s my pen mate’s letter” she sneered triumphantly, bringing up the edge of her mouth. “You make me laugh Lily! Stupidity and ignorance really seem to suit you!” “I lost my memory you dimwit, if you don’t remember!” “All the same…look I’m willing to strike a deal with you if your up for it” he smirked, leaning forward in his chair so that his hair hung like dead spiders in his face. “What kind of a deal?” she asked gingerly. “You must tell me whose letter it is” “Or…!” she smiled more brightly, a look of insane amusement in her, “I can kick your arse and you give me back my letter!” He gave a soft chuckle, “If you do that I have a charm over it that will destroy your precious letter instantly if you do anything to offend me” She growled, “Fine…and that’s all?” “Yes, that’s all” he fleered, his mouth emphasizing the words. “It’s Remus then” He gave a soft laugh, “I don’t think you understand me…” He hissed gently, “I said WHO is it?” he mocked skeptically. “I’m serious! That’s who it is!” she protested pugnaciously. “You’d be smart not to trifle with me girl, now, WHO IS IT!” “I’m TRYING to tell you, but you won’t listen!” He sighed one last time, clenching his teeth in bitter defeat, “Then you’re more stupid than I thought you were” The boy stood and turned on his heel, his long midnight black cape swaying with closure as it kissed the air with goodbye just as the door shut. Lily sat quietly alone in the Library, pondering. Great…I have no memory, didn’t get the letter and according to this Severus boy I’m stupid too! OH I can’t wait to find all the other wonderful things about me! ************************* “Remus” Remus Lupin turned around to face the timid Lily Evans. “Lily!” he smiled congenially, embracing her in a friendly hug, “How are you?” “Good…but I just came here to ask you a question” Lily and Remus were standing quietly in the warm cozy Gryffindor common room, Remus who had just been working on his studies. A dreamy halo cast it’s spell over the room, and a bubble of fire light surrounded them, all other parts of the room a gray blur. “Well what is it?” he smiled growing warmly. “I just…more so…wanted to confirm something” her emerald eyes had been wandering, avoiding that gaze, that innocent perfect gaze, when they met. “I just…well…you are Red Dragon, right?” Remus gave a funny gaze, “Who’s Red Dragon?” Lily smiled slightly to herself, “Uh-no one…” A small spark of familiarity sparked and an image flashed in her head, it was of Remus and her, and from what she could tell, they had been together. “Hey, Remus….before my accident, were we….together?’ “Lily, are you remembering?” he asked anxiously, helping her sit down. “Yeah-“ she said, faintly smiling, pressing her fingers to her forehead, “We were, weren’t we?” He nodded subtly, “I thought I would tell you later” Her smile fell, “Then James really isn’t…” “isn’t what? Lily, did he tell you that he was dating you!” he spoke, his voice raising in anger. But Lily wasn’t listening, “Lies…all lies…all this time…everything is just one big lie…” “I’m so sorry Lily, James tends to do things like that, I promise I’ll kill him when I find him” Her head was shaking, an unstable smile fixed on her face, “No…you’re just as bad…all of you…everything’s just a lie…” A sudden realization was hitting her, James had lied, Remus had lied, even her friends had lied to her…everything she’d heard could have been completely false…everyone she’d trusted had betrayed her. She couldn’t remember anything and they had taken advantage of her, she now was alone, all alone. She couldn’t trust anyone, who could she trust? She didn’t know anyone, her whole life, what everyone had told her, could all be a lie…just one big lie…James had lied…he had tricked her…and the worst of it was…she almost actually thought she felt the same. Lily stood up from her chair, starting to run out of the room. “Lily wait!” He called, but she was running and there was no stopping her. The corridors were getting darker as she treaded deeper into the castles dungeons. Tears were streaming her face, faces were passing her, everything was blur, she just knew she had to go there…there… A small greasy haired boy sat alone in the cold dungeon’s room as she skidded into it. “Where is it!” she harshly whispered, her body trembling. “Where’s what?” he answered lazily. “Letter…..I need it….now!” her eyes were twitching madly as she watched that smirk reappear on his pale skin. “Oooh, a little cranky today are we?” “REMUS ISN’T THE ONE WRITING THE LETTER—“ she said quickly, her volume rising his panic. Severus blinked his long sable lashes distinctly, “Well know that you know that, then who is it?” “I-don’t-know-who-it-is” she spoke, her wand was out now, quivering in her frozen hand. “I SAID I need that letter NOW!” Lily roared, her breathing becoming irregular, extending her wand further so her whole arm was quivering. Severus’s eyes widened as he slowly reached into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment. Fervidly she grabbed it, and running straight out of the dungeon, pacing herself, she needed to run away somewhere, so she let her intuition take her there…there to the whomping willow. The large tree stood ominously in the gray dark, it’s frantic branches quivering fervently. And the arms called to her, as the whip and whistle reached her ears. White puffs of breathe hung dead in the air, like the men hung on nooses on cold December days. Her panting was growing stronger, she felt that image call to her and she let it consume her. An arm reached out and grabbed her, and her eyes tore away from the familiar image. “Evans!” a recognizable voice cheered. “I wanted to show you something!” Lily turned wide-eyed to face James, her pupils throbbing, growing smaller, larger, smaller larger, they couldn’t remain still. She wanted to scream; hot steamy tears dripped slowly and morosely down her damp cheeks. “Evans?” But James couldn’t see those sorrowful tears, he couldn’t reach that pain, for the deception of rain had hid those beautiful tears. The cold rain was the only distinction she could differ that from warm salty tears that burned her eyes. Lily couldn’t think, not just of what to say, but what to do…except run…to that familiar image. She wrenched her arm free, her feet pushing forward, running into the open arms of the tree. Her fists were still clenched around the letter, when she shoved it into her pocket. The rain slid down harder and harder and everything seemed so familiar. The rain, the tree, James, running, everything…it was like she was reliving something. “Evans!” James called he couldn’t understand it, why would she run? His heart beat a little faster. Oh god, she must remember Immediately he started after her, his heels kicking up greasy mud that slid under his toes. Lily was almost there. She ducked, a large whip-like branch lashing in her direction. Dip. Duck. Dive…Dip. Duck. Dive…Dip. Duck. Dive She was finding a rhythmic pattern to the movement of branches, dancing magically as it bent her to its will. James was watching her, he had come as close as possible with out being hit. But that wasn’t the only reason he stopped. His eyes were greedily watching her. She was cat-like, moving like a ballerina in some cadent dance she swiftly moved to. Her lithe body bent smoothly around the thundering brush, finding pattern to its chaotic motion to form a complex and beautiful dance of death. Lily’s breathing was easing, her damp clothes pressed against the rough tree bark and she was free from harm. A swarm of branches swatting around her, she felt safe from everything, away from all, but still there was an itch in her mind. It seemed too familiar. But she didn’t know why. *** James’s feet crunched as he took a step forward. He looked down. A muddy piece of parchment lay beneath his feet, the letter. Slowly picking it up he unfolded it, barely able to make out the scrawled handwriting through the mud and grimy water. *** Lily’s heart pumped faster as her hand dove into her pocket, the letter was gone, it had fallen out. She looked up, he was holding it, in his hands, and carefully his lips started to from words. *** He began reading; starting from the very beginning…it was time… “My dearest friend, Icy flame… Now I suppose it is my turn to tell you my secret…and I have been dreading it since I first knew I would have to tell you…” (A/N- cliffy! Ha ha, I hope it was a good one. Lol, yes…well you will see just what the letter holds, though I think I might have to change it only because of the content. We will see. That would be a pity. Indeed, anyways…again sorry I took me so long to get this out, so busy! Lol, well…until next time…) Track This Story: Feed Write a Review JOIN HARRY POTTER FANFICTION Get access to every new feature the moment it comes out.Register Today!

“THAT’S THE ONE!” This is the story of the Little Prince’s first Christmas Tree. Once upon a time, when the Young Prince was a tiny wee child his mother and father, Prince John and Princess Margaret, decided that they would go out and select his very first Christmas tree. Usually the trees that were cut and brought into the castle for the Winter Celebrations were selected by the King and Queen’s gamekeeper, but this year, this special year, the Prince and Princess decided to do the selecting themselves. They arranged for the red sleigh and a pair of dabble grey horses, Molly and Pie, readied. The gamekeeper and the groom cleaned and polished the sleigh and groomed the horses. The Prince and Princess and the little Prince were dressed in their warmest winter clothes. They hurried out to the stable and climbed into the sleigh. The gamekeeper placed a huge white bear skin over their laps. “You have a fine clear winter day to go Christmas Tree cutting,” the gamekeeper said. “The best of luck to you. “ He gave Molly a slap on the rump. Prince John snapped the reins and Molly and Pie stepped forward. Soon the sleigh was moving smoothly over the snow, the bells on the horses jingled as they rode along. The sun was bright and the forest was near. Across the meadow, the royal family rode leaving behind a sleigh trail. The Prince knew just were he needed to go. He had talked to the gamekeeper early that morning. It was cold and crisp and everything was blanketed with snow from the snowfall of the night before. The forest trees had snow patches on their limbs. The little Prince was sound to sleep in his mother’s arms. The Prince and the Princess commented on the beauty all around them. It wasn’t long after they had moved beyond the castle gates that they came to a huge Black Oak. “Grandfather Oak has lost all his leaves,” the Princess said. “He looks so different.” The large tree was the site of many a summer picnic. Next, they could see the small like. It was frozen over. Soon they would be entering the Pine Grove. The Prince knew the grove and he thought it a fine place to find the perfect Children’s Winter Tree. The Princess had asked her maids to bring down the decorations from the storage room. “Put the one marked Children’s Tree in the Nursery. “ It contained all the special ornaments for the Little 1’s first tree. She had talked with the Cook earlier and knew that the kitchen staff was busy making cookies and dainties for the tree. She was thinking about the special decorations that were saved from her special first Winter’s tree. They were in the trunk with the Prince’s special trinkets from his first winter celebration. She remembered that on her first tree there was a jeweled star that her mother always placed on the very top. There were also shiny red balls that sparkled in the fire light. She was hoping that they could find a pine tree that was similar to the one she had as a child. She could picture the tree in her mind’s eye. A woodsman’s axe was on the floor of the sleigh along with rope to tie the tree down. When they came to the grove of pines Prince John slowed the horses down. “Keep a look out for the tree you want,” he said. “Over there,” she said. The sleigh moved over near where she had pointed. The Prince got out, took the axe from the sleigh and headed to the small tree. “Stop,” said the Princess, “Now that I can see it up close, I think it is too small. “ The Prince got back into the sleigh and Molly and Pie walked on. The Princess turned her head this way and that. She considered all the trees she could see. “Let’s go over there,” she said, pointing down hill… The Prince turned the sleigh and headed the horses in that direction. “What about that tree,” the Prince said. “I like that one,” he started to get out of the sleigh. “No, that won’t do,” the Princess replied. “It’s lopsided.” The Prince pointed at another tree. The Princess shook her head no. The Prince moved the sleigh again to a new location in the grove. “Do you see anything promising over here, my darling?” The Princess looked around. She frowned and shook her head no. The Prince snapped the reins and Molly and Pie pulled the sled farther and farther into the forest. “Which one of these beauties shall we pick?” the Prince asked, stopping before a cluster of trees. The Princess handed the Little Prince to her husband and got out of the sleigh. She carefully inspected several trees. Came back to the sleigh and stated none of them would do. The Prince looked down at the little Prince and said, “My goodness, your mother is after an extraordinary tree. It will have to be quite special,” the Prince said, handing the bundled child back to the Princess… Again, Prince John moved the sleigh. “There! Over there!” said the Princess. “That’s the One! That’s the perfect tree.” The Prince got out of the sleigh, got the rope and axe and headed towards the tree. “Which one is it now?” The Princess was so excited she carefully laid the Little Prince down on the Bear Skin, making sure he was well covered and got out of the sleigh. “This one,” she said, pointing at the mid-size Pine Tree… The Prince chopped down the tree and the two of them dragged it back towards the sleigh. The first snowflake softly landed on the Princess’s nose. “Oh, no,” she said. “We’d better hurry. It’s starting to snow.” The two of them had been so interested in finding the Little Prince’s tree that they fail to notice that the sky had darkened and the weather had completely changed. The snowflakes fluttered down… Soon the snow fell like rain and they could hardly see the horses or the sleigh. The Prince and the Princess ran dragging the tree behind them. “The Little Prince,” Princess Margaret yelled, letting go of the tree and running for the sleigh. The horses were uneasy. Molly and Pie were straining at their harness and the red sleigh was being jerked this way and that. The Wee little Prince with his soft rabbit skin cap was snuggled in his blankets. The Princess scooped him up and climbed back into the sleigh covering them with the bearskin. “Hurry,” she said, as the Prince tied the tree to the rails. The Prince called out to the horses, snapping the reins, “Take us home, Molly. You know the way Pie.” The horses pulled and nothing happened. The Prince stood up and worked the reins again. “Let’s go,” he called… Finally, the sleigh jerked forward. The snow was really coming down. “It’s a good thing we aren’t too far from the Castle,” said the Prince… The Princess and the Prince could hardly see the horse’s rumps the snow was coming down so hard. “I can’t tell which way to go, “the Prince said. “I’m hoping Molly and Pie know the way home. “The Princess held the baby close. “How is the Little Prince doing?” asked the Prince. “He seems fine,” said the Princess. She could see her breath as she spoke. Her lips were so cold it was hard to form her words. “I’m amazed that he is still asleep. Look at his pink cheeks.” The Prince looked over and he could see the Little Prince’s rosy nose… Snowflakes coated the Prince’s hat and beard. “Can you make the horses go any faster,” she asked. The Prince shouted, “Come on Molly, Come on Pie. Step it up.” The horses got into a rhythm just short of running and the sleigh sailed along. The Prince yelled, “We just passed the Old Grandfather Oak.” The Princess nodded her head. We are almost home, she thought. “It’s a good thing the horses know the way because I can’t see very far. “. The ride was jerky and the sleigh bumped along but they were making good progress. The Prince knew that they needed to slow it down a bit or the sleigh could over turn. He talked sweetly to the horses reassuring them that they were doing a fine job. The red sleigh glided over the fields and through the Castle gate, across the meadow and into the courtyard. The gamekeeper was there waiting for them. “Hurry,” he said. “Get inside. I will take care of the horses, sleigh and the tree.” The Prince helped the Princess out of the sleigh. She had wrapped the little Prince inside her coat. They entered the castle and moved quickly to the fire burning in the huge fireplace. “That was a close call,” the Princess said. “I’m so relieved to be inside were it is safe and warm.” “How is the Little Prince?” Prince John said. The Princess opened her coat, and then unwrapped the babe. His eyes opened, his little face puckered up and he let out a cry. “Look! We’ve disturbed him.“ The Prince and Princess looked at each other and laughed. “Now you cry, little one. You missed all the excitement,” the Prince said. “He is hungry,” the Princess said, leaving for the nursery with one of the Maids. That evening the gamekeeper brought the Christmas tree up stairs. It was ready to be decorated. The trunk had been bought from the storeroom and sat open. Everything was made ready. The Princess came into the nursery and spoke to the gamekeeper. The Maids set to decorating the tree. The tree was lovely. The cook brought up all the cookies and the dainties and they were tied on the tree. The next morning the Prince, the Princess and the Little Prince came into the Nursery. The Little Prince sat up and clapped his hands. His eyes twinkled. The Princess got tears in her eyes. “It is perfect. This tree looks just like my tree when I had my first winter celebration. Later in the afternoon all the children around the castle would come to the nursery and sing songs. Then they would raid the tree and eat all the wonderful things that the cook and her staff had prepared. The Prince smiled and handed the Princess a gift all wrapped in silk cloth with a wonderful green ribbon tied into a bow. “This is for you, my darling,” he said. The Princess opened the gift. It was a carved wooden red sleigh with two dappled gray horses that look a lot like Molly and Pie. The Princess kissed the Prince and put the carving near the top of the tree just under the sparkling jeweled star. “This is wonderful,” she said, giving the little Prince a kiss on his cheek. “When he gets older I will tell him the story of Molly and Pie and how they saved us and the perfect Christmas Tree.” The Prince put his arms around his little family and remember the day before when all depended on his dappled gray horses. He was grateful to Molly and Pie. Their Christmas Tree cutting could have come out so differently. “I told the gamekeeper to give the horses some extra oats,” the Prince said. “Yes,” said the Princess. “They deserve it.” The two loving parents looked at their son and at the Children’s Christmas Tree. The room was all decked out in evergreens.. The fire in the fireplace made the room warm and when they looked out the window they could see that the snow was still falling.

The red gate, the rusted roof, the many trees and the cake she was making. I remember that day like it was yesterday. The chairs and table being setup outside, the excitement and the stove iron that burned my hand. See it was no ordinary day, it was a day to celebrate. Grandma turned 70 and there was a feast. That’s the oldest memory I have and I was six. I don’t remember much of anything before that day but from that that until now, I remember it all. There were a lot of people who had come to celebrate grandma and it was fun for us kids. That day marked the beginning of this journey called life. Oh well at least that’s how I remember that day before it happened. It was supposed to be a day to celebrate but then they came. The men in the uniform came and they took her. Or at least they tried to take her before grandma intervened and she was killed. Right there in front of me. Her white now soaked with a lot of red. I didn’t know blood had different shades until that day. first it was light and then it became dark and darker until it was so dark it didn’t look like blood anymore. It looked like death. At six, the concept of death was new to me but at that moment, I knew exactly what it meant. “Grandma was never going to wake up because her blood came out of her and became death.” There was chaos and then I saw him, stern faced and barking orders. I looked around for mom, my sisters, my brothers and I didn’t find anyone. It seemed like I was invisible to everyone because I went to her, in all that red and she looked at me and said “fight”, I asked grandma “Are you okay?” and she said again “fight” then I asked “Fight who?” She muffled something but all I heard was “Yourself” and then she stopped talking. No matter how many times I shook her head, she just wouldn’t answer and then I wasn’t invisible anymore, someone had seen me. He yanked me off of her and threw me to the ground. I tried to run. I saw my oldest sister running and then she just dropped to the ground. The same thing happened to my other sister and older brother. I couldn’t find my mom. Then a truck came and I was thrown inside. There were others in there. People wailing, they were hurt, blood everywhere but this time it didn’t look as red as the red of death. They wouldn’t die but they were hurt. At this point I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. After a while, I don’t know how long but then the truck stopped. Everybody became silent, out of fear I guess or anticipation or maybe it was shock. I will never know. The doors were opened and the same man I saw earlier – stern face, he shouted “Get down!”, “Get down now! or I will shoot you”, He waved his gun at us as we began to make our way out of the truck. We were about 50 in the truck. Some were with their families and like me, some were alone. I didn’t see anyone I knew. I still couldn’t find my mom or my baby brother. I didn’t see them fall so maybe they are on another truck. I hadn’t realized I had lost a shoe until I felt something in my foot. I looked at it and it was a nail right in my foot. I don’t remember feeling it go in. Maybe it was when I ran, maybe it was when we got off the truck, I will never know. I don’t feel any pain but it’s uncomfortable because I can feel it stuck in there. So I try to pull it out while hopping on my other foot because we are not allowed to stop but I wasn’t successful. Then I decide to bend and quickly get it out that’s when I feel pain but it wasn’t from the nail. It was a whip right on my neck. Then I feel everything else- fear and more pain. It wasn’t once, or twice. I was rolling in the red sand and nobody could help and I screamed and in that moment I heard my name “Wah-vi!” “Wah-vi!!”, that’s my baby brother. I try to follow the sound but the whips keep coming and then another voice broke my thought “Get up!”. I tried but I couldn’t and then a hand pulled me up. I couldn’t see properly from rolling in the sand and all my tears. I remember leaning into that hand and then….. …..This is it, I’m going to get it together. I mean everyone says find your passion and follow it right? So yeah, I’m doing this. I have prayed and I’m believing that this is my passion. It has to be right? There is nothing else I do for others without a single worry or stress. It comes natural and despite the number of times I tried to leave, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. (One time I tried to leave because I thought it was the very reason I was single. I mean no one gets to see me and I don’t even make an effort in my appearance. Comfort is always my number one priority.) Since I can’t afford to get another degree, I have to figure out how to get this passion going. I was really excited about this. I mean I had found my passion ‘I think‘ and now I have to work for it. I did some research thanks to google and I found some free online classes I could take to help with learning a couple of things I thought would help my quest to world domination lol- I play too much. I usually like to wait for the first of a new month to start a new plan but this time, I’m so determined that I started immediately. I enrolled for my first class in Human Rights as an Interdisciplinary act focusing on children and boy did I feel empowered. I felt like I was taking control of my destiny. I wasn’t leaving it to chance. I was exercising my faith you know since faith without works is dead right? Let me give you a little background into my life. I’m not going to go into detail. Just going to focus on the basics. So here it goes. Growing up, I thought I was going to be a doctor, a surgeon actually- neurosurgeon but then life happened and for my first degree, I found myself in social sciences and for my second degree, I went into technology. I would like to note that I just happened to choose these because of my limitations. My limitation isn’t conventional. You are probably thinking health or financial but this time, my limitation was me. I was playing it safe. I didn’t want to fail so I chose ‘easy’ courses. I challenged myself a bit with my second degree though, I went to a different field but in my opinion, I was playing it safe. Well after my second degree, I started the job hunt and it wasn’t pretty. Eventually I got a job. Wasn’t ‘the’ job but it paid the bills. I didn’t mind starting from the bottom so it was ok or so I thought. I was empty, confused, afraid and just outright sad! Fast forward to present day- I had new found energy from taking charge of my life. It wasn’t easy taking the online classes because apart from the fact that I had a full-time job, I wasn’t even sure if this wasn’t a complete waste of my time and I was just doing what I do best – dreaming or if it was the right thing to do. I convinced myself that I was waiting for the day that all these classes I was taking will someday be needed one day and it will be a shame if I wasn’t prepared for that day. I had to believe that. You know that feeling you get when your life seems to be taking shape and the puzzles are finally falling into place and you just have that good feeling that everything will be okay? Yes, that’s how I was feeling. It was a new month and things were going great, and one day, I got a phone call and I don’t remember much from the conversation but I remember these words “I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you…..”, the details are blurry. I can’t remember how the rest of the day went but that was the end. My father was gone. He wasn’t here anymore. I didn’t know whether to cry or not because I didn’t want to upset God by mourning like the unbelievers. I tried to be logical about my reaction to the news. Trying to do it a healthy way and keeping my faith strong wasn’t an easy task. Lots of questions bothered coursing through my mind but of course no one was there to provide answers to them. My entire belief system was under attack and to top up, I was alone. I don’t just mean feeling lonely, but I was also physically by myself. My family was on another continent and I couldn’t go be with them, so it was tough to say the least. There was no point to life. The passion l had to live and help and fight for the very people who needed help was dead. My very core was empty. I prayed to die, I begged God to kill me. I thought about doing it myself. I got as far as cleaning my room and getting things in order for when they found me. But then I thought about the pain my family will feel. I thought about my mother. It will surely kill her to lose me too. It will be selfish of me to put my family through the exact pain I was currently feeling. So, I decided to wait. Praying that one day, it wouldn’t be so dark. Every day I woke up was the same day I got that call. I don’t mean it was like the day. What I mean is that I was living that day every day. It was a new day, but my life was stuck in the day I got the call. I tried to continue pursuing my dream, but it was too dark. I couldn’t see anything, and I gave up. I had no more fight in me. I was just going to let life happen to me. I was completely insane thinking that I could control my destiny. Life was outside my control and all I had to do was wait for what it had for me and keep dealing…. …it was all black. Everything was black. I couldn’t see anyone or anything but I could feel the pain. Then I hear a familiar voice “Ravvit! Ravvit!! Can you hear me?” It’s my mother! Oh great, it was her. She was the hand that pulled me up. I tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. I had them formed in my head, but they wouldn’t come out. Then I hear her voice again “It’s ok Ravvit, we are safe now, everything will be alright.” “Look your brother is here, hey Xahri, come say hello to your sister.” I felt happy, I was safe again and everything will be fine. “Get up!, everybody get up now!” I have heard that voice before. I know who it is but before I could get up, I’m drenched in cold water. They kept throwing it at us even though we were up. I look around for my mother and she’s not there, I look for Xahri and he’s not around. I begin to panic, and I yelled his name twice and there he was. I hugged him and asked “where is mommy?” I asked him again and again, but he just kept staring at me. I didn’t know what to do but then I heard the voice again “stern face” he was talking to everyone. He said he wanted to help us and I didn’t understand. How can he want to help me when he made my brother and sisters drop to the ground, he made my mom scared that she ran away and left me, he beat me till I couldn’t see anything and most of all, he ruined grandma’s party? He can’t help me because he hurt me. “Where is my mother?” Maybe she went to the bathroom because she was here last night, she saved me when I fell yesterday after the beating. Stern face wanted all the children separate from the adults. Children were screaming, mothers were crying. Some didn’t move rather they couldn’t move. It was terrible. “I have to get out.” “I have to find my mom and get out.” I hold on to Xahri’s hand very tight and follow the rest of the children. They take us to a big compound. It was really big and there was a tree on the side of the wall and they make us sit underneath it. There were kids of different ages both boys and girls. Some of them started to play around. I thought maybe I should play with them too but everything hurt. My foot with the nail was throbbing, my eyes were swollen, and my back and arms hurt from the whips yesterday. I wanted to sleep but I was scared Xahri would go missing again. I have to hold on to him. I have to keep him so my mother wouldn’t be upset that I let him run away. I have to be a big sister and take care of him. “Hey Ravvit” I run to meet her it’s my mother. I jump and hug her so tight and I started to cry. She asks for Xahri and he runs to meet her too. She looks really good. She even smells better. She had a bag with her and she asks us to set down. “Ravvit, you have done a good job being a big sister”, I smile and she says “I have something for you because you have been a good girl”. She opens her bag and brings out a box of biscuits and juice pack. She tells me to share it with Xahri. We sit there eating in silence and I try to show her my foot with all the blood but there’s nothing there. I also try to show her my arms and back but it doesn’t hurt anymore. I also want to tell her about stern face but she’s just smiling. I don’t think she can hear me and I’m not sure why. Then she stands up and tells me that she has to go. She says “Ravvit, keep your brother safe, be safe and…” I interrupt her, “you can’t leave me again, I don’t like it here, I will be good, I won’t be stubborn anymore, mommy please don’t go.” But by the time I’m done with my plea, she’s half way out of the compound. For some reason Xahri and I are stuck, we can’t run after her or move and we are both crying and begging and then I hear the same thing grandma said “Fight Ravvit, fight but I can’t hear what she says next, I just hear “yourself” and she’s gone. And just as immediately, I hear Xahri calling my name but it sounds like it’s coming from a distance. That’s not possible, he was just right here. I’m supposed to take care of him, mother said to keep him safe. I feel someone shaking me and I open my eyes to see who it is – Xahri. It’s Xahri. …it was all black. Everything was black. I couldn’t see anyone or anything, but I could feel the pain. Then I hear a familiar voice “Ravvit! Ravvit!! Can you hear me?” It’s my mother! Oh great, it was her. She was the hand that pulled me up. I tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. I had them formed in my head, but they wouldn’t come out. Then I hear her voice again “It’s ok Ravvit, we are safe now, everything will be alright.” “Look your brother is here, hey Xahri, come say hello to your sister.” I felt happy, I was safe again and everything will be fine. “Get up!, everybody get up now!” I have heard that voice before. I know who it is but before I could get up, I’m drenched in cold water. They kept throwing it at us even though we were up. I look around for my mother and she’s not there, I look for Xahri and he’s not around. I begin to panic and I yelled his name twice and there he was. I hugged him and asked, “where is mommy?” I asked him again and again but he just kept staring at me. I didn’t know what to do but then I heard the voice again “stern face” he was talking to everyone. He said he wanted to help us and I didn’t understand. How can he want to help me when he made my brother and sisters drop to the ground, he made my mom scared that she ran away and left me, he beat me till I couldn’t see anything and most of all, he ruined grandma’s party? He can’t help me because he hurt me. “Where is my mother?” Maybe she went to the bathroom because she was here last night, she saved me when I fell yesterday after the beating. Stern face wanted all the children separate from the adults. Children were screaming, mothers were crying. Some didn’t move rather they couldn’t move. It was terrible. “I have to get out.” “I have to find my mom and get out.” I hold on to Xahri’s hand very tight and follow the rest of the children. They take us to a big compound. It was really big and there was a tree on the side of the wall and they make us sit underneath it. There were kids of different ages both boys and girls. Some of them started to play around. I thought maybe I should play with them too but everything hurt. My foot with the nail was throbbing, my eyes were swollen, and my back and arms hurt from the whips yesterday. I wanted to sleep but I was scared Xahri would go missing again. I have to hold on to him. I have to keep him so my mother wouldn’t be upset that I let him run away. I have to be a big sister and take care of him. “Hey Ravvit” I run to meet her it’s my mother. I jump and hug her so tight and I started to cry. She asks for Xahri and he runs to meet her too. She looks really good. She even smells better. She had a bag with her and she asks us to set down. “Ravvit, you have done a good job being a big sister”, I smile and she says “I have something for you because you have been a good girl”. She opens her bag and brings out a box of biscuits and juice pack. She tells me to share it with Xahri. We sit there eating in silence and I try to show her my foot with all the blood but there’s nothing there. I also try to show her my arms and back but it doesn’t hurt anymore. I also want to tell her about stern face but she’s just smiling. I don’t think she can hear me and I’m not sure why. Then she stands up and tells me that she has to go. She says “Ravvit, keep your brother safe, be safe and…” I interrupt her, “you can’t leave me again, I don’t like it here, I will be good, I won’t be stubborn anymore, mommy please don’t go.” But by the time I’m done with my plea, she’s half way out of the compound. For some reason Xahri and I are stuck, we can’t run after her or move and we are both crying and begging and then I hear the same thing grandma said “Fight Ravvit, fight but I can’t hear what she says next, I just hear “yourself” and she’s gone. And just as immediately, I hear Xahri calling my name, but it sounds like it’s coming from a distance. That’s not possible, he was just right here. I’m supposed to take care of him, mother said to keep him safe. I feel someone shaking me and I open my eyes to see who it is – Xahri. It’s Xahri. …..Yes Xahri, what is it? He points towards the gate and I follow his finger and at the end of it I see people running and there’s a lot of noise more like chaos. Out of fear, I got up, grabbed his hand and started running towards the gate too but then I remember that we left my mother behind or maybe she left us. At this point I’m confused so I ask Xahri where mommy was and he just looked at his feet. I yelled at him, “where did mommy go?”, then he started to cry. I look around trying to find her. I was thinking to myself “she couldn’t have left us again” or maybe stern face came to take her and made her drop to the ground like my older brother and sisters. I’m trying to calm Xahri down and find my mother at the same time and I became overwhelmed. Everything was spinning, it felt like we were in the middle and everything around us was moving at super speed but we couldn’t move. I had to bend down, hands over my ears so I could focus and think, think of where she could be. Then I remember the biscuits she gave my brother and I. Maybe she’s there. She may have gone back there to find us. With Xahri on my heels, we went back there but we couldn’t find her. We couldn’t find the rest of the biscuits and juice pack either. Maybe somebody found them or it could have been the wind. I didn’t want to panic again, I didn’t want to upset Xahri any more than he already was. We keep going around in circles and just as I was about to give up and leave, another kid, older, came to me and asked what we were doing there and why we weren’t leaving. I didn’t understand what he meant by the last statement. Did he know that nobody was allowed to leave the compound except for when stern face and his friends came to get us? Or maybe he is new around here so he doesn’t know yet how things work around here. I asked him what he meant and he told me the story of how some people escaped the last raid and they came to tell us that the soldiers have taken stern face and his friends away and there was a lot of fighting and that we were now free. I didn’t understand what he was saying but I definitely understood free. When he was done with his story, I asked if he had seen my mother. I tried my best to describe her and he said he did. I was very happy and begged him to take Xahri and me to her. We hurried out of the compound, as fast as our little legs could carry us and followed him closely for a couple of hours until we got to another compound. It was quiet in there. It seemed like the madness that we just left was a different world away. There were some chickens picking worms in the ground. I also saw some dogs snoozing under a mango tree. It was a big as the compound we were held captive but unlike the lone tree in the center, this one had many trees. It seemed like it had all the fruits in the world and that thought reminded me of the hunger I had been fighting so hard to ignore. We finally got to the door of the building. It was a mud hut. Then the young boy started shouting “Mama! Mama!!” I have found another one. I was a little confused and scared. I didn’t know what he was talking about and I held on to Xahri’s hand, preparing to run. But then a woman came out and she looked at me and said “Come, don’t be scared, I wouldn’t hurt you”, I wasn’t sure to believe her but I didn’t think we had a choice so I went with her. I whispered to the boy “this is not my mother” and he said “No, she is mama”. I wanted to go back outside. My mother must be looking for us. She must be worried. We are going to get in trouble for leaving. All of these thoughts coursing through my mind. I’m also very tired and hungry. Xahri looks like he is about to faint and I was worried that if I decided to run away, he wouldn’t be able to run fast and I wasn’t going to leave him behind so I decided to follow mama. My mother will find us here. This is the only compound close to where we were held captive so yes, she will find us here but that’s if she makes a right at the gate. What if she makes a left? What is on the left? This place is really far too. What if she gets tired and can’t keep on. We should have given her some biscuits and juice too. We enter into another room in the hut and there are some children in there. They were seated on benches on either side of a long table eating some yam porridge. The sight and smell of food made my stomach growl. I’m not sure if mama heard that but then she told Xahri and me to have a sit and asked the boy to get us plates and cups of water. The other children didn’t give us any mind at all, they were eating and chatting away. They seemed to be from a different place from where we were coming. Joshua brought the plates and cups of water as mama had instructed and she served us some yam porridge. Xahri and I were ravenous, we devoured the food so quickly that mama decided to give us more only if we promised to slow down. When we finished eating, mama told us we needed a bath. Joshua took us outside the hut and gave us two buckets of water. A sponge made from raffia and some soap. I bathed Xahri first and took him in before having a bath myself. By the time I went back into the hut, Xahri was asleep and I lay beside him and I fell asleep before my head hit the mat. …..Xahri and I are playing in the backyard with the other kids when I hear a familiar voice. I heard mama say “Oh, they are well, they are in the back…”, I wonder who she’s talking to so I turn around the corner and it’s my mother, I run towards her, arms flailing beside me, my mother had her arms stretched out ready to catch me just as I jumped into them almost sending the both of us to the ground. To say I was happy is an understatement. I had a million and one questions but I couldn’t find the words. My arms tight around her neck, I didn’t want to lose her again. She’s saying something but I can’t hear her. At this point, all I want to hear is “we are going home”. We go inside the house and mama offers her something to eat and drink. I’m kind of surprised that she didn’t ask for Xahri and for a brief moment, I allow myself believe that I’m her favorite. That she really missed me and nothing else mattered. Mama asks me to get off my mother so she can eat her food. I reluctantly let go of her and use the opportunity to go find Xahri. I mean, mother can’t disappear again while she’s eating, I know that mama wouldn’t let that happen. I run outside to where we were playing and I didn’t find anyone there. Everywhere seemed awfully quiet. Well maybe they have all gone into the other shed, but there is nobody there. I begin to panic because this feeling is familiar. It’s like the last time mommy came and gave us biscuits and the juice pack and then disappeared. So I run back to where she was eating earlier and she’s not there either. “What is happening?” this can’t be happening again! Where did everybody go? Did she take Xahri home and leave me here? Oh no, this is because of what I was thinking earlier- that I’m her favorite. I shouldn’t have been bad. Mama! Mama!! Mommy! Mommy!! Mommy!!! Xahri! Joshua!! Where is everybody? Finally, I hear someone call my name from afar and I run towards the voice but it seems far away and the whole place starts to vibrate. I am so confused at this point and beyond panic so I scream, as loud as I can and that’s when she came in, mama held me. Whispering words I can’t make out to me, she’s rocking me back and forth. Then I come to it and hear her “It’s okay, it’s okay Ravvit”, “You are okay, mama is here”. I open my eyes and there are a hundred more staring down at me. In the corner of my eye, I see Xahri in the corner, looking terrified. I’m trying to figure out where they all were and where is my mother? Why does she keep leaving us behind? Is she tired of us? Is it because I am bad? Where is my mommy? I mutter quietly, mama looks at me like I had just spoke a foreign language. I ask her again, and that’s when she asked all the other kids to leave. She still hasn’t answered my question. She says to me that she has to take me somewhere. I ask about my mother again but she deflects. She tells me about a place that she will take us kids to. A place where we will be happy, where we can go to school and learn things. I don’t want to go there, I want my mother, I’m happy here, and Joshua reads some books to us so I don’t need to learn anything. Then mama said that this place she wants to take us is better than her hut and I can find mother there. I ask her why she let my mother go in the first place. She looks at me with that same like of confusion and then pulls me in and rocks me back and forth, muttering some words and now she’s sobbing. I’m thinking maybe she is upset for letting my mother go and she is sorry. So I tell her that I will stop asking questions and that I forgive her for letting my mother go. She helps me to my feet and tells me to call Joshua and three of the older kids. I do as she asks and everyone keeps looking at me like something is wrong. Well I guess my screams were really loud. It must have worked because they all came out from wherever they were hiding. She gives them some instructions and the next thing is they start giving us these little bags to put our things in. I was helping Xahri pack his little bag when mama walked into the room and Resa asked “Mama, why are we packing our things? Are they coming to get us again? And mama responded “You are packing your things because you all are going home” A deafening silence followed. I don’t know if it was because we were too excited to speak, or we were silent out of fear, or maybe because we didn’t know where home was or worse, we had forgotten what home was. The concept of “home” was so far gone that we didn’t know whether going there was a good or bad thing. …I picked up my bags at baggage claim and proceeded to exit the building. I tried to work my phone but for some reason, the calls could not connect. Then I decided to book an Uber but that wasn’t working either so I moved on to plan “C”. I walk up to the information desk and pick up a few pamphlets advertising taxi rides and make a selection. I picked one and proceeded to use the desk phone provided to make the call. The voice on the other end said she’ll pull up at the B Gate on level 2. At first I was going to argue and tell her to come to where I was because I was too exhausted to start find her location especially since I have a degree in getting lost but then I looked up to figure out what gate I was standing at, and I realized that I was exactly where she had mentioned “Thank God” I said under my breathe. She pulled up a few minutes later and we proceeded home. I wanted to take a nap but I couldn’t so I decided instead to make a list of things to do. I knew what the first thing on the list should be but I couldn’t bring myself to write it down. I closed the book and just looked out the window and started to play the “car tag” game. So basically the game is about looking for tags outside the current state I’m in. For some very interesting reason best known to God, I get excited seeing cars from out of town and then I try to figure out if it’s a rental or if they owned the car and had driven from there, calculating the number of hours to if they were on a family trip and basically every unimportant bit relating to the tag. After a couple of hours, I get home and my nerves awaken and I’m not sure what the reception is going to be like. I really don’t want anything emotional. I just want to see everyone, be happy and just move on to enjoying my trip. But as soon as I see my siblings and my mom, everything else didn’t matter. I was truly excited and relieved to see them. My brothers took my luggage up to my room and I sat with my mom in the living room talking about everything but my father which at first was great but then became the elephant in the room. Then out of the blue, she just said “I’m sure you will like to visit his grave, Tarvi can take you there whenever you want”. I was still trying to figure out how to answer when she called my brother “Tarvi” and told him he was taking me to our father’s grave site the next day. He looked at me trying to confirm the date and words seem stuck in my throat so all I could do was nod in agreement. I didn’t think I will be visiting him so quick but I guess tomorrow will be as good a time as any other. There was a knock on my door and I already knew who it was. My mom came in and she asked if I was okay with going to visit my father and when I looked up to answer her, tears just rolled down my face. She came and sat on my bed so she could give me a hug. She didn’t say anything which is very unusual for my mom. I was expecting her to try to calm me down or try to say something nice but she didn’t. After a few minutes, I was calm enough to speak and I asked why she was so quiet and shes said “Sometimes, a hug is all you need” and she was totally right. I just needed to cry. I didn’t need any words of hope or faith or assurance. I just wanted to be allowed to feel the pain and just let it out. I didn’t need someone to make me feel like “falling apart” meant that I was losing my faith or that I was “losing it”. We talked a little more about the events before and after my father’s death and she tried to mimic my father which she failed terribly. My eldest brother Kerhaq is the only one who could nail mimicking my father but it was nice to be able to talk about him with her and even find laughter in the tragedy. My mother apologized for forcing my hand to go visit my father without giving me a chance to make the decision myself but I insisted that it was okay and though I would have appreciated if I was allowed to make a choice myself, I’m glad she spoke up for me. I think the conversation with her made it “okay” to go see him. By that time my brother Tarvi was ready and I went downstairs to join him in the car. Tarvi was concerned that our mother was pushing me to do something I wasn’t ready for and I assured him it wasn’t the case. Anyone listening to our conversation would think he was the elder of us two. It felt good to have such great support from my family. This family support is exactly what I needed when I first got the news. This is why I hated so much that I was far away. I know that there’s nothing that anyone could have said or done to change the situation but having someone who was going through the same thing as me sure would have helped a lot. Tarvi and I talked more about our father and we laughed, I cried, he pretended something got in his eye of course and it was great. I was super happy. In about 24hours, I had experienced all kinds of emotions you can imagine, from one end of the spectrum to the other. When I first hatched the idea to come home, I thought it would weigh heavy with so much emotion that I would had to shut down so as not to “feel” but I must say, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m very prepared to visit my father’s grave and I couldn’t have picked a better partner to come along than my baby brother Tarvi. …..On our way from visiting my father, I was lost in thought when Tarvi brought me back to reality. I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to pry but he still was concerned about me. I told him what I was thinking about. When I was at the grave site, I kept thinking about conversations daddy and I had had. He always wanted me be successful but not at the expense of experiencing life. He always told me that time goes by very quickly and if you are not careful, you realize that for the most part, you have been chasing shadows. He used that phrase a lot “chasing shadows”. So that made me think hard on what I really wanted out of life and I was hoping to find lots of meaning on my trip. First, I would like to find some orphanages and shelters and the likes. Tarvi didn’t seem very convinced at first but I try to assure him that I had put a lot of thought towards it and visiting daddy’s grave was just extra motivation that I very much needed. I told him that I believed it was something our father would want me to do. If he could speak to me, he would say “You have to go after what you want, fight for yourself because no one else will”. By the time we got home, it was about evening time. Dinner was ready but I was really pumped to get my research going. I went to my room to do just that but didn’t find much. I really didn’t want a mainstream orphanage, I wanted something ‘off the grid”, a shelter or whatever but a place that doesn’t get as much help as it needed. I decided to continue my research the next day and went down to get dinner after which I worked on some of my online classes. Two weeks after I had arrived, a friend told me of a trip that a couple of our other friends were planning. It was going to be a four day trip and it was free. I decided to join them because she had me at “free”. The trip was definitely something that I was excited about because I hadn’t been to that town before and it would be fun exploring with friends. By Tuesday the following week, we were on a bus on our way to the town. The energy on the bus was so positive that I was super pumped too. I had just completed and gotten certifications for two of my online classes so that also gave me some positive vibes. I still hadn’t found an orphanage or shelter or even a charity that I could help. Everybody only knew the mainstream ones and I wanted one that was low key but effective. We finally arrived our destination after about 8hours on the road. Despite our exhaustion, we still hit the town that night, we wanted to experience the nightlife outside a city and boy was it exciting. The people were friendly, the food was great and the prices were ridiculously lower in comparison to what we were accustomed to. We ended up tipping a lot since we had a lot to make up for. We met another group who were from another city and they told us that they had a tour guide who had planned for them to visit a village that was known to have a cave that was basically a makeshift Jacuzzi. He said the water was from a waterfall which was cold but then by the time it got to the cave, it was hot enough to steam but not too hot to get in. We were pretty excited to experience this and made plans to meet up the next morning. It was about 3hours outside the town we were in so we decided to leave at 08:00 so we could have enough time to explore the locale. To my surprise, we left just 10 minutes behind schedule and there began our trip to the “Steaming cave” as it was called. About 2hrs into the trip, you could see the difference in the environment. The tarred roads disappeared, there were no buildings just huts and just the general sense of a rural lifestyle. I saw people riding bicycles or walking with what I guessed to be harvests from the farm or maybe not, maybe on their way to the markets but what intrigued me was the quantity of produce they carried. I would definitely pass out attempting such. We finally reached our destination and there was a lot of activity in the area. The moment the little children saw our bus approaching, they ran towards it, singing and overly excited. Our tour guide- Ali told us they were excited to see us because they hoped we would give them some money or even food. I wished that I had known we would meet the children because then I would have cooked something, bought some items or even gotten some clothes to give them. I wondered where they lived, if they had parents, if they went to school, well I assume some of them did attend some kind of school because they communicated well in English language. There was a food stand beside the bus station so I gave the owner some money and asked her to give the children some food. I didn’t think giving them the money was a good idea but I hoped that a good meal will go a long way. I thought to myself that if only I knew who to talk to or where to go to figure out a way to help the children but our tour guide couldn’t help with my questions. All 17 of us including the tour guide began our hike to head to the “Steaming cave”. The party we met last night were 9 and we were 7 so we decided to split our groups into sets of twos so we could know the other team better instead of just walking with whom we already knew. I thought it was a great idea but because we were outnumbered by two, a team had to have three, two from the other team and one from my team. I volunteered myself to be that one and I was in a team with two boys. We could hear the water falls and that was really amazing because it meant we were getting close to the cave. We finally got to the top of the waterfall and the view was breathtaking. We spent some time there taking pictures and just taking in the view. The cave was at the bottom of the waterfall and we had to begin our descent to the cave. Someone decided to make it a competition to see who could get to the cave first. A couple of us protested but we were in the minority so the majority won. It was going to be a race downhill. I thought to myself to stick with the tour guide but he was nowhere to be seen, and I was immediately convinced that it was a terrible idea. Before I could protest one more time, everyone was racing downhill including my fellow protesters. I decided to go at a steady pace behind them, picking a few people to watch so I wouldn’t get lost. Boy did I know what I was in for….. Excitement was in the air the next day. I couldn’t sleep because I just kept thinking about what mama said yesterday. “You are going home.” Where is home? Is that where my mother went to when she left Xahri and I again? Maybe it was a surprise and she didn’t want to ruin it. I can’t wait to see her. Mama had gotten a bus to come take us home. We all got in and mama said a prayer before we embarked on our journey home. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I heard was “Everybody get down!” I was frightened because it reminded me of when stern face came to take us. The difference now is that mama was the one who was saying it and the other kids were chattering away with excitement. I looked out the window and it didn’t look like my home, I was a little disappointed but then maybe my mother didn’t want us going back home, maybe it’s a new home since the old one has many sad memories. There was a building right across from where the bus parked. Mama ushered us inside. It was a very big building but it wasn’t completed. The walls weren’t painted and it looked like nobody had been in there for a while. We were asked to sit in a room that looked like a dining hall. Mama asked Joshua to come with him and they had to go talk to the elderly man who welcomed us in. All the kids were talking from excitement. I was looking out hoping that I will see my mother. Xahri said he needed to pee. I didn’t know where the bathroom was so I just took him down the hallway opening any door that resembled a bathroom. We had gotten halfway down the hallway when I heard mama yelling at the man who welcomed us in. She was asking him what he wanted her to do with all the children. He was trying to calm her down. He was saying something about no funding from the government, and that because they were far away from the city, it was difficult to get private institutions to help. He was using a lot of big words that I didn’t understand like “embezzlement”. That word sounded familiar because I had heard grandma and my mother talk about it a lot. I decided to go in the room to ask grandma where the bathroom was but she stormed out and we bumped into her. She tried to hide her tears and immediately put on a smile. She told me to go back to be with the other children while she took Xhari to the bathroom. On my way back, I started to think of what they were talking about. What was going to happen to us? Mama doesn’t want us anymore and this man cannot allow us stay here. Where is my mother? She will definitely want me and Xahri. Maybe she can take some of the other children too but they are too many to stay with us or maybe this man can let us all stay here and with mama’s help, my mother can take care of everybody. I got back in the room with the other children and they all looked happy. I didn’t want to be the one to tell them that this place wasn’t to be our home. I’m pretty sure they will all rather go back to be with mama. She had taken care of us since the incident over a year ago. She read to us, taught us about mathematics and she made us happy. I sat down and prayed that my mother will show up soon, then I fell asleep. …I didn’t like this idea from the beginning. I knew it was a terrible idea but nobody wanted to listen to me. I don’t know how I got separated from my team but now I’m all by myself looking for this cave. I’m pretty sure I am off track because it shouldn’t take this long. It was supposed to be an hour but it’s an hour and a half and I see no cave in sight. Maybe I should go back up but I can’t guarantee that I can find my way back up though. My phone has no signal. This is just like the movies. The exact time you need to have phone service is the exact time it disappears and you get killed by a wild animal or worse off, you get kidnapped. But wait really though, which is worse? Oh wait, I can see some houses, thank God, at least they can take me back to the bus or the cave. I hurry down as fast as my tired legs could carry me. And to top it off, I really need to pee. I finally get to the bottom of this “forever” hill and I see a bus parked outside this building. It looks half completed. Well I hope that the completed half has a bathroom because I really need to pee. Well there is only one way to find out – go on in. The front door is open so I just walk in, “Hello, is anybody here?” “Hello, I really need to use the bathroom, can I come in?” I walk a little further into the house and I hear some people arguing. I wanted to go inside that room to ask for help when I looked to my left and there was a bathroom. I was about to go in when I heard a woman shout “What am I to do with these children?” “They need to go to school, they need healthcare, and I can’t do it alone” … I see a little girl about 8 years old and a little boy with her probably 4 maybe five years old and I’m wondering if they are who this woman is talking about. I wanted to hear the rest of the conversation but I really needed to pee so I went in the bathroom. I was about to flush the toilet when someone knocked on the door. “One second!” I answered. I wash my hands quickly and open the door. There’s the woman holding the little boy I saw in the hallway. She looked like she had been crying. I moved aside to give her room to go in the bathroom. I wanted to ask if she was okay but I felt like I would be prying. I can’t ask her for help locating the bus or my friends because that would seem insensitive too so I just walk away and go towards the room where I heard the little commotion earlier. The door was open and I could see an elderly man seated behind a desk. I knock on the door to get his attention. I greeted him and he smiled back at me, I explained my dilemma to him and he told me that this sort of thing happened a lot and that he would get someone to take me to the cave. I was very relieved that I had found help. He offered me seat and walked out of the room to find someone to take me to the cave. From my position, I hide a little view of traffic outside in the hallway. The woman I had met had on the bathroom was walking outside with another child, this one was a teenager, probably fifteen years old. I heard her tell him to get the bus driver ready that they were going back because they couldn’t get help here. She also asked him to get some food from the bus so the children could have lunch. I didn’t know when I got up and was walking really close behind them. I wanted to say something but the words wouldn’t come out. I knew that I needed to say something but for some reason, my mouth couldn’t say the words I was thinking probably because my thoughts were going a million words per minute. I wasn’t anticipating her stop so I bumped into her and she turned around. “I am so sorry” I said to her. “It’s okay” she responded. I thought to myself that was my opening, I had to say something else but she immediately turned back around on her way out. I just blurted out “I can help you with the children” she turned around with the “what are you talking about look” and I proceeded to answer her question. I apologized for eavesdropping and told her how I had overheard her conversation with Mr. Arden and I might be able to help her if she needed help with her children. I went on about how difficult it must be being a single mother raising three children alone and I had to stop because her expression didn’t show that she was feeling what I was saying. I was thinking I must have really over stepped and began to apologize profusely and proceeded back to Mr. Arden’s office when she said “fifteen” I turned around to look at her and she said “I have fifteen children”. I was shocked, yes she looks like she’s in her late 50s but did she spend her whole life having children? What man would so that to a woman? Maybe they are different men. My mind was spinning and I figured she realized what I was thinking and she went on to tell me the story of how she came about having fifteen children. She told me what Mr. Arden had told her. The lack of funding, mismanagement and how their location put them at a disadvantage to get help form private organizations. I couldn’t believe what she was saying. My mind couldn’t comprehend the coincidence. This has to be more than a coincidence. It has to be fate. I had been looking for how to help and here I was, right where I should be. With everything I had hoped for, all the hours I had put in studying those books for my online classes. Mr. Arden brought me back to reality when he came back in with a young man – Feratt. I looked at Mr. Arden, then at this woman I just promised to help then at Ferrat. Mr. Arden didn’t know what was going on and he gave us this bewildered look and I proceeded to “unbewilder” him. He ushered me and the woman who Mr. Arden referred to as “mama” into his office. He asked Ferrat to wait outside for a little while. Mr. Arden’s eyes lit up like he had won something, something really big like a car or I don’t know an all-expense paid trip round the world maybe. We sat down in his office for hours trying to come up with a plan. I tried to explain to them a million times that I didn’t have an NGO, that I didn’t know of anyone that I could recommend and basically my experience was from taking free online classes and a couple of years volunteering with different non-profit organizations but they weren’t having any of my excuses. By the time we were done, a lot of time had passed so I decided that going back to the bus was a better idea than going to the cave for fear that the crew would have headed back to the bus. The route Ferrat took us through was a lot shorter than the one our tour guide had taken us. We were back by the bus under an hour. I was exhausted from the day’s adventure. The crew hadn’t returned yet. As soon as we got near the bus, my phone started to go off. I had so many missed calls and messages from my friends, they were all worried. Immediately, I called Shaffie and I don’t think she let the phone ring before she answered. They had been worried sick about me and had threatened the tour guide to get him to confessing kidnapping me. I thought that was a little extreme but I sure was happy to know that people cared about me. I assured her that I was safe and by the bus and of course to let the tour guide go promising to fill them in on “Tehrani’s adventure”. We ended the call and I gave Ferrat some money for his help. I was fast asleep when I heard the noise from the crew. I got out of the bus and Shaffie ran towards me in the biggest bear hug that almost toppled the both of us over. The crew was excited to see me but were mad that I kind of ruined their fun at the cave. I apologized and promised to make it up to them. Though I wasn’t sure asking their help in completing the house for the kids and asking for donations was the way to repay them. I told Mr. Arden and Mama that I was coming the next day with my friends so we could help with completing the house, buying furniture and help in any capacity needed to ensure that the children had a safe place. I knew that wasn’t enough but it would be a good place to start. I let the crew settle in a bit before I asked for their attention. I explained my whole ordeal to them and told them of my promise to Mama and Mr. Arden. Their response was amazing. I knew my friends would help but I wasn’t expecting much the other party we came with but to my surprise, they were as enthusiastic as my group of friends. They went as far as planning to go back into town to find ATM’s to withdraw money to help. It left me in tears. I never thought that my dream was so close by. There were days when I thought I was wasting my time preparing for a day I wasn’t sure would ever come. I even thought I was crazy at some point. I knew that we were far from being successful at this project but the faint idea that I would be helping provide a chance for a better life for these children who are victims of this cruel world is all the success I need. For those who couldn’t contribute financially, they promised to commit their time. I had little sleep that night. I spent my time coming up with different strategies. We decided to stay the night instead of going back and coming the next day. It wasn’t the ideal plan but it worked. I started to think of all the lessons I learned in my classes and how to apply them here. There was a lot to be done but we can start with giving the children a home. …”I know you all have been through a lot, many adults have not been through half of what you all have experienced in your little time on earth but I tell you, you have to fight for yourself, fight…” That sounds familiar. I have heard something like that before but where and whom did I hear it from? She says it again “fight for yourself” “Grandma!” That is what grandma was trying to say when there was all that “red” around her. I thought she said “Fight yourself” but she meant fight for yourself. This woman must know what she is talking about if she is saying something grandma said to me. When we woke up that morning, there was a lot of activity going on. Mama came into the make shift bedroom Mr. Arden had made for us. She sounded very excited. She told us to get up and go take a shower before we had breakfast and that there was a guest she had for us. For a second, I thought it was my mother. Maybe she had finally come to surprise Xahri and me. I wanted to tell Xahri that mommy was coming to see us and take us home but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise for him so I decided against telling him. I got up quickly and took Xahri outside to give him a bath before having mine. We hurriedly ate our breakfast and went to sit in the hall we sat in the day before. We were chatting away when a couple of people came into the room including mama and Mr. Arden. A young woman introduced herself to us as Ms. Tehrana. She introduced some other people as her friends. Xahri and I were seated in the back so I couldn’t get a good view. I was stretching to see if our mother was in the group of her friends but she wasn’t there. I was disappointed and refused to listen. I hadn’t cried in a long time, even when I saw my brothers and sister drop to the ground, even when grandma had all that red around her. I didn’t even cry when my mother came to see us and left us twice but this time it hurt. It hurt because I was beginning to think that my mother was never coming back. But why would she leave us behind? What could be the reason? I don’t want to cry like the other children. I want to be strong like Joshua and the other big boys who didn’t cry. They sometimes made fun of the kids that cried too calling them babies. I am still fighting to hold back tears when I hear something familiar …”I know you all have been through a lot, many adults have not been through half of what you all have experienced in your little time on earth but I tell you, you have to fight for yourself, fight…” That sounds familiar. I have heard something like that before but where and whom did I hear it from? She says it again “fight for yourself” “Grandma!” That is what grandma was trying to say when there was all that “red” around her. I thought she said “Fight yourself” but she meant fight for yourself. This woman must know what she is talking about if she is saying something grandma said to me. Maybe she knows my grandma, or maybe her grandma told her the same thing too. It must be sad if her grandma went away the same way mine did but I will like to talk to her. Maybe she can help me find my mother. I decided to listen to her and she talked about building us a playground and a school and that we would be getting books and new clothes but it wouldn’t happen right away but will take a little time. She had to convince some other friends to help us. We were all excited about all this new stuff we were going to get. For a moment, I wasn’t thinking of my mother. I wasn’t sad about her leaving us. I was just happy that we were going to get new clothes and shoes. We were going to go back to school too. At the end of her speech, mama asked all the kids to go back on the bus because we needed to leave the building so that it could be completed. Auntie Tehrani and her friends had gotten brick layers, carpenters and electricians and many more people to help finish the building. They were going to give us beds too. I couldn’t contain my excitement. We would get real beds with mattresses and no longer sleep on mats. They were going to build a borehole too so we wouldn’t go to the stream to get water. All of the kids were very excited. I saw Resa and Joshua dancing in the corner of the room. It most definitely was the best day since mama let us into her house. We were going to a place called the “Steaming cave”. We didn’t know what it was about but I don’t think anyone cared at this point. We were too excited to be bothered. Mr. Arden helped us get local skills men to help with our plans. We had limited time there and we wanted to make the most of our time there. We had to get the children basic needs within such a short time frame. The carpenters made double-decker beds, everybody had a task and knew how to execute them. We worked like a well-oiled machine. My volunteering and studies came in very handy. What impressed me the most, was the willingness of people to help. Even the locals impressed me too I was very amazed by their enthusiasm to help. Why didn’t they do all this before our intervention though? They needed someone to lead them I think. They didn’t know where to start or how to help. Some of my friends volunteered to go with the children to the cave. I wanted to go too but I had to be at the house to make sure everything worked according to plan. I still had a lot of work to do. What would happen when we leave? Will help continue or will all this hard work go to waste again? I have to figure out a way to make sure that this place gets the resources they need. They need teachers and a doctor, and many other professionals. I’m very sure they would need a psychologists to help the children process their feelings of loss and other emotions they must have suppressed over time. I’m not going to get over my head. I’m going to focus on the next two days since that’s all the time we have for now. By evening time we all get back to the house and the first thing we notice is that there are light bulbs on in and around the house. The transformation on the inside though is totally awesome. We have bedrooms now with actual beds. There is a kitchen with a refrigerator and a freezer. We all run in excitement picking out our beds. I pick one for Xahri and I but mama told us that we can’t be in the same room because the rooms have to be for one gender so I have to go in the girls room to pick a bed. It was really exciting to even have a bed so although I didn’t want to leave Xahri, I was happy to stay in a room with an actual bed and a door that closes. Xahri wasn’t happy about leaving me. We have always done everything together since the incident. He followed me everywhere and I had gotten used to it. It was normal to have him around mw all the time. I went to comfort him and make him feel better when Ms. Tehrani came over to sit with us on Xahri’s new bed. She asked if we liked our new beds. I told her I did but Xahri didn’t respond and she asked him again but he didn’t answer her. I explained to her why he was upset and she tried to make him feel better. She reached into her purse and brought out a pack of biscuits. The same one that our mother had given us when we were in the compound with the lone tree. She must know my mother or grandma. First she says the same thing that grandma said to me before she went away and now she knows what type of biscuits we like. Ms. Tehrani must know something about us. Maybe that’s why she’s talking to us. I decided to ask her about my mother. She said she didn’t know her. I asked about my grandma and she said the same thing that she didn’t know my grandma either. All of this doesn’t make any sense, how can she talk like grandma and know what Xahri and I like without knowing either of them? She must have sensed my thoughts because she asked what I was thinking about and I told her about what happened to grandma and what she said to me while she was laying in all that red. I also told her about my mother leaving us twice and I’m not sure what happened but Ms. Tehrani asked if she could leave us for a second and I said “sure”. “Oh my God”, “How can this little girl have the strength to breathe?”, “How can she say that story with so much composure and totally devoid of emotion?”. I tried really hard to keep my emotions in check but a single tear escaped the corner of my eye, rolling down my face. She didn’t even say her grandma died, she said “she went away’ and “red” that’s blood Lord. I am not cut out for this task Lord. This little girl is broken. These children are broken. She saw her siblings get shot and her grandma bled to death right in front of her. And how am I supposed to tell this little girl that her mother didn’t leave her like she believes but that she had been dreaming about her this whole time? Her mother must be dead. There is no way her mother would leave her. Everything she has told me about when her mother came to meet her sounds exactly like a dream. Each time she visited, she was asleep but I guess to an eight year old, it seemed pretty real. Lord, how can I tell Ravvit and Xahri that their mother is never coming back? That’s like breaking an already broken heart. I am not qualified to do this. But what do I do? I was crouched in the hallway when Xahri came to me saying “Ms. Tehrani, it’s okay, you don’t have to cry, I like my bed. I will sleep in the boys room” I wiped my tears away and looked up at him and gave him a hug. Ravvit came to meet us outside and she asked why I was crying. I thought to lie to her. To make her happy. I thought to shield her from the pain but I thought about it, what would hurt more? The pain she already knows or the anticipation of what is a lie? I can’t have her continue to believe that her mother left and worse anticipate her return. One that was never going to happen, well at least not in this life. I must talk to mama first. I have to figure out the best way to handle this situation. I told Ravvit that I was crying because I was sad about what happened to her. She gave me a hug, telling me it was okay and that everything was in the past. She told me that because of me and my friends, Mr. Arden and mama, she was going to be happy forever. I couldn’t believe the strength in this eight year old. She could still condone the idea of “happiness”. I had let go of the idea of happiness when my father died. I didn’t think I would ever be genuinely happy. I knew that there were days when I would laugh, feel excitement and all but I never thought I would be truly happy but here I was learning faith from an eight year old who had her world torn apart when she was seven years old, left with nothing but her four year old baby brother and the hope that her mother would come back for them. I promised them that I wasn’t going to cry any longer and went to look for mama. I told her what had happened and she confirmed my suspicions. Ravvit had been dreaming about her mother this whole time. Mama told me of the time when Joshua, one of the older children had to come get her because Ravvit was shaking violently in what appeared to be one of her dreams. H ehad tried to wake her up but wasn’t successful in doing so. She had been talking in her sleep. Talking to her mother, begging her to wait so she could go get Xahri. It was heartbreaking to hear. Mama said other children woke up in cold sweats too. Children screaming in their sleep and some of them having trouble communicating. I was more determined to help. I was ready to do whatever needed to be done to help these children have a chance at a better life. I would take as many courses I needed to take. I would get as many degrees as it would take for me to help. Mama and I decided that we both tell Ravvit that the times she saw her mother had been in her dream. We asked Resa to find Ravvit and Xahri and tell them to come into mama’s room. I don’t think my heart could beat any faster than it did while we were waiting for the children. I was certain that mama and anyone else who came into that room could hear it beat. They both came in the room and we asked them to sit down. Mama looked at me, signaling me to go ahead. I was hoping that she would take the lead and I would just be there for moral support, a shoulder to cry on you know. I thought about my father and how I got the news that he had passed on and got my strength from there. I looked into Ravvit’s eyes and explained everything to her. She just stood there, motionless. I called her name but she didn’t respond. She didn’t even blink and just before I called out her name again, tears raced down her cheeks. She still didn’t move, didn’t make a sound. She just stood there, with the tears streaming down. I looked at Xahri and he was looking straight at me too. I was beginning to get scared. Had I broken these kids finally? Was this the final straw? Maybe the thought of reuniting with their mother was the only thing that kept them going. I asked him if he was okay and unlike his sister, he answered. He said “I already knew she was never coming back”. That got Ravvit’s attention because she turned to look at him, and he said he saw her drop to the ground just like Ravvit had seen their other siblings drop to the ground. Ravvit asked him why he never told her and he said, “the only time you look happy Ravvit is when you tell me you saw mommy”, “You are always very happy telling me what she said and how she is coming back”, “I want you to be happy forever”. I didn’t think I could feel any worse but as soon as Xahri was done talking, Ravvit crumbled to the floor. I can’t say she was crying because that will not explain the sounds that came out of her. I would say this though, the sounds she made was like pain leaving your body, gut-wrenching sobs. She was curled up like a ball and made guttural sounds. I was trying to hold it together but the sight of her broke me. I knew her pain. I have been exactly where she was but the difference is that I was thirty two years old when I experienced it she on the other hand is eight. I go on my knees beside her and hold her. I notice that she didn’t resist so I just carried her and rubbed her back. She was shaking all over. I looked up at mama and she was holding Xahri who was in tears too. “Dear Lord, how do I help these children?” “Please tell me what to say to them” “Help me remember something from my books that can address this situation” but there was no answer. All I felt I needed to do was to hold her. After about an hour, mama and I had succeeded in calming them down. They left mama’s room to their rooms and behind Ravvit’s eyes, I saw the pain and brokenness. She was a trooper though. She said to me “my grandma told me to fight for myself and that’s what I’m going to do”. She thanked me and went away with her brother. That night was one of the longest nights of my life. Here I was thinking I had to work with Alliance for Help (A.H) to make a difference. I had always thought that my fulfillment in helping others would never be achieved if I didn’t work with the A.H organization. I never knew that what I had been looking for this whole time had been inside of me. I don’t have to work with A.H or any other organization to help and fulfill my passion. I can do it within my resources. Here I was, learning strength from an eight year old, I learned faith from a five year old. If all of what happened to Ravvit, Xahri and all the other children had happened to me, would I be able to believe like they do? Would I be able to get out of bed? Would I even be alive today? I accepted the challenge that night. The challenge to help in my best capacity. I felt a new fire inside of me. All of my dreams came right before me. I didn’t need anyone to start living my dreams. I had to start myself and invite others into the dream. I know that it would be a while before I can make the impact I hoped would better the lives of these children and others to come but tonight, I take the first step in that direction – belief. Belief that it is possible and it will be done. I had been preparing for the future I dreamed of without even knowing. I had been praying for something God had already given me. All that I needed to do was ”DO”. I no longer need my own pain as the strength to carry on. Ravvit, Xahri and all the other children are all the strength that I need to carry on.

HAMPTA PASS TREK - RENDEZVOUS FOR MEN AND MOUNTAINS To all Game of Thrones (GOT) fans: remain calm, and stop visualizing a knight in the golden armor behind Cersei every time you see the word Mountain. Not a GOT fan? See you later... Just kidding, we'll love you anyways. But just an FYI for all you readers immune to the GOT craze, Mountain is a profoundly famous but ever hated character on the show, the very thought of whom creeps me out. Anyways, I must get back to the topic at hand- the real mountains, that is. The moment I saw pictures from the Hampta Pass trek, I thought: "Wow, this is where I want to go." At last, after countless planning, I was on the trek. And guess what people asked me? "Are you trekking for the first time?” It was the first impression of me from the other participants in my group. After all who carries a tripod (unless you are a professional photographer) on a multi-day hike?? But yes I was carrying one. I kept my eyes wide open through the roller coaster ride all the way from Manali (which, by the way, is a sight to behold in of itself- see our list of must-visits in Manali) to Jobra...and the view was spectacular. Somehow, I did manage to take a few naps despite the steep 41 curves that don't let anyone sit peacefully, let alone sleep. Call me a sleepaholic but I would say I was just tired after the overnight bus journey from Delhi. The little glimpses of the mountain were overwhelming;y exciting. The trek starts from the Guhugal hydro project site, near Jobru Nalla. Also, the last place where you have mobile signals if you're lucky. The signals there can be finicky, and one should make all important calls in Manali itself. Take it from me, I was ditched by the signals there and could not inform anyone that I would be not reachable for next 5 days. We may be addicted to this small toy, but that "no signal" status on its left corner was truly a blessing in disguise. The hike was easy (or maybe the month of running and walking up and down the metro station stairs made it seem so). Our first day blessed us with trails through the sun-kissed valley, magnificent rocky mountains on both sides and endless cascading waterfalls. Besides the Rani Nala (water stream), was our first campsite Chika. At some distance, a Waterfall was pounding the rocks. The moment I laid my eyes on it, my heart ached to touch its milky water. An hour later we were having our acclimatization walk right beside the fall. A spectacular sight to behold but not to touch. I let out a contented sigh. I felt as happy as if I were walking on the moon. While slurping hot soup back at the campsite, I made a few friends out of strangers. Varun - A DSLR-loaded guy with photography skills to die for. Rachna - One charming girl, who is truly my inspiration for Zumba. Disha - I call her wonder woman; she is an avid cyclist, a trekker, and mother of boys. We were all very different from each other but connected by our love for mountains as a common thread between us all. After gorging ourselves with dinner, we went to sleep in order to have an early start in the morning. Early Morning Day 2 of the Trek: Chika Camp site Alas! It was drizzling. Looks like the rain God's intention was not good. But we were also up for any kind of challenge and started before the scheduled time. Blimey! Walking on the left of the stream I realized how my decision of coming here was absolutely right. When I saw the beautiful colors of a Rainbow over a small water stream while walking on the trail, I felt magical. I can't even remember the last time I saw a rainbow. Indeed one of the many perks of trekking during Monsoon The highlight of the day was the river crossing (check the link for some tried and true saftey tips on how to get yourself successfully to the other side), for which I was eagerly waiting. Tripping into the cold water, getting some bruises and almost drowning my iPhone... It was thrilling! Thanks to the heavens though, the phone decided not to rest in peace. Though the phone didn't die an early death, the anxiety was still there. But what followed next was an instant reliever. The air was sweetly fragrant due to vibrant flowers in abundance. It pleased all my senses. It was the valley of flowers at Hampta pass. Yes, that's what I would call it. I felt strange! This was not planet Earth, but must be some kind of heaven. The beauty was beyond any kind of human imagination. Only the missing chariot and the weight on my shoulder kept me grounded. I walked away from that enchanted place but honestly, it wasn't that easy. Balu ka Gera was the name of our next camping site. It boasted a long, stretched valley, where one side the hill slopes were covered with thick snow and the other side was playing peek-a-boo with silvery clouds. Through a bed of flowers, we walked up to the glacier and had our learning session there. Yes, we did some learning, not from books but something from our trek leader's practical experience. We were taught how to walk on the snow, info that came in handy the next day. Whatever time left in the sun down, I dedicated it to my camera and clicked hundreds of pictures. Wanted to capture every possible thing to cherish afterward. By the time I was back in the common tent, it was almost dark. Alas! I did get a good scolding for having run off, and a friendly, but stern ban on going any farther than 100 meters from the campsite. Disobeying was out of the question. I saved my energy to try some night photography with the help of my partners in crime (mentioned earlier), but we failed miserably. We decided that the sky full of clouds was to be blamed. The only good option left was to sleep. Midnight was when I woke up. It was drizzling again. My soul was so attuned to it that every drop falling on the tent felt like a musical note. Happy me. Aye! The Pass day. After all, who needs an alarm to wake up? The adrenaline rush is enough. As always, we were ready with our backpack, packed lunch, and chocolates ahead of schedule. To our surprise, the sky was clear and we could see the Indrasan Peak which wasn't visible the previous evening because of clouds. Then we received a warning from the trek leader: "Beware of the falling rocks. They are lethal to your head, could disturb your facial features and will not be to your liking.." Though the view was worth dying for, and my fingers were itching to click some pictures, I didn't want the trek leader to unleash his wrath on us. So without any break, we kept on walking, until we were in the so-called safe zone. This day was a little on the tough side courtesy of the huge boulders, glaciers and the continuous rain. Hey, no pain no gain, right? Despite last night's learning session, walking on the snow wasn't a piece of cake. Some of us tripped, fell and hit our bums hard, but nothing could stop us our high spirits from conquering the pass. And it was 100% worth it. We crossed Hampta pass at an altitude of 14,000 feet. Most of us were not avid trekkers, so this was quite a moment to cherish. And here comes the sharp and daunting DESCENT. The most difficult part of the trek, according to many of our hiking mates. Personally, I did not find it that difficult, yet still tiring due to constant heavy rain. Like a hawk, the landscape and I were keeping an eye on each other. After all, nobody wanted to get tripped over and fall in the valley. Completely drenched we reached our 3rd Campsite, Sheaguru beside River Chandra Our tents were pitched just next to the river. The bright sun cheered us up. Though the moment did not last long, the brief encounter warmed our bodies and our hearts. This rendezvous for men and mountains left me awestruck. Everything felt so tiny against this majesty of Nature. Glad we had the evening by ourselves to take the view in. The morning was bright and clear and the most difficult part of the trek (as per me) was next. Crossing river Chandra 10 seconds in the river and time froze. My brain snoozed, body turned into a zombie that could feel only one thing. Like thousands of needles had pierced my feet in a nontherapy fashion. In the middle of the river, I wanted to give up. But we were a human chain and I didn't dare to take everybody along. I had a team alongside me. Daydreamimg, I fancied myself turning out to be an ice woman. Call me Weirdo! The icy pain was a challenge but subsided eventually. And here comes the barren beauty! Spiti The blow to our human ego. The stark-naked, yet breathtakingly beautiful mountains tower without a care in the world for anyone else, and without their asking, you bow to their grandeur. There was no vegetation, only some patches of flowers adding charm to this exceptional place. "I have seen enough, nothing could be more beautiful than what I have seen so far..." That's what I thought during a short break on the way. The last campsite was Chatru, well connected to the road network. A short break at Chatru to get rid of our backpack, and we left for the last leg of the trek. Chandratal - The Moon Lake. The natives of Spiti have reverent faith in this tiny but gargantuan beauty. Intimidated with the surrounded peaks, I decided to take a detour. The little hike was worth the pain because from there, you witness the sheer beauty of the lake and its guarding mountains. "I have not seen enough.. just tasted a drop from the Ocean..." So little time and so much to see. The realization hit hard! Here is the end of my beautiful meeting with the mountains only to have the next one very soon. I know I will be summoned again in no time. And now my question for you there, staring at the screen, is what are you doing at home? Waiting for the summon? ....

In today’s Publetariat Dispatch, indie author M. Louisa Locke shares information and her experiences pertaining to the use of keywords, categories and tags on Amazon. A year ago (October 2011), I wrote a piece entitled Categories, Key words, and Tags, Oh My!: Why Should an Author Care?, which has become the most frequently viewed post on my blog. It has been reposted numerous times, and I still get comments on it weekly. There is a reason for this. The subject is complicated, confusing, and yet crucial to selling a book successfully online. While most of the original post is still relevant, it seemed time to update it, with the special addition of a section on how categories play a role in KDP Select promotions. For those of you who never read the original, I hope this helps. For those of you who did, I hope I have clarified a few sections and added some useful information. This post focuses on ebooks on Amazon (although the main points work for print books as well) because that is where I have the most experience and because Amazon is definitely (still) ahead of the other ebook stores in its sophisticated approaches to helping readers find books. As with much of the publishing process, there is a lot of conflicting information about how Amazon’s categories, keywords, and tags work, so some of what I say is more of an educated guess than documented fact, but I will link back to Amazon’s information pages whenever possible. First some definitions: When a book is uploaded into KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), an author (or traditional publisher) has the opportunity to choose two categories for that book. It used to be that Amazon allowed you to choose five categories, which is why some books, like my first historical mystery, Maids of Misfortune, have more Kindle Store categories listed at the bottom of their product page. (If you want to know what a book’s categories are––look under Look for Similar Items by Category) When you, as author, choose a category for your book, you are actually choosing a browsing path for customers. That browsing path consists of a hierarchy of categories and sub-categories and your book is available for readers to discover under each of the parts of that hierarchy. For example, in the case of my most recent book, Uneasy Spirits, one of the two browsing path/categories I chose was: Fiction—Mystery&Thriller—Mystery—Historical If you browse for Uneasy Spirits in the Kindle store, you will find it under all four parts of the hierarchy. Note that each time a reader goes one step further down the hierarchical browsing path there are fewer books to browse. For example, as I write this, here are the numbers of books in each of these four areas: Fiction [570,230]; Fiction––Mystery&Thriller [74,482]; Fiction—Mystery&Thriller—Mystery [15,240]; Fiction—Mystery&Thriller—Mystery—Historical [2,587] The “categories” Amazon offers when you upload your book to KDP are based on BISAC categories, a book industry standard for subject headings. What authors find confusing is that Amazon converts the BISAC categories into the Amazon browsing-path categories and subcategories that show up in the Kindle store––and the two are not always identical. To complicate issues further, the browsing categories for print books and ebooks are not identical, and Amazon creates additional browsing categories like “newly released” and “best sellers” and “editors’ pick”––some of which are separate from the browsing-path/categories and some of which are available as additional qualifiers to the browsing-paths. Are you lost yet? Finally, to make matters even more difficult, this conversion process does not always work accurately (for a long time the historical mystery category had less than 100 books in it because of a computer glitch). However, the KDP Support system has improved in the past year in helping authors resolve these problems. If you click on the Contact Us link at the bottom of the KDP page, the menu leads to an option to email the support staff to change your categories, and if you use the Author Central Contact Us link, you can even ask for a telephone consultation. When you publish your book with KDP, you can choose seven keywords in addition to the two categories. These are really key phrases since they can be more than one word. For example I used terms like “Victorian Mystery” and “cozy mystery.” These keywords are used by Amazon in its own search engine––along with words in your title and subtitle and product description. Because I used those keywords and also have Victorian and Mystery in my subtitle, when Maids of Misfortune was first published, it immediately showed up near the top of the list of book when a customer put in the key search words “Victorian Mystery.” These are another kind of keyword or key phrase, but many authors get confused and think that they also help a book get found using the search box at the top of the Amazon page or on their Kindle device, but they don’t work this way. Tags are listed on a book’s product page under the heading Tag this product and were designed by Amazon to help customers describe and find products using key words called “tags.” Because this is so confusing, I am going to address the question of tags in a separate post. Why Should an Author Care? Categories, keywords, and (to a much more limited degree) tags can be used to help readers find your books, and these are methods that are generally not available to authors of print books that are sold in brick and mortar stores. As authors of ebooks, we need to learn how readers find books in estores like the Kindle store and use the tools that are available to us to maximize our sales. When you sell a book to a traditional publisher, who then distributes that book to bookstores, you, as author, really don’t have much to say about how readers find your books. You hope that the bookstores will shelve your book on the right shelf (and that they have separate shelves for your genre) and you hope your publisher can convince the seller (or pay them) to put your book in special places like “newly released” tables, or “best seller” tables, or under “staff recommendations.” Beyond that, there isn’t much authors can do besides cultivating booksellers at conventions and through book signings, hoping this will convince them to feature their books––a time consuming and expensive proposition. However, authors, by their choice of categories, keywords, and tags, can increase the chances that a reader will find their books in an ebook store. I am going to discuss two strategies an author can use to achieve that end. The first strategy is to choose, at least for one of your two categories, a browsing path that ends up with a relatively small number of books at the end of the path. For example, when I first published my second historical mystery, Uneasy Spirits, I could have chosen as one of its two categories, the browsing path of Fiction—Historical Fiction. However, this would have placed this book in a final pool of over 24,000 books in the Kindle store. As an indie author without a big promotional campaign behind me, it would be easy for this new book to get lost in that pool. Few people are going to scroll down through hundreds if not thousands of books of historical fiction books to find mine. Instead, I chose to put Uneasy Spirits into the Romance–Suspense category [8,000 books] and, more importantly, I chose to place both of my books, Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits in the Fiction—Mystery&Thrillers—Mystery—Historical category/browsing path. There are only 2600 books in the historical mystery category, and with a category this size I have been able to keep my books continuously on the list of top 100 bestselling books. This means both books are always visible when someone browses, which means both books sell well day-after-day. To date, I have sold 35,000 copies of Maids of Misfortune and 10,000 copies of Uneasy Spirits. Obviously you don’t want to put your book in a list just because it is small. It has to make sense to the reader. My books are cozy mysteries, and if I chose the hardboiled mystery sub-category just because of its size, I would end up with either few sales or nasty reviews. However, you should take the time to learn what categories are available that might fit your book. For example, look at the categories successful books like yours are found in, and then think about how to use your 2 category choices wisely. The second strategy is to use keywords in combination with categories to help when the category is too large to be effective under the first strategy. Take, for example, that large category, Fiction––Historical Fiction. Since this is really a more accurate description of both of my books than Romantic Suspense, once Uneasy Spirits got enough sales to be more competitive (helped along by its placement in the Historical Mystery category) I changed its second category to Historical Fiction. However, on a day-to-day basis, neither Uneasy Spirits or Maids of Misfortune show up high enough in this large category to be visible. This is where your choice of keywords can help. When I was coming up with keywords for Maids of Misfortune and then later for Uneasy Spirits, I could have used the term Gilded Age as one of my 7 choices. It is actually a very precise definition of the time (1877-1880) and place (U.S) where my series of books are set. However, if someone was in the Historical Fiction category and put in the term Gilded Age, only 28 books come up. While I am sure if I had used this as a keyword, that my books would have been near the top of this category and search list, how often would a customer bother to check a list so small? But if you put in the term Victorian (which is used for the entire 19th century in England, Europe, and the U. S.) you get 367 books. This is a list of books that is large enough for a customer to find it a useful place to browse, but small enough for my books to do well in. Therefore, I chose the term Victorian and made sure I put this keyword in my subtitle as well. Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits are at the top of that list of 367 books. A third strategy for using categories includes considering what category you want your books to be in if you do a KDP Select free promotion (something that didn’t exist when I wrote my original piece.) While it is good to have your book listed in at least one relatively small category, where it is visible to the casual browser, if the category is too small, or has no sub-categories, it can limit your exposure when you make the book temporarily free. Of Moths and Butterflies is currently in the two categories, Fiction––Historical Fiction [24,000 books] and Fiction––Drama––British & Irish [2500 books]. The choice of the second category makes a good deal of sense since it is a much smaller category. As a result, the book is currently listed as #21 in the bestseller list for this category and is much more visible to browsers. However, when Christensen does a KDP Select promotion, I would recommend that she try shifting the book temporarily from British & Irish Drama to Historical Romance. The reason for this is that the British & Irish Drama free list is filled with public domain books that are always free, and this means it isn’t a list where people would regularly go to find free books. Historical Romance, on the other hand, both because of its subject matter and robust free list, will be a place that people routinely look for free books to download. In addition, the book would show up on the Romance Free list as well (since a book shows up on all the stages of a browsing path), which is an even more robust free list. This means Of Moths and Butterflies would be seen, and possibly chosen, by a much broader pool of potential customers. More downloads means a better ranking when the book comes off of the free promotion. Christensen could then keep Moths and Butterflies in this category if her sales are strong enough to keep her in the top 100 Historical Romance bestseller list, or she could shift it back to British & Irish Drama. I have followed this pattern with Uneasy Spirits, shifting it between Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Historical Fiction, to good effect. As an author, you need to choose categories and keywords carefully when you publish or promote. Social media and traditional marketing can only do so much to drive potential customers to find your book. You need to make sure that the person who is just browsing in the Amazon or Kindle store has a good chance of finding your book (and then your cover, description, reviews, and excerpt will hopefully do the rest). You need to take into consideration not only what best categories describe your books, but also what will maximize the chances that a reader who is browsing will find your books. You also want to make sure that readers who find your book are the ones who would be most likely to buy it and enjoy it. Careful uses of categories and keywords can also increase your chance of having a successful free promotion, which in turn will help boost your sales. Carelessness in using these strategies can condemn even the best work to the backwaters of the Kindle store––undiscovered, unbought, and unread––and that would be a shame.

Omniscient Reader Chapter 389 However, it seemed that I wasn’t the only one who suspected the sincerity of my declaration. The King of Tartarus and the ruler of the night, Hades, was glaring at me. [You have spoken a lie in Accompanied by the icy sensation, cold enough to freeze my toes, ‘death’ was now staring straight at me. [Right after becoming our child, I see you’re already learning to deceive us.] Hades rebuked me in a cold voice and stood up from his throne to walk closer to my position. I wanted to stand up from my spot right then, but my body didn’t want to move. The Status of a Myth-grade Constellation had currently suppressed my entire body, that was why. Thankfully, nothing untoward happened. Hades did get to where I was, but then, unhurriedly brushed past me and walked straight out of the royal palace. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned my head around to find Persephone rubbing her chin with a meaningful smile on her face. [H-mm…. Is this the conflict between father and son that I’ve only ever heard about….?] For a tone of voice coming from a troubled-looking face, she sure sounded rather entertained. [An eternal battle between a father and a son, with the mother in between…..] ….That sounded like a narrative deeply stained by the ways of Olympus. As if to say I shouldn’t worry, Persephone lightly patted me on the shoulder. Only then did I sense the muscles of my body frozen by Hades’s Status loosen up. [Do not be too concerned, for your father’s personality has always been like that.] [However, your guilt in this matter is just as grave after daring to spout a lie first. You’ve never harboured thoughts of staying in She perfectly hit the mark and I had nothing to say. I never wanted to take over for Hades and become this realm’s king. What I wanted was Hades probably had cottoned onto my motives a while ago. [It will take some time before that fellow’s anger has sufficiently cooled down.] [No need to apologise – it’s true that both Hades and I already knew you never planned to remain in this realm anyway.] Persephone’s eyes arched to a pair of gentle crescents. [If it’s alright with you, accompany your mother to a meal.] Persephone’s dining table I hadn’t seen in a while remained pretty much the same; slabs of well-cooked and delicious-looking steaks, as well as salad, laid out in several layers on top of a large plate. On the outside, they resembled foods commonly found everywhere, but I already knew very well that those were no ordinary meal. [Bravery of an Empress of Swords who Conquered the World] [Wisdom of a 3rd Circle Magician who Spent his Entire Life in a Library] [Will of a Swordmaster who Couldn’t use Either Sword Strengthening or Sword Manifestation] I wondered if I saw something wrong here and read the menu one more time. [Hurry and have your fill. Do you not find the menu to your liking?] “….No, it’s not that, but….” [Now that you’ve become a Constellation, you must consume proper Fables to survive. You won’t be able to absorb enough nutrients through the foods of regular humans. I hope that, as you’re an adult now, you’ve managed to fix your picky eating habit.] She sounded like my real mother by saying that. [Your mother worries a lot about you – whether you’re eating properly and on time or not, if you’re getting enough sleep….] My hand moving towards the fork came to a stop at her words. “Have you spoken to my mother?” [Fufu. We’ve talked to each other a few times.] If it was Persephone, then she was fully capable of doing that. The foie gras placed before me had this name, even: [Heart of a Mother Sending her Child Away] ….This couldn’t have been my mother’s actual heart, now was it? I put the fork down and spoke. “I see that the type of foods has changed since the last time. There were Swordmasters and Archmages here in the past, if I recall correctly.” [The ‘Isle of Reincarnators’ have opened now, so we should enjoy special dishes for a change, wouldn’t you agree? I may look this way, but I’m still a member of the Gourmet Association, so I shouldn’t be eating the same food every day.] Her fork and knife moved; accompanied by rich gravy, aromatic paragraphs leaked out from thinly-sliced Fables. Persephone’s graceful hand movements brought that food into her mouth. What she ate just now was [Will of a Swordmaster who Couldn’t use Either Sword Strengthening or Sword Manifestation.] [And, some Fables will disappear if you don’t make an effort to consume them.] Dying Fables were disintegrating at the end of the fork. Fables that no one searched for were pouring out entrancing sentences on the tip of Persephone’s tongue right up until she consumed them. I felt complicated while watching that sight; Persephone looked back and smiled. [I’m aware that you are dissatisfied by the eating habits of the Constellations. You probably don’t like the way we easily consume the joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures of Incarnations.] [However, every incident taking place in the universe is destined to be left behind as a Fable. You, me, other Incarnations, and Constellations. We’ll be consumed by something else eventually.] The lives of all living beings would become the stories of the [If we’re bound by such a fate, then the best any Constellations could do is to act towards preserving the most varied spectrum of Fables…. That is my belief.] Leaving behind varied Fables, and preserve varied types of stories. Maybe, what Persephone said might not be wrong. In her own way, she was pursuing what she believed to be right in the But, I was sure that she didn’t invite me here to speak of her philosophy towards Fables. “May I ask what is it that you really wish to tell me about?” [In truth, Hades does not want you to remain in this place.] “…..Does that mean he doesn’t want me to be his successor?” [It’s different from that. If I were to put it into words….] Persephone spoke, as she began cutting the delicacy placed on the plate in the middle of the table. [Hades, and I…. We do not wish for you to stop as just the ‘King of the Underworld’.] [Olympus has fallen. The Underworld, too, has lost its former glory. Being satisfied with the position of the ‘King of the Underworld’, now that is no different than placing your name on the coattail of a disappearing Fable.] “Underworld is a good Fable.” [And it’s a declining Fable, too.] Indeed, the power enveloping Persephone’s unreadable eyes staring at the delicacies contained deep-seated melancholy. Maybe, she had been constantly thinking about this, even as she dined on and enjoyed many different Fables. The fear that eventually, his and her [That is the undeniable way of time itself as long as we exist within the The moment I heard her words, I was overcome by this unfathomably deep, intense sorrow. It was the kind of sadness that I’d never experienced before. Both Persephone and Hades would disappear. From the memories of people, from my own memories – and the story they had compiled would disappear forever. I didn’t like Constellations. I disliked their actions, and I disliked the way they peeped on the world itself, too. But why…. ….Did I not want to see Persephone and Hades disappear? Maybe I didn’t want to acknowledge this truth, because I unknowingly spoke in a curt voice. “Why are you being so nice to me?” I bit down on my lips before opening them again. “I merely came here to use you.” If I failed to acquire the power of [‘The 4th Wall’ is faintly shaking!] [‘Fruit of Good and Evil’ is worsening your guilty conscience.] ….Even if that confirmation turned out to be a useless waste of time. Persephone quietly studied me for a little while, lightly wiped her lips with a napkin, and extended her hand in my direction. Her eyes were gentle and friendly, with not a hint of animosity in them. Flustered, I tried to get up, but her Status had already reached my shoulder. [A very long time ago, we have received a certain revelation from the ‘three sisters of fate’.] [It said, ‘A successor to the darkest night who will end the most ancient Myth, will appear.’] Abruptly, I recalled the story Dionysus told me before. – Several Constellations, including myself, believe that you will be the one to reach the ■■. The ‘several Constellations’ back then must’ve been Persephone and Hades. Meanwhile, she continued on. [I was initially furious after hearing that oracle.] [Because, I possess the ‘Fable that can’t have children’.] I had no idea that Persephone had such a backstory. Could it be that the reason why she had no children until now was because of that? Persephone lightly brushed my hair back. [At first, I waited, wondering if it was possible. Maybe, I’d be blessed with a miracle. Maybe, we’d be blessed with a beautiful child who’d remember our stories. Even if only the darkness, hellish landscape, and prisons existed here, we were confident of raising our child better than any of the 12 gods of [For many hundreds of years, I lived on in that delusion.] The ends of her fingers were trembling ever so slightly. I couldn’t dare to understand the meaning behind that tremor. I simply couldn’t even begin to unpack the pain and the hatred towards Persephone managed to sigh softly and continued on. [Hades and I forced our way past many things for a very long time. We knew that we couldn’t have children, but we were never unhappy. Even if the [But then, one day, you made your appearance.] Persephone’s eyes were now looking at me. [Actually, he was the first one to discover you.] She continued on in the voice of someone in a dream. [He said that he started watching your history from when you managed to survive in the subway. At first, I could hardly believe that there was a child like you. Because I believed that such Fables were over in this world. I can still remember his excited voice when he talked about you.] [We watched a small Fable that grew up all alone fighting against the world itself. We watched, as you challenged the mighty Constellations, faced off against the Outer God, and while resisting against Dokkaebis’ scenarios…. managing to amass five Fables to be reborn as a small Constellation among the stars.] I recalled the moments of [That was when we first began thinking about this – that we wanted to become your parents.] I barely managed to swallow back a certain something trying to well up. I felt that I could just about understand the truth of the affection Persephone had shown me all this time…. Just a tiny little bit. [Both Hades and I do not wish for you to end up as the ‘King of the Underworld’. We also do not wish for you to be bound to us, and do not wish for the lives we’ve lived, our history, to become the rules that you must abide by. No, all you need to do is to advance forward towards the end of all scenarios, like you’ve been doing all along.] “But, I…. I am the Underworld’s….” [You’re our son. That is all that matters.] I didn’t possess a single thing to repay that kindness. All I could give them was just the promise of a future that hadn’t been written yet, the one without any guarantees. “When I reach the ■■ of all scenarios, I…. I’ll definitely be with your stories, as well.” Persephone formed a faint smile. [Head to the terrace. Your father is waiting for you.] I didn’t have any good memories of my father. My father, drunken out of his mind and beating me up; dissatisfaction towards the world spat out like curses, and the inexplicable animosity aimed at me. I only had memories of a life where I simply had to endure and live on. Hades, possessing the shadow of the noble night, stood waiting at the far end of the terrace. He was staring at the sight of the Underworld stretching to the other side of the palace. I didn’t know what to say and could only stare at the wide expanse endlessly; I saw the tributaries where the river of hell flowed within, and beyond them, wandering souls looking in this direction. [Do you see it?] The deaths of countless people were there; sadness was there too, and so were the joys and pains of life. All those cherished desires that failed to come to fruition floated down the river’s surface. [This is the Underworld.] While Constellations were fulfilling their desires in the scenarios, souls sacrificed to those desires were swept into this place. The world of those who were discarded, wounded, and broken by the scenarios – that was the Underworld. I shifted my gaze over to Hades. He understood this darkness and became the ‘King of the Underworld’. ….While never turning away from the tides of sadness rushing in from the world of the living, while saving each and every one of those souls. While listening to other people’s stories for thousands of years, nay, even tens of thousands of years. At that moment, I thought for some reason, I could say the words I held back for the longest time. Hades didn’t reply. Maybe, that word was just as foreign to him as it was for me. Still, he did reply. [Command the army.] I looked at him again, utterly stunned now. And in the next moment, I heard the sound akin to the darkness roaring out. Souls in the near vicinity of the fortress walls were rushing towards the palace. Some of them carried determined expressions, while others carried heroically grim ones. And in front of them all, stood the Three Judges. It was an enormous army, crashing in like a tidal wave. I had a hard time trying to hide my heart palpitating from the powerful aura of the great army that had not been seen before. [For the glory of The first Judge shouted out. [For the glory of the Underworld’s Prince!] The second Judge prostrated and looked at me. And as the third Judge powerfully raised his spear towards the heavens, every soul here began roaring out in a single voice. [For the eternity of all scenarios and their epilogue!] As the roar continued on, the ‘King of the Underworld’ addressed me. [Now, go.] Hades didn’t even look at me when he said that. Even though he didn’t, he was still looking at me. He had always been looking at me.

Once Upon a Spy by Sheridan Jeane Secrets and Seduction #3 Publication Date: November 17, 2015 Also in this series: It Takes a Spy, Lady Catherine’s Secret Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance, Suspense Synopsis: London, 1854 ~ Robert, Earl of Wentworth, isn’t a spy, and he never wants to be one, but when his brother is injured and needs his help stealing an important book from the Russian embassy, he can’t refuse. Antonia has lost everything. If she wants her life back, she needs that book. The problem is, Lord Wentworth just stole it from the Russian Ambassador. The reluctant spy and the daring thief find themselves at cross-purposes. Who will win in this dangerous game of nations— especially when their hearts are at stake as well? Note: Although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone novel. For those who have read the first two books, you’ll rediscover characters from both of them. EXCERPT: Once Upon a Spy by Sheridan Jeane London, January 6, 1854 The turning point in a man’s life isn’t always accompanied by a crash of thunder. Sometimes it’s marked by something much more subtle and easier to miss, like the flash of a silver gown, or the rich hue of a twist of chestnut hair. Lord Wentworth managed to dismiss his turning point. As he caught sight of the woman across the ballroom, her strong allure caught his attention, certainly. But he ignored it, believing his immediate visceral response to be nothing more than a reaction to her beauty. For him, there could be no future with her. Nor with any woman. She represented a precipice. Danger. One he needed to avoid. He chose to turn his back on the silver-gowned woman and her pull of destiny. Instead, he stepped out onto the patio to let the chill January air envelop him. It drove away some of the oppressive heat of the ballroom. “Robert, come over here,” his brother called to him. “Lord Percival is telling the most preposterous story.” He closed the embassy door. The glow of the flickering torches allowed him to identify Frederick sitting with a group of men at a stone table near the edge of the lawn. As he strode across the paved patio, Robert considered how fundamentally wrong it was for the Russian Ambassador’s winter solstice celebration to be held in a building so overheated the temperature drove the guests outdoors. His brother shifted his chair and made space for Robert to join the group. The low oil lamps on the table illuminated the listeners’ rapt faces as Lord Percival recounted his latest yarn. Everyone greeted Robert with brief smiles and nods before they returned their attention to Percival. He appeared well-groomed, with his neatly trimmed, sable-colored beard, his white gloves, and his perfectly tailored evening coat all speaking to the excellence of his valet, but something seemed slightly off about him. As expected, an aroma of tobacco emanated from this particular group, but Percival’s whiskey-laden breath came as a surprise. The evening was still a fresh, young thing, with flawless skin and a lively demeanor. Wobbly-looking Percival must have been drinking all afternoon to be so inebriated the odor oozed from his pores. “You’ll love this,” Frederick murmured as he glanced at Robert. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. Lord Percival took a puff on his cigar, pausing for effect, and said “…and I forcibly tossed him from the carriage. He landed directly in a steaming pile of manure!” He slapped his hand down on the marble table to emphasize his words, but he clipped one of the oil lamps. The container flipped over. Oil flew out, splashing onto the table and the cigar Percival clutched. The cigar immediately burst into flame. He dropped it, letting out a sharp shriek of pain and fear. The cigar landed on the table in the spreading puddle of oil. The men jumped back, knocking the chairs to the ground. In less time than a the flutter of a hummingbird’s wings, fire swept down a large swath of the tabletop. Frederick jumped back too, but his thin evening gloves were already drenched in oil. With mounting horror, Robert watched as his brother froze for an instant. Flames erupted from his hands. The sickening image chilled him. If Frederick had been a performer on stage, the audience would have burst into applause, but this was no trick. No sleight of hand. It was real, and Frederick’s hands were on fire. Robert lurched forward to help just as Frederick stumbled back on the uneven lawn and shoved his hands under his arms, suffocating the flames. There had been puddles of ice on the table, and as the spreading flames came in contact with them, they spluttered and sprayed droplets, like water in a skillet. Two other men patted at their clothing, putting out tiny fires from the flying droplets of burning oil before it could spread. Lord Tamworth couldn’t extinguish the fire on his sleeve. He shouted with alarm, his friends quickly surrounding him. Someone stripped off his own evening jacket and used it to smother Tamworth’s arm. After consuming all the oil, the flames quickly withered and died. Tamworth’s friends dragged over a chair and shoved him into it. The door leading from the ballroom burst open, and a small army of footmen came rushing outside, heading directly for Tamworth. Robert clenched his fists as he took a menacing step toward the man who’d set events in motion. “Good god, Percival, you’re a threat to everyone, you bottle-head! You’re drunk, and you’re dangerous. Get yourself under control. It’s a wonder you didn’t ignite as well with so much alcohol in your veins.” Lord Percival lifted his hands in supplication. “It was an accident. Surely you don’t think I’d intentionally—” Robert grabbed the other man by his lapels. “You created this situation. Don’t try to pretend you bear no responsibility for what happened. This is your doing.” “Let him go, Robert,” Frederick said from somewhere behind him. “Come here and help me.” With a sense of disgust, Robert gave the other man a shove, spun on his heel, and stalked into the darkness, toward the sound of his brother’s voice. He found Frederick pacing in circles, stomping a track through the snow near the edge of the lawn and muttering curses under his breath. He still had one of his hands tucked under the opposite arm. “We should put ice on that to help numb the pain,” Robert suggested. “The Russians must have ice here someplace.” He locked eyes with an approaching footman who had obviously overheard him. “I will bring some immediately, my lord,” the footman said in heavily accented English. “And some scotch,” Frederick added. The footman nodded, turned, and hurried into the embassy. Activity surrounding Lord Tamworth caught Robert’s attention. The man’s face appeared pale and drawn in the flickering torchlight. The fabric of his clothing had been burned away, and Robert had a clear view of the sickeningly mottled arm and its black and red skin. Robert’s stomach knotted as he turned to face his brother. Was Frederick’s injury as bad as Tamworth’s? “This is terrible,” Frederick said. Robert’s stomach sank. He dreaded seeing the hand. “How bad is it?” he asked. “Bad. Very bad.” Frederick moved even farther away from the others and didn’t stop until he came to a decorative railing. “Does it hurt?” Robert followed his brother. “What? My hand? Of course it hurts.” Frederick looked confused for a moment. “Oh, you thought I was talking about— but that’s not what I meant.” Frederick glanced around and lowered his voice. “I’m here tonight on an assignment for the Foreign Office.” Robert rocked back on his heels. If Frederick was worried about his assignment, the burn couldn’t be too severe, could it? “That explains why you wanted to come to the ball with me at the last minute. Here I thought you wanted to spend time with your estimable older brother. Foolish of me.” “Indubitably. Quite foolish.” The footman returned, bearing a tray with two tumblers of scotch and a bundle of ice wrapped in a white cloth. “Can I bring you anything else?” Frederick shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Don’t trouble yourself. Tamworth is the one who needs your attention, not me. My injury is minor.” The footman bowed before hurrying toward the group surrounding Lord Tamworth. “I can’t risk letting anyone examine my hand,” Frederick said. “Any undue notice regarding me or my movements tonight could jeopardize my ability to complete my task.” A gust of wind ruffled Robert’s dark hair, and he shoved it out of his eyes as he glanced around. Few guests braved the frigid courtyard, so their section of the lawn accorded them the privacy they needed for their conversation. “Why are you telling me about your plans for tonight?” The bundle of ice clattered as Frederick lifted it. Robert caught a glimpse of the scorched remnants of Frederick’s cotton gloves and the large blisters on his fingertips before he pressed the bundle back down. “With this injury, I won’t be able to complete my assignment. I won’t have the manual dexterity that’s required. I’ll need your help.” Robert held up his hands and stepped back. “No. Definitely not. Last year, you promised me you wouldn’t involve me in another one of your schemes. I’m not cut from the same cloth as you— I hate dealing in subterfuge.” “I know, I know, but this is different. The fate of the world is at stake. We’re risking outright war.” “War?” Robert stood stunned for a moment. “At this moment, there is a book, a church register, sitting in a diplomatic pouch locked in Ambassador Revnik’s desk. I’m supposed to pick the locks and retrieve it. How will I manage if I can’t manipulate tools with my fingers? I’ll never be able to hold them. If you don’t help, England and Russia will go to war.” Robert stared at his brother blankly. “I thought war with Russia was inevitable at this point. Hardly a day goes by without some newsboy chasing me down the street and trying to sell me a newspaper with a headline demanding that Britain respond to the Battle of Sinop.” “It was an atrocity.” “The British citizens want justice.” Last November, Russian Admiral Nakhimov had discovered a Turkish naval squadron taking shelter in the port of Sinop during bad weather, and he had attacked them using Russia’s new explosive shells. He’d easily won within two hours but, even with his victory in hand, he’d continued shelling, destroying all but one stranded ship. The massacre was unconscionable. The destruction, wanton. The suffering, immeasurable. “The Queen plans to use the church register to demand justice. It contains sensitive information she’ll use to force the czar’s hand, but the timing is critical. Everything hinges on what we do tonight.” More chess moves. Trust Frederick to consider every nuance of a plan. Frederick winced as he gingerly pulled the remnants of his burned gloves from his hands and let them fall to the ground. He swallowed and took a shaky breath. His brother’s single-minded focus on world affairs in the face of his injuries astounded Robert. Was he telling the truth? Could tonight’s actions prevent a war? “Do you agree war with Russia is inevitable? If so, why should you and I put ourselves at risk and steal the book?” “Inevitable? Perhaps— perhaps not. Remember, the timing and circumstances of a declaration are for the Queen to decide, not the two of us. I have a mission to complete, and it isn’t up for debate. We must retrieve the book before the courier arrives. He’ll be here within the hour.” “How can the fate of the world rest on such a small thing?” Robert took a step backward and raked his fingers through his hair. Frederick must be exaggerating. How could something as commonplace as a church register be so important? “In my experience, it’s always the little things that cause the biggest problems. ‘For want of a nail the shoe was lost.’” Frederick stared down at his blistered hands. The corner of Robert’s mouth twitched. He couldn’t hold back the quip that sprang to his tongue. “Or in this case, for Percival’s want of good sense…” Frederick let out a snort of derision. “The use of my fingers was lost. Yes.” Also in the Secrets and Seduction series… Buy (#FREE for #KindleUnlimited subscribers): Amazon by Sheridan Jeane Secrets and Seduction Publication Date: November 1, 2014 Also in this series: Lady Catherine’s Secret, Once Upon a Spy Genres: Historical, Romance Although Devin Montlake loves his orderly life as a barrister, he’s determined to follow his roadmap to achieve his goal of becoming a judge. His biggest obstacle seems to be convincing his headstrong fiancée to fulfill her social obligations with a modicum of propriety. But when the jewelry collection belonging to Cecilia’s family is stolen the night before it is to be auctioned off and Devin is framed for the crime, he discovers that following his much-loved rules won’t solve this particular problem. He’ll need the inventiveness of his irrepressible fiancée to catch the thief. Buy (#FREE for #KindleUnlimited subscribers): Amazon Synopsis: London, 1853 Despite Lady Catherine’s love of fencing, she needs to stop pretending to be a boy and fraternizing with men…but not until after the fencing tournament! Her mother plans to marry her off by the end of the season, so this will be her last chance to enjoy her freedom. When she impulsively puts her reputation at risk to save the life of a dashing competitor, all seems lost when he sees through her disguise, but he vows never to reveal her secret. Thank goodness for gentlemanly honor! Daniel, Marquess of Huntley, wants to overcome the rumors of his father’s madness so that he can be embraced by London society. His plan is to marry the most proper woman who will have him, and then raise stable, respectable children. He certainly isn’t interested in some hoyden with a penchant for masquerading as a boy and flaunting society’s rules. In fact, he’d prefer to keep his distance. When an obsessed suitor discovers Catherine’s secret and threatens blackmail, the only path out of social ruin is marriage. But what kind of protection does matrimony provide when a vengeful suitor is plotting the ultimate revenge? ABOUT SHERIDAN JEANE Sheridan Jeane writes exciting and emotion-packed historical romances set in the Victorian Era that confront issues of trust and conformity. With the advent of the industrial age, life was changing. Many people tried to hold on to the old ways of life while others embraced the new opportunities open to them. Join Sheridan as she explores the clash between the old and the new. Sheridan has always loved books, history, and stories about amazing people who blaze new trails. Despite naming their daughter Sheridan because they thought it might someday look great on the cover of a book, Sheridan’s parents urged her in a more practical direction for college. Sheridan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a minor in English.

d 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust: quicken me according to thy word. d 26. I have declared my ways, and thou didst answer me: teach me thy statutes. d 27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: and I will meditate on thy wonderful works. d 28. My soul, droppeth away for grief: raise me up according to thy word. d 29. Take away from me the way of falsehood: and grant to me the favor of thy law. d 30. I have chosen the way of truth: and I have set thy judgments before me. d 31. I have cleaved to thy testimonies: O Jehovah! let me, not be ashamed. d 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt have enlarged my heart. 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust He means that he had no more hope of life than if he had been shut up in the tomb; and this must be carefully attended to, that we my not become impatient and grieved, whenever it may please God to make us endure various kinds of death. And, by his own example, he instructs us, when death stares us in the face, and all hope of escape fails, to present our petitions to God, in whose hand, as we have elsewhere seen, are the issues of death, and whose peculiar prerogative it is to restore life to those that are dead, (Psalm 68:21) As the combat is hard, he betakes himself to the promises of God, and invites others to do the same. The expression, according to thy word, is an acknowledgment, that should he depart from God's word, no hope would be left for him; but as God has affirmed that the life of the faithful is in his hand, and under his protection, shut up as he was in the grave, he yet comforted himself with the expectation of life. 26. I have declared my ways. In the first part of this verse he affirms he had prayed sincerely, and had not imitated the proud, who, trusting to their own wisdom, fortitude, and opulence, make not God their refuge. That man is said to declare his ways to God, who presumes neither to attempt nor undertake any thing unless with His assistance, and, depending wholly on His providence, commits all his plans to His sovereign pleasure, and centers all his affections in Him; doing all this honestly, and not as the hypocrites, who profess one thing with their lips, and conceal another within their hearts. He adds, that he was heard, which was of great importance in making him cherish good hope for the future. In the second part of the verse he solemnly declares, that he holds nothing more dear than the acquiring of a true understanding of the law. There are not a few who make known their desires unto God, but then they would that he would yield to their extravagant passions. And, therefore, the prophet affirms that he desires nothing more than to be well instructed in God's statutes. This statement is strengthened by the next verse, in which he once more asks the knowledge of these to be communicated to him. In both passages it must be carefully observed, that with the law of God set before us, we will reap little benefit from merely perusing it, if we have not his Spirit as our internal teacher. Some expositors will have the word which I have translated, I will meditate, to be, I will entreat or argue, and thus the Hebrew term svch, shuach, is referred both to the words and thoughts. The latter meaning is most in accordance with the scope of the passage. I take the import of the prophet's words to be this: -- That I may meditate upon thy wondrous works, make me to understand thy commandments. We will have no relish for the law of God until he sanctify our minds, and render them susceptible of tasting heavenly wisdom. And from this disrelish springs indifference, so that it is a grievous thing for the world to give a respectful attention to the law of God, having no savor for the admirable wisdom contained in it. With great propriety, therefore, does the prophet pray that this way may be opened to him by the gift of knowledge. From these words we are instructed, that in proportion to the spirit of knowledge given to us, our regard for the law of God, and our delight in meditating on it, ought to increase. 28. My soul droppeth away for grief As a little before he said that his soul cleaved to the dust, so now, almost in the same manner, he complains that it melted away with grief. Some are of opinion that he alludes to tears, as if he had said that his soul was dissolved in tears. But the simpler meaning is, that his strength was poured out like water. The verb is in the future tense, yet it denotes a continued action. The prophet assures himself of a remedy for this his extreme sorrow, provided God stretch out his hand towards him. Formerly, when almost lifeless, he entertained the expectation of a revival through the grace of God; now also, by the same means, he cherishes the hope of being restored to renovated and complete vigor, notwithstanding he was nearly consumed. He repeats the expression, according to thy word, because, apart from his word, God's power would afford us little comfort. But when he comes to our aid, even should our courage and strength fail, his promise is abundantly efficacious to fortify us. 29. Take away from me the way of falsehood. Knowing how prone the nature of man is to vanity and falsehood, he first asks the sanctification of his thoughts, lest, being entangled by the snares of Satan, he fall into error. Next, that he may be kept from falsehood, he prays to be fortified with the doctrine of the law. The second clause of the verse is interpreted variously. Some render it, make thy law pleasant to me. And as the law is disagreeable to the flesh, which it subdues and keeps under, there is good cause why God should be asked to render it acceptable and pleasant to us. Some expound it, have mercy upon me according to thy law as if the prophet should draw pity from the fountain-head itself, because God in his law promised it to the faithful. Both of these meanings appear to me forced; and, therefore, I am more disposed to adopt another, freely grant to me thy law. The original term, chnny channeni, cannot be translated otherwise in Latin than, gratify thou me; an uncouth and barbarous expression I admit, yet that will give me: little concern, provided my readers comprehend the prophet's meaning. The amount is, that being full of blindness, nothing is more easy than for us to be greatly deceived by error. And, therefor unless God teach us by the Spirit of wisdom, we will presently be hurried away into various errors. The means of our being preserved from error are stated to consist in his instructing us in his law. He makes use of the term to gratify. |It is indeed an incomparable kindness that men are directed by thy law, but in consequence of thy kindness being unmerited, I have no hesitation in asking of thee to admit me as a participator of this thy kindness.| If the prophet, who for some time previous served God, in now aspiring after farther attainments, does not ask for a larger measure of grace to be communicated to him meritoriously, but confesses it to be the free gift of God, then that impious tenet, which obtains in the papacy, that an increase of grace is awarded to merit as deserving of it, must fall to the ground. 30. I have chosen the way of truth. In this and the following verse he affirms that he was so disposed as to desire nothing more than to follow righteousness and truth. It is, therefore, with great propriety he employs the term to choose. The old adage, that man's life is as it were at the point where two ways meet, refers not simply to the general tenor of human life, but to every particular action of it. For no sooner do we undertake any thing, no matter how small, than we are grievously perplexed, and as if hurried off by a tempest, are confounded by conflicting counsels. Hence the prophet declares, that in order constantly to pursue the right path, he had resolved and fully determined not to relinquish the truth. And thus he intimates that he was not entirely exempted from temptations, yet that he had surmounted them by giving himself up to the conscientious observance of the law. The last clause of the verse, I have set thy judgments before me, relates to the same subject. There would be no fixed choice on the part of the faithful, unless they steadily contemplate the law, and did not suffer their eyes to wander to and fro. In the subsequent verse he not only asserts his entertaining this holy affection for the law, but also combines it with prayer, that he might not become ashamed and enfeebled under the derision of the ungodly, while he gave himself wholly to the law of God. Here he employs the same term as formerly, when he said his soul cleaved to the dust, and, in doing so, affirms he had so firmly taken hold of God's law, that he cannot be separated from it. From his expressing a fear lest he might be put to shame or overwhelmed with reproach, we learn that the more sincerely a man surrenders himself to God, the more will he be assailed by the tongues of the vile and the venomous. 32 I will run the way of thy commandments. The meaning of the prophet is, that when God shall inspire him with love for his la he will be vigorous and ready, nay, even steady, so as not to faint in the middle of his course. His words contain an implied admission of the supineness inability of men to make any advancement in well-doing until God enlarge their hearts. No sooner does God expand their hearts, than they are fitted not only for walking, but also for running in the way of his commandments. He reminds us that the proper observance of the law consists not merely in external works, -- that it demands willing obedience, so that the heart must, to some extent, and in some way, enlarge itself. Not that it has the self-determining power of doing this, but when once its hardness and obstinacy are subdued, it moves freely without being any longer contracted by its own narrowness. Finally, this passage tells us, when God has once enlarged our hearts, there will be no lack of power, because, along with proper affection, he will furnish ability, so that our feet will be ready to run.

- Study protocol - Open Access Study protocol: Evaluating the impact of a rural Australian primary health care service on rural health BMC Health Services Research volume 11, Article number: 52 (2011) Rural communities throughout Australia are experiencing demographic ageing, increasing burden of chronic diseases, and de-population. Many are struggling to maintain viable health care services due to lack of infrastructure and workforce shortages. Hence, they face significant health disadvantages compared with urban regions. Primary health care yields the best health outcomes in situations characterised by limited resources. However, few rigorous longitudinal evaluations have been conducted to systematise them; assess their transferability; or assess sustainability amidst dynamic health policy environments. This paper describes the study protocol of a comprehensive longitudinal evaluation of a successful primary health care service in a small rural Australian community to assess its performance, sustainability, and responsiveness to changing community needs and health system requirements. The evaluation framework aims to examine the health service over a six-year period in terms of: (a) Structural domains (health service performance; sustainability; and quality of care); (b) Process domains (health service utilisation and satisfaction); and (c) Outcome domains (health behaviours, health outcomes and community viability). Significant international research guided the development of unambiguous reliable indicators for each domain that can be routinely and unobtrusively collected. Data are to be collected and analysed for trends from a range of sources: audits, community surveys, interviews and focus group discussions. This iterative evaluation framework and methodology aims to ensure the ongoing monitoring of service activity and health outcomes that allows researchers, providers and administrators to assess the extent to which health service objectives are met; the factors that helped or hindered achievements; what worked or did not work well and why; what aspects of the service could be improved and how; what benefits have been realised and for whom; the level of community satisfaction with the service; and the impact of a health service on community viability. While the need to reduce the rural-urban health service disparity in Australia is pressing, the evidence regarding how to move forward is inadequate. This comprehensive evaluation will add significant new knowledge regarding the characteristics associated with a sustainable rural primary health care service. The Australian rural health service context Australia is a vast continent with a population of approximately 22 million people of which 3.5 million are spread across 1500 small rural and remote communities and 7.5 million square kilometres. Isolated rural communities throughout Australia are experiencing demographic ageing, an increasing burden of chronic diseases, and de-population as families move to larger cities. In addition, many of these rural communities are struggling to maintain viable and comprehensive health care services due to lack of service infrastructure, transport difficulties, and health worker shortages due to high levels of staff turnover and difficulties in recruiting new health workers. In many cases rural communities are either foregoing care, travelling to larger regional centres or depending on irregular visiting services. As a consequence, Australia's rural and remote communities face significant health service disadvantages compared with metropolitan regions. The vast distances separating small communities throughout rural Australia provide enormous challenges for authorities responsible for servicing population health needs as there are conflicts between ensuring operational efficiency and cost-minimisation, whilst maintaining effective and equitable delivery of accessible health services. Traditional urban health service models are proving to be unsustainable. Undoubtedly, there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to meeting the diverse health needs of rural Australian residents and the range of service models needed is likely to vary between communities. Hence it is necessary to investigate models of health service delivery to ensure equitable access to care and reduce the health differential between rural and metropolitan people. Research has shown that a primary health care approach yields the best health outcomes in situations characterised by limited resources. As a result, the need for sustainable comprehensive primary health care, characterised by multi-disciplinary team approaches, is urgent in rural communities. In response, a wide variety of innovative health care models have evolved and been trialled in rural and remote areas. However, whilst research has identified the requirements for sustainable rural and remote primary health care services, few rigorous longitudinal evaluations have been conducted to systematise them over time; assess their transferability to other regions; assess how health services continually evolve to address ongoing changes in the external environment; monitor the effect of comprehensive primary health care on health service utilisation behaviour and health literacy of their communities; or better understand how or when primary health care services can redress the poorer rural health status. Given these gaps in knowledge it is vital to understand which rural health services 'work well, where and why' and are sustainable over the long-term in order to inform rural health service policy, assist with planning sustainable health services in other rural communities and contribute to the equitable delivery of health care services that are likely to bring about improved health outcomes. This paper describes the study protocol of a comprehensive longitudinal evaluation of a successful primary health care service located in a small rural Australian community to assess its performance, sustainability over time, responsiveness to changing community needs and health system requirements, and its impact on community health behaviours, health outcomes and community viability. Setting: The Elmore Primary Health Service (EPHS) The EPHS is located at Elmore in central Victoria (Australia) 170 kilometres from the capital city, Melbourne. While the population in Elmore in 2006 was only 693, the EPHS provides care to nearly 3,000 patients from surrounding districts up to 125 kilometres from Elmore. The EPHS is a single-entry point, comprehensive primary health care model formed in 2001 by a partnership between the private medical practice and the local, publicly funded, community health services after the closure of the local hospital and loss of the local doctor in 1994. The model combines health care, community coordination and outreach services, is financed by public and private funding and is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of, amongst others, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and podiatrists. This service has grown in contrast to the rural national trend of service closures and can be an exemplar for other communities to emulate. Evaluation framework: domains, components and indicators The longitudinal evaluation framework evolved from Donabedian's quality of care paradigm linking structure, process and outcome and a conceptual framework for primary health care performance assessment developed originally by Sibthorpe, as reported in another publication. This evaluation aims to examine the health service over a six year period in terms of: Key structural domains: Health service performance characteristics; The sustainability of the health service organisation and function; and Quality of care that the service provides across the health promotion, treatment and rehabilitation spectrum. Key process domain: The effect of the service on health service utilisation and satisfaction. Key outcome domain: The effect of the service on health behaviours, health outcomes and community viability. A key aspect of the evaluation was the identification and development of unambiguous sentinel indicators for each component of these key domains that can be reliably and validly operationalised so that data can be routinely collected and the health service monitored over time. The recent health systems reform process being undertaken in Australia has highlighted the difficulties in developing appropriate and valid accountability and performance benchmarks. Despite potential indicators being easily identified on the conceptual level, it can be extremely difficult to operationalise them in forms for which data can be routinely and unobtrusively collected whilst being beneficial to health outcomes and health services. Hence our indicator selection was guided by significant health services research conducted by the Canadian Institute for Health Information; the Australian National Health Performance Committee; the Australian National Health and Hospital Reform Commission; the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners; the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ; and Wakerman et al. Drawing on this evidence, sentinel indicators for assessing the structural domains: health service performance (Table 1); sustainability (Table 2); and quality of care (Table 3), were developed in accord with the evaluation framework. As described in each table, each domain is divided into components, for which sentinel indicators were selected based on their technical merits and validity as identified in the research literature and their applicability in the health service setting - that is, the data can be routinely collected, validated, and extracted reliably from the data sources identified for this study (health service record audits, community surveys, interviews and focus group discussions). To evaluate the impact of the EPHS on health service utilisation, community viability and satisfaction in Elmore and its hinterland, sentinel indicators include: community participation within health service planning; community experience of and satisfaction with health services; indicators of population composition and growth, employment trends, and health service multiplier effects in the local economy. The quantitative data for indicators of health service performance, sustainability and quality are being obtained by an annual comprehensive health service record audit and biennial community surveys. These quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics that monitor trends over the period of the study. The comprehensive health service audit is examining medical record data, billing and financial data, human resources records, registry data (e.g. Australian Childhood Immunisation Register and the Victorian Cervical Cytology Register) and government reports to the practice (e.g. Practice Incentive Payments and Service Incentive Payments). All data are being extracted by an EPHS practice nurse and provided in a de-identified and aggregated format to the external university research team to ensure utmost privacy and confidentiality of patient and health service records. Further quantitative data are to be obtained through a biennial community survey that is to be delivered to all residents in the catchment area and is designed to obtain information in relation to health service utilisation, satisfaction and need, in addition to health risk behaviours. The qualitative data that explores sustainability of the service and the impact of the EPHS on the local community are being obtained by in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and document analysis. These data will be transcribed and thematically analysed and triangulated with the quantitative data for validation and clarification of the data. As new understandings emerge through this iterative and reflective process, new indicators will be developed or existing indicators may be modified. Engagement with the local community is essential for this study as the current health service grew from community activism in collaboration with the local doctor and regional community health service. A detailed communication strategy, including community forums and articles in the local newspaper, will ensure that all stakeholders and community residents are kept informed of the purpose and conduct of the evaluation study. The conduct of the research and dissemination of findings will be guided by a Reference Group that will be comprised of representatives from the local community (leaders, businesses and community groups), regional health authorities, and general practice support agencies (e.g. Divisions of General Practice and general practice education and training services). The research team will provide information to the community through plain language summaries, oral presentations and presence at key community events. The study has obtained ethics approvals from Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (CF08/0419- 2008000176; CF08/0238 - 2008000089; CF08/2434 - 2008001256; CF10/2540 - 20100001423). Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of successful rural health service models is needed to provide sound empirical evidence of what makes a primary health care service sustainable and effective in a rapidly changing health policy environment in order to provide an evidence base that can inform health service policy makers and other rural health services. This iterative evaluation framework and methodology aims to ensure the ongoing monitoring of service activity and health outcomes associated with the service that allows researchers, health service providers and administrators to assess the extent to which health service objectives have been met; the factors that have helped or hindered achievements; what worked or did not work well and why; what aspects of the service could be improved and how; what benefits have been realised and for whom; the level of community satisfaction with the service; and the impact of a health service on community viability. This evaluation focuses on health service performance and capacity rather than focussing on how well a particular disease is treated. This raises challenges in identifying appropriate indicators as primary health care organisation and function is complex, dynamic and composed of both measurable and unmeasurable elements that are subject to many external influences that can impede performance, sustainability and quality of care. The scope and breadth of ideal indicators for the components of each domain in the research literature is more extensive than those selected for this study. The selection of indicators was limited principally by the types of data items that are stored in paper records and electronic databases that are reliable, valid and readily extracted. This study also provides an opportunity to assess, over time, the effect of locally available health promotion, preventive and early intervention programs on health literacy and health status of a small rural community. As it is possible to relate the EPHS catchment to a geographically circumscribed hinterland, this evaluation may examine the associations between sustainable local health services and community viability and prosperity through examining community satisfaction, growth, employment, and multiplier effect indicators. Hence, building on previous studies that highlighted the significance of rural hospitals and health services to the local economy and fortune of rural communities , the findings from this study may assist health authorities and other small rural communities to benchmark what services are appropriate and successful. The danger in not undertaking such comprehensive longitudinal research to identify "what works well, where and why" is the risk of widening health differential between urban and rural communities; increasing costs of health care treatment to individuals and to government; and reduced implementation of best practice care equitably to all communities. The need to provide equitable access to quality primary health services for Australia's rural communities is essential and urgent. However, the evidence base for rural health service design remains sparse. This longitudinal evaluation will contribute significant knowledge to how a primary health service can be evaluated and play a role in reducing the Australian rural-metropolitan health disparity. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission: A Healthier Future For All Australians - Final Report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission - June 2009. 2009, Commonwealth of Australia Chenoweth L, Stehlik D: Using technology in rural practice - local area coordination in rural Australia. Rural Social Work. 2002, 7 (1): 14-21. Humphreys J: Health service models in rural and remote Australia. The New Rural Health: An Australian Text. Edited by: Wilkinson D, Blue I. 2002, Oxford University Press, 273-296. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW): Whose health? How population groups vary. Australia's health 2010. 2010, Canberra: AIHW, 227-280. Starfield B: Primary care: is it essential?. Lancet. 1994, 344: 1129-1133. 10.1016/S0140-6736(94)90634-3. Starfield B: Primary Care: Balancing health needs, services and technology. 1998, Oxford: Oxford University Press Wakerman J, Humphreys J, Wells R, Kuipers P, Jones J, Entwistle P, Kinsman L: Features of effective primary health care models in rural and remote Australia: a case-study analysis. Medical Journal of Australia. 2009, 191 (2): 88-91. Kuipers P, Humphreys J, Wakerman J, Wells R, Jones J, Entwistle P: Collaborative review of pilot projects to inform policy: A methodological remedy for pilotitis?. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy. 2008, 5 (1): 17-10.1186/1743-8462-5-17. Wakerman J: Innovative rural and remote primary health care models: What do we know and what are the research priorities?. Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2009, 17: 21-26. 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2008.01032.x. Broemeling AM, Watson DE, Black C, Reid RJ: Measuring the performance of primary health care: Existing capacity and future information needs. 2006, Centre for Health Service and Policy Research University of British Columbia Australian Bureau of Statistics: ABS CDATA Online. 2010 Asaid A, Riley K: From solo practice to partnering: the evolution of the Elmore model of primary health. Australian Family Physician. 2007, 36 (3): 167-169. Gregory A, Armstrong RM, Van Der Weyden MB: Rural and remote health in Australia: how to avert the deepening health care drought. Med J Aust. 2006, 185 (11/12): 654-660. Donabedian A: The quality of care. How can it be assessed?. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1988, 260: 1743-1748. 10.1001/jama.260.12.1743. Sibthorpe B: A proposed conceptual framework for performance assessment in primary health care: a tool for policy and practice. 2004, Canberra: Australian National University. Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, [http://www.anu.edu.au/aphcri/Publications/conceptual_framework.pdf] Tham R, Humphreys J, Kinsman L, Buykx P, Asaid A, Tuohey K, Riley K: Evaluating the impact of sustainable comprehensive primary health care on rural health. Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2010, 18: 166-172. 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2010.01145.x. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission: Beyond the Blame Game - Accountability and performance benchmarks for the next Australian Health Care Agreements. 2008, Woden ACT Australia Canadian Institute for Health Information: Pan-Canadian Primary Health Care Indicators. 2006, Ottawa, Canada, 1. National Health Performance Committee: National Health Performance Framework. 2001, Brisbane: Queensland Health The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: Standards for general practices. 2010, South Melbourne, Australia, 4 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW): Rural, regional and remote health - information framework and indicators -Version 1b. Rural Health Series no 6. 2005, Canberra: AIHW Wakerman J, Humphreys J, Wells R, Kuipers P, Entwistle P, Jones J: A systematic review of primary health care delivery models in rural and remote Australia 1993-2006. 2006, Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute. Canberra: Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, [http://www.anu.edu.au/aphcri/Domain/RuralRemote/index.php] Perera R, Dowell A, Crampton P, Kearns R: Panning for gold: An evidence-based tool for assessment of performance indicators in primary health care. Health Policy. 2007, 80: 314-327. 10.1016/j.healthpol.2006.03.011. Miller WP: Economic multipliers: How communities can use them for planning. Community and Economic Development. 2007, Little Rock: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Doeksen GA, Schott V: Economic importance of the health-care sector in a rural economy. Rural and Remote Health. 2003, 3 (online). Campbell SM, Roland M, Quayle J, Buetow S, Shekelle P: Quality indicators for general practice: which ones can general practitioners and health authority managers agree are important and how useful are they?. Journal of Public Health Medicine. 1998, 20 (4): 414-421. The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners: Aiming for Excellence - An assessment tool for New Zealand general practice. 2009, New Zealand, 3 The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/11/52/prepub This study is being funded by Australian Rotary Health for the period 2008 - 2010 and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing for the period 2011-2013. The funding bodies had no role in the conception or development of the study design, the writing of the manuscript or the decision to submit it for publication. The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of Karly Smith, Karen Riley and Judith Jones in the development of the study design and ethics applications. The authors declare that they have no competing interests. RT, JSH and LK conceived and developed the design of the study, obtained the ethics applications and drafted the manuscript. PB obtained the ethics application and contributed to drafting and revising the manuscript. AA and KT contributed to the conception and design of the study and revising the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. About this article Cite this article Tham, R., Humphreys, J.S., Kinsman, L. et al. Study protocol: Evaluating the impact of a rural Australian primary health care service on rural health. BMC Health Serv Res 11, 52 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-11-52 - Health Service Utilisation - Primary Health Care Service - Community Satisfaction - Rural Health Service - Comprehensive Primary Health Care

I can spot a worthless father in just a few minutes. I’m an expert as I had one. They’re actually not that hard to identify if they are remotely like my own father. His words were just as repugnant as his actions. He could spread his lies the way Martha Stewart ices cakes. It was when I was 11 or 12 that I heard my father on the phone with a woman that was certainly not my mother. My two sisters and I were at home, alone. This was not uncommon. It was a different time in the 70’s. We were living in Belleville, Ontario and I believe it was most likely summer, which would explain why we were all home in the middle of the day. Dad came home unexpectedly, and told us all to go to our rooms. When we objected because we were watching the only television in the house, our loving father turned off the TV and loudly told us to get out of the living room. We all retreated to my bedroom, eager to get away from his ill tempered mood. At the time, we lived in a small bungalow with an unfinished basement. Perhaps it was 1000 square feet, and that’s being generous. There were three bedrooms, all huddled together on one side of the house. You could whisper in one room and hear it in another. We had one telephone in the house and it was located in the living room on a side table. It was positioned gunshot style, directly in front of my bedroom door, probably a dozen or so footsteps away from each other. My dad picked up that phone and used it to call someone that he proceeded to plead and beg with. It was astonishing to me how his tone had changed. He promised to take this person away. That no one else mattered. He LOVED her. It soon became clear to me that he was talking to a woman who was NOT my mother and it literally made me sick. My 6 year old sister, Sarah, was crying because she was likely scared. A completely reasonable reaction. My other sister, Wendy, did not believe me when I told her who dad was probably talking to. As she was only 11 months younger than me, we were both at approximately the same point in our intellectual development, but she was the peacemaker in the family and quick to leap to the best possible conclusion, rather than the worst. I told her to try leaving our room and to see what reaction our father of the year would have. She took me up on my suggestion. She barely got out of the room before dad aimed his viciousness at her. It appeared that while my dad didn’t care how loudly he was proclaiming his complete disinterest in his own family, he did not care to be observed while doing it. He had his standards. We stayed in my room until our father ended his call. I’d love to write that we hunkered down, while giving comfort to each other, but I can’t remember that. In all likelihood, as we were not encouraged to love and support each other, we just sat in my room, apart, and waited for the ordeal to end. Dad did not come to my room to declare that we could now come out. My recollection is that he just left. And that, in a nutshell, describes his utter narcissism. He did not care that we had heard everything. He did not consider us at all. He had made his call, and now was off to do whatever he needed to do. He thought his telephone call would remain a secret because he knew we’d never dare cross him. Once he departed, we probably went back to watching TV. We would never have discussed it between us. I can’t opine as to how either of my sisters felt at that moment. I, however, was filled with a burning rage. I wanted to tell my mum what had happened. Of course I did nothing of the sort. When my mum got home that night from work, I said zilch. I laid a big goose egg. I was paralyzed. I wanted to tell her, but if I did would she believe me? If she believed me, then what? She’d confront my dad and then I’d face his fury? If she did not believe me, then what? I’d be subject to her wrath? I must have comprehended on some level that the messenger is not always welcomed. These many years later, I can still feel my conflicting emotions. It was simply too much for a 11 or 12 year old to deal with. So I stayed quiet. I did not get involved. I pushed it aside in my mind. Compartmentalizing was a skill I learned at a young age. I regale you with this memory because I relived this in 2014. Coincidentally, it involved an overheard phone conversation as well. This time on a smart phone instead of a 1970’s era rotary dial phone. It was a surreal and horrifying moment that defies description. Everything that I thought to be true and stable was, in an instant, completely destroyed because I realized that this person was having a sexual conversation with someone that was clearly not his wife. What made it truly awful is that the wife was a close friend and family member. I went numb, then got white hot angry, and then confronted him. It was cathartic and terrifying all at the same time. Excuses were given, threats were made, and then finally came the pleading and the tears….all from him. When the dust settled, one thing was made plain to me. I had knowledge of this persons infidelity, and I was unsure of what to do. I had a bomb and while I wanted it to explode in his face, I did not want to damage her, or her child. There were other family members to consider as well. Due to the circumstances of how I found out, and what transpired immediately after, I decided to cut myself off entirely from him, which necessarily entailed me not seeing her as much. There were exceptions, the worst of which was a family Christmas Eve gathering at their place where I had to watch him fake his devotion and love to his family. It made me sick. It was one of the longest nights of my life and I could not wait to leave. When she finally found out, it was about two years later. She immediately ended things and moved out, without telling anyone on my side of the family. She was pregnant and had a toddler to take care of. To this day I have no idea where she got her strength from. I imagine it was a harrowing few weeks trying to haul ass through the emotional, mental and physical wreckage that he left her with. The first time I saw her after her horrific discovery, I looked her squarely in the face, and confessed everything to her. As I told her, she stayed calm. She actually did not look shocked. She took a moment to gather her thoughts and then explained to me that she already had friends come to her with similar stories. Both before she finally discovered the truth, and after. As it turned out, she would have most likely ignored what I had to tell her, as she had ignored other warnings from her friends. Her generous words did nothing to ease my shame at that moment, but I have had plenty of time to reflect since then. Whenever I have made a substantive lasting change to my life, it has always been due to a decision that I have made, not because someone told me to do something differently. The choice to change (and it IS a choice) must come from within. As a fitness professional I have told countless people WHY making certain choices will lead to a healthier life, but until the person decides that this is the right thing to do for them, the desired behavior is usually short lived. Certainly, my intrinsic changes have only occurred when I’ve had an actual life altering experience for myself. It did not matter that I kept the information from her. She had her own journey that she was on. She was going to believe whatever she wanted to. If there is one thing I’ve learned about this amazing woman, is that she is incredibly sharp. She could not control what I ultimately decided to do. That was my decision based on my own circumstances at the time. She certainly could not control her husband’s actions. Those were all his own revolting decisions. What she could do was to be responsible for her own conduct. She has shown me what a strong woman does. She gets up every single day and gets shit done. She has to. She has no choice. She has two children that come first. Their well being is front and center for her. The only life lesson I can even see in this situation is victory. Not for me, but for her. That’s got everything to do with her positive transformation, her faith, her tenacity and her perseverance. It’s terrible that this had to happen to her, but personal growth comes from adversity. The desire and hunger for real change comes from experience. Contentment comes from moving forward. Dear readers: Are you a Facebook user? If you liked this post, and my style of writing, please share this blog post on your Facebook timeline. There’s a FB icon button just below this post that you can click to do that. Thank you! I also invite you to go to my Capable Fitness with Gail Facebook page and click the “like” button. That LIKE button is right there on my cover picture of me and Seamus O’Malley. You can instantly go there right now by clicking this: https://www.facebook.com/capablyfit/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel. You’ll find doable exercises, delicious recipes, actionable fitness advice, inspirational messages and some laughs as well, all delivered to you on a daily basis. I’d love to have you on board as one of my “fans” and hearing what YOU would like to see on my page.

Valley of Flowers National Park |Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks*| |UNESCO World Heritage Site| |Inscription||1988 (12th Session)| |* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.| ** Region as classified by UNESCO. Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park since 1982, nestled high in the West Himalayas. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 square kilometers (33.78 sq mi). The Valley of Flowers has enshrined in Hindu Mythology. It won international renown during the past century, brought to the world's attention by the work of Frank S. Smythe. Home to a variety of endangered plants and medicinal plants, the region displays the best example of the West Himalaya biogeographic zone. The majority of flowers include Orchids, Poppies, Primulas, Calendulas, Daisies and Anemones as well as alpine forests of Birch and Rhododendron. The richly diverse area serves as home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic Black Bear, Snow Leopard, Brown Bear and Blue Sheep. The region lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area. The Indian government has banned settlements and animal grazing in the park. It is open only from June to October due to the heavy snow fall. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park compliments the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park has won fame for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. UNESCO designated the Valley of Flowers National Park a World Heritage Site along with Nanda Devi National Park. The Valley of Flowers is an outstandingly beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley that has been acknowledged as such by renowned mountaineers and botanists in literature for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer. Its gentle landscape, breath-takingly beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access complement the rugged, mountain wilderness for which the inner basin of Nanda Devi National Park has won acclaim. The Valley of Flowers diverse alpine flora, representative of the West Himalaya biogeographic zone, has international importance. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley’s location within a transition zone between the Zaskar and Great Himalaya ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern and Western Himalaya flora. A number of plant species are internationally threatened, several have not been recorded from elsewhere in Uttarakhand and two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA. The Republic of India declared The Valley of Flowers a national park in 1982. That part of Uttarakhand, in the upper reaches of Garhwal, proves inaccessible through much of the year. The area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 6,719 meters (22,040 ft) above sea level. Settlements have been prohibited in the national park and grazing in the areas banned. Open only in summer between June and October, heavy snow covers the region during the rest of the year. Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 17 kilometers (11 mi). The nearest major town is Joshimath in Garhwal, which has convenient road connections from railheads such as Hardwar and Dehradun, both about 270 kilometers (170 mi) from Joshimath. From Joshimath, a vehicle can be hired to take you to within 17 kilometers (11 mi) of the park, to the settlement of Gobindghat. The route from Joshimath to the Valley of Flowers goes along the main road to Badrinath; roughly midway along this road, a minor road branches off to Gobindghat, the roadhead for the Valley. From Gobindghat, a trek of 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) brings hikers to the tiny settlement of Ghangaria. Valley of flowers is about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from this village. Hemkund Sahib sits around five kilometers from Ghangaria. Frank S. Smythe, mountaineer, explorer, and botanist introduced the Valley to the world as the Valley of Flowers. He had camped in the valley for several weeks in the monsoon of 1937 and performed valuable exploratory work. Smythe authored a book called "The Valley of Flowers" which unveiled the beauty and floral splendors of the valley and thus threw open the doors of this verdant jewel to nature-enthusiasts all over the world. In 1939 Miss Margaret Legge, a botanist deputed by the Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh arrived at the valley for further studies. While she was traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and perished. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial on the spot where locals buried her. The heart-felt memorial stands as of 2008. Fauna and Flora The park serves as home to Tahr, Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Red Fox, Common Langur, Bharal, Serow, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Brown Bear, Pica (Mouse Hare) and a huge variety of butterflies. Among the important birds and Pheasant are the Himalayan Golden Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Snow Partridge, Himalayan Snow Cock,Himalayan Monal, Snow Pigeon, and Sparrow Hawk. |No.||Name of Flowers||Time of flowering| |56.||Himalayan Blue Poppy||July-September| - Nanda Devi National Park - Climate of India - Nanda Devi - Kashmir Region - Tibetan people - James Workman. Pragmatic solutions: an assessment of progress, 2005. (Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, 2006) - R. S. Ambasht and Navin K. Ambasht. Modern trends in applied terrestrial ecology. (New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2002), 125 - Jagdish Kaur. Himalayan pilgrimages and the new tourism. (New Delhi: Himalayan Books, 1985), 62. - Harish Kapadia. Meeting the mountains. (New Delhi: Indus Pub. Co., 1998), 121. - F. S. Smythe. The valley of flowers. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1938) - Ambasht, R. S., and Navin K. Ambasht. 2002. Modern trends in applied terrestrial ecology. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. ISBN 9780306473326. - Kaur, Jagdish. 1985. Himalayan pilgrimages and the new tourism. New Delhi: Himalayan Books. ISBN 9788170020004. - Kapadia, Harish. 1998. Meeting the mountains. New Delhi: Indus Pub. Co. ISBN 9788173870859. - Smythe, F. S. 1938. The valley of flowers. London: Hodder and Stoughton. OCLC 341916. - Workman, James. 2006. Pragmatic solutions: an assessment of progress, 2005. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. ISBN 9782831709246. All links retrieved April 27, 2020. |• Part of the series on National Parks of India •| |Andaman & Nicobar Islands||Campbell Bay • Galathea • Mahatma Gandhi • Mt. Harriet Island • Middle Button Island • North Button Island • Rani Jhansi • Saddle Peak • South Button Island| |Andhra Pradesh||Kasu Brahmananda Reddy • Mahavir Harina Vanasthali • Mrugavani • Sri Venkateswara)| |Arunachal Pradesh||Mouling • Namdapha| |Assam||Dibru-Saikhowa • Kaziranga • Manas Nameri • Orang| |Chhattisgarh||Indravati • Kanger Ghati| |Gujarat||Blackbuck • Gir • Gulf of Kutch • Vansda| |Haryana||Kalesar • Sultanpur| |Himachal Pradesh||Great Himalayan • Pin Valley| |Jammu & Kashmir||Dachigam • Hemis • Kishtwar • Salim Ali| |Karnataka||Anshi • Bandipur • Bannerghatta • Kudremukh • Nagarhole| |Kerala||Eravikulam • Mathikettan Shola • Periyar • Silent Valley| |Madhya Pradesh||Bandhavgarh • Fossil • Kanha • Madhav • Panna • Pench Sanjay • Satpura • Van Vihar| |Maharastra||Chandoli • Gugamal • Navegaon • Pench • Sanjay Gandhi • Tadoba| |Manipur||Keibul Lamjao • Sirohi| |Meghalaya||Balphakram • Nokrek| |Mizoram||Murlen • Phawngpui| |Orissa||Bhitarkanika • Simlipal| |Rajasthan||Darrah • Desert • Keoladeo • Ranthambhore • Sariska| |Tamil Nadu||Guindy • Gulf of Mannar • Indira Gandhi • Palani Hills • Mudumalai • Mukurthi| |Uttar Pradesh||Nawabganj • Dudhwa| |Uttarakhand||Corbett • Gangotri • Govind • Nanda Devi • Rajaji • Valley of Flowers| |West Bengal||Buxa • Gorumara • Neora Valley • Singalila • Sundarbans| |National Parks • Protected areas of India • Ministry of Environment and Forests (India)| New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. 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Background: The present study examined the cluster of domain-specific sedentary behaviors (SBs) and their associations with physical function among community-dwelling older adults to identify the target groups that require intervention for SBs. Methods: A total of 314 older adults who participated in a population-based cross-sectional survey and an on-site functional assessment in Matsudo City in Chiba participated in this study. Participants were asked to report the daily average of 6 domain-specific SBs. To identify the cluster of domain-specific SBs, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using the Ward method. Analysis of covariance adjusted for sociodemographic factors, exercise habit, chronic disease, and total SB time was performed to examine the associations between each cluster and physical functional status. Results: The average age of the participants was 74.5 (5.2) years. The 4 clusters identified were leisure cluster, low cluster, work and personal computer use cluster, and television viewing cluster. The analysis of covariance adjusted for covariates showed that grip strength (P = .01), maximum walking speed (P = .03), and 1-leg standing time (P = .03) were significantly poorer in the television viewing cluster than other clusters. Conclusions: It has been concluded that the television viewing group identified as a high-risk group of physical functional decline; therefore, interventions targeting this group are needed to prevent physical functional decline. Seigo Mitsutake, Ai Shibata, Kaori Ishii, Shiho Amagasa, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Noritoshi Fukushima, Shigeru Inoue and Koichiro Oka David S. Walsh and Paul M. Wright Elena López-Cañada, José Devís-Devís, Alexandra Valencia-Peris, Sofía Pereira-García, Jorge Fuentes-Miguel and Víctor Pérez-Samaniego Background: This study describes the prevalence, frequency, and type of physical activity and sport (PAS) practiced by trans persons before and after their gender disclosure (GD). Methods: A face-to-face survey was administered to 212 Spanish trans persons, aged from 10 to 62 years old. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to determine significant differences. Results: About 75.5% of the trans persons in this study engaged in PAS and more than 50% did so ≥3 times/week, which is similar as in the general Spanish population. Participation was higher in trans men (78.7%) than trans women (72%). However, GD emerges as a key issue in characterizing trans persons’ PAS participation. A group of 14.5% of them stopped activity after GD. Participation in nonorganized PAS was higher than in organized PAS, and this difference is greater after GD because most participants gave up organized PAS in favor of nonorganized PAS. Trans persons preferred individual sports and activities than team sports before and after GD, and the top 3 activities were jogging, walking, and bodybuilding. Trans men participation was higher than trans women in team PAS, whereas individual PAS were equally practiced before and after GD. Participation in football, swimming, basketball, dancing, and volleyball declined after GD, whereas bodybuilding increased in trans men. Conclusions: The results show that the high involvement of trans persons coincides with strategies used to hide or conceal their gender identities when participating in PAS. A decrease in PAS participation is observed after GD probably because it is an acute potential period of anxiety, discrimination, and victimization caused by trans persons’ body exposure. Nikita Rowley, James Steele, Matthew Wade, Robert James Copeland, Steve Mann, Gary Liguori, Elizabeth Horton and Alfonso Jimenez Objectives: To examine if exercise referral schemes (ERSs) are associated with meaningful changes in physical activity in a large cohort of individuals throughout England, Scotland, and Wales from The National Referral Database. Methods: Data were obtained from 5246 participants from 12 different ERSs, lasting 6–12 weeks. The preexercise referral scheme and changes from the preexercise to the postexercise referral scheme in self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores were examined. A 2-stage individual patient data meta-analysis was used to generate the effect estimates. Results: For the pre-ERS metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes per week, the estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 676 MET minutes per week (539 to 812). For the change in MET minutes per week, the estimate (95% CI) was an increase of 540 MET minutes per week (396 to 684). Changes in the total PA levels occurred as a result of increases in vigorous activity of 17 minutes (95% CI, 9 to 24), increases in moderate activity of 29 minutes (95% CI, 22 to 36), and reductions in sitting of −61 minutes (95% CI, −78 to −43), though little change in walking (−5 min; 95% CI, −14 to 5) was found. Conclusions: Most participants undergoing ERSs are already “moderately active.” Changes in PA behavior associated with participation are through increased moderate to vigorous PA and reduced sitting. However, this was insufficient to change the International Physical Activity Questionnaire category, and the participants were still “moderately active.” Emmanuel Gomes Ciolac, José Messias Rodrigues da Silva and Rodolfo Paula Vieira Background: The progressive dysfunction of the immune system during aging appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of several age-related disorders. However, regular physical exercise can present “antiaging” effects on several physiological systems. Methods: A narrative review of studies investigating the chronic effects of exercise and physical activity on the immune system and its association with age-related chronic diseases was carried out according to the guidelines for writing a narrative review. Results: There is compelling evidence suggesting that age-related immune system alterations play a key role on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, hypertension, chronic heart failure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. On the other hand, the regular practice of physical activity appears to improve most of the inflammatory/immunological processes involved in these diseases. Conclusion: Epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies permit us to affirm that regular physical activity improves immunomodulation and may play a key role in the prevention and treatment of several age-related chronic diseases. However, further studies are needed to better describe the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of physical exercise in specific organs of older individuals, as well as the mechanisms involved in such response. Alison Griffin, Tim Roselli and Susan L. Clemens Background: Health benefits of physical activity (PA) accrue with small increases in PA, with the greatest benefits for those transitioning from inactivity to any level of PA. This study examined whether self-reported PA time in Queensland adults changed between 2004 and 2018. Methods: The Queensland government conducts regular cross-sectional telephone surveys. Between 2004 and 2018, adults aged 18–75 years answered identical questions about their weekly minutes of walking, moderate PA, and vigorous PA. Hurdle regression estimated the average annual change in weekly minutes of PA overall and by activity type, focusing on sociodemographic differences in trends. Results: The sample size averaged 1764 (2004–2008) and 10,188 (2009–2018), totaling 107,171 participants aged 18–75 years. Unadjusted PA increased by 10 minutes per week per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.8–11.1) overall, with increases for most subgroups. Adjusted PA increased by 10.5 minutes per week per year (95% CI, 9.4–11.7). Trends differed by employment—employed adults and those not in the labor force increased by 14.3 (95% CI, 12.8–15.8) and 2.2 minutes per week per year (95% CI, 0.4–4.0), respectively, with no increase for unemployed adults. The increases were due to both an increased prevalence of doing any activity and an increased average duration among active adults. Conclusions: Since 2004, PA time has increased for Queensland adults, with substantial variability by employment status. Paul M. Wright and David Walsh Don Hellison (1938–2018) was a leader and trailblazer in sport and physical education pedagogy. Early in his career, he was an advocate for humanistic physical education. His engaged approach to scholarship culminated in the development of the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model, which is now recognized as a best practice for promoting social and emotional learning in physical education. The TPSR model has also been widely applied in the field of sport-based youth development. This is the introduction to the special issue devoted to Don’s life and legacy. It provides opening comments from the guest editors and a brief overview of the articles in the special issue. Emily Budzynski-Seymour, Rebecca Conway, Matthew Wade, Alex Lucas, Michelle Jones, Steve Mann and James Steele Background: Physical activity (PA) promotes health and well-being. For students, university represents a transitional period, including increased independence over lifestyle behaviors, in addition to new stressors and barriers to engaging in PA. It is, therefore, important to monitor PA trends in students to gain a greater understanding about the role it might play in physical and mental well-being, as well as other factors, such as attainment and employability. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2016 in Scottish universities and colleges, and in 2017 in universities and colleges across the United Kingdom, and the data were pooled for the present study (N = 11,650). Cumulative ordinal logistic regression was used to model the association between PA levels and mental and personal well-being, social isolation, and perceptions of academic attainment and employability. Results: Only 51% of the respondents met the recommended levels of moderate to vigorous PA per week. There was a linear relationship between PA levels and all outcomes, with better scores in more active students. Conclusions: UK university students are insufficiently active compared with the general population of 16- to 24-year olds. Yet, students with higher PA report better outcomes for mental and personal well-being, social isolation, and perceptions of academic attainment and employability. Daniel C. McFarland, Alexander G. Brynildsen and Katherine R. Saul Most upper-extremity musculoskeletal models represent the glenohumeral joint with an inherently stable ball-and-socket, but the physiological joint requires active muscle coordination for stability. The authors evaluated sensitivity of common predicted outcomes (instability, net glenohumeral reaction force, and rotator cuff activations) to different implementations of active stabilizing mechanisms (constraining net joint reaction direction and incorporating normalized surface electromyography [EMG]). Both EMG and reaction force constraints successfully reduced joint instability. For flexion, incorporating any normalized surface EMG data reduced predicted instability by 54.8%, whereas incorporating any force constraint reduced predicted instability by 43.1%. Other outcomes were sensitive to EMG constraints, but not to force constraints. For flexion, incorporating normalized surface EMG data increased predicted magnitudes of joint reaction force and rotator cuff activations by 28.7% and 88.4%, respectively. Force constraints had no influence on these predicted outcomes for all tasks evaluated. More restrictive EMG constraints also tended to overconstrain the model, making it challenging to accurately track input kinematics. Therefore, force constraints may be a more robust choice when representing stability.

To understand how quickly a club moves on from a manager, consider this story from an affluent club in the Championship a few seasons ago. When news filtered down the club’s grapevine that a popular manager had been sacked a couple of hours earlier, a member of the media department sent him a text message of condolence. Within it also contained inflammatory remarks about the chief executive and the “disgraceful decision" he had taken. To the horror of the sender, the reply that came back moments later was not from the recently departed, but a staff member who worked in the chief executive’s office. No sooner had the manager been fired and handed back his work phone, it was immediately passed to someone else at the club - same number and all - without warning. The guilty party was reprimanded when the chief executive was informed of the message. It is not news that managerial sackings are a fickle and grimy part of modern football. What power managers once wielded in the days of Brian Clough and even Sir Alex Ferguson is a thing of the past. Even Pep Guardiola, in charge of the defending Premier League champions and still with a shot at an elusive Champions League title, is feeling the heat. Regardless of the spirit there may be at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp may end up feeling it too. Seven managers have lost Premier League jobs so far this campaign. Four of them across 16 days from November into December. Two - Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores – from the same club. The dismay at each dismissal varied wildly, from Mauricio Pochettino departing Tottenham to Unai Emery finally getting ditched by Arsenal. One emotion lacking across all was empathy. It's absent from the anecdotes you hear, such as the relish with which Simon Jordan regales his tale of sacking Trevor Francis as Crystal Palace manager. Francis sat there in silence before mumbling, "but it's my birthday". It's n the comments about contracts being paid off. That failure as a manager does not come at a cost but, rather, a bonus. Even in their lowest moments, there is more ridicule than sorrow. Unless you're a select few, there is no comfort to be had in that ebb. When the axe is wielded, it's swift and only for those at the very top of the pyramid is it anything other than a chastening experience to be booted from the boardroom into the real world. "It is, perhaps, one of the most unconventional employment situations across the spectrum," Ray Wann tells The Independent. Wann is a lawyer for Sheridans specialising in change-management processes and senior executive deals. He has acted on behalf of managers and clubs in dismissals. The volatile nature of sackings means Wann has to be available at the drop of a hat: any scenario, at any time and in any location. Sometimes, matters are conducted over the phone, and very often the guts of the exit negotiations between the two parties are done without the manager present. The "unconventional" element, as Wann puts it, is two-fold. In a regular job, an employer has to follow exact protocols to avoid running the risk of unfair dismissal. And in any other high-end business, removing someone at a cost of millions needs to be ratified at a few levels. Not so in football. "That’s one of the big, big differences in how senior exits from football clubs might be distinctive from a senior exit from a corporate organisation. There may be discussions leading up to that. Whereas [in football] it tends to be pretty sharp and brutal, as we know." A lack of consultation invariably means a lack of forewarning. As was the case with Pochettino, concrete speculation surfaced just over 24 hours before his departure. For those in Wann's profession, these reports act as a guide for as and when they made be called into action. As word of Pochettino's departure spread, Jose Mourinho's representatives were already prepped for an all-nighter. Sometimes future-planning goes "unrewarded", as was the case with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Many thought he would not see out December as Manchester United manager and those who might have had a stake in any exit were primed and ready. Yet here we are in February with all signs pointing to him staying for the rest of the season at least. On other occasions, things come together. The speculation around Marco Silva and his tenure at Everton went into over-drive in the month preceding his exit. As the unrest in the stands filtered into the boardroom as tensions flared between chairman Bill Kenwright and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, brokers on both sides were making provisions to, eventually, elicit a break that was far cleaner than anticipated. The only person caught unawares by the move was, allegedly, Silva. "That does tend to happen," says Wann. "The manager is often the one who is most surprised and those around him not so much. They are head down, trying to make things work even if things are going awry. In that state of stress and desperation to turn things around, you can miss what's right in front of you." Contrary to popular belief, the easiest negotiations are around the payout. A managerial contract is built to ensure departures are as smooth as possible. The most robust elements are around compensation and clauses pertaining to a club's various outs. Multi-year deals regularly come with thresholds that need to be met or passed to trigger certain payouts for a manager. David Moyes' time at Manchester United and his first stint at West Ham United are strong examples of clubs insulating themselves from risk. Moyes was sacked 10 months into his six-year deal at Old Trafford with four games of his first season to go, receiving a £4.5million payout. Had he been sacked a few weeks earlier, he would have been entitled to twice as much given Manchester United at the time still had a chance of finishing in the top four. When he was sacked, on 22 April 2014, the club were seventh and set for their record lowest points tally in the Premier League. Moyes, to this day, believes the club held off sacking him in that period to save money. At West Ham a six-month spell from November 2017 saw him help the club avoid relegation. But there were no guarantees in place for a longer-term stay. By the middle of May 2018, he was without a club once more. The final and hardest negotiations are around messaging. Phrases like "mutual agreement", "mutual consent", "parted company" and "both parties agree" are all a charade to suggest goodwill yet often elicit the tetchiest back-and-forth. Because the departing manager needs this more than anything else. Even after months of poor results, rumblings of dressing room disharmony and the odd blow-up in a press conference, those few words on an officially headed press release confirm he is no bad egg. That, above all else, he is perfectly agreeable. Not - definitely not - damaged goods. It is, as many spurned managers attest to, the last request they make to a club about to cut them loose, and the beginning of a period when they feel at their meekest. A humbling moment when the human cost of managerial sackings comes into effect. It is usually at this point in those boardroom proceedings that information trickles down to the rest of the football club. When those “sorry to hear the news” messages are sent but rarely received. Nowadays, Premier League clubs are split in two: the main ground and the training ground which is where the “football hub” is located. It is here where the manager’s main office is located and, thus, where the immediate fallout is greatest. “You know when it’s happening,” says one source from Chelsea who worked at the club during a period where the football operation was relocated from Stamford Bridge to the training complex in Cobham. “At a club pushing for titles, it never takes much for the speculation to start. And that’s when you get taken to one side and told to put on a smile, not talk about football or even stay out of the way of some of the football people. “Sometimes, when you hear a manager is gone and it’s someone you got on with really well, like Carlo Ancelotti, who was a gent from start to finish, you’re relieved. For yourself as you’re no longer treading on eggshells, but also for him. You see them change over the course of it all. You see them get unhealthy in front of your eyes." In the immediate aftermath of a sacking, a manager will first go back to their office. Just as when leaving any other job, clearing your desk is the first port of call. But there is also a lot of sitting around, staring at plans adorned on the walls that went awry, tactical set-ups that did not come to fruition. Calls to make regarding short- and longer-term arrangements. And, of course, trusted journalists to brief. Some managers take the time to go around and say their goodbyes. For many, especially those from overseas, they will have spent more time with the day-to-day staff at the training complex than their families. When Mourinho first left Chelsea in September 2007, he made sure to go around the administrative office at Stamford Bridge and thank them for their help. He was in good spirits, even joking about a cardboard cutout he had given to them earlier before a break so that they would not miss him. That same office heard of his second sacking in December 2014 through Sky Sports News. “You see them for breakfast, lunch and, often, dinner - often four or five days a week,” said a canteen worker at a top-flight club. “You call them gaffer, or boss. You end up being an outlet for their non-football conversations: about their families, your families and whatever. I’ve had a lot of hugs goodbye and they're never nice." A common regret is being unable to say farewell to the fans. Even Pepe Mel, who spent just four months as manager of West Bromwich Albion at the start of 2014, hamstrung by being unable to bring over his own coaching staff and the language barrier, sees this as a great regret to this day: “My biggest mistake was not arranging a press conference to say goodbye to the fans. They always supported me.” He admits that, while considering his failure and the prospect of vacating a house in Birmingham that had just started to feel like home, it was the last thing on his mind. At the time, the shame of losing a job in a league he yearned to excel in was so great that he wanted to leave the scene as soon as possible. In March 2017 when Alex Neil was sacked by Norwich City, he left some of his belongings at the club’s Colney training complex, which included a big suitcase which no one knew what to do with. It was taken to Carrow Road and remained in a corner until, six weeks later, Neil returned to pick it up looking fit, fresh and even tanned. He was in good spirits and back to his usual charming self. If you’ve ever broken up with someone, you will be familiar with this play: returning to collect your possessions while keen to display just how well you have moved on. The only difference is in football, you rarely get a second chance. And the stark reality is time away is never welcome or even a break. In some instances, managers do not just give up their offices but also their houses which are often owned by their clubs. The knock-on effect is, often, a return “home” which can mean having to pull their children out of schools. Generally, when a big club hires a manager with a family, they will assume the costs of not just relocating them but, in some cases, schooling too, be it for a year or their entire stay, and will even pull strings to get them into the best local private institutions. However, it is very rare for the back-end to be as forthcoming as the front-end. When a manager's employment ends, so do the perks, and the toll of relocating once more is great. Only in the rarest of cases will a reciprocal offer be in place. For instance, it is understood that when Klopp’s time at Anfield comes to an end, there is an offer within his contract to repatriate him back to Germany on his terms. For those on working Visas, things are more complicated. Following termination of employment, there is a grace period of 60 days. Some managers in this situation have tried desperately to cling onto residencies by trying to secure jobs at lower clubs to avoid having to shift their families once more. There have been some cases where a manager has had to return to their own country while their families remain in situ so as to go over the 60 days. It is amid this testing period that the League Managers Association do their best work. For those lower down the chain who do not have access to the best legal representation or have the benefit of conrtactual help, they are a godsend. Richard Bevan, the chief executive who has been with the LMA since 2008, has made it his duty to create a stable of specialists to assist those without the resources to enlist the help of, say, lawyers like Wann. In fact, he has done such a good job that there is some dissent among those who work independently that the LMA impinge on their profits. The LMA also helps managers get back on their feet. They put on masterclasses, leadership seminars, workshops and various other industry events to tick over a coach’s credentials. They encourage members to do more public speaking and presenting, and do more charity work. These are ideal for networking purposes and, ultimately, a way of staying relevant. As ever, the most effective way of maintaining a pubic profile is broadcasting work and this is where the canniest managers do their best work. Some are more naturally attuned to punditry. For others, working on television or radio takes a lot of work. Even putting themselves forward for gigs can be a humbling experience. Former players working in the media often joke at the number of messages they receive from former bosses who are out of work whenever a vacant role is discussed or an employed manager's position is up for debate, often asking for a mention to at least get odds against their name for "Next manager" markets. It is a grimy practice but, Again, this is a world that rewards brazenness. On occasion, a manager can jump into punditry too quickly. Just weeks after Neil was relieved of his post by Norwich, he was back at Carrow Road as a pundit for Sky. It was particularly uncomfortable as the caretaker manager, Alan Irvine, was Neil’s assistant and a close friend. But the work, from the pay to the profile it offered, had to be taken. Neil is now manager of Preston North End who are currently seventh in the Championship, three points off a play-off spot. Yet again, for the best example, it is worth going back to Moyes, who is now undertaking his second stint at Upton Park. After leaving West Ham in the summer of 2018, he hoped further employment would not be too far away. Beyond an immediate link with Stoke City, nothing was forthcoming. So Moyes, hardly renowned as the most engaging media presence - he was charged and fined £30,000 for joking about slapping a female journalist in 2017, lest we forget - realised he had to change his ways. He began putting himself forward for pundit jobs and, amid the odd appearance for Sky, became a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live. As it happened, many of his stints at the BBC’s Salford headquarters would involve working with certain people he had previously had run-ins with. “I’m not sure if he remembered me,” said one particular radio journalist who requested anonymity. “But he was so antagonistic when I dealt with him. So cold. So wilfully disagreeable. And then suddenly, he’s all smiles, doing hour-long shows. Even offering to go on a tea run!” A more personable disposition was not the only thing Moyes learned. His new contract with West Ham, a product of continued good relations with the executive trio of David Gold, David Sullivan and Karen Brady, was more airtight than his previous deal. The contract, made official on December 29, 2019, was for 18 months and featured a performance-related clause that will be automatically activated if he keeps the club up, thought to include a bonus of £2million. Of course, the contract as a whole will still be heavily skewed towards the club’s comfort with regards to liability of cost and performance. But Moyes is a strong example of a manager whose credibility might have hit a few branches after falls down the tree but he has used the blows to learn and adapt. Football management will always be a fickle world. Embracing its harsh realities and rolling with the punches is the only way to survive.

By Jeremy Salt – Ankara If there is any comfort in how the Guardian has been reporting the Middle East, especially Libya and Syria, it is that many of its readers, judging from their remarks in ‘Comment is Free’, do not appear to believe or trust it. The Guardian sells itself as the global beacon of liberal opinion. It is liberal on social issues and alongside the chatterers, it has some excellent political correspondents and commentators, notably Gary Younge and Seamas Milne. As liberals themselves, its readers around the world must think they are on safe ground when quoting from the Guardian but if so, where the Middle East is concerned, they are deluding themselves. Throughout the crisis in Syria the Guardian has been not so much reporting the conflict as running a propaganda campaign against the government in Damascus, to the benefit of the armed Islamist groups and the outside governments sponsoring them. The wellsprings of its ‘reporting’ have been the unsubstantiated claims of ‘activists’ no matter how wild and improbable. Without any evidence it is now accusing the Syrian government of being responsible for the alleged nerve gas/chemical weapons attack in the Ghouta district around Damascus. The far greater likelihood that the armed groups were responsible for this atrocity scarcely rates a mention. Building on the unsubstantiated claim that it was the Syrian military, Martin Chulov argues in favor of another one, that it was Bashir’s brother Maher who was personally responsible (the same accusation is being made by the Israeli intelligence propaganda outlet Debkafile, from which Chulov may well have taken his lead).This is how propaganda works. Once set in motion it just needs a push to keep it rolling. Buttressing its editorial and reports, Fawaz Gerges is given space to claim that it is up to the Syrian government to prove that it was not responsible for this atrocity. This is nonsense: if the Syrian government was not responsible for this atrocity, how can it prove what it did not do, especially when anything it says will be dismissed out of hand by the mainstream media and the governments arming, financing and training the ‘rebels’? The onus of proof lies on those making the accusations, and so far neither the Guardian nor the anti-Assad campaigning Kim Sengupta of the Independent (where Robert Fisk has provided balance with some reports giving the perspective of the Syrian government) nor William Hague nor anyone else making this accusation has produced a scrap of evidence that this attack was carried out by the Syrian military. Probability points in the direction of the armed groups. The ‘rebels’ are known to have acquired stocks of sarin. They used a chemical weapons compound in their home-made missile attack on a military outpost at Khan al Assal in March that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. (1) In May this year Carla del Ponte, a member of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria said investigators had evidence that the ‘rebels’ had used sarin gas. (2) In May also Turkish police seized sarin gas along with hand guns, grenades, ammunition and unspecified ‘documents’ from apartments where Jabhat al Nusra members were living in Adana and Mersin. (3) Early in June the Syrian military seized two barrels of sarin gas from a ‘rebel’ hideout in Hama. (4) On top of all this the armed groups have filmed themselves experimenting with chemical weapons on rabbits. As they have slaughtered thousands of civilians in the most barbaric fashion there is no argument that moral considerations would prevent them from taking this further atrocious step – and it is they who have every reason to take it. They are being ground down across the country and at this stage only direct military intervention is going to save them and save the project to destroy the Syrian government. It is a measure of the desperation of their outside sponsors that Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief, was recently in Moscow with an offer from his government to buy $15 billion worth of Russian arms if Russia would just allow the passage of a UN Security Council resolution authorizing a military attack on Syria. Putin said no, and what a coincidence it is that a short time later there is a mass atrocity that gives the western-led collective the pretext it wants to attack Syria without a UNSC resolution behind them. Clearing positions held by the armed groups a few days after the apparent nerve gas/chemical weapons attack, Syrian soldiers found stocks of chemicals, gas masks, syringes and anti-neurotoxin drugs in tunnels at Jobar, one of the three districts on the outskirts of Damascus, along with Ain Tarma and Zamalka, targeted in the attack. Several soldiers were taken to hospital in critical condition. The official Syrian news agency English-language news site (SANA) ran photos of cylinders of chemicals and other material, including syringes, produced by the ‘Qatar-German Company for Pharmaceutical Industries’. There is no company of this name but there is a company called Qatar-German Medical Devices whose QG logo can be seen on a box found in the tunnel marked ‘Flow I.V. Cannula’. The army also found a basement stocked with quantities of chemical agents manufactured in Saudi Arabia and a number of European countries. The material included equipment for making chemical weapons and anti-neurotoxins in case the armed men poisoned themselves. The discovery of this material was followed by the Medecins Sans Frontieres statement that three of the hospitals it supports in the Damascus governorate had received 3600 patients displaying neuro-toxic symptoms in three hours on the morning of August 21, of which number 355 had died. While MSF cannot say who was responsible for this atrocity, its statement highlights the complete improbability of the Syrian government carrying out a mass chemical weapons/nerve gas attack on civilians in suburbs only a few kilometers from the center of Damascus, shortly after the arrival of UN chemical weapons inspectors and indeed only several kilometers from where they were staying, killing or wounding thousands and filling its own hospitals with the victims. At face value the accusation is ludicrous, yet such is the propaganda whipped up against the Syrian government over the past three years that some people will believe it to be capable of anything. Not only do the armed groups, their backers and the media salesmen of their pitch, including the Guardian, want the world to believe that the Syrian government was responsible for this atrocity, they want the world to believe that Bashar is stupid, indeed so stupid that he would have ordered this attack within three days of the arrival of the UN chemical weapons inspectors. This canard is reminiscent of the accusation that the Syrian government arranged the assassination of Rafiq Hariri in 2005. The killing was a master stroke used as a lever to get the remaining Syrian troops out of Lebanon, and to blacken Syria’s name internationally. By the time all the four suspects had been freed and Syria cleared by the UN tribunal of any responsibility the media had moved on. It is a long time since it has shown any interest in who killed Hariri. Like the Hariri killing the first question to be asked in the wake of this latest atrocity is ‘who benefits?’ In both cases the answers are clear: in the first, Israel, the US and their proxies in Lebanon; in the second, the armed groups and the outside governments supporting them, including, of course, Israel, which is now leading the charge for a direct military attack on Syria. By disseminating the deceit and lies put out by Libyan and then Syrian ‘rebels’ and ‘activists’, Al Jazeera ruined its reputation. The Guardian has run the same line as this mouthpiece of the government of Qatar yet remains protected by its mystique as a beacon of liberal opinion. Many of its readers are clearly confused when all they have to do is see that the emperor has no clothes: far from being the guardian of liberal opinion, this newspaper is the guardian of western, gulf and Israeli interests in the Middle East against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. Its correspondents are still writing seriously and positively about a Palestinian ‘peace process’ that is a grotesque sham. Israel is playing with the Palestinians, as a cat plays with a mouse. It has Abbas in its pocket and by abandoning Syria and embracing Muhammad Morsi and the deposed ruler of Qatar, Ismail Haniyeh and Khalid Misha’al have found themselves without any backers. Not since its foundation has Israel enjoyed such a good run. If only the governments in Tehran and Damascus could be destroyed and Hezbollah extinguished life would be perfect. The Guardian has never even attempted to provide balanced coverage of what is going on in Syria. There has been no counterweight – no antidote – to the anti-Assad and pro-rebel reporting and comment of Ian Black and Martin Chulov. The techniques will be familiar to all but the most inert readers. The paper runs headlines which are not justified in the text. The claims of ‘activists’ are given prominence and the claims of the Syrian government minimized, without there ever being any doubt about what the Guardian wants its readers to believe. It has downplayed or ignored the evidence of terrible atrocities by the armed groups (such as the massacres this August of hundreds of villagers in the Lattakia governorate (5) , of more than 100 people in Khan al Assal (6) and the massacre by Jabhat al Nusra of an estimated 450 Kurdish women and children around the Syrian-Turkish border town of Tal Abyad). (7) It has printed the wildest claims without any attempt to substantiate them, such as the allegation by a London-based ‘activist’ that the Syrian government was packing detainees into shipping containers and dumping them at sea. It has allowed ‘activists’ to shift the blame for car and suicide bombings on to the government even when it is government institutions that have been bombed and government employees who have been the victims. It has expected its readers to believe that the Syrian government is exploding bombs in densely populated residential areas in the middle of its own cities. It relies on the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights when it must know that it is a completely tainted source. The only explanation for this can be that this one-man band is saying what the Guardian wants to hear and what it wants its readers to believe. The strategy of the armed groups has been to destroy infrastructure and terrorize the civilian population. This they have largely succeeded in doing. Syrians are pouring out of the country to get away from them. In the name of a twisted pseudo-revolution these armed men are supported by a collective of foreign governments. The line of the moment following the alleged chemical weapon/nerve gas attack is that ‘all red lines have been crossed’ when these governments crossed all red lines in international law long ago by financing and arming groups such as the brigades of the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat al Nusra. International law prohibits armed intervention in other countries and the use of mercenaries. International law forbids the application of economic sanctions against member states of the UN yet in all these categories the collective bent on the destruction of the Syrian government has shown complete contempt for international law. Of course this is merely standard procedure. International law is for other people, not the ‘international community’ as represented by the UK, France and the US and nowhere have they treated international law with more contempt than in the Middle East. These governments are making the most strenuous effort in the history of the modern Middle East to destroy an Arab government. The reason has been clear from the beginning: Syria is Iran’s strongest regional ally and is being targeted as a second best option to targeting Iran itself. The takfiris inside Syria, demeaning Islam with their shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’ every time they cut a throat, are doing the work of governments that have done nothing but damage to the Middle East for the past century. The prime losers are the Syrian people. About 100,000 have been killed in this conflict and much of their country’s infrastructure has been deliberately torn to shreds. The chief regional beneficiaries are Israel and Saudi Arabia, holding hands under the table. The destruction of the Syrian government would be an unparalleled strategic triumph for Israel and the ‘west’, which is why Russia and China have not budged in their position that it is the Syrian people who must decide their own future and not outside governments and armed gangs and why Russia in particular will be planning its riposte should Barack Obama be talked into launching a Cruise missile strike. The Guardian’s propaganda cover for the Syrian ‘rebels’ follows its support for the Libyan ‘rebels’ against another dictator. The protest movement in Benghazi was seized upon by Britain, France and the US as the opportunity to intervene and destroy the government in Tripoli. There was no countrywide movement against Muammar al Qadhafi and the ‘rebels’ could not have advanced a yard beyond the city limits of Benghazi without the cover of NATO missiles. Qadhafi was brought down after a seven month blitz by the air forces of three of the most powerful militaries in the world and eventually murdered after several previous attempts to murder him by missile strike had failed, while killing members of his family. Thousands of innocent Libyans were killed during this prolonged aerial assault. This neo-imperialist adventure was fully underwritten by the mainstream media. None of the war crimes committed by NATO forces or ‘rebels’ on the ground had the same impact on editorials and ‘reporting’ as the claims that the Libyan leader was bombing his own people from the air, using black mercenaries and distributing Viagra to his troops. These sensational allegations were later shown to be lies, but by this time they had served their purpose in setting up Qadhafi as someone who deserved to be killed (rather than put on trial, embarrassing in the process Blair, Sarkozy and others who benefitted from Libyan money and oil concessions). With Libya out of the way the same western governments and the same mainstream media flapped on like vultures to Syria and another supposed dictator, leaving the Libyans to clean up the mess they had created as best as they could. Having shed the shackles of balanced journalism in Libya and Syria, the Guardian is now defending media ethics and responsibility in the Edward Snowden- Glenn Greenwald affair. Greenwald has been revealing secrets from Snowden’s store of official documents. David Miranda, his partner, was detained for nine hours by British intelligence while in transit through London. If the purpose was to shut Greenwald up by putting pressure on his relationship, his scarcely repressed fury is an indication that it will not work. Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, had been having private conversations with British intelligence and only decided to take action, by destroying material the Guardian had on hard drives, when threatened with legal action. This was a significant exercise of the power of the surveillance state which had to be challenged, but how much more significant is media support for mass death and destruction delivered to Syria by groups of men financed, armed and trained by outside governments? The Guardian does not actually call for war. It leaves that to other people. It merely sets the stage. It runs an editorial based on the assumption that this chemical weapons attack was the work of the Syrian government. The possibility that the armed groups might have done it is not even taken into account. It observes that ‘choosing between bad options is even more complex [supporting armed groups responsible for one atrocity after another is obviously not considered a bad option] … this paper has resisted the calls for military intervention in Syria [as if there is not already military intervention in Syria] … but we do appear to be coming ever closer to a tipping point with difficult judgments ahead.’ Without calling for war itself, this beacon of liberal opinion then quotes with approval the arch conservative William Hague, who talks of civilized values while pushing for a war that would bury them in further great mounds of bodies. Behind the mask of asinine geniality Hague is a warmonger. He has wanted ‘intervention’ in Syria – a war kicked off with the declaration of a no-fly zone and now possibly a Cruise missile strike – for years and now sees it in his grasp. The Guardian should have been on to his smiling duplicity and double-speak like a terrier on to a rat. Instead it is joining the chorus line for war. That is the reality behind its own double-speak. The Syrian government agreed to allow UN inspectors into the districts targeted in this apparent nerve gas/chemical weapons attack but as soon they approached these districts, they were shot at by snipers. If it can be proven that it is the armed groups that carried out this attack it is a safe bet that we will hear no more talk of red lines being crossed. Obama said he would not take a decision until he had proof but now we are being told by an unnamed US official that the on the spot inquiry is too little and, not even a week after the event, too late. The British media is talking of a military attack being launched within days. The US media is much more reserved: after all, their country is being pushed into the front line by governments that would never have the guts to attack by themselves but will only run in from behind once the US takes the lead. Obama is still holding back and has the intelligence and sense not to fall for this if, unfortunately, not necessarily the strength of character to resist the pressure being applied to him. Britain, France and Israel want to strike now, while the propaganda is running hot and strong and before the UN inspectors ruin their rush to war by concluding that this attack around Damascus either was or might have been the work of the armed groups. This will not be Libya. This never was Libya. This will not begin and end with a few Cruise missiles fired at Syria from warships in the eastern Mediterranean. This may well spark a major war involving Turkey, Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and Russia for which those pushing for war must be held responsible right now and not just afterwards. If the decision is taken the Guardian will wring its hands about the horrors of war but it will still justify it on humanitarian grounds and the ‘responsibility to protect’. Amidst the smoke and carnage, the question of who fired the chemical weapons around Damascus will soon be forgotten. – Jeremy Salt is an associate professor of Middle Eastern history and politics at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com. 1. See ‘Russia’s UN envoy says Syria rebels used chemical weapons’, Los Angeles Times,July 9,2013, reporting the statement by Russian UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin that armed groups had used sarin gas in the attack at Khan Assal on March 15, killing 26 people, including 16 military personnel, and wounding 86. 2. See ‘UN’s Del Ponte says evidence Syrian rebels ‘used sarin’. BBC News Middle East, May 6, 2013. 3. See ‘Adana’da El Kaide operasonyu:12 gozalti ( Al Qaida operation at Adana: 12 arrested), Zaman, May 28, 2013. 4. ‘Syrian army seized sarin cylinders from militants in Hama’, Press TV, June 2, 2013. 5. See ‘Massacre in Latakia, August 2013. A documentary report on Al Nusra massacre in Lattakia’, Sham Times, August 8, 2013. Translated by Australians for Reconciliation in Syria. 6. See ‘UN rights chief calls for investigation into Syrian massacre’, Reuters.com., reporting on the ‘apparent’ massacre ‘carried out by Syrian opposition forces in the town’. 7. See ‘Defend the Kurds in Syria from massacre and ethnic cleansing’, Kurdistan Times, August 8,2013, reporting the massacre of 120 children and 330 women by Jabhat al Nusra at Tal Abyad on August 5. While the numbers have not been independently verified, the massacre triggered off an exodus of tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds into northern Iraq. Syrian Kurds have given details of massacres of Kurds carried out by Jabhat al Nusra across northern Syria.

SPECIAL WARNING ON INCREASED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY The administration of oral hypoglycemic drugs has been reported to be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality as compared to treatment with diet alone or diet plus insulin. This warning is based on the study conducted by the University Group Diabetes Program (UGDP), a long-term prospective clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of glucose-lowering drugs in preventing or delaying vascular complications in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The study involved 823 patients who were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups (Diabetes, 19 (Suppl. 2):747–830, 1970). UGDP reported that patients treated for 5 to 8 years with diet plus a fixed dose of tolbutamide (1.5 grams per day) had a rate of cardiovascular mortality approximately 2 1/2 times that of patients treated with diet alone. A significant increase in total mortality was not observed, but the use of tolbutamide was discontinued based on the increase in cardiovascular mortality, thus limiting the opportunity for the study to show an increase in overall mortality. Despite controversy regarding the interpretation of these results, the findings of the UGDP study provide an adequate basis for this warning. The patient should be informed of the potential risks and advantages of GLYNASE PresTab and of alternative modes of therapy. Although only one drug in the sulfonylurea class (tolbutamide) was included in this study, it is prudent from a safety standpoint to consider that this warning may also apply to other oral hypoglycemic drugs in this class, in view of their close similarities in mode of action and chemical structure. There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with GLYNASE PresTab or any other anti-diabetic drug. Bioavailability studies have demonstrated that GLYNASE PresTab Tablets 3 mg provide serum glyburide concentrations that are not bioequivalent to those from MICRONASE Tablets 5 mg. Therefore, patients should be retitrated when transferred from MICRONASE or Diabeta® or other oral hypoglycemic agents. All sulfonylureas including GLYNASE PresTab are capable of producing severe hypoglycemia. Proper patient selection and dosage and instructions are important to avoid hypoglycemic episodes. Renal or hepatic insufficiency may cause elevated drug levels of glyburide and the latter may also diminish gluconeogenic capacity, both of which increase the risk of serious hypoglycemic reactions. Elderly, debilitated or malnourished patients, and those with adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, are particularly susceptible to the hypoglycemic action of glucose-lowering drugs. Hypoglycemia may be difficult to recognize in the elderly and in people who are taking beta-adrenergic blocking drugs. Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur when caloric intake is deficient, after severe or prolonged exercise, when alcohol is ingested, or when more than one glucose lowering drug is used. The risk of hypoglycemia may be increased with combination therapy. Loss of Control of Blood Glucose When a patient stabilized on any diabetic regimen is exposed to stress such as fever, trauma, infection or surgery, a loss of control may occur. At such times it may be necessary to discontinue GLYNASE PresTab and administer insulin. The effectiveness of any hypoglycemic drug, including GLYNASE PresTab, in lowering blood glucose to a desired level decreases in many patients over a period of time which may be due to progression of the severity of diabetes or to diminished responsiveness to the drug. This phenomenon is known as secondary failure, to distinguish it from primary failure in which the drug is ineffective in an individual patient when GLYNASE PresTab is first given. Adequate adjustment of dose and adherence to diet should be assessed before classifying a patient as a secondary failure. Treatment of patients with glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency with sulfonylurea agents can lead to hemolytic anemia. Because GLYNASE PresTab belongs to the class of sulfonylurea agents, caution should be used in patients with G6PD deficiency and a non-sulfonylurea alternative should be considered. In post marketing reports, hemolytic anemia has also been reported in patients who did not have known G6PD deficiency. Information for Patients Patients should be informed of the potential risks and advantages of GLYNASE PresTab and of alternative modes of therapy. They also should be informed about the importance of adherence to dietary instructions, of a regular exercise program, and of regular testing of urine and/or blood glucose. The risks of hypoglycemia, its symptoms and treatment, and conditions that predispose to its development should be explained to patients and responsible family members. Primary and secondary failure also should be explained. Physician Counseling Information for Patients In initiating treatment for type 2 diabetes, diet should be emphasized as the primary form of treatment. Caloric restriction and weight loss are essential in the obese diabetic patient. Proper dietary management alone may be effective in controlling the blood glucose and symptoms of hyperglycemia. The importance of regular physical activity should also be stressed, and cardiovascular risk factors should be identified and corrective measures taken where possible. Use of GLYNASE PresTab or other antidiabetic medications must be viewed by both the physician and patient as a treatment in addition to diet and not as a substitution or as a convenient mechanism for avoiding dietary restraint. Furthermore, loss of blood glucose control on diet alone may be transient, thus requiring only short-term administration of GLYNASE PresTab or other antidiabetic medications. Maintenance or discontinuation of GLYNASE PresTabs or other antidiabetic medications should be based on clinical judgment using regular clinical and laboratory evaluations. Therapeutic response to GLYNASE PresTab Tablets should be monitored by frequent urine glucose tests and periodic blood glucose tests. Measurement of glycosylated hemoglobin levels may be helpful in some patients. The hypoglycemic action of sulfonylureas may be potentiated by certain drugs including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and other drugs that are highly protein bound, salicylates, sulfonamides, chloramphenicol, probenecid, coumarins, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and beta adrenergic blocking agents. When such drugs are administered to a patient receiving glyburide, the patient should be observed closely for hypoglycemia. When such drugs are withdrawn from a patient receiving glyburide, the patient should be observed closely for loss of control. An increased risk of liver enzyme elevations was observed in patients receiving glyburide concomitantly with bosentan. Therefore concomitant administration of GLYNASE PresTab and bosentan is contraindicated. Certain drugs tend to produce hyperglycemia and may lead to loss of control. These drugs include the thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics, calcium channel blocking drugs, and isoniazid. When such drugs are administered to a patient receiving glyburide, the patient should be closely observed for loss of control. When such drugs are withdrawn from a patient receiving glyburide, the patient should be observed closely for hypoglycemia. A possible interaction between glyburide and ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has been reported, resulting in a potentiation of the hypoglycemic action of glyburide. The mechanism of action for this interaction is not known. A potential interaction between oral miconazole and oral hypoglycemic agents leading to severe hypoglycemia has been reported. Whether this interaction also occurs with the intravenous, topical or vaginal preparations of miconazole is not known. In a single-dose interaction study in NIDDM subjects, decreases in glyburide AUC and Cmax were observed, but were highly variable. The single-dose nature of this study and the lack of correlation between glyburide blood levels and pharmacodynamic effects, makes the clinical significance of this interaction uncertain. Coadministration of glyburide and metformin did not result in any changes in either metformin pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. Concomitant administration of colesevelam and glyburide resulted in reductions in glyburide AUC and Cmax of 32% and 47%, respectively. The reductions in glyburide AUC and Cmax were 20% and 15%, respectively when administered 1 hour before, and not significantly changed (-7% and 4%, respectively) when administered 4 hours before colesevelam. A drug-drug interaction study conducted in patients with type 2 diabetes evaluated the steady-state pharmacokinetics of glyburide (5 mg/day) alone and concomitantly with topiramate (150 mg/day). There was a 22% decrease in Cmax and a 25% reduction in AUC24 for glyburide during topiramate administration. Systemic exposure (AUC) of the active metabolites, 4-trans-hydroxy-glyburide (M1) and 3-cis-hydroxyglyburide (M2), was also reduced by 13% and 15%, and Cmax was reduced by 18% and 25%, respectively. The steady-state pharmacokinetics of topiramate were unaffected by concomitant administration of glyburide. Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, and Impairment of Fertility Studies in rats at doses up to 300 mg/kg/day for 18 months showed no carcinogenic effects. Glyburide is nonmutagenic when studied in the Salmonella microsome test (Ames test) and in the DNA damage/alkaline elution assay. No drug-related effects were noted in any of the criteria evaluated in the two-year oncogenicity study of glyburide in mice. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 500 times the human dose and have revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to glyburide. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Because recent information suggests that abnormal blood glucose levels during pregnancy are associated with a higher incidence of congenital abnormalities, many experts recommend that insulin be used during pregnancy to maintain blood glucose as close to normal as possible. Prolonged severe hypoglycemia (4 to 10 days) has been reported in neonates born to mothers who were receiving a sulfonylurea drug at the time of delivery. This has been reported more frequently with the use of agents with prolonged half-lives. If GLYNASE PresTab is used during pregnancy, it should be discontinued at least two weeks before the expected delivery date. Although it is not known whether glyburide is excreted in human milk, some sulfonylurea drugs are known to be excreted in human milk. Because the potential for hypoglycemia in nursing infants may exist, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. If the drug is discontinued, and if diet alone is inadequate for controlling blood glucose, insulin therapy should be considered. Elderly patients are particularly susceptible to the hypoglycemic action of glucose lowering drugs. Hypoglycemia may be difficult to recognize in the elderly (see PRECAUTIONS). The initial and maintenance dosing should be conservative to avoid hypoglycemic reactions (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Elderly patients are prone to develop renal insufficiency, which may put them at risk of hypoglycemia. Dose selection should include assessment of renal function.

Estimated reading time: 22 mins (4349 words) One of the great joys of grad school is that exams are not just restricted to coursework. Nope, PhD students get to go through the fun of taking an exam that determines whether they actually get to stay in grad school. Yay! Since a few of my very close friends in grad school are preparing to go through this cruel, yet inescapable, rite of passage, I’ve decided to write up all the tips I can think of to help them out on their journey. In my exceedingly finite wisdom, I have conjured up a list of 5-ish steps to passing comprehensive exams in grad school. Since I just took these a year ago, the (painful) experience is still very much a recent memory, so this seems as good a time as any to pass on the knowledge I have gained to the next batch of students. Now, you may be wondering why I’m writing about this so dramatically. If you are, you’re probably not taking these exams any time soon. Because if you were… YOU’D BE FREAKING OUT TOO! One of the things I hate most is when I’m panicking and someone tells me to ‘calm down’ Or, even worst, when they tell me “there’s nothing to worry about”… With all due respect, I am perfectly able to decide what is and what is not worth worrying about. As is every other grad student. And if you’re about to do some exam that’s going to decide whether you do or don’t get to stay in grad school, then you, my friend, have a perfectly valid reason to freak out. So, to all my fellow grad students about to go through this ordeal: YOU’RE FREAKING OUT! I’M FREAKING OUT! BUT WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER!!!! You’ll have moments when you feel totally fine and in control of the situation. You’ll have moments when you don’t feel okay at all. These moments will come and go, but they are not an accurate reflection of how prepared you are, or your ability to be a good student. Accept whatever way you feel right now, whether it is good or bad. It will pass. The most important thing is that you keep going and keep doing whatever is best for you. Note that I say 5 steps, not 5 tips/pointers/points. The order is important and intentional here. I realize that not everything will be relevant to all grad students everywhere, but hopefully, there will be something useful in here for anyone who is in grad school or is considering this in the future. 1. Figure out the basics: when, where, what are your exams? The most important thing you need to do is figure out exactly what it is you’re actually doing. Don’t assume anything here. Do you have a graduate handbook? Check it. When is your exam? - Does it tell you a specific date for your exams? - Does it tell you what semester you are expected to have completed it? Where is your exam? - Where will it be held? - How big is the room? - How many people are taking it at once? Do you have to organize the time/date/venue yourself? Is there a Head of Graduate studies (or equivalent) that is in charge of this? And last, but not least: What is your exam? - Is it a written exam, or is it oral? - Is it typed or handwritten? - Do you know the questions in advance? - Is it a take-home? - What is the format/how many questions must you answer? - How is it graded? These are basic questions that are very important and should be sorted out as early as possible. Your graduate handbook may be a little vague, so speak to staff and previous cohorts to figure out how it’s been done before. 2. Look at past exams (questions/answers) & talk to previous cohorts Past exams are the best resource for preparing yourself. Normally, these will be available through the department, so get access to them whenever you can. Looking at past exam questions (over a period of 5-10 years) will give you an idea of the kinds of questions that keep coming up over and over again. It will also give you an idea of how questions are asked. What concepts are linked/contrasted? What level of detailed knowledge do you need to answer a question? Ideally, you would also have access to past answers. The department may not make past answers available to students, but it is possible that previous cohorts still have their exam answers. If you’re super lucky like me, you’ll be in a department where students decided to start collecting past exam answers to pass them on to future generations! (Consider starting this tradition if it doesn’t exist at your university.) Past exam answers (especially when you know the grade received) are super useful because they give you a great idea of what you need to aim for to pass your exam. If you have past exams available to you, READ THEM! And the more of them you read, the better. Reading a lot of past exams will show you what good answers have in common, as well as the ways in which you can be different and still successful. Once you read a number of these, you’ll also get a feel for what does and does not work. This allows you to get a glimpse of the perspective the faculty will have (who are grading this). And talk to previous cohorts! They have a wealth of knowledge about how your specific graduate program works and their advice will likely be a little more relevant than the advice of faculty who have taken their comprehensives 10+ years ago. So, I’d like to take this moment to thank all the students in the years above me who have helped me: 3. Assess how much time you have to prepare and plan accordingly Before you dive into studying, you need to take stock of how much time you have to prepare. Since you already know when you’re taking the exams thanks to Step 1, this shouldn’t be too hard. This is important because if you are starting to study 1 year before your exams, you’ll have a different you’ll have a different approach to preparing than if you’re starting 2 months in advance. Based off of my experience, people are usually busy with coursework and other things before they take their comprehensives, so you likely won’t start (seriously) studying for these until the semester before, or the start of the semester in which you’re taking the exams. Considering this kind of timeline, I like to think in weeks. In other words, how many weeks until you have to take your exams? Thinking in weeks will allow you to divide up your remaining time into the as many chunks as you have topics. For example, this is what my preparation schedule looked like: Make sure that the time spent on each topic is proportional to its representation in your exams (based on past years). Some people like to start with the most difficult thing, others like to start with the easiest. Personally, I go somewhere in between. My reasoning is that, if you start with the most difficult thing, you’ll get discouraged because you’re not making progress quickly. Conversely, if you leave the most difficult things last, you’ll be too stressed to work on something you already find difficult. So, I like to do things in the order: - Neither hard nor easy. - Really hard. That way, you can use the momentum of the first few tasks to motivate you for the difficult stuff and by the end, you have something pretty simple to work on before your big day. Have I overthought this? Yes, I absolutely have. And a final note on planning: stay on track, but be flexible. I’m not just doing this to be annoying, I swear. What I mean is that you shouldn’t consistently work on a topic for longer than you planned to; you can’t sacrifice one topic for the sake of another. It really is better to know a little about everything that will be on your exams, than to be an expert on 1 topic and know nothing about the rest. Once you’ve understood the basics of a topic and you’ve run out of time, move on, and come back to it if you have time later. That said, if you have to switch stuff around, that’s no problem. In terms of the pitfalls of overscheduling for your candidacies, point 2 of my first blog post full of wisdom may be useful. 4. Understand diminishing returns: doing the most will hurt you Within each topic that you study, you have to prioritize the information that requires the least effort to gather and provides you with the highest payoff. Remember, you are not writing a thesis in each of these topics, you just need to write enough to show that you know what you are talking about. Based on the past exams, you should have a good idea of the breadth and depth that is expected of you. Usually, you need to know the most important concepts, authors, and examples for each of the topics. You then need to be able to discuss how these are related to each other and how they are relevant to whatever question was asked. - You do NOT need to be able to regurgitate the title and date of every single article that was ever written by some important person. - You do NOT need to know the details of every method that was discussed in the relevant papers. One of the biggest mistakes students make is getting caught up in the details. This is either by going into too much breadth or into too much depth. This is a prime example of a case in which doing the most will hurt you! You have a finite amount of time to study for this and any time spent studying one topic is time taken away from studying another topic. It’s a comprehensive exam, which suggests you should learn ALL THE THINGS. But you CANNOT learn ALL the things. So, don’t try. Do what you can, and that will be enough! 5. Learn how to write exam essays (Note: if you don’t need to write essays, you may want to skip to the last section) I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, which is a weird place for many reasons. It’s really old. People there wear gowns at an unnecessarily high frequency. It has many weird traditions (like a graduation ceremony completely in Latin…). But the weirdest, in my opinion, was the fact that you only had exams once a year. These exams consisted of a few days of spending 3 hours in some giant old hall writing essays about everything you had learnt that year, citations included, no notes allowed. It also didn’t help that the professors who proctored those exams wore long gowns that made them look just like dementors… But back to the essay exams. Your entire grade for the year (and your degree, during the final year) depended on whether you did well on those few days where you had to sit down for 3 hours and write 3 essays answering 3 questions that could be on any topic you had learnt for a class that year. I thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever. When are you ever going to be locked up in a room for 3 hours and have to write a coherent commentary (with citations) with no notes???? And then I came to grad school………………………… So, luckily, this was the one thing I felt kind of prepared for when I had to take my comprehensive exams last year. The most important thing I learnt during my time at Cambridge is that preparing for such exams requires learning and practicing how to write exam essays. You may have written essays before, but an exam essay is a whole other beast. With that in mind, I have some tips specifically for writing exam essays. Read the question, re-read the question, then read it again. This is pretty straightforward, but frequently overlooked. I’ve known people who’ve gotten poor marks for writing a great essay that answered a question they wished they’d gotten, rather than the question they were supposed to answer. Always make sure you are answering the question that was asked. Write an outline Never just start writing, you need an outline. Concept maps may be a good start. When you write your outline: - Read the question carefully. - Extract the main points from the question. - Brainstorm everything that is relevant to those points and vomit it out on a piece of paper. - Collect your word vomit and organize it into groups of related ideas. - Organize those ideas into paragraphs. - Frame those paragraphs by adding an introduction and a conclusion that answers the question. So your final outline will look something like this: - A direct answer to the question. - An explanation of how you will answer the question in this essay. - Your first main point - Your second main point - Your third main point - (Potentially a 4th main point, but you likely won’t have time for this) - Recap how you have answered the question with your points. In brief, follow the classic essay-writing advice: Say what you are going to say, say it, then say what you have said. When you are writing this outline, realize that you will not be able to write everything ever written about the topic. You probably won’t even be able to write everything you know about the topic. These essays are not a test of who can write the most, so don’t try to do that. Prioritize the most important information. How do you know what’s important? Think about what your professors have been emphasizing when talking about this – writing about this will show you’ve paid attention. Also, consider your answer to the question. What pieces of evidence are most relevant to the answer you are giving? You have to strike a balance between showing you have a good amount of knowledge and show that you can answer a question concisely. It’s not easy, but there are some tricks. One thing I like to do is make my point and then add a little “of course, there are other considerations, but these are beyond the scope of this essay.” This shows that you know these other things exist, but you are consciously choosing not to discuss them. Remember that what you want to avoid here is a listing effect, i.e. “A said X, B said Y, C said Z etc.” Synthesize, don’t list. This means you have to show you have thought about the question and can do more than regurgitate “facts” about it. The best way to do this is to ‘pick a side’. Usually, the prompts to an essay question will give you the opportunity to argue one thing or another. You do not have to necessarily believe 100% in the side you are picking, but it will make writing the essay a whole lot easier if you don’t try to argue both sides, because that’s like trying to sing both parts to “The Boy Is Mine” – it comes across as muddled and rushed, and you do not sound good at all. TIMING IS EVERYTHING If you have a timed exam, you need to make sure you know how to write under time pressure. If you know when you’re exam is going to be, you should also know how long your exam will take. So, for example, my undergraduate exams were 3 hours long and I had to answer three questions, so I had about 1 hour per essay. For my comprehensives in grad school, the exams were 6 hours each for 3 questions, so that was 2 hours per essay. That does not mean I had 2 hours to write because I had to factor in time for writing the outline beforehand and time to re-read what I wrote afterwards. For a two hour essay, this looks like: - 10-15 mins brainstorming an outline - 90 mins actually writing - 10-15 mins re-reading and correcting Now, this may be controversial, but I would advise that you write ALL of your outlines at the beginning and do all of your re-reading at the end. For me, that meant spending 30 mins at the beginning of my 6-hour exam “just” brainstorming and outlining what I was going to write later on. It may seem like a lot of time to sacrifice, and you may want to start writing immediately, but trust me, it’s worth it! When you enter the last 1-2 hours of your exam and you’re stressed out staring at a blank page in front of you, you may not write the most coherent essay. And writing something coherent is much more important than writing a lot! If you spend this time making a detailed outline, you can just switch your brain off afterwards and write nonstop. (Switching your brain off a little too much, is also why it may be worthwhile to spend some time re-reading at the end, though…) Practice writing under time pressure These things are like a marathon. You can’t expect to do it without any practice. Getting an idea of what you are capable of writing under similar circumstances will make you feel more prepared for the day of the exam. In the last few weeks before your exam, schedule in a couple of sessions where you practice writing under time pressure. If your exam is 6 hours long, that may be a bit much, but doing a 2-hour stint to write 1 essay would be a good idea at least once or twice. Then practice writing outlines in under 10 minutes, and you’ll be golden. PEEL: recipe for easy paragraphs As you’re writing each paragraph, you don’t want to be thinking about how to have the best possible flow. To avoid this, I use a little ‘recipe’ for writing paragraphs that will clearly communicate to those grading the exam what I am trying to argue: - Point: What is the point you want to make in this paragraph. - A brief sentence (or two) stating the main argument/point of this paragraph. - Explanation: Why are you talking about this, what is the relevance? - Elaborate what you mean by your previous statement. - Example: What is an example of this? - Throw in a couple examples of the point your making. This is where you show off that you know the main authors and dates of important publications. - Link: How does this relate to the question you are answering. - Always make sure you synthesize and answer the question, so explain how this point is related to your main argument (and perhaps other paragraphs). Standard phrases (introductions, transitions, conclusions) You have no time to waste on ‘phrasing’, so prepare some standard introductions, transitions, and conclusions beforehand. - ‘In this essay, I will explain how X and Y appear to be related but are actually completely separate and independent phenomena’ - “Alternatively, however, nevertheless, albeit” - “To sum up, all in all, in conclusion” Going the extra mile: originality I remember reading the grading rubrics when I was in undergrad and thinking that they were hella vague. Especially looking at what distinguished a ‘passing’ grade from an ‘excellent’ grade was confusing to me because they would always talk about ‘originality’. What is originality in an exam essay, even??? After a few years of jumping the hoop of exam essays, I think I sort of understand what they’re looking for. What you need is just a little flair. JUST A LITTLE. Remember that this is the cherry on top, and it cannot come at the expense of the other requirements, such as ‘having a good grasp of the topic’, ‘adequate breadth and depth’ etc. In my opinion, the best (and safest) way to show a bit of originality is throwing in a few ‘unexpected’ citations. This shows you’ve gone beyond the required reading and are able to see how ‘new’ material relates to what you’ve already been taught. These may be very new articles or very old ones. These could also be references drawn from another subject/discipline. You can also impress those grading your exam by going against the grain and arguing something that is unorthodox for this particular subject (but make sure you’re able to support your points with good evidence). My standard approach to adding in the flare is throwing in a little somethin’ somethin’ in the 3rd or 4th paragraph: “While it is widely accepted that X is related to Y by Z, new evidence from the field of Industrial Unicorn Fabrication Theory suggests that we should consider….” This is a great opportunity to use your specific knowledge about something that may be relatively niche and give the faculty a chance to read something interesting that may set you apart from the dozens of other essays they’ve read answering the exact same question. But, honestly, as far as originality goes, make sure you don’t go overboard because it can be a huge timesuck that makes your essay super confusing if you go off on a weird tangent. (In undergrad, I had the brilliant idea of trying to do some kind of innovative analysis involving obscure French philosophers during a timed essay exam. Don’t do that. Trust me, it’s a mistake.) A note on mental health and wellbeing While preparing for the essay writing is important, your mental (and physical) health during this stressful time should not be overlooked. When I was preparing for my comprehensives last year, I got into a great routine. I was doing pretty well. I was eating regularly, even exercising a bit. I was making good progress on my revision for the exams and I even managed to do a few timed essay sessions. On top of all of that, I had done this kind of exam before, so I had every reason to be calm and relaxed. But the night before my first exam, I could not fall asleep. And knowing how important it is to get a good night’s sleep before big events, this frustrated me even more. My heart rate was so high and it felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. No amount of melatonin or other ‘calming’ supplements would help. I kept trying to sleep but it wasn’t until 5 or 6 in the morning that I managed to finally drift off and my exam was at 9am. I was so nauseous in the morning, I couldn’t stand to eat anything. When I got to my office, I tried to have more coffee because I thought it could compensate for my lack of sleep. My hands were shaking so hard that I dropped my mug and broke it before I could even fill it with coffee. I somehow managed to get through the exam (even though one of my essays was horrible, in my opinion). Two days later, I had to take the second part of the written exam and I still couldn’t relax or sleep. After the second part of the written exam, my heart was still beating like crazy and it seemed like there was nothing I could do to calm myself down. I was so angry at myself. Why was my body doing this? Was I having some kind of reaction to something? What was wrong? There was nothing I could do to beat my body into submission. I even tried running myself into exhaustion in the hopes that I could sleep better, but even that didn’t help. After the second exam, I ended up going to the doctor who explained to me that I was having panic attacks. I refused to believe it. I had no rational reason to have a panic attack. I was convinced that it had to be something else that was stopping me from sleeping and making my heart go crazy. But, unfortunately for me, she explained that panic attacks were not something you could rationalize away. Luckily, with her help, I managed to get things under control somewhat by the time I had the oral part of my examination the week after. And luckily, I did pretty okay on my exams, despite all of this. But, in hindsight, I did not do a great job of taking care of myself. I had a good idea of what I had to do, but I thought if I just pushed harder and harder, I could force myself to do better. I was taking enough melatonin to put a horse to sleep (and more is not better, in this case), and in the mornings I was taking enough caffeine to bring the dead back to life. And this is not taking into account the 20 other supplements I ordered from Amazon in the hopes of improving my memory and sleep. So why am I (over)sharing this with you? I just want to emphasize that exam preparation involves self care as well. This may mean different things for different people, but it’s important for everyone. Spend time with the people you love. Get some fresh air. Speak with a therapist (honestly, not a bad investment for grad school). Be consistent with your medications, if you are taking any. Watch something that makes you laugh. Cuddle with something fluffy. Reach out and ask for help when you need it. To everyone preparing for these exams, I wish you the best of luck. You are awesome and you’re a superhero. This won’t be the most fun part of this PhD, but remember that you started this because you love what you do and you have an insatiable sense of curiosity and wonder. There will be great times ahead once you finish these exams, I promise.

Who's ready for MVP talk? With only 234 days until the next "NFL Honors" awards show, there isn't much time (and yes, the math is correct). In fact, there really isn't much time before the NBA announces its Most Valuable Player. Those smart fellas who run the pro basketball association called an audible with their MVP award, announcing an awards night, a la the NFL. If imitation is indeed a form of flattery, it can be also be cool. NFL Honors night has generally been a success, adding a bit of drama to the announcement of the most indispensable player in pro football ... which is usually a thrower. Thus, with the NBA's top player (James Harden? Russell Westbrook?) set to be announced June 26, why not take an early, deep dive into something that is not likely to upset you? Below, we parsed out the top candidate for MVP from every team in the NFL. You'll find 16 quarterbacks, 16 non-quarterbacks, and several other fun options (hey, you try picking an MVP hopeful from the Jets). Let's start with a couple of obvious names that might very well be announced come Feb. 3. Oh, and if you harbor any disagreement, @HarrisonNFL is the dropbox. The big three Based on last season and expectations for 2017, these are the early favorites: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots: For all the respect tossed Brady's direction, it's hard to believe he's only won two MVPs. Though that's still impressive, Peyton Manning's five MVPs appear to have re-jiggered our expectations. Despite winning Super Bowl LI and the game's MVP award for a fourth time, Brady's 2016 campaign somehow seemingly flew under the radar, though it probably only falls behind 2010 and 2007 as his best to date. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers: For the remainder of his prime, Rodgers will be the quintessential MVP candidate. He produces several wow plays per season while putting up statistics (like leading the league with 40 passing touchdowns in 2016) that make arguing for him easy. And the Packers will be good, again. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders: No longer an underdog, Carr is prominently mentioned as an MVP candidate. Too much talk? Maybe. But while his numbers didn't match those of Brady or Rodgers, the perception is that Carr makes the Raiders go. The addition of Marshawn Lynch may slightly hurt the passing numbers but help Carr's MVP case, simply because it should help keep Oakland relevant. The big three, non-QB division No non-QB has been named MVP since Adrian Peterson won the award five years ago. If it were to somehow happen again, these would be the most likely suspects: Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Brown could have been MVP a couple of years ago. The problem is, wide receivers always fall well below quarterbacks in this deal, and historically, they've lagged behind the RBs -- as in, no wideout has ever won it. Brown couldn't get a sniff despite posting over 1,800 yards with Landry Jones and an end-of-career Michael Vick throwing him passes in 2015. The MVP drought at this position will end at some point. Brown was down 26 catches and nearly 500 hundred yards from his previous two years' averages without the suspended Martavis Bryant around in 2016. Now, Bryant is back. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys: If there is one running back who is most likely to wrest this award from a quarterback, it has to be Elliott. The Cowboys should at least contend in the NFC East again, while Elliott is only in Year 2 of his career. His offensive line isn't quite the same without Ronald Leary and Doug Free, the big three (All-Pros Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick) are still there. If you're wondering about Le'Veon Bell, remember that playing a whole season factors into this award greatly -- and Bell's played in just 47 games over four seasons. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons: Why not list reigning MVP Matt Ryan here? While admittedly splitting hairs, I am thinking offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's departure for the top job in San Francisco will affect Ryan more than it will Jones. The best wide receiver in the NFC -- if not the NFL -- is going to get his throws and looks. Also, bear in mind how difficult it is for players to repeat as MVP winners. It's been a minute since Peyton Manning pulled it off in 2008 and 2009. Before that, Brett Favre went back-to-back-to-back in 1995, '96 and '97, and Joe Montana repeated in 1989 and 1990. Rising tides lift all boats Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints: Brees always carries the stat line. Unfortunately, his defense has ranked 31st, 32nd and 28th in points allowed over the last three seasons. An average year from that side of the ball would put this team in the postseason -- and Brees back into the MVP discussion. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals: If the Cardinals had won 10 games rather than seven in 2016, Johnson would have given Matt Ryan a run for his money. The NFL leader in yards from scrimmage (2,118) was so consistent that the he failed to total 100 yards just once: in Week 16, when he left early with a knee injury. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers: We found out after the season that Newton had a bum shoulder, which required surgery. Even so, the franchise QB failed to successfully follow up his 2015 MVP campaign because of a variety of factors. But now rookie RB Christian McCaffery is in-house. Receiver Kelvin Benjamin is two years removed from the ACL tear that ruined his 2015. And the Panthers' defense should be improved. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts: Like Wilson, it is darn near impossible to separate quarterback from team with Luck -- perhaps more so in this case, given the weakness of Indy's defense. New general manager Chris Ballard bulked that area up during the draftand free agency. If the Colts play out of their minds, Luck's case gets stronger -- presuming, of course, Luck's surgically repaired shoulder doesn't get in the way. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants:Contract talk aside, Beckham has the potential to turn it on at any time. Can he stay focused? Here's thinking new additions Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram will be such distractions to opposing defenses that Beckham has a big year -- maybe even big enough to win MVP. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions: Although an underdog, Stafford deserved to be mentioned as an MVP candidate for most of last season. Then he dislocated his middle finger and, with Matt Ryan keeping up his torrid pace, that was it. Additions on the offensive line and a return to health for running back Ameer Abdullah could result in an MVP run for Stafford. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos: Miller came so close to winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 despite all the problems the Broncos had on offense, and despite the lack of team success (which had to have helped winner Khalil Mack). If Denver's offense shows up this time, Miller could be the first defensive player to win league MVP since Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins: Cousins is the second-best -- but most important -- player on the Redskins. Trent Williams won't be winning MVP any time soon, but he could be protecting an MVP if the young receivers (Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson) step up and Washington goes 10-6 or better. Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams: This is a huge leap. But Donald -- who, in three short years, has come to be considered the game's premier interior lineman, earning first-team All-Pro honors multiple times -- meets the criteria for this section. If the Rams play well enough to win the NFC West and Donald plays like he has, Donald could take home the hardware. That is quite a large if, though. MVPs ... of their teams The guys below are easily the Most Valuable Players on their own teams, yet have neither the insane numbers nor enough talent around them -- at least, as of this writing -- to make much of a mark in this race at this point: Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers: The consummate MVP of his team. I originally went with last season's rookie phenom, Joey Bosa, but I couldn't get away from the importance of Rivers to this franchise in a transition year. While his numbers were down and interceptions were up in 2016, remember that Rivers was having to force throws when half of his offense was out with injury and the Bolts were trying to stay in games. With the draft emphasis on offensive line and wideout, methinks No. 17 will be back. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans: Speaking of Mariota, the Titans' hopes rest on him staying healthy, something he has not been able to accomplish for a whole season through two years in the NFL. Yes, Tennessee's running game ranked third in the league in 2016. No, Tennessee can't win the AFC South with Matt Cassel under center. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens: If Flacco is going to win this, he'll need a lot of help. With Dennis Pitta (86 catches last season) gone and one of the weakest running games in pro football (91.4 yards per game, 28th in the NFL), will Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman or recent signee Jeremy Maclin provide it? On the other hand, if Baltimore wins the AFC North and Flacco throws for 4,600 yards, how could he not be NFL MVP? LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills: Surprise! The NFL's top running game did not reside in Dallas with Ezekiel Elliott or those run-happy Titans. Rather, the Billspaced the entire league, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Not sure about the M.O. of new head coach Sean McDermott, but I can't imagine it will involve a broad departure from the ground game. That starts with No. 25, who is still in his prime. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: Don't laugh. While Wentz's numbers did drop badly down the back half of his rookie season, his receivers did more than their part to contribute by dropping everything in sight. The additions of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith should be a boon to Wentz's (gulp) MVP run. Unlikely but cool cases to make So Matt Ryan is obviously a household name, but as the quarterback of a team that, entering 2016, hadn't been to the playoffs since 2012, he came out of nowhere to be named the league's Most Valuable Player. Here is a handful of players who could similarly surprise with at least a few votes: Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs: His story is amazing, and the girl I hang out with thinks "he's cute." Maybe more importantly, Berry has come all the way back to be a more impactful player than he was before. No safety has ever won the award, but Berry played like an MVP last year. Witnessthe game in Atlanta. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Houston Texans: Going out on limb, but hear me out. Clowney was running around in opposing backfields like a kid at a public swimming pool late last year. J.J. Wattis back, which means Clowney could face a ton of single blocking. And Watt might be a year away from being his dominant MVP-like self. Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins: Ajayi would have to enjoy a helluva campaign to be named MVP -- but why not? The Dolphins made the playoffs last season despite every member of the offense still learning in the team's first year in coach Adam Gase's system. We've seen Ajayi be a workhorse of epic proportions against the Steelers (204 yards on 25 carries in Week 6) and Bills (420 yards on 60 carries combined in Weeks 7and 16). Could he do it over a full season? Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears: While everyone was watching Aaron Rodgers toss 40 touchdowns, Matthew Stafford pull games out of his butt and Sam Bradford complete a record number of 2-yard slant routes, Howard played out of his mind. He averaged more yards per carry than Zeke Elliott (5.2 to 5.1) on his way to 1,313 rushing yards. You don't like this choice? I'll take your Bears suggestions here. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: The only rookie on this list, Fournette has the best opportunity to win league MVP among the incoming freshmen. Christian McCaffery will split carries with Jonathan Stewart in Carolina. Who knows if any rookie QB will start? Expect the Jags to greatly reduce Blake Bortles' pass attempts. Sam Bradford, QB, Minnesota Vikings: Yeesh. Don't yell at me. This was between Bradford and an ascending player in safety Harrison Smith. Bradford should enjoy more protection with the arrivals of Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers on the offensive line. Maybe he'll push the ball downfield more. If not, Bradford won't win nine games, much less league MVP. Not in this football lifetime ... or at least, this season Welp, there are three teams left. Three outfits that very well could be picking in the top five in next year's draft. *Again. Instead of just going quarterback (Brian Hoyer, Cody Kessler and Josh McCown?), how about a handful of off-the-beaten path -- make that waaaaaaaaay off-the-beaten path -- MVP candidates?* Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers: Will Hyde thrive in Kyle Shanahan's offense? He should. The 49ers' RB1 rushed for 988 yards in only 13 games last season, an impressive feat when you consider how often his team trailed (badly). GM John Lynch and Shanahan have said they would like to get more out of Hyde, which could mean a huge season, albeit for a 5-11 team. More likely scenario:Pro Bowl. Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns: Who to go with here? Isaiah Crowell? Jamie Collins? With the quarterback position up in the air and the roster filled with young players, the most talented prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft has as much chance as any Brown to be named league MVP. Of course, he would probably have to pull a Jevon Kearse, piling up 14.5 sacks with Cleveland going to the Super Bowl. More likely scenario: Defensive Rookie of the Year. Leonard Williams, DE, New York Jets: Work with me. Please? The Jets are in rebuilding mode. Williams is as likely to steal the NFL MVP as the Jets are to, uh, take the AFC East. That said, at times, Williams plays like a first-team All-Pro. He improved in Year 2. If any Jet could pull this off, maybe it's him. Or not. More likely scenario: DPOY.

Drenthe (// DREN-tə, Dutch: [ˈdrɛntə] (listen); German: Drenthe) is a province of the Netherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and the German state of Lower Saxony to the east. As of November 2019, Drenthe had a population of 493,449 and a total area of 2,680 km2 (1,030 sq mi). |Anthem: "Mijn Drenthe"| Location of Drenthe in the Netherlands |• King's Commissioner||Jetta Klijnsma (PvdA)| |• Council||States of Drenthe| |• Total||2,680 km2 (1,030 sq mi)| |• Land||2,634 km2 (1,017 sq mi)| |• Water||46 km2 (18 sq mi)| (1 November 2019) |• Density||188/km2 (490/sq mi)| |• Density rank||12th nationally| |Time zone||UTC+1 (CET)| |• Summer (DST)||UTC+2 (CEST)| |ISO 3166 code||NL-DR| very high · 12th Drenthe has been populated for 150,000 years. The region has subsequently been part of the Episcopal principality of Utrecht, Habsburg Netherlands, Dutch Republic, Batavian Republic, Kingdom of Holland and Kingdom of the Netherlands. Drenthe has been an official province since 1796. The capital and seat of the provincial government is Assen. The King's Commissioner of Drenthe is Jetta Klijnsma. The Labour Party (PvdA) is the largest party in the States-Provincial, followed by the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). Drenthe is a sparsely populated rural area, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands. Except for the cities of Assen (pop. 67,963) and Emmen (pop. 107,113), the land in Drenthe is mainly used for agriculture. The name Drenthe is said to stem from thrija-hantja meaning "three lands". Drenthe has been populated by people since prehistory. Artifacts from the Wolstonian Stage (150,000 years ago) are among the oldest found in the Netherlands. In fact, it was one of the most densely populated areas of the Netherlands until the Bronze Age. The most tangible evidence of this are the dolmens (hunebedden) built around 3500 BC. 53 of the 54 dolmens in the Netherlands can be found in Drenthe, concentrated in the northeast of the province. In 2006, the archaeological reserve of Strubben-Kniphorstbos, located between Anloo and Schipborg, was created to preserve part of this heritage. Drenthe was first mentioned in a document from 820, it was called Pago Treanth (Drenthe district). In archives from Het Utrechts Archief, from 1024 to 1025, the "county Drenthe" is mentioned, when Emperor Henry II gave it to Bishop Adalbold II of Utrecht. After long being subject to the Utrecht diocese, Bishop Henry of Wittelsbach in 1528 ceded Drenthe to Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, who incorporated it into the Habsburg Netherlands. When the Republic of the Seven United Provinces was declared in 1581, Drenthe became part of it as the County of Drenthe, although it never gained full provincial status due to its poverty; the province was so poor it was exempt from paying federal taxes and as a consequence was denied representation in the States General. The successor Batavian Republic granted it provincial status on 1 January 1796. Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Dutch government built a camp near the town of Hooghalen to intern German Jewish refugees. During the Second World War, the German occupiers used the camp (which they named KZ Westerbork) as a Durchgangslager (transit camp). Many Dutch Jews, Sinti, Roma, resistance combatants and political adversaries were imprisoned before being transferred to concentration and extermination camps in Germany and occupied Poland. Anne Frank was deported on the last train leaving the Westerbork transit camp on 3 September 1944. In the 1970s, there were four hostage crises where South Moluccan terrorists demanded an independent Republic of South Maluku. They held hostages in hijacked trains in 1975 and 1977, in a primary school in 1977, and in the province hall in 1978. Drenthe is the 9th largest province of the Netherlands. It has a total area of 2,683 km2 (1,036 sq mi), with 2,639 km2 (1,019 sq mi) of land and 44 km2 (17 sq mi) of water. About 72% of the land or 1,898 km2 (733 sq mi) is used for agriculture. Drenthe has several heathlands and no significant rivers or lakes. The national parks Drents-Friese Wold and Dwingelderveld (IUCN category II) and the national landscape Drentsche Aa (IUCN category V) are all (partially) located in the province. The province (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS level 2) is divided into three COROP regions (NUTS level 3): North Drenthe, Southeast Drenthe, and Southwest Drenthe. The COROP regions are used for statistical purposes. The Netherlands has been subject to a large amount of municipal mergers during the last decades. Drenthe is no exception; the largest concurrent merger happened in 1998, when 32 municipalities were amalgamated into 10 larger municipalities. As of 2014[update] Drenthe consists of 12 municipalities; Emmen is the largest municipality in terms of both population and area, Westerveld is the least populous and Meppel covers the smallest area. The municipalities Assen, Noordenveld, and Tynaarlo are part of the interprovincial Groningen-Assen Region and the municipalities Aa en Hunze, Assen, Borger-Odoorn, Coevorden, Emmen, Midden-Drenthe, Noordenveld, and Westerveld are part of the international Ems Dollart Region (EDR). |Municipality||Population||Population density||Total area||COROP group| |Aa en Hunze||25,333||93 /km2 (241 /sq mi)||278.88 km2 (107.68 sq mi)||North Drenthe| |Assen||67,209||820 /km2 (2,124 /sq mi)||83.45 km2 (32.22 sq mi)||North Drenthe| |Borger-Odoorn||25,633||94 /km2 (243 /sq mi)||277.89 km2 (107.29 sq mi)||South East Drenthe| |Coevorden||35,771||121 /km2 (313 /sq mi)||299.69 km2 (115.71 sq mi)||South East Drenthe| |Emmen||108,003||324 /km2 (839 /sq mi)||346.25 km2 (133.69 sq mi)||South East Drenthe| |Hoogeveen||54,680||430 /km2 (1,114 /sq mi)||129.25 km2 (49.9 sq mi)||South West Drenthe| |Meppel||32,875||585 /km2 (1,515 /sq mi)||57.03 km2 (22.02 sq mi)||South West Drenthe| |Midden-Drenthe||33,368||98 /km2 (254 /sq mi)||345.87 km2 (133.54 sq mi)||North Drenthe| |Noordenveld||31,110||154 /km2 (399 /sq mi)||205.32 km2 (79.27 sq mi)||North Drenthe| |Tynaarlo||32,506||225 /km2 (583 /sq mi)||147.7 km2 (57.03 sq mi)||North Drenthe| |Westerveld||18,902||69 /km2 (179 /sq mi)||282.74 km2 (109.17 sq mi)||South West Drenthe| |De Wolden||23,592||106 /km2 (275 /sq mi)||226.35 km2 (87.39 sq mi)||South West Drenthe| |Climate data for Groningen Airport Eelde ( )| |Record high °C (°F)||14.5 |Average high °C (°F)||4.7 |Daily mean °C (°F)||2.4 |Average low °C (°F)||−0.4 |Record low °C (°F)||−22.0 |Average precipitation mm (inches)||74.2 |Average rainy days||20||16||20||17||18||19||20||20||19||20||22||20||230| |Average snowy days||8||7||5||2||0||—||—||—||—||0||3||6||33| |Average relative humidity (%)||90||88||85||79||79||81||82||83||86||89||91||92||86| |Mean monthly sunshine hours||54.2||78.7||117.2||171.6||210.0||187.0||199.1||183.9||137.0||107.2||56.5||47.5||1,550| |Percent possible sunshine||21||29||32||41||43||37||39||40||36||33||22||20||35| |Source: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute| On 1 January 2014, Drenthe had a total population of 488,957 and a population density of 182.2/km2 (472/sq mi). It is the 3rd least populous and least densely populated province of the Netherlands, with only Flevoland and Zeeland having fewer people. Emmen is the most populous municipality in the province. This section does not cite any sources. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Agriculture is an important employer, although industrial areas are found near the cities. The quietness of the province is also attracting a growing number of tourists. Drenthe is known as the "Cycling Province" of the Netherlands and is an exceptional place for a cycling holiday, having hundreds of kilometres of cycle paths through forest, heath and along canals and many towns and villages offering refreshment along the way. Drenthe exports through the entire Netherlands and also receives supplies and goods from Germany, making it a good business district. Many Dutch and German multinational companies are settled in Drenthe. The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 15.1 billion € in 2018, accounting for 1.9% of the Netherlands economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 26,700 € or 89% of the EU27 average in the same year. Over half the population of Drenthe speaks the Drents dialect. Each town or village has its own version. All versions are part of the Low Saxon language group. Dutch Low Saxon has been officially recognised by the Dutch government as a regional language and is protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The TT Circuit Assen, hosts the Dutch TT, which is a round of the MotoGP series of the Motorcycle Road Racing World Championship. The States of Drenthe have 41 seats, and is headed by the King's Commissioner, currently Jetta Klijnsma. While the provincial council is elected by the people of Drenthe, the Commissioner is appointed by the King and the cabinet of the Netherlands. With 12 seats, the social democratic PvdA is the largest party in the council. The daily affairs of the province are taken care of by the Gedeputeerde Staten, which are also headed by the Commissioner; its members (gedeputeerden) can be compared with ministers. |People's Party for Freedom and Democracy||29,527||15.22||7| |Christian Democratic Appeal||27,997||14.43||6| |Party for Freedom||21,108||10.88||5| |All other parties||20,008||10.32||2| |Total valid votes||195,133||100||41| There are four railways partially in the province of Drenthe: |Trajectory||Railway stations in Drenthe| |Arnhem–Leeuwarden||Overijssel – Meppel – Friesland| |Gronau–Coevorden||Germany – Coevorden| |Meppel–Groningen||Meppel – Hoogeveen – Beilen – Assen – Groningen| |Zwolle–Emmen||Overijssel – Coevorden – Dalen – Nieuw Amsterdam – Emmen Zuid – Emmen| Science and educationEdit ASTRON, the Netherlands institute for radio astronomy, is located near Dwingeloo. Their single-dish radio telescope of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory was completed in 1956 and is now a national heritage site (rijksmonument). Their Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope is an array of fourteen dishes near the village of Westerbork and construction was completed in 1970. Their international Low-Frequency Array with its core near Exloo was completed in 2012. In Assen, Emmen, and Meppel are universities of applied sciences (hogescholen). The Stenden University of Applied Sciences has locations in these three towns, which formed the Drenthe University of Applied Sciences before a merger in 2008. The Hanze Institute of Technology, part of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, is located in Assen. There are no research universities (universiteiten) in the province of Drenthe. RTV Drenthe, the regional radio and television station, is based in Assen. The regional daily newspaper for the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen is Dagblad van het Noorden, which is based in the city of Groningen. - "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13. - (in Dutch) Marianne van Exel, Molukse treinkaping bij Wijster Archived 2013-12-23 at the Wayback Machine, IS Geschiedenis, 2011. Retrieved on 8 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Marnix Koolhaas, Herdenking Molukse treinkaping 1977, Geschiedenis 24, 2007. Retrieved on 8 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Molukse gijzeling in Assen, Geschiedenis 24, 2000. Retrieved on 8 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Bodemgebruik; uitgebreide gebruiksvorm, per gemeente, Statistics Netherlands, 2013. Retrieved on 14 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Indeling van Nederland in 40 COROP-gebieden Archived 2018-01-05 at the Wayback Machine, Statistics Netherlands. Retrieved on 2 April 2014. - "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 1998" [Municipal divisions on 1 January 1998]. cbs.nl (in Dutch). CBS. Retrieved 2014-04-02. - "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-02. - "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 2014-04-02. - About us Archived 2014-03-25 at the Wayback Machine, Groningen-Assen Region. Retrieved on 6 April 2014. - (in German) Die Mitglieder der EDR Archived 2018-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Ems Dollart Region, 2014. Retrieved on 6 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Stationslijst Archived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Retrieved on 8 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Eelde, langjarige gemiddelden, tijdvak 1981–2010, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Retrieved on 2 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Eelde extremen tijdvak 1971 t/m 2000[permanent dead link], Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Retrieved on 8 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Volkstelling 1899; algemene uitkomsten per gemeente, Statistics Netherlands, 1999. Retrieved on 1 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Volkstelling 1930; bewoners naar geslacht en geboorteplaats, Statistics Netherlands, 2006. Retrieved on 1 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Bevolkingsontwikkeling; levendgeborenen, overledenen en migratie per regio, Statistics Netherlands, 2013. Retrieved on 1 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand, Statistics Netherlands, 2017. Retrieved on 13 February 2017. - "Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018". Eurostat. - (in Dutch) "2013: Overzicht bezoekcijfers musea in Nederland Archived 2014-07-28 at the Wayback Machine", Metro, 2013. Retrieved on 20 July 2014. - "Provinciale Staten 18 maart 2015" (in Dutch). Kiesraad. Retrieved 2018-06-11. - (in Dutch) Monumentnummer: 508721 - Station Meppel Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved on 3 April 2014. - (in Dutch) Wegenoverzicht Archived April 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Rijkswaterstaat. Retrieved on 2 April 2014. |Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drenthe.|

Screenwriters and storytellers, take note: With one simple question, Doctor Who was able to coax motivation out of a character faster than you could play a game of charades. A cheap trick perhaps in wanting your character to want you, but it works! More obsession along these lines at Waxy. (via Weekend Stubble) Longtime readers of this blog know of my antipathy for Russell T. Davies’s contributions to Doctor Who. So it was with no expectations whatsoever that I fired up “Journey’s End,” the season finale of Doctor Who, assuming that my intelligence and my emotions would be condescended to and that the fanwankery set into motion last week would be taken to new masturbatory heights. Yes, there was a gratuitous appearance from K-9. Yes, there was the Davros-Sarah Jane Smith showdown referencing “Genesis of the Daleks.” The less said about the phony resolution to last week’s cliffhanger, the better. And I could do without the ridiculous manner in which Earth was transported across the galaxy. But despite these melodramatic flourishes, this episode worked for me. It was a fitting end to Davies’s tenure on the show, bringing in nearly all of his supporting characters and leaving the Doctor more or less where he started at the beginning. I enjoyed the Daleks floating above Nuremberg speaking German. (Alas, Davies’s German is not so good. He got the German verb for “Exterminate!” wrong. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the Nazi parallels.) I liked Davros questioning the Doctor’s motives, which not only echoed the lone Dalek from “Dalek,” but referenced similar talk of genocide from “Genesis of the Daleks.” Let’s not forget that in “Genesis,” the Doctor asked Davros whether he would let loose a virus that would destroy all forms of alien life. And this quiet reference to the show’s longtime continuity was a surprisingly restrained Davies moment that I have to give him props for. The whisper into Rose’s ear, the heartening future of Sarah Jane Smith having a 14-year-old, and Donna’s fate suggested unspoken connections that called into question the notion of what it is to be a companion to the Doctor. Traveling with the Doctor, whether as a companion or a viewer, involves being at a specific time and place in one’s life. But Davies reminded us with this finale that no matter where one is at in the series, there’s always a thread one can pick up. So at the end of Davies’s run, I have to thank Davies for using his influence to revive Who, while remaining wary of his overall writing contributions during the past four years. Nevertheless, I have every faith that, in the hands of Steven Moffatt, Who will truly demonstrate its potential to capture our imagination. And I’m glad that Davies closed out the show with a rousing, if problematic denouement, without entirely taking the easy way out. Having said all this, however, there’s a part of me that wonders if Moffatt will continue portraying Tennant’s Doctor as the amiable metrosexual we all know him to be. To some degree, Tennant is the Alan Alda Doctor. The geeky guy who knows how to order the best wine at an Italian restaurant, but who will probably get his ass kicked in a roadhouse if the cops don’t show up in time. There were a few reminders of the tough Eccleston Doctor in “Journey’s End,” and I believe Tennant is capable of inhabiting this emotional territory. But I certainly hope we begin to see more of the Doctor’s dark side over the next few years. If Moffatt wimps out, I’ll be one of the first to lock his writing contributiosn in my crosshairs. This season’s penultimate episode of Doctor Who, “The Stolen Earth,” was a big fuck you to the fans, giving them everything they seemed to want, or that writer Russell T. Davies seemed to think that they wanted. It featured cheeky nods to Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, the return of Davros (with a ridiculous explanation for how he escaped death), a Richard Dawkins cameo, more holes than a porous street neglected for a decade by a bankrupt city maintenance department, Rose running around Earth with a preposterously gargantuan gun (still no explanation for how she escaped her universe), and an insulting cliffhanger suggesting that we’re getting yet another “it didn’t happen” two-part finale*. Davies even manged to name check Facebook. What next for next week? The Doctor stepping out of the shower, revealing that his real Gallifreyan name is Bobby Ewing, and gallivanting off through time and space with Rose? I think it’s quite clear that most of us have had enough of Russell T. Davies. The biggest question now is just how much Davies will screw up the show before he hands it off to Steven Moffatt. Keep in mind that we still have a Christmas special and three additional 2009 specials. And every single one of these is to be written by Russell T. Davies. Yes, I’ll keep watching this train wreck. But between “The Stolen Earth” and this year’s disappointing season of Battlestar, the latter redeemed somewhat by a Planet of the Apes cliffhanger, I’m wondering why I bother. It’s a bit like waiting for George Bush to leave office. With Doctor Who, there’s the hope that the regime change will result in additional intelligence. With Battlestar (new episodes a good year away), it’s hoping that Ronald D. Moore will somehow figure everything out and go out with a bang. But in the meantime, one must sift through a good deal of interstitial dreck. Guess it’s time to dust off the Blake’s 7 and Red Dwarf tapes. * — I don’t want to reveal what the cliffhanger is for those who haven’t seen it, but if it goes the way I think it will, then it will make Graham Williams’s infamous “let’s try out new bodies” scene for Romana look like Moliere. [UPDATE: Charlie Anders offers her thought on this fantastic travesty, pointing out, “Since each finale has to top the last, I’m guessing next year would involve a magic virus that turns everyone in the universe into a Sontaran, including Rose, and then the Cybermen from 29 different universes fight with the Gelth, with exploding ribbons! Spoilers for what actually did happen ahead.” Indeed. I must confess that I have a morbid curiosity as to just how much of a mess RTD is going to make for Moffatt. It’s almost as if the man is determined to create a massive continuity clusterfuck that will take at least three seasons to sort out. As for the heartbeat that Donna hears, am I the only one who thinks that this is actually the Dalek heartbeat? I mean, the heartbeat in question had the same intonation and everything. Seemed like this was a foreshadowing to Donna transforming into a Dalek and her character being killed off the show. That’s my prediction at any rate.] “Turn Left” isn’t quite as appalling as last year’s “This didn’t really happen” two-part Doctor Who finale. But it’s still filled with Russell T. Davies’s insufferable complacency. There doesn’t appear to be much of a purpose to this episode, other than for Davies to remind the Who fans just what he’s given them. It reminded me of the childish “Dimensions in Time” promotional nonsense that John Nathan-Turner was once deservedly ridiculed for, but that Who fans now accept without question. (I also don’t think it was an accident that we were given a moment in which the TARDIS was gutted by Torchwood, with numerous wires and cables affixed to the dying police box. There seemed something metaphorical here about Davies’s relationship with the show.) Now I’ll give Davies last week’s “Midnight.” Once you got past that episode’s first ten minutes of touchy-feely nonsense (Wow! A lesbian!), Davies did spin a half-decent claustrophobic yarn, helped in part by Alice Troughton’s crisp direction and the fascinating bigotry channeled by David Troughton. But let’s face it. On the whole, Davies’s writing contributions have amounted to little more than camp, politically correct casting, and speculative fiction premises that are about as cutting-edge as a Betty Crocker recipe unleashed at an Eisenhower fundraising event. “Turn Left” reminds us of the reprehensible fat blob babies from “Partners in Crime,” the disappearing hospital from “Smith and Jones,” and numerous other references to the last four years that suggest deep import. But it’s been Paul Cornell, Mark Gatiss, Robert Shearman, and Steven Moffatt’s scripts that have offered originality and intelligence, and have kept the show rolling. (The less said about Helen Raynor’s “give the people what they want at the expense of Who mythology” two-parters, the better.) That insectoid on Donna’s back was about as convincing as a leftover prop from a Roger Corman cheapie. Hell, Alpha Centuari, that silly six-armed alien from the Pertwee Peladon stories, was more convincing. And you want to know why? Because at least that silly supporting character had heart. The unspeaking insect was utterly ridiculous in its purpose and its motivations. “Turn Left”‘s premise, complete with the insultingly pedestrian paradox presented in the episode’s title, was bullshit. We’re expected to believe that the Doctor wouldn’t regenerate after being smitten down by a spider queen. Never mind that the Timelord was able to regenerate after being poisoned by spectrox toxaemia. Rose Tyler appears from another universe that she was supposedly trapped in without any reasonable explanation. And it has long been clear to anyone watching the show that the Doctor is useless without his companions. So why ramrod this point into the audience’s noggins? Next week sees the first of a two-part finale featuring Captain Jack, Daleks, three companions, and a partridge in a pear tree. It too is written by Russell T. Davies. And I fear the worst. I hope that some of the “Midnight” special comes through. But until Russell T. Davies is gone permanently, I suspect that I will be forced to drink copious amounts of bourbon to cope with Davies’s unpardonable tamperings. I have been watching an episode of Doctor Who called “The Unicorn and the Wasp” that is set around Agatha Christie’s disappearance. The giant wasp flying around, in clear defiance of the laws of gravity, is bad enough. But I cannot for the life of me accept an episode that includes the following story holes: 1. Despite the fact that Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days in December 1926, everything outside is inexplicably sunny. And the formal wear is inexplicably summery. No snow or winter winds, eh? 2. Donna, the companion played by Catherine Tate, brings up Miss Marple, who Christie introduced in December 1927 (“The Tuesday Night Club,” Issue 350 of The Royal Magazine), the year after her disappearance. This is a neat effort on Roberts’s part to suggest Christie being influenced by Donna. The problem is that Christie got the name from a railway station she was stranded in. Noticing the sign, the name stuck. 3. Donna also references “talking pictures” and Agatha Christie is baffled by such a concept. Actually, talking pictures were already showing as shorts. Before The Jazz Singer appeared in 1927, Al Jolson spoke in the 1926 Vitaphone short, “A Plantation Act.” And cinema with sound wasn’t entirely a crazed concept. 4. In front of an entire kitchen staff, the Doctor performs a wild pantomine and, using his Gallifrey biology, manages to escape cyanide poisoning. Everybody, including Christie (who was a nurse), accepts this preternatural discovery without a second thought. The next cut has everybody seated at dinner. 5. Where is Agatha Christie’s daughter? As I understand it, she went upstairs to kiss her shortly before disappearing. I’m about 25 minutes into this, and I’ve now almost totally lost interest in the story. I can suspend disbelief up to a point. But when the writers clearly think so little of audience intelligence, when they cannot perform even the most rudimentary research on a major figure who, quite frankly, I’m hardly an expert on (all of the above, with the exception of the story reference, was lifted from my noggin) — a British icon, no less — one wonders whether there was even anyone trying for accuracy on this. And then one is reminded that Russell T. Davies remains the producer. The handoff to Steven Moffatt cannot happen fast enough. UPDATE: Okay, maybe I’m just being too damn picky, but surely the art director on Doctor Who could have spent more time getting the title font kerning right, as well as making sure the artist’s signature was there the woman’s skirt. The drop shadows are off too. A still from the episode: The dust jacket from the 1926 edition of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: And here’s a closer shot. The woman is arched over too much. And I’m wondering if the actor is holding the book in that way because the art director messed up something on the lower left-hand corner. And here’s Agatha Christie returning after her disappearance to the Harrogate Hydropathic Hotel, with a hilarious modern-looking sign and an exterior that looks nothing like the place (now called the Old Swan Hotel).

November 10 Birthday Astrology Profile If Today is Your Birthday: November 10 Personality Profile for People Born on November 10 The following descriptions reveal some of the characteristics of people who share a birthdaythose who are born on November 10th of any yearbased on various methods used in Astrology, Numerology, and Cartomancy. Note that both Astrology and Numerology reveal much more depth when a birth year, and in the case of the former, a birth time and place are included. The Astrology & Numerology of your Birthday Your Sun is in Scorpio in the Pisces decanate and the Taurus quadrant. The rulers of your Sun in Scorpio are Pluto and Mars. Secondary rulers of your decanate and quadrant signs are Neptune and Venus. You are strong-minded and intelligent. You are actively creative and dynamic. Your quick wit is apparent from the get-go. Your intelligence doesn’t come from pure academics–you work from your gut instincts, which more often than not steer you on the right course. Your enthusiasm is strong, but you can also be quick to tire of one particular thing. Although you are independent and rather willful, you won’t disregard others’ wisdom. Because you have many talents and interests, you can easily stray from your path. Your biggest challenge in life is to stay focused. Richard Burton, born November 10, 1925 Actor. Martin Luther, born November 10, 1483 German leader of the Protestant Reformation. Mackenzie Phillips, born November 10, 1959 Actress, One Day at a Time. Roy Scheider, born November 10, 1932 Actor. Fixed Star(s) Near Your Sun: Sun Conjunct Elschemali (North Scale) This fixed star has a Jupiter/Mercury influence, and indicates good fortune, high ambitions, honor, and happiness. Problems in life are generally few, but prove to be beneficial. This fixed star is especially good for lawyers and scientists. You have the potential to rise to the top of your field. Progressed Sun: Turning Points in the Life We carry our Sun sign with us throughout our entire lives. If I’m a Scorpio, I’ll always be a Scorpio. However, in secondary progressions, the Sun “progresses” in a symbolic sense through our natal Sun sign, and then beyond it to subsequent signs. Secondary progressions are “a day for a year”, and because the Sun moves just under one degree per day, our Sun symbolically progresses just short of one degree every year of our lives. Because there are 30 degrees for every sign, if I was born in the latter days of a Scorpio Sun, my Sun would progress to the sign of Sagittarius in my early childhood, and to the sign of Capricorn in my early to mid-30’s. If I was born near the beginning of a Scorpio Sun, however, my progressed Sun would enter Sagittarius close to my 30th birthday, and to Capricorn in my late 50’s. The changeover of signs marks a critical turning point in a person’s life. At the very end of a sign (just before changing signs), individuals may make life-changing, impulsive decisions. Your progressed Sun enters Sagittarius at age 12. The ages of 11 to 13 mark a critical turning point in the development of your personality. After some sort of crisis of consciousness, and perhaps elimination of circumstances that have been limiting your growth, you begin to feel lighter, more free, and decidedly more outgoing. Your desire to learn increases, and your sense of humor is enriched. You are more flexible during this period as well. Your progressed Sun enters Capricorn at age 41. The ages of 40 to 42 mark a critical turning point in the development of your personality. You become more practical, mindful, and concerned about your personal security. You are a self-starter, and you become more shrewd and focused on your goals. Degree Meanings of your Sun: Sabian symbols present imagery associated with the degree of your Sun in Scorpio. Either of the following may apply, depending on the exact degree of your Sun: If Sun is 17-18 degrees Scorpio: “A Path Through Woods Brilliant With Multicolored Splendor” If Sun is 18-19 degrees Scorpio: “A Parrot Repeats The Conversation He Has Overheard'” Harmonic Degree Meaning: The following is the degree meaning of your Sun (18 degrees Scorpio) based on harmonic sign influences.* “Quick, adaptable, restless mind. Industrious and self-reliant. Enjoys discussions and debates about politics or economics.” Numerology of November 10 You were born on the 10th day of the month, which reduces to a 1. Achievement and success are important to you. You are a worldly, goal-oriented person with lots of energy at your disposal. You possess leadership ability, and you’re especially adept at coming up with new ideas. Independent and strong-minded, you have strong convictions and you enjoy friendly competition. Factoring in the 11th month of November, you are a number 3. You radiate warmth, enthusiasm, and good cheer, and others are instinctively drawn to you. You enjoy people immensely and are frequently the life of the party or the center of attention in social situations. You light up a room when you enter it. Factoring in your birth year gives you your Birth Path Numbera highly personal number for you. Find out how to determine this number here. Most Favorable Days of the Month are 1, 10, 19, 28, especially when these days (of any month) fall on a Sunday or Monday; and/or when the Sun is in Cancer or Leo. Second-choice favorable days of the month are 2, 11, 20, 29. The best colors for you are all shades of yellows and oranges. You might want to wear ruby gems next to your skin. Properties associated with ruby are power, wealth, attraction, and dynamism. Birthday Forecast for You 2005 is, and has been, a Number One year for you. Ruled by the Sun. This is a year of action. The seeds you plant now, you will reap later. Others might find you less sociable, as you are busier than ever and you focus on your activities and your needs. Advice – Stand alone, take action, start fresh, express independence. 2006 is a Number Two year for you. Ruled by the Moon. This is a year of potential companionship. It is a quiet, gentle year that is less active than other years. Instead, you are more responsive to the needs of others. If you are patient and open yourself up in a gentle manner, you will attract things and people. Advice – be patient, be receptive, enjoy the peace, collect. You Are Drawn to People Born on… Easy, subtle attraction and harmony: You don’t feel an irresistible pull towards each other, but over time, appreciate the peace you have between you. These people are good for you, although they might not challenge you to grow. January 6-13, March 4-14, July 4-14, September 6-15 On-again, off-again attraction. This is a complex connection, and you make an odd yet interested couple. April 6-10, June 6-10, October 9-13, December 9-13 A mysterious attraction that can be very romantic…or completely platonic! This is a spiritual connection that has a magical quality to it. January 1-2, February 19-23, July 24-28, September 16-20, December 29-31 Opposites attract. Push me, pull me. You could complement each other well if you allow yourselves to learn from each other, or you could actively war against each other. Attraction of the soul; challenging, intense, rich, and binding. September 28-October 2, December 19-23 Powerful, tumultuous attraction–you are aware of the distinct differences between you, but may be drawn to each other because of the simultaneous awareness of a need and a lack. Either the relationship is ongoing and obviously tumultuous and of a “love-hate” nature, or it flows well until it breaks unexpectedly. February 3-13, March 22-26, June 22-26, August 4-14, September 23-27, November 5-15, December 24-28 Creative, communicative, inspiring, and spiritually rewarding connections. January 19-23, March 31-April 4, June 12-16, August 26-31 What’s in the Cards… Today’s playing cards are based on an ancient system similar to the Tarot. Each birthday of the year is associated with a main playing card, the Birth Card, and each tells its own story. The card associated with your birthday is the Ten of Clubs. You have a brilliant mind that you can use to achieve success. You can easily get to the heart of any matter with your analytical and intuitive skills. At times, you can be uncompromising, simply because you believe in yourself and your ideas. Your love card is the King of Spades. You are attracted to, or you attract, competent people who you admire for their sharp minds or wisdom. More to Astrology There’s certainly something magical about birthdays, but much more information can be obtained with the birth date and birth year. Even more insights into the personality can be found with a birth date, year, time and place. Cafe Astrology is devoted to pages of information that allow readers to explore astrology in more depth. We offer free astrology reports as well. Take the time to delve further into the fascinating subject of astrology. For example, find your Venus sign and read about how your Venus sign reveals your love nature. There’s also much more to relationships and compatibility. Look to Venus Sign Compatibility, for example. We also have astrology reports for personality interpretations, compatibility, and predictions based on your full birth data. See your Birthday Forecast for the Year Ahead *The Harmonic Degree Meanings come from the Kepler astrology software.

Ibram Lassaw was a sculptor known for his open-space welded sculpture of bronze, silver, opera, and steel. Influenced by Surrealism, Constructivism, and Cubism, Ibram Lassaw pioneered a welding technique that allowed him to create intricate, complex sculpture in three-dimensions. Ibram Lassaw intended to make structures that were meaningful in itself rather than communicate an idea or representation. The titles of his works were vague terms, so they would not significantly shape the audience’s interpretation of his art. From his interest in the internal structures in nature, cosmology, astronomy, and technological construction, Ibram Lassaw sought to create an experience that would make his viewers lose themselves within the complex interiors of his sculpture. This creation and enclosure of internal space later became prevalent in Minimalist sculpture. The devotion and innovation of Ibram Lassaw to his work helped shape New York sculpture. Ibram Lassaw was born on May 4, 1913 in Alexandria, Egypt to Russian-Jewish parents. From a young age, he was very interested in art. At the age of four, Ibram Lassaw began to make works in clay. After briefly living in Marseille, Naples, Tunis, Malta and Constantinople, his family settled in Brooklyn, New York in 1921. During his childhood, Ibram Lassaw created animals and figures using pieces of tar from the street. At a young age, the history of art fascinated him. When he was twelve, Ibram Lassaw began gathering an extensive collection of clippings and art reproductions, eventually filling thirty-three scrapbooks. When Ibram Lassaw saw the exhibition of Katherine Dreier’s famed “Societe Anonyme” collection, which included the work of Jacques Villon, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and Wassily Kandinsky at the Brooklyn Museum in the winter of 1926-1927, it left a haunting impact on him. It stirred an interest in him to create art that was just like the works in the exhibition. In 1927, Ibram Lassaw had his first formal training at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, attending classes that were taught by Dorothy Denslow. The museum later became the Clay Club which is now the Sculpture Center. At the Clay Club, Ibram Lassaw learned modeling and casting, skills that he refined during his year at the Beaux Arts Institute of Design in 1930-1931. In 1931, Ibram Lassaw spent a year studying at City College of New York. He left the Clay Club in 1932. Continuing to expand his interest in all forms of art, Ibram Lassaw read over many issues of the influential Cahiers d’Art, a notable French artistic and literary magazine through which he learned about Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism, Dadaism, and Surrealism. The artist became particularly interested in the use of new and unconventional materials to create artwork, as well as in the concept of a sculpture that either contained or were structured by open spaces. (1913 - 2003) H 9.75" x W 4.75" (1913 - 2003) H 17.5” x W 17.5” x D 13" (1913 - 2003) H 15.5” x W 17” x D 12" Signed and Dated The interest of Ibram Lassaw in abstraction in the 1930s began with Constructivist drawings. However, it was the English language version of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy’s The New Vision, and several articles on “Universal Architecture” by Buckminster Fuller that gave Ibram Lassaw a framework for understanding this new art. The importance of Moholy-Nagy’s book to Ibram Lassaw was for its illustrations of the tactile experiments conducted at the Bauhaus that suggested new materials and sculptural processes. Buckminister Fuller opened up new perspectives for Ibram Lassaw because Fuller discussed the similarities between architectural design and natural systems such as trees and the human body. Between 1933-1934, Ibram Lassaw started to create open-space abstracted sculpture, made from plaster on wire armatures. The sculptor had already experimented with abstracted forms in the previous years. Beginning in 1933, Ibram Lassaw became involved with the Works Project Administration (WPA) Federal Arts Project and similar organizations. In addition, the artist briefly worked for the Public Works of Art Project cleaning sculptural monuments around New York City. In 1936, Ibram Lassaw co-founded American Abstract Artists, and later served as the organization’s president from 1946-1949. During this time, Ibram Lassaw was working with a broad range of materials, maintaining his interest in untraditional media, particularly those that referenced technology, such as steel and iron. The works of Ibram Lassaw from this period vary from ornate and baroque to rectilinear and precise. By the late 1930s, the artist moved from plaster and wood on wire to sheet metal and hammered forged steel. Around 1937, Ibram Lassaw began constructing sculpture. From an old refrigerator motor, the artist improvised brazing tools and began to build frameworks with iron rods. To these structures, which he also painted, Ibram Lassaw connected carved white wooden shapes. Three of these open-space works by Ibram Lassaw: Sculpture (aka Pot Jumping Through Hoop) (1935), Sculpture (1936), and Sing Baby Sing (1937) all made using plaster and wire, were exhibited at the first group show of the American Abstract Artists at the Squibb Gallery in 1937. At the 1938 annual exhibition of the American Abstract Artists, Ibram Lassaw showed a series of shadow boxes, shallow wooden containers holding plaster-coated wire, mesh, and free-form organic shapes that were lighted with electric bulbs. In these works, the artist sought a formal balance between geometric and organic form. Much of the experimentation of Ibram Lassaw during the 1930s focused on process–finding appropriate methods to express dual respect for space and “truth to materials.” The sculptor gave up plasterwork, as it was too fragile for open-form sculpture. Ibram Lassaw briefly tried liquid latex, which for a variety of reasons, including its smell, was unsatisfactory. Along with the abstract artist Getrude Greene, Ibram Lassaw bought a forge and attempted using a hammering steel, but he found the results excessively two-dimensional. In the 1940s, Ibram Lassaw began concentrating on rectilinear shapes. When he exhibited a steel and plastic sculpture entitled Intersecting Rectangles in the 1941 American Abstract Artists exhibition, the artist Piet Mondrian encouraged him to proceed along ‘Neo-plastic lines.’ During the next several years, Ibram Lassaw experimented with geometric, Constructivist spatial configurations, often combining steel with plastic and Lucite. While each approach offered intriguing possibilities, none enabled the sculptor to work freely and intuitively. However, his artistic focus was interrupted by army service; from 1942 to 1944, Ibram Lassaw served in the U.S. Army in Virginia, where he also learned to weld while fixing army vehicles. Beginning in 1946, following the discharge of Ibram Lassaw from the army, the artist created a series of hand-painted “projection paintings.” These miniature Abstract Expressionist paintings applied to 2×2-inch glass slides, when viewed through a projector, cast an array of colored-light images. Unlike abstract paintings, which could be rotated on the wall and viewed from four different perspectives, the “projections” by Ibram Lassaw could be rotated and turned around, offering the viewers eight different possible vantage points. By 1949, Ibram Lassaw stopped producing these paintings and devoted himself almost entirely to sculpture, but he would revisit the medium later in life. After the war, the return to sculpture by Ibram Lassaw also marked his departure from purely geometric shapes to biomorphic forms. He began integrating other materials, such as plastic and Plexiglas, and also adding dye to the sculpture to integrate color. In 1949, Ibram Lassaw became one of the founders of The Club, which was an informal but influential discussion forum of New York School artists that included Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline. A breakthrough came for the artist in 1950. In a sculpture entitled Milky Way, Ibram Lassaw dripped melted plastic over a wire armature. Although neither aesthetically pleasing nor durable, Milky Way nonetheless marked the future direction of the sculptor. Following the direction of Milky Way, he welded rods into open-form architectonic structures, then encrusted the surfaces with droplets of metal. By using different alloys within the same piece, Ibram Lassaw achieved remarkable variations in color, which he also enhanced through chemical treatment. With a sculpture like The Hyades (1951) Ibram Lassaw found methods and materials that integrated biomorphic and geometric form while enabling him to work freely and intuitively. By the early 1950s, Ibram Lassaw owned and used oxyacetylene welding equipment, and identified the ideal medium for his signature style of molten metal; creating a sculpture “drop by drop,” a method in which the red-hot metal, brought to varying degrees of temperature and consistency, was carefully directed through a funnel-like device. The resulting product was a kind of spontaneous and instinctive sculpture similar to the action painting of his New York School peers. In 1951, Ibram Lassaw had his first solo exhibition at the Kootz Gallery. That same year, the artist sold his first major sculpture to Nelson Rockefeller, who eventually purchased ten more works, all of them pendants. Ibram Lassaw continued expanding his welding work, adding color by treating the metal with additives, and integrating minerals and semiprecious stones. With the assistance of gallery owner Samuel Kootz, who facilitated most of the commissions of Ibram Lassaw, the artist regularly showed works in group shows and enjoyed annual solo exhibitions at the Kootz Gallery right up until the gallery’s closing in 1966. Ibram Lassaw once remarked that all artists have ancestors. In his own work, he claimed affinities with the sculpture of Julio Gonzalez, Naum Gabo, Antoine Pevsner, Vladimir Tatlin, Jacques Lipchitz, Joan Miro, and others. Unlike many of his fellow members of the American Abstract Artists, who deplored Surrealism as “formally backward,” Ibram Lassaw borrowed freely from Miro, especially during the mid-1930s. In 1953, Ibram Lassaw created his first public commission Pillar of Fire for Congregation Beth-El in Springfield, Massachusetts. Other commissions to follow were a wall sculpture Clouds of Magellan (1953) for Philip Johnson’s Glass House, Pillar of Cloud (1954) for Temple Beth-El in Providence, Rhode Island, a monumental sculpture for the entrance of the New Arts Building at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri (1959), and Elysian Fields (1963) for the New York Hilton Hotel. In 1954, Ibram Lassaw purchased land in The Springs, East Hampton, and moved there full-time with his wife in 1962. Other New York School artists such as de Kooning and Pollock frequently visited the area. During the 1960s and 1970s, Ibram Lassaw taught at Duke University, University of California, Berkeley, Southampton College, and Mount Holyoke College. While sculpture was his primary art form, the artist also continued to produce lithographs, drawings on paper, photographs, “projection paintings,” and jewelry. By the mid-1990s, the eyesight of Ibram Lassaw had deteriorated to the point where he could no longer weld metals, but this did not stop him from working in other media. Ibram Lassaw remained in The Springs on Long Island and continued to work, even producing paper drawings right up to the late morning of his death. Through his commitment to an intuitive construction of space and unconsciously driven application of melted metals, Ibram Lassaw developed an aesthetic similar to the instinctual painting compositions of his Abstract Expressionist peers, such as Jackson Pollock, who relied on a kind of trance-like automatism to structure their compositions. Art critic Sam Hunter wrote of Ibram Lassaw “Few artists have made more personal and poetic statements in sculpture out of the collective impulse of abstract expressionism than Ibram Lassaw. Yet of the major figures who emerged during the heroic post-war years of the American avant-garde, he has maintained the most consistent theoretical basis for his art, drawing on such intellectual sources as Taoist and Zen teachings, the psychology of Jung, and other esoteric sources that generally throw light on non-rational mysteries and the creative potencies in man. The ideal calm which the personal presence of Ibram Lassaw radiates is an achieved and mastered serenity, which never fails to make a striking impression; in his daily life it is disrupted only by regular bouts of energetic creation, and by a continuous sense of astonishment and delight at the inexhaustible spectacle of the world, or more accurately the cosmos… his art has become a simulacrum of that revealed order and purpose, which he can argue in verbal discourse with an almost professional philosophical detachment.” Ibram Lassaw died on December 30, 2003 in East Hampton, New York at the age of 90 . He is survived by his wife, Ernestine Lassaw and his daughter, Denise Lassaw, who lives in East Hampton, New York and Anchor Point, Alaska. Ibram Lassaw (1913-2003) Sculpture and Drawings on View in Matera, Italy until October 18th, Samuel D. Gruber, Samuel Gruber’s Jewish Art & Monuments, September 7, 2008 Sassi of Matera Presents a Survey Exhibition of the Work of Ibram Lassaw, artdaily.org, April 30, 2008 Ibram Lassaw, 90, a Sculptor Devoted to Abstract Forms, Campbell Robertson, The New York Times, January 2, 2004 Ibram Lassaw papers, 1928-2003, Denise Lassaw, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 2003 Ibram Lassaw: Space Explorations – A Retrospective Survey, 1929-1988, Lisa Phillips, Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY, 1988 (catalogue) Beyond the Plane, American Constructions 1930-1965, Ibram Lassaw, Gregory Gilbert, New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJ, 1983, p. 71 (catalogue) The Sculpture of Ibram Lassaw, Nancy Gale Heller, Ph.D. dissertation, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 1982, p. 61-63 American Abstract Artists: The Early Years, The Early Years, Part 1, Ibram Lassaw essay, Sid Deutsch Gallery, New York, NY, 1980 (catalogue) American Abstract Artists: Three Yearbooks (1938, 1939, 1946), On Inventing Our Own Art, Ibram Lassaw essay, Arno Series of Contemporary Art, no. 23, Arno Press, New York, NY, 1969 Ibram Lassaw Interview, Irving Sandler, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, August 26, 1968 Three American sculptors: Ferber, Hare, Lassaw, E.C. Goossen, R. Goldwater, and I. Sandler, Grove Press, New York, NY, 1959 Lassaw Makes a Sculpture, Lawrence Campbell, Art News, March 1954

Danielle Cohn is an American social media perception and model with an enormous following on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. She has greater than 670K followers on photo-sharing website Instagram while more than 133K subscribers on YouTube. She was involved in music from a very young age. Looking at her concern, her parents encouraged her to learn music. After achieving some expertise, she started to upload her videos on social media channels. She got a positive response to the videos and people noticed her talent as a musician. It usually takes a lot of time for people to taste victory, but social media is making it very easy for people to get flourishing at a very young age. While learning music, she also began participating in beauty celebrations. During the years 2013 and 2014, Cohn saw her reputation improve a bit when she stood as a fourth and second runner up in the Miss Florida Jr. Preteen competition. She is also a BMG model. - Rupali Ganguly Bio, Age, Height, Husband, Movies, Net Worth & Wiki - Richi Shah Bio, Age, Height, Boyfriend, Family, Wiki & Net Worth Danielle was born and raised in Florida, USA. She was raised by her mother beside her older brother Chad Cohn. Danielle’s brother and mother encouraged her to try out modeling. She is quite remarkable, and they figured that she had the ability to succeed as a model. In 2012 and 2013, Danielle played in Miss Florida Princess. She emerged the fourth runner-up on her first attempt, and she advanced to second runner-up on her second effort. A year later, she competed in the Miss Florida Pre-Teen. This modeling competition was bigger, and it had more competition. However, Danielle got the competition, and she became famous in Florida. Danielle’s win meant that she brought top fashion brands looking for collaboration projects. Her social media accounts also grew considerably as everyone wanted to catch an impression of this growing talent from Florida. Danielle has cooperated with top fashion brands, and she continues to attract others. She has worked with Juicy Couture Clothing, BMG modeling agency, and Fashion Nova. Cohn’s social media following gives her an advantage over her competitors. Fashion brands like her because she reaches out to more people via social media. Cohn’s modeling star is still on the rise, and she will likely make it to the top. Danielle Cohn Net Worth Danielle Cohn has a net worth of $2 million. |Estimated Net Worth in 2022 (Approx)||$2 Million| |Estimated Net Worth in 2021 (Approx)||Under Review| |Annual Salary||Under Review| |Income Source||Model, singer, and social media star| Immense Rise To Stardom While partaking in some beauty pageants, Cohn also started offering modeling assignments with some leading brands targeted at the teenagers in the USA. Her popularity suddenly improved when she finally won the much-coveted privilege of Miss Florida Jr. Preteen Queen in the year 2015. Many companies began to book her for selling their products. Success in the beauty pageant also made her popularity increase in other social media channels. The viewership of her videos posted on the TikTok app introduced a lot of attention. She even drew 2.4 million fans on the app within months. Her other social media pages like YouTube and Twitter too began drawing a lot of interest from her fans. On Instagram and YouTube, thousands of people began following her immediately after she opened her accounts on them. After winning the pageant, she visited a national modeling competition in California. In California, she connected with a modeling agency that was based in Miami. The agency provided her with further training and signed a contract with her. Tie-up with this modeling agency made it possible for her to access more possibilities like working with one of the top fashion agencies in the USA, the BMG Modeling Agency. Some top brands in the USA like Lisa B Jewelry and Juicy Couture Clothing hired her up to model their products. Danielle Cohn Birth Certificate & Age Controversy On September 16, 2019, Danielle’s father, Dustin Cohn, has posted a long comment with his thoughts on his daughter’s social media attendance and said that she is only 13 years old, despite Danielle herself said that she was 15. “I have selected to set things right about my daughter Danielle Cohn,” he wrote. “For years I have done the diplomatic thing while dispensing with my daughter being online in a way I didn’t support of and trying to have it handled out of social media because I thought the system would work and keep my daughter safe.” “We got Pinterest boards with her photos and I told her mom I worried about pedophiles,” he wrote. “The pictures now have gotten worse and worse. I am finally saying something on social media because people need to be held accountable.” However, Danielle responded to her father’s post with an announcement on Instagram, saying she was happy he wasn’t in her life and she doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to. Later, the post was deleted. In June 2020, in a YouTube video titled “I’m Over It,” Danielle’s dad, Dustin Cohn, exposed his teen daughter again. Dustin revealed viewers Danielle’s birth certificate, which declares her date of birth as March 7, 2006. “I care about my daughter, I love my daughter, I wish I was with her as often as I was thought to with the custody agreement that I fought for in court,” he explained. In a YouTube video of her own, Danielle assured fans she is tired of defending herself on social media. “You can think whatever you want. I know who I am, I know my age, I know all that so it shouldn’t matter to you guys,” Danielle responded. “I told you guys the truth. There’s no need for me to keep telling you guys the truth because you guys won’t believe it anyway. It really sucks that he has to go so low to get his 10 seconds of fame and post YouTube videos, why do you need that? That just sucks.” She went on to claim that her dad likes to play the “victim” card. Danielle’s brother Chad also released a video against Dustin, allegedly that his father was addicted to marijuana and had a drinking problem, and would go “ballistic” when he didn’t have those substances. “I remember on multiple occasions, he would grab the knives that my grandfather would buy me for fishing, he would grab those knives, lock himself in the garage and threaten to kill himself,” her brother added. - Ram Pothineni Bio, Movies, Age, Father, Height, Net Worth & Wiki - Romelu Lukaku Bio, Age, Height, Parents, Religion, Net Worth & Wiki Cohn has served with agencies like BMG Models and Supermodels Unlimited. She started out as a cheerleader/pageant contestant at a young age. She competed in the Miss Florida Jr. competitions, ending in the top-4 on her first two tries. She won the title of Miss Florida Jr. Preteen in 2014. Cohn made a name for herself on the app Musical.ly (now TikTok). Her entertaining short videos have drawn more than 10 million followers and 2+ billion hearts. She pulled up a Teen Choice Award nomination in 2017 for “Choice Muser.” At present, Cohn has more than 4.8 million followers on Instagram (daniellecohn). She’s also active on YouTube with 1.7+ million subscribers and 233+ million views. Her standout YouTube videos include “My Mom Goes Through My Camera Roll (Bad Idea)”, “My Morning Routine” and “The Truth About My Life, My Story.” Cohn was part of the 2017 ‘Art Class Fall Semester’ for Target. The other participants were Bryce Xavier, Carson Lueders, Jacob Martin, Loren Gray, and Nia Sioux. Cohn was cast as “Lindsay Laduree” in the drama film, Pilot Error (2014). The film was directed by Joe Anderson and stars Kate Thomsen, Robert Cicchini, and Larry Herron. She appeared in a 2017 episode of the comedy series ‘The Chaos Wolves’ Her screen credits include Bachelor Lions (2018) with David Arquette, and the TV series Piperazzi and Style Sector. In addition to social media stardom, Cohn is a pop singer and songwriter. Her debut single “Marilyn Monroe” was published in May 2017 by Cavi Muzik. The supporting music video has been viewed 10+ million times on YouTube. Cohn collaborated with Greg Marks on the single “What’s It About You.” She was featured on the song “Hot Like a Cigarette” by Christian Lalama. In 2017 also saw the announcement of “Hate on the Summer” and “Fix Your Heart.” Cohn’s more recent singles include “Lights Camera Action!” and “Click Delete.” She combined forces with Dj Flash Horton on the song “Hurricane”, released in February 2019. Hate On Summer What's It About You (feat. Greg Marks) Fix Your Heart Lights Camera Action! Somebody Like You Little Like Paradise Before Love Existed Do It Better - Danielle began her Musical.ly campaign by posting lip-sync on pop star Becky G’s single, I Can’t Stop Dancing. - She usually posts 4 videos per day on an average. She posts 2 videos in the morning and 2 during the night. - Danielle has started a host of merchandise under the label of Danielle Cohn store. Her merchandise includes customized hoodies, phone covers, t-shirts, and other clothing items. - In 2015, she was honored as Miss Florida Jr. Preteen Queen in her third attempt. In her first two attempts, she had arranged to finish as 4th runner-up and 2nd runner-up. - She once gave her handmade teddy bears to sick children at the Children’s Miracle Hospital. - She has served as a cheerleader at a number of sporting events. Why Did Dani Cohn And Mikey Tua Break Up? Mikey And Danielle Broke Up A Couple Of Months Ago And What Started Out As An Okay Breakup Is Now Going Terribly With Threats To Expose Each Other And A Lot Of Instagram Livestreams. He Then Accused Her Of Moving On A Week After They Broke Up Even Though She Still Pretends To Love Him. How Do You Feel About Danielle Cohn? She’s Acting Too Old For Her Actual Age And Is Also Lying About Her Age. I Get That She Might Want To Be Treated Older But Lying About Your Age So You Can And Get To Wear What You Want Is Over The Top. Her Dad Released Her Birth Certificate And It Clearly States That In This Year She Should Be Turning 14. Why Are So Many Westerners Repulsed By Danielle Cohn’s Tendency To Wear Crop Tops And Be Mildly Suggestive? Because She Is 13 And Most 13-Year-Olds Don’t Act Or Dress As She Does. I Agree That Some Of The Clothing She Wear Is Mild And People Overreact As I Remember When I Was 13, I Saw A Lot Of Girls Act And Dress Older Than They Were, Maybe Sometimes A Bit Less Than Danielle Though. The Difference Between Them Is Danielle Does It For Views And Money, Whereas They Do It For Fun. Danielle Gets Paid More Than $10,000 For A Bikini Pic And This Is Shocking To Most People Because She Is 13 And Rarely Any 13 Year Old Would Do Something Like That. She Lies About Her Age And Says She Is 15 Instead Of 13 So She Can Still Make Money. Why Is Danielle Cohn So Popular? Danielle Cohn Released Her First Single Named By Marilyn Monroe In 2017 And After Her Release, She Received Several Million Views On YouTube Which Made Her Famous More Feature.

Reconstruction of Holograms Embed Size (px) Transcript of Reconstruction of Holograms 7/28/2019 Reconstruction of Holograms Reconstruction of sectional images inholography using inverse imaging Xin Zhang, 1 Edmund Y. Lam, 1, and Ting-Chung Poon 21 Imaging Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong 2 Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA Abstract: This paper discusses the reconstruction of sectional imagesfrom a hologram generated by optical scanning holography. We present a mathematical model for the holographic image capture, which facilitatesthe use of inverse imaging techniques to recover individual sections. Thisframework is much more exible than existing work, in the sense that it canhandle objects with multiple sections, and possibly corrupted with whiteGaussian noise. Simulation results show that the algorithm is capable of recovering a prescribed section while suppressing the other ones as defocusnoise. The proposed algorithm is applicable to on-axis holograms acquiredby conventional holography as well as phase-shifting holography. 2008 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (090.1760) Computer holography; (180.6900) Three-dimensional microscopy;(100.3190) Inverse problems; (100.3020) Image reconstruction-restoration; (110.1758) Com-putational imaging. References and links1. B. D. Duncan and T.-C. Poon, Gaussian Beam Analysis of Optical Scanning Holography, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 9, 229236 (1992).2. B. W. Schilling and G. C. Templeton, Three-dimensional Remote Sensing by Optical Scanning Holography, Applied Optics 40, 54745481 (2001).3. T. Kim, T.-C. Poon, and G. Indebetouw, Depth Detection and Image Recovery in Remote Sensing by Optical Scanning Holography, Opt. Eng. 41, 13311338 (2002).4. P. P. Banerjee and R. M. Misra, Dependence of Photorefractive Beam Fanning on Beam Parameters, Optics Communications 100 , 166172 (1993).5. T.-C. Poon, Recent Progress in Optical Scanning Holography, J. Holography Speckle 1, 625 (2004).6. G. Indebetouw and W. Zhong, Scanning Holographic Microscopy of Three-dimensional Fluorescent Speci- mens, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 16991707 (2006).7. T.-C. Poon, Scanning Holography and Two-dimensional Image Processing by Acousto-optic Two-pupil Syn- thesis, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 2, 521527 (1985). 8. C. J. Kuo, Electronic Holography, Opt. Eng. 35, 1528 (1996).9. K. M. Johnson, M. Armstrong, L. Hesselink, and J. W. Goodman, Multiple Multiple-exposure Hologram, Applied Optics 24, 44674472 (1985).10. G. Indebetouw, Properties of a Scanning Holographic Microscopy: Improved Resolution, Extended Depth-of- focus, and/or Optical Sectioning, J. Mod. Opt. 49, 14791500 (2002).11. T. Kim, Optical Sectioning by Optical Scanning Holography and a Wiener Filter, Applied Optics 45, 872879 (2006).12. H. Kim, S.-W. Min, B. Lee, and T.-C. Poon, Optical Sectioning for Optical Scanning Holography Using Phase- space Filtering with Wigner Distribution Functions, Applied Optics 47, 164175 (2008). #97622 - $15.00 USD Received 19 Jun 2008; revised 3 Sep 2008; accepted 6 Oct 2008; published 13 Oct 2008(C) 2008 OSA 27 October 2008 / Vol. 16, No. 22 / OPTICS EXPRESS 17215 7/28/2019 Reconstruction of Holograms 13. H. M. Ozaktas, Z. Zalevsky, and M. A. Kutay, The Fractional Fourier Transform: with Applications in Opticsand Signal Processing , 1st ed. (Wiley, Chichester, 2001). 14. T.-C. Poon, Optical Scanning Holography with MATLAB , 1st ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 2007).15. J. Swoger, M. Martnez-Corral, J. Huisken, and E. Stelzer, Optical Scanning Holography as a Technique for High-resolution Three-dimensional Biological Microscopy, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 19, 19101918 (2002).16. G. Indebetouw, W. Zhong, and D. Chamberlin-Long, Point-spread Function Synthesis in Scanning Holographic Microscopy, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23, 17081717 (2006).17. M. R. Banham and A. K. Katsaggelos, Digital Image Restoration, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine 14, 2441 (1997).18. J. M. Blackledge, Digital Image Processing: Mathematical and Computational Methods , 1st ed. (Horwood, West Sussex, 2005).19. A. Tikhonov and V. Arsenin, Solutions of Ill-posed Problems , 1st ed. (V.H. Winston and Sons, Washington, 1977).20. F. Natterer and F. W ubbeling, Mathematical Methods in Image Reconstruction , 1st ed. (SIAM, Philadelphia, 2001).21. L. Vese, A Study in the BV Space of a Denoising-deblurring Variational Problem, Applied Mathematics and Optimization 44, 131161 (2001).22. G. Aubert and P. Kornprobst, Mathematical Problems in Image Processing: Partial Differential Equations and Calculus of Variations , 2nd ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 2006).23. C. R. Vogel, Computational Methods for Inverse Problems , 1st ed. (SIAM, Philadelphia, 2002). 1. IntroductionOptical scanning holography (OSH) is a technique which records the holographic informa-tion of a three-dimensional (3-D) object on a two-dimensional (2-D) hologram by lateral scan-ning . Nowadays, it covers a great number of application areas, such as holographic uores-cence microscopy, remote sensing and biological microscopy [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The rst systemwas designed by Poon in 1985 . It is a two-pupil system, in which two coherent beams il-luminate a point pupil and a uniform pupil, respectively . They are then combined to takea raster scan over an object, and the holographic information is captured to form electronicholograms . Using optical scanning, multiple sections of an object are recorded on a 2-D hologram .Generally, the hologram is complex-valued and contains information from all sections. Thetechnique is advantageous as the hologram contains volume information of the 3-D object be- ing scanned. However, the challenge is with the reconstruction of individual sections from thehologram. The major reason lies in the suppression of defocus noise . From a hologramcontaining two or more sectional images to be reconstructed, when one intends to retrieve asection, the other sections will manifest as defocus images, which we treat as noise with regardto the in-focus section. The more sections a hologram contains, the more serious the defocusnoise appears. Therefore, the suppression of defocus noise is mandatory in the reconstructionof sectional images from a hologram. The conventional method to obtain sectional images in OSH involves computing the con-volution of the hologram with the conjugate impulse response at the focused position. Thisconvolution operation extracts the focus image but the image is contaminated with interfer-ences from other defocused sectional images. Two recent methods were developed particularlyto reduce the visibility of the defocus images. Kim proposed to reconstruct sectional im-ages by means of a Wiener lter, which is an optimal lter, in a statistical sense, widely used inimage restoration. The method was shown to outperform the conventional technique describedabove. However, the Wiener lter is optimal provided we can get accurate measurement of thepower spectral density. When the intensity distribution of a section is quite similar to the other,the estimator is biased greatly from the true noise, so that results would be less meaningful. Inaddition, it seems to work only with two sections, and with virtually no noise in the imagingsystem. More recently, Wigner distribution function (WDF) is also used in the reconstructionof sectional images . The method takes advantage of the relationship between fractional #97622 - $15.00 USD Received 19 Jun 2008; revised 3 Sep 2008; accepted 6 Oct 2008; published 13 Oct 2008(C) 2008 OSA 27 October 2008 / Vol. 16, No. 22 / OPTICS EXPRESS 17216 7/28/2019 Reconstruction of Holograms Fourier transform and WDF to distinguish the information of sectional images . Yet, for animage the Wigner distribution is a 4-D function, and the image reconstruction is thus compu-tationally intensive. Furthermore, both methods described above have only been demonstratedfor two sections. With more sections, the interference among those sections in a hologram islarger, resulting in more pronounced defocus noise. In this paper, our goal is to design a exible image reconstruction technique that can obtainsectional images from OSH. Our method requires only a moderate computational load typicalof image reconstruction techniques, can handle multiple sections, and incorporates noise in theimaging model. We achieve this by formulating the imaging using a matrix approach, resultingin an inverse imaging problem for the sectioning of the hologram. To cope with the ill-posednature of the imaging, regularization is used, together with an iterative approach using conjugategradient (CG) for the successive computations. This paper is structured as follows. In Section 2, we describe the basic principles of the OSHsystem and introduce the mathematical model we use for the imaging. A hologram contain-ing two sections is described as an example. In Section 3, the regularization technique andimplementation using iterative techniques are presented. Section 4 shows the results of twoexperiments on two- and three-sectional images resulting from holograms. Finally, Section 5concludes this paper. 2. Imaging Model 2.1. Principles of Optical Scanning Holography Optical Scanning Holography (OSH) records the holographic information of a 3-D object byoptical heterodynescanning. Its schematic is shown in Fig. 1, which was rst analyzed by Poonin 1985 . In the system, two coherent beams of different temporal frequencies + and pass through two pupils p1 and p2 respectively, and

Many laws restrict what we can say, at least in public. Examples are laws about confidentiality, consumer protection, contempt of court, copyright, corporate regulation, defamation, electoral laws, fraud, nuisance, obscenity, perjury, privacy, sexual harassment, terrorism, and treason. All these laws – and there are lots more – are justified. And it would be silly to object to them because they impair our freedom to say what we like – each law is meant to do just that. The objection would mistake an inane mantra for a logical argument. The question is not whether the law impairs freedom of speech, but whether that impairment is justified. Most cultures have had laws about insulting or offensive speech. The Code of Hammurabi banned ‘pointing the finger’ at someone’s wife. The Twelve Tables of Rome penalised anyone ‘who publicly abuses another in a loud voice.’ The Sermon on the Mount forbids ‘speaking contemptuously’ against a brother. Each of these laws impairs freedom of speech, but the only question is whether the impairment is justified. These laws have two obvious justifications. Words can hurt as much as knives and guns, and verbal attacks can lead to fights – and it is the first duty of the law to preserve the peace. There is nothing new-fangled about this. In a book written nearly 800 years ago, an English judge called Bracton said: An ‘inuria’ is committed not only when a man is struck with a fist or beaten with clubs but when he has been insulted or victimised by defamatory verses or the like. It is hard to think of a civilised nation thinking or acting differently. And civilised nations also have laws to defend the dignity of individuals against group smears. Take two laws in Victoria that deal with insulting or offensive language. A Victorian act forbids ‘indecent or obscene language or threatening, abusive, or insulting words’ in public, or behaving in an ‘indecent, offensive, or insulting manner’ (Summary Offences Act, 1966, s 17). You can go to jail for that misbehaviour. (Other states have similar laws.) Then a federal act says that you must not publicly insult or humiliate people because of their race (Racial Discrimination Act, 1975, s. 18C). That law leads only to regulatory action. Although the laws cover a lot of common ground – racial abuse in public might attract both – there are two obvious differences. The federal law is limited to language grounded on race, and it does not lead to criminal liability. People complaining about this part of the law only refer to the federal law. Perhaps the reason is that the state law allows the police to intervene where someone says in public to a man and his wife, ‘You are a coward and your wife is a black slut’ – either inside the Australian Club or outside a boozer at Alice Springs. Only a lunatic could object to that kind of law. It would be justified in the exceptions to the right to freedom of expression in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. That right is expressly subject to ‘such… restrictions or penalties prescribed by law and… are necessary in a democratic society…for the prevention of disorder or crime.’ A government that repealed such a law might find itself without coppers on the beat the next day. But if the state law is so obviously justified, why is not the federal law? It does not lead to jail, but it adds the requirement that the offending words be published because of the race of the victim. If the verbal attack is shown to be racist, does that not make it worse – will it not be more hurtful to the victim and more likely to start a fight? Again, it is pointless to complain that either law impairs freedom of speech. That is the very object of the law. Is the impairment justified? Perhaps we can look at it from the point of view of the objectors. They want to be free of this law. ‘Freedom’ in this context is ‘a faculty or power to do as one likes’. So, if people want to be free from this law, they want to be free to do what this law presently prohibits them from doing. That means that they want to be free to insult or offend others on the ground of race. Why would any sane decent person want to do that? Would you entrust anyone with such power? So, the first fallacy of the opponents of the present law is that they think that impairment of freedom of speech on its own answers the question. The second is their failure to deal with the penal offences which are obviously essential and which are not complained of. The third is that they attach an absolute value to the notion of freedom of speech that is not warranted. My freedom ends when it hurts you. There will of course be arguments at the edge. There are with all of our laws. But the principle is basic. It was recognised by the French in the Declaration of Rights shortly after the fall of the Bastille. ‘Liberty consists of the power to do whatever does not hurt others….The law has the right to forbid only actions that are harmful to society…. No one is to be disturbed because of his opinions, even religious, provided that their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law…’ The notion that we might do whatever we like might be too much even for Donald Trump – or Rupert Murdoch. So, why do some people in the media want to repeal the federal law? So that people who thrive on conflict can make more money? They work for people who publish for profit. The more power they have, the more profits they can make. They want you and me to give up rights so that they can insult and offend us with immunity from the law – and make more money to our cost. We are talking of people who live off the earnings of conflict. They are not pretty. It is appalling that some politicians seem ready to listen to them. But then you go back to 2004 when the press engineered from their politicians changes to the laws of defamation across the whole of Australia which were all in their favour and all against you and me. They bleated about the ‘chilling effect’ of the law after the High Court had exploded that nonsense. The law is meant to chill. But the press and politicians have always made an unattractive bunch of bastards when they get into bed together. As a result, you will not be surprised to learn that both Fairfax and Murdoch declined to publish a softer version of what is set put above. They are a selfish bunch. The notion that these trading corporations should be trusted to act in the public interest is at best hilarious. Take for example this bullshit from the editorial of the AFR of 17 December glorying in the conviction of Obeid and the role of the press in having him put down. But it was not without obstacles. Fairfax Media paid out $160,000 settling complaints made by Obeid. While there is rightly concern about free speech curbs in section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, the libel laws also let the powerful hide from proper inquiry. It is a disgrace that media organisations such as Fairfax Media have been penalised by the state for damaging the reputation of a politician now adjudged to have abused the trust placed in him. The defamation industry and the legal profession that sustains it should be ashamed of maintaining this conspiracy against the public interest. Personal reputations should be determined by the marketplace of free and open discussion. This breathtaking bullshit could only have been composed by someone with a very sad history with the law – perhaps someone who lost custody of the money. (If that is the case, condolences, but I think this paper may have form here.) The fact that a plaintiff has subsequently been convicted on other charges throws no light on his prior civil actions for defamation – unless the paper says the man should be outlawed retrospectively. The suggestion that libel laws let the powerful hide from proper inquiry is as silly as saying that they and 18C have a chilling effect – and does Fairfax want to join the Murdoch pogrom on this? If Fairfax paid out that money by settlement, they doubtless did so because their lawyers advised them that their relevant publishing history warranted those payments. If they want to bleat like this, they will go down as bad losers, as bad as Andrew Bolt and the tragically embittered Bill Leak. It is absurd to say that a newspaper’s settling libel claims constitutes being ‘penalised by the state’: and it would be even sillier to say that of a judgment of a court. So far, it is empiricism without the benefit of evidence. Then we move to metaphysics without the benefit of logic. Well, if you are murdering language, meaning and truth, why not be Catholic in your choice of arms? The second last sentence is raw paranoia, of Trumpian inanity, and the last sentence is pure ideological cant that would make the IPA dream of great expectations. Surely the newspaper that publishes Jennifer Hewitt, Laura Tingle and Philip Coorey knows that Australians don’t like or trust ideologues? How could a quality newspaper pack in so many boo boos and symptoms – so much bullshit – into a mere 112 words? But these are the people asking you and me to give up some of our rights against them. If we here were prone to that sort of silly talk, we might say that they ‘should be ashamed of maintaining this conspiracy against the public interest.’ And a happy Christmas and a better new year – we’ll be going bad to do worse. Poet of the Month: Vergil Soon the crops began to suffer and the stalks were badly blighted, and useless thistles flourish in the fields: the harvest is lost and a savage growth springs up, goose-grass and star-thistles, and, amongst the bright corn, wretched darnel and barren oats proliferate. So that unless you continually attack weeds with your hoe, and scare the birds with noise, and cut back the shade from the dark soil with your knife, and call up rain with prayers, alas, you’ll view others’ vast hayricks in vain, and stave off hunger in the woods, shaking the oak-branches.

The ISP Column A column on things Internet The North American Network Operator’s Group held its 64th Meeting in San Francisco in early June. Here’s my impressions of some of the more interesting sessions that grabbed my attention at this meeting. At the start of the year the US FCC voted to reclassify Broadband Internet access services under Title II of the US Telecommunications ACT, effectively viewing Internet access providers as common carriers, with many of the rights and responsibilities that goes with this classification. This “new” framework of the FCC for these services is described through 3 “bright line” rules: No blocking, No throttling, No Paid Prioritization. There is also a General Conduct rule about no unreasonable interference and no unreasonable disadvantage, and enhancements to the Transparency Rule relating to the nature of disclosures to customers over price and terms of service. The FCC has discretion not to enforce particular terms of the Telecommunications Act where the FCC believes that it is not necessary, and in this case the FCC has exercised forbearance over rate regulation, tariffing and unbundling rules to these Internet service providers. The latter, forbearance over unbundling, may well prove to be inadequate! In many ways this is not much of a change to the operation of the Internet access services sector in the US. Much of what happens today will continue. There is no direct change in the interconnection rules, nor any other major changes. The comment was made that the FCC is adopting a position of “regulatory humility” and says it will learn more as things progress. That’s certainly a unique admission from a telecommunications regulator, but perhaps these are indeed unique times of fundamental change in this sector. One thing is clear: this FCC action marks the end of the telephone network and its regulatory structure as we knew it. These days voice is just another Internet application. The issue now is one of where next? To what extent will further legal challenge influence the FCC’s rule making? To what extent will the emerging recognition of the Internet as the essential public telecommunication shape future rule making? What is the appropriate regulatory intent? It has been pointed out that the Simple Network Management Protocol, SNMP, is around 25 years old, and between that and a plain text command line interface that is still the mainstay of most network operations. SNMP is used to gather data and the Command Line Interface (CLI) is used to push configuration commands back to the network elements. These days we appear to have renamed the data gathering exercise “telemetry”, we have started playing with models of explicit “push” rather than the “pull” periodic polling model of SNMP, and taken the leap away from the rather obscure ASN.1 data encoding and headed on to use highly fashionable JSON data encoding. On the CLI side it appears that not an whole lot has changed, in so far as it still a set of scripts and regular expression parsing and a set of rules, and whether its Ansible, Puppet of any other of these frameworks for codified rules the underlying models is much the same. But one thing has changed, and thats the push from open software into this space. For many years it appeared that each outfit had its own locally developed network automation scripts and expended much effort in maintaining them. With the push to use one of these open software frameworks much of this local software maintenance effort is no longer required and instead attention can focus on higher level rule sets that attempt to correlate particular observations of network state with remedial actions. In other words we are seeing these systems evolve from simple outage dectectors and diagnostic tools into preventative intervention. However, it is always useful to bear in mind that when you combine even simple network structures, such as load balancing across multiple physical circuits, with edge-managed data flow control as we have with TCP data flows, the results can often be quite surprising. A network problem described by Facebook’s Peter Hoose was problem they called “microbursts”, where one of these physical circuits was operating at capacity while the other circuits in the bundle were not. The response was to reset the load balancing mechanism at the router in their network management system, which appear to solve the particular problem but unable to prevent its recurrence. It was only when repeated iterations of this form of network response proved to inadequate did they look to the traffic profile, and what they found was that the various TCP flow control algorithms had markedly different responses to small burst periods of relatively small congestion-based packet loss with the Illinois and Cubic flow control algorithms rescovering extremely quickly and the Vegas and Reno systems taking far longer. It just shows that you can’t look at the network in isolation from the protocols that make use of it. I chaired a panel on IPv6 deployment at NANOG. It appears that the last 12 months has been a critical period in the story of IPv6 deployment, and while the overall Internet-wide numbers have shifted by just a few percentage points, the story in some countries is markedly different, and in Germany and the United States the consumer market access providers in both fixed and mobile services have taken up IPv6 with some serious deployment effort, and this is being matched by a similar uptake in support from content providers. The panel had John Brzozowski from Comcast, the larges access service provider in the US, Gaurav Madan from T-Mobile, the US mobile carrier with a model of IPv6-only mobile service network with an IPv4 overlay, and Paul Saab from Facebook, who have large scale IPv6 support in their network. Almost one half of Comcast’s customer base now is able to use IPv6, and when you add in efforts by T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T then the surprising observation is that today almost one quarter of the US user base is now using IPv6. The Internet is a classic example of a network effect, where there is safety in numbers and providers tend to follow each other in order to ensure that they are not isolated. So what is the follow on effect when one of the more influential parts of today’s Internet performs a relatively rapid deployment of IPv6? Some other markets have also jumped, including Germany where IPv6 penetration is also at approximately one quarter of their national customer base, and Belgium where IPv6 is used by almost one half of the users in that country. All three panel members report that IPv6 provides a superior customer experience. Perhaps its due to the relative lack of network middleware compared to the extent of network manipulation that occurs in IPv4. It could be the lack of NAT state creation and maintenance. Or any one of a number of related factors. But in a world where milliseconds of delay can be measured in hundreds of millions of dollars in keeping a user’s attention, then this observation that IPv6 shaves away some elements of delay, then no wonder Facebook is keenly interested in supporting this protocol. I can’t help but wonder if this entire IPv6 saga is finally moving from a prolonged state of a seemingly endless onslaught of various forms of vapourware to one of real substantive progress - finally! I also learned something else in the IPv6 Panel session. In the mobile space there appears to be a significant level of competition for control of the user and the user experience. We have the mobile carriers, Wifi access operators, the handset manufacturers, the handset operating system and of course the applications themselves. Most applications make use of the underlying services from the host operating system, including the DNS name resolution service and the local TCP protocol stack. Facebook has taken a position of what I can only describe as a “paranoid” application and reduces its level of dependence on the host operating system to the bare minimum, and instead has loaded its own DNS resolution libraries and its own TCP flow control protocol into its own application, so that when the Facebook application communicates with Facebook services its Facebook itself that is driving both ends of the communication. We are going to see more of this. But this is not the only case where the application itself is defining the way in which it chooses to communicate. Google has also headed into this space with QUIC. QUIC is a reliable multiplexed encrypted UDP based transport. It subsumes the functionality that is provided with the Transport Layer Security function (TLS 1.2), the data reliability and flow control functionality normally provided by TCP and the multi-streaming parts of HTTP/2. These days using UDP as a substitute for TCP falls foul of various forms of NAT middleware. TCP does not have the same problem as TCP uses explicit end of session signalling with the FIN and RST flags. A NAT can remove its session binding for a TCP session when it sees a session complete with these flags. But UDP has no concept of a session, and NATs are left with guessing that there is a session and when a session has ended. Furthermore NATs have very different UDP behaviours which only exacerbate the issues in trying to create a reliable protocol on UDP in a world of NATs. QUIC assumes that a NAT will keep a UDP binding active for a minimum of 30 seconds of idle time, and will continue to maintain the UDP binding as long as there is active traffic. More aggressive NAT behaviour will break QUIC. It was also noted that QUIC requires a 1350 octet sized MTU. QUIC uses CUBIC flow control, with a number of additional TCP behaviours, including Forward ACK recovery (FACK), Tail Loss Probing (TLP) and Forward Retransmission Timeout recovery (F-RTO). However QUIC uses some additional behaviours that step outside of conventional TCP. For example, retransmission uses a new sequence number to disambiguate instances retransmission from the original data stream. Also coming is interleaved simple FEC, which would allow a received to perform reconstruction of a lost packet within a burst, support for multipath connections and lowering handshake overhead. QUIC eliminates much of the TCP + TLS handshakes that occur on conventional session start. If a QUIC client has previous conversed with a QUIC server it can start sending data in the initial packet. Google claim that 75% of Web connections can make use of this cold session restart capability. Google claim that approximately one half of the sessions between Chrome browsers and Google servers are made using QUIC. They also note that 70% of the traffic from Google is encrypted. It is noted that the entire QUIC header is essentially a UDP payload, and this means that it is included in the encrypted envelope. This is an interesting development in the so-called “protocol wars”. By walking away from TCP Google are essentially removing the entire stream from direct visibility on the network. Middleware cannot perform TCP header inspection and attempt to manipulate the flow rates by manipulating TCP window sizes. Middleware cannot insert RST packets into the data flow. Indeed almost nothing is left visible to the network in a QUIC session other than the IP addresses and UDP port 443. This is one answer to the claim that the pervasive deployment of intrusive middleware was throttling the Internet: simply remove the network's visibility of the entire end-to-end data stream control headers and leave behind just a flow of UDP with encrypted payloads. Its an interesting development in the tensions between the “ends" of the end-to-end Internet and the “middles" of the network packet carriers. Comcast has undertaken a lot of work in deploying IPv6 in recent months, and they are now looking to the point where IPv4’s position will be waning in their network, and what this will mean. One aspect that they have been looking at is forwarding hardware. Comcast run without a default route in their cores, and this means that they are running their interfaces with some 580K entries in their line card FIBs. And of course this number continues to grow. But if the traffic intensity of IPv4 is going to wane at some near term time then can they look forward to using line cards in the future with drastically smaller FIBs? Comcast’s Brian Field shared one very interesting observation: in a 6 day period in their network they observed that some 415K entries had no traffic at all! some 90% of the data traffic handled by the routers was directed to 3,156 distinct routing prefixed, and 99% of the traffic was sent to 25,893 prefixes. One possible response is to load the in-line FIBs with a far smaller “core” of active IPv4 prefixes, and send a default route via a tunnel to a nearby Internet egress point. This would reduce the size, power and cost of line cards in large amounts of Comcast’s infrastructure and at a performance cost of tunnelling the traffic destined to little used destinations. It’s an interesting thought at this point in time. Geoff Huston B.Sc., M.Sc., is the Chief Scientist at APNIC, the Regional Internet Registry serving the Asia Pacific region. He has been closely involved with the development of the Internet for many years, particularly within Australia, where he was responsible for building the Internet within the Australian academic and research sector in the early 1990’s. He is author of a number of Internet-related books, and was a member of the Internet Architecture Board from 1999 until 2005, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Internet Society from 1992 until 2001. He has worked as a an Internet researcher, as a ISP systems architect and a network operator at various times. The above views do not necessarily represent the views of the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre.

Using c-icap for proxy content antivirus checking on-the-fly Warning: Any example presented here is provided "as-is" with no support or guarantee of suitability. If you have any further questions about these examples please email the squid-users mailing list. Using c-icap for proxy content antivirus checking on-the-fly - Building c-icap server - Configuring and run c-icap server - Antivirus checking with c-icap, ClamAV daemon and Squidclamav - Antivirus checking with c-icap and virus checking module - Testing your installation - DNSBL filtering support - Performance and tuning For Squid-3.0 and later we can use ICAP for content filtering or antivirus checking. This config example describes how to scan for viruses on-the-fly using squidclamav antivirus module in combination with ClamAV antivirus service. It is a bit different with recommended squidclamav configuration and adapted for Squid-3.4 releases and above with latest configuration changes. This will be useful both for interception and explicit proxies. With proper ClamAV configuration verification brings almost no noticeable delay and performed with acceptable latency. Building c-icap server # 32 bit ./configure 'CXXFLAGS=-O2 -m32 -pipe' 'CFLAGS=-O2 -m32-pipe' --enable-large-files --without-bdb --prefix=/usr/local # 64 bit ./configure 'CXXFLAGS=-O2 -m64 -pipe' 'CFLAGS=-O2 -m64 -pipe' --without-bdb --prefix=/usr/local make/gmake make/gmake install-strip Configuring and run c-icap server Edit c-icap.conf as follows: PidFile /var/run/c-icap/c-icap.pid CommandsSocket /var/run/c-icap/c-icap.ctl StartServers 1 MaxServers 20 MaxRequestsPerChild 100 Port 1344 User squid Group squid ServerAdmin yourname@yourdomain TmpDir /tmp MaxMemObject 131072 DebugLevel 0 ModulesDir /usr/local/lib/c_icap ServicesDir /usr/local/lib/c_icap LoadMagicFile /usr/local/etc/c-icap.magic acl localhost src 127.0.0.1/255.255.255.255 acl PERMIT_REQUESTS type REQMOD RESPMOD icap_access allow localhost PERMIT_REQUESTS icap_access deny all ServerLog /var/log/i-cap_server.log AccessLog /var/log/i-cap_access.log Edit paths if necessary and start c-icap server. Add startup script to your OS. Note: Method OPTIONS is excluding from scanning in latest squidclamav release (starting from squidclamav version 6.14). So, permit access for it not required. Note: TmpDir usually set to /var/tmp (this is default). Be very careful when change it. TmpDir uses for temp files when oblect in memory greater than MaxMemObject. And this temp files (CI_TMP_XXXX) remains in TmpDir when processing complete. Schedule housekeeping for TmpDir otherwise free space on /var filesystem can ran out on high loaded servers. Note: In some cases you can increase MaxMemObject to increase performance at the cost of some increase in consumption of RAM. Sometimes it is advisable to set this parameter to the maximum value of the logical IO unit for your OS. Antivirus checking with c-icap, ClamAV daemon and Squidclamav Of course, this installation requires more resources, especially when installing on single host. But also provides more flexibility and - in some cases - more scalability. Build, configuring and run ClamAV daemon ClamAV including in many repositories and can be got from them. When configuring clamd, be very conservative with options. Defaults is good starting point. I do not recommend using SafeBrowsing due to performance and memory issues and DetectPUA due to much false-positives. Also take care about antivirus databases updates - it will occurs often enough. I use 24 times per day. Note: ClamAV daemon (clamd) is memory consumption service, it uses about 200-300 megabytes in minimal configuration (mainly used to store AV database in memory), it can be higher during deep scans of big archives. So, you can put it on separate node with fast network interconnect with your proxy (this option is valid only when using squidclamav). Note: It is important to set StreamMaxLength parameter in clamd.conf to the same value as maxsize in squidclamav.conf. I.e., uncomment and adjust in clamd.conf: Build and configuring squidclamav Installing SquidClamav requires that you already have installed the c-icap as explained above. You must provide the installation path of c-icap to the configure command as follow, compile and then install: # 32 bit ./configure 'CXXFLAGS=-O2 -m32 -pipe' 'CFLAGS=-O2 -m32 -pipe' --with-c-icap=/usr/local # 64 bit ./configure 'CXXFLAGS=-O2 -m64 -pipe' 'CFLAGS=-O2 -m64 -pipe' --with-c-icap=/usr/local make/gmake make/gmake install-strip this will install the squidclamav.so library into the c-icap modules/services repository. Then add the line below to the c-icap.conf file: Service squidclamav squidclamav.so Then adjust squidclamav.conf as follows: and restart c-icap server. Finally don't forget to put clwarn.cgi.xx_XX (where xx_XX matches your language) into your web server cgi-bin directory. As whitelist can be big enough, to reduce maintenance and simplify administration you can create separate file contains whitelist regex's and configure squidclamav as follows: # White list some sites # Abort both AV and chained program whitelist /usr/local/etc/squidclamav_whitelist where squidclamav_whitelist contains: clamav\.net securiteinfo\.com sanesecurity\.com clamav\.bofhland\.org threatcenter\.crdf\.fr ... Note: You may want to use I-CAP templates for redirection, against squidclamav redirection. In this case you must customize c-icap templates according to your needs. Squid Configuration File Squid-3.4 and older need to be built with the --enable-icap-client option. Newer releases have this enabled by default. Paste the configuration file like this: # ------------------------------------- # Adaptation parameters # ------------------------------------- icap_enable on icap_send_client_ip on icap_send_client_username on icap_client_username_header X-Authenticated-User icap_preview_enable on icap_preview_size 1024 icap_service service_avi_req reqmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/squidclamav bypass=on adaptation_access service_avi_req allow all icap_service service_avi_resp respmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/squidclamav bypass=off adaptation_access service_avi_resp allow all IPv6-enabled operating systems may resolve localhost to the dual-stack enabled ::1 address. If you have troubles with connectivity to IPv4-only ICAP services, just replace localhost above with 127.0.0.1. Antivirus checking with c-icap and virus checking module Like eCAP, you can perform antivirus checking with libclamav. This not requires daemon and fries up to 500 Mbytes (average) required to run clamd. This can be useful for single-tier setups. I-CAP modules provides provides two submodules: using ClamAV daemon, and using libclamav only. Build c-icap modules Download last modules, then configuring and build according your ClamAV and c-icap build types (32 or 64 bit): # 32 bit GCC ./configure 'CFLAGS=-O3 -m32 -pipe' 'CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/clamav/include' 'LDFLAGS=-L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/local/clamav/lib' # 64 bit GCC ./configure 'CFLAGS=-O3 -m64 -pipe' 'CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/clamav/include' 'LDFLAGS=-L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/local/clamav/lib/' gmake gmake install-strip To build submodule clamav_mod (uses libclamav) you can require patch your c-icap installation with last fixes. It uses OpenSSL headers dependency and you can have problems with modules build. This can be workarounded if your system has an older OpenSSL version (i.e. 0.9.8). To do that just add old OpenSSL headers path to CPPFLAGS variable. Configuring c-icap modules Add non-default parameters into clamav_mod.conf: clamav_mod.TmpDir /var/tmp clamav_mod.MaxFilesInArchive 1000 clamav_mod.MaxScanSize 5M clamav_mod.HeuristicScanPrecedence on clamav_mod.OLE2BlockMacros on Add non-default parameters into virus_scan.conf: virus_scan.ScanFileTypes TEXT DATA EXECUTABLE ARCHIVE DOCUMENT virus_scan.SendPercentData 5 virus_scan.PassOnError on virus_scan.MaxObjectSize 5M virus_scan.DefaultEngine clamav Include clamav_mod.conf Add following line at the end of c-icap.conf: Note: You also must create symbolic link in ClamAV installation directory pointed to ClamAV antivirus database directory, configured for daemon in clamd.conf, for example: # ln -s /var/lib/clamav /usr/local/clamav/share/clamav Finally restart c-icap service to accept changes. Squid Configuration File Squid-3.4 needs to be built with the --enable-icap-client option. Newer releases have this enabled by default. Paste the configuration file like this: icap_enable on icap_service service_avi_req reqmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/virus_scan bypass=off adaptation_access service_avi_req allow all icap_service service_avi_resp respmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/virus_scan bypass=on adaptation_access service_avi_resp allow all When using squidclamav, you must bypass whitelisted sites with Squid ACL's and adaptation_access directives. Also you can customize virus_scan module templates to your language etc. Also beware: without clamd you will have the same 300-500 megabytes of loaded AV database to one of c-icap process with libclamav. Testing your installation Point your client machine behind proxy to EICAR test virus and make sure you're get redirected to warning page. For really big installations you can place all checking infrastructure components on separate nodes - i.e. proxy, c-icap server, ClamAV. That's all, folks! DNSBL filtering support In case of paranoia, you can also enable DNSBL URL checking support to your c-icap compatible setup. To do this you requires to download and install c-icap modules: # 32 bit GCC ./configure 'CFLAGS=-O3 -m32 -pipe' 'CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/clamav/include' 'LDFLAGS=-L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/local/clamav/lib' # 64 bit GCC ./configure 'CFLAGS=-O3 -m64 -pipe' 'CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/clamav/include' 'LDFLAGS=-L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/local/clamav/lib' gmake gmake install-strip then add this to your c-icap.conf file: Module common dnsbl_tables.so Include srv_url_check.conf Adjust srv_url_check.conf as follows: Service url_check srv_url_check.so url_check.LookupTableDB whitelist domain hash:/usr/local/etc/domain.whitelist "Whitelist" url_check.LookupTableDB blackuribl domain dnsbl:black.uribl.com url_check.Profile default pass whitelist url_check.Profile default block blackuribl url_check.Profile default pass ALL url_check.DefaultAction pass AddXHeader "X-Next-Services" Note: Using whitelist is good idea for performance reasons. It is plain text file with 2nd level domain names. All hostnames beyong this domains will be pass. Also setup DNS cache is also great idea to improve performance. and add this to your squid.conf: # DNSBL service # Requires to enable "Module common dnsbl_tables.so" in c-icap.conf, # and install and configure c-icap modules! icap_service service_dnsbl_req reqmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/url_check bypass=on adaptation_access service_dnsbl_req allow all Finally you must restart c-icap service and restart your squid. That's basically all. Note: Add DNSBL ICAP service before ClamAV antivirus service. When using squidclamav AV service, can be better to create adaptation chain on requests, like this: icap_enable on icap_send_client_ip on icap_send_client_username on icap_client_username_header X-Client-Username icap_preview_enable on icap_preview_size 1024 icap_service_failure_limit -1 # DNSBL service # Requires to enable "Module common dnsbl_tables.so" in c-icap.conf icap_service service_dnsbl_req reqmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/url_check bypass=on routing=on # ClamAV service icap_service service_avi_req reqmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/squidclamav bypass=on adaptation_service_chain svcRequest service_dnsbl_req service_avi_req adaptation_access svcRequest allow all icap_service service_avi_resp respmod_precache icap://localhost:1344/squidclamav adaptation_access service_avi_resp allow all When using DNSBL, it is recommended to set up a DNS cache on the c-icap host for performance. Performance and tuning In practice, configuration with clamd and squidclamav is fastest. In fact, squidclamav using INSTREAM to perform AV checks is the best way. You may need only adjust the amount of the workers in the c-icap service according to your load. You will have only two bottlenecks - the interaction of your proxy server with c-icap and interaction of c-icap with antivirus service. You need to reduce latency of these interactions to the minimum possible. In some cases, placing all services on a single host is not a good idea. High-load setups must be separated between tiers. - Do not do extra work - use white lists where possible. - Avoid overload - especially in the case of all services installed on a single host. - Reduce memory consumption as possible. Do not set high clamd system limits - these increases latency and memory consumption and can lead to a system crash during peak hours. - Use chains to adapt and customize the sequence correctly, and make correct access - so as not to overload the individual stages of unnecessary work. c-icap workers produces high CPU load during scanning in all cases. You must minimize scanning as much as possible. Do not scan all data types. Do not scan trusted sites. And do not try to scan Youtube videos, of course. On some Solaris setups you can get performance gain by using libmtmalloc for c-icap processes. Just add -lmtmalloc to CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS when configuring. This also can reduce memory lock contention on multi-core CPU boxes. This solution can also reduce the memory consumption problem for clamd. Clamd with custom databases (SecuriteInfo, etc.) or latest version (0.102.x) uses 700 megabytes of RAM and above. Better in this case to use separate servers. Due to last ClamAV utilizes a lot of memory (up to 1 Gb RAM), multi-tier setups can be better. To build this, keep in mind: . c-icap should remain on squid's tier; due to squid connectivity with c-icap over TCP is non-reliable. . squidclamav will talk with clamd via TCP; just modify squidclamav.conf and restart c-icap: clamd_ip your_clamav_tier_ip clamd_port 3310 . Comment out clamd_local in squidclamav.conf. . On ClamAV tier uncomment this parameter in clamd.conf and restart daemon: . Don't forget to open TCP port 3310 on ClamAV tier firewall. To monitor some runtime statistics from C-ICAP, you can use solution, as described here with some additions and corrections. You can use both CLI and web interface to monitor C-ICAP via built-in info service. To use CLI, use this command (or add it as shell alias): /usr/local/bin/c-icap-client -s "info?view=text" -i localhost -p 1344 -req use-any-url or, as shell alias: alias icap_stat='c-icap-client -s '\''info?view=text'\'' -i localhost -p 1344 -req use-any-url' The result will looks as shown: ICAP server:localhost, ip:127.0.0.1, port:1344 Running Servers Statistics =========================== Children number: 3 Free Servers: 27 Used Servers: 3 Started Processes: 5 Closed Processes: 2 Crashed Processes: 2 Closing Processes: 0 Child pids: 24689 15427 4947 Closing children pids: Semaphores in use sysv:accept/4 sysv:children-queue/5 Shared mem blocks in use sysv:kids-queue/30 13 kbs General Statistics ================== REQUESTS : 44501 REQMODS : 39336 RESPMODS : 5071 OPTIONS : 94 FAILED REQUESTS : 5 ALLOW 204 : 44245 BYTES IN : 25625 Kbs 486 bytes BYTES OUT : 5679 Kbs 536 bytes HTTP BYTES IN : 16232 Kbs 612 bytes HTTP BYTES OUT : 212 Kbs 887 bytes BODY BYTES IN : 2621 Kbs 532 bytes BODY BYTES OUT : 192 Kbs 288 bytes To get same info via web, just add this lines in squid.conf and reconfigure: # ICAP info service. URL: http://icap.info acl infoaccess dstdomain icap.info icap_service service_info reqmod_precache 1 icap://localhost:1344/info adaptation_service_set class_info service_info adaptation_access class_info allow infoaccess adaptation_access class_info deny all Use url above to access stats page. Here is also Munin plugins for C-ICAP monitoring (performance-related /runtime stats): When upgrading c-icap server, you also need (in most cases) to rebuild squidclamav to aviod possible API incompatibility. In case of c-icap permanently restarts, increase DebugLevel in c-icap.conf and check ServerLog first. Beware, DebugLevel 0 is production value, which can mask any problems during tune up. To apply multiple adaptation services to the same transaction at the same vectoring point, one must use adaptation_service_chain. Adaptation order is often important from adaptation logic or performance point of view, but Squid supports any order of chained services. Squid adaptation chaining code does not even know the difference between ICAP and eCAP! For example, an adaptation_service_chain containing an ICAP service followed by an eCAP service, followed by another ICAP service is supported. When you require both c-icap and eCAP in one Squid's instance, you must remember: order of adaptation service/chain definitions and adaptation_access ACL's is important. Adaptation logic defines in adaptation service default order of preference, in adaptation_access directives define which services or chains are able to be used for the transaction being considered. In some cases, adaptation actions chain can be mutually exclusive. So, be careful with adaptation configuration. Thoroughly test adaptation logic. Note: The simplest case is to chain adaptations with the same access scheme. When access scheme is different for chained adaptations, use adaptation_access in correct sequence to achieve required adaptation goals.

To establish the cost of a minimum viable product, we first need to determine its definition with clear boundaries. So, what exactly is a minimum viable product? A minimum viable product is a technique where a product with just sufficiently usable features is delivered to the users. But this is not the final product, further iterations of the product follow according to the reviews of the users. In this way, we deliver what the customer wants and validate our idea, along with saving a whole lot on a bunch of trivial features. Here is a simple curve that defines the MVP cycle: Eric Ries, Co-founder of IMVU and author of “Startup Lessons Learned” delivered a lecture in Stanford Technology Ventures Program on “Building an MVP”. In the lecture, he defines an MVP. “What you (entrepreneurs) think a Minimum Viable Product is, is way too big. Take what you think it is, cut it in half and do that two more times and ship that!” – Eric Ries The focus here is that the product should be minimum and it should be useful, nothing more and nothing less. If you get it right, you can easily get investments to run your mobile application project. The Australian Government provides grants up to $25,000 for MVP to support promising businesses. Many entrepreneurs confuse a minimum viable product with a prototype and drag themselves into the pit of delivering an unfinished product. Application development clients who lack in making this distinction also find high variation in the price for developing their MVP. A few year ago, Henrik Kniberg, drew a picture (see below) to use it in a various presentation to explain the correct way of developing a minimum viable product. In this picture, you can see the difference. A skateboard is not a car, but it is not a tire either. The first product is minimum and yet usable, unlike the tire which is minimum but not viable. Now that we have established exactly what an MVP is and how is it different from a prototype, we can move on to the cost of building an MVP app. Ways to continue with building an MVP app - Building a manual version yourself - Hiring individual freelancers - Hiring a software development company or mobile app development company - Outsourcing internationally Most of these options need some investment, and you should establish a real budget you are going to spend on your MVP. 1. Building a Manual Version Yourself This build up is a good place to start building your minimum viable product. At this stage, it’s not a problem if you can’t code. There are many tools available in the market that can help you do that. Most of these tools are free of cost. All your budget will include is the cost of registering a domain, i.e., around $10. Some of the tools you can use are: Customer reviews are central to any MVP app project.This tool enables you to keep track of all your customer interactions. QuickMVP allows you to test multiple solutions of landing pages and saves you the trouble of coding and programming with the help of templates. They also provide a built-in Google Ad creator. Launchrock is another favourite tool that allows its users to create brilliant “launching soon” pages. It also provides built-in sharing tools and analytics. Launchrock will help you capture email addresses. Once you sign up, you’ll land on the following page where you’ll enter your project name, a one-line description, a short description, etc. Your project name is the face of your whole project so make sure it’s good enough to be click-worthy. The next big thing is the one-line description, so this shouldn’t be ignored either. It’s like a meta description of your page. When you write your short description, be sure to keep the ‘short’ part in mind. It should not be too long as it may the short attention span of the people that crawl through the internet. Choose the social networking sites you want to share on, click on the social network option and enter your customised CTA. One of the drawbacks of Launchrock is that there is no inbuilt source to manage your registered emails. So, you need to go to outside sources for organising and keeping track of all the sign-ups. Pay extra attention to designing your page; this is what attracts customers. Finally, create a hosted page for your site, or you can choose to use a widget. Many people quote this to be one of the must-try-in-a-lifetime kind of a tool. It allows account team members and clients to offer feedback and communicate. They offer a landing page builder with features like an inline CSS editor, and alignment, grouping and distribution, etc. to design your page. They also allow marketing automation through traditional CRM. The analytic dashboard on Instapage allows assessment of campaigns with ease. These are start up tools and will not take you all the way. You’ll need to consider other options at some point in time, but they’ll get the initial job of an MVP done! 2. Hiring Freelancers Hiring freelancers is a definite cost-cutting option. But if you decide to hire a freelancer, you need to take action on a lot of specifications of your app on your own. The primary reason why people choose to hire freelancers instead of companies is that of the vast difference in the budget. If you begin to build from scratch with a freelancer, that benefit of your’s will go out of the window. Pen down everything, from features to wireframes and design. Also, research the best technologies to use for your purpose. Balsamiq Mockup is a wireframing tool that helps users to design and sort app ideas. One major benefit of working with freelance developers instead of agencies is that you’ll know how and how much of your job is being done. To hire a freelance developer to build your MVP app version, with all the work as mentioned earlier set in hand, should cost around $15,000 to $20,000. 3. Hiring a Mobile App/Software Development company The best thing about hiring an agency for MVP development is that they are organised enough to cut down your efforts. Their project manager and developers will handle and communicate with each other to give you the best services. They save you the trouble of hiring a different expert to put together a team. They have designers, developers, UI/UX experts, etc. to give you the best MVP product possible. Their excellent project management and all sorts of resources will make you the best-optimised product. These were the merits, but it’s kind of obvious that despite these brilliantly tempting services people still sort other options, which is due to its greatest demerit. Hiring a mobile app development company or a software development company will definitely be heavy on your pocket, at least comparatively. Besides, the other options, freelancers show a lot more flexible and pliant attitude towards their contract. While this may seem unprofessional and fussy for some, others may find the rigidity of a company a little too overwhelming to work with. The cost of hiring an agency for your MVP development can vary substantially. The minimum cost will be somewhere between $30,000 to $50,000. This price may increase depending on the skillset, services and past experiences as well as achievements of the company. 4. Outsource Internationally Probably the biggest merit of outsourcing internationally is the cost. Entrepreneurs look for freelance outsourcing sites for building an MVP because of this obvious benefit. A developer in such a case may cost you somewhere between $500 to $5000, depending on the skillset. One of the most overlooked benefits is its no-strings-attached policy. You can bring in a developer for a preferred period (as it suits you) get your part done and move on. The level of commitment and tied contracts required with agencies does not exist in this space. Your outsourcing doesn’t have to come from a single place while developing an MVP. This multiplicity in skillset is another benefit of outsourcing internationally. However, you’ll need substantial technical knowledge and management skills to undertake such a project. Along with this, there is also a linguistic hurdle that you’ll face as most developers do not find English to be their first preference of communication. Some entrepreneurs with a first-hand experience in outsourcing internationally, say that “You get what you pay for”. With increasing number of revision, the cost also multiplies. That’s some ending paying more than what you signed in for. Once you’ve decided on the type of source for your MVP, the next step in determining its cost is the technology stack. A technology stack is essentially software products coupled with programming languages used to build your MVP. MVP is merely a way of getting quick feedback from the users. While choosing the right technology for your MVP, you should bear in mind that you don’t want to overwhelm yourself with costly technologies. That being said, your technology stack shouldn’t compromise with quality. One feasible and efficient option is open outsource technology. Open source technology is software with source code that anyone can inspect and enhance. Open source tools, especially for back-end technologies, will also reduce the time to market. Avoid blindfolded reliance on market share, rather, look for recent development from a variety of contributors. At the MPV stage, there is a fair chance you will end up rewriting pieces of your technology stack when you scale. But a well-designed stack will make the task more feasible. Here are some points where we need to focus while choosing the right tech stack for the MVP: - Databases to determine the storage, connection and representation of information. The majority of software projects, use two main types of Databases, these are called SQL and NoSQL. The first one is chosen over NoSQL in most MVP. - Server Infrastructure and ‘the cloud’ that combine physical machines and digital services. ‘The cloud’ stands for running your services on an external infrastructure for a fee. Therefore this means, without ever dealing with any physical infrastructure. - The back-end programming. This is basically how various programs work together to connect and interact with the server. - The front-end services that is basically user interface and design of your MVP. - Application Programming Interface used for interconnection between programming languages. MVP development cost is calculated on a timely basis so the longer it takes to build your MVP the higher its cost. The other option with MVP expenses is to lock a particular price. Ready made tech stack solutions can also be considered. Although, going with native is always the better option to ensure quality in your final product. A Minimum Viable Product is a crucial step in app development and can prove to be an accelerator when it comes to startup. If done right with proper cost calculations, your MVP may even help you gain some backup cost for the final application development.

Paying for Assisted Living and Independent Living Other than the varying levels of care that the two senior housing options provide, a significant difference between assisted living and independent living is the financial resources that residents use to pay for their stay in the communities Here are a few: Assisted living residences are usually comfortable and private apartment homes, whereas independent living residents may have the choice of a larger villa home. Sometimes (not always) assisted living residents will live in an area of the community dedicated to those services, making the assistance more accessible and convenient In independent living, dinner is often included as part of your monthly fee, and many communities offer different options from fine dining to casual take-out, or residents enjoy cooking meals at home. In assisted living, all meals are typically included and residents are encouraged to eat in the dining room with friends Assisted living is. This isn't simply a matter of medical access either. A senior citizen who needs help grooming or dressing themselves, for example, might need to consider assisted living, as they will not get that kind of help at an independent living home Assisted living is best for seniors who could use some help with daily activities like getting dressed, bathing, grooming, and keeping track of medications. These services are generally not provided for residents of independent living communities . Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that by 2030 there will be 70 million senior citizens ages 65 and older living. It's a fact that independent senior living residents are able to live on their own with limited assistance and without around-the-clock supervision, whereas an assisted living community will offer access to multiple levels of care services including 24/7 skilled nursing, the kind provided at nursing homes Independent senior living and assisted living tend to be very different facilities, although they may exist in the same community. There are three main types of independent senior living and each type dictates the kind of care you can receive. » MORE: Create a FREE will in only 10 minute The following text is the video transcript to Arthur Bretschneider's in-depth explanation on the differences between the two types of elder communities, independent living and assisted living. To watch this texts corresponding video on senior living, click here Assisted living offers access to the same fun amenities and helpful services as an independent lifestyle. However, the biggest difference lies in the level of care involved. People in assisted living pay a higher amount each month, earning them the full range of support from onsite staff members Senior apartments provide advantages of both independent living and active adult communities. Because communities are age-restricted, residents can feel comfortable that they will meet new friends with similar interests, and they benefit from the many amenities and services offered in independent living communities Comparing the Costs of Independent and Assisted Living. Rent and utilities represent the primary cost for independent living residents, according to Wallace. Aging adults who live in communities that offer specialized recreational opportunities (e.g. private golf courses) may incur additional expenses in the form of membership and/or joining fees Financial resources for assisted living facilities and independent senior living. In addition to the differences in the provision of care levels, independent living and assisted living facilities are distinguishable based on the financial resources that can be utilized to cover the cost of living in these communities A senior living community is a generalized term that includes many different types of senior care and housing. Senior living communities include independent living, assisted living, retirement communities, nursing homes, care homes, and memory care. The terms senior living community is the main heading to encompass the variety of senior. . Assisted Living. Independent living communities include townhomes, apartments, condos or almost any other type of housing. They are simply there for like-minded adults of similar ages who want to live among each other Independent or Active Senior Living Assisted Living. Assisted Living facilities offer a level of care that can include a spectrum of health care to personal care options. Assisted living facilities focus on helping residents with the activities of daily life. Some residents may require help with personal hygiene, mobility, medication management. One of the most important things to understand is the distinction between Assisted Living and Independent Living. Both options at Park Springs foster dignity, ease caregiver stress, and help our Members live longer, healthier lives. You can have your own private apartment in Assisted Living or a home, cottage or villa in Independent living, but. Independent Living vs. Assisted Living is a common question during the exploration process, so we provided a little more detail to help you. senior Independent Living. Active seniors who need relief from yard work, snow shoveling, home maintenance, or house cleaning may consider a senior independent living community. These communities offer. Independent Senior Living vs. Assisted Living Depending on your abilities to perform daily tasks independently such as bathing, dressing, and taking medicines, you may decide whether independent or assisted living is better suited for your lifestyle Senior Apartments. One difference between a senior apartment and an independent retirement community is that senior apartments are designed for convenience. They often offer an easier lifestyle for an older adult since there is no more yard work and household repairs. And because senior apartments are age restricted, older adults are surrounded. Assisted living, by contrast, greatly expands upon the level of care a senior can expect at home. Because of these more extensive services, assisted living tends to be more costly than independent living. Assisted living is also more likely to be covered by long-term-care insurance, employee benefits programs and Medicaid Independent vs Assisted Senior Living: Understanding the Differences . When seeking out and researching the perfect retirement community, it can be overwhelming attempting to figure out exactly what level of care is right for you or your loved one. Some people would be happiest in an independent living facility, while others could benefit from. Independent Living, Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing Care? Oh my! If you know a bit about senior living communities, you know that options abound. There are options for floor plans, meals and food, recreational groups, and housekeeping services. Options abound at senior living communities, from food to recreation to apartment floor plans Selecting a Senior Living Facility is a big step, whether it is for yourself or for a loved one! There are many factors to consider and probably the most important issue is first determining whether you or your loved one needs an Assisted Living facility, or if an Independent facility will work No, independent senior living is not the same as a nursing home. Independent living implies that the resident has a high degree of independence and requires little to no assistance with day-to-day activities. Nursing Homes vs Assisted Living Facilities. While some people use the term nursing home and assisted living facility. A CCRC is a type of senior community that offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care, all on the same campus or within the same building. There is a hefty up-front entrance fee as well as an ongoing monthly charge. In most states, CCRCs are strictly regulated by the. Assisted Living communities are designed for individuals who have difficulties with chores at home. Residents receive help with housecleaning, personal care, meal preparation, medical care, etc. There are often monthly calendars for the facility which are full of activities, events, and trips, and residents are supervised It might be a certified nursing assistant, an RN, an LVN, or a doctor. For many seniors with health issues, having medical care in-house is important. For a closer look at the difference between these two options, check out our assisted living vs. independent living comparison guide Most assisted living facilities offer both short-term and long-term care depending on the needs of the senior elderly. Many communities allow you to terminate your stay at any time, provided you give a 30-day notice. Continual care; Assisted living facilities have skilled and experienced staff members to ensure the well-being and safety of. While ISL Communities offer independent living, assisted living, and memory care, let me give you a brief description of the four most dominate senior living options available. Independent Senior Living Communities are best suited to seniors who are living an independent, self-sufficient life. They offer a carefree lifestyle, freeing residents. However, there is a notable difference between independent senior living and assisted living communities that comes down to the levels of care offered. For example, assisted living residents are incapable of living on their own, whereas independent living residents are able to live their lifestyle without any assistance Independent Senior Living residents can also benefit from our continuum of care options; Ask your community representative for a free worksheet to help you compare your current living expenses to a Brightview Independent Senior Living Retirement community. Senior Assisted Living encourages independence but still provides the help that is needed. Magnolia Gardens Senior Care is the most dedicated and loving assisted living facility in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Our highly-trained staff and amazing 2-to-1 caretaker ratio ensures that every single resident that walks through our doors gets the best care for the entirety of their time with us Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care Silver Glen Senior Living South Elgin, Illinoi The smartasset.com blog, Senior Independent Living: Definition, Services, and Cost, provides an in-depth overview of what independent living has to offer for seniors. Assisted senior living. For seniors who desire or require daily help with personal care, but are still fairly independent, assisted living is a great senior living choice. Independent Living Background Information. As the name independent living community suggests, these communities, which may also be called retirement communities, 55+ active adult communities, or independent senior living, are intended for elderly persons who can still live independently, but desire less stress and day-to-day responsibility With an independent living or villa living community as your resource, you can maintain a comfortable and secure quality of life without having to move multiple times. Communities designed around aging in place help their residents thrive throughout shifting phases of life, offering assistance and medical care as needed in the comforts of. Seventy Five State Street. Assisted Living . Independent Living 69 resident capacity. 5. The Park Danforth. Assisted Living . Independent Living 39 resident capacity. 6. Atria Scarborough Independent Living vs. Other Senior Housing Options. The main difference between independent living for seniors and other housing options for older adults is the assistance provided for daily activities. If you want to have an independent lifestyle and do not need regular help with tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, managing your medications, and more, an independent. Elmcroft Independent Living communities provide older adults the convenience, amenities and comforts that make retirement living carefree. Choices abound, from apartment floor plans and restaurant-style dining options to social and educational programs, live entertainment and amenities — all offered to make it easier for you to pursue retirement living on your terms Independent senior living differs from continuing care communities, which offer independent living along with multiple other levels of care, such as assisted living and skilled nursing, in one single residence. Independent senior living residents are permitted to use third-party home health care services to meet additional needs Senior Independent Living Homes vs. Assisted Living Homes. Many senior living communities will offer a number of programs so that every resident receives the care they need. For active seniors who enjoy recreational activities and socializing, a senior independent living home is often the right choice. In an assisted living home, residents are. The residents in a senior living community can look forward to getting help with home maintenance, yard work, housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and more. Dining Options and More. Although the care independent living provides doesn't require residents to be given three meals a day like assisted living, many offer dining options. Seniors. Offering assisted, independent and memory care services, Desert Winds is another top-notch community in the valley. Desert Winds offers three types of floor plans for assisted living residents. Whether a two-bedroom, two-bath or one-bedroom, one-bath is what you desire, Desert Winds has a plan for you. Studio apartments are available as well April 14, 2021 / Assisted Living, Independent Senior Living / by Eastside Active Living. Senior living is a broad term that covers two different levels of lifestyle choice available for seniors — assisted or . read more With independent senior living apartments, you can expect comfort and privacy. Each apartment in Ovation Heartwood Preserve has a spacious, open floor plan, full kitchen, and simple heating and air conditioning controls. The community also provides plenty of outdoor space to enjoy, walking and biking trails, a state-of-the-art fitness center. Independent Living at Sunrise. A Wide Range of Options. Many of our independent full-service, senior living communities are Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) and offer independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing respite stays, and memory care Services & Amenities Independent vs. Assisted Living Assisted Living residents enjoy a private apartment and all of the amenities that Independent Living residents do, but they also have the option of availing themselves of a range of services including assistance with dressing & bathing, mealtime escort, medication management and more For an older adult, the choice between assisted living and independent living usually depends on how well an individual can manage daily activities without extra assistance. Examples of daily activities include, but are not limited to: preparing meals, personal hygiene, managing medications, completing household chores, driving/coordinating transportation, and maintaining personal finances Rather than offering hands-on care, senior independent living options provide a bit of extra help when needed — but without this help, residents could manage. While housing arrangements can vary quite a bit, ranging from apartment communities to co-ops, around 84.5% of independent living residents would recommend their communities to someone. The top advantage of an independent living community is receiving assistance with housekeeping and meal tasks, and a centralized hospitality service building for seniors to socialize said Regina Wallace, Hebrew Home at Riverdale's director of independent senior apartments and assisted living program Assisted Living vs Independent Living: The Key Differences, Explained More than 54 million Americans reached the 65-or-older age group as of 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau . So, if you have a loved one in need of senior care, you're not alone Assisted living is a housing option for seniors who cannot live independently and need help with medications and daily living activities, such as bathing, grooming, eating, dressing and going to the bathroom. Assisted living facilities are referred to as ALFs in the senior living industry. AssistedLiving.com With a myriad of options to pick from - nursing homes, assisted living communities, and inter-generational retirement homes among others, this is no easy task. Lately independent living communities have created a lot of interest among seniors. Their concept of limited assistance, has found acceptance among a section of the elderly population. Video Transcript. Terence O.: Obviously, the biggest concern for older adults, financially, as they age is the specter of running out of money. Outlasting their money, outliving their money, that weighs heavily on most senior citizens' minds. There are many financial benefits to living at a senior community.First of all, you have a set price so that at the beginning of the year, you can. The transition to assisted living is easier. You've already made the senior living decision and probably discovered it was one of the best choices you've ever made. If at some point you need it, assisted living is the next step on the journey. Think of it as independent living with more personal services At Richfield Living, residents enjoy a comfortable quality of life, regardless of their stage in life's journey. Whether you are looking for vibrant independent living; need assisted living care, memory care or short-term or outpatient rehab, we have you covered with our skilled facilities for senior living in Roanoke and Salem

I presently call my new home “Rathole Cottage” or “Cockroach Cottage,” depending on daily beastie sighting frequency. When I fix it up, it’ll be “Von Trapp Mansion.” I call my grandmother’s chaise “The Brown Beast.” I call my landlord “Pothead.” (Not original, I know.) His children are “Zeke & Deke.” What nicknames do the rest of you give to the various entities in your lives? Share them with us! The names could be good or bad, people or things, johnson or hoo-hah, whatever. “The Purple Giant” is already in use. Don’t ask. Actually, I’m kind of kicking myself for never going to The Scary Gyro Place before it closed down. Again. This time for good, I think. My little sister drives “The Green Hornet” My big sister drives “The Silver Bullet” We call my brother “Skippy” (Yeah, he loves THAT at 30) We used to call Soupo “The Boy” before he got a brother. Now we use names. The Little Woman has been known to (lovingly) call me “Idiot”. Here’s an evolution of nickname for your collection: When I brought my son home from the hospital, he could not lay still when held. He was constantly squirming around. Hence, he earned the nickname “Squirmy the Wormy.” Which I bastardized into “Skirmy the Wormy.” Which I shortened to “Skirmie.” And I now call him “Skirm.” Most recently I’ve taken to referring to him in the third person: “Is The Skirm ready for school?” The evolution took more than seven years. In college, most of the people in my major (Computer Science) had nicknames. Most didn’t know their own, since they were usually not flattering and not used to one’s face. Here’s a sample: Fatty Longhair - self explanatory The Gamesmaster - guy who was always reading roleplaying game manuals during class YFD - Yan F**king David - guy who was good, but a complete suckup and ass. Nakedguy - not really naked, but came to class shirtless and sweaty once. consequentlythereforebecause - Phil, I think, was his real name. He spoke really fast, but never actually said anything. At work, we have a cabinet piled full of dead power supplies that we call the “tower of power”. I have a friend nick-named “The Big Toe”. He drives a truck that we call “The Toe Truck” I call my brother Brat boy… That’s the only nickname I really have for anyone… My cat’s name is Willyum and I call him (along with most of the family) Dill. Wilyum > Will-a-dill > Dill. The other cat is Bernard, or Nard-o. My little sister is Anna-ban (from Anna bananna) My room is the pit. My SO is Beautiful. (My mom thinks that’s disgusting. Its not used in a googly pet name way, I’ll call across the house for him with it. And he answers. And my mom rolls her eyes and sighs. Hehehe.) My nickname, apparently, is “Hey Asshole!” For a while my friends and I used to call everyone “The Guy” and every place “The Place”. Someone would say “I’m meeting the guy at the place at noon” which could mean “I’m meeting mom at the bank at noon” or “I’m meeting Lisa at the coffee shop at noon”. Oddly enough, we were hardly ever confused about this. Sadly, this is now out dated. No one says it anymore, and when I try to bring it back to life I get weird looks… I also call my guy “Ball”. It sounds a lot cuter in Swedish though. And it works with so may prefixes, such as Sweet Ball, Dumb Ball, Sex Ball, Tired Ball… Oh and possible TMI-warning! When my brother and I were still living at home I had the unpleasurable experience of going to the bathroom after my brother. It was nasty, I couldn’t even go in there and I asked him “What kind of ugly things have you been doing in there?” My mom heard me say it and damn near fell over laughing and now, “ugly things” is what my entire family calls taking a dump. shaking Claudia, Bitchmonkey, Names I only use when saied person is not present: Turkish Bride (she married in Turky last year), **bulimic Claudia (there are just too many Claudias), the Brit, big momma Places when I was little: slap-hill (named after a fight I lost), devils-hill… cow-green (that s in Cambridge. And if the cows are still alive I bet they are still “mooing” in the public green right in the middle of the city) of course there is always fat 80s blob (my p.e. teacher) I always refer to men with especially strange beer-bellies to “bowling belly men” cause it looks like they are hiding a bowling ball under their cloths. And my grandma used to be legs-ache grannyto tell her apart from my other grandma. Now she is travel granny. and of course I forgot one damn /b…grrr sorry I tend to hand out nicknames. My old place of employment was a great place to do this. The “smoking crew” that hung out by the east entrance consisted of: Slim Shaggy, aka Greasy Mike, Fucking Guy, Red Coat, Dan the Man, Doug A Butt, Ralph Notgonnaworkhere… aah the memories. My first car: Desdemona. 1985 blue Olds Calais. We were reading Shakespeare when I got it. It was later dubbed “The Blue Blur”. My VW Golf I affectionately call “the VeeDub”. I had an apartment on Elm Street once, so it was called Nightmare. People thought it was a nightclub when I’d say “I’ll meet you at nightmare.” And then there’s me… I’ve been called Crash, Skippy, and, of course… Rasa. I had a boss once (actually my boss’s boss) who couldn’t be bothered to remember the names of all the guys who worked under him. So he handed out nicknames just like ringing a bell. The only problems were these: (1) He only had 2 nicknames that he alternated between: Chainsaw and Rambo. (2) He also couldn’t be bothered to remember who he had been calling “Chainsaw” and who he had been calling “Rambo.” Consequently, you might get into a situation where you were standing right beside him and realize two or three sentences into what he was saying to you that he was talking to you: Ray: Chainsaw, I want you to drive down to the supply house and get us some stuff. We need 4 pairs of gloves, 50 sawzall blades, and one of those big Gatorade coolers. After that, Rambo, I need you to – Me: You talkin’ to me? This all reminds me of the great Bill Cosby line: “One day I’m out playing in the rain, and my dad yells, ‘Dammit, will you get inside!’ And I said, ‘But, Dad, I’m Jesus Christ!’” My father has a penchant for weird nicknames and I have sadly picked up the gene. Dad’s nicknames: my older sister Andrea; Drediel, your idiot sister, the madam for my younger sister Janet; worm face thing, Ratzo Rizzo, little EP, Baby Jan and your other idiot sister. for me; breadbasket, Sharnon, Kuklapoliton Christmas Celebration. (don’t ask) He has dubbed my grandparent’s home in Palm Springs The Winter Palace. My grandparent’s are the old people so I get messages like this on my voice mail: “The old people are firmly ensconced in the Winter Palace. Give 'em a call but make sure you have enough time to let the phone ring for a good 15 minutes so they can hear it.” He met his best friend in 1st grade (he is now 64) in the bad boys corner. One October evening when I was about 4 (about 30 years ago) Allan (dad’s friend) called and I raced to answer the phone. This is what my dad heard. me: hello. Yes. No. Yes. Uh huh, uh huh, yes, ok hold on. Then I held the phone out to my dad and said, ‘Here, its Uncle Allen’ What my dad did not hear UA: Hello! Is this Sharon UA: This is the Great Pumpkin (the charlie brown special had been on the night before) Did you watch me on TV last night? UA: Do you know who the Great Pumpkin is? He come around every Halloween and bring candy to all the good little children in the pumpking patch. Have you been good? UA: Did you go trick’er treating? me: uh huh UA: Would you like me to bring you some more candy? me: uh huh UA: OK. Sharon can I talk to your Daddy me: yes. ok hold on Dad took the phone and he could hear my uncle swearing under his breath. When Dad got the whole story, he fell on the floor laughing that Allen had been bested by a four year old. From then on, Uncle Allen became the Great Pumpkin. EVERYONE calls him that. He has a million little pumpkin things. There is alway a pumpkin on his birthday cake and his wife Maxine is known as Mrs. Pumpkin. I didn’t find out how he got the name until last year. Go figure. Hmmm, I used to call TD “my petite flower” or “delicate penguin” but now I just call him “mic mac paddy-whack, give the mom a bone” The kids are “little man” or “tiny rainman”(boy) and “lumpy” or “meatball”(girl). Maybe I should go back to my original thought and call em Rocky and Bullwinkle. (TD still calls em “icky and sticky” on occasion) I’m just “the picture of grace you kids call mom” or geek, the latter from a six year-old. The last car we had, which I loathed, I named “the party sedan”. I have a brother that I for a time (still occaisionally) call Doffy. Josh -> Joshy -> Joffy -> Doffy. It never actually evolved as such, I just made the leap along that path in one bound (I often deliberately and grossly distort things I’m saying, a habit that I appear to have inherited off my mother, so it’s not so strange, that’s just one that stuck for a bit). Two of the larger chain supermarkets where I live are Winn Dixie and Publix. These are called “Winn DickMe” and “Pube Licks”. In HS, we’d all play softball on Saturdays, and afterwards we’d try and buy beer at the Deli nearby. The guy would never sell it to us, since we weren’t 18 yet. So we dubbed the place “Cocksucker’s Deli”. My car, which has carried me to hundreds of concerts, is “The Dead Sled”. My older dog is “Grumpy”, and my sister-in-law is “Dopey”. 2 down, five more dwarves to go. My neighbor is “Mr. Neat Freak”. At work, my cube is in the basement of an old restored building. We call the basement “Bedrock” or “Satan’s Fungus Mine”. Some of my co-workers: Burger Boy, Stick Boy, Lard Ass, Lurch, Sprockets, Invisi-Bill, Randy Roids, Whiffy, The Chimney, The Shitter, and The Furniture Nazi. In the hotel where I work, there’s an overweight exotic dancer (strange, but true) who comes in and out occaisionally. We call her Mama Jiggles. When the gas station down the street started selling booze (not just beer, but also large selection of wines and hard liquor), Mr. Legend and I started calling it “The Drink ‘n’ Drive.”

Your search for the perfect guide to help you write a newsletter ends here. Read on to learn everything you need to know about newsletters. In my initial days, I always thought, “Emails, huh. Are people still using it!” Thankfully, it was not until I wrote one for an influencer marketing campaign two years ago that I realized it is much more than just cranking a 200-word letter. See, you’re not the only one to gag over the idea of writing emails. It seems easy and outdated, isn’t it? Like who in the seven heavens would care to read your mail, quite frankly, even I don’t open too many of them. So, how come it became the most incredible marketing tactic? Yes, the coolest. Don’t believe me? Let me throw you some facts here. In 2020, the email marketing industry was valued at $7.5 billion, and it is anticipated to shoot up to $17.9 billion by 2027. That’s not just a statistic showcasing emails as major marketing weaponry. It’s social proof that amidst the social media bandwagon, emails still exist. Though everyone’s familiar with emails, do you know many entrepreneurs struggle with writing newsletters? It’s uncanny but true. Email marketing is not simple. It takes a lot to make it to the inbox of your customer and get them to open your mail. The Right Way To Create Email Newsletters There’s a preconceived notion that emails have to be short and catchy, which is the right way. But trust me, the shorter the content, the harder it gets to write it down. So, today we’re going to learn about this correct method a little differently. We’ll understand the Whys, the Whats, and the Hows of the newsletter in a short bit, but before we move further, let me ask you a little question: Have you ever volunteered or been asked to write a “clickbait” newsletter? If yes, how was the experience? Tell me in the comments below. I had a harrowing experience at first. It took me a long time to figure out how emails worked. They seemed simple, but they weren’t. Over time, the process became comforting. Trust me, when you see those numbers creeping up, it becomes more fun. If you’re new, I promise you’ll learn as much as possible from this article. So, while you’re reading, I urge you to jot down your doubts as you read on. We have a Facebook Community Page which you can join and post your doubts there. We’ll have a hearty discussion and clear them all out. So, let’s get going. What Is A Newsletter? Newsletters are valuable pieces of content that contain stories, information, announcements, promotions, and other interesting content. Businesses use newsletters to drive traffic to their website, drive sales and grow relationships with customers. This is called email marketing. According to experts, email marketing generates a 4200% return on investment. It’s huge, right? But that’s not the only special thing about emails. There are many benefits of email marketing. Let’s take a look at them one-by-one: Benefits Of Email Marketing – Why You Should Send Out A Newsletter In addition, email marketing is also cost-effective in comparison with traditional marketing. A study by McKinsey & Company suggests email marketing is up to 40 times better than social media. The study also shows that purchasing happens three times faster in emails than in social media. In other words, you can utilize email marketing tactics to launch your business into space. 2. Ability To Personalised Content It is a great way to leverage personalized content to grow your business. No wonder 87% of marketers use emails for advertising their content. Therefore, if you’re a marketer who wants to forge relationships with customers, emails are the way to go. 3. Improves customer experience When subscribers engage with your content, you can use those metrics to gauge your content marketing strategies. - How Many People Opened Your Mail And - Click Through Rate On Your Mail, - How Many Reached Out Your Website Through Newsletter These are some of the key indicators that can help you improve the reader’s experience. 4. Person-to-person Interaction Imagine getting an email from a brand you love. Wouldn’t you be interested in reading what’s inside? Influencers have become who they are today thanks to this idea. They use emails to interact with their followers. People love to interact when they believe the business cares about them. The bonding will help you to generate leads from scratch. Also, this interaction encourages people to share the content with their friends. 5. Drives Sales At The Cost Of Haystack! The nature of email marketing is such that you can earn a lot at the cost of a dime. There is no need to pay for the print, postage, advertising, or any other expenses. It is thus the best way to automate your sales cycle. When customers subscribe to your mail, they’re already into your content. You just need to tempt them to purchase something at an extra discount or for free if they’re new to your list. 6. Drives More Traffic To Your Website Or Social Media What would you like your customers to experience when they visit your website? Is there any new product you are offering? If yes, then how would you call them out? A newsletter can be one of the most effective ways to increase traffic to your website and social media. You can add buttons that link to your website, Spotify podcast, YouTube channel, or Instagram handle. Newsletters should also provide connections outside of email. Once you become valuable, readers will want to socialize. What better way to do this than to utilize social media? 7. Builds Brand Recognition This goes without saying that personalized emails improve your brand recognition. Have you seen Swiggy, Uber, or other companies send exquisitely curated emails to their customers? Such emails contain relevant information, new offers, exciting coupon discounts, or just an informal heads up to check their app. Wouldn’t it be worth it to follow these footsteps and create catchy email newsletters for your small business? So, as you saw, email newsletters are a top-of-the-line tool to create a buzz within the audience. Do you also want to write unique newsletters? Here are the elements that make up a newsletter. Elements Of A Good Email Newsletter 1. Subject Lines: The Trump Card This is what the reader sees first. Therefore, the subject line must be impeccable without any excuse. Subject lines can make or break the whole campaign. They have to be right on the money. If they’re boring, there’s no reason to open them. One of the best methods is to address the recipient by their first name. Even a “Hey Judy” can work wonders for you. The reason is simple. When you call someone by their name, it sparks awareness and makes them more attached to your message. Writing names also helps you stand apart from the copy-pasted newsletters. Here is an example where an outreach program contacted its subscribers using this tactic- “John, Can you represent us at Stephens University?” Now, Stephens University happens to be John’s alma mater. Wasn’t it cool how they utilized a bit of research to create a personal connection? The reader will certainly want to at least open and read the mail. Another good way to write good subject lines is by reviewing good newsletters. Keep a spreadsheet file to record those impactful subject lines or any copy that is relevant. They’d be your tiny “ideas pack.” You can use these for brainstorming and create something unique. 2. An Engaging Preheader Copy After the subject line, the next thing that readers will come across is a subheading or a preheader. Make sure you tease them a little more along with the headline. This gives you an outside chance to stand apart from all the inbox noise. A preheader acts as the bridge between your subject line and the content. So keep it as simple and relatable as you can. Take this for example: “Learn it Right” gives you another chance to break into its free training courses.” It’s simple and worth skimming i.e, readers will be tempted to scroll down. So, make it as concise as possible, approximately 70 characters. 3. Top Stories Or Featured Content What’s that one awesome piece of content that you’d like everyone to read? Use this content to feature at the top of your newsletter. It not only builds curiosity but also helps you drag visitors to the website straightaway. Narrow down your options until you filter down that one must-read content. This concept is very common in newspapers. The big headlines you see are the most newsworthy. As a result, they make the top of the page. The same goes for your subscribers who will want to read something worthwhile upfront. This featured content provides them with an early peek into your content library. Also, it’s a good practice to analyze your best work every now and then. 4. Use Graphics And Images Your newsletter needs more than just text. It should be something that the readers can relate to from a distance. This generational transition in content marketing is fueled by visuals. In newsletters, it’s even more important to hook recipients with relevant visuals. You can try memes, short videos, or GIFs to pull them into reading your newsletter. The key is mixing up the visuals along with the text. The caveat is to avoid using blurry images that could hamper the appearance. There’s nothing more disgraceful than a low-quality image that does not embed properly within the content. As a result, it hampers the reading experience. You must use clear, crisp, high-resolution images that serve a purpose in your newsletter. 5. Use Scannable Layout- Blocks, Zig-zag, Inverted Pyramid, Etc Have you seen the layout of a newspaper? It has a block-by-block pattern that displays content under different blocks-big or small. Similarly, you can use blocks to organize your newsletter content. This not only improves readability but helps the reader discover important topics. An organized layout provides a direction to the reader. Do you read the newspaper thoroughly or skim through the headlines? Even if you do read thoroughly, your eyes don’t tire out because of the pattern. Now, you get why patterns are important. Even magazines, ebooks apply the same tactic—all for improving the reader’s experience. Along with blocks, you can also try out other email layouts like the inverted pyramid or the zig-zag method to make it more attractive. The key to these layouts is to come straight with the most important information at the top and then follow up with extra details down the line. You have to take the structural constraints into account for email marketing. Because the attention span of your subscribers largely depends on your layout. 6. Include Titles And Descriptions For Each Type Of Content This is similar to why we use subject lines in our emails. The same way a subject line pulls you into the Inbox, titles, and descriptions do the same. Let me be honest. People don’t read all your content. Sometimes, it’s the title that gets your content the desired attention. Therefore, each piece of your content must include a title and a one-sentence description. The description helps the reader get a bird’s eye view of the theme of the content. It makes your content more noticeable to the reader. 7. Strong And Prominent Call-to-actions A killer Call-To-Action gets the customer closer to purchasing your product. Without this, you can’t expect your reader to become your customer. It’s incredible how CTAs play with the human mind. People want directions. Rather than thinking for ourselves, we like it when someone tells us what to do. By including a call to action, you can encourage the reader to take the next step (action) to your website, visit your social media, or go to any online portal where your products are listed for sale. Some examples of the most effective call to action are: - Click Here To Open - Buy It Now - Don’t Miss Out - Schedule A Meetup Today - Register Today Now, these are not the only ones, but you’ll get the idea. They’re short, crisp, and action-oriented. Also, make sure these CTAs are the most visible on the page. You can use contrasting colors to make the CTAs pop off the newsletter. Trust me. The design makes a huge difference. Meanwhile, statistics love CTAs too. A research study shows that newsletters with CTAs led to a whopping 1600% increase in sales. Yes, read that again. It’s a simple trick without any rocket science behind it. So, write clear and excellent CTAs to make your newsletter click-worthy. 8. Use the 90:10 rule There is a high chance your reader doesn’t want to purchase your products or services at the moment. If they’re your subscribers, they already are loyal customers. While they may need to see offers and discounts, you must also provide them with some relevant information. If you provide good content, readers will be more inclined to purchase your products and services. This is why you should divide your content as 90% informational and 10% promotional. Don’t send promotional content unless you have some big announcements, exciting offers, or some important company news share. The informational content serves as the glue in your sales cycle. It keeps the customers waiting for the big surprise. 9. Lead Them With Links You don’t just want to leave them hanging within the newsletter. You have to lead them somewhere. To ensure readers stay updated on the progress of your campaigns, you must also provide a link to your social media handles. The social icons on your newsletter must be visually appealing, so it is easy for the subscribers to follow you. You can also send them to a landing page, a product, or anyplace else where you wish to drive traffic. 10. Use A Checklist Your subscribers don’t want to read everything you send. So, it might be wise just to ask them what type of content they’d like, how often they would like to receive emails, what they like or dislike about your product and many more. Here, a checklist helps you personalize the user experience. Let the users tell you what works for them. This way, you build loyalty among the audience. Who knows, you might even get a thank you note from your readers if you follow this practice! 11. Unsubscribe Option As part of the new rules and regulations, You must provide your subscribers with an option to opt out of receiving future newsletters. You have to include this in the footer of your newsletter. Also, you have to make it clear that they won’t be receiving any more emails in the future. Check out this message I received from Stage 32, a creative writing platform while writing this article: Look how polite it is. It’s about acknowledging your reader’s patience and gently asking them if they want to continue or not. It’s a healthy practice to take care of your readers, isn’t it? How To Create An Impact With Your Newsletter? Now that you’ve all the tools in your pocket, it’s time you learn some key pointers to carve out an effective newsletter. First, let’s talk about what you, as a writer, can do to make it work. Then we’ll take the customer’s point of view: A. From A Writer’s Standpoint 1. Decide On A Specific Topic You don’t want to sound all over the place with your newsletter. Often companies get repetitive with their content. And that spoils the overall messaging. So, narrow down on a specific topic you want to talk about. Some options that you may consider for newsletter ideas: – A new content you created (Youtube video, blogs, infographics, podcasts, etc.) – Some projects you’re working on. Giving them a heads up about your progress or simply asking them for some suggestions can never be a turn-off. – Customer reviews & success stories – New product launch – Monthly round-ups – Recent surveys conducted at your company – Behind-the-scenes videos and content from your company – Informative content (best practices, listicles, etc.) Once you’ve zoned in on your topic, it’s time to craft a story. 2. Tell A Story Storytelling is an evergreen tool for any type of communication. By stories, I don’t mean life stories. People don’t care much about life stories. They just want their pain points to be addressed. I know it’s harsh but true. I’m talking about telling a story that is relevant to the situation. Prepare a great hook. It could be anything related to your customer reviews or the success stories. You have to play with the reader’s mind. It’s part of human psychology to hear stories. But at the same time, don’t make the story all about you. Ask yourself: If someone sent me this mail, would I read it? Your story must have some common objective i.e, to provide value to the customers. I know I’m blabbering this every second line, but it’s true that it’s a golden tactic to appease your customer base. 3. Keep The Story Short And Simple On average, an American receives 130 emails per day. Clearly, nobody has the time to open and read a long story. So, keep your emails short and crisp. Use bulleted lists and margins to convey your point. Avoid using more than 5-6 sentences in your email. The shorter, the better. This way, you’re doing yourself and the readers a huge favor. The time you save from creating short emails allows you to focus on distribution. 4. Be Consistent How often will you send your newsletters? Daily, weekly or monthly. All are good, depending on how often your subscribers prefer to consume if they like to open your mail daily. Great! Send them every Saturday if they like it every two weeks or monthly, awesome. Send them accordingly. You must figure out a schedule and stick to it religiously. Research says it’s a good practice to send an email daily or every other day. But in the end, it all comes down to what works for you the best. So, try experimenting with all types of frequencies- daily, alternate, weekly and monthly. You can even ask your audience for suggestions regarding the schedule. This can help you get a perfect idea. Additionally, once a pattern is established, you can always involve your audience for further suggestions or changes. 5. Write To An Ideal Reader. Write as if you’re reading it out to a friend. This will help you make the content more relatable and conversational. Reading it out aloud is the best editing practice. Whoever it may be – you reading out to yourself or to your friends, the purpose is clear – To make it specific and personal for the reader. From A Subscriber Standpoint: How To Get The Subscribers To Love Your Email Newsletter? 1. Ask People To Sign Up Now that you know a little about human psychology, you’d understand why we need to ask people to take action. Because we all love directions. When you ask them to sign up for your mail, it creates an actionable impact on the reader. Writers and small businesses often don’t like to get out of their bubble. While they think asking is more of a pestering activity, readers tend to like it. A simple “Sign up to the newsletter” can work if done in a “non-salesman-like” manner. 2. Offer Them Incentives Quite frankly, no one will read your newsletter if you don’t have something to offer. People want valuable content, service or product. So, you have to give them something to hold onto like discounts, free trials, free sign-ups or a social media feature. And if you have planned for something, let them know beforehand. It takes an open-line communication style to set the tone for a great reader experience. As a result, the audience remains intrigued while you gain constant traffic. Remember, it’s the intent to provide value that matters. 3. Optimize For Mobiles A study by SuperOffice revealed that approximately one in five email campaigns are not optimized for mobile devices. But, what’s the need to optimize your email for mobiles? You must have heard marketers talk about “how to make emails look good for mobiles.” Why? What’s the big reason? Well, answer this question first. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? If it’s not a smartphone, keep your spirits up. But what about the rest of the world? About 80 percent of smartphone users check their mobile phones within 15 minutes of waking up each morning, reports a study from IDC. That’s how we live these days. Strange, but we have to adjust to this transition. Thus, it’s very understandable why more than half of people check their emails on smartphones. And if the email is not fairly optimized, they simply delete it. Either the link gets grouped clumsily, or images don’t load properly, resulting in a poor reading experience. The good news is that we have the right method to deal with this problem now. Here are some of the best practices involved in mobile optimization: – Use links and CTAs larger than 50-pixel range – Use space between so that there isn’t any accidental clicking – Use services such as TinyPng or Photo Resizer to reduce your file size up to 70% without affecting quality. – Use the “from” label, subject line, and the preheader text very cleverly. These are one of the first things a reader sees in an email. So, you have to make these words count. Take these steps now, and very soon, your newsletters will start to look great on mobile phones. I hope I have laid down the basic steps, but if you feel there’s more, feel free to add in. Spread your word! 4. Utilize Segmentation Techniques The segmentation technique refers to separating your subscribers into different segments or parts. Let’s suppose you conducted a survey where you found out about the user’s preferences. Based on what they opt-in for, you can now send them personalized content respectively. For example, if someone opts in for some job-related content, you can send them articles about various courses, internship programs, or recent job postings. As a result of what emails they open or which links they click, you can send them more emails about the topic they’re interested in. This is called segmentation, and it works far better than non-segmented lists—the reason being a simplified reader experience. So, make sure you put a little thought into your customer’s preference and craft your emails in segments. Although it will take time, you will reap so many benefits. 5. Use A/B Subject Lines. It’s another name for Temporary or Extra subject lines. A second email could be sent to a similar set of customer segments with an additional subject line so that you can assess which of the two emails was more successful. It’s more about experimenting with multiple subject lines in tandem. So, make sure you have created a list of at least a dozen subject lines from different sources. Pick two at a time and let them play out. This practice improves your subject line writing. This results in a better understanding of your subscriber’s likeability. As a result, knowing your audience will result in more impactful content. 6. Keep The Design Simple. A newsletter can easily look cluttered if it lacks harmony in its design. The lack of whitespace and jarring colors make it unbearable for the reader to look into. Every designer needs white space. Whitespace makes the design uncluttered and easy to skim. While designing anything, make whitespace your best friend. Another significant aspect is the coloring. Make sure the CTAs are brightly colored. They should appeal to the reader in one go. Try as many different combinations as you can until the perfect one rings in for you. The purpose is to keep the design natural. Now, don’t worry if you don’t know enough about designs. Tools like Canva offer free tutorials to beginners where you can learn the basic techniques of designing. And trust me, designing is fun. Once you start going, there’s no way back! What Is The Best Place To Create A Newsletter? A big shout out to the internet. You can create anything for free. Beginners can easily experiment with so many free tools available. Below, I have shared a list of 10 softwares where you can create and get your newsletter up and running in a flash: - ZURB Ink - Stampa (via Litmus) - Campaign Monitor - Email on Acid Now, here’s how you can create newsletters using these tools: - Sign up with your email address, Facebook account, or Google account. - Choose the best template. You can browse and choose from a wide range of newsletter themes. - Check out the features. - Add some personal touch to your design. - Publish and share. Yes, it’s that simple. Get your hands dirty and start creating. Where To Find The Best Newsletter Writers For Hire? A newsletter is one surefire way to build your audience. Once you start hitting those numbers and people start pouring in, you’ll realize how much fun emailing can be. The content marketing efforts can be cumbersome. You may not get the time to create your newsletters though it’s something you’d enjoy learning. Constraints are inevitable, so it’s best to outsource in that case. There are many platforms where you can find newsletter writers. The best writers can be found on agency.contentwriting101.com Other places where you can find newsletter writers including – Fiverr, Upwork, freelancer, etc. So, Are You Writing The Newsletter Now? Now that you know about the elements and best practices, it’s time for the rubber to finally meet the road. Pick your topic, craft an awesome subject line, write your content using storytelling and visuals, include an impactful CTA, revise the draft at least a dozen times, and now you’re ready to send them flying. But hey! Hold on. I think I missed one thing! Don’t forget to put in some research. Analyzing some of the best email newsletter examples gives you a good idea of how it should be done. So, with this, I leave you with some of the best newsletter examples by Brafton. You can use these as references if you’re thinking of writing newsletters. Other sources include Hubspot, which has an ultimate lookbook of newsletters from some of the best companies. The internet is filled with information. Learn from your resources and keep digging until you find your style. Once you have a few ideas under your belt, you will be able to craft the newsletter of your dreams and set your business on course. So, are you feeling inspired to craft your first newsletter? Is there anything you’d want to add here? I’d love to have it discussed in the comments!

Do you want to learn how to make a drum for your kid who loves drumming so much? Have you always wished to buy your own drums and good drum machines, but you think they’re too pricey? In this article, we’ll take a look at a few steps for creating your own simple drums that sound relatively good. People have different reasons for making drums from scratch: - It’s a fun activity for kids and their parents. - They simply enjoy the challenge. - Others do it for personal fulfillment or to become more productive. - Some people might use them for practice purposes. - They’re not yet ready to invest on a brand-new, entry-level drum kit that costs hundreds of dollars. Whatever’s your reason, creating your own drum kit from scratch is completely worth the effort and time. Before you make your own drums, it’s important to know how they work. The next section of this article will briefly go through the basic structure of drums and how they produce sound. Table of Contents Drums: Structure and Sound Principles The batter head (also called the top head) of a drum has a flexible material (made of animal skin or synthetic fiber) that’s tightly stretched across a wooden or metal shell. When you hit the skin, it vibrates and produces sound waves, which echo inside the hollow, circular chamber of the drum shell. There are several factors that would determine the sound of your drums, like the type of drumstick you use. The basic drumsticks offer a fuller sound, while brushes are quieter and just have enough texture, making them suitable for Jazz musicians. If you want a more powerful but clear sound, mallets make great choices. The size, depth, and tightness (or looseness) of a drum skin also affects its sound. For instance, the tighter the top and bottom heads, the higher the pitch. Drums that are eight to fourteen inches deep usually produce a deeper and more dull sound. If you use a large, hollow object, like a 5-gallon water bottle, it creates a lower pitch because there’s more room for sound waves to travel between surfaces. On the other hand, when you strike a small, hollow object, it creates a higher pitch because the vibrations are fast. Dampening is one way of controlling the frequency, sustain (the amount of time a tone lasts), overtone (extra harmonics), ringing, and volume of a drum. Simply put, it helps change the sound of a drum. Some of the objects drummers use for dampening are pillows, dampening gel, cotton balls, blankets, and paper towels. We don’t want to bore you with too much technical information, so let’s get to the more exciting part of this article—creating your own drums at home. Homemade Drum Set: The Materials The first thing you need to do is decide on the number of pieces you’re going to make. Are you going to make only one drum or a five-piece standard drum set? After you’ve made up your mind, it’s time to get all of the materials you need. You can get them for free if you recycle everyday objects, like your household items (pots pans, wooden spoons, and metal lids), or slightly defective drum parts. These are other places where you could find and collect the materials you need for your homemade drums: - Junkyards – This one’s quite obvious. - Fast-food restaurants – Some of the fast-food restaurants that might give you five-gallon buckets for free include Tim Hortons, Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts. - Dumpster diving – Make sure you’re not violating any local regulation by dumpster diving. This isn’t for everybody, and we would recommend this as a last resort. - Local operations and maintenance departments - Retail warehouses (like Sam’s Club) - Ice cream shops So, what specific materials should you get? Here are a few of our suggestions: Round metal pieces, such as a saucepan lid Cymbals that are slightly cracked or chipped around the edge Drinking glasses (two to three pieces) filled up with varying amounts of water - Metal tins - A post office box - Ice cream tub (one gallon) - Heavy-duty molded plastic containers Note: A floor tom is sometimes used as a replacement for a bass drum, also called as a kick drum. - Metal drum (twenty, thirty, or fifty-five gallons) - Tin can (100-oz. or 603 x 700) - Plastic bucket - Ice cream containers (for instance, a five-quart ice cream container and a one-gallon ice cream container) - Large plastic drum (two hundred liters) - Cardboard barrel - Orange buckets or round trash receptacle (fifty-five gallons) - A five-gallon plastic water bottle Another important consideration is the drumsticks you’re going to use. If you already have a pair at home, then that’s great. If you don’t, you could use spoons (recommended), wooden dowels, wooden barbecue skewers, and a lot more. Homemade Drum Set: The Steps Do you want to learn how to make a steel drum or actual drums? You can, but that would require money, skills, extensive knowledge (about the structure and sound principles of percussion instruments), and the right tools and raw materials. We want this to be an activity that you could easily do by yourself or with your children. We’re going to give you the basic steps, and you can just tweak them to suit your liking. - Two tubs of ice cream (five quarts and one gallon) with lids - Small decorative pebbles - Remove the lid of the five-quart ice cream tub. - Pour less than a handful of the small decorative pebbles on the top of the one-gallon ice cream tub. - Get the lid of the five-quart ice cream tub, and then use it to cover the ice cream tub with pebbles. - You can adjust the sound by adding (or removing) more small decorative pebbles. Here’s another way of making a snare drum. - Metal jar lid - #10 tin can (100 oz.) - Eight to ten small cents (or other coins that are less than an inch in diameter) - A blanket or soft trousers (like sweatpants) - Place your small cents into the tin can. - Place the metal jar lid—facing down—on the small cents. - Stuff the tin can with a blanket, soft trousers, or other similar materials. Do it carefully to avoid moving the metal jar lid and small cents. - Gently turn the tin can upside down then start to play. - Kraft paper jar or tin can - Rubber bands, masking tape, or wooden hoops - Two corks - A pair of scissors - Chopsticks, skewer sticks, pencils, or any wooden sticks - Art materials: Stickers, spray paint, and/or colored papers for decoration - A pair of disposable gloves - Take one of your balloons and cut off the bottom part with your scissors. - Stretch out the balloon (with the bottom cut off) over the top of the kraft paper jar or tin can. - Secure it with a rubber band, masking tape, or wooden hoop. - Remove the bottom surface of the kraft paper jar or tin can. Repeat steps one to three. - Decorate the container, but make sure to cover the top and bottom surfaces if you’re going to use a spray paint. - You can use pencils as your drumsticks. Or, you could also use the bottom part of a cork and put it on a skewer stick or chopstick. To change the sound of your tom-tom drum, you can create several holes in the bottom head. Compare the sound of each tom-tom by striking the edge of the top head then work your way towards the middle. Bass Drum and Base Pedal - A 5-gallon plastic or metal bucket (You could also use a trash can.) - Packing tape - A pair of scissors - Tightly stretch a length of the packing tape across the open end of the 5-gallon bucket, and then pressed on the side of the bucket (around 1.97 inches from the edge). Follow an “X” pattern. - Each area should at least have two layers of packing tape. Make sure there are no holes. - For the kick pedal, you can make your own, but buying one might be a more practical option. Fortunately, there are many cheap kick pedals (under $20) online, like the Baosity Single Spring Bass Drum Pedal with Drum Wool Beater for Children. There are a lot of ways to design and create your own homemade drums. This article serves only as a starting point for learning how to make a drum, so feel free to explore and experiment.

For some time now, I’ve been aware of the deep “rabbit hole” that this topic is leading me into. The question of how Christian faith intersects with the experience of LGBTQ+ people provides no simple answers, regardless of what you might read online or hear on a Sunday morning. Anyone who claims this is a straightforward issue is either trying hard to keep you on their side, or they haven’t given it much thought. (Note: This post is part of an ongoing series called The View From Here. Please follow this link and start reading at the oldest post, Fear and Trembling.) I’m not quite ready to talk openly with people about what I am about to write, but perhaps being honest about what it’s like to be in the place I am right now will make it easier for others down the road—easier in a healthy way, if not in a comfortable way. Here are a few of the deeper issues that have been surfacing as I’ve started asking questions about where all of this will lead: A number of years ago, I watched an interview on CNN with Ted Haggard, who was at the time President of the Evangelical Fellowship of America, and another pastor, whose name I’ve since forgotten, but who was pastoring an openly affirming church. I can’t recall the specific topic of conversation—perhaps a new law had been passed—but Haggard was arguing his case for an understanding of marriage from the traditional Evangelical perspective and the other pastor was arguing from what was referred to as the “liberal” position. As I listened to the two pastors arguing their points, I suddenly realized just how much their disagreements were actually rooted in their fundamentally different understandings of what the Bible is and how it should be read. Each of these pastors approached the Bible from such a different angle that the questions they were pressing each other with were missing their intended targets entirely. I had never seen this problem illustrated so clearly before. More recently, a good friend of mine sent me an email expressing some of his frustrations with how Christians use the Bible. At one point, he wrote, “I don't believe the bible is literally from God because it is too wrapped up in culture. But that's okay in my mind since that isn't necessary to be a Christian...That said, I believe the problems with the church stem from this literal belief in God’s Word, which is strange to me since to me it is so obviously not.” He said he was hesitant to talk to me about this because, in his words, “Church leaders need to be somewhat guarded and probably often respond with some level of dishonesty (self-preservation) or avoid the questions the best they can.” As our church dives into this conversation, we’re going to have to explore our different approaches to scripture and ask, What exactly is the Bible and how are we supposed to understand what it has to say about homosexuality? The first sermon I ever preached was in my Pentecostal youth group, where I took full advantage of the opportunity I’d been given to address what I was convinced was the most important message for Christian teenagers to understand: stay away from sin! The sermon was called Sin in the Camp and was based on the story of Achan’s sin in Joshua chapter seven. The Israelites set out to take over the city of Ai, which should have been an easy victory for them, but instead, they were sent home with significant casualties and a keen sense that God had abandoned them on the battlefield. Eventually, they discovered that a man named Achan had stolen some of the ‘devoted things’ and had hidden them in his tent. After he confessed and the loot was recovered, he was put to death along with his entire family. The lesson was clear: if you sin, you will be found out, and you will be punished severely. Avoiding sin was a big part of what it meant for me to be a Christian in those days. And when everyone around me agreed on what counted as sin, it was easy to know what I needed to avoid, even if avoiding it was still a challenge. But as I entered young adulthood, I started to realize that once I got outside of our local church, people who loved Jesus actually disagreed about what counted as sin. At first, I would judge people, chalking the disagreement up to a diminished version of faith, but that approach didn’t last long. Eventually, I came to see that the concept of ‘sin’ wasn’t quite as straightforward as I thought. I expect this will be a significant challenge for us as our congregation dives into conversation about the place of same-sex relationships in the life of the church. For some, the Bible clearly prohibits same-sex behaviour, while for others, whatever the Bible has to say, it can’t be talking about the people they know and love who believe in every fibre of their being that this is the way God created them. How will we decide? How will we ever be able to figure out whether or not this is something that puts us at risk of falling out with God? A number of years ago, our church’s staff team attended a conference that featured the author, Phyllis Tickle. She was introducing the primary themes in her book, The Great Transformation, but at some point went on a tangent about how the church had mistreated the gay community. She raised a number of interesting points that our staff kept coming back to for days afterward. In one of these office conversations, I made a comment about how, while I could imagine that some future version of myself might believe differently about the gay/Christian debate, I could not imagine how I could ever reconcile such a different belief with being a pastor. If that day ever came, I felt like I would have to resign. Everything I knew about the Christian faith had been handed down to me by a long succession of men and women who have shared their experiences and understanding with the generations that followed, and the deep value I placed on this tradition simply wouldn’t allow me to see how I could both hold an affirming position and be responsible for passing on that same tradition. But it feels like there is somehow a growing gap between who I am today and who I was when I attended that conference. One afternoon a couple of months ago, as I was pulling out of the driveway of the church parking lot, an unprompted question surfaced in my mind: What if I spent as much energy being open to something new as I spend making sure I am faithful to the tradition? The idea struck me in a profound way, and I started thinking about how important it is for me that I remain faithful, and how I was interpreting that word. The Christian tradition is something that I value deeply, which is why these current conversations weigh so heavily on me. But as I peer over the edge of the rabbit hole, I find myself asking questions like, Why do I value tradition as deeply as I do, and what, exactly, do I value about the tradition I am part of? I recently listened to an episode of The Liturgists Podcast where the hosts engaged in a two-hour long dialogue with various people touching on a wide variety of questions pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community and the church. It was a stretching episode on a number of levels, but even more challenging than the content of the podcast itself was something a friend said to me when the podcast episode came up in a conversation this morning. He said that if our church moves on this issue, it would make it like any other social club; that while it would still be a good club, by abandoning the obvious direction of the Bible on this issue, we would be abandoning the one thing that differentiates Christianity from other groups out there in our community. I was certainly able to appreciate just how challenging some of what he heard in the podcast would have been—as it was for me—but his response hit me hard. I couldn’t understand how a decision to interpret the Bible differently on one issue would suddenly negate the unique calling of a church to represent Jesus in the world. I’m well aware of the significant role scripture plays in a church’s identity and formation, but I have a hard time understanding how everything has to fall apart if that piece of the puzzle is removed. What is at the core of our faith, anyway? What is the thing that, if removed, would leave the Church with nothing more to offer than the local Rotary Club or BIA? My friend’s comment pushed me even closer to the edge of the rabbit hole, and, before we went our separate ways this morning, I said something that I hadn’t voiced out loud before, and that I’m not sure I’d even thought of before: My fear is not that the church will be impoverished if we question what the Bible says on this issue, but that maybe the church is already impoverished because we’ve made the Bible so untouchable that we aren’t even willing to challenge what we think it says. Each of these themes—the Bible, Sin, Tradition, and the Church—presents its own challenges to how we approach this current conversation. And there are other themes, too, raising important questions that demand a depth of thoughtfulness, self-critique, and faith that most of us (including myself) are not ready for.

Discovering foolishness – minute by minute So I’m watching the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony a couple weeks ago on HBO, like all awards shows this year being a largely virtual event, and the Doobie Brothers kick it off with some terrific archival footage and heartfelt acceptance speeches. Yeah, I think, I really need to give the Minute By Minute album a spin on my newish USB turntable. So I go to my media cabinet, slide open the door and look through my small collection of vinyl that I preserved after culling so many of my possessions in 2014 when preparing for my big move from Sydney to Los Angeles. But… huh? Where is Minute By Minute? Why aren’t any of my Doobie Brothers records there? WTF? Surely not, surely I didn’t send those off to the dealer with the other discarded items of my precious vinyl collection? This was actually a deeply depressing discovery and a second whammy. The first was in 2015 when I saw the Doobies at the Greek Theatre and late that night, as soon as I got back to my apartment, I went in search of my Doobies CDs to look something up only to realise I had disposed of all of them. Sure, I’d ripped them on to my iTunes so I can play the music any time I like – the supposed allure of digital music nowadays, no clutter from antiquated plastic, all at my fingertips on my computer and my phone – but not having the physical evidence of my many years of collecting music, presenting a radio program, doing research, not actually having the booklets and artwork, made me cringe at my idiocy. Now more than five years later, discovering the vinyl had also been discarded made me feel sick. I dug up the Word document on my hard drive that was my inventory of all my music, which I’d compiled back in the nineties for insurance purposes and regularly updated, a document that was helpful when programming a radio show. I’d thought that I had only disposed of the vinyl that was from the eighties and beyond, irrelevant promos that record companies sent me, or stuff I was never going play, especially given I didn’t believe I would own a turntable again. What a fool believes. Once I moved here to LA I started seeing turntables everywhere, in Barnes & Noble, and online on Amazon, and finally a few months ago I snapped up a cheapie, because I wanted to listen to my old Sherbet albums in their original, glorious, recordings. Anyway, I was aghast as I looked down the list on the inventory, proving that I had in fact disposed of a lot of vinyl that I’d carried with me since the seventies and should never, ever have let go. Frampton Comes Alive. What??? How could I have sold that off to a dealer? I’m reading Peter Frampton’s memoir now. I saw his farewell show a year ago and still need to write about that. But the album… sheesh… even if I was never going to actually play it again, how could I not keep it? It’s a monumental artefact, something I bought back then when it mattered that I bought it. I contributed to it being the biggest selling live album of its time, one of the biggest of all time. Sure, I can buy some re-issued deluxe version now at a high price, but I let go of the original Australian pressing that I bought from my favourite record shop, Sound Advice in Chatswood, Sydney, in 1976. How could I have done that? What was I thinking? (Yes, I got rid of the CD version also. Ugh.) I’d listened to well meaning friends who advised me to be “ruthless” when I was preparing for my move. I gave away my piano. The piano my parents bought for me in 1974 because I so desperately wanted a piano. An old second-hand upright, I loved it. I did pianoforte for a few years, was pretty bad at sight-reading so didn’t progress, but I can still play a bit of this and that, and I held on to some of my music piano books – Eagles, Chicago, Linda Ronstadt, Heart, Bee Gees. I had painstakingly taught myself to play “Desperado” and “Wasted Time”. I put the piano in my Byron Bay house after my mother sold the family home in Lindfield. It needed a major overhaul. I never had that done but it was my piano and I loved it, and then I gave it away. And sold most of my music collection for a pittance. You know that emoji of someone hitting herself on the forehead? That’s me thinking about my vinyl albums, my CDs, my piano, my parents’ artworks, my house and pool. My life before I made a bunch of fucked up decisions. So back to Minute By Minute for a minute. I included it in my Top 10 Albums of the Seventies. And it’s the only one on that list that I don’t still own on vinyl. It’s crushing that I did that to myself. In January 1981 I drove with my girlfriend Clare, our high school friend Mark and my new boyfriend John from Sydney to Melbourne in my little Toyota Corolla. I drove them mad playing the song “Minute By Minute” and hitting the brake pedal with every utterance of the word “minute”. I always thought of that in the years and decades after when I listened to the song. Always. Still now. Minute. By. Minute. By. Minute. By. Minute. Probably not great for the brake pads. But it’s what I did. Later in 1981 the Doobie Brothers came to Australia and it was the first time I saw them live. I’ve seen the Doobies multiple times in concert over the years since. I have a ticket to the Los Angeles concert of their 50th Anniversary Tour, the big reunion with Michael McDonald, currently postponed to October 2021 by which time it will be their 51st anniversary. Maybe we will all be vaccinated and I can go. I’d like to hear Mike sing “Minute By Minute” and “What A Fool Believes” with the band that recorded them, as well as “Takin’ It To The Streets” and several others from his soul-tinged Doobies era. I probably will track down a new vinyl copy of Minute By Minute to add to my media cabinet and try to pretend I was never without it. But I’ll know it’s not my original. I’ll know that I was a fool. I didn’t have a massive vinyl collection, around 300 albums. I decided to keep 80. Why 80 and not 100, I don’t know. Maybe 80 could fit into one packing box. I was ruthless. In addition to my Doobies and Frampton albums, I culled some that I am horrified I no longer have. I was going to reference a few but it hurts too much to even write it down. I committed great crimes against myself. I had thousands of CDs and only kept 400. But I did spend three weeks copying them on to iTunes. And they are backed up in multiple locations. But I think plastic is more durable than computers and clouds and I would rather still have them, even if they had remained in boxes that were used as a makeshift coffee table here in LA because I wasn’t going to have room for them all. My friend Gerry, a serious music aficionado I’ve known for around 27 years, retired some years back and kept putting off overseas travel because he couldn’t bear to leave his huge record collection. It wasn’t even that he was worried it would get stolen; he just said he would miss playing his records. Eventually he started taking trips away and seeing the world, but he is always happiest at home with his stuff. We’re encouraged in these times of working towards enlightenment, and lightening our load, to have no attachments to material possessions, but I have always argued against that, because our things carry our stories, our history, our people, places and memories. My stuff weighs me down but I love it and I want to take it all with me to my final days, wherever they might play out. So to have so much of my music gone, because I thought I could live without it, is a hard thing to bear. I’ve actually broken my own heart as I’ve realised, six years on, the extent of my losses. And I can’t even start discussing the wonderful analogue stereo system my Dad bought me for my 21st birthday that I passed on to a friend, sold for a nominal amount to ensure it went to a good home. I don’t hear from that friend any more so I hope he still has it and cares for it. After I sold it, Gerry said he would have happily stored it for me up at his place, in case I ever wanted it again. And now I do, and I want to go home, and the saddest thing is, we can hang on to our stuff but as much as our imaginations and hearts and ears remind of us of where we came from, we can never actually go back, because even if we do, we really don’t. Oh what the heck. I just bought an original vinyl Minute By Minute on eBay. It’s not the one I bought in Sydney at the beginning of 1979, but it’s an album that needs to be in my collection again. So in a week or so it will be. This could be my penance, re-buying records I already owned. You think I’m your fool Well, you may just be right A selection of the vinyl I kept and why, in no particular order: Bowie Pinups – Because it was the first album I bought by an artist, rather than a K-Tel compilation. Between The Lines – I loved Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen”, what young girl didn’t, even if I was only 13. I had won a gift certificate for a local music store so I used it to buy this album, which I still love to this day. “In The Winter” – oh my god, crushing. KC & the Sunshine Band – Another early vinyl acquisition because I really liked “That’s the way aha aha I like it aha aha”. Boston – The debut album, loved “More Than A Feeling”. Kept this because of the album cover, but unlikely to ever play it. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Because how could I not keep that? Quintessential seventies brilliance. A New World Record – Because it is so extraordinary from start to finish, a landmark album. I didn’t keep Out Of The Blue although I did get the re-issue on CD with the fold-out spaceship and I was actually smart enough to keep it. Meeting Jeff Lynne a few years ago was one of the most exciting moments of my six years here in LA. Silk Degrees – I knew Boz was the Buzz before any of my school friends did and I drove them mad telling them so. So I could never part with that record. Skinny Boy – Robert Lamm’s first solo album, found it in a used record store in Sydney in 1989 but it was released in 1974 and I never knew about it until then. Curious bunch of songs, historically precious. Bigger Than Both Of Us – The very best thing Hall & Oates ever made, so soulful, much more to it than its hit single “Rich Girl”. And a great album cover. Shiloh and Longbranch Pennywhistle – Because, duh! Judee Sill and Heart Food – Rare brilliance, and I didn’t have the CDs yet, which I do now. Breakfast At Sweethearts – Stunning album cover, but I got rid of my other Cold Chisel vinyl including my favourite of theirs, Twentieth Century. Hitting my forehead hard. Spirits Having Flown – My favourite Bee Gees music of all time. Too much heaven. Guilty – My favourite Barbra Streisand music of all time. More Gibb heaven. Fleetwood Mac and Rumours – Meh. I do love the 1975 eponymous album but I’m ambivalent about Rumours. If numbers were important, I should have kept my Doobies and Frampton albums instead. 2SM Concert of The Decade – I actually had two copies of this monumental live double album from 1979 and gave one away to a 2SM fan through the 1270 2SM Facebook group I run, which I consider one of the more generous things I have ever done. My entire collections of Chicago, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Sherbet, but cut down collections of Heart, Little River Band and Queen, just the seventies releases. I’m mortified I pruned like that but I did keep the best. I would never relinquish A Night At The Opera as it is in my top three albums of all time. I could write a thesis on how important Dreamboat Annie is to me, or the first four Heart albums, or the entire Heart catalogue. And the exquisiteness of Sleeper Catcher warrants some prose. Actually, stay tuned for a piece about Sleeper Catcher soon.

A giant meteor has crashed into the virtual world’s prison, freeing hardened criminals and giving them super powers. Now they are wreaking havoc on the Island. Only a true superhero can stop them and save the day. For walkthroughs on Super Power Island, scroll down. Resources on this page: Island Extras | Synopsis from Poptropica | Video Walkthrough | Written Walkthrough | Album Photos | Trivia For a written walkthrough with pictures, scroll down on this page! Welcome to Super Power Island, where criminals with superpowers are on the loose! Will you save the day and capture them all? Let’s get started. Head into the Comic Shop and talk to the nerdy storekeeper, Ned Noodlehead. Ask if he has anything other than comic books, and he’ll give you The Superhero’s Handbook. You can read the handbook by going to your items and clicking “Examine” on the item card. Moving along, exit the Comic Shop. Next, go inside the Masks & Capes store. Talk to the storekeeper there to obtain a Super Hero ID. Thus begins your vigilante career! In the store, you can pick and customize from several superhero costumes. Try something on! Leaving the store, go left and through the water. You’ll arrive at a little island, which is where the prison is. A giant meteorite has crashed through, giving the prisoners superpowers and allowing them to escape. Talk to the prison warden, and he will give you Super Villain Files. Then talk to the lady officer, who’ll give you a pair of Anti-Power Handcuffs. Now leave the prison island, and keep going right until you’re downtown. Talk to the police officers outside the bank and they’ll mention that one of the escaped prisoners, Copy Cat, is inside. They’re having trouble catching her — and they’re hoping a local superhero (that’s you!) can step in. So you do, of course. How to catch Copy Cat Enter the bank and find Copy Cat to the left. She’ll make duplicates of herself, and every one of them will run over to a different spot in the bank. The real Copy Cat will drop a smoke bomb, which limits the time you have to catch ’em all. Your task is to run into every copy of Copy Cat. Most of the copies should be easy to reach. A couple of them are standing on lamps and require jumping on more objects to reach them. Be sure to take the elevator to the second floor, where there are more copies waiting. The last copy you run into will be the real Copy Cat. You’ll automatically use your Anti-Power Handcuffs to capture her. The Daily Paper will announce the villain’s defeat, and you’ll be transported back to the county prison, where Copy Cat is back behind bars. How to catch Speeding Spike Head back downtown and keep going right until you see the subway station. Click on the steps to go down. Police officers there will say Speeding Spike is in the subway train. Go right to the train, and click to go inside. Move all the way to the right until you find Speeding Spike, who is on the last train carriage. To catch him, you must avoid bumping into him as much as you can to tire him out. Lure him to the area where you started by getting close to him, then not letting him catch you when he tries to. Eventually, as you keep jumping over him to avoid getting whacked, you and Spike will move from train carriage to train carriage until you are back at the train carriage you started on. Spike will slip on the puddle of water. Walk up to him to handcuff him. Again, The Daily Paper will announce justice served, and you’ll find Speeding Spike back in jail. Go back downtown. From there, you can choose to fight three more villains: Crusher, Ratman, or Sir Rebral. (You cannot fight Betty Jetty yet, since you’ll need a little something first.) Here’s how to defeat the remaining villains: How to catch Sir Rebral Go to the city park, which is right past downtown. You’ll see Sir Rebral standing on a broken statue. (Fun fact: Sir Rebral’s name is a play on the word cerebral, as in “of the brain.” Sir Rebral has telekinesis, the ability to move things with the mind.) Walk around the city park and look for the gray, round movable rock. As you move around the park, the ground will occasionally fly up and might hit you — that’s Sir Rebral using his mind powers. You’ll want to move the rock to one of the spots on the ground that will fly up, with the hope and aim of it hitting Sir Rebral. Keep trying until it does. When he levitates rocks at you, move behind him so that they hit him instead. When that happens, he’ll raise the ground. Move the rock under him and stand next to it so that it hits him when the ground goes up. Once Sir Rebral is hit, walk over to him to handcuff him. The Daily Paper will announce the capture, you’ll be brought back to the prison to see your handiwork, and you can go right back to catching the next one. How to catch Ratman Go back to the city park and over to the public restroom on the left. Enter it, and go down the hole inside. You’ll be at the sewer entrance. Move to the left until you see a red wheel. Turn it to start moving downwards. When the water stops, move to the right until you see some bricks. Hop on them to find another red wheel to turn. The water will go up a little. Swim left and enter through the door. You should now be in the sewer room. Try to avoid all the rats, as they will knock you over if you bump into them. Jump up to the top right corner of the sewer room and turn the red wheel. That will sprinkle water over the Ratman and his flies. Ratman’s flies will leave him, but unfortunately, they will start following you! Move quickly to avoid getting stung by the flies, which will knock you over. Quickly make your way to Ratman to handcuff him. The Daily Paper will announce the capture, and off you go to catch the next one. How to catch Crusher Return to the city park and keep going left to the junkyard. Police there will say they’re struggling to catch Crusher. Jump onto the fence, then onto a few boxes and stuff above the fence, until you get to Crusher’s platform. Try your best to avoid getting whacked, because if you do you will need to jump through everything all over again. From Crusher’s platform, jump onto some nearby red cans on the right side. You will see a wooden construction above you. Jump to the top and enter the crane, where you’ll be faced with a magnet control panel. Drag the control’s lever to the other side, and a can will drop on Crusher… …but he’s still alive! And now, he’s throwing cans at you! Avoid getting hit by the cans as they will knock you over, slowing you down. Climb back up to the magnet control again and drag the lever back to the other side. That will defeat Crusher, and you can go handcuff him. The Daily Paper will say he’s crushed and back in prison. Now onto the final villain! I Believe I Can Fly Now that you have defeated five villains, go talk to the retired superhero on top of The Daily Paper building on Main Street. He’ll tell you you’re ready for one more thing — which you’ll find in the phone booth. Go back down and click on the phone booth. When you answer the phone, you will be granted the ability to fly! Wooooosh. This power lasts as long as you want, but it is only available on Super Power Island. To de-activate it, just click on the new “Flying” icon that appears at the bottom left corner of the gamescreen, and click it again to re-activate. When you feel ready, read below on how to defeat your last opponent, Betty Jetty. A sky chase is on the horizon! How to catch Betty Jetty Go downtown and fly up to the very top of the skyscraper. Betty Jetty will fly away from you. Keep your flying power activated, and the chase is on! As you fly in pursuit of her, Betty Jetty will start throwing green energy orbs at you. There are basically three types of attacks, but it’s difficult to have a solid strategy for them. Just try your best to avoid them. If you’re hit five times, you have to start over with the chase. These are the moves she pulls and the strategies for getting past each one: - Singular orb attack: This is when she only throws one of the green balls. Generally, if you don’t move, the ball will just fly around wildly and eventually disappear. However, you’ll need to move if it gets too close at the beginning, or it’ll whack you. - Line split: This is when there are about four orbs and they part to give an opening. You can try to fly through the opening or stick to the sides away from the rest of the orbs. - One-at-a-time tracers: This is when there are about four orbs, but they come at you one at a time. They will try to follow your movements and fly where you fly, so be careful! Try flying in an S shape to elude the attack, but don’t get hit. When you are close enough, bump into Betty Jetty to capture her! And then… a surprise. Ned Noodlehead from the comic book store will show up and steal your thunder. Rude! You’ll get to put the handcuffs on the villain, but the Daily Paper will give the glory to Ned Noodlehead. Oh well… Claiming the reward Hey, don’t worry, you’ll still get something. Head over to the city park and talk to the hot dog seller, then jump onto the cart, to get a Hot Dog. Go back to the comic shop and talk to Ned Noodlehead. He will offer to trade: your hot dog for his Super Power Island Medallion and credits to spend in the Poptropica Store. Take it and run! Congratulations, you’ve completed Super Power Island! Looking for more walkthroughs? Check out our Island Help page! 🙂 These pictures are collected in your Poptropica photo album in the profile section. Click to enlarge. - Super Power Island is Poptropica’s 5th island. It was released on July 26, 2008 – the same day as the founding day of this Poptropica fansite you’re on, the Poptropica Help Blog! - Sir Rebral’s name is a play on the word cerebral, a scientific word relating to the brain. Sir Rebral has telekinesis, the ability to move things with his mind. - The word copycat refers to imitation, and Copy Cat is the name of one of the villains in this island. - Ned Noodlehead’s alter ego is Super Hot Dog Boy, as shown in the official Super Power comic. He is also seen posting on the Creators’ Blog as Comic Kid. - According to the Poptropica Adventures Nintendo DS game, Ned Noodlehead and Betty Jetty are siblings. - The island description, as well as some dialogue within the quest, refer to the object that collided into the prison as a “meteor.” This is technically inaccurate, as meteors are shooting stars. The correct term is meteorite. - Hazmat Hermit, the guy beside the County Prison meteorite, is also a Poptropica Creator alias. - The old superhero on top of The Daily Paper says, “Remember, with great power comes great responsibility,” after you’ve received the flying power. This is a reference to the famous line in Spider-Man. - Common room: The Daily Paper - Super Power Island is featured in Poptropica Adventures for the Nintendo DS, along with Astro-Knights and Mythology. - The goofy glasses from Spy Island were a bonus item available for a limited time (around August 2008) in the sewers of Super Power Island.

My daughter (in Tokyo) is a teacher and has been told go to work even though school won't start till after Golden Week. Point being, F2F, even though there's no reason to even go to work if you aren't teaching. Preparation and meetings can be held online, but I don't even think the school administrators know how to read their e-mail. 14 ( +14 / -0 ) That's excellent news, keep up the good work, Australia. 5 ( +5 / -0 ) There was an article not long ago where small amusement parks here were re-opening, with a picture of a father and child being scanned prior to entering the premises. I applaud Disney's decision. 0 ( +0 / -0 ) "Japan had seen a more gradual rise than the recent surge in much of Europe and the United States." Direct quote from the article, so I guess Japan is special to Covid-19 than any other country in the world. 1 ( +2 / -1 ) Thank you Emperor Abe. That's one new arrow you can sling at us. Can't wait to see your other two. 4 ( +6 / -2 ) I'm glad Japan has been spared. I will follow Koike's and Abe's "urge", "request" to stay indoors this weekend. I will tie one on from this evening to Sunday night, and reluctantly get out of bed Monday morning to get back to work, commuting on the over-packed trains. The virus will surely have disappeared during my self-isolation. And when I come down with flu-like symptoms, will resist the "urge" to visit a clinic or drug store for treatment after 4 days of a 38 degree fever. Then "reluctantly", will get on a train to seek treatment at my nearest hospital, only to be told that I don't "fit" the criteria to be tested for Covid. I will go to the supermarket and buy toilet paper, masks, and cup ramen on my way home to make myself feel more at peace while waiting for my symptoms to get so bad that I need to call an ambulance. Thank you Abe. Thank you Koike. 2 ( +2 / -0 ) (some country) claims to have zero new infections, (some country) claimed to have slight increase in numbers every since the cruise ship fiasco. The rest of the world has seen exponential increases. Makes my blood boil the government in charge. Only other country to claim zero infections is probably N. Korea. Triple axis of evil? As for supermarkets, just limit 2 per customer and all should be well. During the typhoon last year, shelves were emptied and long lines at the registers...that's panic buying and the same thing is going on here. 8 ( +9 / -1 ) Hypothetically, I plan to visit Japan for 3 weeks. I arrive and am requested, even urged to quarantine. I already have planned this trip for some time, so I have a few days in Tokyo, a few days in Osaka, etc. This has been my dream trip for some time. I want to see the sights, enjoy the experience. What harm will it do if I go out with Mr. Holly for a few drinks at an Izakaya in Shimbashi after strolling around Ginza all Sunday afternoon. I don't feel sick, didn't feel sick on the flight here, so why should I stay in the hotel room for 2 weeks? See where I'm going? Ban travel altogether. Most people still think and act like my above scenario, so why do we need to exacerbate the situation with visitors? 4 ( +4 / -0 ) @Velius, will we see a marked increase of infections in 1-2 weeks? Without testing, no increase. Easy to fudge the numbers. 3 ( +6 / -3 ) Absolutely, what Allan and SimonB said. Instil confidence and people will listen. Every country needs this, not individual countries, and definitely not Chi-WHO unless they mean it for the world's sake. In America, tell all students they can have the largest beach party ever imagined at the taxpayers expense after all of this has blown over, and I'd think more would comply to the quarantine orders. 1 ( +6 / -5 ) Not sure what's happening here...countries, especially Japan, still trying to make some money by allowing tourists to continue to enter the country, while other countries have closed their borders. It's pandemic mode...close off all borders as best you can and deal with the problems nationally. I personally think every country with different rules is exacerbating the pandemic. 8 ( +8 / -0 ) If the world will be free of Covid by July, then let the games begin. If not, let the world fight this virus. Like Zika virus, some athletes did not go. I imagine if the pandemic continues closer to the opening and the games are still a go, countries/athletes will boycott. People have other things to worry about. @leighkf, the official money spent is 12b, but unofficially it's almost double. 3 ( +3 / -0 ) "In addition, the Japanese government is considering an entry ban on foreign travelers from Iceland and some parts of Italy, Spain and Switzerland, government sources said earlier in the day." Hey Abe, how did ban "some parts of China" work out for you? Urge, plead, beg, request...what else? Maybe form a government panel to discuss this and have a public announcement 1 week from today? 7 ( +7 / -0 ) Numbers of infected are climbing in every democratic country around the world. China has claimed the numbers of infected are decreasing, and Japan's numbers are increasing at a snail's pace. Who are you to believe...China and Japan or the world? Japan isn't that much different from China when it comes to the style of government and the way she treat her people. -3 ( +8 / -11 ) @ Ulysses A friend of ours told us of an unfortunate incident earlier this month. A person suspected of Covid went to a clinic in Tokyo and the staff told the person to leave the clinic. Clinic staff were thinking that IF the person is infected with Covid, the clinic would have to be closed down. After the patient left, the staff had a meeting and all agreed to stay "hush-hush" about the incident. That patient later went to a different hospital to get tested and it came back positive for Covid. Abe should have taken an aggressive approach to this, unlike other countries, like S. Korea. It's gonna bite him hard in the you-know-what. As for Olympics, I don't think so. 3 ( +13 / -10 ) What do you suggest? They've given lots of won to the SK government, yet nothing has changed. How many are still alive? When they are gone, will this issue end? 11 ( +13 / -2 ) Now, NK doesn't have the ICBM tech yet. But generally for a reference, I read that an ICBM travelling the distance between the USA and Russia takes around 20-30 minutes. I was shocked at first. Apparently, these things can travel of up around to 6-7 km/s. Yes, I'm sure it doesn't take a very long for an ICBM to travel from Alaska to Russia. 0 ( +0 / -0 ) “It’s hard for Japanese workers to take a day off so we need to create conditions in which everyone can take a holiday.” And let's call it, errr, "golden/silver week?" 3 ( +4 / -1 ) We got Netflix 2 months ago and were looking forward to watching some Japanese movies. Unfortunately, very few have English subtitles. Has anyone else noticed this? It shouldn't be too hard for Netflix to include more than Japanese subtitles for their movies. 1 ( +1 / -0 ) A friend of mine (in Canada, in the late 80s) needed an ambulance after an allergic reaction to nuts. The ambulance fee was 75 CAD. Her parents were upset with the ambulance bill, but they know it saved her life. Here, charging a similar fee would make people think twice before having to call an ambulance. 4 ( +4 / -0 ) Had just started to do the laundry in Tokyo and lost all water pressure for about 20 min. I'm wondering if that's normal. Stay safe along the coast everyone!! 2 ( +2 / -0 ) Just before 6pm on a Monday evening? The platform would have been crowded with people and not one of them offered any assistance to a blind man with his dog? I'm not really surprised though. I hardly ever see anybody help the disabled, aged or mothers with prams. I make a point of doing it, as should everybody! It's such a selfish society we live in today! Absolutely, Disillusioned! It was O-bon, so there might have been fewer commuters, but Aoyama-Itchome is a very busy station throughout the day. I always help and ask if disabled/mother's w/ children need help when I'm walking around the city. It's a shame when I see all the able-bodied people walk like they don't see me helping the person. Disgusting!! Something's wrong with people in the city. ; ( -3 ( +3 / -6 ) I was too drunk and can't remember defense should give the maximum penalty, full stop!! How about a drunk driver who kills? I was too drunk and can't remember shouldn't get you less time than if you weren't drunk. -1 ( +1 / -2 ) Mr. Holly put Ad Block "something or other" on our Chrome browser, and surfing without said ads is so much less intrusive. I have never really understood ads, as any products I buy are usually "word of mouth." I can't say everyone buys products like this, though. Big companies should do a 1 month of no-advertising at all and see if their overall sales are any better/worse. -1 ( +0 / -1 ) I'm not sure if I can post a link, but for all those wondering where these 53 Navy stores are, I'm guessing right in the link, which comes directly from Old Navy Japan. I was never good at math, so I'll let someone else do the counting. -1 ( +0 / -1 ) Can someone who understands economics please explain to me why falling prices is a bad thing for consumers? The theory is that if people think that they can get something cheaper by waiting a while for the prices to drop, they will wait for the prices to drop, thereby stifling purchases. Personally I think that's a load of hooey, not least because if that were true, no one would ever buy anything since they would constantly be waiting for it to get cheaper. I have always wondered about this, too. Mr. Holly constantly complains about electronics prices being more expensive here than in the U.S. We wait for prices to go down here, but as they never do, we wait for our annual overseas trip to buy electronics. Add another 3% to everything and soon we'll be buying our toilet paper abroad, too. Thanks, Abe. 2 ( +3 / -1 ) Posted in: Dogs ride bullet train to Nagano Posted in: Rice-planting event

45 L.Ed.2d 177 95 S.Ct. 2150 422 U.S. 271 UNITED STATES, Appellant, AMERICAN BUILDING MAINTENANCE INDUSTRIES. Argued April 22, 1975. Decided June 24, 1975. The Government brought this civil antitrust action against appellee, one of the largest suppliers of janitorial services in the country, with 56 branches serving more than 500 communities in the United States and Canada, and providing about 10% of such service sales in Southern California, contending that appellee's acquisition of two Southern California janitorial service firms (the Benton companies), which supplied about 7% of such services in Southern California, violated § 7 of the Clayton Act. That section provides that '(n)o corporation engaged in commerce shall acquire . . . the stock or other share capital and no corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission shall acquire . . . the assets of another corporation engaged also in commerce, where in any line of commerce in any section of the country, the effect of such acquisition may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly.' The Benton companies, some of whose customers engaged in interstate operations, performed all their services within California, locally recruited labor (which accounted for their major expenses) and locally purchased incidental equipment and supplies. The District Court granted appellee's motion for summary judgment, holding that there had been no § 7 violation. The Government contends that 'engaged in commerce' as used in § 7 encompasses corporations like the Benton companies engaged in intrastate activities that substantially affect interstate commerce, and that in any event the Benton companies' activities were sufficiently interstate to come within § 7. Held: 1. The phrase 'engaged in commerce' as used in § 7 of the Clayton Act means engaged in the flow of interstate commerce, and was not intended to reach all corporations engaged in activities subject to the federal commerce power; hence, the phrase does not encompass corporations engaged in intrastate activities substantially affecting interstate commerce, and § 7 can be applicable only when both the acquiring corporation and the acquired corporation are engaged in interstate commerce. Pp. 275-283. (a) The jurisdictional requirements of § 7 cannot be satisfied merely by showing that allegedly anticompetitive acquisitions and activities affect commerce. Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S. 186, 95 S.Ct. 392, 42 L.Ed.2d 378; FTC v. Bunte Bros., 312 U.S. 349, 61 S.Ct. 580, 85 L.Ed. 881. Pp. 276-277. (b) The precise 'in commerce' language of § 7 is not coextensive with the reach of power under the Commerce Clause and is thus not to be equated with § 1 of the Sherman Act which reaches the impact of intrastate conduct on interstate commerce. Pp. 277-279. (c) When Congress re-enacted § 7 in 1950 with the same 'engaged in commerce' limitation, the phrase had long since become a term of art, indicating a limited assertion of federal jurisdiction, and prior to that time Congress had frequently distinguished between activities 'in commerce' and broader activities 'affecting commerce.' Pp. 279-281. (d) Limiting § 7 to its plain meaning comports with the enforcement policies that the FTC and the Justice Department have consistently pursued. Pp. 281-282. 2. Since the Benton companies did not participate directly in the sale, purchase, or distribution of goods or services in interstate commerce, they were not 'engaged in commerce' within the meaning of § 7. And neither supplying local services to corporations engaged in interstate commerce nor using locally bought supplies manufactured outside California sufficed to satisfy § 7's 'in commerce' requirement. Pp. 283-286. 401 F.Supp. 1005, affirmed. Bruce B. Wilson, Dept. of Justice, Antitrust Div., Washington, D.C., for appellant. Marcus Mattson, Los Angeles, Cal., for appellee. Mr. Justice STEWART delivered the opinion of the Court. The Government commenced this civil antitrust action in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, contending that the appellee, American Building Maintenance Industries, had violated § 7 of the Clayton Act, 38 Stat. 731, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18, by acquiring the stock of J. E. Benton Management Corp., and by merging Benton Maintenance Co. into one of the appellee's wholly owned subsidiaries. Following discovery proceedings and the submission of memoranda and affidavts by both parties, the District Court granted the appellee's motion for summary judgment, holding that there had been no violation of § 7 of the Clayton Act. The Government brought an appeal to this Court, and we noted probable jurisdiction. 419 U.S. 1104, 95 S.Ct. 773, 42 L.Ed.2d 799.1 * The appellee, American Building Maintenance Industries, is one of the largest suppliers of janitorial services in the country, with 56 branches serving more than 500 communities in the United States and Canada. It is also the single largest supplier of janitorial services in southern California (the area comprising Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties), providing approximately 10% of the sales of such services in that area. Both of the acquired companies, J. E. Benton Management Corp. and Benton Maintenance Co., also supplied janitorial services in Southern California.2 Together their sales constituted approximately 7% of the total janitorial sales in the area. Although both Benton companies serviced customers engaged in interstate operations, all of their janitorial and maintenance contracts with those customers were performed entirely within California. Neither of the Benton companies advertised nationally, and their use of interstate communications facilities to conduct business was negligible.3 The major expense of providing janitorial services is the cost of the labor necessary to perform the work. The Benton companies recruited the unskilled workers needed to supply janitorial services entirely from the local labor market in Southern California. The incidental equipment and supplies utilized in providing those janitorial services, except in concededly insignificant amounts, were purchased from local distributors.4 It is unquestioned that the appellee, American Building Maintenance Industries, was and is actively engaged in interstate commerce. But on the basis of the above facts the District Court concluded that at the time of the challenged acquisition and merger neither Benton Management Corp. nor Benton Maintenance Co. was 'engaged in commerce' within the meaning of § 7 of the Clayton Act. Accordingly, the District Court held that there had been no violation of that law. The Government's appeal raises two questions: First, does the phrase 'engaged in commerce' as used in § 7 of the Clayton Act encompass corporations engaged in intrastate activities that substantially affect interstate commerce? Second, if the language of § 7 requires proof of actual engagement in the flow of interstate commerce, were the Benton companies' activities sufficient to satisfy that standard? Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, provides in pertinent part: 'No corporation engaged in commerce shall acquire, directly or indirectly, the whole or any part of the stock or other share capital and no corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission shall acquire the whole or any part of the assets of another corporation engaged also in commerce, where in any line of commerce in any section of the country, the effect of such acquisition may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly.' Under the explicit reach of § 7, therefore, not only must the acquiring corporation be 'engaged in commerce,' but the corporation or corporations whose stock or assets are acquired must be 'engaged also in commerce.'5 The distinct 'in commerce' language of § 7, the Court observed earlier this Term, 'appears to denote only persons or activities within the flow of interstate commerce—the practical, economic continuity in the generation of goods and services for interstater markets and their transport and distribution to the consumer. If this is so, the jurisdictional requirements of (§ 7) cannot be satisfied merely by showing that allegedly anticompetitive acquisitions and activities affect commerce.' Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S. 186, 195, 95 S.Ct. 392, 398, 42 L.Ed.2d 378. But even more unambiguous support for this construction of the narrow 'in commerce' language enacted by Congress in § 7 of the Clayton Act is to be found in an earlier decision of this Court, FTC v. Bunte Bros., 312 U.S. 349, 61 S.Ct. 580, 85 L.Ed. 881. In Bunte Bros., the Court was required to determine the scope of § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 719, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 45, which authorized the Commission to proceed only against 'unfair methods of competition in commerce.' The Court squarely held that the Commission's § 5 jurisdiction was limited to unfair methods of competition occurring in the flow of interstate commerce. The contention that 'in commerce' should be read as if it meant 'affecting interstate commerce' was emphatically rejected: 'The construction of § 5 urged by the Commission would thus give a federal agency pervasive control over myriads of local businesses in matters heretofore traditionally left to local custom or local law. . . . An inroad upon local conditions and local standards of such far-reaching import as is involved here, ought to await a clearer mandate from Congress.' 312 U.S., at 354—355,6 61 S.Ct. at 583. The phrase 'in commerce' does not, of course, necessarily have a uniform meaning whenever used by Congress. See, e.g., Kirschbaum Co. v. Walling, 316 U.S. 517, 520—521, 62 S.Ct. 1116, 1118, 86 L.Ed. 1638. But the Bunte Bros. construction of § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act is particularly relevant to a proper interpretation of the 'in commerce' language in § 7 of the Clayton Act since both sections were enacted by the 63d Congress, and both were designed to deal with closely related aspects of the same problem—the protection of free and fair competition in the Nation's marketplaces. See FTC v. Raladam Co., 283 U.S. 643, 647 648, 51 S.Ct. 587, 590, 75 L.Ed. 1324. The Government argues, however, that despite its basic identity to § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, the phrase 'engaged in commerce' in § 7 of the Clayton Act should be interpreted to mean engaged in any activity that is subject to the constitutional power of Congress over interstate commerce. The legislative history of the Clayton Act, the Government contends, demonstrates that the 'in commerce' language of § 7 was intended to be coextensive with the reach of congressional power under the Commerce Clause. Moreover, the argument continues, § 7 was designed to supplement the Sherman Act and to arrest the creation of trusts or monopolies in their incipiency, United States v. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 353 U.S. 586, 589, 77 S.Ct. 872, 875, 1 L.Ed.2d 1057 and it would be anomalous, in light of this history and purpose, to hold that the Clayton Act's jurisdictional scope is more restricted than that of the Sherman Act. It is certainly true that the Court has held that in the Sherman Act, 'Congress wanted to go to the utmost extent of its Constitutional power in restraining trust and monopoly agreements . . ..' United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Assn., 322 U.S. 533, 558, 64 S.Ct. 1162, 1176, 88 L.Ed. 1440. Accordingly, the Sherman Act has been applied to local activities which, although not themselves within the flow of interstate commerce, substantially affect interstate commerce. See, e.g., Mandeville Island Farms, Inc. v. American Crystal Sugar Co., 334 U.S. 219, 68 S.Ct. 996, 92 L.Ed.2d 1328; United States v. Employing Plasterers Assn., 347 U.S. 186, 74 S.Ct. 452, 98 L.Ed. 618. But the Government's argument that § 7 should likewise be read to reach intrastate corporations affecting interstate commerce is not persuasive. Unlike § 7, with its precise 'in commerce' language, § 1 of the Sherman Act, 26 Stat. 209, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 1, prohibits every contract, combination, or conspiracy 'in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States . . ..' 'The jurisdictional reach of § 1 thus is keyed directly to effects on interstate markets and the interstate flow of goods.' Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S., at 194, 95 S.Ct. at 398. No similar concern for the impact of intrastate conduct on interstate commerce is evident in § 7's 'engaged in commerce' requirements. The Government's contention that it would be anomalous for Congress to have strengthened the antitrust laws by curing perceived deficiencies in the Sherman Act and at the same time to have limited the jurisdictional scope of those remedial provisions founders also on the express language of § 7. Thus, although the Sherman Act proscribes every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce, whether entered into by a natural person, partnership, corporation, or other form of business organization, § 7 of the Clayton Act is explicitly limited to corporate acquisitions. Yet it surely could not be seriously argued that this 'anomaly' must be ignored, and § 7 extended to reach an allegedly anticompetitive acquisition of partnership assets.7 There is no more justification for concluding that the equally explicit 'in commerce' limitation on § 7's reach should be disregarded. More importantly, whether or not Congress in enacting the Clayton Act in 1914 intended to exercise fully its power to regulate commerce, and whatever the understanding of the 63d Congress may have been as to the extent of its Commerce Clause power, the fact is that when § 7 was re-enacted in 1950, the phrase 'engaged in commerce' had long since become a term of art, indicating a limited assertion of federal jurisdiction. In Schechter Corp. v. United States, 295 U.S. 495, 55 S.Ct. 837, 79 L.Ed. 1570, for example, the Court had drawn a sharp distinction between activities in the flow of interstate commerce and intrastate activities that affect interstate commerce. Id., at 542—544, 55 S.Ct., at 848. Similarly, the Court's opinion in NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 301 U.S. 1, 57 S.Ct. 615, 81 L.Ed. 893, two years later, had emphasized that congressional authority to regulate commerce was not limited to activities actually 'in commerce,' but extended as well to conduct that substantially affected interstate commerce. And the Bunte Bros. decision in 1941 had stressed the distinction between unfair methods of competition 'in commerce' and those that 'affected commerce,' in limiting the scope of the Commission's authority under the 'in commerce' language of § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Congress, as well, in the years prior to 1950 had repeatedly acknowledged its recognition of the distinction between legislation limited to activities 'in commerce,' and an assertion of its full Commerce Clause power so as to cover all activity substantially affecting interstate commerce. Section 10(a) of the National Labor Relations Act, 49 Stat. 453, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 160(a), for example, empowered the National Labor Relations Board to prevent any person from engaging in an unfair labor practice 'affecting commerce.' Section 2(7) of the Act, 49 Stat. 450, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 152(7), in turn, defined 'affecting commerce' to mean 'in commerce, or burdening or obstructing commerce or the free flow of commerce . . ..' Similarly, the Bituminous Coal Act of 1937, c. 127, 50 Stat. 72, providing for the fixing of prices for bituminous coal, the proscription of unfair trade practices, and the establishment of marketing procedures, applied to sales and transactions 'in or directly affecting interstate commerce in bituminous coal.' 50 Stat. 76. In marked contrast to the broad 'affecting commerce' jurisdictional language utilized in those statutes, however, Congress retained the narrower 'in commerce' formulation when it amended and re-enacted § 7 of the Clayton Act in 1950. The 1950 amendments were designed in large part to 'plug the loophole' that existed in § 7 as initially enacted in 1914, by expanding its coverage to include acquisitions of assets, as well as acquisitions of stock. In addition, other language in § 7 was amended to make plain the full reach of the section's prohibitions. See Brown Show Co. v. United States, 370 U.S. 294, 311—323, 82 S.Ct. 1502, 1516, 8 L.Ed.2d 510. Yet, despite the sweeping changes made to effectuate those purposes, and despite decisions of this Court, such as Bunte Bros., that had limited the reach of the phrase 'in commerce' in similar regulatory legislation, Congress preserved the requirement that both the acquiring and the acquired companies be 'engaged in commerce.' This congressional action cannot be disregarded, as the Government would have it, as simply a result of congressional inattention, for Congress was fully aware in enacting the 1950 amendments that both the original and the newly amended versions of § 7 were limited to corporations 'engaged in commerce.' See, e.g., H.R.Rep.No.1191, 81st Cong., 1st Sess., 5—6. Rather, the decision to re-enact § 7 with the same 'in commerce' limitation can be rationally explained only in terms of a legislative intent, at least in 1950, not to apply the rather drastic prohibitions of § 7 of the Clayton Act to the full range of corporations potentially subject to the commerce power. Finally, the Government's contention that a limitation of the scope of § 7 to its plain meaning would undermine the section's remedial purpose is belied by the past enforcement policy of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice—the two governmental agencies charged with enforcing the section's prohibitions. Clayton Act §§ 11, 15, 15 U.S.C. §§ 21(a), 25. The Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly held that § 7 applies only to an acquisition in which both the acquired and the acquiring companies are engaged directly in interstate commerce. E.g., Foremost Dairies, Inc., 60 F.T.C. 944, 1068—1069; Beatrice Foods Co., 67 F.T.C. 473, 730—731; Mississippi River Fuel Corp., 75 F.T.C. 813, 918. And while the Government explains that it has never taken a formal position that § 7 does not apply to intrastate firms affecting interstate commerce, it does concede that previous § 7 cases brought by the Department of Justice have invariably involved firms clearly engaged in the flow of interstate commerce.8 In light of this consistent enforcement practice, it is difficult to credit the argument that § 7's remedial purpose would be frustrated by construing literally § 7's twice-enacted 'in commerce' requirement. In sum, neither the legislative history nor the remedial purpose of § 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended and re-enacted in 1950, supports an expansion of the scope of § 7 beyond that defined by its express language. Accordingly, we hold that the phrase 'engaged in commerce' as used in § 7 of the Clayton Act means engaged in the flow of interstate commerce, and was not intended to reach all corporations engaged in activities subject to the federal commerce power. The Government alternatively argues that even if § 7 applies only to corporations engaged in the flow of interstate commerce, the Benton companies' activities at the time of the acquisition and merger placed them in that flow. To support this contention the Government relies primarily on the fact that the Benton companies performed a substantial portion of their janitorial services for enterprises which were themselves clearly engaged in selling products in interstate and international markets and in providing interstate communication facilities.9 But simply supplying localized services to a corporation engaged in interstate commerce does not satisfy the 'in commerce' requirement of § 7. To be engaged 'in commerce' within the meaning of § 7, a corporation must itself be directly engaged in the production, distribution, or acquisition of goods or services in interstate commerce. See Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S., at 195, 95 S.Ct. at 398. At the time of the acquisition and merger, however, the Benton companies were completely insulated from any direct participation in interstate markets or the interstate flow of goods or services. The firms' activities were limited to providing janitorial services within Southern California to corporations that made wholly independent pricing decisions concerning their own products. Consequently, whether or not their effect on interstate commerce was sufficiently substantial to come within the ambit of the constitutional power of Congress under the Commerce Clause, in providing janitorial services the Benton companies were not themselves 'engaged in commerce' within the meaning of § 7. Cf. Mandeville Island Farms, Inc. v. American Crystal Sugar Co., 334 U.S., at 227—235,10 68 S.Ct. at 1001. Similarly, although the Benton companies used janitorial equipment and supplies manufactured in large part outside of California, they did not purchase them directly from suppliers located in other States. Cf. Foremost Dairies, Inc., 60 F.T.C., at 1068—1069. Rather, those products were purchased in intrastate transactions from local distributors. Once again, therefore, the Benton justice would be poorly served.' Id., participation in interstate commerce by the pricing and other marketing decisions of independent intermediaries. By the time the Benton companies purchased their janitorial supplies, the flow of commerce had ceased. See Schechter Corp. v. United States, 295 U.S., at 542 543,11 55 S.Ct. at 848. In short, since the Benton companies did not participate directly in the sale, purchase, or distribution of goods or services in interstate commerce, they were not 'engaged in commerce' within the meaning of § 7 of the Clayton Act.12 The District Court, therefore, properly concluded that the acquisition and merger in this case were not within the coverage of § 7 of the Clayton Act. The judgment of the District Court is affirmed. Mr. Justice WHITE, concurring. I concur in the judgment and in Parts I and II of the Court's opinion. I do not join Part III, for I doubt that the interposition of a California wholesaler or distributor between the Benton companies and out-of-state manufacturers of janitorial supplies necessarily requires that the Benton companies by found not to be 'in commerce' merely because they buy directly from out-of-state suppliers only a negligible amount of their supplies. For the purposes of § 7 of the Clayton Act, a remedial statute, the regular movement of goods from out-of-state manufacturer to local wholesaler and then to retailer or institutional consumer is at least arguably sufficient to place the latter in the stream of commerce, particularly where it appears that when the complaint was filed, cf. United States v. Penn-Olin Co., 378 U.S. 158, 168, 84 S.Ct. 1710, 1715, 12 L.Ed.2d 775 (1964), the 'local' distributor from which supplies were being purchased was a wholly owned subsidiary of the acquiring company, a national concern admittedly in commerce. In this case, however, the United States makes no such contention and appellee's motion for summary judgment was not opposed by the Government on that theory. It is therefore inappropriate to address the issue at this time; and on this record, I concur in the judgment that the Benton companies were not in commerce. Mr. Justice DOUGLAS, with whom Mr. Justice BRENNAN joins, dissenting. For the reasons set forth in my dissenting opinion in Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S. 186, 204— 207, 95 S.Ct. 392, 403, 42 L.Ed.2d 378 (1974), decided earlier this Term, I cannot agree that the 'in commerce' language of § 7 of the Clayton Act, 38 Stat. 731, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18, was intended to give that statute a narrower jurisdictional reach than the 'affecting commerce' standard which we have read into the Sherman Act, 26 Stat. 209, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. On the record in this case, it is beyond question that the activities of the acquired firms have a substantial effect on interstate commerce. I would therefore reverse the summary judgment granted below and remand for further proceedings in the District Court. Mr. Justice BLACKMUN, dissenting. I believe that the scope of the Clayton Act should be held to extend to acquisitions and sales having a substantial effect on interstate commerce. I therefore dissent. For me, the reach of § 7 of the Clayton Act, 38 Stat. 731, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18, is as broad as that of the Sherman Act, and should not be given the narrow construction we properly have given, just this Term, to the Robinson-Patman Act. Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Co., 419 U.S. 186, 95 S.Ct. 392, 42 L.Ed.2d 378 (1974). For more than a quarter of a century the Court has held that the Sherman Act should be construed broadly to reach the full extent of the commerce power, and to proscribe those restraints that substantially affect interstate commerce. See, e.g., Mandeville Island Farms, Inc. v. American Crystal Sugar Co., 334 U.S. 219, 234, 68 S.Ct. 996, 1005, 92 L.Ed. 1328 (1948); United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Assn., 322 U.S. 533, 558, 64 S.Ct. 1162, 1176, 88 L.Ed. 1440 (1944). The Clayton Act was enacted to supplement the Sherman Act, and to 'arrest in its incipiency' any restraint or substantial lessening of competition. United States v. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 353 U.S. 586, 589, 77 S.Ct. 872, 875, 1 L.Ed.2d 1057 (1957). To ascribe to Congress the intent to exercise less than its full commerce power in the Clayton Act, which has as its purpose the supplementation of the protections afforded by the Sherman Act, is both highly anomalous and, it seems to me, unwarranted. Section 7 should not be limited, as the Court limits it today, to corporations engaged in interstate commerce, but should be held to include those intrastate activities substantially affecting interstate commerce. The Government appealed directly to this Court pursuant to § 2 of the Expediting Act, 32 Stat. 823, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 29. The Government's notice of appeal was filed on February 7, 1974, before the effective date of the recent amendments to the Act. See Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, Pub.L. 93—528, § 7, 88 Stat. 1710. At the time of the acquisition and merger, Jess E. Benton, Jr., owned all the stock of J. E. Benton Management Corp., and 85% of the stock of Benton Maintenance Co. In addition to supplying janitorial services, Benton Management conducted some real estate business and provided building management services entirely within the Southern California area. Benton Maintenance was engaged exclusively in providing janitorial services. The Government has made no claim that the nonjanitorial activities of Benton Management Corp. have any bearing on the issues presented by this case. The District Court found that the Benton companies made only 10 out-of-state telephone calls related to business activities during the 18-month period prior to the challenged acquisition and merger. The charges for those calls were $19.78. During the same period the Benton companies sent or received only some 200 interstate letters, a number of which were either directed to or received from governmental agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service. Although many of the janitorial supplies were manufactured outside of California, the District Court found that Benton's direct interstate purchases for the 16-month period prior to the challenged acquisition and merger amounted to a total of less than $140. 'Commerce,' as defined by § 1 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 12, means 'trade or commerce among the several States and with foreign nations . . ..' The phrase 'engaged in commerce' is not defined by the Act. Congress recently acted to provide such a 'clearer mandate,' amending the Federal Trade Commission Act by replacing the phrase 'in commerce' with 'in or affecting commerce' in §§ 5, 6, and 12 of the Act. Magnuson-Moss Warranty—Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, § 201, 88 Stat. 2193, 15 U.S.C. § 45 (1970 ed., Supp. IV). The amendments were specifically designed to expand the Commission's jurisdiction beyond the limits defined by Bunte Bros. and to make it coextensive with the constitutional power of Congress under the Commerce Clause. See H.R.Rep.No.93 1107, pp. 29—31 (1974); U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 1973, p. 7702. The Federal Trade Commission has held that such acquisitions may be challenged under § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which forbids unfair methods of competition on the part of persons and partnerships, as well as corporations. Beatrice Foods Co., 67 F.T.C. 473, 724—727. It is, of course, well established that the Commission has broad power to apply § 5 to reach transactions which violate the standards of the Clayton Act, although technically not subject to the Act's prohibitions. See, e.g., FTC v. Brown Shoe Co., 384 U.S. 316, 320—321, 86 S.Ct. 1501, 1504, 16 L.Ed.2d 587; cf. FTC v. Sperry & Hutchinson Co., 405 U.S. 233, 92 S.Ct. 898, 31 L.Ed.2d 170. We have no occasion in the case now before us to decide whether application of § 5 to assets acquisitions by or from noncorporate business entities constitutes an appropriate exercise of that power; nor need we consider whether the acquisition of the stock or assets of an intrastate corporation that affected interstate commerce could be challenged by the Commission under the recent jurisdictional amendments to § 5. See n. 6, supra. See generally Oppenheim, Guides to Harmonizing Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act with the Sherman and Clayton Acts, 59 Mich.L.Rev. 821; Reeves, Toward a Coherent Antitrust Policy: The Role of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act in Price Discrimination Regulation, 16 B.C.Ind. & Com.L.Rev. 151, 167—171. Despite this concession, the Government somewhat inconsistently argues that the present case does not in fact involve a substantial departure from the previous § 7 enforcement pattern. In the past, the Government asserts, the United States has challenged acquisitions of 'essentially local businesses that affected interstate commerce.' United States v. Von's Grocery Co., 384 U.S. 270, 86 S.Ct. 1478, 16 L.Ed.2d 555 is cited as an example of such a challenge. But the District Court in that case expressly found that both of the merging grocery chains directly participated in the flow of interstate commerce because each purchased more than 51% of its supplies from outside of California. See 233 F.Supp. 976, 978. And in United States v. County National Bank, D.C.Vt., 339 F.Supp. 85, the only other case cited by the Government to support its contention that the case now before us does not involve a departure from previous enforcement policy, the sole question was quite different from that here in issue—whether the 'Bennington area' was a 'section of the country' within the meaning of § 7 of the Clayton Act. The Benton companies derived 80% to 90% of their revenues from performance of janitorial service contracts for the Los Angeles facilities of interstate and international corporations such as Mobil Oil Corp., Rockwell International Corp., Teledyne, Inc., and Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. The Government notes that this Court has held that maintenance workers servicing buildings in which goods are produced for interstate markets are covered by Fair Labor Standards Act provisions applicable to employees engaged in the production of goods for commerce. See, e.g., Kirschbaum Co. v. Walling, 316 U.S. 517, 62 S.Ct. 1116, 86 L.Ed. 1638; Martino v. Michigan Window Cleaning Co., 327 U.S. 173, 66 S.Ct. 379, 90 L.Ed. 603. In Kirschbaum the Court reasoned: 'Without light and heat and power the tenants could not engage, as they do, in the production of goods for interstate commerce. The maintenance of a safe, habitable building is indispensable to that activity.' 316 U.S., at 524, 62 S.Ct. at 1120. Similarly, the Government argues, in the present case the Benton janitorial services were so essential to the interstate operations of their customers that they, too, should be considered part of the flow of commerce. The Fair Labor Standards Act, however, is not confined, as is § 7 of the Clayton Act, to activities that are actually 'in commerce.' At the time of the decisions relied upon by the Government, the Act provided that 'an employee shall be deemed to have been engaged in the production of goods (for interstate commerce) if such employee was employed in producing, manufacturing, mining, handling, transporting, or in any other manner working on such goods, or in any process or occupation necessary to the production thereof . . ..' Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, § 3(j), 52 Stat. 1061, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 203(j) (1946 ed.) (emphasis added). Congress thus expressly intended to reach not only those employees who directly participated in the production of goods for interstate markets, but also those employees outside the flow of commerce but nonetheless necessary to it. Although Congress in 1950 could constitutionally have extended § 7 of the Clayton Act to reach comparable roughly termed by the Circuit Court supra, at 279-281. The Government does not suggest that the purchase of janitorial equipment and supplies from local distributors placed the Benton companies in the flow of commerce, although it does argue that because of those purchases the firms had a substantial effect on interstate commerce—an issue not relevant in light of our construction of the reach of § 7 of the Clayton Act. The Government contends that the sale of janitorial services 'necessarily' involves interstate communications, solicitations, and negotiations, and that such interstate activity should be viewed as part of the flow of interstate commerce. The merits of that argument need not be considered, however, since the record before the District Court does not support a finding that any of the Benton janitorial service contracts were obtained through interstate solicitation or negotiation.

Eyes on the Estuaries Monitoring Estuaries / 9-12 / Life Science, Earth Science How can we monitor and compare living resources in U.S. estuaries? - Students will retrieve and interpret data on the distribution of selected estuarine animals at various stages in the life history of these animals and relate these distributions to salinity conditions. - Students will compare the distribution of selected species in two or more estuaries, and to draw inferences about the ecology of these estuaries. Links to Overview Essays and Resources Useful for Student Research - copies of “ELMR Database Student Worksheet” found at the end of this lesson plan, one copy for each student group. Click here for a separate printable worksheet. - (optional) Computers with Internet access; if students do not have access to the Internet, direct them to local library resources, and/or download copies of materials cited under “Learning Procedure” and provide copies of these materials to each student or student group - a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel® One or two 45-minute class periods, plus time for student research. Groups of 3-4 students Maximum Number of Students Coastal ecosystems provide many benefits to human communities, including food, ports, recreational opportunities, habitats for diverse plant and animal life, and minerals. More than half of the U.S. population lives near a coast, and about one of every six jobs in the U.S. is related to coastal or marine resources. Because these systems are vulnerable to stress from natural processes and human activity, NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) has a variety of programs designed to protect coastal resources and the opportunities they provide. Two of the basic requirements for providing this protection are: - The ability to recognize change in coastal resources; and - The ability to distinguish normal variations from changes that may signal significant problems. Coastal monitoring programs provide the information needed to recognize and interpret changes in coastal resources. “Coastal monitoring” refers to periodic measurements of physical, chemical, biological, and meteorological factors that may affect the use and quality of coastal resources. For example, such factors may include temperature, salinity, presence of chemical contaminants, biological species, life stages of these species (eggs, juveniles, adults, etc.), rainfall, and storm events. NOS supports 28 different monitoring systems to provide key pieces of information needed to protect marine resources and control the ways in which they are used. These programs fall into four classes that represent different geographic scales. The first class includes measurements of environmental features over large geographic areas using sensors or instruments on airplanes, satellites, and ships. These features include distribution of habitat types or land cover, algal blooms, water depth, shoreline location, and land topography. The second class includes physical, chemical, biological, and meteorological measurements at specific sites. These measurements are made periodically and are usually intended to provide information on specific resources or environmental stresses. Measurements include currents, water quality and weather in 26 National Estuarine Research Reserves, contaminants in sediments and bivalve molluscs at 250 sites, and water level measurements used to predict tides. The third class includes intensive and frequent measurements of environmental conditions at a few locations of particular importance. These include coral reef ecosystems, 13 National Marine Sanctuaries, sites where there is a high potential for substantial environmental degradation (Narragansett Bay, Chesapeake Bay, and San Francisco Bay are among more than 280 sites being monitored) and real-time measurements of water levels, currents, and other oceanographic conditions in 10 U.S. ports including New York/New Jersey Harbor, Houston/Galveston Bay, Los Angeles/Long Beach, and the Port of Anchorage. The fourth class includes monitoring activities that are focussed on a single physical location, ecosystem, or oil spill sites. The Everglades, Chesapeake Bay, and the M/V Selendang Ayu oil spill site in Alaska are among the areas included in this part of the NOS monitoring program. This activity focuses on information contained in the NOS Estuarine Living Marine Resources (ELMR) Database. The ELMR Program was established to develop baseline information on ecologically and economically important fishes and invertebrates in U.S. estuaries. The database includes information on the distribution, relative abundance, and life history characteristics of 153 species found in 122 estuaries and coastal embayments on the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico coasts. In this lesson, students will use the ELMR Database to compare characteristics of selected species in two or more estuaries, and to draw inferences about the ecology of these estuaries. - Decide which estuaries and which species within these estuaries will be assigned to each student group. If the same estuaries and species are assigned to each group, it will be easier for students to compare their results with those of other groups. On the other hand, assigning each group a different set of estuaries and species will provide greater variety, as well as ensure that each group does their own work; but this will also require more advance preparation by the teacher. - Discuss the importance of living estuarine resources and some of the sources of stress that may threaten these resources. Students should realize that stress may result from natural processes (such as storms, drought, or disease) as well as human activity such as coastal development, heavy industry, or oil spills. Be sure students understand that many organisms are adapted to withstand natural stresses, but may not be able to tolerate these stresses if they are also exposed to stress from human activities. Discuss the importance of being able to recognize change in populations of estuarine organisms and of being able to separate normal variability from unusual change. Both of these capabilities depend upon having “baseline” information about species of interest that can be compared with new information from periodic monitoring of these species. - Assign each student group at least three species in at least two different estuaries, and provide each group with a copy of the “ELMR Database Student Worksheet" found at the end of this lesson plan. Click here for a separate printable worksheet. - Have each student group present an oral summary of their analyses and inferences based on steps 6 and 7 on the Worksheet. Students should understand that a defining characteristic of all estuaries is variable salinity, and that this characteristic can offer advantages to species that can tolerate a range of salinities. At a minimum, student analyses should accurately summarize abundance data for each of the five life stages, as well as the salinity ranges in which these stages were found. Inferences should include ideas about how these data may reflect reproductive strategies. In a discussion of the Winyah Bay alewife data, for example, students should recognize that this species spawns throughout the spring, so eggs and spawning adults are most common during March, April, and May. As the eggs develop, larvae appear and are abundant through June. Juveniles appear somewhat later and remain abundant through November. Students may infer that eggs and larvae do not tolerate salinities above 0.5 ppt, or may hypothesize that these life stages inhabit low-salinity waters to avoid predators that require higher salinities. The latter hypothesis is supported by the observation that spawning adults were found only in waters with salinity of 0 - 0.5 ppt, even though non-spawning adults were equally abundant in all three salinity ranges. In addition, juveniles appear to expand their salinity range as they grow older. The absence of any life stages during December through February may suggest that alewife use estuaries primarily as spawning and nursery areas, and live in farther from shore during the winter months. Severe storms or prolonged droughts may alter the salinity distribution within an estuary. Reductions in freshwater flow caused by droughts or seawater driven into estuaries by storm winds could both cause higher-than-normal salinities. This could be fatal for life stages of species that are confined to low salinity waters (such as the eggs, larvae, and young juveniles of alewife). These patterns will vary, depending upon the estuary and species. White shrimp adults and juveniles, for example, are found in the Winyah Bay estuary throughout the year, though larvae of this species are only present from May through September. No eggs or spawning adults of this species were observed in any month, which might mean that spawning occurs elsewhere or more likely that these stages were missed by the sampling program that produced the data. The key consideration is that the assigned species must be present in both assigned estuaries to permit comparison between the two sites. If the assigned estuaries are from different regions (Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, etc.) there is greater likelihood that there will be noticeable differences in the ecological characteristics of at least some of the species found in both locations. The best way to make these decisions is to visit the ELMR Database at http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/elmr.aspx , and scan through the data for estuaries that you think may be suitable to get an idea of the species for which data are available. You may want to include one or two invertebrate species as well as fishes for each student group. For example, the following species are among those that could be compared in the Winyah Bay and Chesapeake Bay estuaries: Daggerblade Grass Shrimp Tell students that their assignment is to prepare a written report in which they summarize baseline information about selected species in two (or more) estuaries, and use this information to draw inferences about the ecology of these species. Be sure students understand that the primary purpose of the ELMR Database is to provide a reference point for each estuary that can be used to analyze future monitoring data from the SAME estuary. These reference data, though, can also provide information about variations in the life history of individual species in different estuaries. The Bridge Connection The Bridge is a growing collection online marine education resources. It provides educators with a convenient source of useful information on global, national, and regional marine science topics. Educators and scientists review sites selected for the Bridge to insure that they are accurate and current. www.vims.edu/bridge - Click on “Ocean Science Topics” in the navigation menu to the left, then “Habitats,” then “Coastal,” then “Estuary” for links to resources about estuaries. The “Me” Connection Have students write a brief essay describing a monitoring program for an ecosystem in their own community that is personally important. Essays should include an explanation of why this system is important (reasons could include ecological, economic, or aesthetic values, or a combination of these), what factors would be monitored, and how frequently monitoring should be done. Visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/monitor/ for an online manual for Volunteer Estuary Monitoring, as well as information on the ecology of estuaries and how they are threatened. http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/kids/ – Games and activities about estuaries produced through the National Estuary Program. http://www.northinlet.sc.edu/estnetweb/estnet.html – “Estuary-Net Project;” an online project to develop collaborations among high schools, community volunteer water quality monitoring groups, local officials, state Coastal Zone Management (CZM) programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRS) to help solve non-point source pollution problems in estuaries and their watersheds. National Science Education Standards Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry - Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry - Understandings about scientific inquiry Content Standard C: Life Science - Interdependence of organisms - Behavior of organisms Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - Personal and community health - Natural resources - Environmental quality - Natural and human induced hazards - Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts Essential Principle 5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems. - Fundamental Concept f. Ocean habitats are defined by environmental factors. Due to interactions of abiotic factors such as salinity, temperature, oxygen, pH, light, nutrients, pressure, substrate and circulation, ocean life is not evenly distributed temporally or spatially, i.e., it is “patchy”. Some regions of the ocean support more diverse and abundant life than anywhere on Earth, while much of the ocean is considered a desert. - Fundamental Concept i. Estuaries provide important and productive nursery areas for many marine and aquatic species. Essential Principle 6. The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. - Fundamental Concept a. The ocean affects every human life. It supplies freshwater (most rain comes from the ocean) and nearly all Earth’s oxygen. It moderates the Earth’s climate, influences our weather, and affects human health. - Fundamental Concept b. From the ocean we get foods, medicines, and mineral and energy resources. In addition, it provides jobs, supports our nation’s economy, serves as a highway for transportation of goods and people, and plays a role in national security. - Fundamental Concept c. The ocean is a source of inspiration, recreation, rejuvenation and discovery. It is also an important element in the heritage of many cultures. - Fundamental Concept d. Much of the world’s population lives in coastal areas. - Fundamental Concept e. Humans affect the ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, regulations and resource management affect what is taken out and put into the ocean. Human development and activity leads to pollution (such as point source, non-point source, and noise pollution) and physical modifications (such as changes to beaches, shores and rivers). In addition, humans have removed most of the large vertebrates from the ocean. - Fundamental Concept f. Coastal regions are susceptible to natural hazards (such as tsunamis, hurricanes, cyclones, sea level change, and storm surges). - Fundamental Concept g. Everyone is responsible for caring for the ocean. The ocean sustains life on Earth and humans must live in ways that sustain the ocean. Individual and collective actions are needed to effectively manage ocean resources for all. Essential Principle 7. The ocean is largely unexplored. - Fundamental Concept d. New technologies, sensors and tools are expanding our ability to explore the ocean. Ocean scientists are relying more and more on satellites, drifters, buoys, subsea observatories and unmanned submersibles. - Fundamental Concept f. Ocean exploration is truly interdisciplinary. It requires close collaboration among biologists, chemists, climatologists, computer programmers, engineers, geologists, meteorologists, and physicists, and new ways of thinking. Eyes on the Estuaries ELMR Data Base Student Worksheet The ELMR Data Base includes data on selected fish and invertebrate species in 122 estuaries along the coastlines of the United States. Each estuary is divided into one to five salinity zones. In each zone, data are provided for the relative abundance of five life stages for each of the selected species that are present. These life stages are adults, eggs, juveniles, larvae, and spawning adults. Data for each life stage for each species are provided for each of twelve months. Relative abundance is represented by a scale from 0 to 5: 0 = not present 2 = rare 3 = common 4 = abundant 5 = highly abundant An entry of “.” means that no data are available. Your assignment is to compare data for certain species in two or more estuaries assigned by your teacher. For each assigned species, you should find out: - In what months is each of the five life stages present, and in what months is each stage most abundant? - In what salinity range is each of the five life stages found during the months that it is most abundant? - Open the ELMR Data Base at: http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/elmr.aspx/. - Select the “Region” that includes the estuary you are interested in (SOUTHEAST), then the appropriate estuary name in the “Estuary” window (WINYAH BAY). You can confine your search to specific Species, Life Stages, and Salinity Zones, or just leave “All” selected in these windows. For now, leave “All” selected. Click the “Save As Text” button. The file will be saved onto your hard drive as a “zip” archive. - Unzip the downloaded data file, and open the ELMR download text file in Microsoft Excel®. You will get the Text Import Wizard Step 1. Select “Delimited,” “Start Import at Row: 1,” and the operating system you are using next to “File Origin.” Click “Next.” Step 2. Select “Delimiters: Tab” and “Text Qualifier: “ Click “Next.” Step 3. Click the “General” button under “Column Data Format.” Click “Finish.” - You now have a spreadsheet with all of the data for Winyah Bay. Now, you need to make a few adjustments to this spreadsheet to make it easier to analyze: - Highlight columns B and C. Under the “Format” menu, select “Column” and then “Width.” Change the width of columns B and C to 2 inches. - Highlight columns E through P. Under the “Format” menu, select “Column” and then “Width.” Change the width of columns E through P to 0.5 inch. - Highlight all cells by clicking on the empty cell in the upper left corner. Under the “Data” menu click “Sort.” Check the box next to “Header Row” under “My list has.” Under “Sort By” select “Common Name.” Under “Then by” select “LifeStage.” Click “OK. - Highlight all cells in columns C through P for all Life Stages of the species you are analyzing. For this example, suppose “Alewife” is one of your assigned species; so you would highlight cells C2 through P16 - Click on the Chart Wizard icon. Select “Column” under “Chart type” and the upper left icon under “Chart subtype.” Click “Next.” - Click the button next to “Rows” under “Series in.” Click the “Series” tab, and remove all life stages except “Adults” and “Spawning.” Click “Next.” - Click the “Titles” tab. Enter a title for your chart (such as “Alewife Adults and Spawning”). Enter “Month” in the “Category (X) axis:” box and “Abundance” in the “Value (Y) axis:” box. Click “Next.” - Click the button next to “As new sheet” and enter the name that you want to appear on the tab for your chart in the spreadsheet workspace. Click “Finish.” You now have a column chart that shows the relative abundance of alewife adults, and spawning adults in each salinity zone for each month. - If you want to print your chart and do not have a color printer, you may want to change the column fills to black and white patterns. To do this, double click on one of the columns on your chart. The “Format Data Series” dialogue box will open. Click on the “Colors an Lines” tab, then select “Fill Effects . . . “ from the Color drop down menu, then click the “Pattern” tab. Select black in the window under “Foreground:” and white in the window under “Background:” Select the pattern you want, then click “OK.” Click “OK” in the “Format Data Series” dialogue box. - The column on your chart should now contain a black-and-white fill pattern. Repeat these steps for the other columns. - Repeat steps a. and b. Click the button next to “Rows” under “Series in.” Click the “Series” tab, and remove “Adults” and “Spawning” life stages. Click “Next,” and repeat steps d. and e. You now have a second column chart that shows the relative abundance of alewife eggs, larvae, and juveniles in each salinity zone for each month. Adjust the column fills if necessary. - When are spawning adults most abundant? - When are eggs most abundant? - When are larvae most abundant? - When are juveniles most abundant? - When are adults most abundant? - Are any of these life stages more abundant in certain salinity zones? For the Winyah Bay alewife example, adults and spawning adults are most abundant in March, April and May; eggs are most abundant in March, April and May; larvae are most abundant in March, April, May and June; juveniles are abundant from April through November. Notice that all life stages of alewife are absent from December through February. Different life stages of alewife appear to have different salinity preferences. Alewife eggs and larvae are found only in salinities of 0 - 0.5 ppt. Juveniles are also confined to this salinity zone during April, May, June, and July; but are found in the 0.5 - 25 ppt salinity zone between August and November, and in the > 25 ppt zone between September and November. Alewife adults are found in all three salinity zones, but spawning adults are only found in the 0 - 0.5 ppt zone.

Racer X Race Report: High PointSaturday, June 11, 2011 | 10:40 PM If you’re a rider who doesn’t like the way things are going for you in Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross, just wait a bit and things will change. Ryan Villopoto and Blake Baggett both demonstrated great patience through the third round of the series, the 35th Annual Rockstar Energy Drink High Point National in Mt Morris, Pennsylvania. Villopoto was patient through the first two weekends of the season, while his bike and body were not quite 100 percent, and then took advantage of a weekend off in the schedule last week, and showed up at High Point much closer to the form that made him a three-time champion in this series in the 250 class. For Baggett, he was patient in the races, choosing to save himself at the beginning for incredible charges late in the races. A dominant moto win in the first race and a steady ride in the second netted Ryan Villopoto his first AMA Motocross win in over two years. Villopoto immediately demonstrated his return to form in the first 450 moto. Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, the defending series’ champion, grabbed the early lead but made a mistake coming out of the second turn, allowing Villopoto to slip past him. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Villopoto immediately began logging fast laps and pulled a gap on Dungey. Dungey had a bolt break on his helmet visor right before the moto began, and had to ride the race with his visor pointing upwards. Meanwhile, Mike Alessi made a high-profile return to the series on his Red Bull KTM when he mistimed the gate off the start and plowed right through it. He ran third for most of the moto, while behind him Muscle Milk Toyota Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer and series points leader, TwoTwo Motorsports Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed, battled for the final podium spot. Reed got hit in the collarbone with a rock and had to slow his pace slightly, allowing Millsaps to slip past and take over fourth, behind Alessi, Dungey and Villopoto. But Alessi was then penalized a position for jumping the start, handing third over to Millsaps. Ryan Dungey rode to a solid second in the first moto, while Mike Alessi crossed the finish in third but was penalized a position for jumping the starting gate. Davi Millsaps was credited with third. Then the whole “just wait” thing came into play again. The race changed completely when heavy rain came down between the motos, leaving a muddy mess for moto two. Alessi grabbed the holeshot and checked out early, while Dungey crashed while running second. Then Millsaps crashed while running third. Alessi led Reed by a big margin until he fell, too, putting Reed into the number-one spot. Villopoto rallied in the slop to get second, which gave him the overall on the day via 1-2 finishes. Dungey rode hard to get back to third, pushing Alessi to fourth. Dungey’s 2-3 gave him second overall on the day ahead of Reed’s 5-1. Chad Reed stayed steady in a sloppy second moto to take the victory. Patience paid off in the 250 class for Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, too. Baggett won the season opener at Hangtown, then crashed back into the pack at round two at Freestone Raceway in Texas. He logged the fastest qualifying lap in 250 practice at High Point and got a good start, but soon dropped back to the tail of the top ten. Up front? Pennsylvania’s own Darryn Durham, a privateer on an ElevenTen Mods/Morgantown Powersports Honda, and a rider who grew up racing in the area. Durham has never won an AMA Pro moto, but he was looking good as he passed Kilbarger Racing’s Nico Izzi for the lead and took off. DNA Shred Stix Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes took over second but then crashed out for the day. This moved a torrid battle between Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Dean Wilson and Tyla Rattray in second. Wilson made the pass to take the runner up spot, but he was running out of time to catch Durham, Then Baggett caught fire, and the whole race changed. At the halfway mark, the Californian found another gear (just like he did en route to his overall win at Hangtown), passed Rattray and Wilson, and then closed the gap and passed Durham for the lead. Durham came unravled and made a few mistakes, partially because mud had built up under his rear brake pedal. Wilson and Rattray both got past to relegate the home track hero to fourth. Baggett took the win over Wilson and Rattray. PA's own Darryn Durham dominated most of the first 250 moto. But Blake Baggett logged a strong late-race charge to get him and take the win. Dean Wilson followed his teammate Baggett through for second in moto one. Wilson and Rattray led off the start in moto two, and Wilson snagged the lead. It lasted for half only a few turns before he washed out and fell. Soon Baggett was in the lead again and looking to pull a big lead. He did, until he got sideways on a downhill and crashed hard. Rattray took the lead over Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda’s Cole Seely, while Baggett went back to third, riding with his helmet visor bent backwards after the crash. For a moment, it looked like Rattray would deliver the moto win. But once again Baggett found a whole different level of speed in the second half of the race, reeling in Seely and Rattray and simply leaving them behind, heading to an unquestioned 1-1 result and overall win for the day. His late race laps were up to four seconds faster than anyone else on the track. Rattray’s 3-2 finishes put him in second overall, and he took the points lead from Wilson. Wilson fought valiantly to come back to eighth after his first lap crash, while GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac caught fire late in the race and snagged third. Tomac’s 6-3 scores put him on the podium for the day. The series next moves to Budds Creek in Maryland next weekend. 450 Class (Moto Finish) 1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-2) 2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-3) 3. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda (5-1) 4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (4-4) 5. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha (3-9) 6. Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda (6-5) 7. Tommy Hahn, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha (10-7) 8. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Suzuki (8-10) 9. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (7-11) 10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha (14-8) 450 Class Championship Standings 1. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda - 138 2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki - 123 3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki - 111 4. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 104 5. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Suzuki - 88 6. Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda - 76 7. Ricky Dietrich, Snohomish, Wash., Yamaha - 72 8. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki - 68 9. Tommy Hahn, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha - 65 10. Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda - 59 250 Class (Moto Finish) 1. Blake Baggett, Redlands, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1) 2. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (3-2) 3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (6-3) 4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (2-8) 5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (10-4) 6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (8-7) 7. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (11-5) 8. Kyle Cunningham, Irving, Texas, Yamaha (5-11) 9. Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (4-14) 10. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (13-6) 250 Class Championship Standings 1. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki - 127 2. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki - 125 3. Blake Baggett, Redlands, Calif., Kawasaki - 116 4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda - 104 5. Kyle Cunningham, Irving, Texas, Yamaha - 90 6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda - 79 7. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda - 68 8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki - 67 9. Gareth Swanepoel, South Africa, Yamaha - 61 10. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Suzuki - 53 Did you like this article? Check out ON TOURin our Latest issue of Racer X available now. The Monster Energy Supercross tour is staffed by an intensely dedicated group of sponsors and support staffers. Here’s what life is like on the SX road. Page 136.

There’s nothing that kills the epic buzz of tracking a bail jumper quite like having to pee. It always seems like Mother Nature wanted to call at the most inopportune moments. Like when you’re in the back of an SUV going a hundred miles an hour down the interstate or when you’re hiding in some overgrown brush off the beaten path. But even if you were somewhere close to running water or flushing toilets, it wouldn’t really matter. Since most jumpers were male, you could pretty much count on not busting them in the ladies room. Right now was a perfect example of the “to pee or not to pee” dilemma. Stationed at my post near the mall’s food court, I appeared your average teenage girl. I sent a flurry of texts to a faux friend while slurping on a strawberry Brain Freeze from the Tastee Shack. But every sip sent me into the shifting pee dance. I tried shutting the thought from my mind. Instead, I focused on envisioning the mug shot my dad had shown me earlier in the day. An image formed in my mind as plain as if I were seeing the suspect in front of me—brown hair, hazel eyes, slight build, faint scar over the right eye. Having a photographic memory came in really handy in my—well my dad’s line of work. I know it’s not unusual for kids to work in the family business or to follow in their parents’ footsteps when it comes to career choices. But you see, my dad doesn’t have your typical 9-5 office job. As a Bail Enforcement Officer aka Bounty Hunter, you could say his hours were more 24-7. Jumpers, those charged with crimes who don’t show up for their court dates, don’t really operate on a schedule. Sucky hours and crazy working conditions aside, there was nothing more exhilarating than taking out the bad guy and keeping the wheels of justice running smoothly. Only a few hours earlier, we had stood in our office, Lonestar Bail Bonds, surveying the white board that covered one entire wall. Mug shots littered the board along with scribbled out jumper stats. My dark haired, dark eyed twin brothers, Remington, or Remy as we called him, and Colt, stood on either side of me. Dad, who was way more suave and sophisticated like James Bond than the rough around the edges, mullet sporting Dog the Bounty Hunter, had motioned to a picture in the middle of the board and then drew in a deep breath. “Today we’re going after Randy Oakley. He’s got two prior arrests for identity theft. He failed to make two court appointments this month, and he’s got a $40,000 bond.” Since I had just turned sixteen a few months ago and Colt and Remy were eighteen, Dad only involved us on the low-key jumpers—ones where he was pretty sure the suspects wouldn’t be carrying a weapon or pose a serious threat upon apprehension. For the more serious suspects, those with drugs, weapons charges or ones who had done time in prison, Dad used his two beefy body-builder type associates, Jeb and Kyle. Colt ran his hand over his buzzed hair. “What’s on tap for our share this time?” Of the twins, he was the one most concerned with how our 10-20% of the bounty would be used. We jokingly called him the Accountant. Outfitted in khaki pants and a polo shirt, he even looked the part. Dad smiled as his gaze locked on mine. “I believe your sister needs a car.” “Really? I can finally get the Mustang?” I squealed. “We catch Oakley, and the Mustang is yours,” Dad replied. I lunged over and threw my arms around Dad’s neck. I’d been drooling over the classic 67’ burgundy Mustang for months. I had been pestering Dad night and day about it, but until now, my nagging seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. When I pulled away, Remy tugged on my long ponytail. “That’ll be a sweet ride, Little Sis.” “Just don’t expect to be borrowing it anytime soon.” Remy grinned as he slid on his worn Astros baseball cap. “All right, all right. How about I call shotgun for starters?” “Time out guys. Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourselves? I mean, where are we even supposed to find this dude?” Colt asked. “I just had a call from an informant that he’s at Richland Mall,” Dad replied. Remy snorted. “What’s he doing there? Catching up on the latest fashions?” Colt snickered with Remy as I cleared my throat. “Since he’s an identity thief, I would imagine he’s working the malls for prospective victims. A lifted wallet or two could mean social security numbers and credit cards, not to mention driver’s licenses.” Dad bobbed his head. “Jules is absolutely right.” Remy rolled his eyes. “Of course she is. Jules is always right.” Mocking Dad’s usual high praise of me, Colt joined in with, “I sure wish we weren’t going to lose Jules to law school. She’s probably going to be a better bounty hunter than all of us put together!” Saying my brothers hadn’t been too stoked when Dad officially added me to the Apprehension Team aka “the physically going after the bad guys team” a year ago would be an understatement. It was a major milestone in being a bounty hunter, and the fact that I was only fifteen at the time really irked them. The reason wasn’t that they were sexist pigs who thought girls couldn’t be bounty hunters. No, it was the fact they hadn’t gotten to join until they were sixteen. It went without saying that I didn’t appreciate when they gave me crap about it. So, my response was to reach over and smack Remy’s arm. “Easy killer,” he said with a grin. Before I could argue, Dad interrupted with, “All right then, we gotta hustle.” Which in Dad language meant, “Get your earpiece listening devices along with your mace and haul ass to the car!” Remy’s voice buzzing in my earpiece brought me out of my daydream at Dad’s office and back into the present at the mall. “Crazytrain, eyeballin’ a stacked hottie of epic proportions. ETA to you in two minutes, thirty seconds.” I rolled my eyes at the idiocy that was my brothers. We all had code names, so to speak. Colt was Crazytrain, Remy was Rocketman, and I was Jewel of the reference to both my nick-name and the first movie my parents saw together on a date. Dad…well, he was Big Papa. Colt was quick to reply. “Copy that, Rocketman. Will be a welcome change from the American Kennel Club that’s been rolling by me the last five minutes. It’s almost like the time we busted that guy at the Westminster Dog Show.” I groaned. “Um, excuse me, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, could you please think with your brains and not your penises while we’re on the same frequency?” “Jewel of the Nile,” my father’s voice warned. “Wait a minute, you’re calling me out? But I’m not the one who—” “I’m speaking to everyone when I say keep the frequency clear!” Dad ordered. “Yes sir,” my brothers and I mumbled. We remained true to our vow of silence until Remy’s voice came over the earpiece again. “I have visual with Oakley, Big Papa. He just took the escalator down to the first floor,” he relayed in a hushed tone. Then he paused. I pictured Remy hurrying onto the escalator--his eyes burning into the back of Oakley’s head. Once Oakley had made his decision on a direction, Remy said, “ETA to your station is two minutes, thirty seconds.” “Copy that. All parties move towards the center of the mall,” Dad replied. Just before I could toss my drink away, Remy’s voice caused me to shudder to a stop. “Suspect appears heightened someone might be on his tail….Shit, he appears to making a break for it out the side entrance!” Dad and I must have been doing mental math at the same time because just as I realized Oakley was coming straight toward me, Dad said, “Jewel of the Nile do not engage the suspect.” I didn’t respond. Instead, I positioned myself in front of a storefront, so I could watch for Oakley’s reflection in the glass. “Julianne, do not engage!” Using my real name meant Dad was extremely, extremely serious, and I should back off. When he had finally allowed me to start coming along on apprehensions, his explicit instructions had been I was never to get physical with any of the suspects. I carried mace like the others, but it was strictly for defensive purposes, not to be used offensively like Dad or the boys did. Not being a full part of the action sucked, and I was more than ready to prove myself. So I fought the urge to reply, “Like hell!” to Dad. I mean, it wasn’t just about proving myself. If this guy got away, so did the payment for my car. And I wanted that car…bad. When Oakley’s reflection emerged on the glass, I drew in a deep breath. I turned and then fell in step behind him. Reaching forward, I tapped him on the back. “Excuse me, sir?” I asked in the sweetest voice I could muster. He whirled around. His wild eyes darted around us before finally focusing on me. “Whadya want, Blondie?” Normally, I would have verbally assaulted anyone who dared call me Blondie and not my name, but now was not the time for that. “I’m doing a survey for the mall on customer appreciation. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?” He raked his hand through his disheveled hair. I don’t think he’d used a comb in a good two weeks. There was probably enough grease in there to deep fry something. “Actually, I’m kinda in a hurry.” “Oh, but it won’t take but just a sec. I promise.” I resorted to the worst feminine wiles I could by cocking my head and batting my eyelashes. “See, I’ve got just one more survey to meet my quota, and then I can go home. And I can tell you’re just the kinda guy who wants to help a girl out. Am I right?” Before I could humiliate myself further by doing a girlie toss of my ponytail, Oakley sighed. “All right, all right. I’ll answer your damn questions. Now hurry up!” A voice in my ear said, “30 seconds ETA to suspect.” I smiled. “Oh thank you so much.” Leaning over, I handed Oakley my Brain Freeze. “Hold this just a second, okay?” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.” When I knew the guys were in sight of me, I drew in a deep breath and quickly weighed my options. I had to subdue Oakley. If he caught sight of Dad or my brothers, he would make a run for it, and my Mustang would disappear into thin air just like he would. As a little girl, my mom had enrolled me in ballet classes while my dad started me in Karate. I knew at this particular moment in time, toe shoes and tutus weren’t going to help. Instead, I drew on my past as one of the easiest self-defense moves popped into my mind. I didn’t question it—I just acted on it. I cupped both of my hands and then brought them as hard as I could against both of Oakley’s ears. “Oomph!” he cried, before I whirled around and brought my elbow hard into his abdomen. He doubled over and then smacked hard onto the ground. The world seemed to crawl to a standstill as Dad and my brothers came rushing up. “Freeze! Don’t move! We have a warrant for your arrest!” Dad shouted, pointing a can of extremely toxic pepper spray at Oakley. “How did you drop him?” Colt asked, as Remy bent over and started handcuffing Oakley. “Compression hit with a little solarplex disabling.” He grinned. “Good choice. Drop em’ while not leaving any marks.” “Except maybe a busted ear drum,” Oakley grumbled. “It’s all part of the game, man. You run, and you pay the price,” Remy replied, pulling Oakley to his feet. “All right everybody, show’s over,” Dad said, trying to push back the crowd that had gathered since I had taken out Oakley. I guess it wasn’t everyday a teenage chick dropped a dude in the middle of the food court. We weaved our way through the people before coming face to face with Mall Security. Dad quickly flashed his Bail Enforcement Agent badge. The guard’s gaze trailed over it and then back to my Dad. “So you’re really a bounty hunter?” The guard leaned in, “So do you like know Dog Chapman?” Dad suppressed a laugh. “No, unfortunately I don’t.” His face fell. “Bummer.” “Yeah, it is. But, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get him over to county.” The mall cop nodded. “Oh yeah, sure, go right ahead.” Oakley snorted. “Lucky me. Some people have a celebrity like Dog taking them out. But me, I get Blondie here on a roid’ rage!” Dad nudged Oakley. “Watch it, or I’ll let her have a second go at you!” He glanced back at me and winked. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Most fathers might discourage their daughters from getting involved in bounty hunting, but Dad never did. He made sure to take the necessary precautions, but I could tell he would rather have us with him than anything in the world. A blast of scorching Texas heat met us as we left the cool comfort of the air-conditioned mall. I could even feel the heat of the concrete through my flip-flops. Dad led Oakley to our Tahoe with Remy and Colt on either side of him while I trailed behind them. Once Dad got Oakley buckled in (no easy feat when a guy’s handcuffed), he tossed the keys to Remy. Low key criminal or not, Dad never left one of us alone in the backseat with a I climbed into the front seat as Remy cranked up. We’d barely gotten out of the mall parking lot when Oakley asked, “Any chance of you bailing me out?” Dad sighed. “Now Randy, you should know by now how this all works. You missed two court dates without any calls to your probation officer or your bond agent. That’s a straight ticket to county lockup until your next court date.” Oakley grunted but didn’t argue with Dad. Instead, he just peered straight ahead as we dodged in and out of traffic. For a summer night, there seemed to be more people out than usual. In the last six months, the outside of the Waco City Jail had become a very familiar place to me. But I had yet to manage to weasel my way inside to the booking area. Since I was under eighteen, Dad didn’t permit me to. But with my bladder screaming in agony, I knew now was the night to get in. Remy eased the Tahoe up to the backdoor, and Dad hopped out. When I started to open my door, he shook his head. “Jules, you know the drill.” “But I have to pee!” I protested. With one hand gripping Oakley’s arm, Dad used his other to pinch the bridge above his nose. “Fine. There’s a bathroom right inside the backdoor. Use it and come right back to the car. Understand?” I fought my excitement as I bobbed my head and followed along behind my dad and brothers. When we reached the backdoor, Dad reached over and pressed on a red button. An impatient voice crackled over the intercom beside it. “Yeah?” “BEA with a felon for booking,” Dad replied. The door buzzed unlocked, and Dad pushed Oakley through it. I stood cemented to the ground, taking everything in—the grungy counter where two officers stood waiting to take felons back to jail, the intricate system of locking doors meant to keep criminals in. It was so cool finally seeing it all. “Right there, Jules,” Dad said, jerking his head towards a unisex bathroom. Remy tossed me the car keys, so I wouldn’t have to wait in the scorching heat when I was finished. Dad eased Oakley up to the booking counter as I eyed the bathroom. Even though I had serious questions about the cleanliness of the facility, I still hustled inside and did my business. As soon as I was done, I hurried back out to the car and cranked it up. While waiting for Dad and the boys to return, I wished I’d remembered to bring a book—anything to entertain myself. I’d only gone out on one apprehension, so I really shouldn’t have been so tired. But with the adrenaline rush from the mall depleted, it wasn’t long before I nodded off. I didn’t wake up until we pulled into the half-mile driveway leading to our ranch. I guess you could call us typical Texans with the ranch—Dad had a few head of cattle he raised on the side, and we also had horses. As we jostled over the gravel, I rose up and yawned. “Catch ya a little nap, Sleeping Beauty,” Dad said, with a smile. I grinned. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.” “Don’t feel bad. The boys have been snoring since we hit the interstate.” A glance in the backseat confirmed that both my brothers were dead to the world. Dad glanced over at me. “I imagine you were dreaming of that Mustang, huh?” “Maybe. When do you think we can get it?” “Hopefully in the next few days if your patience holds out that long.” I laughed. “I can try.” A shadow crossed over Dad’s face. “Listen Jules, there’s something we need to talk about.” We turned the corner, and the blazing house lights met us. Dad eased the SUV into the driveway. “Let’s try to talk after dinner, okay?” If you hadn’t already guessed, patience wasn’t high on my list of virtues. Considering it was already after nine and both Dad and I were exhausted, I wasn’t sure the conversation would actually go down tonight at all. “Whatever,” I mumbled, as I hopped out of the SUV. My grandmother, or Big Mama as we called her, stood in the doorway. Outfitted in her favorite pink and white floral housedress, her salt and pepper bob blew in the evening breeze. “How’d it go?” she asked, as she rubbed my back. Even though it was the family business, she still wasn’t thrilled about me going out with the guys. She had managed to discourage my two aunts from doing anything bounty hunting related. “We got him, so I get my Mustang.” She grinned. “Come on, let’s get inside,” she ordered, ushering me through the door. Dad’s parents had kinda been living with us for the last six years. Originally, they’d moved in full time after my mom had blown town, but when Mom never came home and we got a little older, they started gradually going back to their house. It wasn’t a total hardship on them since their ranch was only a mile down the road. A lot of nights, they’d just go home at bedtime or dark, and Big Mama would be back by breakfast. I guess you could say we lived on this compound kinda thing. Between Dad, Granddaddy, and my two aunts, we owned almost five hundred acres. It was Granddaddy who started Lonestar Bail Bonds forty years ago, and like the boys and me, Dad started working with him when he was just a kid. Granddaddy came from a long line of lawmen—cops, detectives, FBI agents. Enforcing the law was in his blood. He had technically retired a couple of years ago, but he still helped Dad out with cases. “Hungry?” Big Mama asked, as our shoes clicked along the blue and white tiled floor of the foyer. “Starved,” I replied. She nodded. “I’ve kept some chili warm for you and the boys. If you’re starved, I’m sure they’re famished!” My stomach grumbled in appreciation at her words. Big Mama’s chili was legendary—she’d even won some local cooking contests with it. I eased myself into a chair at the massive mahogany table while Dad went to the sink to wash up. In his favorite striped pajamas and navy robe, Granddaddy padded into the kitchen with a file in his hand. He leaned over and kissed my cheek before turning his attention to Dad. “Tom Blalock called while you guys were out.” “Fabulous,” Dad grumbled, grinding the sleep out of his eyes with his fists. Granddaddy nodded. “Sounds like a doozy,” he replied, as he passed Dad the file. Dad flopped down at the head of the table and started thumbing the paperwork. Big Mama came to the table with bowls and silverware. “Nathaniel St. James, what have I said about doing business at the dinner table?” Like an obedient child, he closed the file. He tried to change the subject by sniffing appreciatively of the air. “You knew just what I wanted, didn’t you, Mom?” Colt and Remy ambled over to the table, still looking bleary eyed from their backseat snoozing. Although they had already eaten, Granddaddy and Big Mama sat down with us. We ate in silence for a few minutes, devouring the chili like it was our last meal on Death Row. As he munched on a corn muffin, Remy eyed the manila folder beside Dad. “What’s the file about?” Dad warily glanced at Big Mama who just harrumphed as she got up from the table. When she was elbow deep in soap suds at the sink, Dad thought it was safe to continue. “It’s from my buddy, Tom, in He’s had a case brewing for a couple of weeks and thought he might bring me in on it.” Dad sighed. “And tonight he officially asked me to take it.” Bondsmen often called on other people in the business for help, and since Dad was well known not just in but throughout the Southeast, he often got called on to pick up a case. Sometimes when we were out of school for the summer, it even involved us packing up for a month or two and renting a house. This summer Dad had been toying with the idea of going to Georgia to help out some of his relatives. I think he’d had a hard time saying yes since that’s where my mom now lived, and it would be too painful for him to be so close to her. With all that said, I knew Tom asking for help wasn’t too unusual, but the expression on Dad’s face was. He had to be holding something back. “Then what’s the problem?” I asked. Dad hesitated slightly before replying, “The bond is a million dollars.” My spoon clattered noisily into my bowl. “Are you serious? A million dollars?” Remy and Colt both stared at Dad in disbelief. The largest bounty Dad had ever worked on was in the hundred thousand’s but never more than half a million. “But what you have to remember is a guy with a million dollar bond did some pretty serious stuff. Therefore, it’s not like going out to the mall or hunting him through his cronies’ neighborhoods. He’s someone who will make sure he’s not going to be found. That means being heavily armed in a secure hideout.” “Wow,” I murmured. The table fell silent. We sat that way for an agonizing minute or two before Colt cleared his throat. “So does this mean you’ll be working the case with Tom?” He was asking the question that I knew was on both of the twins and my minds—he just wasn’t asking it directly. And that question was whether we would be working the case as well. Dad rubbed his chin with his napkin. “Since Tom brought the case to my attention, I’ve been mulling over the prospect of involving you boys. You’re eighteen now—a legal age to own a gun and fight for your country in war. So, you should be able to come along on the case.” Remy and Colt’s eyes widened. “Dude, are you serious? We’re working a million dollar bond case!” Colt exclaimed as Remy asked, “You’re really going to let us go to Dad smiled and bobbed his head. Both boys shot out of their chairs, whooping it up and slapping each other on the back. I, on the other hand, sat in a stunned silence. “And what about me?” I practically shouted over the celebratory noise. Dad’s face fell. “Jules, I can’t let you go along on a case like this. You’re too young.” “But I’m a part of the Apprehension Team now,” I protested. “I’m sorry, but you can’t be a part of this one. It’s too dangerous.” Out of respect, the boys stopped celebrating and returned to their chairs. Chewing on my lip, I willed myself not to cry. “I can still come to with you guys, right? Just because I’m not working the case doesn’t mean I have to stay here.” Dad and Granddaddy exchanged glances while Big Mama snorted exasperatedly. “You haven’t told her yet, have you?” she demanded. My eyebrows arched in surprise. “Told me what?” Big Mama wagged her finger at Dad. “I’ve told you for two weeks that you needed to tell Julianne the truth, but did you listen to me? No, of course not! Now you’re going to have to go and tell her tonight?” She shook her head as she untied her yellow gingham apron. “Well, I’m not going to have any part of it.” As she flounced out of the room, Granddaddy rose from his chair. He jerked his silver head at the boys, and they obediently followed him out. Once we were alone, I crossed my arms over my chest and shot Dad a murderous look. “Why do I get the sudden feeling I’m about to get some really crappy news?” He sighed. “Jules, I’ve been talking to your mother—” A small gasp escaped my lips before I could help myself. “You know how I feel about her!” It was a well-known fact in our family that I held a pretty strong grudge against my mom for leaving. Over the past few years, Colt and Remy had gone and visited her during the summers or some of the holidays. But me, I flat out refused to see or talk to her. “I know that, but we’ve been speaking pretty frequently the last few months about the boys and you. She sounds a lot better—almost like the old Annabel.” A far-away look entered Dad’s eyes like he was reliving a happy memory. Then he shook his head, pushing away the thoughts of better times. “Anyway, she’s been very concerned about you.” “Maybe it’s because she hasn’t seen you in two years, and she misses her daughter and her baby.” Gritting my teeth, I argued, “I’m not her baby anymore.” “Look Jules, I think you’ve avoided your mother long enough. It would be the best thing for the both of you if you spent some time with her in I rocketed out of my chair so quick it clattered noisily to the floor. “Are you insane? Spend the entire summer in a strange city with Mom, who might as well be a stranger to me?” isn’t a strange city. You spent time there every summer when you were little,” Shaking my head, I countered, “That’s when we were all still a family and went to see Grandma and Grandpa. But they’re gone now, and there’s nothing left but that massive house that might as well be a tomb!” “Jules, please—” Dad reached out for me, but I slung his hand away. “I hate her and all those society snobs she worships!” I shook my head furiously. “I won’t go! Do you hear me? I WON’T!”

Have you ever heard of glutathione (pronounced; gloota-thigh-own)? Neither has almost anyone else. Many researchers say it’s probably the most important substance we require to stay healthy. Many go as far to say it’s the secret to prevent aging. So where’s Oprah, and the rest of the media? A quick search of the term “glutathione” on PubMed.gov reveals 94,117 scholarly articles, reviews and abstracts. Present in every cell of our body, glutathione levels just might be one of the best biochemical markers there is; the higher your glutathione levels are the healthier you will be. Glutathione deficiency is found in almost all patients with extreme illnesses, e.g., cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, liver disease, diabetes and more. In fact, researchers are concluding glutathione deficiency may play a role in patients with schizophrenia. In cerebrospinal fluid of drug-free schizophrenic patients, a significant decrease in the level of total glutathione was observed as compared to controls. EJN Glutathione’s importance to a properly functioning immune system has been shown in many studies. According to Dr. Gustavo Bounous, “The limiting factor for the proper activity and multiplication of our lymphocytes (white blood cells) is the availability of glutathione”. Every day our bodies are exposed to stress, pollution, infection, drugs (illicit or licit) and alcohol, poor diet, infections and injury, which drain our bodies of glutathione; this depletion leaves our bodies susceptible to high levels of oxidative stress, which leads to aging, disease and eventual death. I predict that concern about glutathione levels will eventually be on par with other preventative health issues. Vitamin D3, which is technically a prehormone, has a whole host of benefits. This invaluable substance has a role in preventing or treating many diseases including cancer. Below you’ll find a letter I received as being a participant in a Vitamin D study, the results of which were published in the International Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment GrassrootsHealth New Research Publication in the Anticancer Research Journal, 2/21/2011 Congratulations and thanks to absolutely everyone who has participated in and supported this project! According to one of our panel members, Dr. Anthony Norman: “This paper provides a long awaited insight into a dose-response relationship between orally administered vitamin D3 and the resulting levels of serum 25(OH)D in over 3600 citizens. The results will allow a new definition of high vitamin D dose safety and reduce concerns about toxicity. This is a landmark contribution in the vitamin D nutrition field!” Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, Emeritus University of California Riverside There were 3667 people’s first test data reported on No suggestions of toxicity were reported even up to intakes as high as 40,000 IU/day (not a recommended amount, however) It’s going to take about 9600 IU/day to get 97.5% (almost everyone) to the 40 ng/ml level. Individual variations however range from 0 to over 50,000 IU/day! Testing is necessary to determine what the starting serum level is and how to adjust intake It took 3 tests (1 year) to determine the optimal dose for each individual The NEW rule of thumb for dosing will be changed. We’ll publish a chart for all very shortly. Currently, it is stated that you can increase the serum level by 10 ng/ml with 1000 IU/day. Per our research, this is true only when starting at about 10 ng/ml. If you want to go from 50 to 60 ng/ml, it will take an additional 2000 IU/day (i.e., the rise is only 5 ng/ml for each 1000 IU/day). Please visit our website, GrassrootsHealth and listen to the interviews with the study’s authors, Dr. Cedric Garland and Dr. Robert Heaney. They both speak to the significance to public health of this study. Another key item that I am very aware of is the public’s readiness to ‘take charge’ of their own health. With this view and the information to make it happen, we are bound to see some very exciting things with own health! Again, very, very many thanks to all of you for your participation and support. You are helping change the face of public health! We CAN move to a much more ‘preventive’ model of healthcare. Please let me know at any time how we can best help. We do need your ongoing financial support as well, to keep ‘spreading the word’. Please consider a donation to Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency for our future health. Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world. Although water is the most widely consumed beverage, still, hundreds of millions of people drink tea every day based on health benefits and taste. Tea comes in three main varieties, black, green, and oolong. Green tea (Camellia sinesis), is believed to have the most health benefits thanks to the way it’s processed. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves, which contain the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants such as polyphenols in green tea neutralize free radicals and reduce or help prevent some of the damage they cause. Free radicals are damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and cause cell death. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution) also give rise to these damaging particles. Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems including cancer and heart disease. Based on studies using human subjects, animals, and in laboratory experiments, green tea is useful for: Green tea has been used as a stimulant, diuretic, astringent, and to improve heart health throughout the ages in China, India, Japan, and Thailand. Other traditional include improving mental processes, promoting digestion, regulating body temperature and blood sugar, and treating flatulence (gas). In addition to tea leaves, green tea is available in capsule form and liquid form made from leaves and leaf buds. A cup of green tea contains 50-150 mg of antioxidant (polyphenols). Decaffeinated green tea also contains polyphenols, but they are concentrated. If you are sensitive to caffeine, caffeine-free supplements are available. According to the 2002 United States Life Tables, In 2002 the average person in the US could expect to live a little over 19 years longer than in 1920. But does longevity come with a healthy life? Not for most. Arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, deteriorating senses, and other diseases and conditions all come with age. However, new research may have uncovered a true fountain of youth, and it may be as simple as cutting down on consuming carbs. Professor Cynthia Kenyon, a US genetisist, has discovered that the carbohydrates we eat like bananas, potatoes, bread, pasta, and cakes directly affect two key genes that govern youthfulness and longevity. But what Professor Kenyon found out was why drastically reducing calories has such a remarkable effect. She discovered that it changed the way two crucial genes behaved. It turned down the gene that controls insulin, which in turn switched on another gene, which acted like an elixir of life. ‘We jokingly called the first gene the Grim Reaper because when it’s switched on, the lifespan is fairly short,’ she explains. The second ‘elixir’ gene seems to bring all the anti-aging benefits. Professor Kenyon has changed her diet as a result of her research. ‘Carbohydrates, and especially refined ones like sugar, make you produce lots of extra insulin. I’ve been keeping my intake really low ever since I discovered this. ‘I’ve cut out all starch such as potatoes, noodles, rice, bread and pasta. Instead I have salads, but no sweet dressing, lots of olive oil and nuts, tons of green vegetables along with cheese, chicken and eggs. ‘I’ll have a hamburger without a bun and fish without batter or chips. I eat some fruit every day, but not too much and almost no processed food. I stay away from sweets, except 80 per cent chocolate.’ She is adamant it will be well worthwhile. ‘You could have two completely different careers if you could stay healthy to 90,’ she says. ‘How fascinating that would be.’ Researchers are always looking for the magic bullet to kill cancer, and now they may have found it in a surprising place, a glass of beer! (Who knew?) It turns out that hops, which is the flavor component of beer, contains a cancer-fighting compound called xanthohumol. Xanthohumol turns out to be toxic to several kinds of human cancer, including prostate, ovarian, breast, and colon. Further, it inhibits enzymes that can activate the development of cancer, and also helps detoxify carcinogens. It even seems to slow down tumor growth in the early stages. Scientists are trying to produce hops that contain even more xanthohumol, and the Germans are racing to develop a “health” beer. Beers that provide the most benefits contain the most hops, and include strong brews such as ale, stout, and porter. In general, the darker the beer, the better. For those who can’t stand beer, herbal supplements made from hops contain the highest concentrations of beneficial elements. Do genetics control our bodies or can we control our genetics? Many scientists now believe genetics do not control life but are controlled by environmental factors such as our mental attitudes. This is a mind blowing, culture bending new way of thought that is starting to gain popularity. “Mind over matter” is a well known saying that has merit. The power of the mind over the body has been shown time and time again. Science shows us everything is made of atoms and that atoms are energy. Therefore, everything is energy. It is no stretch to think that our positive mental energy created by a positive mental attitude would transfer to better health. Mom always said to take your vitamins. But she didn’t mean overdo it. Thirty-five percent of adults swallow a multivitamin on a regular basis, but several studies warn that an abundance of extra nutrients may not be as good for the body as previously suspected. Just check out the data. DIABETES: While vitamin K and thiamine appear to help reduce risk factors, scientists warn that selenium in vitamins may increase the risk of type-2 diabetes. PROSTATE CANCER: Too many multis may increase your risk of developing a form of fatal prostate cancer, according to data from the National Cancer Institute. LUNG DISEASE: Multivitamins don’t protect against lung cancer, say scientists at the University of Washington. (In fact, too much vitamin E may increase the risk.) LONGEVITIY: Perhaps most alarmingly, vitamin supplements may increase your overall mortality risk. So says a recent Danish review of 67 studies involving more than 200,000 participants. After analyzing the data, researchers found that people taking vitamins were 4% more likely to die during the course of the study than people who weren’t taking them. Yikes. THE BOTTOM LINE: If your diet sucks, a multi may help. But if you already eat well and buy fortified cereals and breads, you’re likely getting all the nutrients you need. Interesting. Like most Americans who believe that they?re taking an active role in their health, I ingest a multivitamin on a daily basis (and actually, I take them on a nightly basis). But I don?t know if this article is enough to scare me away from taking them every day. I wish the article had provided more detail as to the appropriate amount of times a week it?s okay to take a multivitamin. Based on that last paragraph, the article would almost lead you to believe that you should take a multivitamin on the days you can?t eat as healthy as you should. It is lifestyle choices that establish your level of health. it?s imperative that people realize it?s normal to be healthy; it?s NOT normal to be unhealthy. The public needs to understand that your genes do not predetermine your health; disease is not inevitable. The fact or to be more accurate dogma, that genes control life, has never been shown in science. Our entire medical system is based on detection/treatment or allopathy not prevention. It?s a system that believes disease is normal and when it occurs we?ll treat it. Early screening like a mammogram doesn?t prevent anything. If a disease is detected, you already have it. A diet based on whole natural food is prevention; reducing ones stress levels is prevention; becoming a positive person and surrounding yourself by like people is prevention. Epigenetic control or control over your genes is on the leading edge of science. The video provided outlines The New Biology, which will take you from predetermined victims to masters of good health. Our minds are above our genes and science is showing how we think directly effects gene expression.

If you want sound bites, Schwab Impact 2011 in San Francisco had them. Chuck Schwab called Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s take on the economy “BS” and implied President Obama lacked the necessary strength to turn the ailing economy. PIMCO head Bill Gross stuck to his usual no-nonsense style, saying that “for 20 years we’ve been making paper rather than things, and in the process we created a number of liabilities. We’ve been like bad squirrels, not putting enough away.” Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair lectured attendees on our geopolitical and economic situation, calling it unproductive to focus on who caused the financial crisis and how to prevent a recurrence. “These are not dominant issues,” Blair said. “The key is how to get the economy moving and create jobs. All else should be subordinated to that.” But aside from the headlines, advisor attendees of the conference, held Nov. 1 through Nov. 4, went deeper (pun intended), with educational offerings that included sessions on ETFs, alternative investments, retirement income, practice management and more. Exhibiting firms also took advantage of the media attention surrounding the conference to make announcements of their own. Altegris Advisors, the alternative private fund and mutual fund shop, chose the show to announce the launch of the Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund (EVOAX). The fund is a ‘40 Act mutual fund that combines the investing expertise of Jeffrey Gundlach’s DoubleLine Capital in fixed income with a managed futures strategy led by London-based Winton Capital Management. Not forgetting to include advisors in the program, Schwab executives presented “Impact Awards” to three advisor firms and their leaders on the third day of the conference. The company also donated $45,000 to charity on behalf of the recognized advisors. “This year’s Impact Award winners raise the bar for excellence in client service and exemplary business practices for the independent RIA industry,” said Bernie Clark, executive vice president and head of Schwab Advisor Services, at the event. “We commend them for their dedication to investors, the industry and their communities, and we thank them for providing a learning opportunity for other advisors by sharing their best practices and achievements.” Richard Stone, CEO of San Rafael, Calif.-based Private Ocean received the Leadership Award for his role in helping the International Association of Financial Planners draft a code of ethics for the industry. Walt Bettinger, CEO and president of Schwab, joined Clark to hand out the award. Stone’s firm has $700 million in assets under management. Schwab presented its Best in Business Award to Budros, Ruhlin & Roe of Columbus, Ohio, for its excellence in business management. The firm, founded by Jim Budros and Peggy Ruhlin and dedicated to the concept of fee-only financial advisory work, manages more than $1.5 billion in assets. Lastly, Schwab presented its Pacesetter Award to Green Square Capital of Memphis, Tenn., which manages more than $1 billion. The team grew 30% last year and has instituted a policy of “client delight.” In the conference’s opening session, both Bill Gross and LizAnn Sonders, Charles Schwab’s chief investment strategist, spoke bluntly about the global markets and the economy, with Sonders a bit more optimistic than Gross. Gross, who in his latest monthly commentary lamented the shortfalls of policymakers in both Europe and the United States as failing to encourage growth and said that more debt was not the way to get us out of our current debt mess, handled the first question from moderator Tyler Mathisen of CNBC. Mathisen wondered whether, as an investor, he should be worried that “my money seems hostage to a Greek prime minister?” “You should be very worried,” Gross responded, in reference to Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou’s suggestion that the latest eurozone bailout plan should be put to a referendum by Greek voters. “At this point,” Gross continued, “it’s a question of when rather than if Greece will default.” When Mathisen followed up by asking if Greece will remain in the eurozone, Gross argued that “they would do better to drop out and then come back.” Ever the blunt speaker, Gross then said that “Iceland is the only country that did it right; they basically told the banks to stuff it.” He suggested that if Greece doesn’t accept its bailout medicine, “it will be in trouble for the next 10–15 years.” Talk to Chuck In an interview led by CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo from the keynote stage before roughly 2,100 advisors and other guests, the founder and chairman of the investment company that bears his name reiterated his critical views of both Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke and President Barack Obama’s economic leadership. Schwab echoed some themes he raised in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal in late September. He views significant change in Washington as critical to a turnaround in the U.S. economy. On Nov. 2, Bernanke expressed support for the Federal Reserve’s Operation Twist program, which, as part of its overall accommodative policies, will keep the target range for the Fed funds rate at zero to 0.25%. “What Bernanke is saying is a bit of BS,” Schwab said in response. “The U.S. does not have full control of prices and inflation, which can come from China or could be from oil or another commodity on which we are interdependent as a country.” “I should say that I am generally more positive than what I see on CNBC,” added Schwab. “From a 39,000-foot view, the economy doesn’t look so bad. We have 139 million or 90% of the workforce employed, liquidity is incredible, we’ve deleveraged the economy … many things are highly positive.” As for Republican leadership, the party has to have “someone electable,” Schwab said, noting that he sees Dodd-Frank as a “disaster.” In terms of the Wall Street and other protests over economic inequality, he wants free-market mechanisms to lead the way: “Let’s reward success and not suppress it, and yes, we need tax reforms,” Schwab shared. “To level the playing field, we have to have a robust economic expansion. There’s no other solution. Occupy Wall Street doesn’t get how free enterprise works.” Despite its challenges, Tony Blair was upbeat on the prospects of U.S. economic and political leadership moving forward. Blair said on the morning of the second day of the conference that the resolution of today’s global economic and financial challenges could get derailed by short-term political thinking, though he remains optimistic that leaders can address long-term issues. “The best short-term politics do not make the best long-term policy,” said Blair, who was prime minister from 1997 to 2007. “Right now is a moment of big decisions and key decision makers. And there is a danger that short-term politics get in the way of the best long-term policies.” He described the challenges and changes affecting the world as similar to those affecting the financial services industry. “The speed, scope and scale of change and the challenges themselves are immense. Challenges come together, though—when I was in office—I had hoped they would be sequential,” Blair explained. “And if you think the [financial] markets are tough, try the Middle East,” he added. Speaking of foreign affairs, Blair acknowledged that there was some “wariness with our continued engagement overseas” in the minds of the American and British public. He urged those in the West and elsewhere to look at the security threats from terrorism as the direct result of extremism. “This is not a conventional battle, and we are unlikely to see a clash of the conventional kind between any of the larger powers,” Blair said. To defeat the extremist ideology, “You have to win not just with arms, but with ideas,” Blair said, pointing to the continued spread of instability to countries like Kenya and Nigeria. A Tiger Hug The show closed with a presentation from Joshua Cooper Ramo of Kissinger Associates. Ramo told the assembled advisors and other guests that in order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, they need to come to grips with the abundance of shifts happening globally—especially in China. “The rise of China is one of the most important changes of our lifetime, and the outcome remains uncertain,” said Ramo, author of “The Age of the Unthinkable.” “For the U.S., it involves the challenge of ideas, economics and values and also the opportunity for cooperation,” he said. The Chinese, explained Ramo, see the major U.S. events of Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 14, 2008 (when Lehman Brothers went under) as related. “They are markers of big, powerful events,” he said. Like the Arab Spring, the Chinese work to stay abreast and to understand the connections between events that cause organizations to change or collapse under new and different pressures. “How do the Chinese look at this? It’s the nature of the age. Looked at from their worldview, they are looking for instability. This is one of the fundamental cultural differences between the United States and China,” Ramo explained. Ramo described “the unthinkable” as trends such as the loss of U.S. jobs and the increase in Chinese ownership of U.S. debt.

The purge of livestreamers and other transparency advocates at Occupy Oakland has been largely successful, and last weekend produced one of its predictable results. At the weekly Fuck the Police march there was a huge spike in vandalism (via) over previous ones, and there was a greatly escalated police response. The unilateral disarmament of livestreamers meant that, as Sue Basko (among others) pointed out, only the authorities were able to record the events of that night. If they choose to selectively edit or show only clips that support their side of the story, what will there be to rebut that?1 (Basko also points out that livestreaming video can be used to rebut charges made by authorities, something the accused in this case might find handy. Her Occupy Symposium has been collecting really nice essays on this topic, incidentally.) It actually is not strictly true that there were no live streamers at Fuck the Police. There were a couple, and they were physically threatened.2 Because of that intimidation they radically trimmed their coverage. The resulting video is of some help, but not nearly as much as a full and open livestream.3 In an email exchange afterwards affinis noted that livestreamers have become afraid of covering the news, to which lambert responded: “Exactly. Since when is covering the news about respect? This is no different from the Washington Post!” On the face of it that is just a little bit of snark, but there’s a very serious subtext. At its most ambitious Occupy represents an audacious leap of imagination, what some call prefiguration: Envision the world you want to see, and then begin to inhabit it. Model the behavior you want to see in the larger society. Or more colloquially, fake it till you make it. Doing so takes time and patience, though. It takes a while for something that radical to sink in to people’s heads, even those people who are sympathetic. Matt Taibbi - a close observer of the movement and no friend of Wall Street - took a couple of months to come around, but he finally did: “People want to go someplace for at least five minutes where no one is trying to bleed you or sell you something.” Getting people on board with something so different requires openness and transparency. One very important aspect of openness that has either been only sporadic or entirely missing from Occupy is stated values. The consensus process at Occupy - which has been criticized for not being an authentic one - has largely prevented the adoption of broad principles that a minority object to. With something like a statement of nonviolence, a tiny minority with strenuous objections has shown the ability to frustrate the will of the overwhelming majority. A dynamic like that could ultimately cause the long term failure of Occupations that cannot resolve it, though as in science failures can be useful (lots to examine and learn from for those inclined!) As for transparency, advocates need to not only expect visibility into others’ processes, but must willingly open themselves to that visibility too. If your new model does not allow for that - if, for instance, you want to plan violence in secret and carry it out anonymously (neither of which is transparent) - then you can’t very well expect to draw too many others to your cause. Why go to all that bother to trade one opaque, unaccountable elite for another?4 The prefiguration is crucial. One type of prefiguration is media ecology. Big media outlets catering to power instead of challenging it have been a major source of dissatisfaction for nearly a generation now.5 That dissatisfaction may be driving viewers away, which opens up new possibilities - which Occupy is showing an ability to seize. The emerging sensibility of the new media environment is one of lightly mediated - or entirely unmediated - transmission of information. There are certainly hazards with this approach. For one, it means trying to take a drink from a firehose. A twitter stream or livestream can be hard to process; too much information, too much video to watch, too many links to click on, too many stressors maintaining online relationships. Consumers need to be their own quasi-editors, deciding which sources to rely on in order to be able to process what’s coming in. Another hazard is epistemic closure, the condition where one only gets information from sources one trusts. The resulting echo chamber serves only to reinforce one’s prior beliefs, and causes people to retreat into rigid, sclerotic worldviews consisting exclusively of agreeable sentiments. There’s an entire book that can be written about that, though, so I’ll just note that it’s a phenomenon that predates the Internet. For all the potential problems, though, there is no denying that Occupy’s media ecology is a very different model than legacy media’s. Which is the point! I don’t think most of the people who support Occupy do so because they want some new version of the Washington Post. I for one have had quite enough trembling deference towards those in power, and I’m not especially interested in seeing the same thing start to happen in this new context. As John Seal put it, “some Occupy supporters are now eagerly mimicking the high-security, everything-is-classified government they supposedly hold in such contempt.” And they are attempting to impose the same atmosphere of meek compliance on those who cover them. None for me, thanks; I’ve seen how that movie ends. Lack of transparency leads easily to lack of accountability, and unsurprisingly that was what happened in the Fuck the Police march. In addition to the absence of livestreamers, those engaged in violence concealed their faces. This is a preferred tactic among violence advocates, but it has some obvious drawbacks that Jasper Gregory pointed out: One, a child could figure out how to infiltrate such a group, and two, the choice of that tactic made it irrelevant who did the actual violence. If you choose anonymity in advance, then anyone who uses it is one of your fellows - whether you want them to be or not.6 Some violence advocates tried to distance themselves by saying it wasn’t the real black bloc that did it (“no true Scotsman”), but a heretofore unknown imposter black bloc that is merely comprised of an immature group of transient kids who are only in it for the adrenaline rush of violent confrontation. Unlike the actual black bloc, of course! It’s hard to know where to even start with unconquerable ignorance like this, though Jasper captured its essential absurdity nicely. (Bonus stupidity: “if pigs want to smash capitalism by my side, i say let em.” Yes, capitalism was certainly dealt a death blow while you - and the pigs, naturally - engaged in petty vandalism against a Quizno’s and a local credit union. Well done.) For as much as conformity, opacity and lack of accountability have become characteristics of elites that Occupy is rebelling against, it may be that their violence is the most objectionable - and therefore the most important not to reproduce. A country exhausted by endless wars (including of the death-from-above covert drone variety), militarized police forces, executive assassination programs and a brutally punitive criminal justice system is not going to rally around a movement that promises more of the same. Those who are rising up against the wholesale theft of ordinary citizens’ houses (a truly great act of violence) will not generally see justice in wild acts of retribution. “Retribution” is the most charitable way to describe the rioting that violence advocates are so enthusiastic about. And yes, it is wild. While there are occasional lazy stabs at trying to circumscribe their vandalism, violence is a fundamentally chaotic act. It can veer out of control with little warning, and the destruction at the Fuck the Police march is just the latest example. Small wonder there has been so little discussion about it. People did not flock to Occupy to shift the locus of antisocial behavior in society from wealth-addled bankers in suits to twentysomething punks in black. In order to have a chance at substantial and lasting change there has to be more to Occupy than some crude idea getting even. There has to be something that calls the overwhelming majority of people to something better. Part of that call is strategic. There is already a great deal written on the ultimate advantages to a nonviolent approach, with this being a great example. Lambert recently made the case in an email: “Rhetorically, I think we need to frame over and over again that [nonviolence advocates’] strategy has the greatest chance of success. That’s what we want, success. We want to look to successful movements.” While that is certainly important (winning counts!), I believe the greater part of that call is moral (or ethical if you prefer). In an extended exchange (see footnote), Hugh wrote: “Change does not come from winning arguments but by changing hearts.”7 If you turn people off the way violence advocates do, then the only way to produce change is at the barrel of a gun. This would be the “neither hearts nor minds” approach. It is oppressive, and those under it will throw it off at the first opportunity. If you seek to persuade people to your cause, it is possible to win them over. You can then make more durable changes, though it can be reversed by a shift in the political winds or effective sophistry. This would be the “minds but not hearts” approach. But if you change people’s hearts as well, they are liable to do more than simply accede to your wishes; they might just join in the effort as well. In the case of Occupy is also allows for the greatest contrast with the ruling class. Convincing most that our bellicose foreign policy is making us more enemies than friends, or that rampant lawlessness by the people running our biggest financial institutions will prevent the housing market from finally bottoming out; saying that such things are bad policy for America and ultimately against our long term interests might get lots of head nodding in agreement. But convince those same people that these things are grave injustices and deeply immoral? That’s the stuff revolutions are made of. 1. “Marchers wearing black clothing and backpacks were captured on video committing acts of vandalism and retreating into the marching crowd, police said.” Also: “Several of these acts of vandalism and suspects were captured on video surveillance.” Way to go, dumbasses. 2. See here for how violence advocates have intimidated livestreamers. In particular, jeffkloy, Josh and worthoftheworld were all present; Eiko Huh stayed away entirely. Josh appeared to be representing the Oakland Media Group, but no livestream of the event is available at their site. Jeffkloy avoided recording violence to “show respect” to those engaged in it (not that it won him any good will). Meanwhile, worthoftheworld - who appears at least somewhat sympathetic to those engaged in violence - announced a livestream, but as far as we know has not posted it. Interestingly, she had this to say about the suppression in a series of Tweets (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) every1 is so quick to confront the streamers for their accountability in capturing sensitive evidence… we should put same energy on holding ourselves accountable to our actions, helping comrades make wiser decisions in the heat of moments & ultimately, we need to put serious energy in holding the system (#SFPD, #OPD, #DEA, etc..) accountable!!! every1 attacks a streamer for their footage, who actually makes a physical effort to hold the System accountable? Beyond #Ftp marches? streamers are not the key element of arrest. an action of wrong doing has to happen first. this is The System failing,or comrade mistake. so on the topic of streaming, 3 elements of accountability. let’s spend equal time on all of them. and be fair 3. Affinis: “The basic chronology is pretty clear. Watching what actually happened (or at least, what Kloy was able to capture) is very different from you’d infer if the OO twitter stream was your only source of info.” 4. Here is where things start to get a little interesting. One sticking point among those working out prefiguration is, prefigured by whom? Or more precisely, excluding whom? In a movement of the 99% presumably the 1% would have no say, right? Are Wall Street executives kept out of the discussion? Violence advocates? There’s a whole slippery slope argument around that, as well as around who performs the gatekeeping function. Without laying down any specific markers, I’d just say as a general principle that more inclusion is better. If the goal is to subvert existing pillars of the establishment, it seems to me that engaging with those who provide crucial support for those pillars - not antagonizing them - is the best way to win them over. If the prefiguration includes a rigorous process of harmonizing new groups and ideas with the stated values, there’s a pretty good chance it will be robust enough to resist falling into a “meet the new boss, same as the old boss” trap. 5. That’s provided you date your disillusionment with the start of the Clinton impeachment circus and the way the big outlets uncritically catapulted right wing propaganda during the entire affair. There are lots of different places one could put that marker down, though. Approaches more often used by intelligence agencies are needed to confront this threat. The creative use of intelligence officers, either developed internally or borrowed from the private sector, can afford police agencies the speed, knowledge and agility needed to counter these emerging threats and the chaos that they promote. Also I think people need to go back and study social movements in the past. I would suggest in particular Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. King and the movement were effective because they were willing to confront authority in the pursuit of justice and they infused their movement and actions with a moral purpose. This not only served to unify those involved and keep them moving together in the same direction but the morality of what they were doing and what they were willing to risk and sacrifice won over millions to their cause.By RanDomino on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 9:26pm It wasn’t that they were intellectually right on the issues that swayed the country. That in itself was insufficient. Nor was it the justice of their cause. That might have won them a few converts. It was the moral purpose with which they imbued their struggle and which they were able to communicate to the general public that gave them their power. They did it in their words, their actions, and their sacrifices. They made millions care. They put their opponents on the defensive. They did this by focusing on the moralness of their purpose. People can dance around an issue for an age and still remain uncommitted. But by their example and sacrifice, those in the civil rights movement forced Americans to respond to them on a moral level. And on that level they were irresistible because a moral response is about who and what we are as human beings. It is the one place, if only for a little while, that we can cut through all the bullshit. John Jay Chapman who belonged to a different era and another struggle said that reform movements to be effective must be religious in character. At the time when I read him, I wasn’t sure I agreed. But with time, I have come to see the wisdom in what he was saying. Change does not come from winning arguments but by changing hearts. Change someone’s mind, they may acknowledge the justice of your arguments, and do nothing. Change their hearts, and your struggle becomes their struggle. It is on the moral level that all this plays out. Words must fit actions and both must fit the moral purpose being invoked. If there is a dishonesty in any of that, then the battle is lost because people will be repelled by the falsity. They don’t need to know all the facts and arguments. They only need to see the flaw. But if these are true, suffused with a moral purpose, and tempered by real sacrifice, most people will respond to that truth and act according to its demands. This is what I see missing from Occupy. Certainly you can see bits and pieces of this in particular actions but overall the movement remains strangely morally empty. I think I agree with the sentiment if not the terminology. “Morality” to anarchists means the morality of religion and society - personal restriction even when it would harm no one, for no other purpose than control of individuals by institutions such as the church and State.By Hugh on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:24am If you mean something more along the lines of ‘vision’ that we certainly have. Yes, “vision” will win you 3 or 4 new converts at the least. Sorry for the snark, but it really looks like you have no interest in making common cause with the 99% because you reject right off the bat speaking to them in any way they are likely to respond to. Not only will you be unsuccessful but you will deserve to be because you are being incredibly disrespectful of those you want as allies. You can not expect them to set aside their prejudices for even a little while if you are not willing to do the same. Most people are focused on their everyday lives. They have their plans and their schemes. It is a lot to ask them to set that all aside, but there are moments in life such as before a great cause when they will if addressed precisely on that moral level which you discount. And that is where the disrespect comes in. The moral level is inherently respectful because, as King understood and what he counted on, was that millions of Americans could be reached at that level because he did not just believe in his own morality but he also believed in theirs. That’s respect. He did not necessarily believe in their plans and schemes nor ask them to believe in his. This was not about doing away with difference. It was about finding the underlying similarity, and for that you have to go deep into a person. At that level if you ask them to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, you better damn well be ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. And if you are not even willing to go to that level, well the game is over before it is even begun. You are left on the level of everyday plans and schemes. And why really should they sacrifice theirs for yours?

In April 1995, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) finalized the development of a strategic plan for maintaining and improving its national, regional, and international accounts./1/ The final version of the plan was based on a comprehensive review of the accounts conducted in 1994 and a draft plan developed in coordination with the public and with other statistical agencies. The Mid-Decade Strategic Plan places needed improvements to the accounts in the context of a comprehensive multiyear plan that will enable BEA to continue to provide timely, accurate, and relevant information to its users. The first section of this progress report summarizes the strategic plan, the second section reports on the accomplishments to date, and the final section discusses work plans for the next year. As work on specific projects is completed, additional progress reports will appear in the SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS. In the plan, the needed improvements to the accounts are grouped into three major areas: New and improved measures of output; better measures of investment, saving, and wealth; and improved coverage of international transactions. New and improved output measures.Improved measures of output are critical for informed national debate on such issues as the economy's long-term growth potential and the impact of technological changes on economic growth and productivity. In addition, the improvements will result in more accurate measures of growth in real GDP and prices, which may have important implications for the Federal budget. To improve the output measures, the plan includes the following actions: Introduction of a weighting scheme for calculating real GDP that eliminates the bias in the estimates that results from the "substitution effect"; extension of the use of quality-adjusted prices in real GDP; development of an improved conceptual basis for the measurement of the output of difficult-to-measure goods and services; acquisition of more reliable and more comprehensive source data for the measurement of output; modification of estimating procedures in order to reduce the revisions to the initial quarterly and annual estimates of GDP; incorporation of a new industry classification system that provides an updated and more consistent framework for analyzing the structure and organization of production; and modernization of the GDP and related accounts to improve their analytical usefulness and their international comparability. Better measures of investment, saving, and wealth.Improvements in these measures will provide a broader and more accurate picture of the Nation's investment, saving, and capital stock and will allow for an integrated analysis of such issues as productivity, domestic and international capital flows, returns on investment, and capital formation. To provide better measures of investment, saving, and wealth, the plan includes the following actions: Expansion of the definition of the investment component of GDP to include spending on structures and durable equipment by government and spending on computer software; development of improved measures of depreciation and capital stock; and better integration of real and financial accounts. Improved coverage of international transactions.Improvements will provide necessary information to fill large gaps in BEA's coverage of international transactions caused by rapid growth and integration in world markets and rapid advances in computer and communications technology. Such improvements are especially important in improving the data used for trade, investment, and monetary policy and for financial regulation. To improve the coverage of international transactions, the plan includes the following actions: Extension and revision of existing surveys, and development of new estimating methods, to cover new products, services, and financial instruments; development of new surveys; and extension of data exchanges with the statistical agencies of other countries and with central banks. As part of the comprehensive revision of the national income and product accounts (NIPA's) released in January 1996, BEA implemented the following major improvements to the output measures: In addition, in cooperation with the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as well as with Statistics Canada and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica, BEA has nearly completed work on an improved industrial classification systemthe North American Industrial Classification System. The proposed new system, which will provide the basis for modernizing BEA's industry accounts, has been published for public comment in the Federal Register./2/ Finally, BEA has begun work with BLS and with other researchers to develop improved measures of output and prices that incorporate the effects of quality change on computer software, telecommunications equipment, and health services. As part of the recent comprehensive revision of the NIPA's, BEA implemented the following improvements to the measures of investment and saving: BEA has also moved ahead on implementing the following improvements in the coverage of international transactions involving new products and services. The completion of the strategic plan by the year 2000 will require additional resources. As an initial step, BEA has reallocated resources from existing programs and has requested additional funds in the budget for fiscal year 1997. In 1995, BEA transferred the business cycle indicators (which includes the index of leading indicators) program to a private organization, the Conference Board. In 1996, BEA has scaled back its work in the areas of regional projections, pollution abatement and control expenditures, and foreign direct investment. The regional projections program and the pollution abatement and control program are being phased out, and the preparation of establishment-level data on foreign direct investment, which is a joint BEA-Census Bureau project, will be done on a 5-year cycle rather than on an annual cycle./3/ BEA is moving to implement more of the improvements proposed in the strategic plan. The highest priority is being given to the following projects, which are grouped by the three major areas of the plan. In order to extend the use of quality-adjusted prices in the measurement of real GDP, BEA will continue to work with BLS on the prices of "high-tech" products, such as computer software, modems, fax machines, and other telecommunications equipment. BEA plans to work with the Census Bureau to extend their work on the quality adjustment of construction from residential to nonresidential structures. BEA will also extend its conceptual and empirical work with BLS and with other researchers on developing new concepts and methods for measuring difficult-to-measure services, such as insurance, finance, and medical care. To acquire more reliable source data and thereby to improve the reliability of the estimates of real GDP, BEA will work with the Census Bureau to improve the coverage of those components of GDP that have accounted for a large share of the revisions. In part, these revisions arise because the source data that are used for the current estimates of certain components are inadequate or are available only with a substantial lag; as a result, BEA has been forced to use partial data, proxy indicators, and projections of past trends. Initially, BEA and the Census Bureau will work to extend existing surveys or to develop new surveys in the following areas: New and expanding service industries; retail and wholesale trade, in which the nature of the business and the methods of distribution are constantly changing; and construction, in which a large volume of rebuilding and remodeling activity is unrecorded. To modernize its national and regional accounts, BEA will improve their structure and organization. Specifically, work is underway to provide (1) clearer and separate pictures of the activities of nonprofit institutions and of households and (2) a more comprehensive picture of the activities of Federal and State and local governments and the enterprises (such as hospitals and tollroad authorities) associated with them. These improvements will help bring the U.S. accounts more closely in line with international economic accounting guidelines. Finally, work will proceed to update and better integrate BEA's input-output accounts, GDP by industry estimates, and gross state product by industry estimates. To prepare estimates of investment in software and to improve the estimates of depreciation and capital stock, BEA will extend the empirical work on used-asset prices to other assets. The improved estimates of depreciation that were released in January 1996 incorporated information on the general pattern of depreciation based on a survey of studies of used-asset prices; direct information on used-asset prices was incorporated only for automobiles and for computers and peripheral equipment. BEA has progressed in closing many of the gaps in the coverage of international transactions by exchanging data with other countries and, in cooperation with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve System, by improving the coverage of surveys. Nevertheless, gaps remain in some areas, and new gaps are emerging in others. In the coverage of goods and services, two of the largest remaining gaps are in financial services and in computer software. In the capital accounts, large gaps remain in the coverage of U.S. portfolio investments abroad and foreign portfolio investments in the United States. In addition, new gaps are emerging as a result of the growth in new financial instruments that are not separately identified or that are not fully covered by the existing data collection system. For international trade in services, BEA will conduct, process, and integrate data from the revised surveys of U.S. direct investment abroad in order to provide information on the growing trade in "affiliated" services by type. The benchmark and quarterly surveys of foreign direct investment in the United States will also be revised to collect similar detail by type of service. For nonfinancial services, BEA will develop a pilot quarterly survey for the most important services that are covered by the existing annual survey of nonfinancial services. For computer software, BEA will use newly collected product information and new methodologies to incorporate estimates of the full market value of trade in computer software. For portfolio investments, BEA will work with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve System to improve the capture of information on long-term securities and associated income. For foreign investment in the United States, BEA will incorporate the results of the Treasury Department's 1994 quinquennial survey to improve coverage of foreign holdings of U.S. stocks and bonds and associated income. For U.S. investment abroad, BEA will incorporate the results of the Treasury Department's new benchmark survey into the accounts (the last benchmark survey of U.S. portfolio investment abroad was conducted in 1943). This survey will provide estimates that more accurately reflect the enormous growth in the size of, and the changes in the composition of, U.S. holdings abroad; this information will be highly useful to monetary authorities and to market participants. In turn, the updated picture of holdings will be the basis for developing more accurate estimates of income earned on those holdings. In addition, BEA will work with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve System to strengthen the existing system for collecting data on portfolio investment by expanding coverage, improving compliance, and eliminating gaps and overlaps in coverage between foreign direct investment and portfolio investment. To further improve coverage of U.S. portfolio investment abroad, BEA and the Treasury Department will participate in a survey of portfolio investment that will be conducted under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund. The many countries taking part in this effort have committed to using a set of common definitions that will provide the basis for consistent data collection. In turn, this consistency in data collection will facilitate data exchanges among the participating countries that will enable them to fill existing gaps in coverage, particularly for portfolio investments made directly with unaffiliated foreign residents. For financial derivatives, BEA will develop measures of new financial instruments that cut across both the direct and indirect channels of investment. BEA will work with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve System to develop estimates of cross-border transactions and positions in financial derivatives. The estimates will attempt to build upon existing surveys, which will be modified and extended whenever possible, in order to minimize cost and respondent burden. 1. For a detailed description of the plan and its development, see "Mid-Decade Strategic Review of BEA's Economic Accounts: Maintaining and Improving Their Performance," SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS 75 (February 1995): 3666; and "Mid-Decade Strategic Review of BEA's Economic Accounts: An Update," SURVEY 75 (April 1995): 4856. 2. The most recent set of proposals appeared in the May 28, 1996, issue. For more information, contact Jack E. Triplett, Chairman, Economic Classification Policy Committee, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BE-42), U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230. 3. The last set of regional projections is presented in "Metropolitan Area and BEA Economic Area Projections of Economic Activity and Population to 2005" in this issue.

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Furthermore, I’ve included a ton of videos in this product as well. After all, if you can’t “see” what’s right and wrong about an exercise, how can you be sure you’re doing it correctly? Finally, I’ve included the exact coaching cues I use as well, to make sure you’re getting maximal benefit from all your core training exercises. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself a little bit here; let’s take a step back for just a minute. I must confess… I’ve made every core training mistake in the book! Let’s be honest, guys – I’ve made more mistakes than I care to count over the years. I got started in the fitness industry back in 2000 with our women’s volleyball team at Ball State, and I had them doing all kinds of ridiculously intense ab circuits and exercises. When I inherited that team, I’m pretty sure every single girl had some degree of back pain or dysfunction. I did everything in my power to help them. All I wanted to do was make these girls feel better and perform at a high level. But at that point in time, I still thought high-rep “ab circuits” were the way to go. I thought exercises like sit-ups, crunches, side bends, and Russian twists were “good” core training exercises. We did a ton of rotation, especially focusing on the area around the lumbar spine. And the worst part? There was no assessment process, and there was no customization of the program to the individual. Unfortunately, I just didn’t know enough at that point in time to truly make a difference. Ever since then, I’ve made it my job to learn as much about training the human body as possible, and core training is literally the centerpiece of human movement. My name is Mike, and I’m the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (IFAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our gym was ranked one of the Top 10 Gyms in America by Men’s Health magazine in 2009 and 2010. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked in virtually every training environment imaginable. I spent 2.5 years as a research lab assistant and volunteer strength coach at Ball State. I spent 3 years working with all sorts of injured lower backs in a chiropractic rehab facility. 3 more years doing one-on-one, in-home personal training. And the last 3+ years of my life have been dedicated to building IFAST into one of the premier gyms in the US. Along the way, I’ve worked in everything from one-on-one, to small group, to big group settings. I’ve also seen the entire spectrum with regards to clients – from beat-up and beat-down lower backs to some of the highest-level athletes in the world. My consulting business, Robertson Training Systems (RTS), has allowed me to write for virtually every big-name magazine in the book – Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, Oxygen, etc. You name it and I’ve probably either written or been featured there. And RTS has also allowed me to travel the world as a speaker and discuss my favorite topic – making people bulletproof. I don’t tell you all this to brag, or to act as if I know everything. If you met me in real life I think you’d realize I’m humble, down-to-Earth, and always trying to get better. This product is the culmination of 11+ years of in the trenches research and application, and I’ve used these principles time and again with people of all shapes and sizes. The results have been nothing less than amazing. Real Testimonials From Fitness Professionals What Else Do I Get? I think Complete Core Fitness, at any price under $200, is an awesome deal. But I think like a consumer – I want a ton of value, and I love it when I feel like I’m getting more than my money’s worth. And for that reason alone, I’ve got tons of cool bonuses and add-ons to make sure this product is 100% AWESOME. #1 – Complete Trunk Conditioning Webinar (Webinar) – Evan Osar Evan Osar is a guy I’ve learned a great deal from, and he’s outdone himself in this case! Evan has provided a 2-hour webinar on the topic of core training, and how you use his concepts to maximize your performance. This bonus alone is almost worth the entire purchase price! #2 – Underground Core Training (Webinar) – Jim “Smitty” Smith Smitty is one of the most creative guys in our industry today – bar none. In this webinar, Smitty shows you some of the advanced core training exercises he’s using with his clients and athletes, while still adhering to the basics of smart core training. This is an awesome bonus if you work with high-level athletes! #3 – Spice Up Your Core Training (E-Manual) – Nick Rosencutter The original IFAST intern, Nick shows you some awesome core training exercises that he uses with his clients and athletes. After reviewing this, I got some new ideas that I’m going to have to try with the people I’m currently training! #4 – 7 Exercises to Prevent Hip Injuries (E-Manual) – Rick Kaselj The hips and the core are intimately linked. While core training is an integral component of all training, keeping the hips healthy also takes some work and dedication. In this informative manual, Rick takes you through 7 hip exercises that can make a profound difference in your hip health and function. #5 – All the Powerpoints (PDF) Download all the PowerPoints in a handout fashion so you can follow along, take notes, and get the most out of the product! #6 – Audio Q&A (MP3) I had lots of questions about core training, and I do my best to answer them here. Okay, okay – how much does this cost?!?!?!?! If you added up all the money I’ve spent on continuing education (books, DVD’s, webinars, travel to and registration for seminars, etc.) I know I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars to acquire the “materials” I used to develop this webinar series. Even if you paid to attend a seminar where I was speaking, chances are the registration fee alone would be at least $200, and that’s NOT figuring in travel, lodging, food, and the cost of spending time away from your friends, family or business! Today, I’m going to offer you my entire Complete Core Fitness training system, plus ALL the bonus products and add-ons, for the ridiculously low rate of $127. I’m sold – what do I do now? First off, don’t wait! Click on the button below to add the product to your cart. Enter your credit card information, and you’ll get immediate access to the entire Complete Core Fitness training system. All the Best, P.S. 4 Reasons You WILL NOT Buy This Product (And Why They’re LOUSY Reasons!) Everyone these days has something to “sell,” and the fitness industry doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation when it comes to selling and promoting its products. Here are four of the primary reasons you may not buy Complete Core Fitness, and why I feel they’re all lousy excuses. #1 – You don’t want to spend the money Let’s be honest – dollars are harder and harder to come by these days. Unemployment is up, wages earned are down, and we’re all finding our money harder to come by. But rather than focus on the cost, I’d like you to think about the value this product can offer. If you’re a trainer or strength coach, you use core-training exercises with every single client, every single day. Do you want to learn my assessment process? So you can find weak links and write better programs? Wouldn’t you like to know the progressions I use with my clients and athletes? Would you like to learn the cues I use to get better results with even basic or ordinary core training exercises? This product will take you step by step through the process and give you all the answers you need to make well-informed decisions when it comes to programming and coaching core exercises. But what if you’re an end-user? Someone who just wants to get more out of your core training? This product is ideal for you as well! Having an understanding of the various types of core training exercises (I currently use 4 distinct “phases” in my programs), as well as how to effectively perform all the exercises I outline, are critical to your success. Listen, you’re going to use these materials every single time you’re in the gym, so $127 is a steal if you ask me. #2 – It’s a Digital Product Some people are unsure of purchasing digital products, and I understand their reservations. However, if I packaged these up and shipped them to you, the cost for production, shipping, handling, etc. would increase the price. Huge portions of my customers are overseas, and we all know what a pain it can be to get things to your doorstep. By going digital, I not only keep costs down (and pass them along to you!), but you now have immediate access to the materials so you can get started today! #3 – You bought other core training products and they were garbage I feel for you here – I’ve bought products in the past that weren’t worth 10% of what I paid for them. Furthermore, I’ve always prided myself on the quality of my products. I rarely get returns, and while many would tell me I under-sell, I can tell you that less than 1% of our orders are returned because someone didn’t feel the materials were of high quality. Check out my 100% money-back guarantee above; I’m more than willing to put my money where my mouth is if you don’t feel the materials are up to snuff. #4 – This product won’t help, or won’t get me results If you’ve already made up your mind that you have all the answers, or that this product won’t work, don’t bother buying it. However, if you’re willing to dive in and explore my system, to understand the anatomy and why these methods flat-out work, I think you’ll love the program and the results you can achieve. And again, if it’s not up to your standards, see my guarantee above. What Are You Waiting For? Are you ready to have strong, functional abs? Are you ready to reduce or even eliminate low back pain and discomfort? And aren’t you ready to see your athletic performance go through the roof as a result of your newfound strength and power? If so, pick up a copy of Complete Core Fitness today!

It's a Friday night stand you know we always selected talk about heading into the weekend later in the show we're gonna talk a little bit about. How do you meet somebody. You know you might be single maybe you'd never married maybe divorced. Maybe separated just getting ready gave -- the dating scene. Yeah it's it's really easy to meet people as some people I guess find it easier than others I was fairly difficult because I was always very very shy. But we'll talk about how you meet somebody and if you're a female. How do you want guys to approach you and if your guy. Is it okay if women. Approach you. Which are likely to be a little more aggressive as -- you're a shy person like myself. You would certainly want women to approach you talk about that a little bit later she'll also tomorrow is the running of the bulls. For 2014. This is a lot of -- into parlance are just a match in this roller girls with helmets. With horns. Plastic bats. And they chase runners in this dvd and the French Quarter. And a whole goal is to hit him with a plastic -- now the good news is this does raise money for the 2014. On animal rescue of New Orleans and also the -- chapter of the multiple sclerosis society it starts at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning so this will be in the CBD and the French Quarter. And I don't know if they have really sets. Route. To the kind of go wherever they -- ago and kind of have one set up but he could happen anywhere but you might get swatted on the but with a plastic bat. By -- a girl. Which is something that I probably deserve so I really wouldn't object to that again asserted o'clock tomorrow morning and the festivities they're going all weekend. And we'll have more information on that -- show. It's time for tonight's top rated eight near the top three things we'd like you know as we begin our show tonight on WWL. Number eight. Yeah it's really not easy to be a sequel to a classic moving but don't have the planned at the -- which is now showing. Is being hailed by some as the best science fiction film in years. An article foxnews.com. Website praises the movie by saying like the best of Shakespeare's tragedies. Each character's good intentions are overcome by their flaws. Creating a path toward destruction. There's also comment about how it like in the in the original. Plan BH -- -- in 19661968. -- that the late sixties. Starred Charlton Heston. That was. That was a movie that kind of lead you wish the apes and the humans could get along and that's -- I'm hearing about this movie to a plan in a scene at this weekend. I will you go see dawn of the planet to the it's much of that was shot in new worlds we'll talk -- friend -- -- Who was on the set of that movie a little bit later in the show number seven on tonight's list of the top eight at eight. You feel good about the way you look. This in new Gallup survey that shows that 66% of Americans. 65 and older feel good about the way they look. In a confidence drops a little bit in middle aged between 35 and 64. A one theory is that there's less social. Expectations. When it comes to appearance as you mature. Now the category for eighteen to 24 year old 69% of the men said they feel good about the way they look and many of them probably don't have mirrors. 57% of the women I said they feel good about the way they look. But -- for those 65 and older. A 64% of the men and 60% of the women said they feel good about the way they look and I hope you feel good. About the way you look. You know life. Especially you younger you know life doesn't have to get worse as you get older it can actually. Get a lot better and if your young you know to carry yourself. And if you're older and start taking care yourself if you haven't done that and you know you can really enjoyed. Getting older and look at all the -- all the rock stars who were close to seventy or seventy years slightly over seventy who still really look great today. Number six on tonight's list of the top eight at eight. The rush to judge just in Paris the father who left his young son it -- -- to die. The rush to judgment innocent. Led to immediate demands for police to drop charges against him. It also led to immediate donations for his defense. The online payment site PayPal. He's taken on the campaign to raise money for harris' defense. It is now willing to refined over 22000 dollars. That was donated. Would you want your money back yeah I think so. Innocent until proven guilty. But the rush to judgment to judge him innocent was indeed rush to judgment because there's a lot that we learned and still a lot we don't know but there's a lot that we've learned. That the rush to judge him innocent ways. Was a flawed now the mother of the child Leigh -- Harris has retained -- criminal attorney. And she's not a suspect but many believe that she could be a suspect. Number five on tonight's list of the top eight at eight. About 50 Louisiana state police troopers are going to be helping patrol the French Quarter from now until Labor Day. And I saw some of the quarter last night. Not many French Quarter businesses are now working on a plan to privately funded security. For sections of the French Quarter and the mayor and now the -- security. Would be an OPD officers working details. This is my -- says that it would be off duty police officers. -- confused here. We don't have enough officers to patrol the French Quarter. But we have enough officers. Who were off duty. Who could help to the job. I saw something last night that I really hadn't seen before and maybe this is something that has happened before and I just did did notice it. But I sought to state troopers standing on the corner off too loose and royal so that's block off perfect on to list. And I thought we you know that's really Smart because not everything happens on Bourbon Street. And I would also think that since there are some since shady things that can happen between urban and golf -- Going in the other direction. That may be NO PD maybe Louisiana state police they should be positions. On some of those corners and some of those areas. But hey it's great to see the that the troopers in town saw. Mounted police last night and they were troopers throughout the quarter and we'll have them in town at least until labor. Number for a tonight's list of the top eight at eight. NFL quarterback Mike Vick is going to host the Michael -- comedy explosion in Shreveport Saturday night. And local animal rights activists planned to protest the event because they say that there's a problem with dog fighting in the area of the state and they don't want him there. Attorney Dan keel this is part of an article that we have on our website at WW dot com. He's a local animal rights activist he plans a protest event he said we have a problem with dog fighting in the street port area. We have cases of animal abuse. This is not the place for the time for the strand theater report. To host Michael -- However some are welcoming Michael Vick to report there's a forgiveness rally it's -- also take place in front of the theater before the company show. And Shreveport mayor Cedric Glover hopes that both of the groups will demonstrate in a peaceful manner. He feels that that Michael Vick has paid his debt to society. And now his story is a story of redemption. And Vick was -- jealous I'm sure you remember back in 2007 for his involvement in dog fighting ring and that has led to a lot of condemnation and and justifiably so but if the guy went to prison and he got out he paid his debt to society. It seems to me there are some people who never forgive him in I'm an animal lover. But it does seem is here if Michael Vick has has changed. And he has done some things to help benefit on animal abuse projects. So what side which you beyond which you be on the side to protest Michael -- or would you be on the side of the forgiveness rally. Number three on tonight's list of the top eight at eight. When you go out if you're going out tonight or sometime this weekend even wanna admitted but are -- actually looking for somebody to date. I mean I I go out quite often. I'm dating somebody now so not looking for anybody to date the -- when I go out I see people who are out trolling there looking for. For some practice to pick up -- -- me some people actually looking for somebody to have a relationship with. And I don't mean just a physical relationship. Is it easy to meet people that some people it's it's easy to meet people for others it's it's not easy it's always very difficult for me to meet people. So what are the best places to meet somebody and also tonight. We're talk about this idea. Then it's you can't meet the right person in a bar because people tell you don't go to the grocery store go to the library go to the bookstore. Go to a coffee shop. Goat to. I health club go anywhere but don't go to aborted beat somebody because you can't meet the right person in a bar. Well I would think that there are a lot of good people in bars. Bars -- are filled with good reputable people. Who would be good to have a relationship with so I'd like to note did you meet the right person in a bar. If you and enjoy an issue with your comic tonight our numbers 2601870. Toll free 86688. Points nearly seventy. In a text numbers 877. Also if you're female I would I would love your advice. -- for me but for guys -- to get your advice on how you would like nice to approach you. I got a list of flirtatious races here. And this is from a web site dummies dot com and how to. How to date. After fifty. And here are some of the lines. You have great allies. You have perfect skin. You're incredibly handsome. I think you so attractive. Much more attractive than your picture. I love your hair. I can't stops during your lips now at what point did you think you'd be slapped. -- -- I just don't see any of these lines were at an especially if if you're if you're -- when you're young it's it's it's easier to -- people. You know you're in clubs in groups and you've got schooled. And things like that. But when you are older if your divorced -- and your. Out -- would like to meet somebody. Where'd you grow. And we would be the best place to recently. If you wanna join us to like become an 2601872038668890. Point seven. And it checks Amber's late seventy -- every here's a Texan -- are you dating a man. No I'm not dating a man contrary to what many people would like to believe I Harris attacks there he -- 73 are still amazed by that. 73% of all relationships of people between eighteen and 32 are taking place through dating sites. And I have actually known people who have gone the dating sites. But I don't I I don't know of any long lasting relationships. That have resulted from the dating sites -- -- they don't happen. I just the people that I know he views them. Kind of as a temporary fix. And nothing that really nothing that really -- again which an issue with your comment tonight about anything we're talking about our numbers 2601870. Toll free 86688907. And a text number is 877. Never to tonight's list of the top eight at eight. The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that a priest. Who learns about the sexual assault of child. Must report. Even if the crime as disclosed in private confession church. The Catholic Church maintains that confessions are private and no priest can reveal anything they -- a confession. Do you think religious freedom should protect priests. From reporting crimes. That they learn about it confession. Here's a -- give you a pretty -- opinion poll tonight should priests be required to report crimes revealed during a confession. It is your opinion by going to our web site WW dot com and we'll we'll talk about this on the -- -- and of course there's freedom or -- and book. What if it with all due respect for the Catholic church and Catholic doctrine the loss of the Catholic church and I am a Catholic. I really struggle with this idea. Of whether or not appreciate report a crime it seems to me that that's the human thing to do. Again this is my opinion. But he -- is that Europe is it appropriate to require priests to. -- crimes. The take place in confession I remember watching a movie years ago I wanna say this was in there and that the late seventies may -- early eighties the movie was called priest. And it was a British movie. And it was a story I think there's been a more recent movie out called priest I haven't I haven't seen it but a long time ago I saw this movie called priest. And it was about these these two priests and they did the priests were were battling with whether or not to reveal. On this confession. They knew of this I guess the girl was about fifteen she was being sexually abused by her father. And the -- which really torn to know whether or not to reveal this to authorities he was torn because the church says -- what happens in confession is. Is is private. Doesn't have to be repealing should not be revealed. But there was a part of him as a human being who thought I just got to tell authorities I've got to tell somebody. It was a very interesting movie that's set up this this dilemma that world will talk about tonight. Do you think religious freedom protects priests. From reporting crimes. That they learn about it confession. Our numbers 260187. -- toll free 86688. Nines nearly seventy tech's number is 877. And finally tonight's number one on tonight's list of the top eight at eight. Who says you can't go back LeBron James is going back to Cleveland and this city is celebrating. LeBron James king James. I'm not to be mistaken with a guy who wrote that version of the Bible. King James is accused of turning his back on his home state and the city of Cleveland when he left Cleveland and went to Miami. He -- over Akron. He left and always going home. Have you ever left. And gone back home. And did you come to appreciate home more when you came back. I've got my experience that affected scoop like tonight is titled LeBron back to Cleveland. There's no place like home. And I can -- I've -- it's a great cities throughout the country I was always proud to be from New Orleans New Orleans is my home and your home will always be your home. You can and set up home elsewhere but home is always home. When I came back a couple of years ago. I learned. To appreciate so many things about new worlds that I took for granted it. So have you left LeBron is going to be going back to two to Ohio. And it sounds to me and that he even said the decision was bigger than basketball. It's really about. -- human side of him warning to go back home wanting to contribute to his home state. So if you have left. Whether it's New Orleans or some other cities you left home. And you've gone back. Did you come to appreciate -- more when you returned. And if you have left new worlds and come back what is it that you really. Notice about the city. It may be you didn't. Fully realize and appreciate before you left if you what did you initially become at our numbers 2601878. Toll free 866889078. At a text number is 878 Saturday. And by Joseph Lee sang about it who says you can't go back well you can't. This is the -- show we're coming right back on this Friday nights on WL. Restore LeBron James is going back cold going back to Cleveland he's from Akron Ohio the city is celebrating he laughed and this city booed him. And I it was an arrogance that does seem to be part of his sudden departure as well. Have you ever left home and and come back when I think about LeBron going back home I think about how it felt like I came back home. -- are things that I came to appreciate about New Orleans it's always -- over these things were here but I really came to appreciate the city overall more. On having lived in other great cities -- in the country. Have you left and come back home and do you appreciate more now that you've returned our numbers 2601870. Toll free 866889070. And a tax receipts -- -- -- like tonight is titled LeBron back to Cleveland there's no place like home and that's our website you can -- picture with others. At WWL dot com also tonight we're talking about the Louisiana Supreme Court that ruled that a priest who learns about sexual assault of a child must report. The Catholic Church maintains that confession is private and no pre should say anything about what his sanity confession. Do you think religious freedom protects priest from reporting crimes they learn about it confession that's -- WW a pretty general opinion poll should priests be required to report crimes. 27% say yes 73%. Saying no. Give us your opinion by going to our website at W dot com here's a -- reads issued psychiatrist be required to report crimes revealed to them by patients. Any difference between that and what may be confessed to a priest no I don't think so. And I think in in some situations a psychiatrist are required to be -- if you know more about the society all the children -- some situations when it comes to bodily armor something's. A police psychiatrist. Are obligated to report something but the question is should priest. I think -- human being before you're a Catholic -- you and I I respect the rules of the church but she priests have to. Report a crime if you -- join us tonight with your comet are numbers 2601870. Toll free 86688. Ninths early seventy at a text numbers except yourself from northeast Georgia and -- she'll have -- -- well. Western area of our program to do you have more access to my but from the sports. Actually from insurance perpetrator. More to -- objections. We went to a Newton -- Japan there. Special people and and and sure his -- was still it's still too emotional about it rubbish. Who practice who grew older than a -- approach social club culture. And that sort of -- in the culture more -- of the contract that and I was actually in northern which analyzed -- is. You may have that the reform bill. That would eventually in the potential. The historical black colleges. We did. A format that's -- pupil. All of a different -- of the reassure the -- -- returning to where our problems have dramatically larger problem -- there's so much. About shipments for the people blows some job we all appreciate it until -- get more trying to make it you know. Georgia agree -- -- time -- color -- you have agree weekend. He I volleys are very proud to say that I'm from New Orleans or would you tell people you're from New Orleans or an entry from me -- -- from the world say they they're just are so intrigued. Even if they -- to New Orleans but it's especially they've never been -- so intrigued to hear about what it's like to live in New Orleans for pedestrian Kevin your -- WL. He has screwed now followed -- a priest -- I think that day. Should not have. Tell anybody about what and it getting married here in a confessional. That are given a confession. Day. Are on that understanding. And be outage -- -- 3COM. If a person it can bet nets and that seems to me that day RRE morally what they did wrong. It's a criminal law but that demands law morally. More -- our law. And I realize they did something wrong -- heard arguments. At him again in a confessional about that. Kevin what if it's a case of somebody who is being abused. Confessing that to to a -- so here's somebody who hasn't done anything wrong there there there are a victim and -- talking to a priest about it should -- report that. Are you don't think they should report I think Asia and advise them on. It. -- you. Advise that. They should give them and that's a great job that he's thinking I'll be. Do you think it would be difficult to be a priest if you if you did give that advice and you knew the person was not taking your advice it was still being and you knew that the abuse was still going on would that be difficult if you saw that in your parish. It it would be it you know. I had may have I'll. It's. Straight session secret between me that person and guy. And I think that is. You know -- you we talked about man who walked here owner because in the Bible it doesn't say anything about age my grandma was married at thirteen years dole and others produce an -- I. I am at that age. Now we think that's horrendous. You know but it. But things have changed over the years. Even that many more that we understand where teenagers won -- and are not -- And that well that would make sense. You know week week but is. -- Taboo on age and discrepancy in age and -- as -- No I don't know it an early age has to do is with -- Well I'm not. Just start talking about like you're you're Hispanic. About it -- -- -- a confessional and there have been treated at mountain and earlier you -- about operation. Yeah I think that legal avenues that they can personally that you notice. -- what does that -- OK but but you know -- a lot of people who were abuse are free to tell the authorities there -- afraid to tell their parents so here they are telling a priest. And it and music appreciate not reveal that information to the glorious. Not trees that are now. Think that's his plate if they used it date of record that has rolled on an ad in the -- -- followed that -- -- station. -- just like police department at students say eat at the right to remain silent my hat and anything you can outplay can and will be used again. You go into the -- crash on you to Miranda rights read. Pretty much. As well now if you charming you know -- -- illegally. -- -- -- I'm glad to -- the show thanks listening tonight as the Covington -- your own -- she'll into the W well. I was calling about you would talk about a common Paul Jewell Williams you know. I want to remind you something that you probably don't remember. And -- good reasons and it show years and years ago. That to be so it. Is like listen to radio. You had to calm. School -- school sort of thing to prove if alcohol tests are you draw. So answer you don't remember this. QQ per -- to and you were with disproportional tribe or newer driver. And then after arranged. You were just in career as a double. If you remember. Yeah I remembered doing shoes. And when you get to the point where you're you're drunk I don't remember drive I mean I remember driving drunk in my life I'm ashamed to admit that but I'm Lebanon. But I don't I don't. You were -- in the you know like do you have a memory of that oh. Well it was real can tell you that. I do remembered. Trying to demonstrates how many drinks in hand before you -- Before -- drug. Rick if you everlasting comeback. OK so I want to the American University in -- for four years were as were a college you know McCain. And an assistant for 32 years in there so you weren't really going that way you -- going to the same kind of places the French Quarter. Yeah. African political shows thanks for listening to WWL at night. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Going into positive outlook -- a bomb station and ritual on and she read. You. What I'm talk about the -- -- our tradition. It's in the law. That does not allow them to do anything and best if you cool cool it. And you'll you'll. Construct -- very active on because it would be an action. And that in confessional. On the other it's not an option and so it is in the art where. They can report. Of course spark what do you ought to be something that is confined to confession I mean I think the dilemma is. And there is human laws supersede church law. Don't you know I mean I don't agree with that. And you treat your priest and remote and bought. Com. Law community -- law that Lebanese. So I mean. Should the role that won. The moral. And the. Roar let's take it away from church went about a psychiatrist who hears about. Ultimately audits and -- an all. This is the spiritual. Although I agree I agree with but it -- it -- get it on eight and I agree or poultry. Or -- being factual. But be released priest a -- law. And it is part of it and it Q on Q school with a bit different script of what they can. Well I understand I understand it is it's an indefinite law of the church the question is -- sure it'd be issued -- be required to. Reveal what they hear about a crime and confession when I'm -- going to call the show. Here's a text about a LeBron LeBron is just an overpaid freak he doesn't care about the game just about the money. -- I think what's interesting about LeBron going back to. Going back to. Cleveland but his home is Ohio groping her in Akron. What I what's interesting about this is I don't think it's about the money anymore but it's easy for him to say no this is not about the money the -- you have all the money that you need. Mean I guess everybody always wants more money. But he's he's financially set so it doesn't have to be about the money anymore. He has that he has an opportunity to make it about. -- manatee or he is emotional connection with home. But maybe it's easier to do that what you've got all your money. If you would enjoy a -- with a comet tonight -- numbers 2601870. Toll free 8668890. Point 78. And a text numbers -- 77 he hears a double give you a pretty general opinion poll should priests be required to report crimes revealed during a confession give us your opinion. By going to WW dot com I'm screwed out of party nights will be right back on WW well. Yeah I think tomorrow I'm gonna have to go out in and get in the streets have deceived median of French Quarter during the running of the bulls because I think I deserve to be spank with a plastic bat. But one of those roller girls. I here's -- we're talking about tonight did LeBron James is going home got me to thinking about when I came back to New Orleans and how much I appreciated the city always love the city always appreciated but. -- appreciate it much more now. That I have been in other great cities are -- great cities with. There's no place like home and that's the subject of the -- like tonight our website at WW dot com if you have left and come back I'm sure you can think about things. That you appreciate more about the city that's one of the things we're talking about tonight also on should priests be required to report crimes revealed during a confession. That's -- WW up pretty general opinion poll right now 29% say yes and 71%. Saying no. Give us your opinion by going to our web sites WW real to account to join us with your comment tonight our numbers 2601878. Toll free 86688. -- early seventy. And it takes -- it's only seven here's a text that breeds LeBron has never been a superstar just a loser like the rest of the thugs in the NBA. Obviously it's a semi that has a bit of a problem but in the context of the world of the NBA. It is fair to say that LeBron James is a superstar not from candidate John you -- -- you -- -- -- And then not to put the -- will witty story. Peggy Dolan like he'd been basic and meeting in sports he's letting it he's letting people know -- I'm going back home easy Jason during that he's putting everything out -- -- these are very good example and India. If Drew Brees left this is not gonna happen but it Drew Brees did leave in place for another team. There would be a lot of animosity toward true. If he came back though I'm sure there would be the same kind of celebration that they're having Cleveland right now. Exactly. And -- -- -- really believe it when someone goes and so my dad is going to be. People talk into and out of the main thing is he's gone about these doors for the right reason -- -- a lot yeah actually someone else. It -- -- -- I mean if you could do and so like there it takes it takes so Morton money it takes more than. Sport to take so this deterring any deal. Well course there's there's something about him saying this is bigger than basketball when I've heard the reasons that he wants to go back to Cleveland this is where he's from he's from Akron at this is his home state. He loves that he feels a bond there. Yes sometimes in Europe in your career you feel the need to to go on and do things just for money. And now that he's in a position where he's got all the money he could could need. And he he has the I guess he has the luxury of saying okay -- now I just now I just wanna go home and and and be home. Larry great play -- get it checked so yeah. Think about one -- really won -- when a player -- the sport can really believe the science focused too much. Or at play here. I mean it's like well he left we would soared about Jimmy Graham I'm I'm freaking out squirrels but it. I'm taken in Oman it has -- world. And he left in new law and we probably one of the best plays when it's warm out there about twelve leap. We got to realize you know I mean. Well it is it is a business yeah I saw I saw a TV report earlier today of a guy in Miami who has a full. Back ten to LeBron James in a Miami Heat uniform and thinking you think this guy has any regrets. -- John -- called and you have a great weekend. Here is attacks that reads now what if someone admits murder to a priest. Do they remain quiet. According to the Catholic Church yes they do the question is. Is that right. Should priests be required to report crimes revealed during confessions. The Louisiana State Supreme Court ruled that a priest should come forward with information in the case of hearing about child abuse. Our numbers 2670. Toll free 86688907. Text. 87070. We'll be right back on -- WL. The -- going back to Cleveland there's no place like home I know exactly what that feels like I'm about -- -- a couple of years ago. Never left the city because I was angry here it was of a business opportunity. And not only that the stations or before at the time when I left it in 1996. Had changed formats and they were no longer talk and there was no job for me lost my job at that point and there were no immediate opportunities for me because of my financial obligations -- to put too much sun and also to myself. But also to my son I had to I had to move. And I've been some great cities around the country of largely thrill to come back to to New Orleans have you moved away and come back. This is what the bronze feeling right now who's going back home to a two Ohio. And sometimes when you're away from something you appreciate it even more what's something that you missed about New Orleans when you work here are numbers 260187. Toll free 86680. -- nearly seven. And a text number. Is -- 77 also tonight we're talking about the Louisiana Supreme Court ruling that a priest who learns about the sexual assault of -- child must report it. Even if the crime is disclosed in a private confession. The Catholic Church maintains that confession to private and no priest can reveal anything said in a confession. Do you think this is about religious freedom should religious freedom protect priests. From reporting crimes that they learn about in a concession. I got a text him over ago from somebody said well what do for a priest hears about a mercker. As far as I know they they can't reveal that added protection supporting you said it's just hearsay -- you know it is just hearsay. But it might lead to an investigation that might lead to somebody. Being able to. Be protected. If if if somebody's being molested or there's some crime going on I guess this. And as a Catholic I I guess we all have to fight with this. Is this about. Man's law. Or is it about a church law deceit -- A man made church law. Supersedes. What I think would be doing the right thing which would be revealing something terrific that was happening in a confession. Here's a -- reads. Was it also Canon law. That the molestation by Catholic -- to children took place for many years and was not reporters crimes. I'm Catholic. Believe this law needs to be changed. And here's our WW a party general opinion polls that I should priests be required to report crimes that are revealed during the confession. 29% say yes but 71%. Saying no. It'll be adjusting to see that change changes as the Hugo so we'll update that in just a few minutes give us your opinion by going to our web site of EWL to account I mentioned at the beginning of the show that I buy some movie. Years ago when this it was the late seventies maybe it was -- into the early eighties to -- was called priest and I know there's been a movie that's come out since then -- priests -- not talking about that movie. But -- there was this movie that it was about these and these two British priest in the rectory. And they were both let's just say they were both very humid so they had their own human flaws. But their main theme of the movie was this priest. Her from this I wanna say this girl was fifteen years old she was being sexually abused by her father. Now why she sing this in confession I guess because she felt like she could talk to some. And the priest which was debating with himself whether or not he should tell the authorities. About the crime. Or the alleged crime or whether he should. Maintain the Catholic Church Canon law and not reveal what he said -- confession. And he was really torn by this tonight I would imagine that a lot of -- -- are torn by things that they -- in confession things that they're not supposed to say. The question is should priests be required to reveal crimes that are revealed even in confession. If you -- join us for your comment tonight our numbers 2601870. -- 386688. -- here early Saturday. And a tech's number is 878 Saturday here's a text I'm not sure I'm right to but it sounded like you had a problem with police officers working details to help cover the downtown area. If so why. I mentioned earlier in the showed that if we this is something that we've heard last week or so from now until Labor Day there will be about fifty of Louisiana State troopers. -- -- going to be covering on the first quarter we're gonna help NO PD patrol front cooler. Now there are private businesses that want to come together and form their own fund to have added security. And the security would be provided by an off duty police officers. If you stand back and think about it is -- -- asked this question. Okay. We don't have enough officers. To patrol the quarter. But we would have enough officers if we use off duty police officers to patrol the quarter now I realize that I'm not against police officers are having off duty. Johnson all. That's that's not there the question. But it's almost as if OK we'll look I'm gonna work my job I really could do more but you know I'm I'm off now -- I'm gonna make more money which is what police officers do. I'm gonna make more money by. Going to patrol the French Quarter so I just I think it's an interesting it's an interesting question we hit we don't have enough police officers but if we include off duty police office as well that we can bring them -- Pay them and that we would have enough. Police to -- a quarter. In theory. If you wanna join -- -- -- your comment about any of this stuff we're talking about our numbers 2601 a seventy. Toll free 8668890. At seventy. And a text number. It's 87870. Now we're coming right back with more of your comments and it is a Friday nights we are heading into the weekend it is going to be -- -- very hot day tomorrow I think the heat index is gonna be somewhere between a hundred and a 10050. Or something ridiculous like -- it's going to be odd day this your -- tonight is about going back home. The bronze going back to Cleveland going back home to Ohio I came back home a couple of years ago have you ever left and come back home. And you appreciates. Being home more now that you've come back scoop like this on our website at WWL. Dot com.

|Template:Ninja loyaltyTemplate:Ninja kekkei genkai| | (長門, Nagato) |Anime||Naruto Shippūden Episode #128| |Movie||Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie (Pain)| |Game||Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2| |Appears in||Anime, Manga, Game and Movie| Nagato (長門), or more commonly known as Pain (ペイン), is the recognized leader of the Akatsuki and Amegakure, and is a major antagonist in the series. Referred to as "Leader" by all Akatsuki members except for Konan, who refers to him by his name, he directs the actions of the others and maintains authority over them although he takes orders from Tobi, who is actually Madara Uchiha, the benefactor of Akatsuki. In addition to acting as Akatsuki's leader, Pain was the leader of the winning faction in the Land of Rain's latest civil war. The original body of Pain is a man named Nagato, who, like Konan and Yahiko were orphans from Amegakure, forcing them to fend for themselves. The three eventually encountered the Sannin, who at first were less than willing to help them. Orochimaru even suggested to kill them as they were orphans of war and as such would only live their lives full of misery. Jiraiya, however, decided he would care for the three and took them in. One night at dinner, Nagato cried because eating together reminded him of his family, and later that night he ran away with Yahiko. The two were attacked by a Rock chunin, who injured Yahiko. Seeing this, Nagato activated his Rinnegan, and killed the ninja, a feat that is normally impossible for someone who has never trained as a ninja or never had any military or martial arts training. Jiraiya decided then and there he would train them in Ninjutsu. Nagato was very emotional about killing the shinobi, and asked Jiraiya for help so he can protect Konan and Yahiko, where Jiraiya said he must grow up. After three years, Jiraiya felt they were strong enough to fend for themselves and told the three he would see them again when they grow into adults. Jiraiya believed Nagato to have died with the others under unexplained circumstances, but has told Konan that whenever their names were mentioned outside their village, it was always about someone being killed when they opposed them. Pain has since led one side of the Amegakure civil-war and took over the village, he has become a greatly respected leader in that village. The members of Pain's faction wear their Amegakure forehead protectors with a scratch through it the way the full members of Akatsuki do, despite the fact that none of them are rogue ninja any more, as the scratch symbolizes, because they won the civil war. Nagato was a sensitive but kind boy, prone to crying, and was traumatized by the idea he had killed another man, even to save his friend Yahiko. Scared and unsure of his place in the world, he desired to help those he cared about, but never knew how. Nonetheless, he became a talented and gifted student, mastering every technique Jiraiya taught him. As Pain, his personality is very different having become a calm, serious, aloof, and detached man. Apparently believing his childhood trauma had enlightened him to the true meaning of pain and suffering, he now considers himself a deity and evolved beyond a mere human. He now seeks to show the world the meaning of suffering by using an ultimate weapon to deter future wars by means similar to "mutually assured destruction". He shows no moral qualms about his actions. He is willing to kill his own teacher in cold blood and brutally execute all of Hanzō's friends and family to ensure the Amegakure's compliance to his takeover. He even goes so far as to proclaim himself a "god of peace" come to guide the world to maturity through pain. He also feels that no one can understand peace unless they understand "true" pain, something his childhood friend Yahiko believed. Nonetheless, he can be quite respectful, particularly to the fallen. Given Akatsuki members' frequent bickering, he often restrains them and encourages better relations between the other members, even suggesting they mourn Deidara after his passing. After his battle with Jiraiya, he holds a moment of silence for his former teacher out of respect for his power. Pain is also very respectful and kind to his childhood friend, Konan, who has been declared his "angel". He was shown protecting her without request or hesitation from Jiraiya before his battle with his former teacher. Apparently, she is the only member of the Akatsuki that addresses him by his name, Nagato, and only Madara and herself refer to him as Pain. Their friendship may have a romantic background, but there still isn't any incontrovertible proof as of it. Although not seen physically, he appeared as a hologram. He stated that they couldn't afford to make any mistakes in completing their goals. For the most part, Pain has kept away from active Akatsuki business, only revealing himself whenever they have captured a Tailed Beast and even then he only appears as a shadowy illusion. However, after Deidara's suicide, Pain was ordered by Tobi that it is his mission to now capture the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox (this for as-of-then unknown reasons drew an emotional response from him). Before the mission could begin however, Jiraiya infiltrated the village to try to get more information on the Akatsuki. After feeling this threat because it disturbed his rain, Pain sent Konan to deal with it while he changed bodies. When Jiraiya fought Konan, Pain appeared with murderous intent, his eyes set on Jiraiya. Fight with Jiraiya During the first half of his battle with Jiraiya, Pain fought the Sannin off with unique summons. It wasn't until Jiraiya activated Hermit Mode and summoned two toads to help him fight did Pain reveal two more of his bodies and quickly began to fight Jiraiya back personally. Jiraiya attempted to use the Super Great Ball Rasengan but was absorbed. Jiraiya attempted to bring down all three of the bodies using the toad elders to perform a Genjutsu, then pierced each body through the heart with a giant sword. When Jiraiya prepared to go back to Konoha, Pain reappeared and attacked him, cutting off his left arm. When Jiraiya looked back up, he looked at the Six Paths of Pain, and all six bodies attacked. Not long after, Jiraiya managed to kill the Animal Path, only to have his throat crushed by one and then be impaled by all five. As Jiraiya died, he sent the message of Pain's identity. Though the toad escaped, Pain called for Zetsu to come out and filled him in on his order to hunt the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Invasion of Pain After the fight, Madara returns to inform Pain of Sasuke and Team Hawk going after the Eight-Tailed Beast (something Pain being doubtful that they could accomplish), and orders Pain to go after Naruto Uzumaki fast because Konoha knows he killed Jiraiya and it makes it harder to get to Naruto. When Madara leaves, Pain prepares to set out to Konoha and reveals a new body, once again completing the Six Paths of Pain. When the six bodies and Konan are about to leave, Pain's Deva Path tells Konan to spare no one. After dispatching a Konaha patrol, Pain stats his plan was to use the Asura Path and Animal Path as diversions, and the Deva, Human, and Naraka Path for find Naruto. Pain used his Animal Path to fool the Konoha Barrier Team into believing there was only one invader, and summoned the other six bodies into the village and began to attack in multiple directions. The Preta Path of Pain later enters the autopsy room where the previous animal path body was being examined. While he was removing the chakra receivers, he is attacked by Kiba Inuzuka, Akamaru, Tsume Inuzuka and Kuromaru. However, Preta Path uses the previous Animal Path body as a shield and escapes. Still elsewhere in the village, Pain's Human and Animal Path bodies attacked Inoichi Yamanaka, his daughter Ino, and several of Inoichi's intelligence comrades as they interrogated one of Pain's henchmen and examined his defeated body from the fight with Jiraiya. The Yamanakas and others escaped, however, when Pain's bodies were engaged by Ibiki Morino. Meanwhile, the Deva Path has found Tsunade and engages, demanding the location of Naruto. While Pain and Tsunade argue about each others ideals, the Naraka Path is challenged and seemingly defeated by Konohamaru's Rasengan. Also elsewhere, Ino, Inoichi, and Shizune have deduced the secret behind Pain's six bodies. But before they could relay their theory to Tsunade, Human Path ambushes them and takes Shizune hostage, during which he discovers Naruto's location at Myobokuzan by reading Shizune's mind and transmits it to the Deva path. Without a single hesitation, Human Path yanked Shizune's soul out while Deva Path flew to the sky and form a single jutsu. It was to be noted that the jutsu was so dangerous that it would shorten Nagato's life span but in return, its power was devastating enough to destroy most of Konohagakure. As he fell to the ground, he noticed something big appear in a poof of smoke, which turned out to be Naruto along with Fukasaku, Gamakichi, Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro. Deva Pain then prepares to confront Naruto, saying he was saved the trouble of looking for him. Meanwhile, in the forest outside of Konoha, Naraka Path restores the Asura Path, who then projects the Animal Path back to the ruins of Konoha, where she summoned the other four bodies together. When Tsunade, who used most of her chakra to protect the villagers, challenged him, she was attacked by the Asura Path to finish her. It failed when Naruto destroyed the Asura Path with a Rasengan. As the fight begun, Animal Path sent the rhino, yak, and canine at Naruto, but he easily hurled them in the air and had the toads defeat them. He then got into a fist fight with Preta Path but even though Naruto missed, the level of natural energy around his fist incapacitated Preta Path to Pain's surprise. Finally realizing the truth, Pain deduces that Naruto is using the same Hermit Mode power Jiraiya used. He reveals to Naruto that he too was once a student of Jiraiya, further infuriating Naruto. Naruto then succeeds to take down Human Path with his perfected Wind Release: Rasenshuriken. Then with the assistance of Gamabunta, Naruto also defeats Animal Path. Though he lost Hermit Mode, Pain quickly tried to dispatch him but was prevented by Fukasaku who reversed summoned one of Naruto's shadow clone to reenter Hermit Mode, but failed with another Rasenshuriken due to the Preta Path. Noticing the Naraka Path was alive, Naruto used a smokescreen and a Rasenshuriken to trick Pain into thinking Naruto was doing a frontal attack, when in truth he had prepared himself to crush the Naraka Path with a Rasenrengan. Pain by this time has regained power and was able to repel the toads and Naruto with great ease. By using Banshō Ten'in, he forced Naruto towards himself, where the Preta Path grabbed him and tried to absorb his chakra to capture him. However, due to the nature of natural chakra, he only succeeded in turning the Preta Path into a toad statue. With the Deva Path the only Path remaining, Pain quickly pulled and killed Fukasaku before him and Shima could finish their genjutsu. He then pulls Naruto and pins him to the ground with his Chakra Disruption Blades. Where he revealed his plans and his vision of peace. To Pain the world can never know true peace as the people in it hate each other. In the end, he will use the power of the Tailed beasts to create a weapon so powerful it would wipe out a country and people would be so frightened by it they won't start wars, until the pain of the weapon his forgotten and they use the weapon again. Pain's true body Nagato is shown, revealed to be an emaciated, sickly, and extremely weakened individual. He is seen in some sort of walker-like machine with six legs. Black poles sprout out of his back, likely related to Pain's piercings, and black cords connect his restrained arms to a beam on the wall behind him. He is together with Konan in a sort of cave. There he coughs up blood, something that makes Konan express her worries of Nagato using too much chakra, only for Nagato to proclaim that he can "see peace." When he finished speaking, Pain stabbed Naruto with more blades, rendering him immobile to carry him back to their headquarters. Before he could however, Hinata Hyuga attacked Pain to protect Naruto, proclaiming she did because she loved him. In the end, she was quickly overpowered and stabbed in front of Naruto. Enraged, Naruto exploded into his six-tailed transformation, allowing the demon fox to attack Pain with full force. The demon fox's power was so great that it repelled Pain's Shinra Tensei causing Pain to retreat closer to his true body, Nagato. Once close enough, Pain used Chibaku Tensei to create a giant sphere of earth to capture the demon fox inside. However, inside Naruto's concisousness, the seal distorts further allowing the eight-tailed transformation form and break through the sphere. When Naruto regains control of his body, the weakened Pain could no longer keep the sphere together and it crumbles. His resolve renewed, Naruto demanded to be taken to Nagato to speak with him himself. Pain however states that though Naruto now understands true pain, he claims that they could never understand each other, as in the end they are just to different. As Pain attacks, Naruto takes one of his blades and locates Nagato by following the chakra afer he stabbed himself in the shoulder. Naruto then battles the Deva Path by throwing two Rasenshurikens in a shadow shuriken method, though Pain dodged both of them, using Shinra Tensei for the first and jumping over the second. In his five second window before he could use Shinra Tensei again, Naruto attacked him with dozens of Shadow Clones but before they could reach him, Pain was able to use Shinra Tensei again. This time however, Naruto used his multitude of clones to brace himself from it's force while making a Rasengan, and charges at Pain, smashing him in the chest. As the leader of Akatsuki and one of the two sides of the Amegakure Civil War, Pain is an extraordinarily powerful ninja that can easily be considered Kage-level, his partner Konan has stated that he has never lost a single fight. He was able to single-handedly defeat and overthrow the former Amegakure leader, Hanzō, and made short work of Jiraiya after unveiling all six of his bodies (though Pain admitted that killing Jiraiya would have been very unlikely had Jiraiya known prior knowledge of his six separate bodies).The black body piercings on each of his bodies is how he controls each body. This is supported by the Preta Path when it removes the body piercings from the dead Animal Path. Pain has been seen using many highly advanced techniques like the Shapeshifting Technique, which allows him to clone Akatsuki members using human sacrifices that they control and can use to engage enemies in place of themselves. The clones formed are perfect copies of the original, possessing any unique genetic traits or weapons they may possess. The clone's abilities are proportionate to the amount of chakra given to the clone. His most important technique, in regards to Akatsuki operations, is the Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals. With the other members of Akatsuki, this technique begins a three day trial to forcibly extract the Tailed Beast from its host and forces it into a giant statue. There seems to be an order on which Tailed Beast they can seal at once as they are unable to seal the Nine-Tailed Fox without sealing the other beasts as it would destroy the statue, possibly freeing all the captured beasts. Pain's most powerful technique seen so far is the Chibaku Tensei It summons a black ball similar to a black hole, which attracts all forms of mass to it, this was used against Naruto when he was in the 6th tail form of the nine tails. However, an attack that he most often uses is the Shinra Tensei a technique which manipulates gravity at the users will. His mastery of this technique is so great, that it allowed him to devastate half of Konohagakure with just a single repulsion wave. However, it must also be noted that this massive repulsion wave causes a significant drain of Pain's chakra. To sustain this technique, his 5 bodies had to first give up all of their chakra, coupled with some of Nagato's own life force. Pain's incredible power stems mainly from his Kekkei Genkai, the Rinnegan. This form of Dojutsu is regarded as a god of creation when the world was racked with chaos and as a weapon of destruction which could return everything to nothing. This was originally possessed by the Sage of the Six Paths, the world's first ninja and the founder of modern Ninjutsu. The Rinnegan's abilities are largely unknown, but it does allow the user to use all types of elemental chakra and it has been speculated that Pain can use any jutsu in the world, including secret techniques like the Yamanaka clan jutsu. It also enhances his vision of chakra in a similar manner to the Hyuga clan's Byakugan and Uchiha Clan's Sharingan, allowing him to see the chakra of barrier techniques around Konoha and the chakra gathered at the feet of Tsunade. Six Paths of Pain The most prominent fact about Pain is that he uses six individual bodies all acting together with one mind and will. He calls this the Six Paths of Pain, (ペイン六道, Pein Rikudō) based after the 6 Budhist Paths of Reincarnation. Each path named after the six paths of reincarnation, Deva, Preta, Animal, Human, Naraka, and Asura. Pain is not complete without six bodies in total, so he keeps other bodies stored in a sealed room within a strange machine, in case any of the bodies are killed. The only common feature shared by these bodies is their bright orange hair and Rinnegan eyes. Each also has a vast number of body and facial piercings of various shapes, sizes, and patterns. Each individual body has also shown able to easily defeat multiple ninjas with ease, such as "Copy Ninja" Kakashi Hatake who was a highly skilled ninja of Konoha, as Deva Path demonstrated. Each also has been seen to possess incredible speed and strength. Pain's real body, that of Nagato, is kept in a machine that moves with six relatively small mechanical legs, and has large chakra spikes on its back to transmit the signals. Nagato's body appears highly emaciated, suggesting that Pain typically does not use it. With the exception of the Deva Path, each body has a single special ability and a defined purpose. For example, the Naraka Path has no real combat abilities besides basic Taijutsu but has an ability to kill liars and heal the other Paths, while the Asura Path is has so many body modifications that it's sole purpose is to attack. In total, Pain has seven fields of vision, counting Nagato, the Rinnegan allows him to see through the eyes of each Path and with their single mind, coordinate very quickly. Thanks to Jiraiya's dying message and successfully capturing one of Pain's bodies, Konoha discovered that each Path was is a corpse reanimated by Nagato's chakra receivers. To control them, Nagato has to be close by, and ideally at the highest point possible so he can have the best range possible. The Deva Path (天道, Tendō), Pain's first observed body, is the body of Yahiko, and possesses medium length spiky hair, six piercings and a metal bar through each ear, three studs through the side of his upper nose and one spike stud on each end of his bottom lip. Three piercings under each other in each wrist, at least one on his upper wrist and some just under his neck. He also wears a beaded necklace. Unlike the other bodies, this body seems to have access to multiple forms of ninjutsu, demonstrated from all the defenses put up to stop intruders from interfering with the sealing of a demon. It also seems to have retained Yahiko's affinity for water-chakra though this could come from the Rinnegan shown from its ability to summon and control rain, and can conjure and stop it at will, even maintain it for long periods of time. This is apparently tied into his mood. In addition he can detect the movements and chakra levels of people traveling within the rain, making it difficult to infiltrate Amegakure by stealth. It is later revealed that his primary combat abilities are "Shinra Tensei" and "Bansho Ten'in". These abilities allow him to repel or attract objects and ninjutsu, respectively. However, he cannot preform it in rapid succession, leaving him vulnerable for a short period of time after its use. This period of time between usages may vary from five seconds to several minutes, depending upon the force of the repulsion or attraction. This body is apparently Nagato's preferred form for interacting with others since he has participated in all sealing rituals and has been seen in several flashbacks by Amegakure members. Pain readily sacrifice his Asura Path to protect this body. This may or may not be a consequence of Nagato and Yahiko's former friendship and emotional attachment to this body, which is a possibility, since Pain is capable of recreating Paths with spare corpses (as seen in case of the Animal Path). This could also simply be because this body is his most powerful form than his other bodies and therefore is the most important in battle. - Divine Force - Chakra Disruption Blades - Fierce Raining at Will - Five Seals Barrier - Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals - Magic Lantern Body Technique - Mirrored Sudden Attacker - Shapeshifting Technique - Water Release: Violent Water Wave The Preta Path (餓鬼道, Gakidō) is the body of a fat, bulky man with six spike stud piercings covering his entire bottom lip, two studs vertical on the front of his nose, two spike studs one on each cheek, a metal bar going through each ear, and a stud on his shoulder one on each side close to his neck. Originally this body was from Kusagakure. This body's ability "Energy Absorption" is primarily defensive, since he is capable of absorbing any Ninjutsu related technique, such as Jiraiya's Super Great Ball Rasengan and Hermit's Art: Goemon, nullifying them and sucking them into his torso. This technique can also take the form of a large bubble around his body, allowing to absorb attacks from any direction. In addition to its defensive properties, this body's ability has also shown offensive capabilities, sucking all the chakra out of any target unfortunate enough to be grabbed by him. However, this body seems to be weak against physical attacks, as one punch to the face (albeit imbued with natural energy) is enough to kill it. The force from the punch most likely snapped the body's neck. This body is later incapacitated by Naruto when he transferred too much natural energy into it and turned into a statue of a toad. The Human Path (人間道, Ningendō) is the body of a tall slender man with very long loose hair, a diagonal bar though his nose, two studs vertically on each cheek, two studs horizontal from each other on his upper chin, and a stud on his shoulders near his neck. This body was originally from Takigakure. While in the process of saving the Animal Path, this body's abilities are largely obscure since Jiraiya damaged this Path's eyes early on in his battle but it showed immense physical prowess, being able to block Hermit Mode Jiraiya's punch and not even flinch (at all circumstances, an impressive feat). More recently however he has shown the ability "Mind Tampering", allowing him to affect minds similar to the Yamanaka clan by touching another being's head in order to extract information. He's capable of reading the person's mind in seconds and without need of additional equipment. The Human Path then proceeded to rip out the ninja's consciousness, most likely killing the victim. The Human Path was incapacitated when most of it's body was disintegrated by Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken The Asura Path (修羅道, Shuradō) is the body of a tall bald man with a very unusual body shape, possessing a very thick neck, a big square shaped jaw, with a large ring piercing vertically on his nose, six spike studs all around his head, three studs on the top and bottom of each of his arms, an enormous spike stud on his chin and two vertical spikes on each upper cheek. This body's face is strangely set in a permanent smile. His ability is based on "Body Alterations", allowing him to modify himself with artificial mechanical body parts. Under his cloak the body is revealed to have completely robotic inner workings and a completely inhuman appearance, possessing six arms, three faces each with a different emotion: happy, neutral, and angry (thus resembling the mythical Asura from Buddhist mythology) and a folded serrated blade-like tail. He can fire one of his left forearms off as a long range projectile, pull out one of his right arms to reveal a cluster of segmented cluster missiles, quickly propel itself forward with a burst of chakra from its boots, protract multiple blades and a drill from one of his arms, open up the crown of his head to release a titanic shockwave, and wrapped around his waist is a long and flexible saw-like blade that can be used to slice a target. All of these abilities befit the "warring demon" name that the Asura path holds, while giving it a considerably higher degree of versatility than the other Paths have. The Asura Path was destroyed incapacitated twice, first due to the injuries it sustained fighting Kakashi, Choji, and Choza, and after being rebuilt by the Naraka Path it was destroyed again buy Naruto almost moments after his return. - Body Alterations The Naraka Path (地獄道, Jigokudō) is the body of a very tall stocky muscular man with a spiky mop of hair (similar in style to Kisame Hoshigaki), with triple bar ear piercings, a stud on his upper nose, a stud on his shoulders near his neck, and a row of studs diagonally down each cheek. This body's ability (referred to as the "King of Hell") seem to be a spiritual entity similar to the Death God, although he is physically strong enough to hold a fully grown man in each hand off the ground with no apparent effort. The entity takes the form of a giant demonic head, which protrudes from the ground close too him while shrouded in black flames. When he asks a question, and after an answer is given, the giant's mouth opens, releasing tendril like arms that force a stream of energy (possibly the person's life force or soul) from the victim. If the person was telling a lie or refused to answer the question, their life force is completely removed and eaten, and they are seemingly killed. If they were telling the truth, they remain alive, though left extremely exhausted. Outsiders are unable to see the demon, although Naruto in Sage mode apparently can. Another of this body's powers, most likely its main purpose, is to resurrect or "heal" other Paths. By summoning the King of Hell, Pain engulfs the body he wants to heal in it and the body comes out completely repaired. This is possibly done by "transferring" the life energy that he's collected from victims into his deceased bodies, allowing them to become functional again (similar to the technique Chiyo used on Gaara). Both times that Pain's bodies were shown in a combat formation, the Naraka Path has taken the rear with the others protecting him (even behind the Deva Path while its power was still recharging), implying that, like the Deva Path, this body is one of Pain's most important bodies. This could be due to three possible factors. First, the ability to heal and repair any other body almost instantly would make this one of Pain's most important and vital assets in a battle. Second, like with the Deva Path's Shinra Tensei, the King of Hell might need time to recharge after repairing one of Pain's bodies. Third, compared to the other five Paths this body has not shown much combat ability, given that Konohamaru managed to avoid its attacks and strike it with a Rasengan. However, this is uncertain, as he had earlier beaten at least three chunin and Ebisu, a Jonin, using only hand-to-hand combat. Replacement - Incapacitated The Animal Path (畜生道, Chikushōdō), Pain's newest body is the replacement of the body lost in the fight against Jiraiya. This body has a very young appearance and, unlike all the other bodies, was originally female, with its hair tied together in a sort of onion like bun at the top of the head and spikes of hair protruding out of it. It has one stud above the nose, studs on either side of the neck, a row of studs vertically down each cheek, a stud below each stud on the neck and two studs on each forearm. When Inoichi is searching through the mind of a man from Amegakure he saw that a man and his friend brought this body, dead and without its piercings, to the tower where Pain resides. This body can be seen as a replacement for Pain's second body, as both bodies were used primarily for "Multiple Summonings". It is seen calling forth a giant centipede, the multi headed splitting abilitied giant dog, a rhino, a bull and the other Pains. This Animal Path was incapacitated after being hit in the chest with Naruto's Rasenrengan, presumably destroying it's internal organs by the force of the jutsu. - Summoning Technique (Multiple) - Summoning abilities - Violent Bubble Wave (Crustacean Summon) - Amplification Summoning Technique (Dog Summon) - Panda Iron Wall (Panda Summon) - Chameleon Camouflage (Chameleon Summon) Animal Path (Former) Deceased - Replaced Pain's second body, distinguished by a long ponytail and a large bridge piercing through his upper nose and attaching on each cheek, one on his upper nose, and six rimming around the bottom of his face. After being killed and examined, this body was shown to have multiple piercings on his chest as well. The appearance of this body, when first seen, was compared to that of fellow Akatsuki member Deidara. Prior to Jiraiya's encounter with Pain, one of his subordinates noted that some believe Pain to have been from the Fūma clan. This is because this body was originally a man from the Fūma clan, recognized by Jiraiya as a man who had ambushed him, ending up scarred across the forehead in the process. This body is a powerful summoner, capable of conjuring a massive variety of different animal summons for various different purposes, and most significantly the other bodies of Pain. Each animal summon also shares his Rinnegan eyes and various piercings suggesting that they too are under his control. The former Animal Path was instrumental to Konoha's study of Pain and her discovery of Nagato working behind the scenes. Pain appears to have abandoned it as not only did he replace it with the female Animal Path, he had the Preta Path use it as a shield against Kiba and Tsume - Summoning Technique (Multiple) - Summoning abilities - Violent Bubble Wave (Crustacean Summon) - Amplification Summoning Technique (Dog Summon) - Panda Iron Wall (Panda Summon) - Chameleon Camouflage (Chameleon Summon) In Naruto Hiden: Sha no Sho Character Official Data Book, Kishimoto briefly explains the philosophy behind Pain's design, stating, "He's Akatsuki's leader, so he has to look fairly cool, but I still wanted him to look dangerous. Since his name is "Pain", I decided to add some piercings to his body, like he's the kind of guy who would inflict pain upon himself." Notable among the few unused concept designs is a small sketch in which he appears to wear a partial face mask and feather or horn-like accessories fitted to his forehead protector. When first appearing in the anime and other media, Pain's eyes were depicted with an incorrect color scheme; the two center rings of the Rinnegan were colored separate shades of gray while the outermost ring was flesh-colored, and the ring in between was white. Following his appearance in chapter 377 of the manga, which featured the first official color illustration of his face, the color scheme was corrected. While the Six Paths are depicted with a standard, pinkish skin tone in official color illustrations by Kishimoto, the anime depicts them with deathly pale skin, likely as a visual cue that the bodies are in fact deceased. Before chapter 363 when the face of Pain has actually been fully shown, there was a theory highly popular in fandom that stated the Akatsuki Leader is the Fourth Hokage. This speculation has been recently resolved as incorrect, however even in the light, Pain's Yahiko body resembles Minato Namikaze in ways. Some fans still believe Pain is the Fourth Hokage in disguise as not to have people know who he is since Pain has multiple bodies, but this has already been disproved. Another speculation is that the multiple bodies of Pain are a variant of his Shapeshifting Technique, used to split his chakra and abilities into multiple bodies, which has already been proven false, as his bodies are chakra-controlled corpses. It is unknown why has Nagato ever come up with the idea to operate out of his Six Paths, since he is (or used to be) a highly talented ninja in his own right. As he is shown very weak and emaciated, it can be speculated that he created Paths to overcome his physical incapability (e.g. a crippling disease), but that has yet to be revealed. It could also be the other way around - Nagato could simply have wanted to keep his identity secret, and years of the chakra-taxing operation of the Paths has left him extremely weakened. Either way, Nagato seems to have colossal reserves of chakra at his avail, most likely due to the Rinnegan. It can also be speculated that Nagato is seen in such a weakened state solely because of the immense amount of chakra and life shortening costs needed to preform the Shinra Tensei technique to destroy Konoha (at least, it's almost certainly due to this Shinra Tensei that Nagato is shown bleeding out of his mouth). Since Pain seems to have experience with other tailed beasts and has showed a tranquil and cool attitude; it is possible to think that Pain is powerful enough to handle the six tailed transformation of Naruto and even defeat him. In the manga and anime debut of the first quote below, Pain actually mentions and insinuates each member of Akatsuki's reasons for being in the organization (except for Tobi/Madara, who was not present in this scene, and Sasori, who was dead). He mentions the motives for war are of no concern, and in the anime scene, each motive mentioned focuses in on an Akatsuki member: Religion (Hidan), Ideology (Itachi), Resources (Kakuzu), Land (Zetsu), Spite (Kisame), Love (Konan), or just because (Deidara). He does not mention his own motive for peace at that instant, as it is revealed later in the series. - "We're both of the same breed, after all... motives for war are of no concern. Religion, ideology, resources, land, spite, love, or just because... no matter how pathetic the reason, it's enough to start war." - "We are Pain! We are God!" - "Those who do not understand true pain can never understand true peace." - "We are but men, drawn to act in the name of revenge we deem to be 'Justice.' But when we call our vengeance 'Justice,' it only breeds more revenge...forging the first link in the chains of hatred."" - "Peace is right before my eyes." - "I want you to feel pain, to think about pain, to accept pain, to know pain." - As Pain's six shinobi bodies are reanimated corpes, it can be assumed that Animal Path's various summoning are corpses as well as they all have Rinnegan eyes and multiple piercings. - It is interesting to point out that in the prophecy Jiraiya heard, Pain (Nagato) seems to be viewed as his student who would "destroy the world" while Naruto seems to be viewed as his student who would "save the world". - Out of all the ninja who have fought with Pain, Naruto is the only person to defeat five of his six bodies, one of which he even defeated twice. - Madara has stated that Akatsuki didn't have the power to destroy Konoha. However, Pain has been able to destroy most of the village, both buildings and personnel alike, meaning that Madara has yet to know of Pain's true strength. - Pain appears to have a habit of not checking to see if someone is dead or not. During his battle with Jiraiya and his invasion of Konoha, Pain left Jiraiya, Kakashi, Choza Akimichi and Hinata Hyuga alive after delivering what he believed to be killing blows. - ↑ Third Databook, page 120 - ↑ Third Databook, pages 153-157 - ↑ Fourth Databook, pages 126-129 - ↑ Chapter 369, page 7 - ↑ Chapter 376, page 4 - ↑ Chapter 376, page 13 - ↑ Chapter 510, page 17 - ↑ Naruto chapter 363, page 17 - ↑ Naruto chapter 366, page 09 - ↑ Naruto chapter 372, page 09 - ↑ Naruto chapter 372, pages 10-12 - ↑ Naruto chapter 372, page 07 - ↑ Naruto chapter 368, page 07 - ↑ Naruto chapter 430, page 02-03 - ↑ Naruto chapter 430, page 11 - ↑ Naruto chapter 430, page 13-15 - ↑ Naruto chapter 430, page 15 - ↑ Naruto chapter 430, page 16-20 - ↑ Naruto chapter 436, pages 16-17 - ↑ Naruto chapter 364, page 15 - ↑ Naruto chapter 260, page 17 - ↑ Naruto chapter 368, page 12 - ↑ Naruto chapter 367, page 17 - ↑ Naruto chapter 422, page 22 - ↑ Naruto chapter 423, page 05 - ↑ Naruto chapter 422, page 04 - ↑ Naruto chapter 426, page 03 - ↑ Naruto chapter 438

Login / Register ORNo Account? Register here. Party of Five: The Gaither Quintuplets Turn 30 The beloved Gaither quintuplets look back on the three decades since they made history. Thirty years ago this month, more than 50 IU Hospital doctors and nurses escorted Suzanne Gaither into the operating room to give birth. The 21-year-old student-loan analyst and her husband, Sidney, a 32-year-old service manager for an elevator company, were about to become the parents of America’s first African-American quintuplets—and the first set in 20 years that wasn’t the result of fertility drugs. For two months, Suzanne had been on bed rest to prevent early labor. Now it was time. On August 3, in a span of 30 minutes—the period it usually took to perform one Caesarean section—two boys and three girls “popped out from the pressure,” Dr. Frank Johnson said after the delivery. Ashlee, Joshua, Renee, Rhealyn, Brandon. Multiple births have long fascinated the public, perhaps most strongly since 1934, when the Dionne quintuplets, the first set to live past infancy, became something of a tourist attraction in their native Canada. The Gaithers were no different, enthralling not only Indianapolis—whose citizens showered the northwestside family with attention, a mayoral proclamation, and fund-raisers—but the nation. At the time, only about one in 40 million women gave birth to quints without fertility treatment. Journalists from major media outlets rushed to Indy to report the historic news—including me. As a new editor at Jet magazine in Chicago, I was the first reporter to interview Suzanne Gaither in her hospital room. Two days after the quints’ arrival, Suzanne cradled four of the babies in her arms as she rested in bed. One quint was missing. Ashlee, the firstborn, was in critical condition with an enlarged heart and had to remain on a respirator. She was not expected to survive. Today, Ashlee starts to cry when she thinks about turning 30. “I always get emotional at every birthday,” she says, sitting at a dining-room table at her sister Rhealyn’s northwestside home. Ashlee is now healthy, though she often uses a wheelchair for ease. Her voice shakes and drops down to a whisper: “I wasn’t supposed to be here.” Her siblings move to comfort her. Joshua jumps up to find a tissue. Renee reaches over and touches her on the shoulder and says, “Oh, Ashlee, it’s okay. It’s okay.” Joshua gently wipes away his sister’s tears. Brother Brandon speaks from across the table. “Those doctors gave you that 50-50 chance of survival. But the ultimate person who determines that is God. Ashlee, you proved the doctors wrong.” Rhealyn chimes in. “People might look at Ashlee because she walks a little different or uses a wheelchair, but Ashlee will look at them and laugh,” she says. “Our parents told Ashlee to laugh at people when they stare [and are] being judgmental and silly.” Indeed, the five learned to adjust to all manner of attention. Media favorites especially in the first few years of their lives, the quints were featured on the Today show, Donahue, and The Maury Povich Show. Ebony magazine put them on its cover—as did Indianapolis Monthly the December after they were born, five tiny babies in red and green. They even starred in a McDonald’s commercial. Their parents, though, were determined to “protect them and raise them in an atmosphere that was as normal as possible,” Suzanne says. She and Sidney did not hire a publicist and were skeptical about people who wanted to represent their children. One high-profile promoter tried to convince them to hand over almost total power of the quints. “This contract would have determined the children’s schedule, their every move,” recalls Suzanne. “If the promoter wanted them in New York on Monday and today is Friday, we would have to make it happen. We would not have had any rights, any say-so in our children’s lives, no control over anything. We were not going to do that. We promised ourselves that we would not allow our children to be exploited.” With each media-related decision, Suzanne and Sidney questioned whether the quints would be pleased with the exposure down the road. “Before we said yes to the McDonald’s commercial, we asked ourselves, ‘Will they be happy they did this when they look back? Will they be proud to show their own children?’” says Suzanne. The quints appreciate the way their parents protected them from too much fame. “Even as kids, we could say yes or no [to any opportunities], and all five of us had to agree,” Ashlee says. “Otherwise, we would not do it.” Outside the spotlight, the day-to-day business of raising the quints and their older brother, Ryan, involved a lot of help, both physically and financially. Two kind-hearted women in the community volunteered to help out with the babies—who usually went through 50 bottles and 50 diapers a day, and 100 jars of baby food a week—while Suzanne and Sidney went back to work. “I was there when they took their first step and cut their first tooth,” recalls caregiver Connie Moore, now 79, on her way to Rhealyn’s son’s preschool graduation one recent Saturday. “And I remember they were easy to potty train. They put pressure on themselves, ‘Oh my brother can do it, now I can do it, too,’” she says with a laugh. “It seems like just yesterday they were crowded in my office—all five of them, three caregivers, and their mother. We had to block out the entire morning, about four hours, to make sure I could treat each of them.” —Dr. John T. Young, 86, pediatrician Volunteer Hazel Cork, 81, was also there “from the day they came home from the hospital until the day they started preschool,” Cork says. “Aunt Hazel”—as the quints call her—and Moore had their hands full “keeping the kids in one room when they loved to crawl all around the house.” And that family of eight required a bit more square footage than the three-bedroom ranch that Suzanne and Sidney lived in when the quints arrived. By the time the children turned 2, the family had moved to a five-bedroom home on the northeast side, thanks to corporate sponsorships and contributions from the likes of Gerber as well as a local radiothon that raised $50,000. Even a simple trip to the doctor, though, could be an ordeal. “It seems like just yesterday they were crowded in my office—all five of them, three caregivers, and their mother,” says Dr. John T. Young, 86, their pediatrician. “That’s nine people for one visit. I can handle one or two babies, but five was a bit of a challenge.” He laughs. “We had to block out the entire morning, about four hours, to make sure I could treat each of them.” Otherwise, the quints enjoyed a relatively ordinary childhood. They attended Auntie Mame’s daycare, John Strange Elementary, Eastwood Middle, and North Central High. But “they were not always lumped together as a group,” says Suzanne. “For the most part, the quints did not take classes together.” She and Sidney made sure the five developed as individuals “who just happened to share the same birthday,” says Suzanne, not as an indistinguishable unit. As such, each developed a distinct personality. Brandon is “Daddy Jr.,” the serious one with a strong spiritual side, like Sidney. “Most of the CDs in my car are gospel,” he says. Joshua is the outgoing “life of the party,” and Rhealyn, the self-described “mother hen” and “commander-in-chief,” is the most like their mother. “At age 2, Rhealyn was the leader,” says Suzanne. “During treat time, each of them would come to me to get cookies. Rhealyn would take the bag and pass out the cookies so that everyone was happy.” And while the boys shot baskets outside and the other two girls played Nintendo, Rhealyn watched her mother prepare meals in the kitchen. By 11, she could cook meatloaf and macaroni and cheese for dinner. Renee, on the other hand, is soft-spoken and somewhat shy, a gifted athlete with a keen sense of humor. Ashlee is the practical, “go-to” sibling—the one they all come to for advice. “Why go on national TV and tell everything? You have to sell your soul. I’m glad we didn’t do that. I don’t know how much of a real childhood we would have had coming up today as quintuplets.” —Rhealyn, on reality-TV opportunities Brandon and Joshua, though, are the closest, and claim they can feel when something is amiss with each other. “I used to get nosebleeds when there was something wrong with him,” says Joshua. Brandon agrees: “If there is something wrong with Josh, I can tell and will call him or text and ask if he is okay. It is weird.” Brandon remembers one time when Joshua hurt his foot at work. “I got a sharp pain going down my knee, and I called him and said, ‘Are you okay?’ He said, ‘My foot is hurting really bad.’ I told him, ‘I am feeling your pain.’” The rest of the quints may not have that sort of physical connection, but they can still tell by each other’s voices when something is awry. “That comes from us spending a lot of time together,” admits Rhealyn. They each live about a 15-minute drive from one another in Indy and get together once a week for dinner, usually at Rhealyn’s house, even as their lives shift and evolve. Brandon, an international shipper for a merchandising company, and Joshua, who works for an airline, are both divorced, and each has two children. Rhealyn—the assistant to the president at Mid-America Elevator Company, where Sidney works—and Renee, a specialist at Methodist Hospital, are married, the former with two children and a stepdaughter. Ashlee, who has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Ivy Tech, is single and plans to earn a bachelor’s in political science. All view their parents as heroes. “My dad never turned his back on his family,” says Ashlee. “He has always been there for us.” And they admire how Suzanne carried herself, especially as a 21-year-old suddenly swarmed with six children. “She took her responsibility as a mother very seriously,” says Rhealyn. “Having us so young, she kind of missed out on a young adulthood.” Sidney is now assistant vice president of sales at Mid-America Elevator Company and a church trustee and lay minister at Zion Tabernacle Apostolic Faith Church. The quints grew up in the congregation, with senior pastor Thomas E. Griffith as a mentor. “There was a lot of stress having a family grow that large that quick,” Sidney says. “I thought to myself, ‘How will I provide for them?’ But we made it through by the grace of God. We’ve been blessed.” Suzanne retired from her job as a loan analyst in 2004. “Sidney stood up and took care of his family. He always worked hard, up at sunrise, home at sunset. Back then he was on call 24 hours a day at the elevator company,” she says. “If the elevators were down, he would have to rush out to repair them. He would go without hesitation.” In addition to years of hard work, other community and corporate contributors supplemented the Gaithers’ salaries at times, and the media returned to revisit the Gaithers as well. The Associated Press covered them getting ready for the junior prom in 2001, and Today captured their high-school graduation a year later. While the quints toyed with the idea of being on a reality show when they turned 25, they never sought widespread exposure like, say, the parents of the Gosselin sextuplets, whose every move was the subject of TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Kate Plus 8. “Why go on national TV and tell everything?” says Rhealyn. “You have to sell your soul. I’m glad we didn’t do that. I don’t know how much of a real childhood we would have had coming up today as quintuplets. I don’t know if we would be as close, tight-knit, and grounded as we are.” “I can’t wait to see us at 50,” says Joshua. “One thing I know for sure—we will still be close.” That includes big brother Ryan, who will meet them at Disney World this month. There, they will celebrate their 30th birthdays just as they marked their 10th. “I’m just glad everyone is healthy, grown up, mature, and doing good,” Ryan says from his home in New York. “It really means the world to me that we are just as close now as when we were kids.” As for their place in history as the nation’s first surviving African-American quintuplets, “Our legacy will live on with the voices and footsteps you hear running upstairs, right now—our children,” says Brandon. “Family is everything.” Suzanne and Sidney agree; the couple has nine grandchildren, and when the little ones visit, it almost feels like the old days, when the quints and Ryan were growing up. But there is one big difference, says Suzanne: “Now we love them, spoil them—and send them back home.” Gaithers 2013 photo by Dale Bernstein; IM photos by Tony Valainis This article appeared in the August 2013 issue.

This interview is part of a daily, week-long feature series where we asked legendary designers about their favorite rap album covers from the '90s. Lyor Cohen was matter-of-fact when he said, "Everything we do, we do it for the logo" on the Hip-Hop Honors awards show that commemorated Def Jam Recordings. The label's former president was reflecting on the 25 years Def Jam presided as the identity of hip-hop, dictating a musical and visual language that was authentic to hip-hop culture. In 2011, Cey Adams, Def Jam's former creative director, designed a comprehensive coffee table book that compiled over two decades of photos, album artwork, and stories behind every record released under the label for Rizzoli. Adams was art directing during the early days of Def Jam's inception. Cey Adams has the credentials of someone who was literally on the doorstep of hip-hop. He wrote graffiti with a hand style you would give your left arm for, and he also painted fine art pieces. Adams lived just a few doors down from the late, great Notorious B.I.G. on St. James Pl. in Brooklyn, during which he founded The Drawing Board design studio at Def Jam with his partner, Steve Carr. Together, their creative team was a factory of artwork and logos for the label’s marquis talent: LL Cool J, Redman, DMX, and the list goes on. With ‘90s rap etching its place in music history, and with every year getting arguably better than the next, credit has been owed to visionaries like Cey Adams. Bad Boy Records and artists like the Beastie Boys also turned to Adams and his friends for work, which he discusses when he names his Cey Adams' 10 Favorite Rap Album Covers of the '90s. Some of his extended stories about Redman’s video game character and working with Diddy from the salad days of Uptown Records are so damn good that we're giving you the extended interview. Respect the architect. Why did you choose Bobby Digital as the quintessential illustrated rap album cover from the '90s? Initially I would have said EPMD, but I think EPMD’s Business as Usual came out in the ‘80s [note: It came out in 1990]. We were actually the first ones to use Bill Sienkiewicz, and he ended up doing the Bobby Digital cover. But I thought it was so cool that we paved the way doing illustration; then the RZA decided to do a cover like that, as well. I thought that was a cool thing, because in hip-hop, it wasn’t really happening so much. N.W.A. did 100 Miles and Runnin', and EPMD was even before that. It was a hard thing to get past the powers that be back in the day. Everything was photo-driven. RZA, Bobby Digital EPMD, Business As Usual We worked with him on a couple of things. He did EPMD first. Then we came back, and he did the Fear of a Black Planet cover with us. He ended up doing illustrations for Public Enemy's Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age. We ended up using him a couple of times. The stuff that he did for Public Enemy was mostly on the inside, but he did a couple of really beautiful paintings that got double-page ads in Billboard. I wish I knew somebody who had a copy of one of those magazines, because they were really beautiful, gatefold double-page ads. Public Enemy, Fear of a Black Planet Public Enemy, Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age When magazines were running music ads, they were just as iconic as the album covers. They were like alternate versions of the album covers. Tommy Boy was notorious for doing full-page ads for one artist. They would be image ads. At Def Jam we always wanted to an image ad, but Def Jam was also always about getting more bang for their buck. So we’d always have to gang up like 10 artists on a page. Some of those back issues of The Source would have a compilation of a bunch of different artists. When we did Fear of a Black Planet, we finally got to do an image ad. Just one last thought on Bobby Digital. I don’t remember any other albums before it that paid homage to Blaxploitation films of that era. Not at all. No, not in hip-hop at all. This was being conceptual in the ‘80s. It was still the stereotypical guy in front of a brick wall, with the ice grill, looking like he was gonna kill somebody. It really was to our credit that we were able to push some of those things through. They just didn’t understand how you could sell records without their image being on the front cover. And unless I’m wrong, Fear of a Black Planet was the first time we ever got to do strictly an illustration that didn’t have the artist’s picture on the cover. It was a very difficult thing to do. You had EPMD that was an illustration of the guys in the crew. Fear of a Black Planet was just this image. What album covers did you want to illustrate? The EPMD one we got to, but it was really more out of necessity, because the guys wanted to do a photo session of them being chased through a swamp with dogs and police and helicopters, and we didn’t have that kind of budget. The only thing we could do was an illustration. And so it really came about by default more than anything. We were just trying to come up with new ways to push the envelope. We did end up doing one with Warren G for Look Over Your Shoulder. It was an oil portrait by a guy named Daryl Zucker. He was an art student, who went to school with my buddy Steve Carr, my partner at The Drawing Board. He thought it would be really interesting to do an oil painting. Again it was something we had to convince everybody at Def Jam and Warren G to do, because nobody had done that before. "Why do you want to do an oil painting? We can just take a picture." And we thought, "We're artists." Our goal was always to figure out a way to elevate the art and do something interesting to stay engaged, because we did tons and tons of covers. How many photographs of artists can you do? Warren G, Look Over Your Shoulder There is such a thing as “too many.” Not to knock anybody else, but we were always interested in using best-in-class artists when we did our work. Whether it was a photographer, an illustrator, or a painter, it was always about using people who were really talented and making a mark in their particular field. Bill Sienkiewicz was an amazing illustrator—he did all of the Batman covers. Daryl Zucker’s done all kinds of amazing work after he worked with us. With The Roots' Things Fall Apart, they put their faces on their albums for numerous albums before that, and here they are going more conceptual. How was that influential? There are a few things that are unprecedented about that album design. For starters, a hip-hop artist not putting their image on the album cover was kind of [tough]. The Roots, Things Fall Apart And it’s risky. It certainly is, because the industry is not known for doing things like that. That’s the first thing. The second thing is that trying to get multiple covers was virtually impossible in hip-hop because of budget restraints. Kenny Gravillis, who used to work for us at The Drawing Board, had moved out to L.A. and started working for MCA on the West Coast. He ended up convincing the guys that if they just went with black and white, it would lower the cost. So in theory, it wouldn’t be any more money than it would be to run a color cover. I think he got the printer to do a gang run, and they made it cheap enough to be able to do five covers. He basically came up with a concept and solved a problem when they started to debate about why this was too expensive. The cool thing about the guys in The Roots is that they were always interested in pushing the envelope and doing something interesting every single time they released a record. It was to Kenny’s credit that he was working with a band like that, because not everybody cares about that, and they’re not always willing to fight for it. In addition, having those iconic images on the cover—I mean some of them were pretty painful to look at—was still an interesting turning point in the culture, because it showed that we can do things that are conceptual, just like the rock and roll boys, and people do care, and they will pick up the record. And that was to my knowledge the only record The Roots had a hit on. And it won them a Grammy. Yeah. Case and point. There you go. What’s your take on using photography vs. illustrations—something completely abstract? Something conceptual, for example, is Jay Z’s The Blueprint 3. That was a difficult thing to do. You need the support of the artist. Artists have egos, and their egos are attached to self-gratification. They always want to see their image on the front. It’s very difficult to get past that. It almost has to be their idea to a certain degree, so we didn’t really get the opportunity to do that, ever. I was always open to the idea. It just never got past people. Jay Z, The Blueprint 3 Were there ever cases when you thought, "This is not working with this album cover," with the way the photos came out? The retouching isn’t working, etc.? Were you ever stuck at any point and then you had to go more conceptual? Yes, that happened with Slick Rick's Behind Bars. We had a couple of photographs from a past album that we had to transform so it would look different. We ended up doing a three-dimensional illustration. He didn’t really give us too much trouble, because he was in jail and didn’t really have any say. The record company was just happy that we came up with something strong. It ended up going through. Slick Rick, Behind Bars So we are switching Redman’s Dare Iz a Darkside for… I wanna switch it for Doc’s da Name 2000. That was another turning point, because we made the character look like Super Mario—a video game. Nobody had done that before. That was the benefit of the way Def Jam worked and the relationship we had with the artists. If it was a good idea, they were gonna get out of the way and let it breathe. I’m looking at this thing now, and I’m so proud of it. All of the elements involved are really well done. This was at a time when computer technology wasn’t nearly as advanced as it is now. Redman, Doc’s da Name 2000 I remember we hired this guy named Brad Digital, who was basically a video game geek. He came in to the office and brought this special PC in. He rendered that stuff in like a month and a half. He was one of those guys who, if you let him leave the office, he wouldn't ever come back. This was the beginning of the vinyl toy boom, and he was doing all these other things. If you know anyone that has the vinyl, it’s a really beautiful piece of artwork in and of itself. Every angle on that thing was done so well. It looks really beautiful. The colors are so nice and rich. If I’m [not] wrong, it was one of the first times a hip-hop artist created a three-dimensional character that they ended up really identifying with and sticking with like a mascot, to a certain degree. It carried on with Red’s albums after that. Granted the execution wasn’t as creative with some of those. No it wasn’t. It was nice that we had an opportunity to do what we wanted to do. He was one of those guys who understood the value of having a great logo. He used it every time. The records of his that I worked on were always consistent, in terms of the logo being used. Did you design one of the early Redman logos, where he was a baby with a skully on in a stroller? That was created by the artist Todd James. Oh, Todd did that?! Yeah Todd did that. Wow I didn’t know that. Yeah, he is a buddy of mine from when we were teenagers. I’ve known Todd since he was 13. He was a graffiti writer back then, and I commissioned him to do that. It was just one of those things where we came from the same neighborhood. That was one of the first things he did in the business. That’s so slept-on as far as illustrations that are associated with Redman. It was always so small in the album credits, and when I thumbed through the book Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years of the Last Great Record Label so many times, I couldn’t find it. I think that when I was working on the book, I was trying to find it. But then we were on deadline, and it was one of those things I just forgot about. I just couldn’t find it in time, and they were rushing me. I thought, "I’ll just get it on the next one." Mary J. Blige's What’s The 411? is a unique choice, because it’s more R&B, but it’s definitely a hip-hop album at its core. You designed the logo, too, right? The reason why I'm including it is because I just like the mystery in the photography. Out of all of Mary’s previous records, that was the first one where she was mysterious. It wasn’t high gloss hair and makeup. She was really a B-girl at that time. Puff basically created everything that you are looking at. For lack of a better of term, he practically art directed the record as far as the visuals go. The record is really beautiful in how it’s a simple image with a smoky hook to it. Her hat is pulled down so much that you can’t see her face. When I think about it, it’s really, really in line with some of the early, sort of "gangster" images rappers had. Mary J. Blige, What’s The 411? Mary was down to do whatever we thought worked for the record, and she didn’t get in the way one bit. To this day, she has consistently used my logo over and over again, which is one of the things I enjoy about working with somebody like her. People think that’s her signature. At that time, I thought that’s how Mary would sign her name on autographs. That was the idea in creating it. When I looked at that, I thought, "She’s R&B. What can I do to distinguish her from the hip-hop artists?" I just looked at Anita Baker and all those traditional R&B records, and I thought, I’m gonna learn how to do hand-lettering that looks like that. For all the R&B cats, I just started learning how to do a soft, delicate sort of signature. Years later, when Puff did Sean John, he was like, “Yo, I want a logo similar to that Mary thing you did.” So I had to create the Sean John logo to mirror that. That’s where it comes from. What’s interesting about that handstyle is that it has a personal touch, specifically with an R&B record where you’re getting something that’s heartfelt and a little more personal. Yeah, for me, if there was an opportunity to reconnect with my graffiti roots and work with hand-lettering, I'd take it. I had to make sure that my hand skills were still up to par, because once I started doing design on the computer, everything was just type-driven. Working with logos with block-letter type—everything had to be big. I didn’t always get an opportunity to do lettering so I thought, "You know what, I’m gonna try to incorporate that into these R&B records when I get an opportunity," and it was one of the only times it was appropriate. Did you ever have challenges in visualizing that title? Oh sure. When I did that logo for example, I did no less than 30 versions of it. And then I would cut and paste them together so they would look like one complete signature. It was one of those things where I couldn’t always nail it in one take. I might have done 20 What’s the 411?s in different variations. I had to make sure the width was correct on each one. If it was something that happened over and over again with other artists, as well, I would just do as many Ws as I needed to until it looked right. I would cut and paste those things together, Xerox them, and clean it up with white-out so it looked perfect, even thought it was done by hand. Cool. Tell me about Hello Nasty. It was a real collaboration between me and the Beastie Boys. It was always interesting working with them, because they just had a different way of thinking. The other great thing about working with them was that you never had to worry about the record company or management getting in the way. They were so smart at thinking outside the box. When we did that cover, as far as the sardine can, it seemed really absurd, but we found a way between Bill [McMullen] and myself to make it work. We spared no expense. It was during the early days of computer design; now you can do that stuff in Photoshop in no time. Back then we had to make a real live sardine can. We photographed them inside that, and then we superimposed the outside out and put the real can on there. So in the photo, they really are squeezed together in a can. I still have the contact sheets! Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty Which one came first, the design or the name of the album? Oh, the name came much later. Originally when we were doing it, it was going to be called Another Dimension, and that was the working title up to print. At the last minute they said it was Hello Nasty. I remember the promotional stickers. Was that your handstyle? Yeah. Working with artists like that is the reward in itself, because you know they are gonna give you the space to do what you do creatively. I definitely recognize that. What was it like designing The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die? This one has been talked about so much that it kind of goes without saying. Again this was an opportunity to be reconnected with Mr. Combs. He led the way on this one through the whole thing. He decided that it was gonna be a baby on the front cover. He didn’t know that we were gonna make the type really small. The idea is that we wanted it to be delicate, because there was a baby as the subject. The title was so absurd that we didn’t have to hit you with these giant block letters. We thought we’d do something really delicate. On the single covers we ended up going really large with the type. It was the exact opposite of what we did on the front cover. If you ever look at any of the singles on that album, they were all the same typeface. They were a lot larger to emphasize the power of the music and the image of a big guy. The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die “Juicy” was an example of the red fat lettering. There’s an alternate cover of Ready to Die, and it has Biggie on it, wearing all white, against a green background, and it just says "Notorious B.I.G." really big. Did you design that? We did design that, and I think it was originally for the European release. I don’t remember if it was even released in the States. Once upon a time I had a copy of it. But again, embarrassing at it is, I never imagined that any of this was going to be important a dozen years later or even 20 years later. So here we are talking about this stuff. It’s just hysterical to me that it’s all becoming so important, one record after another. What was it like working with B.I.G. and Puff? I didn’t know B.I.G from a hole in the wall, but ironically, I did know who he was because he and I lived on the same block. He lived two doors from me on St. James Place. I lived in the same building as one of the Junior Mafia guys. He was constantly dealing from my doorstep. It was ironic that I ended up working on this record. I remember coming home from work in the evening, and they’d be basically blocking me from getting in my apartment. You know, it was never a problem, but I’d have to be like, “Hello, I’m trying to walk here.” I at least knew who they were, but I didn’t even know he was a rapper at the time. I didn’t know he was a rapper until I saw him in Midtown with 2Pac. I was like, wow, that’s that guy from my neighborhood up there with 2Pac. After we did the record, it all became clear, and it became clear to him who I was. What was it like working with Puffy? I just recently came to New York after working with him at REVOLT. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with REVOLT. I’m very familiar. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s always been a very focused individual. Even then he was focused and driven. We speak in a shorthand that not a lot of people have with him. He’ll come in, and he’ll say, “I want you guys to do something and make it hot. Do something similar to what you did with this particular record.” He knows when you're doing what you’re supposed to be doing, and he gets out of the way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, he’ll micromanage you. I’ve never had to bump heads with him or anything like that. At the core, I’ve learned he really is an amazing individual, and I never bet against him. Starting with the logo and typeface of Fear of a Black Planet. HAZE did that, right? He didn’t technically design the Public Enemy logo, but he cleaned it up. Chuck came up with the idea that the type was gonna be that sort of military look, but Eric was the one who fine-tuned it and made sure that everything was drawn perfectly. But it was Chuck’s vision. Let’s face it, even if Chuck did the pencil sketch, it could have looked completely different. It might have been a lousy version of it. There are all kinds of poorly executed logos that aren’t straight. You can look at that spread I did in the Def Jam book and see that logo larger than life. It's beautiful and as clean and well-crafted as possible. I could show you other bands and logos that, when blown up, are obviously just poorly executed. So that’s to Eric’s credit; he was a technician back when people were just doing things freehand. Take me through Chuck’s design. Basically Chuck sketched out the concept on a napkin. He had just gotten in from a flight, and he just said, "This is the cover." That's traditionally how he would work. He would come in to the art department and sit down with us to just brainstorm for a little bit. We had to find Pete Johnson, an illustrator who worked with NASA. Our idea was to find somebody who did illustrations for NASA, because they understand how space illustrations should be done—like how all the stars and planets work—to make sure that the shadows are done properly. And it’s accurate. That’s how we ended up doing it. If you go to his website, you can see all these other space illustrations. Again, it was just the first time that we got to do a conceptual cover and didn’t have an artist image on the front. Pete Johnson is really image deep. He is a member of the prestigious NASA Art Program. I never met him in person. We only talked on the telephone a bunch of times. When we were doing the Def Jam book, we had to contact him again to get new hi-res scans of that. When we did Fear of a Black Planet, 20 years ago, the files that we used were much smaller. He had the original painting and had to send us a brand new scan (that we had to pay for) which was really, really hi-res. You can see how big that illustration is in the book, even though we did a 12-inch cover for Fear of a Black Planet. It was just a different time, and the files can be much bigger now. It has to look better on a screen. Yeah, it’s just interesting that he was the right man for the job. He didn’t really know who Public Enemy was, and he didn’t know how popular they were, so he wasn’t overly excited about doing the job. Now it’s on his website, and it says, "Voted one of the 50 greatest album covers ever." He sells limited edition prints of that illustration, and it’s called Nemesis. I believed he named it when he was doing it, before the album was built. He knew what the title was, because he was showing the planets being eclipsed. But I didn’t know it was named Nemesis until much later. Next, Geto Boys' The Resurrection. I didn’t really do a lot of records that weren’t closely affiliated with Def Jam and Bad Boy. I got this call to work with the Geto Boys for their reunion project. I was really excited about that, because I always loved the Geto Boys' “My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me” and all that, but I never had any relationship with any of the artists from the Dirty South. I thought it was a huge honor to work with them. They flew me out to Houston, and I met with Scarface. He was basically the one in charge, and he explained the concept of the record. I just remember thinking they had a lot of respect for the work that I had done, but I wasn’t aware that other artists were paying attention. You kind of just have your head down, doing your job everyday, and even if these records are in stores, it had never occurred to me that other rappers were paying attention. Scarface was really excited about us: “We do things a little bit different from you guys here.” And what I was trying to say was, "This was the height of the Pen and Pixel era." Geto Boys, The Resurrection Yeah I know who they are. My other thing to them was, if I work on this record, I really wanna do it in the style I’m accustomed to working in. I didn’t wanna do something that looked like it wasn’t coming out of our studio. They basically didn’t get in the way. They gave me the space to do what I do, the way that I do it—granted it was their concept. That was fine by me. They provided you with those photos to use? No, I went out there, and we discussed it and photographed it. Them being in the coffins and all of that was really creepy stuff, to be honest with you, but I didn’t have to get in the coffin. It was amazing to see the lengths these artists would go to express their creativity. It’s fun when you have artists who have the freedom to do exactly what they want to do. They were another one of those acts where nobody told them that they couldn't do this or that. Can you name the actual locations in the black and white photos? One of them is the outside of a church. They really loved the way this church looked. The other thing is a shack of this old house. They really enjoyed that, as well. I was trying to figure out a way to incorporate all of those things. So at first it was gonna be just the coffins, and then I thought, that’s not gonna be strong enough, and it’s gonna be a little bit scary, but then the church didn’t really convey the message that they wanted to convey either, so we ended up combining all three of them. They agreed that was the best. Heavy D, Blue Funk. This is gonna sound funny. At the time, I was working with Bad Boy a lot. Heavy D was a huge star when Mary J. Blige’s What’s the 411? record came out. My goal was always to work with Heavy D. So Puff comes to me, and he says, “Hey, I want you to work on my Mary record.” And I said, “Yeah, but you said I was going to get to work on Heavy D.” Him and Andre Harrell were like, “That’s gonna happen, but you need to do this Mary record.” You would have almost thought it was a burden working on Mary, because I’m like, "I wanna work with a real star—I wanna work with Heavy!" So I worked on the Mary J. Blige record, and I kid you not when I tell you that I tried to get through it as fast as I could, because I was so excited at the possibility of working with Heavy D. I remember going to the recording studio to meet Heavy. When he played me some of the music from Blue Funk, I felt like I had arrived. He was such a cool guy, and we had these amazing conversations about doing all these different sort of things for the cover. We ended up going with a pretty traditional photograph that Danny Clinch took. At the time it was really just about working with him and vibing with him one on one, because I was so in awe of him, and he was a huge star at the time. It's funny when you look back on it, in retrospect. That record ended up not being anywhere near as important as the Mary J. Blige record. You know how the rest of the story goes. It was a great opportunity to work with him. It's fascinating how these things happen. It’s like I was almost stepping over Mary to get to him, when the realer prize at that point was getting an opportunity to work with her, as well. Heavy D, Blue Funk Now this came came after doing the Mary album. Were you looking to carry your style elements into each work? Or did you try to reinvent the wheel? Heavy has a logo, and so what I did was a variation on his logo. I always wanted to do something that would let people who were following what I do know that I had a hand in it. I would do this kind of hand-lettering. I would do it as often as I could, but I would mix it up so that it wasn’t always one record after another. From time to time I would introduce hand-lettering to a specific design depending on the last time I used it. Sometimes these records came out back to back, and at Def Jam, we were cranking these things out like water every couple of weeks. I never wanted two records to look similar if they might have been coming out at the same time. When I was working on Blue Funk, I knew it was a Bad Boy release that wouldn’t coincide with anything we were doing at Def Jam, and it came out even after the Mary record. I made sure that the type was on an angle; it was a little bit thinner, and I used a different pen. You can look closely and see similarities in the hand-styles. Is there an album cover from the '90s that you wished you designed? I would have loved to take a stab at Nas’ Illmatic. I would have liked to take a shot at that. I do think that Nas was one of those artists who has ended up being really important. I was fortunate enough to work with so many artists who have ended up with iconic status, and he’s one of those artists I really admire. He’s a cool guy. I just think I could have done something interesting with it. When I see what they did, I just thought, wow, the ways I could build on it. I was very envious of that cover, because I like his logo a lot. I liked the way he used it, how he consistently stuck with the same theme, and how even if he kept changing it and changing it, it was always a similar sort of look. You could see the evolution over time if you put all of his covers together. What are some of the basic things you learned in design? Certain colors print really well, and certain colors print really poorly. Red is a color that prints really well, and blue is a 2D color to nail down. Over time, with the work I've done, you’ll see a lot of red. You’ll see a lot of black and a lot of white. Those are just colors that work really well, and printers can do a great job with them. That’s why you see a lot of red in advertising, because it always looks great. Whereas with blue, it comes out a little purple, and sometimes it comes out too gray. Red always pops. I've tried to work with warm tones more times than not, because I think it’s just easier to manipulate them.

20 Mar 2013: Interview A Leading Marine Biologist Works to Create a ‘Wired Ocean’ Stanford University scientist Barbara Block heads a program that has placed satellite tags on thousands of sharks, bluefin tuna, and other marine predators to better understand their life cycles. Now, using data available on mobile devices, she hopes to enlist public support for protecting these threatened creatures. Even as populations of sharks, bluefin tuna, and other large fish are being severely over-exploited, scientists still know surprisingly little about when and where the ocean’s biggest predators congregate to feed and spawn, making it difficult to protect biological hot spots. Stanford University marine biologist Barbara Block is seeking to narrow that knowledge gap by deploying an armada of satellite tags on the backs of ocean creatures. Block envisions a wired ocean, a blue fount of data in which tags, smart buoys, and mobile robots reveal the secrets of marine life. She and her colleagues have been involved in the Tagging of Pacific Predators project, a long-running study that has affixed more than 4,000 tags to 23 different species and revealed that the eastern Pacific is a veritable “blue Serengeti,” rich with life and traversed by regular migration routes. In an interview with Yale Environment 360 contributor Ben Goldfarb, Block — the architect of Shark Net, an app for iPads and iPhones that allows subscribers to track great white sharks off the coast of California — discusses the wealth of data gathered by the latest electronic tags and explains why it’s important to put the fruits of this research into the public’s hands. “What we need is environmental interest and awareness that connects humans to the world,” says Block, “or else we’re going to end up with the same problem that we had on the continents, where the large mammals are gone.” Yale Environment 360: I gather you’ve done a lot of the tag design yourself? How do you create a tag that then stays in these creatures for five years? Well, you first have to dream big. And you have to say, “What is it I want to know?” Back in the mid-90s, we were at the table at big fisheries commission meetings, where we really didn’t know where big fish went. And so we asked the question, “How could we study something underneath the sea, that breathes through the gill?” You can’t use radio waves because sound has to travel through air primarily to get anywhere... So we used a technique that was first talked about many years ago, in which we took light from the sun and measure photons, so we can actually put together sunrise and sunset data. We have an accurate clock on the tags. It’s what mariners have done for all of time — we’re using light and time to calculate our position from Greenwich... Barbara Block, at right, helps tags a giant bluefin tuna. We try to use the same chips that are in your computer, the same devices that allow you to talk to satellites and cell phones, and we package them in small devices, put them on big animals like white sharks and tunas, and we follow them across the globe. What we’re trying to do is figure out how do big animals live in the ocean ecosystem, and where they are. And we’ve done this through huge tagging campaigns. One was in the Atlantic called “Tag a Giant” that focused on giant bluefin tuna, fish that are up to 1,500 pounds that carry these computer tags, sometimes up to four or five years. And we have a campaign in the Pacific we call “Tagging of Pacific Predators .” Over 5,000 animals have been tagged, 80 scientists working together, five nations, trying to figure out how the largest ocean on Earth works. I imagine that it’s incredibly hard to tag something like a blue whale or a white shark. For every animal it’s a different problem. For us, when we come face-to-face with a large shark, the goal is basically to get the tag on the animal with the least amount of challenges for the animal — great white sharks are sometimes as large as 5,000 to 7,000 pounds. How many of these tags do you have deployed at any given time? We have a data logger, or an archival tag. But with that archival tag, you have to get it back when humans intercept the fish. You can only put that into an animal that has a huge fishery, like a bluefin tuna. And we’ve put over 1,500 of those tags in tunas in the Atlantic and the Pacific It’s hard to imagine how we’re going to save animals and build conservation strategies when you can’t even see the animals.” Ocean. We get about 22 percent back in the Atlantic, 50 percent back in the Pacific, and when they come back, we download the information and find out where the animal’s been. But we got tired of waiting for people to turn tags back in. So we worked with engineers and packaged [the tags] into a tube. It’s got a little float on the top, and it rides on the tuna, takes the data, rides on the shark, takes the data, pops off a small piece of steel that corrodes away, comes to the surface, and then sends the data back to Earth-orbiting satellites. And then we get data back without any human interception. Then finally, there are tags you can put on the dorsal fin of sharks, and they use radio waves and talk to Earth-orbiting satellites every day. I looked up this morning the location of a salmon shark that came from Alaska to Monterey Bay in the last six months. One of the cool things that you’ve done is you’ve put a lot of this data in the hands of the public. Can you talk a little bit about your efforts to make this stuff publicly available? We want to engage the public because we’ve got some of Earth’s greatest critters out there, the big sharks and the tunas, and most people look at the ocean and can’t even see anything. So it’s hard to imagine how we’re going to save animals, or build conservation strategies, when you can’t even see the animals. So lately what we’re trying to do is transmit the data in ways that become browser-friendly on your internet site or iPhone. “Shark Net ” is our app. It’s free, and it allows you to keep track of great white sharks on the west coast of North America, and hopefully soon we’ll bring some other sharks into that. You’ve also pioneered a lot of robotic technology, including something called a “wave glider.” The wave glider is built by Liquid Robotics. It’s a brand new technology, a green robot, and it’s a surfboard that is attached with a unique tether to a sub, or a glider. And it captures the motion of waves, and it is completely powered by the kinetic energy of waves. It then uses solar power to power the instruments on board. And right now we’re gliding off the coast of North Carolina and we’re seeing things like sand bar sharks, sturgeon, animals that are freely swimming in the sea that use acoustic tags that send sound waves to the underwater glider, which then is transmitted to us in real time through iridium uplinks from the glider. How many of these gliders do you have out there right now? A map from the Global Tagging of Pelagic Predators (GTOPP) project tracks the migrations of sharks and elephant seals over a 30-day period. Well, the company, Liquid Robotics, might have as many as 150 gliders that are plowing through the ocean looking for everything from natural gas, or oil, to helping us do our biological oceanography. We envision a day when our coastlines can be protected by devices that are telling us what ships are there, telling us in real time how the ocean is today. And then also finding out where these congregations of animals are — the hot spots — so that we might then put a marine protected area around them. Your Pacific Predator tagging study suggested that marine animals tend to use the same migratory corridors over and over. How do you go about protecting corridors once you’ve identified them? Well, we are still just identifying them, but we’re dreaming now of how to protect them. Think of a continent as large as Africa, and then imagine that we’re working in a geography that’s at least ten-fold larger. If you looked at Africa, you might say, where’s the Serengeti? Where’s the watering hole where you’d see zebras, gazelles, elephants? Well, we’re looking for that watering hole in the ocean. One of the hot spots that you identified is this so-called “white shark café.” What’s that? We’ve put over 200 tags on white sharks, including about a hundred satellite tags that ride on the animal and send us back the data. And what those satellite tags have taught us is when we tag a shark off the coast of Monterey Bay, it will travel thousands of miles — as far away as Hawaii — and halfway between Hawaii and California is an open region of the ocean that serves as a gathering spot of white sharks. And almost every white shark we tagged will go to this place. So our group dubbed it the White Shark Café. LISTEN: Barbara Block describes the “White Shark Café.” We’ve never been there with our ships. We’ve never seen what’s happening there, but we can tell that white sharks gather there. We’re not sure if it’s for foraging or for sex, but that’s where the white sharks go. And one of the big projects for the future is we want to go out there with a variety of unmanned vehicles and tagged animals, and make this place clear to us in terms of what’s happening there. Do you ever worry that your tagging data will be used by fishing vessels to identify the hot spots and target the fish there? Yeah, we worry about it a lot. I think the Shark Café is a good example. So right now we’ve pointed out something that wasn’t really evident to a lot of international fishers, that there’s a region in the Pacific that’s relatively hot for large predators. We don’t know what the white sharks are doing there. They’re probably eating other animals, tunas or swordfish. There is lots of evidence that some types of tunas are gathered there. So that’s a good example of where we’ve put on a map the spot that few people knew about before us. So what we try to do is work with species that are protected when we put the data online, or the data in the public space. We can’t, for example, broadcast where giant bluefin tuna are on the day that we know where they are. [But] I’d say that most of the hot spots are well known hot spots, like the Grand Banks or Georges Bank. What have your white shark tagging studies revealed about the conservation status of white sharks? I understand that California’s currently considering listing them as an endangered species. We have a project to come up with a total number of sub-adult and mature white sharks in the vicinity of the central coast of California. The number we got is about 220 animals, which is very low. There’s a second group of white sharks off the island of Guadalupe [off Baja California]. The number they’re getting down there is about 130 mature animals and sub-adults. And so you take those two numbers, and no matter how you cut We need a system where, if you’re going to fish the public ocean space, we need to know what you’re catching.” it, that’s not a lot of white sharks. These white sharks have been found to be demographically isolated through the tagging and genetics that our team and others are doing. And so it does make sense that we’re at least considering, at a time when in many parts of the ocean white sharks are declining, what to do about the white sharks that are within this area of California. We have the beginnings of a census, and so what one might have to do is get that trend through time in order to understand, is the population expanding? Is it declining? We don’t know the answer yet. What might be the primary causes of white shark mortality? Are they being targeted by fishermen? Are they bycatch? Well, let’s come back to the area off the coast of Connecticut and Massachusetts, where I grew up, and we know that long-line and recreational fishers took from the Atlantic ocean on the western North Atlantic over 6,000 white sharks. Those numbers come from catch data. We don’t really know how many white sharks are there today, but we do know that when there are a few around Cape Cod, it creates quite a stir. LISTEN: Barbara Block on the importance of holding fishing fleets accountable for what they catch. What we have to do is begin to understand what is the size of a healthy ecosystem’s white shark population. What happens when these populations have taken up in an ecosystem that is really altered? We’ve got less fish in certain places, in Georges Bank, and the Grand Banks. We have marine mammals protected and expanding their populations. So we’ve got this unusual situation where we hardly know what white sharks do. We do understand that as a large predator they love [to eat] marine mammals. As a youngster they’re eating fish. We don’t really know the status of the current population. We know it was big in the past. What’s the number you need to keep that ecosystem thriving? In other places, fishing gear has been modified to avoid bycatch of certain species. Has anything like that been tried with sharks? What we need to do now is ask where are sharks most vulnerable And the most vulnerable space is out in the open sea, in a gyre that spans from Hawaii to the California current. And in this region, there’s no protection. It’s the Wild West. That’s the place where longlines could catch a relatively small adult white shark. We also know that purse seines could intercept a white shark, too. We need a system where, if you’re going to fish the public ocean space, we need to know what you’re catching. And that’s been the loophole that most international fisheries are falling through. It’s hard to put a human observer on every boat. It’s hard to know what they’re catching... And right now, nations are pretty much taking resources from the next generation out of our oceans today. One idea is to put these hot spots on the map. If we can show everybody where [these species] are, we can then build open-ocean dynamic protected areas. If species are gathering because there’s some critter there that they’re all eating, then we can put this on the map, and naval ships and other vessels can move around these areas, and know not to conduct their maneuvers... We want to use existing structures like the [marine] sanctuaries. We want to expand their boundaries. We want to make them into more powerful entities. And to do that requires changing the rules. And so what we need is environmental interest and awareness that connects humans to the world, or else we’re going to end up with the same problem that we had on the continents, where the large mammals are gone. POSTED ON 20 Mar 2013 IN Biodiversity Biodiversity Oceans Oceans Policy & Politics Science & Technology North America North America

Roaring across California's San Fernando Valley at about 100 mph on a 100-degree day, bereft of any kind of windshield or deflector, was intensely exciting. The hot wind in my face might have been harsh, but it didn't erase my smile nor in any way diminish the pleasure of being driven very fast in an eighty-two-year-old car whose unshrouded flywheel-to-gearbox driveshaft was chewing up my right shoe. We were heading east in Jay Leno's supercharged 1928 Type 37A Bugatti, two gray-haired old car guys having a great time in a machine far older than either of us. I have had an unreasoning passion for Bugattis since I was a teenager, when I was exposed to Ken Purdy's encomium in the True magazine that Bob Finch smuggled into Analy Union High School in Sebastopol, California. The idea of a Bowler-hatted little Italian genius lording over a manor in France that encompassed a château, a car factory, a racing team, and a stable of thoroughbred horses was unforgettable. That Ettore Bugatti promenaded about his estate on horseback-or on an electric buggy or a bicycle, self-designed, of course-impressed me mightily. And the more I learned about the man and his cars over the years, the more I was entranced. At the time, I was an "airplane guy" and didn't particularly care about cars, which were all-at least as far as I then knew-heavy and clumsy, nothing like machines that could fly. And here was a man who had made cars smaller and lighter and faster than anyone else. Even though it would be decades before I discovered that Ettore Bugatti had built an airplane intended to be the fastest in the world, I could see that his whole design philosophy was something I could embrace wholeheartedly. It was, in fact, the basis of California hot-rodding: reduce weight, go faster. But Bugatti added an element unknown to hot-rodders, an elegance that appeals to the aesthete, a description of anyone who appreciates beauty in all things. In Bugatti's hands, something as mundane as an engine block became an iconic sculpture representing the machine age, and even a kid could understand and appreciate his work. Given that long-standing passion, and the access that working for Automobile Magazine provides, you'd think that at some point I'd get to drive a Bugatti -- certainly I thought so. But it's never happened. Oh, I got a ride in a Type 57, a twenty-first birthday present from John Bond, then editor of Road & Track. "This was the personal car of Ettore himself," said Bond's friend Vivian Corradini as he terrified me with tail slides around the quiet residential streets of San Marino, California. I didn't believe his tale then, and I don't believe it now, but his Bugatti was certainly a fast and highly impressive car in the 1950s. I did believe Jay Leno when he told me that he definitely didn't have a Bugatti Veyron but did have Bugatti factory driver Pierre Veyron's Type 37A, along with half a dozen other Bugattis. A few years ago, I wrote a column on the Bugatti Type 35B racing car [By Design, September 2008]. Discussing that at Pebble Beach, Leno said, "I've got one." He went on to say that his Type 35 was one of the incredible Argentine replicas, absolutely identical to the originals, made by the same methods on the same kind of machines that existed in the 1920s in Europe. Because Leno and I live 6000 miles apart, it took us a while to put together a date for the drive. Leno's Big Dog Garage is next to the historic Burbank airport, where a childhood flight in a Waco cabin biplane first infected me with the incurable aviation virus. Showing up on a bright, hot morning, we found the 35B replica's engine in pieces, waiting for spares from South America. Leno said it really didn't matter that much, as we could go out in Pierre Veyron's own supercharged Type 37A, which is physically almost identical to the 35A "Course Imitation" (imitation race) sports model: same body, chassis, wire wheels, wheelbase, and so on, but with a five-main-bearing, 1496-cc four-cylinder engine instead of the straight eight of the racing model. The characteristic light aluminum wheels first seen on the 1924 Type 35 grand prix cars were optional. Before going out on the road, we were given the proprietor's tour of the fabulous collection of a hundred-plus cars, each with its own fascinating story, lovingly collected over many years. My two favorites were cars that are not quite real. That is, part of them was original, part was realized fantasy. One was the mid-'50s Buick that Leno bought when he first came to California seeking the big time in entertainment, a car in which he slept from time to time when he couldn't afford more conventional lodging. The car is not a re-creation, it's the actual "matching numbers" car Leno has owned for decades, and thus the first element in the collection. But it now has a full-on racing chassis, a zillion-horsepower V-8, huge disc brakes . . . all the things any of us might fantasize about doing if we had the means. And like all the other cars in the garage, it gets driven from time to time. The other, not even mentioned on the tour, is a Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic coupe. Bear in mind that only three of these everted-flange riveted-aluminum masterpieces were built by the factory, and all are more than thoroughly accounted for, researched to the nth degree, and restored beyond originality by the best shops in the business. Yet here sits another, neither known nor recognized by the world and never presented in public. It is the opposite of the Buick, which retains its original carapace but none of its inner workings. This Atlantic replica has a new, created-from-whole-cloth body set upon an original Type 57 Bugatti chassis, which is finally all that the three original Atlantics were in their time. To me, the two carefully modified cars prove beyond all possible doubt the authenticity of Leno's love of cars. The purity of that love is ultimately proven -- again, to me -- by the fact that there is not a single Ferrari in Leno's vast collection of exceptional cars. That's not a put-down of Ferrari cars, which I admire unstintingly, but of the poseurs who buy them only to signify and own them for reasons having nothing to do with their intrinsic mechanical value. Dazzled by the eclecticism of Leno's fleet, we were then set to be dazzled by the brilliant California summer sunshine. Leno clambered into the diminutive Type 37A and set about waking it, not a trivial matter. At least the car has an electric starter. The article that led to this ride also put me in touch with the great engineer Bill Milliken, who for many years drove a wire-wheeled Type 35A "Course Imitation" as his only car, winter and summer alike. I was astonished to learn that in all the years he owned it, he had to start it using the crank sticking out front through the radiator shell (the then-newfangled electric start was presumably an option). Climbing into the riding mechanic's narrow seat involves stepping on the cushion, a familiar necessity when entering small airplanes, too. Settled in, one appreciates that in the '20s, as now, racing drivers tended to be small people. Leno and I stuck out into the airstream in a way the intended users never did. The greater aerodynamic drag didn't seem to hurt the performance that much. The supercharged 37A was good for 122 mph in its day, and I doubt Leno's car is any less capable now, running on much better fuel and razor-tuned as it seemed to be. In fact, he says, "I've seen 115 to 117 mph in this car." Oh, there was a bit of coughing and loud, sharp backfiring as it warmed up, and Leno's unscripted wit showed up as he said, "Whoa! In this neighborhood they might start returning fire." But they didn't, and as the car warmed, the engine smoothed out. Unmuffled, it makes a serious sound, as crisp and penetrating as Purdy claimed in his text long ago. I held onto the side of the cockpit to keep my left elbow from dropping a bit and contacting the rear tire and reveled in the view forward. Seeing that delicate axle moving, the pulleys for the cable-operated brakes that were carried over from the 1920 "Brescia" model, and above all appreciating how subtly the body side is curved in plan view, something not really noticeable in profile, was transcendent. Leno shifted only a few times; the torque is such that acceleration is available with just a touch of throttle. He says that the shift pattern and pedal layout varies from model to model in Bugattis, and he was adjusting to this particular car as we progressed. We were going a lot harder than I had remotely expected, for good reason: running too slowly on a hot day caused the coolant temperature to rise dangerously, so we would spurt ahead of the photographer's vehicle, then drop back to be shot, then rush ahead again. There were a couple things that surprised me. First, despite the very hard springing and damping, the ride was a lot better than written reports gave reason to expect. True, we were on smooth roads, nothing like the unpaved circuits of the 1920s, but the car didn't jump around when one wheel hit a manhole cover. Second, I found it hard to imagine that slender racing driver René Dreyfus, whom I knew quite well, could drive almost 200 miles nonstop, as he did at Monaco in 1930 -- much less that Madame Elizabetta Junek could nearly win the Targa Florio on unpaved Sicilian tracks -- in a car like this, albeit far more powerful. But they did, and the fact that this car remains very much intact and capable shows that not only were the drivers extraordinary, so were their Bugattis. No wonder we revere them long after their heydays. The mechanical splendor of the glorious Type 35/37/51 Bugattis is coupled with an iconic body shape that looks good in any color, not just the French racing blue most often seen. I failed to ask why Veyron's car is painted in traditional American racing colors-white body, blue chassis -- assigned long before Briggs Cunningham's team invented racing stripes sixty years ago, but I think most people will agree that it's wonderfully attractive. So, a great ride, fabulous memories, and a long-held fantasy fulfilled -- partially -- thanks to the generosity of Jay Leno. But I still want to drive a Bugatti. Wouldn't you?

Review Summary: Catchy, often fun, but overly poppy, 'High School Musical' more than serves its purpose as a premiere 'Disney' soundtrack. And with some great vocal work, the experience is a good one. Where I go to school, there are two choices for you: Either stay at the school, or you can you take classes at a side-school named Butler Tech. Without getting into too much detail, Butler Tech is the place you go if you already know what you're going to be, and you take classes that will help you achieve that (The classes are VERY specific). But there are also four 'satellite' classes from Butler Tech that attach onto our school. They are: On Your Own, Nutrition and Wellness, Child Care and Development, and College Life Survival. I'm taking Nutrition and Wellness, and College Life Survival. So what's this got to do with anything about "High School Musical "? Well, it's pretty much how I came across it. See, there's only three teachers for those classes, and they all rotate, and they like to do things together. So they all got together, and picked "High School Musical " as the movie to show us to fulfill the 'leadership' role they were trying to get across. So I basically had to watch that movie twice in one day. It's quite embarrassing, really, for the whole time leading up the movie, I was making fun of it along with the other guys. I assumed every guy in it was gay, and that overall, the movie would be the worst thing ever shown. How surprised I was when halfway through the movie, I was wondering "Man, is Troy gonna get that part in the play? What about Gabriella?! ". And worst of all, I had all of those damn little pop-radio-friendly songs stuck in my head, and trying to force them out with even Slayer wasn't doing the trick. I'll kick off with the slower, moodier songs. It's not really the fact that these songs are so musically diverse that they knocked me out of chair and gave me a seizure. On the contrary, really. The emphasis of the songs is never on the instruments, but rather on the singers. Actually, I'll take that back again. The instruments are so simple that you shouldn't even recognize them. Instead, you'll be focusing on the vocal range of some of these kids. It's all pop-cliché beats, sampled and re-sampled again. "Start of Something New " is the perfect example of this. It sounds like a standard radio song, like something Jessica Simpson could get away with. But combined with the vocals of Troy and Gabriella, it gives off an aura of talent and tranquility. "What I've Been Looking For (Ver. 2) " features a calm-piano that drifts throughout the song, but again is pushed aside by the Nick Lachey type vocals from Troy and Gabriella's high pitched voice. If you can't figure it out by now, all of these songs have that certain 'Disney' happy tone throughout them. "Breaking Free " is very much like "What I've Been Looking For (Ver. 2) ", with the fact in the mind that a soft piano is at its core. It's actually more like a 'Pop-Rock' song once it gets going, since a basic drum beat comes into play and goes underneath Gabriella's fluctuating voice. "Breaking Free " again, for the third time now, starts off with a velvety piano, this one a bit more complex before it begins to again feel more 'Pop-Rock' based, and is a wonderful duet by Troy and Gabriella once more. Each of those songs is sung exclusively by the main characters, Troy and Gabriella. Both of those actors/singers have a very large amount of talent, each showing their own vocal range. Troy at points actually sounds like a female, seeing as how his voice can actually almost match Gabriella's at points (Maybe he's a Uni...?), while Gabriella comes off as a pop-diva, wailing and holding out high notes all over the place. If anything is to be said with their voices, it would be the fact that they sound a bit too poppish. Actually, they are pop. And with pop-vocals, they're also sickly-sweet. Like a sugar-coated sucker that at first tastes great, but after awhile gives you a headache from the sweetness. And virtually all the music in those songs sounds the same in the beginning. The only way you can the difference is you'd have to sit and listen to each song for about 15 seconds, and that's when each goes off in their own directions. I find that a bit annoying. And the lyrics for those are about as standard as they can come. I'm sure most of you have heard an original 'Disney' artist before, and it seems like they ripped the lyrics straight from them. Take this overly-sugary line from "Start of Something New ", when Troy and Gabriella sing out "It feels so right, to be here with you. And now looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart, the start of something new... ". Those are the standard for those song mentioned in the paragraph above. Undeniably dull and even more bland as each song passes on. But when the songs get a bit faster, they also become more creative and fruitful, since here, the beats actually take a more central role, which adds a layer of dimension to these seemingly one-sided songs. "Get'cha Head In The Game " could've honestly been a commercial for Nike, since the beats are sampled from basketballs, squeaking basketball shoes, and swooping baskets. And the thumping bass only adds to the fun. Troy once more demands to be the highlight, with almost talk-like-singing, a great mix-up. "What I've Been Looking For (Ver. 1) " is sung by a new couple: Sharpay and Ryan. The piano is exactly the same as on "Ver. 2 ", but it's played in a faster tempo, and gives it a more 'bubbly' feeling, making it a welcome addition. Sharpay and Ryan add a nice chant-along to the song, and it's the real meaning of a song-and-dance. The best song, however, has got to be "Stick to the Status Quo ". It's an extravagant song, which features everything from a popping-bass, a shift piano, and some creative drum work. It also features the best vocal work, since instead of just two people, it's an entire choir. There are some solos in there from stand-in characters, but they don't sing. Instead, they talk normally before you're blasted from a full-blown choir. Sharpay and Ryan even make an appearance for awhile, with Ryan backing her up with a few notes. But the best part is this: A frickin' guitar solo! Yes, it has a guitar solo. A very, very simple, melodic guitar solo. But it's the fact that its there that makes me smile. I've also got a slight fetish for Spanish, so when I heard "Bop to the Top ", it stuck in my head for a whole damn week. It's got a Santana type guitar, tribal drums; the works. Even some trumpets that wail out from the corners of the song. But its Sharpay and Ryan all the way, as their energetic vocals and quick shouts in Spanish will just scream for your attention. The second to last song is the grand finale of the album, "We're All In This Together ". It features every vocalist from the album so far, giving it a more diverse feel. The chorus is so sickly-melodic that it could give you a headache, however. The last song on here, "I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You ", is a bit more funky than the past songs. The instrumental work is some of the best off this album, with a climbing bass, trumpets, and some sampled drum work. It also features Sharpay, Ryan, Troy, and Gabriella. But it's hard to tell whos-who when they all sound alike... Those past songs I mentioned are easily the redeemers of this album. The introduction of Sharpay and Ryan, while they sound similar to Troy and Gabriella, is a very welcome change. They're a bit more energetic, and make the songs a more enjoyable trip. Not to say that Troy and Gabriella aren't, but it's more amusing to hear these two show-boats shout out stuff like "(Sharpay)Show some muscle! (Ryan) Do the hustle! " right in the middle of the songs as if they were improvising than just hear Troy and Gabriella go through the motions. And the lyrics, still, are about as dumb as they come. "Get'cha Head In The Game " centers around basketball themed lyrics, with Troy blurting out "Coach said to, fake right, and break left! " and other nonsense like that. "We're All In This Together ", however, features the worst line off this album, and reeks so much of 'Disney' do-gooders that it makes me want to vomit. It's from Gabriella, as she cries out "We're not the same, we're all different in a good way! ". Yea, pretty bad. But, "Stick to the Status Quo " is pretty darn funny, in a good way. During the talking parts, people confess their deepest secrets, like a nerdy-girl saying "Look at me, and what do you see? Intelligence beyond compare. But inside I am stirring, something strange is occuring....hip-hop is my passion! I love to pop-and-lock, and jam, and break, sometimes I think its cooler than homework! The album also features a 'special' version of "Get'cha Head In The Game ", which this time is sung by B5 . Desperate move on B5's part? Maybe so. They tweaked the lyrics a bit to give it just a tad bit more feel like a 'Rap' song, and the beat has been messed with a little bit. And with 5 guys doing different style vocals, it feels like a different trip at points. "High School Musical " isn't bad at all; it's actually quite good. While at points, the pop-flavor of this album might make you sick, it's just a good time that you can't ignore. The vocal work is very, very commendable, even if a lot of the singers sound the same with that pop-overtone. And when the beats get going, they’re pretty fun. While the slower songs are bit more boring, the more beat-oriented ones are far more fun and make up for the loss. Get'cha Head In The Game Stick to the Status Quo Bop to the Top