text:
Despite all the bad news and not-so-good news of the past weeks, I've decided there's no point in letting the news get me down, so it's time to get back into the swing of Good News Friday. This week's items all fall into the category of Muslims against extremism in one form or another.
My first item for today is an article by an IDF soldier's mother – but not quite the kind of mother (or soldier) you were expecting:
Anet Haskia is not the typical mom of a soldier serving in the Israel Defense Forces. A Muslim Arab, who grew up in a mixed Arab-Jewish city in the north, Haskia is breathing a little easier this week.
For Haskia, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision not to enter the Gaza Strip last week was "brave and right."
The mother of three children, with a 20-year-old IDF combat soldier, Haskia told Tazpit News Agency, that "many Israeli soldiers' lives were saved thanks to that decision."
"Going into Gaza would have yielded success for the Hamas terrorists. Israel did what it had to do for the time being to stop the rocket attacks and played it smart."
Haskia who was born and raised in Acre (Akko), a mixed Arab-Jewish city in the Western Galilee in northern Israel, is openly vocal about her support for the Jewish state of Israel.
"I am proud to live in Israel," she says. "I am even prouder that both my sons have served as soldiers for this country."
"If I was living in Gaza, I would have no rights as a woman under Hamas," explained Haskia. "And you can't expect anything different—Hamas is a terror organization, they treat people like animals with no regard to human life. They will never hold democratic elections like they do in Israel."
"I'm open about these truths," adds Haskia. "The Arab MKs in the Israeli Knesset don't represent me. The extremist left-wing in Israel also doesn't represent me and others in my community who share my beliefs. Those corrupt politicians just contribute to hate, incitement and lies."
Haskia has political ambitions as well. "I want to be part of Israeli politics some day and make a change by representing my people politically. There are many people who are too scared to speak up, who love Israel like I do and have done well here. They want a future where their children will not fall to hatred and incitement, but overcome that. I want to be their voice," she concludes.
Saying Kol hakavod to Anet Haskia is really too little. What a wonderful woman and what a wonderful citizen of Israel! If only all our Muslim citizens felt the same way, think what kind of influence that would have on the entire Middle East. I sincerely hope Mrs. Haskia is successful in her political ambitions too. We could do with a lot more people like her in our body politic.
My next item is on a similar subject (h/t Challah hu Akbar's twitter-feed): An Arab blogger, Nasser Weddady, refreshingly condemns what the Muslim world calls "resistance", saying it betrays core human values, and the word needs to be redefined (emphases are mine):
"To be rational when everyone else is emotional makes you a traitor," noted prolific twitterati Iyad El-Baghdadi after his Palestinian identity was questioned when he became critical of Hamas' extrajudicial killing of five alleged Israel collaborators. Disturbed by the images of bodies dragged in the street by motorcyclists, Al-Baghdadi spoke his mind and paid the price on his twitter feed. Critics lashed out with nasty epithets of "house Arab" and "colonized Arab."
Despite being the stateless son of refugees, El-Baghdadi is – in the minds of his fellow Arab Muslim detractors – not supposed to think outside of the box, or at least say his thoughts his out loud. Merely questioning Hamas' behavior immediately became grounds for Al-Baghdadi's core identity to be attacked and ultimately revoked. His transgression was to openly question the "wrong" side of the Israel-Palestine equation. The message, El-Baghdadi observes, is "you either uncritically adopt our narrative, or you're not one of us."
The outrage – so strong that it would brook no dissent – is ostensibly generated by the Israeli army's attacks on Palestinian civilians. Yet, when Hamas or another faction blows up a city bus or fires rockets into a classroom it generates no outrage. Why? Many never say but the underlying rationalization of such overt war crimes is "resisting occupation by any means necessary and available" or the even more simplistic "we are oppressed.
But staying silent has its own terrible cost. It means acquiescing to Hamas' values, which run counter to a moral core that holds sacred human life regardless of ethnicity or faith. It flattens multiple identities into an imposed internal stereotype of what an Arab is and believes. It also reinforces external stereotypes of Arabs as bloodthirsty barbarians stuck in a pre-modern clan mentality. Both stereotypes deny individuality and the essential human need to express compassion.
Across the Middle East and in the Arab Diaspora, there are millions who have cheered uprisings against repression, throwing off decades of stifling group-think and having the freedom to debate openly about the future. The last two years have been transformative precisely because old dogmas were finally challenged and discarded, at least in part. It is long past time to bring the same spirit to the Arab-Israeli conflict – and most importantly to how we talk about it to each other.
For some Arab liberals, this change has already begun. Arguably the most influential Lebanese blogger Mustapha Hammaoui recently published a post provocatively titled: "What is the proper 'Arab' way of talking about Gaza?" After criticizing commentators from across the Lebanese spectrum, his piece grew to a crescendo: "Does being Arab require that I protest loudly when innocent Palestinian children are killed, but that I completely give away my humanity and turn a blind eye when innocent Israeli children are killed?"
Here is my first attempt to articulate these values, which deserve a rigorous and open debate:
- Be yourself and allow others to be themselves. Don't impose ideologies.
- Discussion is not treason – don't expel people (Arabs have had enough of that).
- Self-criticism and introspection are healthy because they help clarify the truth.
- Criticizing and even denouncing Palestinian leaders does not mean abandoning the plight of Palestinians. In fact, it may be the best thing you can do for them.
- Don't let the Islamists set the agenda and use Palestine to delegitimize liberals.
- Keep perspective: Bashar Al-Assad today has more civilian blood on his hands that any non-Arab oppressor.
- Avoid whenever possible cheapening rhetoric like "Holocaust" and "martyrdom." (And no need to be holier than President Morsi, who kept the Rafah Crossing locked, destroyed smuggling tunnels, and just certified the Muslim Brotherhood's recognition of Israel.)
- Stand up for liberal values with consistency, recognizing that reality is complicated and doesn't always have simple solutions.
- It's okay to be friends with Israelis, Jews, athiests, gays, masons – as it should be with a conservative religious Muslim.
- Feel free to disagree with me.
- Don't be afraid to speak out even if you feel alone and the mob comes for you. If no one else does, I still stand with you.
- Arab liberals must avoid the temptation to take leave of our moral values whenever Israel enters the conversation. I do not have the solution to the conflict with Israel, but I know that having a sense of compassion and humanity can help lead the way. But in the end, our main challenge is not Israel, but rather our (in)ability to have a conversation without fear or self-censorship.
Read it all. Even if we don't agree with everything he writes, I find it enormously heartening that there are voices out there in the Muslim world who are willing to break with the group-think and have the courage to call human-rights violations for what they are. Would that there were hundreds of thousands more like Nasser Weddady.
My last item for today (h/t cba) relates back to Operation Pillar of Cloud (aka Pillar of Defense). A Gaza cleric has called violation of the ceasefire with Israel "sinful":
A leading Islamic cleric in the Gaza Strip has ruled it a sin to violate the recent ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group that governs the Palestinian territory — according a religious legitimacy to the truce and giving the Gaza government strong backing to enforce it.
The fatwa, or religious edict, was issued late Saturday by Suleiman al-Daya, a cleric respected by both ultra-conservative Salafis and Hamas. Salafi groups oppose political accommodations with Israel.
"Honoring the truce, which was sponsored by our Egyptian brethren, is the duty of each and every one of us. Violating it shall constitute a sin," the fatwa read.
Of course it seems obvious to us that a ceasefire must be honoured, otherwise it can hardly be called a ceasefire. But against the background of Palestinian violations of ceasefires, and the religious justification given to their rocket fire and other terrorist acts, it is both refreshing and rather hopeful to see that a Muslim cleric has warned against violating the truce.
Once again, would that there were many more religious figures like Suleiman al-Daya, not only in Gaza but throughout the Muslim world. Then we really could look forward to a proper peace.
May we all have a peaceful Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom everyone!


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
The Andrew Jackson High School golf team moved its mark to 12-0 on the season, shooting a 156 to win a three-way match with region foes Buford and Indian Land.
Buford posted a 171 and Indian Land finished with a 192.
The Vols were led by senior standout Logan Sowell with a 38, with Emily Cox second at 39.
Chandler Norville, Mason Sowell and Caleb Brown each had a 40.
Dakota Roberts shot a 42 for the Volunteers.
The Vols were coming off a win 10-shot win in the second annual Keenan Classic at the Lancaster Golf Club on March 5.
Buford High School has added another strong link to Newberry College football.
Jackets' star offensive and defensive lineman Brandon Carnes is joining the scarlet and grey line to the South Atlantic Conference school, a member of NCAA Div. II.
He made it official Monday in the school's conference room, signing with the Wolves.
Earlier this year, Carnes' senior teammate, ace defensive back Christian Catledge, signed to play at Newberry.
Buford launched its regular-season baseball season with a 9-5 Region IV-AA win over Andrew Jackson on Tuesday night.
Andrew Caskey hurled the win, going four innings and allowing no runs, three hits and a walk. He fanned three.
Andrew Jennings yielded four runs, a hit, hit a batter and walked two.
Nick Bowers went 1.2 frames and gave up a run, three hits and fanned two. Christian Joplin pitched 1.1 innings and yielded a hit.
The Andrew Jackson High School golf team reached one of its season's goal to open the 2016 campaign.
The Volunteers shot a 306 to win the second annual Keenan Classic at the Lancaster Golf Club on Saturday afternoon.
The Vols were led by senior Logan Sowell, who posted a 68 (33-35) to earn medalist honors. Sowell has signed to play golf at the College of Charleston. Sowell, in the first Keenan Classic last March, shot a 74 to earn medalist honors.
Lancaster finished as the runner-up in the Comporium Preseason Invitational, rallying for a 5-4 win over host Buford in eighth innings Saturday night at Buford Park.
Lancaster, down 4-1 in the top of the seventh, rallied to tie the game at 4-all and then added a go-ahead run in the eighth to take the one-run win.
Jamias Shropshire, who opened the inning with a walk, scored on an error after the Bruins loaded the bases in the eighth.
The Andrew Jackson Lady Volunteers capped a comeback run to win the Preseason Softball tournament at Buford High School on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Vols, who dropped a 6-2 loss to Lancaster to open the tournament Feb. 29, rebounded to post four straight wins, including a 2-0 victory over tourney host Buford High School in the title game.
Morgan Hendrix, who won three tourney games, hurled the shutout with nine strikeouts. She allowed four hits and three walks.
Rylee Sims sparked the AJ offense with a RBI-double.
A trio of Lancaster County ace high school wrestlers are set to compete in the annual North-South All-Star wrestling tournament this weekend at North Myrtle Beach High School.
The three star grapplers include Buford High School senior mat standouts Nick Jones and Scotti Moser along with Indian Land High School's Will Van Hoose.
Each wrestler is coming off a stellar showing in the Class A-AA state wrestling tournament at the Anderson Civic Center in Anderson last weekend.
The Lancaster Lady Bruins' soccer team evened its record at 2-2 with a 5-0 win over county rival Buford at BHS's Jackets Stadium on Wednesday.
The Lady Bruins' Peyton Patterson posted the hat trick with assists from Gracie Scott, Heather McCain and Michaela Burton.
Burton scored the other two goals on assists from Peyton Patterson and Kayla Bailey.
The Lancaster defense was led by team captain Kayla Bailey, starters Gracie Scott, Mary DeVenny, Rebekah Sapp, and keeper Lydia Plyler.
The Buford Lady Jackets softball team earned the top spot in the Preseason softball tournament at BHS, rolling to an 11-0 win over Lancaster at the Lady Jackets' field on Wednesday night.
Buford and Lancaster entered pool play with each at 1-0 following opening round wins.
Lancaster topped Andrew Jackson and Buford downed Northwestern, 9-2.
Sydney Sullivan, 2-0, hurled the win, notching 10 strikeouts. She allowed three hits and a walk. Sullivan, in the Lady Jackets' win over Northwestern, struck out 12 and allowed three hits.
Indian Land posted a second straight 2-0 win over Lugoff-Elgin to win the Lugoff-Elgin Kickoff Classic on Monday night.
Regan Hunter and Emily Gerdes each scored a goal for the Lady Warriors. Nia Pressley had an assist.
Indian Land, rated fourth in Class AA girls soccer, outshot the Lady Demons, 21-3.
Abby Chamberlain had two saves and Emma Thompson added a save in the Lady Warriors' shutout.
The Lady Warriors had four straight shutouts in winning the crown.
Indian Land scored 16 goals in the tournament.
Copyright © 2018
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It is an indication of the mark Giulia Bonacina made on life that the Pope sent her a letter of congratulations on her 60th wedding anniversary.
She and husband Efram, both tireless workers for the Wollongong community, celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2001 by renewing their vows and holding a luncheon for family and friends.
As well as congratulations from Pope John Paul II, the couple also received letters from Queen Elizabeth, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, the Governor-General, the NSW Premier, NSW Governor and several state members.
Mrs Bonacina passed away on Sunday at Wollongong Hospital, aged 92, eight years after husband Efram, leaving behind an impressive legacy.
The pair devoted much of their lives to helping the migrant community in Wollongong.
Migrants themselves, the couple and their three children arrived in Australia in 1961, moving to Wollongong when Efram got a job at BHP.
They went on to establish the Italian social welfare group ITSOWEL and served on its board for many years. The group's president Renato Garnero said he had known Mrs Bonacina for 40 years and felt the region would be very different without her.
"There would not be what we have today if it wasn't for Giulia's contribution," Mr Garnero said.
"Will she leave a void? Yes, undoubtedly. Even up until the very end she was always there for the Italian community."
Mrs Bonacina helped to establish the University of Wollongong's Friends of the University and became a fellow of the university in 1990.
"She remained a very active member of the university community, regularly participating in the university's graduation ceremonies - including even those ceremonies recently held in December 2012," UOW spokesman Bernie Goldie said. "This warm-hearted woman who has given so much to the community will be sorely missed."
In her life Mrs Bonacina received many awards, including the Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, the British Empire Medal in 1980 and in 1987 was honoured by the Italian government.
She was also a torch bearer during the 2000 Olympics and in March this year received the United Nations Older Person Award for Wollongong.
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, who presented Mrs Bonacina with the award, said she had worked with not just the Italian community, but the entire community of Wollongong.
"She was a remarkably energetic, bright, interesting and engaging woman," he said.
"You could say that she died with her boots on, in as much as she was always engaged in the community right up to the end."
Former Keira MP Colin Markham and his wife Melissa were guests at the Bonacinas' 60th anniversary back in 2001.
"The both of them were just incredible people," Mr Markham said. "They're the sort of couple that I see standing side by side in whatever they would do."
Mr Markham called Mrs Bonacina "a kind, generous, honest, hard-working mother, wife and community activist".
"I had the highest regard and highest respect for her as a human being," he said. "If all of us did half of what she did the world would be such a better place.
"She'll be sadly missed, there's no two ways about it."
Mrs Bonacina's funeral will be at St John Vianney's Catholic Church in Fairy Meadow on Thursday, February 7, at 1pm.


text:
The lights are on
Hyrule-heads unite! Green tights welcome. The Legend of Zelda is one of gaming's most famous franchises, and the power of the Triforce is collected here.
Rate all the Zelda games on a scale from ▲ to ▲▲▲!
▲ = good
▲▲= great
▲▲▲= amazing
Let's see how varied opinions are.
The Legend of Zelda ▲
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link ▲
A Link to the Past ▲▲▲
Link's Awakening/DX ▲▲
Ocarina of Time ▲▲▲
Majora's Mask ▲▲▲
Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages ▲▲
Four Swords ▲
The Wind Waker ▲▲▲
Four Swords Adventures ▲
The Minish Cap ▲▲
Twilight Princess ▲▲▲
Phantom Hourglass ▲▲
Spirit Tracks ▲
Skyward Sword ▲▲
You can copy my title list to get yours done faster.
*N/A means I have not played it.
The Legend of Zelda N/A
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link N/A
A Link to the Past ▲▲
Link's Awakening/DX N/A
Ocarina of Time ▲▲
Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages N/A
Four Swords N/A
Four Swords Adventures N/A
Twilight Princess ▲▲
Phantom Hourglass ▲
Spirit Tracks N/A
Of the one's I've played:
Link's Awakening DX ▲▲
Oracle of Seasons ▲▲
Damn the staggering difficulty of that question for the ages, but okay, I'll bite.
Behold, the ones I'VE played:
1. Windwaker
2. Twilight Princess
3. Skyward Sword
4. Ocarina of Time [I know, shocked gasps at this hitting 4#, but it's only less awesome to me]
5. Link to the Past
6. The Phantom Hour-Glass
7. The Minish Cap
8. Spirit Tracks
I can gladly say I I've played all of them except the regular Four Swords :)
Link's Awakening/DX ▲▲▲
The Minish Cap ▲▲▲
Spirit Tracks ▲▲
Skyward Sword ▲▲▲
Out of the games I've played:
The Legend of Zelda ▲▲
Majora's Mask ▲▲
The Legend of Zelda ▲▲▲
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link ▲▲
Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages ▲
The Minish Cap ▲
Signatures are dumb.
I know I'm going to sound dumb for this, but how do you make those little triangles?
Yeah? How?. . . :0
Just copy and paste :)
I've played all of them except the original Four Swords!
Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages ▲▲▲
Usage Guidelines
Majora's Mask ▲▲▲ (My all time favorite)
Phantom Hourglass ▲▲▲
Majora's Mask ▲▲▲ -favorite
Four Swords Adventures ▲▲
Majora's Mask ▲▲▲
Wind Waker ▲▲▲


text:
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Panza's Extravaganzas is Grist for the Bettor's Mill
LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2014-Phase II of NYRA's experimentation with graded stakes concentration and purse inflation is in the books. Whereas Phase I essentially merged Memorial Day and Belmont Day weekends, NYRA's new race-card-filling impresario, Martin Panza, gave a "Martin the Magician" performance in the second phase.
Martin created two new Grade I turf stakes for three-year-olds from the "old" Jamaica and Garden City, sandwiching the traditionally featured July 4th Suburban Handicap.
Say this about Phase II: The move sparked fireworks in three straight Superfecta pools. Lamentably, however, the racing office/marketing/simulcast departments once again failed to get together on a [Graded] All-Stakes Pick Four.
The new Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks at a mile and a quarter were both improvements over their previous incarnations, even if both million-dollar events failed to attract commensurate quality in our view. In any case, it did produce a highly bettable card.
Appropriately, Brown's Suburban winning Zivo took us back three decades to his mentor, Bobby Frankel, who accomplished the feat with a former claimer named Barometer. Unfortunately, I allowed my bias against betting New York Breds in open company cost me a couple of Dime Supers even if the rest of the ticket was correctly structured by using two Met Mile participants, a pair from the Stephen Foster, a handicapper's best friend, the ALL button.
The class dropping Met Mile approach did provide a winning Sprint Championship superfecta and I enjoyed watching Clearly Now's track record performance. But the profits were short-lived when Mr. Speaker suddenly woke up to snag the Belmont Derby from Europeans Adelaide and Gailo Chop in a ground-saving good trip performance.
I chased the Superfecta brass ring once again and missed as I failed to box-up my key and money performers. Maybe by Whitney day, I will have regained my composure and try again on what promises to be a strong supporting card for what is now a $1.25 million headliner.
I give in to this temptation because real money can be won in the Super-Dime on days like these giving modest players like me a real chance. At least NYRA gives us that ability on their event days, unlike Churchill Downs which steadfastly refuses to offer Dime Supers on Derby Day.
Panza told to Jerry Bossert of the NY Daily News: "So for me it's trying to narrow down big days and narrow down holidays and try to concentrate on those days, provide people with good experience at the track and hope that they will come back on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
'"Racing needs to reinvent itself," Panza added. "People want to see a good product and they want to be entertained. That's the way we can do it."'
Such scheduling greatly suits weekend warriors such like me. As a recreational bettor who wants to be entertained, too, I limit my handicapping to the type of races which experience shows gives me a chance to compete for high profits on a consistent basis.
Personally, this usually precludes non-stakes events restricted to non-winners, state-breds, or races in which consistent soundness, stamina, and speed are rare. But in any case, I'm certainly not going to fight excessive takeout, short fields, and high exotic minimums.
I have to admit that watching and wagering on only those four races on the Phase II card from 3000 miles away in the comfort of my living room, simultaneously SKYPE-ing with a racing buddy on the East Coast was as good as it gets without winning. The only thing lacking was the ability to chase those supers with pooled resources that can divide tax liability with friends or in a group, many of whom are now unable to deduct gambling losses from winnings on State income tax return.
Additionally, SKYPE can provide the camaraderie common in OTBs, now absent from New York City's five boroughs. The loss of restaurant OTBs was lamented recently in HRI comments but we believe most horseplayers would rather bet like a whale than eat like one.
While opportunities for outings combining fine dining and race-betting have occasional appeal, I suspect that NYRA's future lies with those preferring to pool their resources than please their palettes. Imagine if NYRA took the lead in offering independent, pre-registered, online wagering partnerships to individuals and capitalizing on social media and other Internet interaction to grow the business.
Guess it hasn't happened since the pols don't know what to do about the lack of OTBs. The Governor's people in essence are running the NYRA show but a Mayor still runs the city. Maybe this is supposed to be a chit when NYRA finally becomes privatized.
Whatever happens here, the racing industry itself should sell (lease?/comp?), service, and support reasonably-priced personal computing devices with 1) SERY-like voice-recognition and information presentation, 2) SKYPE-like simultaneous multiple account-holder communication support, 3) multiple video output connections, and 4) on-line viewing and betting wherever live racing is being conducted.
In the 21st century, it should be as easy to play a horse race as a slot machine in one's own virtual OTB parlor. I fully realize that at present I'm asking way too much.


text:
Loading product details ...
Reviews (0)
Need Help?
Product Description:
Women's Prana Chantal Dress :: The free flowing Chantal's easy stretch and a self tie at the waist make it a versatile wonder, a lovely dress in town that can hike back to camp. The natural texture of its hemp and organic cotton blended fabric feels great on the skin, a benefit of sus
Features & Benefits:
Your Help Is Here
Shop with confidence knowing your team of Fit Experts is waiting to answer all your questions. You can always find your perfect product and your perfect fit. Your Road Runner Sports Fit Experts will make sure you get exactly what you want and have tons of fun in the process! Give us a call, chat, or email!
Call 800-743-3206 to
You May Also Like


text:
Deloitte SAP EWM - Manager (Supply Chain) in Seattle, Washington
Are you looking for a career trajectory that few other organizations can offer in SAP? What about access to a high-quality portfolio of businesses and clients with opportunities to work across capabilities, industries, and geographies in roles and on projects aligned with your SAP Supply Chain skills? If this matches your interests and aspirations Deloitte may be right for you. Work you ll doDevelop a global community of SAP Supply Chain practitioners across DeloitteLead and support Supply Chain pursuits and Practice Development initiativesDeliver Supply Chain projects successfullyDevelop external eminence across the sub-capabilities in Supply ChainPromote and foster collaboration between Supply Chain practitioners in SAP and across DeloittePromote an effective forum for sharing Supply Chain expertiseStrengthen Deloitte s collective SCC knowledge, helping resolve our clients supply chain challenges SAP Consultants align to various marketplace products. These solutions address business process areas in:Planning:APO - Advanced Planning and OptimizationIBP - Integrated Business PlanningProcurement: AribaManufacturing:MII - Manufacturing Intelligence and IntegrationMES - Manufacturing Execution SystemEWM - Extended Warehouse ManagementEnterprise Asset ManagementTransportation ManagementAftermarket: SPP - Service Part Planning The teamThe full potential of SAP solutions isn't just about technology, it's also about driving sustainable business value. At Deloitte Consulting LLP, our SAP specialists deliver the technology and services to help our clients meet business performance goals and improve processes. As an SAP Global Partner we provide a broad range of consulting services, from HR, CRM and supply chain to finance transformation.Learn more about our SAP practice Required qualificationsFunctional/technical proficiency with at least 4 full lifecycle SAP implementations and 8 years of industry and/or consulting experienceAt least 8 years of SAP experience implementingSAP EWMExperience defining systems strategy, developing systems requirements, designing and prototyping, testing, training, defining support procedures and implementing practical business solutions under multiple deadlinesAdept at designing and implementing technology-enabled business solutions for clients as part of a high-talent team and as a team lead or Project Manager on at least 3 full cycle implementationsAble to collaborate with clients, identify engagement follow-on opportunities and have a strong desire to excel and be committed to gaining exposure to multiple industries while further developing your careerStrong current hands-on configuration and design skillsAbility to travel 80-100% is REQUIREDBachelor s degree or equivalent requiredMaster s degree preferred How you ll growAt Deloitte, our professional development plan focuses on helping people at every level of their career to identify and use their strengths to do their best work every day. From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there s always room to learn. We offer opportunities to help sharpen skills in addition to hands-on experience in the global, fast-changing business world. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs at Deloitte University, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their career. Explore Deloitte University, The Leadership Center. BenefitsAt Deloitte, we know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits.Learn more about what working at Deloitte can mean for you. Deloitte s cultureOur positive and supportive culture encourages our people to do their best work every day. We celebrate individuals by recognizing their uniqueness and offering them the flexibility to make daily choices that can help them to be healthy, centered, confident, and aware. We offer well-being programs and are continuously looking for new ways to maintain a culture where our people excel and lead healthy, happy lives. Learn more about Life at Deloitte. Corporate citizenshipDeloitte is led by a purpose: to make an impact that matters. This purpose defines who we are and extends to relationships with our clients, our people and our communities. We believe that business has the power to inspire and transform. We focus on education, giving, skill-based volunteerism, and leadership to help drive positive social impact in our communities. Learn more about Deloitte s impact on the world. Recruiter tipsWe want job seekers exploring opportunities at Deloitte to feel prepared and confident. To help you with your interview, we suggest that you do your research: know some background about the organization and the business area you re applying to.Check out recruiting tips from Deloitte professionals.
Category: Management Consulting


text:
Just wasn't feeling very peppy today and I'm surprised my pace was what it was. No biggie though, just one of those down days. No hunting on Sundays in Maine, so I think a trail run in the woods out back tomorrow will do me some good mentally.
Ran 4.6 miles @ 7:55/mile pace.
Paved roads.
Mostly flat.
Lower to mid 30s, mostly cloudy to sunny.
Brooks Mach 11, long pants, windbreaker, short sleeved shirt, beanie, gloves.


text:
I am attempting to teach myself C++ and SDL and I am still very green; my first roadblock has come up and I would appreciate some education please.
The objective of the code is to create a window with two images.
Using Microsoft Visual C++ Express, I am running into the error message-
"error C2660: 'SDL_UpperBlit' : function does not take 6 arguments"
#pragma comment(lib, "SDL.lib") #pragma comment(lib, "SDLmain.lib") #pragma comment(lib, "SDL_TTF.lib") #include "SDL.h" #include "SDL_image.h" #include <iostream> #include <stack> #include <string> #include "SDL_TTF.h" #include "Defines.h" using namespace std; int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { const int SCREEN_WIDTH = 644; const int SCREEN_HEIGHT = 400; const int SCREEN_BPP = 32; SDL_Surface *logo = NULL; SDL_Surface *border = NULL; SDL_Surface *screen = NULL; SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_EVERYTHING); SDL_WM_SetCaption("Name", NULL); screen = SDL_SetVideoMode( SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, SCREEN_BPP, SDL_SWSURFACE ); border = IMG_Load("Graphics/Title/Border.png"); logo = IMG_Load("Graphics/Title/Logo.png"); SDL_BlitSurface( logo, NULL, border, NULL, screen, NULL ); SDL_Flip(screen); SDL_Delay(5000); SDL_FreeSurface(logo); SDL_FreeSurface(border); SDL_Quit(); return 0; }
If the line-
SDL_BlitSurface( logo, NULL, border, NULL, screen, NULL );
is changed to-
SDL_BlitSurface( border, NULL, screen, NULL );
SDL_BlitSurface( logo, NULL, screen, NULL );
it will display one of the images with no problems at all. However I cannot find out how to make it show both images at once and avoid the above error message.
Also please feel free to let me know if I have any code that I do not need.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,


text:
BAFTA is partnering with Soho House to launch the House Shorts film competition, a platform committed to discovering and developing the next generation of filmmakers from the UK, USA and Germany. The competition's second year will feature an illustrious panel of judges including Harvey Weinstein, Paul Haggis, Jessica Chastain and current House Shorts winner Sean Gray.
Ten finalists will be given the chance to make a funded 'House Short' film over the summer of this year, before travelling to New York this autumn where one will be crowned overall winner of the competition. The theme for this year's films is 'Imagination'. Aspiring film makers should submit a 400-word pitch for a two-minute film, which must reflect the theme, and be set and shot in one of the international Soho Houses.
10 selected finalists will receive funding of £5,000 to make their short film, with the winner chosen by a panel of industry experts from across the globe, including screenwriter Paul Haggis, Harvey Weinstein, Joe Wright, Paul Greengrass, Janice Min, Oliver, Christine, Maike Mia Höhne, Jessica Chastain and current winner of the House Shorts, Sean Gray.
Entries must be submitted by July 13, 2012 via www.houseshorts.com
The winner of House Shorts 2012 will receive international Soho House membership, plus a series of 'money can't buy' private mentoring sessions with each of the esteemed judging panel, providing guidance that will potentially help shape their career. They will also benefit from international exposure, as their film will be screened across all Soho House cinemas worldwide, and receive support from the House Shorts Industry partners; from BAFTA particularly with promotion through our guru.bafta.org site; and from The Hollywood Reporter and Bombay Sapphire.
Soho House launched the House Shorts competition in 2010 with the aim of encouraging emerging talent in film. Since winning in 2010, Sean Gray has been working on the acclaimed US TV series Veep, the new series of In The Thick Of It as well as his own BBC radio show iGod.


text:
Benefits & Coverage
Costs for Medical Care
Prescription drug coverage
Access to doctors and hospitals
Hospital services
Mental Health
Medical Management Programs
Vision Coverage
Child Dental Coverage
Adult Dental Coverage
Exclusions and Limitations
Preventive Care/Screening/Immunization
Bariatric Surgery
Imaging (CT/PET Scans, MRIs)
Outpatient Facility Fee (e.g., Ambulatory Surgery Center)
Outpatient Surgery Physician/Surgical Services
Urgent Care Centers or Facilities
Inpatient Physician and Surgical Services
Home Health Care Services
Durable Medical Equipment
Hospice Services
Dental Check-Up for Children
Accidental Dental
Allergy Testing
Diabetes Education
Infusion Therapy
Laboratory Outpatient and Professional Services
Nutritional Counseling
Prosthetic Devices
Reconstructive Surgery
Well Baby Visits and Care
Hearing Aids
Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
Habilitation Services
Chiropractic Care
Rehabilitative Occupational and Rehabilitative Physical Therapy
Rehabilitative Speech Therapy
Cosmetic Surgery
Infertility Treatment
Long-Term/Custodial Nursing Home Care
Private-Duty Nursing
Weight Loss Programs
Routine Foot Care
Abortion for Which Public Funding is Prohibited
Treatment for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
What To Know
- This is an ACA (Obamacare) compliant health plan.
- This plan is not eligible for a tax credit subsidy
Physician Directory
Enter your ZIP Code to see physicians that accepts Anthem Catastrophic HMO 7350 plan in your area.
Similar Plans
Enter your ZIP Code to see Similar Plans to Anthem Catastrophic HMO 7350 plan in your area.
Related Articles
Health Benefits
Types of Health Insurance
Health Insurance in 2018
Related Searches
Catastrophic plan frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the Catastrophic Plan?
Catastrophic health insurance is a type of medical coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This is a type of high-deductible health plan for people under 30 or those who qualify for a "hardship exemption."
How are Catastrophic Plans different than other Obamacare health plans?
The fundamental difference among the new Obamacare health plans is the percentage of covered medical costs paid by the health plan. There is no actuarial value associated with catastrophic plans but other Obamacare metal plans pay a higher percentage of these costs.
How much does a Catastrophic Plan cost?
The monthly premium for a Catastrophic Plan depends on the insurer from whom you purchase the plan, the number of people to be insured by the plan, your age, whether you smoke, and the region in which you live. You can use HealthPocket's comparison tool to compare Catastrophic Plan premiums in your area.


text:
Lynx pull away, top Storm in Game 1Sep 21, 2013 - 3:28 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Seimone Augustus scored 19 points to lead a balanced Minnesota attack, and the Lynx pulled away in the second half for an 80-64 win over the Seattle Storm in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Rebekkah Brunson tallied 18 points and nine rebounds, and Maya Moore scored 17 to go with six assists for the Lynx, who are aiming for a third straight trip to the title series.
Temeka Johnson scored 14 points for the Storm, who faltered in the third quarter by shooting 35.3 percent. Tanisha Wright scored 13, Alysha Clark 12, Camille Little 11 and Tina Thompson ended with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Storm will host Game 2 of the best-of-three set at the Tacoma Dome on Sunday.
The Lynx carried a 40-36 lead into halftime, but Moore scored nine during the pivotal third quarter when the Lynx held a 22-12 scoring advantage.
Augustus' layup widened the gap to 50-40 with 5:50 left in third. Minnesota netted the final eight points of the period, capped by Moore's 3-point shot in the closing seconds.
Minnesota was ahead by as many as 22 in the fourth.
Sep 20 11:05 PM
Sep 20 10:02 PM
- 16
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots
Storm 15, Lynx 16 2nd - 10:00Sep 20 9:36 PM
- 8
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots
Storm 5, Lynx 6 1st - 7:07Sep 20 9:17 PM
1st Quarter - 10:00
Sep 20 9:14 PM
Related News
- WNBA Capsules May 22
- WNBA Capsules May 18
- Bye bye Birdie? Storm's Sue Bird not ready to walk away yet May 18
- WNBA Capsules May 15
- WNBA Capsules May 14
- Minnesota Lynx No. 1 in first AP WNBA power poll May 13
- WNBA set to tip off 20th season this weekend May 13
- Champion Lynx begin season with 1 more mountain to climb May 8
- Minnesota Lynx re-sign ex-Gopher center Janel McCarville May 7
- Taurasi, Catchings, Bird headline US women's Olympic team Apr 27
- Breanna Stewart at center of the Storm as latest No. 1 pick Apr 21
- Breanna Stewart top pick in WNBA, leading 1-2-3 UConn sweep Apr 15


text:
During the history course at Excelsior School in the fall of 2001, the teacher, using an instructional guide, told the students they would adopt roles as Muslims for three weeks to help them learn what Muslims believe.Isn't White correct? If he is, should we think that the school is more respectful of Islam or more respectful of Christianity? One might contend that the school is more hostile to the religion it would never make the students pretend to exercise, because of the exclusion, but I think the opposite is true. The role-playing seems acceptable to the teachers when they conceive of the religion as a manifestation of a culture and not really a religion at all. If you wouldn't do an exercise like this for all the religions, you shouldn't do it for any of them. Asking children to say prayers that they do not believe could be very offensive to those who actually believe the religion. And finding out that the school made your child recite prayers other than yours is infuriating.
She encouraged them to use Muslim names, recited prayers in class and made them give up something for a day, such as television or candy, to simulate fasting during Ramadan. The final exam asked students for a critique of elements of Muslim culture.
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled in favor of the school district in 2003, saying that the class had an instructional purpose and that students had engaged in no actual religious exercises.
The appeals court upheld her ruling Thursday in a three-paragraph decision that was not published as a precedent for future cases...
Edward White of the Thomas More Center, the attorney in the case for the two children and their parents, said he will ask the full appeals court for a rehearing. He said the panel failed to address his argument that the district violated parents' rights.
"What happened in this classroom was clearly an endorsement of religion and indoctrination of children in the Islamic religion, which would never have stood if it were a class on Christianity or Judaism,'' White said.
November 19, 2005
Is a role-playing lesson about Islam, complete with prayers, permitted in public schools?
42 comments:
- XWL said...
Apologies to Orwell
Some religions are more equal than others.
(the ninth circuit rejecting a chance to invoke the establishment clause? Must be bizarro world, or involve Islam)
- Rafique Tucker said...
Interesting case. It's hardly off-base to agree that if this were a Christian or Jewish roleplay, that the situation would be totally different. There's more truth to the existence of a double-standard then there ought to be.
I wonder though, could this fall under purely educational purposes (a la comparative religion)? Of course, this would have to apply across the board. Teaching the Bible as literature is legal, but there's still so much heat attached to allowing religious themes in the classroom (particularly Judeo-Christian ones).
I can certainly under as a Christian, how people could feel excluded, or imposed upon. It's got to be fair all the way through. If you can't pray openly in the name Jesus in class, then is fair to let them pray in the name of Allah, even if they're pretenfing?
- PatCA said...
"If you wouldn't do an exercise like this for all the religions, you shouldn't do it for any of them."
I wonder what kind of grade the kids would get if they talked about the role of women in Islamic societies? And are they going to study Christmas carols in December as part of the study of that other religion?
- Jack said...
Given that Christianity is both the dominant religion AND the dominant cultural influence in the US, how does one teach other cultures, especially ones that have a different religion as the dominant influence without invoking aspects of that religion?
Do we wish to remain insular?
- peter hoh said...
The line between culture and religion is often blurry. In some cultures, the line hardly exists at all. Thus one can't teach about some cultures without also teaching about religion.
I think it was a mistake to use prayers in the lesson plans, but I hardly see that this constituted an endorsement of religion.
Big question: were the prayers recited in English or in Arabic? The article doesn't seem indicate. I'm assuming that the recitations were in Arabic, as my brief intro to Islam included learning to say some Arabic phrases. If the recitations were in English, I'm more skeptical of the school's position.
I agree with White's assertion that this would not have stood had the school been making the students recite Christian prayers.
I assume that the teacher would have immediately understood that reciting Christian prayers in school was wrong. This does not signal hostility toward one religion or the other, however. It suggests that the Muslim prayers were regarded differently than Christian prayers. In this case, I think the Muslim prayers were being treated as curiousities or artifacts of another culture.
I'm having a hard time seeing this as a matter of respecting one religion more than the other. It seems to indicate that one religion (Islam in this case) is regarded as so foreign as not to impinge on first amendment issues.
- XWL said...
By following Jack's logic, since Christianity is the dominant religious and cultural influence in the United States then schools should include unapologitically Christian values into their cirriculum.
It would simply be a reflection of the way things are, and to excise all mentions of Christianity and Christian values would be to create an unnatural hothouse where children are being informed without being enlightened.
From Jack's tone I would guess that he wouldn't make that argument.
I am a heathen, I am not baptized, but I do know Christianity as an outsider and I don't find the open celebration of the Christian community, even in public venues to be offensive.
This ruling by the ninth doesn't make sense in light of their ruling on the pledge of allegiance unless you assume that they are of the view that some religions are more equal than others.
Few would have a problem with an open display of religiousity in public schools if that display was allowed to go both ways.
Invite Allah, Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu and all the rest into the classroom. Kids are smarter than you think, parents should be and are the biggest influence on their children and all demonstrations of faith or values shouldn't be construed as automatically violating the establishment clause.
- tefta said...
Were the "women" kept locked up in the their houses and only allowed out when accompanied by a male family member and were the "men" encouraged to kill their sisters or wives if they talked to "men" outside of their families?
I'm amazed that parents didn't yank their kids out of school until this exercise in Islamic indoctrination was removed from the curriculum.
- Ann Althouse said...
Jack: I certainly think they should teach about other religions and other cultures. I just have a problem with engaging in religious behavior, especially saying prayers. I think what was done here is not respectful to Islam, though it means to be.
Role-playing can be a legitimate teaching method, but they ought to test out the technique by picturing doing it with all the religions. Would they play Scientology?
"In this case, I think the Muslim prayers were being treated as curiousities or artifacts of another culture."
Exactly. Native American religions get similar patronizing attention.
- Jack said...
Ann: I was not disputing what you were saying, I was merely asking what I felt were questions that were not raised explicitly. I was not trying to imply you were saying anything other that what you asserted in your post.
Regading the comments of xwl: I am not trying to enforce any logic, I am merely asking how do we teach other cultures and other religions (which may indeed be the heart of other cultures) *without* somehow invoking those other religions?
Questions... they need to be asked, and I for one certainly do not pretend that I have the answers.
- Melchizedek said...
It seems like a lose-lose situation to me. Muslims may be offended by having their prayers treated as a mere cultural artifact. Non-Muslim parents on the other hand may object to having their children forced to recite Muslim prayers. Moreover, any cultural role-playing, if it is to be useful for instruction, should be authentic. Thus the role of women in the simulation should be exactly what it is in real Islamic cultures. Somehow I doubt that was the case here.
- miklos rosza said...
I'd be happy to see fair, in depth examination of all the superstitions, including the Mormons and Joseph Smith, Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, Buddha, and of course Mohammed and Islam. Let's take a look at Madame Blavatsky and Theosophy, Krishnamurti, Gurdjieff, Wicca... look at them all.
But in context, without whitewashing. Giving credit also for philosophy and/or poetry inspired (if such exists).
Don't leave out the Spanish Inquisition, sure, but then you also have to talk about Ayatollah Khomeini, ink or acid thrown in unveiled women's faces in Tehran, and the murder of Theo Van Gogh.
Religius thought has offered tremendous comfort and solace for thousands of years; no matter how wised-up and postmodern you may be this thought is not to be despised.
Which doesn't mean we have to believe that the Angel Moroni presented Joseph Smith with the Book of Mormon in, what was it, 1842? Or that we cannot take a look at Mohammed as a military leader who advocated conquering the world and once married a nine year old girl.
If there's anything of value it will survive the nonsense being exposed.
- Bruce Hayden said...
I do have a problem with the prayers. I think that those who are fairly devout could find offense with their kids having to pray to another version of God.
I think that it is because some secularists don't understand the place of prayer in some people's religion. Obviously, it is a big part of Islam, but is also a big part of other religions too. If they had to pray in Arabic Moslem prayers, I think you have serious forced speech and forced religion problems.
But if the school allowed the kids to pray however they wanted, I don't think there is nearly as much a problem.
- PatCA said...
No, Jack, we are not to remain insular, but the so-called violations of the establishment clause have caused us to repress any artifact of our Judeo-Christian heritage, even to the point of calling Christmas break, Winter Break.
Why are we then violating the establishment clause to introduce Islam to children in an ahistorical fashion, requiring them to not merely study but to ACT as Muslims?
- Akiva said...
Miklos, Melchizedek and Anne, there's several really major problems here that a little net research shows.
First, the materials used were not 'comparitive' or 'interesting review of culture' type, they are immersive representation of a cultural truth, presenting all belief's and situations as truth as presented by the Islamic perspective. (As a side note, the organization creating them is funded by the Saudi Wahabi's.) The teaching may have been from that perspective, I haven't found anything that says either way, but the materials were not.
Second, courts don't try to decide the holiness or secularity of religious practices or objects, such as the classic city hall xmas manger display problem, rather they refer to the religious leaders of the particular religion to make that determination. Is a xmas tree holy? Is a creche scene holy? Is a menorah holy, etc? In most religious there are some less religious prayers and more religious ones, such as very clear statements of faith and belief and alligience to the deity or prophet or whatever.
There is a very small prayer in Islam that is considered to be the primary belief prayer, and recitation of it in public is considered an act of acceptance of the deity, prophet and religion. Instant conversion if you will.
Guess what was one of the 'sample' practice prayers? You want an Establishment Clause problem? In practice, the school district just converted the student body to Islam. The textbook materials are specifically set up for this.
Now that doesn't practically mean anything to your average secular American, but it certainly is a big deal to those religious Americans as well as the Islamic community. Technically, by the laws of the Islamic countries, if such a student was known to have done this and travelled there with their parents on vacation, the government would legally remove the (accidental?) Islamic convert from the parents to be raised by a proper Islamic family.
- ziemer said...
the religion being promoted here is not islam, it is multiculturalism.
and its creed is that all barbarian societies are superior to western civilization.
i wouldn't object so much if, after this ridiculous exercise, the children were assigned karl popper to read.
but that is SO never going to happen.
- reader_iam said...
I find this deeply troubling, both the specifics of the situation and the ruling itself--perhaps because I can see so MANY different sides.
There is probably no issue on which I'm more deeply moderate than that of religion (once you step outside the realm of personal and privately held belief). I find that this makes analysis of where we currently find ourselves MORE difficult, rather than less--which is not usually the case with me: the more moderate I am, the EASIER it usually is.
So, my thought-trail here may seem a bit "early stage" and unfinished here.
First, whether rightly or wrongly, the fact that we're talking about middle-schoolers and not high-schoolers makes a difference to me. That's just a gut reaction.
Second, assuming that this was for instructional purposes only--in an instructional and comparative culture and religion sort of way-- it strikes me that it is based on the assumption that the kids did not know anything about Islam or how and why Muslims live out their faith. Which may very well--probably is, especially at that grade level (7th, in case anyway didn't get to the link)--true.
But to then not go on and teach Judaism and how and why Jews live out their beliefs, or Christianity and how and why Christians live out their beliefs implies to ME, at least, that there's an assumption that these kids DO know these things.
Well, think about that assumption, for a moment.
Is it valid?
Despite all the religious rhetoric in politics these days, despite all the court cases on issues big and small, despite the ID flap, despite it ALL:
This is largely a secular society, and more people take their cues from culture that is not explicitly religious (I mean that as a neutral statement).
More people stay away from church than not. (Yes, I know the polls on belief in God and even in the origins of man. But that's not the point.) More people than not turn to their own consciences rather than to any prescriptive, or proscriptive for that matter, religious precepts (again, I mean that as a neutral statement).
More people than not find regular, traditional knowledge of practice and religion irrelevant--and I mean that to be inclusive of the "Big 3 Traditions" and beyond. And I believe that if you take our population as a whole, relatively few people
actually have any real, useful knowledge--cultural, instructional and historical knowledge--of the so-called major religions, much less how people practice them.
Heck, even people (the full-grown ones) WITHIN certain faith traditions often don't know very much about how others within their broader "Religion" live out their faith. Some protestants don't understand what "Lent" is. Other Christians don't know understand the background of the "infant sprinkle" vs. "older full-immersion" disagreement. I'm sure there are analogies in the other religions as well.
And today's 7th-graders? Raised in this society? What should we assume about them?
I think we should find it disturbing--quite apart from the other issues, which are so profoundly NOT beside the point--that our education establishment, and even our judges, are apparently thinking SO small with regard to the larger context.
Does nobody step back and question assumptions anymore?
If one truly does, I find it hard to see any way in which one can justify teaching just one religion "instructionally," however it's done, but not others.
Seems to me it has to be all or none.
And no forced prayers, period ...
- Daryl Herbert said...
Althouse said: Asking children to say prayers that they do not believe could be very offensive to those who actually believe the religion.
Akiva said: Now that doesn't practically mean anything to your average secular American
Ziemer said: the religion being promoted here is not islam, it is multiculturalism.
The consensus seems to be that this idiocy is the spawn of disrespect for (and possibly disbelief in) religion. I'm not inclined to disagree, but I've got to say that not all atheists are idiots.
I think realists are right when they say some judges make a big show of citing precedent and claiming to be restrained by methods of interpretation--when in fact they're really out there grabbing as much of what they want as they can get their filthy arms around.
(hardcore realists might say ALL judges do that, but I'd like to think JJ. Roberts and Alito are different)
- Undercover Christian said...
As a Christian I would be pretty pissed if a public school in an Islamic community was doing pretend baptisms, confirmations, communions, recitations of the creeds, and so on. I would imagine that Muslims are pretty pissed about the program at this school.
- Sloanasaurus said...
Perhaps the judge's ruling is an admission by her that we live in a Christian nation, something I am she she would care not to admit.
- ziemer said...
you do know i assume that could never happen.
things like this could only happen in the united states, where the state has adopted a sick theology -- that its own civilization is inferior to barbarism -- and mandates that its children be taught that theology.
the barbarians who practice islam are not going to do the same, so your hypothetical is not just hypothetical, it is moot.
the most telling sentnece in the article is the one stating that the teachers considered what they were doing to be "mainstream."
that says it all.
- Tristram said...
I wonder if the 9th Ciruit Court would have accepted the resoning of a roleplay of the Passover Seder or Christian Communion (or even the Lord's Prayer)?
And it also ironic that the opt-out option figured so prominently as a justification for letting the exercise stand when they were so dissmissive of the opt-out in the pledge case.
- brylin said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- brylin said...
From Law.com:
"In last year's session, the 9th Circuit's reversal rate was 75 percent. Over the last three years, it has averaged 74 percent. In the last five years, the average is 78 percent, including a 90 percent rate for the 1999-2000 session."
Remember when a 3-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit tried to block the California recall of Governor Gray Davis?
How about the Ninth Circuit ruling that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional?
- Ann Althouse said...
Tristram: The opt out is important because, without it, it would be blatantly unconstitutional. The law there is really clear. With the opt out, it's a harder question, but it's certainly not the end of the Establishment Clause inquiry.
- Ann Althouse said...
Brylin: It's important to note that most federal court of appeals cases don't go to the Supreme Court, which decides only about 80 cases a year, from all the federal and state courts. The Supreme Court chooses what to review, and the tendency to reverse the cases it chooses isn't much of an indication of how out-of-line the the circuit generally is. Keep in mind too, that the 9th Circuit is by far the largest circuit, so there are just more 9th Circuit cases from which to choose the select few that are going to get to the Supreme Court. So the statistics you cite aren't as meaningful as you might be thinking.
- dick said...
You make a good point when you say that most people turn to their own consciences rather than religion. What you seem to forget is that the consciences are based on the prevailing ethos of the community and that prevailing ethos is primarily based on the Judeo-Christian belief system. So when they are turning to their own consciences, they are for better or worse and whether they are agnostic or atheistic or Muslim turning to the Judeo-Christian belief system. I think that sentence made sense.
Therefore, the approach to the question of the role of prayer or anything else in the religion will be based on your being essentially Judeo-Christian and looking on it as a learning experience and something to examine, not believe in. However, the religion examined looks on it as something totally different and what they believe should trump your learning experience. You can learn without actually practicing and when it comes to somebody else's core religious beliefs that should be the case.
What the court is accepting is a slap in the face of not only the Muslim religion but also the other religions that are not treated the same way. They went way out of bounds on this one IMNSHO.
- brylin said...
And what about the specific decisions I cited involving Gray Davis and the pledge of allegiance? Is your position that the Ninth Circuit is one of the more reasonable circuits? Can you point to other circuits with decisions such as these?
- Sean said...
Ann is not quite right when she says that defenders of this program see Islam as a culture, not a religion. I think that both the public school teachers and the 9th circuit judges see Islam as a political statement of opposition to "the West." This point if view is common on the left these days, where it is pretty much mainstream to believe that wearing short skirts to offend Muslims is a war crime, but doing it to offend Catholics is cute and subversive, or that urinating on the Koran is a human rights violation, but urinating on a crucifix is art.
I know Ann will be upset with me, because despite my J.D. degree, I do not believe that there is thing called "law," different from "politics," and that the 9th circuit does the former. So it doesn't seem productive to me to analyze establishment clause doctrine, at least not if your goal is to predict how the 9th circuit will be deciding cases.
- mrsizer said...
I find myself agreeing with "reader_iam": This is far more complex than it seems.
Islam is a major force in the world that we're dealing with right now. I would WANT my child's school to teach something about it. I like the idea of innovative curriculum - teach-by-number bores kids.
Accuracy is important, though. Did the class separate the boys and girls? Run a sheet down the middle of the classroom? Interrupt lessons several times a day to "pray"?
Prayers in Arabic would be useless - they wouldn't be understood. How was it done? A rote recitation is a bit troubling, but running through it then explaining line by line what it means to Muslims seems OK to me. Much as doing the same with the Our Father or Apostle's Creed would be.
I can also see why people of every stripe could be infuriated by this. Devout non-Muslims wouldn't want their children reciting Muslim prayers. Devout Muslims wouldn't want non-Muslims "mocking" their prayers. Secular (devout?) parents would be upset about bring prayer into the school at all.
Does this mean our school systems shouldn't touch religion at all? Isn't one of the points of having a public school system to give all students good information (instead of allowing them to be indocrinated with whatever at home)? Where are our children supposed to learn about the rest of the world if not in school?
Is this an issue of one teacher's bad lesson structure or is it an issue that will come up no matter what lesson structure is used to teach kids about religion? Do we really want our public schools to leave kids ignorant of vast swaths of culture and history just because it somehow involves religion?
This is a tough question.
- Tony said...
The Supreme Court chooses what to review, and the tendency to reverse the cases it chooses isn't much of an indication of how out-of-line the the circuit generally is.
Ann, are you saying the Supreme Court generally agrees to hear cases they are going to overturn?
That is the only reason I can think that the statistics aren't valid.
- ziemer said...
the way it works is this:
the 9th circuit has a handful of left wing kooks who rule however they want, scotus precedent be damned.
scotus takes a handful of those cases every year and issues unanimous per curiam reversals.
remove those cases from the mix, and the 9th circuit really isn't that different from any other.
that's the only reason the statistics are so off for the 9th circuit.
- ziemer said...
oops, i missed an important point.
in between the sentences stating "the 9th circuit" and "scotus" add:
when 2 of those judges wind up on the same 3-judge panel, anything can happen.
- Knemon said...
"I am a heathen, I am not baptized, but I do know Christianity as an outsider and I don't find the open celebration of the Christian community, even in public venues to be offensive."
Hey, whaddaya know - me too!
I've tried to explain this to fellow heathens before. Normally doesn't go over too well.
If the kids are saying the shahada, they're converting (actually, "reverting") to Islam.
I don't *think* there's a "cultural exercise" exemption ... but then again, I'm not a scholar of Islam.
Paging Juan Cole ...
- Pogo said...
Looks like the 9th circuit just gave much of the South the judicial precedence for supporting Christian school prayers.
"See, judge, we're just acting it out. For educational purposes, of course."
- R3 said...
No wonder our kids can't perform simple arithmetic; we're wasting valuable class time on useless touchy-feely thematic crap.
- rafinlay said...
If we are to buy the "teaching cultural differences" model, then I have to assume that there would be no objection to a three week exercise in convent/abbey life ... even (especially) for any muslim/jewish students who might be there. No, I think this was a political act by the school (teacher/administration/district).
The question is: is it an allowable political act?
- Gina Cobb said...
Related post:
Now That Schools Can Teach Islam, They Can Teach Christianity Too
- tcd said...
You are so right. The school should not assume that the students are already knowledgeable about the other religions that are not being taught. The school should definitely give equal time to all religions. I think a basic knowledge regarding the major religions (reciting actual prayers is too extreme IMO) would be useful for everyone, if so just to avoid major faux pas in conversations at business or social events. I usually don't offend easily except when someone makes a glaring error as in the case of my mother-in-law who remarked that "my people" were responsible for 9/11. I am Buddhist. It's occasions like this and other small things (like when I walk into a home decoratoring shop and see a statue of Buddha sitting on the floor next to the dirty bathroom or when I see a neon lit version of Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper" in a shop in Little Saigon) that make me cringe. I may not practice the same religion as everyone here but I do respect their different religions.
And ziemer,
Your comment regarding "barbarian societies" qualifies as a cringe-inducing moment. I read that as meaning all non-Christians are barbarians. Is that what they teach at your church? I ask because at the Methodist church that I used to attend with my husband's grandmother, the pastor never said that.
- PatCA said...
BTW Michelle Malkin has the original class assignment up.
- Oliver Towne said...
I hope everyone had a chance to read the whole 24-page lesson plan. If you did, you'd see the implicit instructions NOT to actually pray. There is a glossary that can be used during the role-play where students can pepper their speech with Islamic phrases. The phrases are, in English: Peace be with you, My name is, Go in peace, and God willing.
And that's it.
No getting on the floor, no facing Mecca, no fasting, and the trip to Mecca plays out like a dopey Honors Class board game.
The Althouse question gets it wrong, and therefore some of the insightful posts on this thread are discussing a situation that doesn't exist.
- ziemer said...
obviously, i don't go to church; i'm not a child.
but the fact is that, where some religions are dominant, liberty and civilization flourish.
where others are dominant, only barbarism flourishes.
i don't consider it a coincidence.
- Jack's Shack said...
I certainly am not in favor of introducing religion to school.


text:
DIY: Day of the Dead Planters
DIY + How To
Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) isn't for a number of months, but we've fallen pretty hard for these adorable Day of the Dead Calavera (skull) planters we spotted on crafty blog Creative Kismet. Definitely bordering on dangerously adorable, we still think these have a neat graphic quality to them, making them cool enough to work in a modern home or in a modern outdoor area.
And we wouldn't worry if you don't have a ton of painting skills, Regina of Creative Kismet gives pretty detailed and intricate instructions on how to create your own cute planters. These would be perfect for rehabbing any old or shabby planters you might have but also could be a great treatment for cheap planters if you don't have a ton of money to spend. More on Creative Kismet.
Would you make these for your modern home or modern outdoor area? Let us know!


text:
The feature of today's show is mums. First is a spring look cake decorated with shaggy yellow mums. Next, Nancy shares decorating ideas using a 4 B decorating tip. Then, it's on to gum paste mum cupcakes. Last, dress up plain brownies with pink mum flower decorations.
Visit the Website: http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com
Episode #1008 / Length: 28 minutes


text:
Ask Marilyn: Have You Ever Eaten Corvus? Or a Hat?
David Richards of Canton, Ohio, writes:
Marilyn: I'm writing about your response to question about how much of the universe is occupied by matter. (December 2, 2012) The question posed was, "How much of the known universe is occupied by matter?" The question was not, "What portion of its mass is composed of familiar (atomic) matter?" You answered your own question, not the reader's.
While the WMAP results do estimate that about 5 percent of the universe's mass—not 5 percent of the universe—is made up of normal atoms (baryons) and the rest of the total mass of the observable universe is made up of (non-baryonic) dark matter and dark energy, that estimate does not speak to the proportion of the universe that is occupied by mass. While the density of the universe is a matter of debate, if you use an average density of matter to be about that of the Sun, and the "known universe" to be about 28 billion light years across, then the correct answer is that about 0.000000000000000000004 percent of the universe is occupied by matter.
If I'm wrong, I'll eat Corvus.
Marilyn responds:
Well, I liked my question more, so that's what I answered! Thank you for all the zeros, David. (Readers, David Richards is Director of the Hoover-Price Planetarium at the McKinley Museum in Canton, Ohio.)


text:
This interdisciplinary degree blends advanced doctoral study in both history and anthropology. The program focuses primarily on material culture in the American West, and it involves intensive training in the methods of both archeological and historical knowledge.
As a student in this program, you will design a program of study and lead original research that is uniquely suited to your interests and career goals. You can draw from the research specialties and expertise of faculty members in both the history and anthropology departments. Faculty strengths include areas such as Native American and Latin American cultures, prehistoric Plateau archaeology, archaeological conservation and stabilization, Plateau Indian ethnography, contemporary American culture, human evolution, and indigenous peoples of South America.
Students in this program also benefit from the university's Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology. The lab's metal artifact cleaning facilities are among the largest and best equipped in the country. The laboratory features an archaeological survey of Idaho, an Asian-American Comparative Collection, and ample space for graduate student research.


text:
BOSTON, Mass. — Navy senior midfielder Austin Heneveld (East Hampton, N.Y.) notched his first career hat trick, while sophomore attackman T.J. Hanzsche (Berwyn, Pa.) also turned in a three-goal performance to lead the Midshipmen (4-5, 3-3 Patriot League) to a 13-7 win over Boston University (1-8, 1-4 PL) on Saturday afternoon in what marked the inaugural meeting between the two programs.
"It really felt good to get the win today," said Navy head coach Rick Sowell, who is just one win shy of scoring his 100th collegiate victory. "The focus has been there and we've been practicing hard, so it was nice to see our players reap the rewards today. The path doesn't get any easier over the next few weeks for our team, but we are looking forward to the challenge and meeting it head-on."
The two teams exchanged a pair of goals in the opening quarter and was capped by a decisive goal by junior midfielder Gabe Voumard (Cape May, N.J.), who went high to high past BU keeper Christian Carson-Banister with just eight seconds left.
Navy took its first lead of the day three minutes into the second period when senior attackSam Jones (Annapolis, Md.) caught an errant shot by Hanzsche and found Eric Hoffstadt (Dover, Del.) cutting up the middle. The Terriers knotted the game at three apiece when rookie middie Cal Dearth targeted a 15-yard shot from up the middle with 7:31 to go in the period.
The Mids' defense was relentless over the final five minutes of the opening half, as its aggressiveness led to a pair of transition goals. Following a BU turnover, Navy senior co-captain and long pole Pat Kiernan (Ridgewood, N.J.) ran the length of the field and punched in his 12th career goal and third of the season. Kiernan's goal sparked a 4-0 run by the Mids that the featured three goals in under two minutes.
Hanzsche looked to have scored a goal with roughly three minutes to play in the half, but it was waived off as he stepped in the crease. The trail official, however, called Boston U. for being offside and Navy retained possession. The Mids made the Terriers pay as senior attack Tucker Hull (Charlotte, N.C.) found Voumard cutting from the middle for the goal at 2:44.
Navy scored its second transition goal of the day when Alex Heyward (Charlotte, N.C.) checked the ball on the defensive end and the loose ball was picked up by fellow short stick d-middie John Trainor (Northport, N.Y.). Trainor found sophomore defenseman Jules Godino (Summit, N.J.) at the top of the box and Godino found enough space to thread his shot past Carson-Banister. It was Godino's first collegiate goal and Trainor's first career assist.
The Mids capped off their 4-0 run, as Hanzsche intercepted a hail Mary pass by Dominick Calisto in the middle of the Mids' box and gave Navy a comfortable 7-3 advantage at the break.
"It was really nice to be able to find other ways to score today," said Sowell. "Our defense played a really solid game today and led to Pat Kiernan and Jules Godino scoring some goals. When you can score in transition, it naturally takes the pressure off any offense. Quite honestly to rely on your six-on-six offense to score the bulk of your goals is tough, so I give credit to our guys for finding other ways of scoring. It really opens up the game when you can convert those opportunities."
The two teams would again exchange a pair of goals in the third period, including a each with under 10 seconds to go. Jones made a spectacular wrap-around dive on the left side of the cage with eight seconds left to put the Mids up by five (9-4), but the Terriers answered by winning the faceoff and Sam Tenney beat the buzzer to trim the Navy lead to four at the end of three quarters.
BU used the momentum of Tenney's buzzer beater to score the first two goals of the fourth quarter to get within two goals. The Mids would buckle down on both ends of the field over the final 10 minutes of action and outscore the Terriers 4-0 to secure the 13-7 win.
The win not only snapped a three-game losing skid by the Mids, but it marked their first road win in 11 contests dating back to 2012.
While Heneveld and Hanzsche paved the way for the Mids with hat tricks, six other Midshipmen contributed goals.
Defensively, Navy produced a season-high 13 caused turnovers, including a career-best three by Heyward.
Meanwhile, freshman Brady Dove (Stevensville, Md.) edged out BU's Sam Talkow in the faceoff war, 12-11. Dove, who is just 23 wins out of 10th on Navy's career faceoff wins list, came into the game ranked 19th nationally, while Talkow, the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week, was 14th.
Tenney (3), Death (2) and Ryan Johnston were responsible for all seven of BU's goals, while Carson-Banister anchored the defense with 12 saves.
The Mids will be back in action next Saturday when they play host to the nation's No. 1-ranked team Loyola. Faceoff is slated for 12:00 pm at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.


text:
I've been thinking hard and long about this, and I've decided that there's very little innovative or exceptionally earth-shattering material here, and so I'm changing the license on blog content to the GFDL. I've posted the terms of the license on the About page.
I was previously using a Creative Commons license that basically asked you to credit me if you were using narrative from the site. I don't think it's really such a big deal now, and I'd be flattered if there was something here that was useful to someone else.
But I'm over that whole narcissism thing that made me want credit for the stuff I'd written. None of it is that stellar. I'll be grateful if you reuse it and mention you got it from me, but otherwise, it's not that important.
I've changed the licensing tags on the About page and in the sidebar, and I've updated the Feisty guide as well, to show the new license. If you spot the old Creative Commons thing anywhere else, let me know.


text:
Whether you lost your job in midlife or feel the need to change/reinvent yourself for more benign reasons, it helps to see what other people our age are doing. In this article, a half-dozen older workers describe how they picked themselves up off the floor and created new work lives. I felt inspired by their stories. Maybe you will, too.
Sometimes success takes a while. Author Charlotte Rogan got her first book contract at the age of 57, but she's a baby. My friend Joanne Hardy is from the generation ahead of Charlotte's, and Joanne just published her magnum opus, The Girl in the Butternut Dress.
I asked Joanne how she learned to write so well. She described persevering, and said:
The best class I ever took was Robert McKee's three day seminar called "Story." It is so dense and so thorough…I have taken it three times. He is just fantastic. When you go there you will see a block of seats reserved for well-known media groups, like Disney; they send their writers to him…I thought it well worth it. I came home and restructured my novel.
Not all of us are climbing career ladders. Some are struggling to figure out who and what we are at this stage, which can be intriguing in itself. My friend Ellen Cole created a blog, 70Candles, where women share their thoughts about aging mindfully. My own reinvention took the form of letting go of my corporate identity, and refusing to be judged for shedding my power suit. I decided I was good enough as a person, without the trappings of career to prove my worth to the world. One of my proudest accomplishments at this point in my life is providing day care for my grandbabies. It's a big shift for a gal who never got to be a stay-at-home mom, but I think I'm at a point in my maturity where I can appreciate it better than if I were younger. Except for my aching back.
Yes, we're getting older, but there are definitely some great benefits.
More Magazine surveyed 1200 women age sixty and up, asking them to rate their lives. What were they happy about? What did they regret? What have they learned about finding their true paths? Here are the high points:
- The Betty White Boost: A distinct spike in confidence occurred at the uppermost end of the respondents' age group. Quite simply, the older the women were, the more likely they were to give themselves high marks for life decisions. Women age 80-plus were the most likely to feel satisfied with their life choices. (Although More only surveyed women, this phenomenon has been documented in men, too.)
- Know Your True Path: A majority of respondents said they found their true path in life after age forty.
- Cool with Not Being Superwoman: a majority said having it all is a crock. Do what you can and pat yourself on the back, and that it's okay to ask for help or to say NO.
I'm curious about you. Are you starting over in any way, with work or family or personal truths? If so, what did you change, and is it working? Are you feeling stronger or are you drifting? Do you have any bits of advice for us? I'd love for you to share your thoughts if you're so inclined. (And now the baby is waking from his nap so I have to run!)


text:
Tour three historic pubs in downtown Salt Lake City and receive a free pint glass!
Avaliable Pub Crawl Dates for 2017:
Only one date left for 2017! - November 2
The mining and railroad boom brought immigrants to Utah from around the world. With them they brought their well-established drinking habits. Rather than lose money to outsiders by importing beer, the first "buy local" movement was initiated by men with a knack for brewing beer.
On the Thirst Fursday Historic Pub Crawl, Utah Heritage Foundation tells the history of beer in Utah and takes you into three of Utah's most well-known watering holes, with a Thrist Fursday Pub Crawl pint glass included with your registration!
When: Starting in April, the pub crawl will take place on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m.
Where: The tour will visit three downtown Salt Lake City establishments. The location to meet will be provided when you register. (Please check with Utah Heritage Foundation for details: 801-533-0858 ext. 107)
How Much: $15 for members; $20 for non-members and general public. Not a member yet? Find out more about membership options and benefits!
Interested in booking for a private event? The historic pub crawl tour is available at other times and dates to private groups with two weeks advance notice, a minimum of 10 people, and a nonrefundable deposit of $100 to be paid at time of booking (this deposit will count toward your total event cost). Tours are available at non-peak bar hours, including Monday through Friday starting no later than 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday starting no later than 6 p.m. Make your next birthday or staff outing fantastic! Contact us to arrange a special tour.
Advance registration is required.
Registration closes at 1:00 p.m. on the day of each tour or when tickets are sold out, whichever comes first.
Click here to buy tickets!
To register over the phone call Liz at (801) 533-0858 ext. 107.
Space is limited to 20 people per tour.
The Thirst Fursday Historic Pub Crawl is sponsored by The Downtown Alliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I get when I register for the Historic Pub Crawl?
You receive a guided, walking tour to three downtown Salt Lake City establishments, with a pint glass. No food or drink is included with your registration. Drink purchases, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are not required to participate in the crawl.
Where do I show up? What pubs are on the Historic Pub Crawl?
To attend the Historic Pub Crawl, you must register in advance. After registering, you will see (and be emailed) the location of the meet-up/first stop. While we are not revealing the pubs on the tour, they are all in lower downtown Salt Lake City, within 1-2 blocks of each other.
When should I register? Do you sell out?
The Historic Pub Crawl has been an overwhelming success and very popular. We have sold out almost all of our crawls, so we encourage those interested in purchasing tickets get them at least a few days in advance. The crawls are limited to 20 people per crawl. We usually close ticket sales the Thirst Fursday morning for that evening's crawl.
How do I get there, around, and back?
The Historic Pub Crawl is a walking tour of three establishments, within 1-2 blocks of each other in south downtown Salt Lake City. You are responsible for your own transportation to and from the crawl. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you drink responsibly and utilize public transportation via UTA Trax and buses that are convenient to the crawl stops; after you register, you will know where the stop is and how to arrange transportation.
Is there an age requirement?
You must be 21 years old or older with a valid ID or Passport to participate in this event. If you are not 21 and you sign up for the tour but are denied entry to any of the establishments, you will not receive a refund.
Can we bring our own alcoholic beverages or carry cocktails from bar to bar?
No outside alcohol is permitted and no alcoholic beverages may leave the establishments.
What if my plans change?
We will not issue refunds for any reason. If your plans change, you may call (801) 533-0858 ext. 107 to request a change of date. However, if no slots are open, you will not be issued a refund. Also, the Pub Crawls are all-weather, rain-or-shine, warm-or-cold events; dress appropriate to the weather.


text:
(Edmonton) If you have time to quickly swipe your pager or cell phone three times, that would be your best bet to get rid of most of the bacteria. And a simple tissue moistened with saline would do the trick. But if you only have time for a single swipe of a 'dirty' phone you'd be better off reaching for a disinfectant wipe.
Those are the highlights of a recently published research study that appeared online in PubMed, with the discoveries having been made by a team of researchers in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
"It was the mechanical removal, not the actual act of the disinfectant that was key," says Dr. Sarah Forgie, a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist in the Department of Pediatrics.
Medical student Andrea Berendt, who was working with Forgie at the time, liked the idea so Berendt came up with the protocol and conducted all the experiments in a lab over two months. The duo worked with Dr. Robert Rennie, a Professor in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Pediatric Epidemiologist Donald Spady and technologist LeeAnn Turnbull.
Three types of bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enterococci (VRE) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were each prepared in a mixture and streaked onto sterile plastic Petri dishes, then allowed to dry. Numerous bacteria contaminated plates were prepared throughout the summer all in the same manner so each type of bacteria could be tested with five different types of wipes and then again with varying amounts of swipes one swipe, three swipes and five swipes.
Each 10 cm diameter plate was wiped for one second and in a manner that the entire surface was swiped, using a flat baton. The plates were then allowed to dry for 10 minutes. Afterwards, bacteria samples were put onto special lab plates, incubated for at least 24 hours at 35C and then the bacteria colonies were counted.
Research results demonstrated that bacterial counts dropped significantly the more often a plate was swiped regardless of the type of wipe used. Swiping the contaminated plates 3x decreased the bacterial load by 88% on average, compared to just swiping a plate once. Swiping a plate 5x vs. 3x didn't result in an additionally significant decrease in bacteria. And a simple saline wipe appeared to be just as effective as disinfectant wipes when the plates were swiped 3x or more. However, if the plate was swiped just once disinfectant wipes were better at reducing bacteria than simple saline wipes.
|Contact: Raquel Maurier
University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry


text:
For the last 30 years Brian McManus� second full-time job has been serving the Voluntown community, helping those in need wherever he can. This year is no different except that he is using an electric wheelchair after a botched surgery left him partially paralyzed on one side. It�s his job to keep the information flowing to make sure that everyone in need gets served.
Q: Why is it important for you to be involved in charitable causes?
A: �I love my community, it�s a small community. It�s so easy to fall between the cracks in southeastern and northeastern Connecticut. I consider myself part of the town.
Q: How do you deal with reluctant recipients?
A: I have a little routine. I say give me five minutes of your time and I�ll give you comfort for the rest of your life. One thing could lead to another and to another. I�ve got a lot of resources out there including priority job hiring out of the casinos.
Q: There�s so much need in the community, how do you decide who to help?
A: �When someone is referred to me they are already preapproved by someone, such as for the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, or an electricity program or some other need for help. That�s always been a passion of mine, working with people I know aren�t abusing the system. You�ve got the abusers out there. You want everyone to be treated equally that absolutely does deserve (the assistance).�
Q: What are the charities you are involved in?
�I serve on the national disaster board for the Salvation Army, which has taken me all over the country. I�ve served on the TVCCA�s charity board for the homeless women�s shelter.
Q: This is a big undertaking for one person alone, surely you have people who help you?
A: �I�ve involved the Voluntown Elementary School and the town itself. So many times throughout the years, because I did so much with the shelters, the kids would come up with creative ideas for the school and the schools would surprise me with fundraising events.�
Q: Now that you are partially confined to your wheel chair how do you continue to conduct your charitable work?
A:�I have my fingers (to dial the phone) and my face. I utilize the best resources I have in my community.�
Q: How has your family supported your charity work?
A: �My wife of 30 years, Roxanne, I can�t even describe the words that she is for me. I�ll just start crying if I do. She does everything I need.�
Q: What are you working on now?
A: �I am already working on Thanksgiving, trying to work with a company to assist a group from a church from the same food company I will use for Christmas. Thirty days before Christmas I have to get a food list to the shelter for food baskets.�
Q. You have always preferred to work anonymously, right?
A.�I�ve never ever done this for recognition. I don�t want people to think I�m tooting my own horn.�


text:
This is what happens when you wander round Boots during an idle lunch break – shopping!
Can you imagine in Boots stocked Nars? Or Guerlain? or Bobbi Brown?
I'll have a lipstick with my Turkey Sandwich, please.
I've realised that I have a thing for lip products; lipstick and lip gloss and lip balm. Actually I have a thing for a long of things…but there's no better pick me up than a new lippie.
I bought 3 new items, two Rouge Allures and a Levres Scintillantes Brilliant Extreme (mouthful!) lip gloss in Pink Pulsion.
I've realised that Rouge Coco, as nice as it is, is not my favourite Chanel lipstick formula. Rouge Allure is. Rouge Allure colours never look that special to me in the tube, but when you put it on – gorgeous!
Otherwise I love the Levres Scintillantes lip glosses – best sparkly lip glosses on the market but Aqualumiere's are my favourites. Highly underrated. I digress.
The lipsticks – Insolente is from the current winter 2010 collection and is a beautiful hot pink, and Delicieuse is a gold peach which the 10 year old helped me choose – it's my Gloria from Modern Family lip colour:
Pink Pulsion is apparently limited edition:
It's a super hot pink with tons of sparkle. See the other 2 glosses from this collection here.
When I swatched them on my hand, all the colours looked pretty. But I'd say nothing special. I mean, to look at in the tube, it was decidedly meh. But honestly, these go on your lips and BAM! Some magic happens:
Pink Pulsion on it's own is not that bright, and there is a faint hint of multi sparkle which can be only appreciated in certain light. I recommend street light (really) – I mean, don't go out in the middle of the night and hang out under a street lamp – people will get the wrong idea – but if you're in the car at night* check out your lips in the mirror.
So twinklyyyy.
*Obviously as a passenger
I have to say though, these 'brilliant extreme' lip glosses seem to have a clearer base than some of the other Chanel glosses I've tried which are more pigmented AND sparkly. These are more sparkle than pigmented.
I think I'd prefer more pigment in the gloss, ideally.
Delicieuse is a gold peach colour, a tiny hint of bronze – brown. It's very natural on me, but gives the lips a nice volume-plump-healthy look.
Insolente is a hot pink – in the tube – but it's highly wearable without being overly sheer. It does look like a hot pink but totally chic, not dollybird at all.
On the lips:
Rouge Allure lipsticks have a great texture; not as creamy as Rouge Volupte or Guerlain Rouge G, yet there's still something about 'it', even though it has a slightly waxy feel. It's almost like a controlled dosage, so you won't apply too much.
Insolente and Pink Pulsion on top – gives it that extra shine, extra edge and it's a lot funkier but still wearable:
This lipstick makes my lips look plump and quite healthy and it's not drying or gunky either.
It is however VERY expensive. I think the Rouge Allure's were £22.50 and the gloss was £19 which is rather eye watering at checkout time. But it's an investment goddammit. An investment. All I will say is choose a shade you will love and wear often!
You can buy Chanel Rouge Allure & the glosses on any Chanel Counter.


text:
Component.Dispose Method ()
Assembly: System (in system.dll)
Call Dispose when you are finished using the Component. The Dispose method leaves the Component in an unusable state. After calling Dispose, you must release all references to the Component so the garbage collector can reclaim the memory that the Component was occupying. For more information, see Cleaning Up Unmanaged Resources and Implementing a Dispose Method.
Always call Dispose before you release your last reference to the Component. Otherwise, the resources it is using will not be freed until the garbage collector calls the Component object's Finalize method.
Windows 98, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter EditionThe Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 is supported on Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP1.


text:
DIXON – Gloria Jean Vale Willstead was born May 21, 1931, to Margaret VanFossen and John Vale in Davenport, Iowa. She advanced to eternal life on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, in Dixon, surrounded by the love of her family.
Gloria was employed as a switchboard operator, and later went on to work as a supervisor at the Dixon State School. She was married for more than 25 years to Lester Willstead, residing in Rochelle.
For many years, Gloria took great pleasure in crocheting, listening to music, and dancing. She enjoyed animals, and was a supporter of AA. She loved the staff at Lee County Care and Rehabilitation Center, but most of all, her children.
She is survived by her siblings, Shirley Ogburn, Harriet Faner, and Bill VanFossen; and her children, Fred Sambdman, Deb Sambdman, Lisa Moody, Marvin "Buddy" Josephsen, Lorie Ekberg, and Sharon Castro. She also is survived by her grandchildren, Jason Sambdman, Kasey Sambdman, Blaire Sambdman, Jamie Berg, Derek Sage, Ryan Sage, Jacob Graff, Garret Graff, Christopher Josephsen, Chaz Josephsen, Jeremy Kersten, Mandi Kersten, and Kayla Ekberg; and her great-grandchildren, Kyla Sage, Kayden Sage, Sage Berg, Cole Wells, Ethan Wells, Brayleigh Josephsen, Zayne Josephsen, and Jaylin Josephsen.
She additionally is survived by her stepchildren, Martha LaCoursiere, Linda Potter, Walter "Wally" Willstead, Jimmy Willstead, Everett Willstead, Brenda Swope, and Karen Reynolds; and her many stepgrandchildren.
Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Willstead; son, David Sambdman; and her parents, Margaret VanFossen and John Vale.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by the funeral at 6 p.m., Monday at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Dixon. A memorial will be held in the spring.
"Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." – Psalm 23: 1-6.


text:
|Getting in touch with my inner Georgia O'Keeffe
Work's been crazy. Marathon training's been crazy. Book promotion's been crazy. Life's been crazy.
But I like to be busy, and it's better than the alternative ['though a little rest every now and then is nice}. Still the fact is, tonight I only have enough energy to share a few quick photos and the winner of the Vejibag contest. Then I'm settling down with the kitties and a glass of wine to watch Project Runway. First things first....congratulations.....drumroll.....Shannon. Email me girl, so we can send you your prize.
Now for some random shots. They help me remember to slow down, take it all in, and appreciate the little things – loved ones human and furry, fab food, strong health and delectable vistas. Life is good. I have much to be thankful for.
|Gorgeous organic black figs. [Watch for my easy Fig Tart recipe this weekend.]
|You know it's a good day when they order Middle Eastern for a client at work and there are leftovers: falafel and salatim
Random Run Shots
|Sunrises, aka, run-rises: one of the great pleasures of running early. [Instagram filters are like silicone for sunrises.]
|Another run-rise, this one over Boathouse Row.
|Run-sun rising behind Falls Bridge.
|I commune with nature during long runs. Here's a bridge I see along a trail here in Philly.
|Crazy clouds over the Philly skyline on my way back home.
|This the guilt-inducing good bye I get from Pablo as I leave for work.
|This is the sad little pony I see during my surreal walk to work
|And in the meantime, this is what Bossa Nova is doing.