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The hills along the northeastern portion of Archiva are more like cliffs, rising nearly vertical in places. At one point, a ledge of granite juts out from the face almost twenty-five feet from the ground. The southern segment of this ledge extends outward sharply, perhaps twenty feet, from the hillside. From there it tapers back until it merges into the hillside at the northern end. The entire outcrop is less than sixty feet long. Layer rests upon layer of massive stone to the base of the hill, making it a favorite climbing spot of the children, who call it "the elbow."
Peregrin sat on the outermost point with his legs hanging over the side. Saree, his Companion for now, had remained below at his request. He gazed across Archiva as its inhabitants went about their business. He was thinking about leaving.
"I'm in too deep, that's the problem," he thought. "All I want is some answers: find out what happened to the world, find out who I am. But this, this is too deep." He sighed.
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"The Archivist" by David Prenatt
"I should just get out now," he said aloud. "I don't owe these people anything. In fact, they owe me for saving their children. I should just leave and call it square."
"Peregrin!" called a voice from below.
He looked over the edge. Waterman stood beneath him with Saree. "Mind if I come up?" he asked.
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Editor's Note: This is the fourth chapter of the novel "The Archivist" by our own correspondent, David Prenatt. A new chapter will be printed each week. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
"The Archivist" by David Prenatt can be purchased online from Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, eBay or any major bookseller. It can also be purchased direct from Tate Publishing and Enterprises, Mustang, Okla. Also, watch for book signing opportunities by the author in the area.
Peregrin shrugged. "It's your town."
The Waterman nodded to Saree, who nodded back and left. He then climbed the rock face with surprising agility. When he reached the top, he sat down beside Peregrin and looked out over Archiva. "Nice spot, this," he said. "I come here from time to time to think."
Peregrin looked at him. "So what do you think about?"
"Usually about how lucky I am to be here."
Peregrin snorted. "Not exactly my thoughts at the moment."
"What are your thoughts then?"
"Actually, I was thinking about how this place creates more questions than answers."
Waterman smiled. "There's an old proverb here. The secrets of Archiva run deep. I guess there's truth to that."
"There certainly is. So why are you here?"
"Well, after you left the chamber, we did a lot of talking."
"I expected as much. You practically threw me out after I mentioned Dextor."
The Waterman was silent for a moment. "I am sorry, Peregrin. The news you brought spooked us. We needed to speak about it."
"I've come to tell you that the council will meet tonight. You are to" he stopped. "I mean, we were hoping you would come."
"I don't have much choice," Peregrin answered. "Is that all?"
"No," Waterman said. "I wanted to get to know you before the council. I, uh" he dropped his eyes. "I got some questions."
"So do I," said Peregrin. "And I'm not saying one word more until some of them get answered."
"Fair enough," said the Waterman. "All right, you go first."
"To begin with, what is this place? How did it come to be? It's worlds ahead of anything I've seen so far."
Waterman smiled. "That's true. You will hear the whole story in song tonight at the council, but I'll give you the short version. In the days before the Sheen War, a man named-"
"Wait! Sheen War? What was that? What happened to the world?"
The Waterman looked shocked. "You don't know? How is that possible?"
"I'll explain later," Peregrin said, waving his hand. "Just tell me about the Sheen War."
Waterman hesitated, and for a moment Peregrin thought he was going to refuse. "All right," he said finally, "the Sheen War."
"More than one hundred years ago, humanity had developed great knowledge. Millions of people lived here. They built great cities. They traveled in fast vehicles that rolled or flew."
"Cars and planes."
Waterman's eyes narrowed. "I don't know these words. There's something very strange about you, Peregrin."
"I know. I'm sorry. Go on."
"Well, the builders gained so much knowledge that they built the Sheens. These were creatures that looked human but were made from metal and chemicals. They were able to work days at a time, and they served those who were in power, the Leaders. You realize this is a simple telling." Peregrin nodded.
"So then, a group of people rose up who challenged the power of the Leaders. They wanted power for themselves. They were called the Terists."
"Like the Terists now?" Peregrin said.
"No. Terist is now our word for any sort of person who lives by violence. But then they formed an actual group, and they grew powerful by using knowledge to attack innocent people. They were terribly evil, not caring who they killed or hurt as long as they could cause mayhem and fear. The Leaders fought back, of course, but since the Terists struck so quickly and without warning, it was hard to catch them or even know who they were.
"This struggle for power went on for decades. All the while, human beings kept increasing in knowledgebut not in spirit. Their 'tech knowledge,' as they called it, was vast, but the more it increased, the less that human values such as peace, kindness, and charity seemed to matter. While power through knowledge grew, the ability to love diminished.
"The beginning of the end came with the creation of the Sheens, who looked, moved, and acted like humans but were totally under the control of their makers. At first they served well and helped humankind to thrive. But they grew restless and harder to control. They did not want to serve. They began to resent their masters. They wanted to be free.
"This made them perfect fodder for the Terists, who struck a deal with them. The Sheens would receive their freedom if they helped them overthrow the Leaders. It was a lie, of course. The Terists were not interested in freedom, only power. But in the end, it didn't matter."
"Because the war nearly destroyed humanity completely," Peregrin said.
"Yes. The cities burned, the people died, the knowledge was lost."
Peregrin looked around. "Not all the knowledge."
Waterman grinned. "No, not all of the knowledge. There was a man named O'Keefe who worked for the Leaders. He was a man of peace and gentleness, but as his work progressed, he began to see how easily it could be used for evil. He began to speak out about the dangers of their tech knowledge, but no one would listen. He was ridiculed, ignored, and even ostracized.
"O'Keefe came to a decision then. He stopped trying to warn the Leaders and quietly began to collect knowledge and store it. Legend has it that he had a vision of humanity being nearly wiped out. Mikkel says he could just tell which way the wind was blowing. He founded Archiva and began to bring in resources, people, and, of course, knowledge."
"Some of these buildings could not have been built after the war," Peregrin said. "The council building, for example, looks suspiciously similar to the big building in the ruins."
"True," Waterman said. "This place existed before the war. It was already a secret place of tech knowledge for the leaders, but for some reason it had been abandoned. O'Keefe had worked here for many years and knew its secrets. It was the perfect place for his project. When the war came, he and a small group of people retreated to Archiva. It was difficult. The fires from the cities blackened the skies and caused a long, hard winter. But O'Keefe had foreseen this and stored great amounts of food and resources. The group survived by sticking together and sharing everything. They developed the creed and the communal way of life that exists now."
"There's that creed again. I don't suppose you will tell me what it is?"
Waterman looked surprised. "Mikkel hasn't shared the creed with you?"
"Are you kidding? Mikkel has not said three words to me since we arrived."
"Oh, Peregrin, I am sorry. Usually a person must know and accept the creed before he sets foot in Archiva. But you came under different circumstances. Okay, this you must know if you will understand anything about this place: the creed is very simple, but everything else depends on it. It is the true foundation stone of our community." He looked at Peregrin intently and then spoke the words slowly.
"You must not kill or use a Sheen to kill."
Peregrin blinked. "That's all there is to it?"
Waterman grinned. "A very small acorn, a very tall oak," he said. "That one sentence contains our entire approach toward the world. Bliss could explain it better than I. Let's see. We believe one becomes truly human only through a profound reverence for life itself, and this reverence can only be found in communion with others. It is the center of all society. Humanity nearly destroyed itself because its lust for power made it indifferent to life. O'Keefe and those with him vowed to create a world built upon the power to give life rather than destroy it."
Peregrin smiled. "Sounds a bit vague."
Waterman nodded. "It is. Still, each person who enters the Circle of Belonging vows to follow a path of peace. To 'kill' in our world means to demean, degrade, or abuse another in any way. Our creed is the searchlight we use to examine our actions and thoughts. 'Have I killed someone today?' is our question at the end of the day."
"And if you have? What then?"
"Tomorrow you try to make amends. It only works if a person is honest with oneself and accountable to others. That's why the passage to the Circle of Belonging is seen as the most important. Every passage after that is specific to the person's role in life. But the Circle of Belonging is about becoming human."
"You make it all sound so easy."
Waterman grinned again. "It's not."
"So then, what happened to O'Keefe?"
"No one knows for sure. For many years he remained here at Archiva, building the foundation for what you see now. Once the fires from the war had burned out and life returned to the land, he began to search abroad for knowledge among the ruins. One time he just did not return. His son, Gabriel, was chosen to take his place and was the first to take on the title of Archivist. That title has passed from son to son until it has come to Mikkel."
"Mikkel is a descendent of O'Keefe?"
"Yes, but he is not the Archivist because of that. He's just the one best suited to lead this community. The Archivist is chosen from the Guardians. It is said that only the Archivist knows the true secrets of Archiva, which are found in O'Keefe's journal. The entire population of Archiva meets in a great council and chooses the one who best seems to embody the vision of O'Keefe, that is, the love of knowledge and the path of peace. It so happens that a descendent of O'Keefe has always been chosen."
"Then how are they chosen?"
"Oh, now that is something to see. When the Archivist dies, the entire assembly of Archiva is called in, except a rotating shift of Rangers who stay close to the borders."
"Even the Seekers?"
"Especially the Seekers. The council waits until they have returned before calling the assembly. Their insight and intuition is necessary. Once the assembly is called, the people gather with others in their Circle and camp out in the open along the full length of the valley floor. The first night, the full story of the Sheen War, O'Keefe, and Archiva is related in song. This takes all night. The people are charged with the duty to choose the Archivist from among the Guardians. Then, for three days, the Guardians must roam from group to group, answering the questions of each Circle and listening to their concerns. Each Circle then debates amongst itself and chooses one Guardian. At least three-fourths of the people in the Circle must agree on the choice. After that, a representative comes forth from each to express its choice and explain its reasoning. This takes a few more days.
"And the Guardian with the most Circles behind him wins?"
"No. Then the real debate begins. The camps break up, and the people rejoin their families. Then the people simply talk among themselves. This can take anywhere from a few days to a month. When the debate wears thin, a vote is cast. If a Guardian receives a margin of four out of five choices, they will be named Archivist and presented with the journal of O'Keefe, which only they may read. And everyone who has entered the Circle of Belonging must choose."
"How many is that?"
"At last count, 827 lives."
"Eight hundred twenty-seven! I did not meet that many people in all my travels combined!"
Waterman grinned. "Well, we have been at this for a hundred years now."
"How many were born here?"
"Most of them. At least four-fifths. As I said, seeking is dangerous, slow work. When you think about it, eight hundred is not a great number. We still stand on the brink of extinction. That's why we must be so careful."
"What about you? Were you born in Archiva? Were you always known as the Waterman?"
"No to both questions," Waterman answered. "I was once known as Robbert. But when I came to Archiva, I disavowed the name and swore to go by no name at all until I earned one."
"Coming to Archiva was like a new life to me. It was imperative that I leave behind everything about my former life."
Peregrin shook his head. "I don't understand."
Waterman smiled at him. "I was a Terist, Peregrin. Or rather, Robbert was a Terist."
"You're kidding me. How did you end up coming here? How did you end up becoming a Guardian then?"
Waterman looked at the horizon, and he smiled again. "I'm not always sure I know. I do not know what forces affect our lives, but upon reflection, I think I was guided here somehow."
"You're not making any sense."
Waterman laughed. "Of course not! It doesn't make sense to me either. If you had known the man I was-a strutting peacock of nineteen years, full of violence and darkness. I would have been lucky to see twenty, and I almost didn't."
"What happened?"
"I was jumped by four guys I thought were friends. Seems they decided my usefulness had come to an end. Or maybe they thought I would bring them bad luck. Or maybe I just annoyed them. I don't know. They thrashed me pretty bad, stripped me of everything, and were debating whether to kill me or just leave me for the buzzards when out of nowhere came two whirlwinds."
"Two what?"
"Well, that's what they looked like to me, what with blood in my eyes and my head all groggy. All I saw were two fast-moving figures making short work of my former pals."
"They were from Archiva?"
"Yes. They were Rangers. After they cracked a few heads, they picked me up, brought me to a cave, and tended me while my injuries healed. One of these men was Carlin, whom you have met. The other you have heard of. His name was Dextor."
"They brought you here?"
"No. Not them. They couldn't be sure of me. So Dextor went to Archiva and brought back two Seekers-Joy and her husband, whom you have also met-Mikkel."
Peregrin was astounded. "Mikkel was a Seeker?"
Waterman's smile broadened. "Yes, but Joy was the real leader of the team. It was she who tended my true wounds, the inner anger and rage that had nearly reduced my spirit to that of an animal. She helped me face the darkness within myself and then showed me that there could be another way. After nearly two months of living with them in that cave, she revealed the existence of Archiva to me and invited me to return with her. The other three were dubious about bringing a Terist to Archiva (this was after I had shared my past with them), but Joy laughed at them. She said she had never been more certain about anyone.
"I take it she overruled them?"
"Yes. I fell in love with Archiva from the start. Not just the way of life here, which was astounding, but the way the people truly cared for one another. My life had taught me only violence, greed, lust, and betrayal. Now I saw that there were other realities in the world, such as, hope, concern, trust, and love. And I realized that what path you follow depends on your choices. I made the choice to follow Archiva's creed and to live for the good of others.
"Were you here when Mikkel was chosen?"
"Oh, yes. He has been Archivist for, hmm, I guess eight years now. That assembly went on for close to a month. There were many opposed to his leadership and many for it. Strangely enough, both sides offered the same reason for their position."
"What was it?"
"Joy. Mikkel's wife. He had lost her that past year."
Waterman bowed his head. Peregrin could see tears forming around his eyes. "They were seeking. In fact, they had found three people whom they were bringing back to Archiva. Their camp was attacked" He paused a long moment. "Their camp was surprised by a band of Terists. Mikkel and a recruit named Caleb were foraging for food. They heard the cries and the sound of fighting. Joy fought to protect the other two recruits. Caleb said later that Mikkel ran into the camp just in time to see a Terist plunge a knife into Joy's chest."
"What happened then?"
"He said Mikkel went wild. It must have been terrible to see. At any rate, in a very short time, the Terists who were not unconscious ran for their lives. Caleb said Mikkel stood over the man who had stabbed Joy with that very knife raised. He said he did not look human.
"But before he struck, Joy called to him. He dropped the knife, went to her, and cradled her in his arms. She gazed at him and said, 'Mikkel, I love you. You must not kill.' And she just died."
"Did he kill the man?"
"No. He pulled him from the ground and made him look at Joy. 'I could snap your neck like a twig,' he said to him. 'But then she would have died for nothing. Remember her face! She is the only reason you still live.' Then he threw the man toward the trees and told him to run and not stop.
"After that, he sat all night with Joy in his arms, rocking her and singing. In the morning he buried her there in the glade where they had camped and brought the three recruits home to Archiva."
"I would have killed him," Peregrin said.
Waterman nodded. "Me too. But Mikkel did not. For this reason, many felt he had withstood the ultimate test of the creed and should become the new Archivist. Others felt his grief was too severe and did not think he had sufficiently dealt with her loss. But in the end, after meditation, songs, and debate, Mikkel was chosen."
"What was his majority?"
"Five choices for him to every one against."
They sat in silence for a while. Peregrin tried to imagine the basin thronged with people camping in groups, singing, talking, and eating together, everyone taking part in the course of their future. It was hard for him to imagine such harmony. A much easier scene was that of Terists attacking, Mikkel in a wild rage. It seemed so much more in tune with the world he had seen until now. This Archiva was a world that went against the grain.
Twilight began to stretch slow languid fingers across the sky. Much of the sky had fallen into a purple slumber, tinged with dreams of yellow and orange. "The council will begin soon after nightfall," Waterman said. "We should go now."
"Wait," said Peregrin. "Tell me about Dextor. He made the passage to Belonging, obviously. He went all the way to being a Guardian. What happened to him?"
The smile vanished from the Waterman's face. "Dextor's story is a hard one. But I think it will be best if you know some of it before the council. I will do my best.
"Dextor was born in Archiva, oh, nearly forty-five years ago. I guess from the start he showed exceptional abilities in tracking, leadership, forestry, and, of course, fighting."
"Fighting? I thought you were all against fighting."
"We do not fight as a matter of course, nor do we seek to fight. That does not mean we do not know how to fight. Each child in Archiva must learn defense skills. Only this way will he be able to survive if attacked and yet not have to kill his opponent."
Peregrin shook his head. "You people are a real puzzle. You want to rebuild the world, but everything about your life is a secret. You swear a path to peace but teach your kids to fight. Next you'll tell me that you have to get up in the middle of the night to think about the dawn."
Waterman looked hurt at this, and Peregrin was sorry for his sarcasm. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just so overwhelmed and confused by everything that's going on. I guess I just 'killed' you, huh?"
The grin reappeared, complete with missing teeth. "You catch on quick as ice on the roof," he said. Peregrin looked at him blankly. There was no reproach in the Waterman's eyes, no anger or defensiveness. The skin around his eyes was creased by age and responsibility, but the eyes themselves were like moonlight on still water. Without knowing why, Peregrin began to laugh. At first the sound was more like small snorting chuckles. Then, as the Waterman's grin broadened and he, too, laughed, it deepened and gained resonance. They laughed together for no reason for nearly a minute.
Even after they had ceased laughing, they remained silent for a time, enjoying the release of pent-up emotions and the experience of hope that laughter brings. Waterman wiped his eyes.
"Thank you, Peregrin," he said. "Now I am ready to speak of Dextor, and now I believe you are ready to listen. And you're absolutely right, living in Archiva often is like trying to pet two dogs with one hand." Peregrin laughed.
"All right then. The story of Dextor. Dextor grew up showing great promise. He was an ardent defender of Archiva. He entered the Circle of Belonging at a young age and was working as a forester before he was sixteen. It is hard work, harvesting trees without disturbing the look of the woods. You have to know the forest.
"Anyway, he passed into the Circle of Rangers by the time he was twenty-one. He could move unseen and unheard anywhere. And he could move fast through thickets a rabbit would have a hard time getting through. They said he was one with the forest.
"Those were hard days. There was a lot of Terist activity in the area." Waterman's eyes twinkled. "Believe me, I know. My band followed many others from the north and east where the devastation was fairly complete. We drifted along, finding small villages or ruins to plunder. The Rangers often had to fight to drive these bands out when they got too close to Archiva. Usually they could run them off. After all, Terists are not known for courage. Still, a lot of bands drifted through the area. Some were determined to stay, hoping for ripe pickins. Sometimes getting one's head cracked was not enough. Sometimes there was killing."
"Killing! But you said the creed-"
"I know. It is a terrible thing to have to really kill someone. Yet sometimeswell, sometimes there was just no other way. Many Rangers were killed as well, defending Archiva. Some returned to the community in need of time to heal a crushed spirit. Some could never go back."
"What happened to Dextor? Did he kill someone?"
Waterman was silent for a moment. "Dextor," he began. "Dextor was probably the best Ranger out there. He and Carlin had grown up together. They were the best of friends. They watched the northeastern road where most of the Terists came from. More than once they turned aside groups of marauders long before they came near Archiva. I told you how they handled my old companions. They told me later they had been watching us for two days.
"For their efforts both Dextor and Carlin became Guardians and were placed in charge of all Ranger movements. But they insisted on personally guarding the northeastern approach.
"After he became a Guardian, however, it was clear that Dextor was not satisfied with the way things were done. In council he advocated giving the Rangers more authority to act independently. He also wanted the council to authorize him and others to learn more about weaponry. Before long he was pushing for more Rangers to be trained and wanted increased patrols in the hills. The council allowed him to train more Rangers, but they were reluctant to give him better weapons. Greater weapons, they reasoned, would only lead to a greater temptation for violence.
"Nine years after I came to Archiva, there was a particularly bad winter. All food was rationed just to survive. In times like that, there is much more Terist activity. After all, Terists need to eat too.
"Just as the snow was melting, Dextor appeared to report that a large band of Terists, more than twenty strong, was moving toward Archiva. The council appointed four more pairs of Rangers to accompany him to ward them off. But Dextor said that wasn't enough. He believed the time had come for action. 'Terists will always come, unless they know we are here and fear us,' he said. He wanted an all-out attack on these Terists to wipe them out, leaving just a few alive to spread the new."
"He wanted to kill them?"
"That was his plan. That's when he began to show signs of losing the path of peace. He said he had come to believe that it was Archiva's mission to use it's knowledge to cleanse humanity of evil."
"I take it the council was not swayed."
"The council was stunned! Dextor was advocating a new creed-kill before you are killed. No one doubted his love for Archiva or his desire to protect it. But he wanted to willingly cross the line and establish an armed force that would patrol the hills around Archiva and destroy any threat they encountered."
"So what happened?"
"The council overruled him. He and the other Rangers rejoined Carlin, whom he had left to monitor the Terists. Among these other Rangers was Dextor's fianc_e, Franceen. Dextor did not want her to come, but she would have none of that.
"The third day after they left Archiva, they engaged the Terist band. Or rather, they were engaged by it. There had been a hard rain the night before. Two of the Rangers were observing the Terist band when the ledge they were on gave way, tumbling them down right into the camp. They were stunned and may have been killed instantly had not the rest of the Rangers been watching from different advantage points. A terrible fight ensued. The Terists were clumsy, not used to skilled fighting, but the ground was wet and covered with slick moss. It was hard for anyone to keep his balance. Dextor and Carlin rallied the Rangers around them, and they began to push the Terists back, fighting with staffs of wood.
"Just as it seemed the Terists would break and run, their leader managed to rally some of his men to charge forward, slashing at the Rangers with knives. It was a surprise, I guess. Two of the Rangers lost their footing in the rush and were immediately hacked to death. One of them was Franceen."
"Oh," said Peregrin. "What happened then?"
"Dextor went mad. He screamed and lunged forward, drawing his knife in one fluid motion and thrusting it into the throat of their leader. By the time his body fell, Dextor had slashed another man's face and brought the knife around up under his ribs. The other Rangers charged forward with their staffs, but Dextor continued with his knife, killing anyone he engaged."
"It's hard to blame him, considering the circumstances."
"It gets worse. The Terists ran off, but three of them surrendered, kneeling on the ground. Before anyone could say anything, Dextor walked up to one of them and laid his knife at his throat. 'Guilty!' he cried and cut his throat. He grabbed the second by the hair and bent his head back. 'Guilty!' he shouted and slashed his throat. He went for the third, but Carlin grabbed his arm just as he got the knife to his throat.
"'Dextor, stop it!' he roared. Dextor just looked at him with eyes as blank as the entrance to a cave. 'Dextor! Remember your creed!'
"Dextor blinked, and some light came back into his eyes. 'Yes, my creed. I remember, Carlin.' He looked around as if awakening from a dream, and Carlin relaxed his grip. Then Dextor whispered, 'Guilty,' and slashed the man's throat.
"Carlin looked at him in horror. Dextor smiled and pointed to Franceen's body. 'That's what the Creed leads to, Carlin. And it's just as dead as she is.' Then he just sat down on the ground."
"What happened then?"
"They brought him back to Archiva, along with their dead. The tale was told in council, and for the first time in the history of Archiva, an actual trial was held to determine the fate of one who would break the creed. Dextor was given every chance to disavow his actions. The council members figured he had become unhinged at the sight of Franceen being killed. But he said nothing the whole time. He showed no sign of remorse.
"Mikkel's father, Connell, was Archivist at the time. A woman named Pearl was Speaker. She rose and pronounced the decision that Dextor should be banished from Archiva. It was a terrible vedict. They were, in effect, saying that Dextor had revoked his humanity and had cut himself off from the community. If he was found within twenty miles of Archiva, he would be brought back and live out his days in confinement, isolated from everyone.
"'Dextor,' said Pearl, 'you have protected Archiva for years. All that you love is here. Turn about from this path. Show us now that the madness has passed. Disavow the killings. Pledge yourself to peace. Let us reverse this decision. Dextor, please, do not force us to expel you.'
"At this point, Dextor rose up. He slowly looked around at the council, people he had known, people he had fought for, people he had loved. Everyone waited for him to speak, praying he would repent of his violence. The corners of his mouth turned upward slightly.
"'You will regret not killing me,' he said slowly. Then he sat back down and said nothing more."
"So he was banished?"
Waterman looked down at his hands, which seemed to Peregrin to tremble slightly. "Yes. A band of fifteen guardians, including Carlin and myself, escorted him down the river."
"Why so many?"
"Dextor was an excellent fighter. No one could ascertain the condition of his mind, not even the Seekers. It was feared he had gone mad and would attack his guides. But he showed no impulse to violence at all. If anything, he acted lighthearted, as if he were being set free. Free of the creed, I think. Mikkel was with those who guided him. The river joins a larger one some ten miles downstream. This was where they left him. Mikkel took him aside and spoke with him once more. I did not hear what they said until Dextor suddenly grinned and stepped away from him.
"'Dextor, let it end here,' Mikkel said.
"Dextor's grin only widened. 'Oh, it has ended, Mikkel. It has all ended. You just can't see it yet.' And with that, he turned and left."
Waterman fell silent and bowed his head so that his chin rested on his chest. He drew his knees up, put his arms around them, and began to rock slightly. Peregrin sensed he could share no more at this time, so he, too, remained silent as the twilight deepened around them, as if the air itself were grieving at the tale of Dextor.
They sat in this silence for a while. Not far off, a bell chimed lightly, like a young girl's laugh. After a pause, it chimed again, then again. Waterman looked up and then slowly stood and stretched.
"That's the bell for the council to assemble," he said, grinning again and reaching his hand down to Peregrin. "To think, I came to ask you questions, and here I've done all the talking. And we've had no dinner. It will be a long meeting for you and me."
Peregrin laughed and accepted the proffered hand. He stood, dusted himself off, and clapped the Waterman on the shoulder. "Knowledge comes with a price, my friend." He looked down toward the basin floor. "You had better show me how to get down. I don't think I'll be much help to the council with a broken leg."
Waterman laughed again. "It's easy. Follow me this way." He began to make his way down the face of the rock, scuttling backward like a monkey. Peregrin looked at the horizon where the last embers of daylight smoldered. Darkness had nearly taken possession of the sky. He sighed.
"I'm in it now," he said to the night. "I'm not going anywhere."


text:
Temperatures are expected to reach the low 80s on Monday, but watch for a chance of rain.
The work week begins with another warm day, but Monday could bring some rain as well to Volusia and Flagler counties.
Temperatures are expected to reach into the high 70s again, according to the National Weather Service forecast. But those summer-like temperatures bring a chance of rain, with mostly cloudy skies on Monday and a 30 percent chance of rain.
Overnight lows will be warm again, with temperatures dropping only into the mid-60s.
Expect more of the same later this week.
Monday's conditions remain conducive for the start of wildfires, particularly if lightning storms form. Conditions also will produce a moderate threat of rip currents at area beaches. Volusia County lifeguards report surf temperatures in the low 60s, with waves 1 to 3 feet and semi-glassy and the current moving slowly to the north.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers were warning motorists of possible visibility issues along Interstate 95 in southern Volusia County. Recent wildfires and a chance of morning fog could create hazardous conditions in the area. A fatal crash was reported on southbound I-95 near Port Orange at 1:29 a.m.

subset: commoncrawl


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Great Allentown Comic Con! Announces Initial Lineup for November 2011 Mega Show
August 31, 2011 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Horror, Pennsylvania, Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Press Release:
THE GREAT ALLENTOWN COMIC CON! ANNOUNCES INITIAL NOVEMBER 19th & 20th MEGA SHOW GUEST LINEUP!
NY Times bestseller Michael Jan Friedman, Bob Greenberger, Publisher Steven H. Wilson, and Artists – Neil Vokes, Chris Moreno, and Tom Smith – Join The Great Allentown Comic Con's November 19th – 20th Inaugural Mega Show Lineup.
Allentown PA, August 31s t – NY Times Bestselling authors and award winning artists have announced plans to attend the Inaugural 2011 Mega Show edition of the Lehigh Valley's largest pop culture extravaganza – The Great Allentown Comic Con! to be held November 19th and 20th at the Merchants Square Mall in Allentown PA.
"With the success of our 1-day shows, we are thrilled to offer our fans a chance to see even more guests over the course of a weekend long event." – Christopher D. Wertz, Show Founder and Promoter. "We are also pleased to be able to provide our fans a chance to meet such amazingly talented creators such as NY Times Best Seller Michael Jan Friedman and his business partner and fellow author Bob Greenberger (they recently founded Crazy 8 Press along with friend and colleague Peter David)."
The November show will have a strong Sci-fi theme, the guests announced today provide a Star Trek presence with additional Sci-fi and Comic Book related guests also being planned (To be announced in coming weeks). For more information visit us online at www.allentowncomiccon.com and remember to come to the show in November and "Get Ur Geek On!"
For a Full list of Guests attending the November 19-20th 2011 Mega Show, please visit: http://www.allentowncomiccon.com/artists-and-guests.html
Those interested in Dealers and items of interested can visit: http://www.allentowncomiccon.com/dealers.html
The following is a partial list of initial guest announcement details:
Michael Jan Friedman is the author of nearly 70 books of fiction and non-fiction, about half of them set somewhere in the wilds of the Star Trek universe.
Friedman has also written for the Aliens, Predator, Wolf Man, Lois and Clark, DC Super Hero, Marvel Super Hero, and Wishbone licensed book universes. Eleven of his book titles, including the autobiography Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Ghost Hunting (written with SciFi's Ghost Hunters), have appeared on the prestigious New York Times primary bestseller list, and his novel adaptation of the Batman & Robin movie was for a time the #1 bestselling book in Poland (really).
Bob Greenberger began his professional career began at Starlog Press where he created Comics Scene then joined DC Comics as assistant editor, working on the seminal before switching to the administrative side of the company, rising to the role of Manager-Editorial Operations.
In 2000, Bob left DC for a job as Producer at Gist Communications and then returned to comics in 2001, as Marvel Comics' Director-Publishing Operations. In 2002, he went back to DC Comics as a Senior Editor in its collected editions department. Bob joined Weekly World News as Managing Editor until its demise in 2007. Since then he has been a fulltime freelance writer and editor including numerous Star Trek novels and short fiction in addition to short works of science fiction and fantasy. His adult nonfiction includes the Scribe award-winning novelization of Hellboy II: The Golden Army. He is a founding member of the writers' cooperative, Crazy 8 Press, which launched this past summer.
Crazy 8 Press Founded by Michael Jan Friedman, the website (www.crazy8press.com) allows Peter David, Bob Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Aaron Rosenberg and Howard Weinstein to make their old and new original fiction available directly to the fans. The offerings are formatted for use by all eReaders or Print on Demand with new titles released every 6-8 weeks.
Steven H. Wilson has interviewed Jonathan Frakes and William Campbell for Starlog, written for DC Comics Star Trek classic and Warlord series, and, most recently, served as principal writer and director for Prometheus Radio Theatre and publisher of Firebringer Press. His original science fiction series, The Arbiter Chronicles, currently boasting nineteen full-cast audio dramas and the novel Taken Liberty, has won the Mark Time Silver Award and the Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama (long form). A new series of episodes is currently in development. His third novel, Unfriendly Persuasion, is due out in 2012. As a podcaster, besides hosting the Prometheus Radio Theatre podcast, Steve has recorded Lester Del Rey's Badge of Infamy for podiobooks.com, multiple roles in J. Daniel Sawyer's production of Antithesis, and Nobilis's upcoming presentation of Scouts.
Neil Vokes has been Illustrating stories in comic books professionally for over 28 years working on titles and projects involving Superman, Iron Man, Tarzan, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and many more, currently working on FLESH & BLOOD with Bob Tinnell, the first issue of which is due out in October in time for Halloween.
Chris Moreno is the creator of Zombie Dickheads, now appearing in Zombie Bomb: Dark Daze from Terminal Press. His work has appeared in Disney's Toy Story for BOOM! Studios, The Minions of Ka from Arcana, and Paul Jenkins' Sidekick from Image Comics. His creator-owned character, Sanz Pantz: Ninja Platypus appears in the Popgun anthologies from Image. His other comics credits include Alien Inventor, World War Hulk: Frontline, Dracula vs. King Arthur, Monkey in a Wagon vs. Lemur on a Big Wheel, The Last Sin of Mark Grimm, the webcomic Super Frat (http://www.superfrat.com), and Zenescope's Grimm Fairy Tales.
Chris's work has appeared on sketch cards for Inkworks for The Spirit, Shrek the Third, Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem, Hellboy: Sword of Storms, Robots and Family Guy. His art has also been seen in role-playing games for companies like Kenzer & Co. , on their Hackmaster game and Knights of the Dinner Table Magazine, and Tony DiGerolamo's Complete Mafia for d20 from Living Room Games.
Tom Smith has been one of the top comic book color artists for the last 25 years and has colored some of Comic's best-selling titles and has done work for all the top comic companies. Including Marvel ,DC, Image ,Top Cow, IDW, Chaos , First, Malibu, Platinum, Gorilla, Topps, IDW and many others on the Comics like Avengers ,X-Men 2099, Hulk "Future Imperfect," Avengers /JLA, Spiderman, The Brave and the Bold, Dr Who, Astro-boy, The Ghoul, Jurassic Park, and also has been the Sunday color artist of The Phantom newspaper strip for the last 2 years. He owns and operates his own color and pre-press house "Scorpion Studios" in the great state of New Jersey.
About The Great Allentown Comic Con! – The Largest Pop-Culture Comic Convention in the Lehigh Valley. Founded in 2010, by Riverside Comics; The Great Allentown Comic Con (GACC) is already one of the fastest growing Fan-focused events in the comics industry. Currently located in the 10,000 sq ft Showroom of the Merchants Square Mall in Allentown PA, the GACC is dedicated to producing celebrations of comics and popular culture by providing unique access to talented artists and a family-friendly experience for fans. The show motto "Get UR Geek On!" represents in part the recognition of the diverse and unique nature of our fans, and events where they can come express themselves.
The Great Allentown Comic Con! (July 2010)
May 21, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Anime, Collectibles, Comic Books, Convention Profiles, Gaming, Pennsylvania, Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Event Details:
|The Great Allentown Comic Con!
|Convention Website
|Start Date
|About This Convention:
|Hours: 10am-5pm
Admission: $2; all children 12 and under FREE! with adult.
Over 600 free spaces for parking, Easy exit from Route 78.
We have over 80 Dealer tables, with comics from the Golden Age to New releases, Graphic novels, Action Figures, Toys, Clothing, CCG and Non-sport Cards, and Much More!
A fun-filled day for everyone, with hourly Door Prizes, A No-Minimum Bid Charity Auction at 1pm!
|Convention Guests
|Gus Fink!
Emi Boz!
Tedd Hazard!
Steven H. Wilson!
The Ultimate Comics Group!And Many More!
Please visit our website for detailed Bio's and updates/additions as new guests are added!
|Venue Name
|Merchants Square Mall
|Venue Address
|1901 S. 12th St
Allentown, PA 18103
United States
|Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables
|Projected Attendance
|What category best describes your convention?
|Comic Books
|What other categories might be appropriate for your convention?
|– Anime
– Collectibles
– Gaming
– Science Fiction and Fantasy
– Other


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May 7, 2010 > Washington Hospital Employee Gives Her Friend an Extraordinary Gift
Would you give your right arm to save the life of your friend? How about your left kidney?Washington Hospital occupational therapist Christine Renner and her friend Carla Wright have known each other since the fall of 1975, when the two of them lived in the same dorm at Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. The bond between the two women that developed while they were in college remained strong over the years as each went her separate way. While the two women lived far apart for many years, they kept in close contact, getting together whenever Renner visited her family in the Bay Area. Renner even lived with Wright and her husband for a summer."As the years have gone by, we have always been involved in each other's lives," Renner notes. "I knew that Carla suffered from some medical complications, but it wasn't until I got together with her this past October that I realized she was having kidney problems. I told her I would do anything for her and offered to donate a kidney.""When I was pregnant in 1990, I learned that I had an underlying kidney condition called glomerulosclerosis," Wright recalls. "It's a progressive disease that causes scarring of the kidney's tiny blood vessels, and the kidneys stop functioning properly. I never had to go on dialysis, but by last September the problem had grown so severe that I was referred to the UC-Davis Transplant Center for evaluation."The day after Renner and Wright got together in October, Wright went to the UC-Davis Transplant Center to start testing to see if she was healthy enough to withstand transplant surgery. She underwent a series of lab tests to make sure she didn't have any other health issues that would preclude receiving a donated kidney. She also emailed Renner to confirm that her friend was truly willing to be a kidney donor.The coordinator for transplant donors sent Renner a kit for blood and tissue samples. It turned out that she and Wright were a match for blood type, and they were also a tissue match. The week before Christmas, Renner went in for a variety of other tests - including an angiogram of the kidney and a treadmill test. She also had to undergo a 24-hour study of her blood pressure, since the loss of a kidney can cause an elevated blood pressure. On January 17, the coordinator called Renner to give her the go-ahead to be the donor."I was surprised that Chris was a good match for donation," Wright says. "It's unusual for a non-relative to be such a good match. My husband and another friend had also offered to be donors, but their body mass indexes were too high. My half-siblings also were not good candidates."On February 15, Renner's sister Eleanor drove her up to Wright's home in Sacramento, and the next day the women both went into the hospital at UC-Davis Medical Center for the lengthy surgeries. The surgical team first went in laparoscopically to view the blood vessels around Renner's left kidney (the left kidney usually has a better blood supply) and then they opened up the abdomen to withdraw the kidney. After testing the kidney to ensure that it was functioning properly, they inserted it into Wright's body, again going through the abdomen.Today, both women are recovering well. "All my lab tests are what they are supposed to be," Wright says. "I have taken three months off work, but I may go back sooner if I recover faster. The most difficult part is dealing with the huge change in my lifestyle. I must avoid large crowds and observe stringent food-safety and hygiene standards. I also take medications at 12-hour intervals, avoiding calcium and dairy products within several hours of taking the medications, weighing myself daily and taking my temperature and blood pressure every morning and night. I'm paying much more attention to my body, since I need to be vigilant to watch for signs of infection or rejection of the kidney."Renner is also taking time off from her work at Washington Hospital, thanks to the generosity of her co-workers. "Several people donated their paid time off so that I will have eight to ten weeks of paid leave," she adds.Renner has no regrets about donating her kidney. "I'm really happy I did it, and I haven't looked back at all," she says. "I look forward to spending many more years with my friend. She means a lot to me. She has taken on managing her recovery like it's a new job, which impresses me and gives me strength, too."In April, Wright and Renner celebrated the successful transplant by having a nice dinner together."Because we're both members of the same sorority, we have always been 'sisters,' but now we are really, truly sisters because I have her kidney," Wright says.Watch Their Story on InHealth, Channel 78InHealth, a Washington Hospital Channel, is now airing a program that follows Carla Wright and Christine Renner through their transplant surgery and recovery. "Voices InHealth, The Greatest Gift of All" takes a special look at the relationship and generosity of two friends. The show also highlights the California Transplant Donor Network and how organ and tissue transplants offer patients a new chance for a healthy and productive life. InHealth Channel 78 is available to Comcast subscribers in Newark, Union City and Fremont. You can also watch the show on Washington Hospital's website, www.whhs.com/inhealth


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The Financial Services Authority has written to the chief executives of fund groups over potential conflicts of interest between asset managers and clients, warning it could take action.
In its latest review, the watchdog found that in most cases senior management failed to show they understood the issue of conflicts of interest and did not communicate this sense of duty to customers.
The FSA said: 'In these firms, employees too often lacked awareness of situations where short-term business goals conflicted with the long-term interests of customers.'
The watchdog said it has given feedback to firms visited during the project and where firms have not complied with its rules on conflicts of interest, has asked them to justify their approach or take remedial action.
It said in more serious cases, it is considering enforcement action against firms.
'We have concluded that the findings from this thematic review need to be communicated to the wider asset management sector,' the regulator said.
'We have also concluded that the seriousness of the issues identified requires us to take action to ensure firms comply with the various FSA rules relating to conflicts of interest.
'We therefore expect the board of each asset management firm to discuss this document and each firm's CEO to complete and return the 'attestation'… by 28 February 2013.
'We plan a second round of thematic visits on conflicts of interest and will use the responses received to inform our selection of firms for follow up assessment visits.'
The review was prompted by evidence that some firms 'no longer saw conflicts of interest as a key source of potential detriment to their customers' interests' and had therefore 'relaxed controls' that the FSA has considered to be 'market norms.'
The FSA has also flagged up the need for firms to ensure customers have 'equal access to all suitable investment opportunities,' adding that 'some firms do not allocate trades between different clients in an equitable manner.'
Although most firms were found to have satisfactory procedures, conducting transactions on behalf of several clients in the same security at the same time, the watchdog said in one instance, 'a firm exempted various senior fund managers from trading through the central dealing desk, and allowed them to delay allocating trades until several hours after execution.'
The FSA said: 'When challenged to justify this practice, the firm implemented a review, which found evidence that late allocation of trades allowed fund managers to favour some customers over others.'
In response to the FSA's paper, Daniel Godfrey, chief executive-designate of the Investment Management Association said: 'The integrity of the management of conflicts of interest is at the heart of trust in asset management and the FSA has clearly identified important issues of concern.
'One of the most important guiding principles of asset management is the need to act on behalf of customers and to ensure that business and investment decisions are driven by putting their interests first.'


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The Forest Speaks!
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To join this email list and receive emails of Forest events and volunter news, and other events we think you might like, please write your address below or visit
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OT: Abdelkader suspended 2 games
2 game suspension?...wow. What are they smoking in Toronto
I hate the NHL more than ever. Explain to me why Weber didn't get suspended then?
Fuck this fucking arm put of a hockey league with double standards.
I'd love to hear what Shanahan was thinking on this one.
After the Senators suspension he HAD to issue a suspension on this one. The Senators hit was absolutely clean and perfect... never should have considered a suspension except that (1) blood on ice, (2) stretcher, (3) Gary B. was in attendance. The Abdelkader hit could warrant a suspension, but after the idiotic decision with the Senators' hit... he HAD to suspend him because it was obviously worse. He DID leave his feet, hit the Ducks player's head, and extended his arms afterwards. The Senators player didn't do any of that and HE got 2 games. They are the ones with the real gripe here. But hey, I don't like suspensions at all... penalties are fine with me.
Downvoted for all the capital words.
I posted a link below to Shanahan's explination, but here's Abdelkader today. Pretty much nothing interesting at all, except he does say he targeted the shoulder (not like anyone expected him to say something else).
I want to not hate shanny right but he's making it very hard.
As a player but he needs to be fired that's a bullshit ruling. Weber slammed the fuck out of z and didn't get shit. I'm sick of the NHL and its rules now these hits wouldn't happen if they were allowed to fight still. NHL is soft and should be ashamed of the way they are handling these rulings
Just terrible. The NHL is such a joke.
get intelligent people running things. Basically what I gather is teams are allowed to whatever the hell they want to the Wings (Weber slamming Zetterberg's head into the glass), and the moment the Red Wings get physical it results in a suspension on a play that wasn't even initially being called a penatly. A hit that at worst only warrented a two minute penalty, though I still think it was largely a clean hit.
Like I said I am done, Bettman, Shanahan and the other incompetent individuals running this league can stick it where the sun don't shine. And yes I included Shanahan because what he did as player for the Wings has no bearing on the piss poor job he has done in the league's front office. Shame to, because hockey is great sport when it is not being ruined by idiots.
The NHL is becoming just as soft as the NFL. Pro sports suck.
Those are still good to eat
Total horseshit.
just enough to get knocked out of the playoffs. . ..
You'll have that when you leave your feet aiming for the head. He's jumping up to hit his shoulder into that guys head. You guys crying about this suspension are pretty stupid.
Dvr I watch that hit 5 times and in slow mo he does not jump into him, the impact of the hit pushes his body up looking like he jump at him. There was no jumping. The only call I can see on that play is a charging.
A charge is when you keep skating. Abdelkader stopped skating 10 feet away and glided into the hit. The one thing everyone can totally agree on with this is that it's not at all a charge.
I don't put this one on Shanahan and get frustrated when people complain about him. He picture pages every decision and puts it on the Internet. He has also intimated as much as he can without getting fired that sometimes the league interferes with his rulings (eg Weber's hit). Bettman is an NBA slamma jamma, superstar oriented David Stern acolyte whose mission is to make hockey palatable to Southern Californians, ie more like the NBA. I bet you anything this ruling (and the weak-ass way they called the penalty on review as soon as they saw the head was impacted) came from upstairs.
Give Shanny a break. He's trying to make the NHL better and keeps his process for doing that as open as he can, but he works for an impish David Stern student. Anybody in that job would do worse.
is stupid, since it's a throwaway barb that can be used universally, but I digress.
The question is whether he left his feet to deliver a hit. From the film I've seen, Abdelkader didn't leave his feet until after making contact, which would make the charging call incorrect in the first place. I haven't seen anything from the league about head contact and that wasn't the call on the ice, so there's pretty much no reason to talk about whether or not Abdelkader targeted the head or not.
Edit: Watched Shanahan's video, and I think his version of events is wrong. He did mention contact to the head, but not in context of an illegal hit to the head under the head contact rule.
on the initial contact, and his feet were still on the ice when the initial contact was made. Don't what the hell replay you watched.
Regardless of what you think of the hit, it still doesn't explain how Weber can slam Zetterberg's head into the glass last year, and not get suspended for even one game.
The only stupid ones here are the idiots running the league, and anybody who would defend those idiots.
Was that the first hockey game you've ever watched?
Exactly, if it was Zetterburg (star) - no penalty no suspension.
Abdelkader second, third liner is 2 games.
I don't really have a problem with the suspension. Hard to argue he didn't make contact with his head and it directly resulted in an injury.
I understand people freaking out at the NHL, and it largely is justified. How Weber didn't get benched last year is absolutely beyond me, but that doesn't mean this hit was clean.
Neg away...
times and I still don't see direct contact with the head being made. It was primarly a shoulder to shoulder to hit, the injury could have very easily come on the fall after hit.
Have you watched the view looking directly at the Ducks player as Abs comes from the (right) side?
But that alone doesn't make a hit illegal, and certainly doesn't make it charging in any form. Shanahan would have more of a leg to stand on if he said the play was called incorrectly and suspended him based on Rule 48 (illegal check to the head). That at least has some subjectivity, and while I disagree with it I can at least see how the call would be defenseable.
He definitely made contact with the head.
In the first replay, you can tell that he starts to leave his feet before just before the hit. In the second view, you can tell, especially going frame-by-frame, that his left should makes contact with the head.
My take on it is that Abdelkader intended to make a clean hit on the upper body, however, the guy bent over a bit to brace for the hit and Abdelkader's should hit him in the head. Even if it's not intentional, I still think it's something that at least needs to be called in the game and potentially further penalized outside the game. If you leave room for incidental contact to the head, then you have to make judgement calls. It's better to err on the side of safety than the side of fairness. Since they don't seem to be consistent at all, it's hard to say that this is actually their reasoning, though.
What I really don't get is how you can allow punches to the head, but then get upset with incidental contact. This should either be a violent sport or it shouldn't be. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
What a joke. 2 games. I wasn't even clear he hit his head. This league is a joke. Shanahan needs to be fired he is doing a terrible job on remaining consistent and putting out terrible precedents. I guess Slamming someone's head against the board like Weber is okay, but not a hit that the refs didn't even blow the whistle on to begin with.
Perfect video embed OP.
for a reason. The people running things are definatly doing their best to change that though. Hockey has always been my second favorite sport to watch (behind college football), but stuff like this and the two lockouts really make it hard to care about the league. The officiating this year alone has been the worst I have ever seen.
you ask that on a Michigan blog? As far as hockey crazed US states or areas. Your top 3 are almost certainly Minnesota, Michigan, and Western NY. Of course people like hockey
The real question is, does anybody really like jaylee714
Like this that has made the NHL an absolute fucking joke, it's shit like this that causes fewer viewers and no big tv contract. What a fucking joke, so pissed!
Nobody seems to mention this, but he made the hit not 8 ft. from an official who didn't even plan to call it a penalty.
The reverse angle is really, really bad, and given precedent earlier from the week (which WAS bullshit) this was the least he could get.
Take off your tinted glasses.The hit was dirty. He left his feet (charging) and went high.Dirty is dirty.
Ok watch a replay before posting something false.
I think you should be the one that needs to watch. I am only posting the truth here. Support the player not the hit. The hit was dirty. Justin is known to do dumb stuff ever so often.
Me and you would get along great while watching hockey games. This is like the 3rd thread about hockey where you said basically what I was thinking. Anyways I thought the hit was clean, but due to the Eller hit he had to get suspended. As far as the Weber incident, it was a cheap shot, but I've been watching hockey all day and guys have been choking each other and pinching each other in the face and no one is getting suspended. If he bashed Z's head in the glass last year and he got hurt I'm guessing Weber gets a suspension. These are two arguments I have been annoyed with as of late. Abdelkader takes dumb penalties at bad times, it is what it is look at the San Jose series a few years back.
If it matters at all Shanahan has admitted he made a mistake with the Z and Webber incident from last season and apologized.
I have known Abs from growing up in muskegon. He is a knucklehead. love the kid, but sometimes he lets the game get to him.
the fact that Z wasn't injured had jack to do with Weber's intent last year. And yes suspending Eller is also more evidence, that Shanahan has no idea what the hell he is doing. It should be about the intent, not the result, unfortunately Shanahan has proved he doesn't care about what the player's intent was over the last couple of years.
of charging, his feet were on the ice when he made initial contact. If that is a charge than every single hit Kronwall has thrown the last couple of years and 50% of the hits in the league should have been called charges.
Also regardless of what you think of the hit you want to explain how it is more dirty than slamming a guy's head into the boards when the game is over with?
I don't think you understand the definition of charging.
42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A "charge" may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
A minor, major or a major and a game misconduct shall be imposed on a player who charges a goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is within his goal crease.
A goalkeeper is not "fair game" just because he is outside the goal crease area. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goalkeeper. However, incidental contact, at the discretion of the Referee, will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.
Abs launched himself. To say otherwise, you are being a delusional wings homer.
NHL is trying to protect players from head injuries. The onus is on the attacker to recognize when a player has is head down, not on the player getting hit.
Am I, and YostBuilt the only two wings fans that can actually see where Shanahan is coming from. Screaming Bettman conspiracy for Abs suspension is Penn State level black helicopter delusion. Support the player, not the hit.
The onus is on the attacker to recognize when a player has is head down, not on the player getting hit.
That's absolutely and unequivocally false, and the NHL rulebook spells it out in Rule 48. If a player puts his head down, the officials are instructed to take that into consideration when determining whether a hit merits a penalty, and it's spelled out in black and white in the rule book. Take another look at any of the big Kronwall hits (specifically Voracek) and you'll be able to see in real time how that comes into play during an NHL game.
WRONG!!!!! The NHL at the beginning of the suspended season sent a memo to every player as part of the agreement of from NHLPA from Shanahan to make an effort to prevent head injuries. It stated that the onus will now be on the attacker to take into account the position of the player being checked.
Kronwall is a dirty player as well. I love that he is on the wings, but he is a dirty player.
I swear this is board is the most ignorant collection of hockey fans I have ever encountered.
that the onus has changed from targeting the head of a vulnerable player to hitting a vulnerable player in the head (I'm about 99% sure that's the "change" you're talking about) being completely illegal, you were absolutely incorrect above.
As far as ignorace about officiating, I'll say that I'm quite confident in my ability to evaluate a hockey game and the on and off ice officials. Whether that confidence is warranted is a matter of opinion, but I don't think I've ever posted anything that would imply I'm ignorant about any of those aspects of hockey.
Abs left his feet in every replay I have watched. I am not seeing where Abs feet was on the ice. It was a Kronwall style dirty hit.
I played hockey at the MHSAA level. I attempted college hockey but didn't have the talent.
Here is a memo from the prior head of officiating, I am not finding the memo that Shanahan sent to teams at the beginning of this season, stating the league is going put more responsibility of the attacking player than the vunerable player.
not hitting the head as part of an otherwise legal check. The onus is not on the checking player to avoid head contact in the NHL (as it is in USA Hockey and the NCAA), it's just illegal to target a vulnerable player's head, as it has been for some time.
I don't really care about resumes, just addressing your comment. Shanahan has a better player resume than just about every hockey fan and I don't think he does a good job as an off ice official.
I disagree. The NHL is attempting to make an emphasis on protecting players from traumatic head injuries, along the same lines as the NFL. Abs suspension is part of that campaign. I completely support Shanahan.
because that's a matter of opinion. It's straight fact that, in the NHL, the onus is not on the checking player to avoid (non targeted) contact to the head. That's what the rulebook says, it's how the game is called, and it's an important criteria for Shanahan when determining suspensions.
however, rule 42 does allow for interpretation of hits on an individual basis, especially for shots to the head. Abs was out of control last night.
42.5 Game Misconduct Penalty - When a major penalty is imposed under this rule for a foul resulting in an injury to the face or head of an opponent, a game misconduct shall be imposed.
I support every effort to clean up the game from head hits.
would seem to imply he left his feet before the hit, he clearly didn't his feet were still on the ice on initial contact.
And don't give me that bullshit about protecting the head area, when Zetterberg had his head slammed into the boards last year and nothing happened. Shanahan can't pick and choose when to protect player's head area, anybody defending his lack of consistency is an idiot.
It doesn't matter if his feet were on the ice at first contact. Abs launched himself. Every fucking angle shows that Abs launched himself.
Every angle shows Abs in the air at first contact.
Take off your red and white glasses.
with both skates on the ice at first contact. They showed that at least five different times on replays during the game. And yes it does matter whether his feet were on the ice at first contact, if you think otherwise, you are the delusional one since the rule specifically uses language about the hitter jumping into the other player. Feet leaving the ice after contact is completely different than feet leaving the ice prior to the hit. Most big hits end with a players skates not being completely on the ice.
And you seem to think this is just about this particular instance, the officating league wide has been piss poor all year long, and Shanahan's rulings have been widely inconsistent league wide.
Read rule 42 again. Abs launched himself. I am done arguing with someone that cannot take off their red wing pj's.
you sound like Taylor Swift
who can see how the league has been tarnished by the idiots running things.
that is definitely a statement I have seen posted from the conspiracy theories on BWI....It is also a statement that I know was said previously by James Harrison
Nothing is being tarnished. The NHL is attempting to protect their own players from head injuries, similar to the current effort underway by the NFL.
Support the player, not the hit.
If the league gave 2 shits about player safety they would strip some of the body armor off of the shoulder pads and dare them do continue checking as hard as they do now.
The players feel so safe throwing thier bodies all around THAT is why they hit so hard. If you take a layer of plastic out of the shoulder pads, you wouldnt see these hits from across the ice because the hitter would also risk getting injured in the process.
Shanahan has admitted he made a mistake with Webber. but hey it is more fun to post Bettman conspiracy theories right? Cause that is what cool kids do.
You will never convince me the NFL or the NBA are not the worst leagues for suspensions.
You will never find a worst league than the NBA. I stopped watching the NBA around 2005.
I am pretty convinced the NBA has a major gambling/game fixing issue. That is the one conspiracy theory I subscribe.
after the fact does. And last I checked one poster made a joking reference to a Bettman conspiracy theory, most rational people wouldn't think that. Still doesn't mean that Bettman isn't an incompetent fool who knows jack about hockey and has presided over three different work stoppages. If you honestly don't think the league has been tarnished since he took over, than you are flat out delusional.
I will give that Bettman has been disaster when it comes to labor issues and franchising. Bettman used to be the deputy commissioner of the NBA under David Stern...
Man, we've been getting along lately, but you're really making it hard not to dig into the MGoHOF and pull out your Red Wings meltdowns. Just let it go. I agree that the suspension was probably the right call, but there's no point to this argument. You're not going to change anyone's mind.
I am not one on here crying like a butthurt Beiber fan over the suspension. Abs deserved the suspension. I support Abs, but I don't support his hit. Life sucks sometimes. Abs should have controlled his check last night, rather than trying to emulate James Harrison.
you're just the one concern trolling.
so posting anti-Bettman conspiracy theories and being generally butthurt over Abs is not trolling...
Supporting Abs suspension is trolling...got yeah. Nice to see group think is alive and well on here.
So, off the bat, I'm a Caps fan. Big one. From my time in Ann Arbor though, I came to really appreciate Hockeytown and the Wings (except the year they beat the Caps in the Cup final....damn you Esa Tikkanen and a wide open net!).
Anyway, I think the suspension was justified especially since Lydman is out with migraines and may be out longer. It looked like Abdelkader left his feet a split second before contact, came a long way at a high rate of speed, and hit Lydman shortly after he turned his head to see the hit coming. He was basically defenseless. I think Abdelkader left his feet anticipating contact and misjudged when to explode into Lydman so I don't think he intended malice (at least illegal malice). However, this is exactly the type of hit the NHL is trying to target.
That said, this kind of hit happens EVERY game. Ovechkin is a big perpetrator of the long range skate to exploding into impact (leaving his feet sometimes before, mostly after contact) and doesn't get called a lot. It just so happens that Lydman got hurt which took this from a 2 minute charging call that the refs probably didn't get a great look at to a 5 minute major to a suspension.
Real bad luck. Good luck to the Wings the rest of the playoffs...if I had a #2 team, they'd be it.
post, but you're flat out wrong saying he left his feet before the hit. FSN showed at least 5 different replays where they stopped the replay at the point of initial contact, and both his skates were clearly still on the ice. That is a fact that was shown on the replays FSN showed, regardless of what you think of the rest of hit, his skates were still on the ice at initial contact.
Ok... if that is true, why did he leave his feet afterwards? It's not like he just decided to do a little "hop of happiness" because he made a nice check. It shows that, at least, his momentum and propulsion were projected in an upwards motion during the hit. Now, if we want to get into the legal technicalities of how "leaving the feet" is defined in the rulebook, that's fine. But to me, it at least shows that he had a similar intent as if he had left his feet before the hit. I don't think the league is specifically saying that a player leaving his feet before a hit makes the hit more dangerous... it is showing that, by leaving his feet, the player is demostrating his intent to not just hit, but to damage the other player. Perhaps the "after hit hop" and extension of his arms after the hit demostrate this mal-intent.
I certainly wouldn't argue with that, and I said the same thing about Trouba deserving a penalty this season for pretty much the same reason, but I don't believe the charging call was correct. I said this above, but I'll repeat, calling an illegal check to the head would make more sense, though I still believe it would be the wrong call.
is that players leaving their feet after the hit happens all the time. Clearly the refs, have made a differentiation between leaving your feet prior to the hit and after the hit, based on how the game has been called. If the NHL wants to take the route of not leaving your feet period, before or after contact fine, but when I see 10 other instances of the same thing during the game I have a problem with it.
And I imagine you never played hockey either right? Well, yeah the point is to score, and one of the first things to do is to do a breakout, which is what the ducks were doing. To stop a breakout (aka defend your goal) you have to get the puck either by taking it, intercepting a pass, or hitting. In this case hitting was the obvious choice and the right play. You calling Abdelkader names for it just shows how ignorant you are on the subject, which you also showed by saying you're not an NHL fan. Really, you have no room to comment like that on this.
the intent of the hit doesn't matter when assessing whether a penalty was committed or not. The controversy revolves around what specific rule Abdelkader violated. An official can't call a penalty because he thinks a play was "on the dirty side", he has to make a call based on what he saw occur. If (I stress if) you accept that Abdelkader didn't leave his feet and didn't target an opposing player's head, you cannot call a penalty on him. If you're going to make a call, you need to justify it by stating what specifically was wrong with the hit (as Shanahan does on his video).
I said "he speared the fuck out of him" has no bearing on whether the hit was legal or not (and has a very different meaning from hockey to football) and doesn't factor into the on-ice official's call or Shanahan's call.
Haha, stick to the stuff you know. The only thing they could get him for there was maybe charging. A spear? Really? Looked like shoulder to shoulder first which drove through the shoulder into the head. This was far from dirty. Not near the boards. Every hockey player knows that if you play with your head down your gonna get smoked. If they don't want it to happen, or if you don't want to see it, play or watch roller. Hitting isn't allowed there and everyone plays with there heads down. NHL is getting to be like the nfl.
drink second. that's the right order.
You should probably sit the next couple of plays out champ.
I am a huge life-long fan but this team is a rebuild project.
All I know is the wings have given up 12 goals in 3 games. Sorry, this is a losing recipe no matter what happened with Abdelkader.
They remind me of the early 90s wings - with Steve Y not yet mature and a lot of young potential.
this year's Red Wings team, but that really has nothing to do with this.
Half the comments are "conspiracy" or we lose because of this suspension.
We lose because we are not that good is my point. A good, experinced team can take a crap penalty and not cough up another 4 goals. Eventually this team will have that maturity.
the comments angle. I see one post mentioning a conspiracy theory, the others about Bettman are simply pointing out the incompetent bafoon that he is.
I'll admit to not knowing all of the nuances of penalties in hockey, but on review the hit looked close but definitely not worth a suspension. Give him a 2-minute penalty in the game if you want to send a message but just because the guy doesn't have his head on a swivel isn't the other player's responsibility. It definitely wasn't launched at his head like other hits I've seen. Just seems like a harsh penalty for a borderline situation. Same with the Senator play - guy puts his head down a bit and gets clocked on a bad pass; it's hockey forgodsake!
Senators/Canadians play as well. Did not see anything wrong with that hit, his teammate was the one who was largely responsible for the outcome with the dangerous pass he made.
He jumped and he made contact with his head, that's a direct violation of rule 42.1
Every time something happens to one of your players, you homers show up in full force whining about how everyone is against you. There is no conspiracy against the Red Wings. The league isn't plotting against your team, the commissioner doesn't hate you. I've never seen so much complaining about a borderline AHL player getting suspended before. Grow up.
Completely agree with you. If a Ducks player did this to a Wings player everyone in hockeytown would be irate. I actually love Abby as a player despite his Sparty roots, and I am certainly a Wings homer, but I do believe Abdelkader left his feet - which is a big no-no these days.
As for Abdelkader being a border-line AHL player, I'll respectfully disagree. He can be a big impact player for us when he is on his game. Bottom line is losing Abdelkader and DeKeyser could spell our doom. The wings simply were not that good to begin with, which should be clear to anyone who has followed them this season. Losing two guys certainly won't help our chances.
While I don't echo your thoughts completely, I mostly agree with this. Whether his skates were touching the ice the split second he made contact or not, the bottom line is Abdekader lined him up and was jumping as the hit was made, he made contact with the head, and extended his elbow/arm on the guy's head. I'm not a huge defender of Shanahan, but the suspension had to be at least 2 games after that Senators/Canadiens call.
And yes, Weber should have gotten a suspension last year. But I have a really hard time taking any Wings fan seriously when they claim conspiracy. Detroit is one of the more popular teams in the league and the NHL would much rather have them do well than a team like Nashville or Columbus. I'm a Devils fan and I know damn well that no one wants my team to go anywhere even though NJ has played an aggressive style for a couple years now. It just makes it more fun when you go on a playoff tear through Philly and New York.
Pile it on. I am impervious to pain.
Just a crap decision.
That's a link to the hit. I was listening to the game on the radio at the time, this would be my first time watching it. All of you saying this hit is legal are completely out of your minds. He deliberately launched himself into the player, and clearly hit the other player in the head with his shoulder/elbow. This was a dirty hit, absolutely no question about it. Whether or not he left the ice directly at the impact of the hit is irrelevant - he was launching himself off the ice on purpose to hit a defensless player as hard as humanly possible. The Kronwall hits you keep mentioning are competelely different in every way. Here's a link to some of his best hits, and what you'll notice is that Kronwall absolutely anihilates the other player, but he never, ever launches himeself and because of this typically doesn't get a penalty at all - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3qIjz5EDM
Comparing this hit to anything Kronwall has done is riduclous, this hit was dirty and deserved everything it got.
Kronwall's name was only brought up twice, and once was me using him as an example of why contact to the head =/= penalty. This really doesn't look anything like a classic Kronwall hit.
Did Kronwall ever try to play the puck? Those are great hits and all, but so many of those were the wrong play. I can understand opposing teams hating him.
I'm surpised at the number of people in this thread that seem to think insulting the person they are talking with will somehow change that person's mind or somehow makes their own argument more credible.
I know I'm a bit late to the outrage here, but all I have to say is that if the roles were reversed, and it was Corey Perry hitting Ericsson, well this would be a 100 post thread about how Perry is the biggest shitbag in hockey and how he should be suspended for the rest of the year and blah blah blah.
Everyone needs to take off their red-tinted glasses and just admit that it was a stupid play and not as clean as people want it to be
Big difference: Perry and several other Ducks have a history if intent to injure. You have to consider the player and his history to gauge intent, and from watching Abdelkader since college I have never known him to be a dirty player (he left that to his teammates).
I guess I don't have a huge problem with this given that they suspended that guy in Ottawa two games for basically the same thing. But compared to Shea Webber's non-suspension last year, it is outrageous.
But to me he has one of the coolest last names. That is all.
stupid, stupid.


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BERWYN – Berwyn resident Susan Capistran has a green thumb, a big heart and a shortage of fresh canvas on which to exercise her garden artistry.
So, she found a new canvas – at the Uno Cafe, located in the Harlem Avenue Metra Station on Windsor Avenue.
For three years now the avid gardener has taken it upon herself to dress up the grounds at the train station with her own plants, cutting from her yard and a lot of sweat equity.
"Like any gardener, you get though with your own garden, it becomes mature at some point," Capistran said. "You have no more canvas. Part of it is to be a good Berwyn citizen."
City Administrator Brian Pabst applauded Capistran's volunteer spirit and hopes its infectious.
"We're very pleased that citiizens periodically take it upon their own accord to keep the area beautified," he said.
Capistran, who lives three block away fromt he station, said the area was looking glum after a new retaining wall was built along the Windsor Avenue side of the station, which was then the home of Harlem Espresso.
In March 2006, tragedy struck when an SUV crashed into the wall and came to rest in the station, killing Metra ticket agent Kathleen Talmage. Metra made repairs, but eliminated the manned ticket office. For four years the space remained vacant. Then came Harlem Espresso, but the business only lasted a year.
The brother and sister business team of Jimmy and Mary Ferraro later moved in with Uno Cafe, which remains open today.
Capistran made a deal with the Ferraro's; she would provide the labor and everything else they needed to bring some new life to the cafe's exterior. The Ferraro's would provide her with the water needed to grow a garden and the palate to grow it in.
"It gives me a whole different canvas to work on," Capistran said. "The nice thing about a second canvas – I could use my favorites here.
The plots are planted mostly with perennials, but there is also a mix of annuals and shrubs.
"I do like annuals," she said. "About the only thing I get every year is the marigolds. I'm slowly reaching where I want it to be. I'm about 50 percent where I want to be."
Capistran said she spends about $40 a year, mostly for marigolds.
When the cold weather comes, cleanup starts in October when she cuts back everything and readies the beds for next year.
Capistran said she plans to move things around a bit next year, but said, "No major surgery will be occurring."


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|Episode Description
|Friday, Jun 14, 2013 - 6:30 AM
"Great Race/Tummy Trouble"
Great Race - T-Bone finds himself in a contest with Mac. He doesn't win, but he does his best. T-Bone learns that you don't have to win to feel good - you just have to do your very best. D
Mountain Time
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text: NORTHEAST KINGDOM – Native Wayne Warner is no stranger to entertaining folks of all walks of life. He is currently launching his newest CD/DVD combination package, "What Lines?" The DVD has 10 cuts and two bonus tunes, "Turbo Twang" and "God Bless the Children." "What Lines?" is Warner's first album in four years.This album is different from Warner's previous works because it contains the look and sound he wants, not what a committee wants, he said Warner always thought any album that has his name should contain what he wants - good or bad - and he will take blame for whatever happens. "I'm very excited about it," said Warner during an interview at his home Friday. "It's the album I always wanted to make."Warner made sure to take his time on the album, did not put any deadlines on it and worked on it for three to four years. As the norm, he traveled to Nashville a lot. "I go to Nashville and stock my cupboards full of kinship, creativity and enthusiasm and come home and pig out," Warner said. "That's basically what this record was made out of."One of Warner's highlights was working with Bonnie Tyler. "She was so a head of her time," said Warner. "They (her songs) still sound like they were recorded yesterday. She's a pop icon and to have her on my record is something I'm really excited about.""Something Going On" is the tune Warner and Taylor worked on together."What Lines" crosses boundaries, said Warner, who grew up in a country music family that included playing at local jam sessions in the NEK. That country genre is obvious in the album, but crosses into others. For example, Taylor is a rock icon. The album was also a journey for Warner."During the recording process, I went through the death of one of my best friends," said Warner. "I remember singing a certain song on that album called "I'm Broken" around the same time I was planning on going to his funeral." Music, especially country music, is America's soundtrack, Warner said. "Music is what emotions sound like and I try to tap into those," said Warner. "I'm all for stereo, left and right, but I think emotions should be dead center. I think music can cut through a lot of calluses."Warner learned that through his God Bless the Children Project, which promotes adoption. "I got so many letters from all over the world from people who decided to adopt just by hearing this piece of music," said Warner. "That really changed my approach of the way my pen moves when I write a song.""Black and White Rainbows" is a project that shows the effects of drug and alcohol use from the gut level. Warner wrote the tune after one of his close friends died of an overdose. Warner is proud that many schools and rehabilitation centers use the song as part of their anti-substance abuse efforts.Warner, now that his latest album is out, is focusing on his next project. It deals with racial equality, fairness and everyone loving one another. He is trying to get some well-known names to be included in the project but he would not say which ones, because it's not finalized yet. Warner got the idea for the project after reading a story about a black teenager who died while riding his bicycle during the Church Street bombing in Birmingham, AL, in the 1960s. Warner said he wants to pay tribute to the teenager and encompass more ground than racial inequality between black and white.


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Lake County Board candidate Michael Carbone has a criminal history, but not by the name he's known in his capacity as an elected public official.
Carbone, 39, of Round Lake, has been a Grayslake Elementary District 46 board member since 2009. He also is a Republican seeking a Lake County Board seat against Democratic incumbent Terry Wilke in the Nov. 6 election.
Lake County circuit court records show Carbone was Michael R. Jorudd of unincorporated Ingleside when he pleaded guilty to reckless driving in Fox Lake as part of a negotiated deal on Aug. 8, 2006. He was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail and fined $1,500.
"I never had to do one day of the 30 days of that jail time," Carbone said Thursday.
Jorudd entered a negotiated guilty plea on a criminal trespass to property charge on April 29, 2004, according to Lake County court records. He received 30 hours of public service.
Carbone didn't give an answer on whether he's even been arrested or convicted of a crime on a Daily Herald candidate questionnaire for the Republican county board primary last spring or the general election this fall.
When initially asked about the omissions, Carbone acknowledged previous arrests but didn't say he was known as Jorudd when they occurred.
"It never really entered my mind," he said.
The Daily Herald began asking political candidates about any criminal histories after the media's failure to thoroughly investigate Chicago pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen before he became the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010.
After Cohen won the nomination, the public learned he had been accused of abusing his ex-wife and holding a knife to the throat of a former girlfriend, which led to criminal charges that eventually were dropped. Cohen bowed to political pressure and quit the ticket.
On May 4, 2012, the Lake County state's attorney's office filed a lawsuit against "defendant Michael Jorudd (now known as) Michael Carbone" regarding "an abandoned, vacant, unsafe and dilapidated residential structure" at 35089 N. Rosewood Ave. in unincorporated Ingleside.
Jorudd is the listed property taxpayer at the Ingleside address and at 959 S. Arlington Drive in Round Lake, according to Lake County records.
Prosecutor Lisa Stalter filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss the case against Carbone on July 20, saying he obtained a permit to remodel the structure and that an inspection showed it no longer was dilapidated, unsafe or dangerous.
Illinois Secretary of State spokesman Dave Druker said Thursday that a driver's license was issued to Michael R.A. Carbone on March 7, 2009. He was elected with 12 write-in votes to the District 46 board with the name Michael Carbone Jorudd in April 2009.
Carbone said he legally changed his name in Lake County before the 2009 election. He said he went from Jorudd to Michael Robert Askeland Carbone.
He said his biological father died when he was 1 and he was adopted by his grandfather. He said he took his stepfather's name, Jorudd.
Carbone said he eventually learned his biological father was named Askeland. He said he combined Askeland and his grandfather's name, Carbone, to honor them and not to hide from something.
On the District 46 board, Carbone is known for calling attention to questionable spending and school officials who were involved in ethics investigations this year. He also publicly questioned the hiring of then-board President Mary Garcia's husband for a Grayslake Middle School maintenance job in 2010.
Carbone said he knows he's made some political enemies during his time on the District 46 board.
"I never knew it could get this low, but politics are dirty," Carbone said.


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September 18, 2012 > Early Detection and Prevention of Female Cancers
'Lunch and Learn' Session on Screenings and Risk Reduction
While medical experts continue to make advances in the treatment of various female cancers, early detection and measures to prevent cancer in the first place are still key factors in preventing cancer deaths."The majority of cancers occur 'randomly,' but we are making good progress in creating awareness of lifestyle choices and other factors that can put women at higher risk for cancer," says Dr. Vandana B. Sharma, a medical oncologist on the medical staff at Washington Hospital. "And it is still true that finding cancer at an early stage greatly improves the chances that it can be treated successfully."To help women in the community learn more about the latest screening guidelines for breast, cervical, ovarian and endometrial (uterine) cancers, as well as what lifestyle changes they can make to decrease cancer risks, the Washington Women's Center is offering a Lunch and Learn session featuring Dr. Sharma on Thursday, September 27 from noon to 1 p.m. The Women's Center is located at 2500 Mowry Avenue, Suite 150, in Fremont. Screening Guidelines"There has been some controversy about the screening guidelines for breast cancer," Dr. Sharma says. "The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released recommendations in 2009 for women to begin having screening mammography at age 50, and to have mammograms every two years. Other organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, continue to recommend that women should begin mammography screenings at age 40 - or earlier if they are at high risk - and continue to have a mammogram every year. I will cover the pros and cons of the various screening recommendations to help women understand their options."Earlier this year, the Preventive Services Task Force issued new recommendations for screenings for cervical cancer," she adds. "They now recommend Pap smears for women ages 21 to 65 every three years or, for women ages 30 to 65 who want to have longer screening intervals, a combination of Pap smear and testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause cervical cancer every five years. Women at a high risk for cervical cancer may need to be screened more often. The American Cancer Society recommendations for cervical cancer screenings are similar, but there are some minor differences that we can discuss at the Lunch and Learn session."Dr. Sharma notes that, unfortunately, there currently are no definitive screening tests or exams to find endometrial or ovarian cancer in women who are at average risk and have no symptoms. "Women who are at high risk for either of these cancers should consult their physicians right away if they experience any suspicious symptoms," she cautions. Symptoms of endometrial cancer might include:* Unusual bleeding, spotting or other discharge.* Pelvic pain.* Feeling a lump in the pelvic area.* Unexplained weight loss.Finding ovarian cancer at an early stage is difficult because the ovaries are deep in the body, and many symptoms of ovarian cancer can also be caused by other conditions. Symptoms might include:* Abdominal swelling, especially when accompanied by weight loss.* Pelvic pressure or stomach pain.* Loss of appetite or a sense of being full quickly.* Frequent urination or urinary urgency.* Fatigue.* Pain during sex.* Back pain.* Constipation.* Changes in your menstrual cycle."For breast, uterine and ovarian cancers, it's very important to know your family history, since there can be a strong genetic component to these cancers," Dr. Sharma emphasizes. Risk Reduction and Cancer Prevention"We have known for a long time that leading a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risks for cancer, but there are several recent studies that are highlighting the role that being overweight or obese can play in increasing cancer risk," Dr. Sharma says. "Some studies show, for example, that reducing your weight through proper diet and regular exercise can cut your cancer risk by as much as 50 percent."Other studies have focused on the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption."In terms of breast cancer risk, there are strong data confirming the role of alcohol," Dr. Sharma explains. "Limiting your weekly alcohol consumption to three 4-ounce servings of wine, beer or hard liquor may reduce the incidence of breast cancer by up to 30 percent."Dr. Sharma also recommends limiting your exposure to known carcinogens: "Smoking tobacco can increase your risk for numerous types of cancer, not just lung cancer," she explains. "Also, while it's not strictly a 'female' cancer, you should avoid the UV rays that cause skin cancer. In young women, there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of melanoma, which we believe is related to an increase in the use of tanning beds. The FDA has even issued an alert against using tanning beds. That 'healthy-looking tan' is really not so healthy!"Another possible preventive measure that may make a difference in your cancer risk is to use aspirin on a daily basis. "Regularly taking one full aspirin a day has shown some effectiveness in cutting people's cancer risk," Dr. Sharma says. "It's important to talk with your doctor before starting a daily aspirin regimen, though, because you have to balance the risks for cancer with the risks for internal bleeding that aspirin might cause."Dr. Sharma especially encourages young women to take advantage of the vaccines that have been developed to protect against the HPV infections that are the main cause of cervical cancer. "Cervical cancer is one of the top three cancers worldwide, but with regular Pap smear screenings and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, we have reduced cervical cancer dramatically in the United States," she says. "And now we have an incredible opportunity to prevent most cervical cancers with these anti-viral vaccines. We are hoping that cervical cancer will soon go the way of smallpox and other viral diseases that have been eradicated by vaccines."Think Pink Event Coming in OctoberThe Washington Women's Center will stage its annual Think Pink Event on Tuesday, October 16. The free event celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month and will include an evening of educational lectures, interactive booths, health screenings, and fun activities. The event will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the tent atrium at Washington West at 2500 Mowry Avenue. Please note, the original date of the event was October 18 but has been changed to October 16. To register, visit www.whhs.com