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Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:47 pm
Image courtesy of the essential Elvis record research database, elvisrecords.us
Elvis in the Dark
Daniel Wolff
Careless Love:
The Unmaking of Elvis Presley
by Peter Guralnick.
Little Brown, 1999
$27.95 cloth.
It is April 4, 1960, a little after four in the morning, in a recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and Elvis Presley is sitting in the dark. Since his first record, "That's All Right," appeared on the tiny Sun label, six years earlier, he's had a string of more than thirty hit singles. Ahead of him lie another seventy, but he can't know that. In fact, the twenty-five-year-old doesn't know for sure if or how his career will continue. He's just back from a two-year hitch in the army. Yes, his new record is doing amazingly well, and, yes, he's fresh from a triumphant appearance on a Frank Sinatra TV special. But as he sits in the dark, there's no reason to think that his phenomenal success—or rock & roll itself, for that matter—will last. Using Sinatra as an example, he's recently told Life magazine, "I want to become a good actor, because you can't build a whole career on just singing."
For some, Presley's military induction did, indeed, mark the end of an era. "Elvis died the day he went into the army," John Lennon would declare. According to this mythic version of rock & roll history, the music was born in a blinding flash in July 1954, when country-western, blues, and gospel music mutated in the body of a truck driver from Memphis. The resulting strain lasted four years. Then Elvis was drafted, Jerry Lee Lewis gutted his career by marrying his fourteen-year-old cousin, and Buddy Holly went down in a plane crash in early 1959: "the day the music died."
This version goes on to claim a resurrection, four years later, when the Beatles release "I Want To Hold Your Hand." But, the legend continues, Elvis never again equals the quality of his first, wild, revolutionary sound. He becomes, instead, an institution, carefully handled by his manager, the crafty but crass Colonel Tom Parker. The rest of his career amounts to bad movies, bombastic music, and self-parody (with the brief exception of his 1968 Comeback Special). Various excesses follow, and an early, drug-induced death caps the story.
This familiar narrative forms the basic structure of Careless Love, the second volume in Peter Guralnick's biography of the King. Where the first covered music Guralnick cared about, this book's subtitle sums up the story: "The Unmaking of Elvis Presley." According to the author's note, that process "could almost be called the vanishing of Elvis Presley" (author's italics). And, indeed, as the young star sits in the Nashville studio, he has literally disappeared. "I turned around," reports the session's coproducer, Chet Atkins, "and the lights were all out, and I couldn't see what the hell was going on, and then I hear the guitar and the bass and the Jordanaires humming a little bit, and Elvis started to sing."
The song they're working on is worth looking at in some detail, not only because it typifies a kind of music Presley would pursue in the last half of his life, but also because it seems to support Guralnick's central thesis. It's a ridiculously old-fashioned and inappropriate ballad, which had first been a hit for Al Jolson(!?) more than thirty years earlier. Supposedly, Presley agreed to record it only because it was one of Colonel Parker's favorites. If you buy the thesis put forward in Careless Love, here's a beginning to the downward slide: Elvis as the Colonel's puppet, the wild boy tamed.
The trouble is "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a great record—and a great rock & roll record. It not only shows an astonishing young singer at work, but its popularity on the various segregated music charts suggests that it struck many of the same chords that Presley's early Sun sides had. On the mainstream pop charts, it made the biggest one-week Top 40 jump in history, going from #35 to #2, and Presley's fans helped keep it at #1 for six weeks. Over on the country charts, where the audience was typically seen as white, rural, and conservative, it became a #22 hit. And on the rhythm & blues chart, designed to track Negro music, the white Southerner singing an antique ballad reached #3. The record also went to #1 in England, with worldwide sales estimated at four million.
The song begins with an acoustic guitar and a simple stand-up bass line, then the harmonized "oooo's" of the backup singers, the Jordanaires. The rest of the musicians—drums, electric guitar, saxophone—sit out. This, clearly, isn't the Elvis who tore it up with "That's All Right [Mama]" or "Good Rockin' Tonight," songs which Gural-nick lavishly praised in his first volume, citing "a sense of daring, high-flying good times almost in defiance of societal norms." Here, Elvis enters low in his range and, within the first line—the title line—ascends to a near-falsetto. To Guralnick, this kind of singing is "Italianate" and defines "pop" rather than rock & roll music.
That definition only makes sense if you're willing to exclude from the rock pantheon Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, the Platters, Roy Hamilton, the Everly Brothers, Jackie Wilson, and a number of other artists who produced melodic, sophisticated hits in the early Sixties, after the music "died." Their songs were not only good for slow dancing (as essential to the rock & roll phenomenon as the rip-'em-up sound), but they had a bravura emotional quality that could, indeed, be traced back to Jolson by way of Bing Crosby, Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, and—one of Presley's favorites—Dean Martin. For a purist, this doesn't count as rock history. What's it got to do, after all, with leather jackets and shaking up the staid Eisenhower years?
By the end of the second line, Elvis has established his right to this ballad legacy. Listen to how he phrases "Do you miss me tonight?" ending in a breathy tenderness that's almost scary in its intimacy. With the song barely begun, the quality and conviction of his voice have pulled you into the darkness and answered each question as it's asked: yes, you're lonesome; yes, you've missed him.
It is an antique vehicle he's trying to ride, and that becomes obvious in the first verse, when he sings about the "chairs in your parlor." But if the King of Rock & Roll sees anything ludicrous or inappropriate about this setting, he overcomes it with a hint of anger, a low growl to his voice, which passes so quickly you can't be sure it was there. What you do know, by now, is the basic structure of the song. Each line goes from this low range (which reads, if not as rage, certainly as deep passion) to a high note of vulnerability and tenderness. And the sense follows the sound, as each line asks an increasingly emotional question, culminating in the ultimate—"Shall I come back, again?" —before returning to wondering if you/she/we are lonesome tonight.
Any song directed towards an unnamed "you" works on several levels. There's the specific person the singer seems to be addressing, a "sweetheart" he kissed "one bright summer day," now departed. Then, there's the listener who puts her or himself into the role. For the screaming Elvis fans or the casual listener spinning the radio dial, this intimate voice makes a direct connection. But the "you" is general enough to include more than that. If we accept that Elvis is an artist (something that even his fans and admirers have often found hard to do), then we can conceive that the singer, sitting there in the darkened studio, might be addressing that amorphous thing, his public. Choosing to record this ballad and to do it straight, with almost embarrassing conviction, was bound to send a message. He's been gone two years, the papers have been full of speculation on whether he'll be able to regain his rock & roll crown, and he sings, "Shall I come back, again? / Tell me, dear, are you lonesome, tonight?"
The singer Guralnick describes would never be that self-aware. Part and parcel of the myth is that Elvis didn't really know what he was doing; he just was. Those early Sun years were the product of an astonishing, inexplicable, instinctual creativity. If there was someone with a vision, Guralnick argued in Volume One of his biography, it was Sam Phillips, the owner and producer at Sun Records. It's Phillips and Chester Burnett (a.k.a. Howling Wolf) who are, according to Guralnick's dedication to an earlier book, "the real heroes of rock 'n' roll." In Careless Love, that position is filled by the Colonel. Guralnick doesn't always agree with his decisions, but he regularly refers to Parker's "carefully conceived strategy" surrounding this or that career move. He's the brains of the operation.
In contrast, when Guralnick praises Presley, it's usually Elvis reverting to his feeling, unthinking self. In a 1961 performance in Hawaii, Guralnick says, "he forgets the words, even loses the structure of the song, but embraces the moment with pure, uninhibited feeling." When Presley succeeds within a song's structure, it's because he "poured himself into it in a way that had nothing to do with craftsmanship, nothing to do with professionalism…" While the performances that Guralnick finds to commend in the last nineteen years of Presley's life are rare enough ("Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is not one of them), the criterion—Elvis as an unselfconscious force of nature—is remarkably consistent. So, "If I Can Dream," the stunning conclusion to the 1968 comeback TV special, is "one of those rare instances where Elvis pays no attention to formal boundaries." The special itself "all comes down to that one moment in which not just self-consciousness, but consciousness itself, is lost…" And as the star ages, Guralnick reminds us that "honesty, sincerity, the purely instinctual gut-level response—that was what his music was all about, it was what it had always been about" (author's italics).
In later years, Presley would make fun of the next part of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and it's certainly ripe for it. Just when his sweet, secure singing has won us over, he drops it for a spoken recitation. "You know," he intones, "someone said, 'The world's a stage, and each must play a part.'" The melancholy Jacques, in As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII, actually says: "All the world's a stage, // And all the men and women merely players…" Never mind. We get that it's the metaphor of life as a scripted, fated thing, with an additional hint of falseness—of acting as opposed to feeling. It's our first indication that the song might be about more than lovesickness.
As it turns out, the narrator has been betrayed. His sweetheart never really cared about him; she's been "reading her lines" from the first. And, hokey as the technique might be, the song calls for Presley to illustrate that she's been acting by acting himself. He drops the seductive quality of singing to speak directly to her. Which means, of course, directly to us. A month after this recording session, Elvis is scheduled to go out to Hollywood to shoot G.I. Blues, the first in a series of post-army movies that will occupy him for much of the next decade. Like Sinatra, he's going to sustain his career by becoming an actor. Here, in this song, is a sample of how it might work: a combination of dramatics and singing.
In Guralnick's scenario of the vanishing Elvis, the movies are more than just awful. They are the Colonel's idea, done against Presley's will, and add up to "a trivialization of his music," as Guralnick writes of Blue Hawaii, where "he is forced to publicly repudiate his commitment to rock 'n' roll." Many of his movies were terrible; they were also very successful. In the United States, Blue Hawaii was the second highest grossing film the week of its release and ended at fourteenth overall for 1962. Overseas, where Presley never toured, his films had an immense influence on how people thought rock & roll looked and acted. Over and over again, he played charismatic, moderately rebellious heroes, who pushed the limits of acceptable behavior without breaking them. To Guralnick, this goes against "the very image of rebellion that had always defined" Elvis, although he has to admit that it was "not really all that removed from the aspects of the real Elvis Presley that aspired to middle-class respectability." It's this "real Elvis" that keeps disappointing his biographer.
In "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Elvis fashions a performance which deals specifically with this issue: the dangers of acting, in particular, and of being manipulated, in general. "You read your lines so cleverly," he says in the monologue, "and never missed a cue." Then, after a weighted pause, Presley gets to the actual moment of betrayal: "Honey, you lied." From here on, everything he says or sings includes this betrayal. The way he puts across that awareness is by rolling out his Mississippi accent on the word "lied." We hear the country in his voice, and it creates a strange disturbance in the middle of the song, as if he were suddenly drawing attention to himself, to the Southerner saying the lines. As a listener and a fan, if you're still enjoying the fantasy that Elvis is speaking directly to you—that you are the sweetheart—it's a disturbing moment.
Your heart-throb has just turned. The switch in his speaking voice comes right at the moment when there's a shift in the logic of the song: now, he's calling you a liar, and you have to either accept that idea, or quickly decide he's not really talking to you. But if you look for relief in the notion that he's actually addressing that broader "you," the general public, the song is about the relationship between the star and his audience. And the star is saying the world out there, beyond the darkened studio, not only can turn and drop its idols as quickly as it embraced them, but that it never really cared. "Honey, you lied when you said you loved me."
People often cite as proof of the "unmaking" of Elvis the songs he chose to record in later years. "Suspicious Minds," "Stranger In My Own Home-town," "There Goes My Everything" become evidence of the star "caught in a trap," whether his failed marriage and isolated lifestyle, or his fading career. But "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" argues that Presley was interested in the theme of betrayal early on and in a larger context. Faced with deceit, the singer strikes a bargain. "I'd rather go on hearing your lies," he says, "than to go on living without you." It's quite a confession to make to your audience.
It leaves the narrator on a bare stage, the illusion of truth and love gone, "emptiness all around." Here, in a line, is the picture Careless Love spends 750 pages painting. Here is the artist betrayed, isolated, compromised past the point of understanding. It foreshadows all the images we have of Presley, years later, holed up in his bedroom, the windows covered with tinfoil, seeing only his women and a hand-picked group of insiders, the Memphis Mafia. Except the myth would have it that the poor, drugged Southern boy had no idea what hit him, where the song stands as evidence to the contrary. In "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" the narrator knows what reality is and knows that he's giving it up.
Careless Love paints a picture of a man who is virtually unaware of the outside world. When we're told that Presley wept at JFK's assassination and stayed in front of the TV for days to watch the aftermath, that common response comes as a shock. Given this book's portrait, we're surprised that Elvis even knew who Kennedy was. Careless Love covers the years 1960 through 1977 but manages to mention Dr. Martin Luther King only once, and the civil rights movement, the Summer of Love, and the Vietnam War only in passing. Arguably, this is because Guralnick has tried, as he says in his introduction, "to tell the story as much as possible from Elvis's point of view." But the result is a narrative disconnected from history and culture.
Elvis may have ended up, as the song puts it, with emptiness all around, but it was a particularly Southern emptiness. Presley's taste for peanut butter and banana sandwiches didn't come out of nowhere. Nor did his passion for pink Cadillacs, gospel music, and amusement parks. One way to understand Presley's life is as a regional and generational dream writ large. Of course, if you're trying to make the argument that he was an inexplicable original, an aberration, then context only hurts your cause. In Careless Love, everything from Presley's loyalty towards his relatives to his collection of sheriff's badges happens in a void.
Even if you're willing to accept that Elvis existed in his own universe, that doesn't mean that we, the readers, have to. In November 1960, when "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was released, Kennedy had just been elected president, and the social changes that rock & roll is often associated with—that Presley is often credited with beginning—were under way. The listeners who propelled the single to the top of the charts put down their money for this haunting, slightly antique tune in the midst of the Cold War, when pop music ran the gamut from the #1 song Presley's single displaced—the r&b snap of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' "Stay"—to the tune that eventually bumped him—the lush cocktail music of "Wonderland by Night" by Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra.
And a little context makes the song's crossover strength into the r&b market even more extraordinary. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" sold to a Negro audience that had begun its rebellion against the old South and the very "parlor" values that Presley's song seems to embody. As he recites in the Nashville studio, sit-in protests have spread to thirty-one cities in eight Southern states. During the time the record is on the charts, the first Freedom Riders set out to desegregate Southern bus terminals. It isn't that the song, or Presley's performance, reflect these social changes. But the record spoke to people living through these times, and a biography that fails to mention this runs the risk of being more insular than its subject.
As the singer comes to the end of the spoken narrative, he melodramatically declares that if his sweetheart won't come back, "they can bring the curtain down." The song's emotional ride could end on that note, with the grandiose, adolescent threat of suicide, but it doesn't. The narrator, instead, returns to his singing voice and to the original series of questions. They're changed, now, by what he's been through—and put us through. "Is your heart," he sings, "filled with pain?" The first time he gave us those lines it was with a sweet innocence. Now, on both the words "heart" and "pain," his voice corkscrews up to the tremulous part of his range, as if he doubts she has a heart—or knows what real pain is.
Then he takes a deep breath, and, when he phrases the next question, it begins as almost a roar. Presley is in adult voice: a baritone that was occasionally in evidence on the early Sun sides and became more and more pronounced as he got older. It's his way of conveying the bravery (and maybe stupidity) of someone deciding to walk back into a relationship based on a lie. "Shall I come back?" he asks: angry, ashamed, aware of what he's asking. For the sweetheart, and for the listener/public, it's a kind of challenge: are we going to enter into this deal with him? If we are, we'll be just as aware, just as potentially self-destructive, as he is. The quality of his voice translates "Shall I come back?" into "Can you take it?" Can you accept the fact that we're going to live with a lie, that this is the way the world works?
It's this voice that will grow more pronounced during the last two-thirds of Presley's recording career, and it's this voice Guralnick can never quite embrace. His favorite description of songs like "It's Now or Never," "Can't Help Falling In Love," or "Suspicions" is "sentimental" and "melodramatic." His opinion is that the roaring crescendo, often, "all but overwhelmed the song." Any listener to middle and late Elvis knows what he means. There was a rolling, thunderous tone that came from deep in the singer's chest and that he called up—complete with orchestra and back-up singers—to bring a song crashing to its end. When it works, it's a sound of transcendence, as if he were trying to rise out of himself. Listen, especially, to Presley's gospel recordings: "How Great Thou Art," "Stand By Me." When it doesn't work, it rattles into bombast. But, either way, it's the sound of a man. Not a rockabilly kid, not an innocent, not an untutored genius, but a grown-up.
It's no coincidence that this voice works so well in gospel; its clearest antecedent is in the work of religious quartets like the Statesmen, the Stamps, the Harmonizing Four, and the Golden Gate Quartet. Elvis loved this kind of music, and, while Guralnick recognizes that, he never tells us why. He's much more comfortable with how rock & roll ties into blues and country-western than these deep harmonies about Jesus. He doesn't seem to appreciate that for those raised on gospel, white or black, this particular vocal quality equals spirituality. It is the instantly recognizable sound of a man trying to fill emptiness with faith.
Guralnick concedes that the session for Presley's 1966 gospel album, How Great Thou Art, produced "some of Elvis's warmest, most profoundly felt work," but compare that to his praise for the early Sun sessions: "It was as if he were reborn." And place it next to the insightful description of "How Great Thou Art" in Ernst Jorgensen's Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, and you get the feeling that the best Guralnick can manage is to acknowledge the achievement. It isn't simply that Jorgensen likes the music more, although that helps. He's interested in where the singer is going and gives us a portrait of Presley as an artist: crafting his performance, rehearsing with his colleagues, refining a sound he heard in his head. Jorgensen writes:
In the studio it became clear that Elvis's months of practice at home had paid off: he knew the song inside and out, instructing the singers on the powerful lead-in during a brief, fifteen-minute rehearsal before the final take. Elvis sang with sincerity and dedication, in a slower tempo than the Statesmen's version that accentuated the spirituality of the material, and allowed him to build the song into a powerful anthem. He had crafted for himself an ad-hoc arrangement in which he took every part of the four-part vocal, from Big Chief's bass intro to the soaring heights of the song's operatic climax. In an extraordinary fulfillment of his vocal ambitions, he had become a kind of one-man quartet, making the song both a personal challenge and a tribute to the singing style he'd always loved.
By the time Presley uses this gospel voice, "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is about to end. But there's one more twist. When he asks the final question—the song's title question—he produces a sound that we haven't heard before. As he sits in the dark, the Jordanaires humming behind him, he rises to the word "lonesome" and attacks it in a nasal quiver. He's way up in his high range, past choir-boy tenderness and into an eerie near-falsetto. You might recognize the tone from Buddy Holly, who used it on "Peggy Sue" and "Rave On": an edgy, rebellious, otherworldly sound. It passes in an instant, but, in that instant, what we get is an unmistakable sneer.
"I bet you're lonesome tonight," Presley seems to be saying, and this is a different kind of anger—a sarcastic rage, like Bob Dylan asking Mr. Jones if he knows what's happening here. It's not only a long way from the character who began singing the song, but a long way from the Elvis Presley Guralnick most admires, the one who "represented the innocence that had made the country great…" (author's italics). It's a knowing voice, an accusatory voice, which only makes sense now that we've come to the end. "Are you lonesome?" has become a question posed to someone who doesn't understand the meaning of the word, who never really loved, who's been acting all along.
That someone is us. "Fate," Presley told us in an earlier section of the song, had him "playing in love," just as fate made him an icon for millions of adoring fans. But it isn't fate, now. We've struck a bargain with the singer: a whole, complicated tangle we're not particularly willing to take apart. He uses a rock & roll voice to point it out, because it's a particularly rock & roll moment, piercing the conventions of the old ballad. "Lonesome?" he asks, and the edge to his voice cuts the question wide open.
The New York Times has all but crowned Careless Love Presley's official biography. "[It] is not simply the finest rock-and-roll biography ever written. It must be ranked among the most ambitious and crucial biographical undertakings yet devoted to a major American figure of the second half of the 20th century." There's no question that Guralnick's done a fine job of pulling together a myriad of sources. His extensive research offers us exhaustive (if often exhausting) detail. On the occasions when Guralnick seems authentically excited by what Elvis is doing—his Comeback Special, a performance in Hawaii—he offers vivid description. His portraits of the Colonel, of Priscilla, of the atmosphere around Graceland, though not new, are well done. The net result is a useful but not very compelling book for those who want all the facts in one place.
But "ambitious and crucial?" That suggests a degree of analysis that Guralnick never even attempts. He makes his main point when he divides the biography into two volumes, supporting the questionable distinction between the young Elvis and the old while coming down heavily on the side of the former. The best of Elvis (like the best of rock & roll?) was adolescent: a "purely instinctual gut level response." The result is that Careless Love becomes a kind of morality tale. Our hero is born with a magical talent that breaks all the rules and makes him King, but he is (inevitably?) punished for it. The Times is praising an approach to Presley which successfully neutralizes whatever threat he posed to "societal norms." "If only," the biographer writes, "he had been able to approach recording consistently as an art." Instead, the rebel with his "innocent transparency" ends up fat and dead.
Whether or not you like the music Presley produced in the last half of his life, millions of listeners loved it. To dismiss the music is to dismiss them, and arguing that Elvis couldn't grow up (he could only "unmake") implies the same about his audience. But a close listen to recordings such as "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" reveals that they are anything but innocent or immature. In fact, they offer a far more complicated look at what it means to be an adult than does Careless Love. Which is why Jorgensen's volume—even though it's essentially an expanded discography—offers the more interesting and convincing portrait. Published to much less fanfare, Elvis Presley: A Life In Music describes a creative, troubled artist at work. Here is a dangerous man, dangerous because of his ability, even towards the sad end of his life, to inflame emotions and create beauty.
In his later years, Elvis spoke of his mission as simply trying to "make people happy with music." It's a humble enough goal, a lot more difficult than it sounds, and he worked hard to make himself successful at it. Careless Love may leave us in the dark as to how and why the last twenty years of Presley's music touched so many. But, luckily, Elvis doesn't. Out of the darkness comes his voice.
Daniel Wolff is the author of You Send Me, a biography of Sam Cooke.
He lives in Nyack, New York, and writes frequently for The Threepenny Review.
Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:34 am
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heathbarclay wrote:That's a very articulate piece of writing. However, even if he did produce his own biography of Elvis, the "die has been cast" with Guralnick's second volume, which reinforced the prevailing "rock critic's" view of Elvis' post 50s career. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to "unmake" this view.
Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:08 pm
chris j wrote:When Guralnick spoke in London some years ago, he said that he only ever saw Elvis once and that was at the Boston concert of 10th November 1971, and that after that he knew he didn't want to see Elvis again. This to me was an extremely shocking confession, and threw an entirely different light on his attitude towards Elvis and the latter part of his career. I wondered in that case why he had bothered to devote all that time to the writing of Careless Love.
Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:26 am
Gregory Nolan Jr. wrote:chris j wrote:When Guralnick spoke in London some years ago, he said that he only ever saw Elvis once and that was at the Boston concert of 10th November 1971, and that after that he knew he didn't want to see Elvis again. This to me was an extremely shocking confession, and threw an entirely different light on his attitude towards Elvis and the latter part of his career. I wondered in that case why he had bothered to devote all that time to the writing of Careless Love.
I like Guralnick (actually was always a big fan of his blues & country essays and reviews even before his Elvis bios) but this fact, if true, says it all and confirms a lot of what Wolff suggests.
What a read - thanks for the post, John Carpenter!
Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:31 am
Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:31 am
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Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:32 am
Daryl wrote:Is that the same Daniel Wolff that wrote the Sam Cooke bio?
Daniel Wolff is the author of You Send Me, a biography of Sam Cooke.
He lives in Nyack, New York, and writes frequently for The Threepenny Review.
Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:24 am
Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:43 am
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Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:52 pm
chris j wrote:I got the first question in, and politely berated him for undervaluing Elvis's career in the 70s.
Sat Mar 20, 2010 7:25 am
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Manchester City preserved their 100% home record at the expense of Liverpool's attempt to climb back to the top of the table, coming from a goal down to secure the points that took them past their north-west rivals to go second behind Arsenal.
Two sides attempting to win produced an enthralling contest, even if all the goals came in the first half along with most of the controversy. Brendan Rodgers was so annoyed at Liverpool having a valid goal disallowed he appeared to question Lee Mason's integrity in wondering why a Greater Manchester (Bolton) referee had been appointed to the match. Liverpool's manager can expect to be charged by the Football Association for his comments.
"I was surprised to see that the referee came from Greater Manchester," he said. "If it was City v Liverpool at Anfield I don't think we would get a referee from the Wirral." He thought Mason was not alone in his ineptitude. "It was a horrendous performance from all the officials. Nothing went our way at all."
Gamely Rodgers withdrew Lucas Leiva towards the end to get another forward on in search of a point, while City ended up sending on Javier García as extra insurance. It was a close contest that could have gone either way, though City had the stand-out performer in Álvaro Negredo and made a much better job of shackling Luis Suárez and Raheem Sterling in the second half.
Ultimately the game was decided by what was either a sublime finish by Negredo or a basic goalkeeping error, depending on your point of view. Certainly Simon Mignolet did not appear to be expecting Negredo to attempt to score in the way he did.
Joe Hart, on the other hand, made a first-half save at a crucial point and seems to be back in Manuel Pellegrini's good books. "It was good for Joe to have a rest," the City manager said. "He is back to his best now. The team showed personality in coming back from one-nil down. We could not afford to lose to Liverpool, it would have been like losing four points."
City were at Liverpool right from the start, with Jesús Navas heading against a post after five minutes and Vincent Kompany and Yaya Touré seeing goal attempts flash narrowly wide. Negredo missed the target from close to the penalty spot after Aleksandar Kolarov's cross from the left before Suárez reminded the home side of the danger of pressing too far forward with a slick pass that played Sterling into the empty space behind City's high defensive line.
It was a pass worthy of bringing about the opening goal and in fact should have done, since Sterling rounded Hart with ease to pass the ball into the net, only to be brought back for an offside flag that replays showed to be incorrect.
"It wasn't even a difficult decision," Rodgers fumed. "It was a perfectly timed run and at this level you have to get those calls right."
While Suárez too showed visible indignation when news of the error was relayed to him on the pitch, his reaction was to remain calm and repeat the formula to create a goal that did count. Taking a pass from Jordan Henderson the Uruguayan again picked out Sterling's run with a first-time flick, and though Hart this time forced him wide of the goal Philippe Coutinho was in support and stepped in to sidefoot past the goalkeeper.
City needed to strike back quickly and did, Kompany cancelling Liverpool's advantage by beating Martin Skrtel to a David Silva corner on the half hour, though it still needed a smart close-range save from Hart to prevent Coutinho restoring the visitors' lead before the interval. Again Suárez and Sterling had been involved in the build-up, finding space in the City half and making good use of it, yet the home side produced some incisive and inventive passing of their own to finish the first half ahead.
Negredo might have scored a couple of minutes earlier than he did when a strong run and measured pass from Fernandino gave him a sight of goal that a combination of Skrtel and Mignolet snuffed out. Undeterred he scored with his next attempt, when precise passing by Samir Nasri and Navas sliced open the Liverpool defence and Negredo shot early and not particularly powerfully with the outside of his right boot, yet his effort from the edge of the area surprised Mignolet, who got a weak hand to the ball that only helped it over the line. If Negredo had spotted that the goalkeeper was slightly off his line and deliberately attempted to chip him it was an audacious, almost Suárez-like finish, though having managed to reach the ball Mignolet should not have been beaten by a shot with so little behind it.
Liverpool had a brief chance to draw level at the start of the second half, when Henderson was correctly judged to be offside in getting in the way of a Suárez shot, before Negredo demonstrated some impressive ball skills in the centre circle then tried to chip Mignolet again, without success. Once in the lead City sensibly restrained their attacking ambitions, pulling Touré and Fernandinho further back to deny Liverpool's strikers space and leaving just Silva and Navas to help Negredo forage up front. Hart still needed to make saves from Glen Johnson and Henderson to keep his side in front, though the threat from Suárez, in particular, was reduced in the second half.
On the one occasion the Liverpool captain did break free he found Sterling in front of goal with an inviting pass, only to discover the teenager's finishing does not quite match his positional sense. Sterling put the chance over the crossbar. Had the roles been reversed, one could not help but feel, Suárez would have made more of the opportunity. Frustrated, Suárez ended the game with a ludicrously optimistic goal attempt from a 30-yard free-kick then an absurdly exaggerated dive in the penalty area when his shirt was being pulled. He missed out both times, then picked up a slightly harsh booking for a foul on Hart. Suárez will not stop trying, but evidently he cannot perform miracles every week.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Busted. He does what she says
As I stood there, my cock thickening, Abby reached underneath her long t-shirt and pulled down the panties she was wearing. It was quite possibly the sexiest thing I'd ever seen. I stared down at her bare legs as she slowly pulled one foot out and then the other. She stood back up straight and tossed the panties to me. They were warm, almost hot to the touch. "Now…" She said softly...Read On
Added: 14 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 1,512 |
Tags: masturbation panties
| 13 Comments
Wife exposed in restaurant
A couple of years ago, we had seats for the Wales vs France match in the six nation's championship, and so booked a small cottage that we sometimes use near Cardiff. My lovely wife Mandy, dressed for the forthcoming evening in her new white studded blouse, under her favourite black tux style jacket and jeans. Then got well wrapped for the match up in her warm Puffa jacket. We were on such...Read On
Added: 14 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.84 |
Words: 1,746 |
Tags: tits boobs restaurant public flashing no sex
| 8 Comments
Fun day masturbating for my wife's friends
As part of a class reunion, my wife had invited four of her girlfriends over to our house for a party. She made me promise that I would be the man slave and serve them whatever they wanted. I picked the girls up at the airport and after dinner we all went downstairs to the basement because all the girls wanted to dance. My wife had decorated the room with posters of beefy men and had put...Read On
Added: 11 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.38 |
Words: 696 |
Tags: exhibitionism masturbation bisexual
| 7 Comments
An upskirt shoe store fantasy ... with toys and sex ... duh!
The fact that Belinda had brought the new toy with her means she must have at least suspected that I would go too far and end up fucking the shoe store guy; I felt a little hurt at this presumption but also a little giddy with love for her that she knew me so well. Oh my God, this was a toy from a gothic torture fantasy! The reason I didn't recognise it at first was because it was...Read On
Added: 11 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 4,578 |
Tags: upskirt toys voyeur feet shoes
| 6 Comments
A private encounter in a dressing room suddenly becomes very public.
I remember the first time I saw Dale's wife. She looked too young to be his, yet too old to be acting like a drunken college girl. So I have to guess that puts her actual age somewhere around the mid-thirties - to - late forties. She's old enough to have a barely legal daughter. And that daughter is the whole reason I became a client of Samson & Associates. I met Dale at a coffee shop a...Read On
Added: 10 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.8 |
Words: 4,227 |
Tags: interracial teen caught public sex creampie humiliated daughter
| 2 Comments
"Hello. Namaste," he said, his voice was accented with the clipped precise consonants that were so familiar from my parents and their friends. "Welcome to Sundara. My name is Rajit. How can I be of assistance?" I could feel the cotton of my summer school dress brushing across my bare pussy and felt completely exposed, like I was standing on a mirrored floor. Here goes. "Namaste," I...Read On
Added: 10 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 7,413 |
Tags: upskirt toys feet shoes voyeur
| 6 Comments
Flying first class always has its advantages.
The drone of the jet engines had a soothing effect on me and finally I felt myself relaxing. We, my hubby and I, were taking a weekend break and Amsterdam was the destination. I had been toying with the idea for the last couple of weeks and decided it was now or never. My workaholic husband was driving himself into an early grave due to a ridiculous deadline set by his newest client, and...Read On
Added: 09 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 9,205 |
Tags: voyeur masturbation oral sex facial sex in public
| 15 Comments
The VIP wife consents to live sex show
Len could barely believe his naked wife was trussed up in a sexual restraining device. He was thrilled when she agreed to the second show yet, wondered how Char could be comfortable when she knew she had an audience watching her sexual performance. But the second show didn't start like this. ***** As soon as Char rejoined Len following her part in the magic act she needed both of the...Read On
Added: 09 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.86 |
Words: 3,521 |
Tags: magic sex sexual magic
| 9 Comments
Prologue Hello readers, this is Rupali. I know what you're thinking: if Rupali is writing the foreword for one of Belinda's "Headmaster" stories then her secret mystery man is no longer a mystery. It's true; I know his identity. I feel a bit late to the party because her readers knew so long ago but … well I'm one of you now; no more secrets. The story that follows is – Belinda tells me...Read On
Added: 09 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.8 |
Words: 4,205 |
Tags: upskirt toys voyeur shoes feet
| 3 Comments
I live out yet another fantasy with the hottest man on the planet
Friday, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving 2014, was a cloudless sunny day, although it rained the day before and the day after. My hot boyfriend, Vince, spent Thanksgiving morning in bed watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV with me. Then we had a sweet fuck before rushing off to a family holiday meal. Then all night slowly enjoying each other back in my bed, in all of...Read On
Added: 08 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.7 |
Words: 1,336 |
Tags: outdoor sex fantasy role playing
| 7 Comments
A wife follows her instructions and they lead to her exhibition and pleasure
Buzzzzz . You pick up your phone to see a new message from me. "Tonight you are all mine. When you get home, I want you to take a warm bubble bath, grab a glass of wine, and relax. I will text you again on my way home, and I need you lying naked on the bed before I get home." Your mind races as you wonder what I have in plan for you tonight. You snap back into your work and continue...Read On
Added: 02 Dec 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.67 |
Words: 1,897 |
Tags: exhibitionism webcam cam flashing couple submissive bondage
| 3 Comments
My boss gets handsy at work, and so does Levi
After putting on a good show for my neighbor Levi on Saturday night, I awoke Sunday morning with the desire to do it again – and immediately. I jumped up to turn off my alarm clock, then sat back on my bed and struggled with the temptation before me. I had felt surprisingly comfortable with pleasuring myself in front of Levi's attic window the night before, having him watch me plow...Read On
Added: 27 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 6,751 |
Tags: virgin teen striptease voyeur neighbor masturbation fondling
| 3 Comments
My adventures begin with a life-changing encounter
The alarm clock woke me early Saturday morning, wrenching me from a delicious dream. I cursed the beeping monster and my bright idea to keep it on the other side of my loft bedroom. Each shrill was a mocking cackle, reminding me that I had been so close to the dreamy climax I would never now reach. Rolling out of bed, I could feel my wetness drip down my legs. My inner thighs gliding...Read On
Added: 25 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 5,212 |
Tags: voyeur neighbor virgin teen masturbation
| 7 Comments
Wife's 'accidental' nip slip
My husband had just left for work, the sun was breaking through the bedroom curtains. I was feeling particularly horny, and so could not resist slipping my hand down to feel the smooth contours of my recently shaved mound. As usual my mind flashed through my most memorable sexy experiences, finally reliving a thrilling experience that happened on the day that my husband Dave, had arrange for...Read On
Added: 25 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.95 |
Words: 1,140 |
Tags: exposed boob tit breast stranger public
| 11 Comments
I started out as a good girl...
"You're not going to show these to anyone, are you?" I implored, as I hesitantly un-hooked my bra and let my bare breasts fall into view of the camera lens perched atop a tripod only a few feet in front of me. My lips pouted with an unconscious tremble, knowing this was the moment of my surrender. Regardless of how ingenuous an answer I received, this was the turning point, after which I could...Read On
Added: 23 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.99 |
Words: 3,753 |
Tags: exhibitionism straight-sex nudity
| 86 Comments
This is a true story of when I accidentally exposed myself to some strangers.
I lived in a two-story colonial at the time. I arrived home mid morning after a very long night at work. After sending the babysitter home, I went to the laundry room in the basement, took off my work clothes and threw them into the hamper. I went back upstairs and proceeded to take a shower. I needed to wash off all my night sweat. The warm water felt great against my sore body. The...Read On
Added: 21 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.97 |
Words: 2,964 |
Tags: exposure masturbation enf true
| 23 Comments
I continue to fulfill my wife's fantasy
Recap So I had begun to fulfill my wife's ambition of becoming an Embarrassed Nude Female by exposing her firstly to strangers passing by our window at night. I then took her to the beach to expose her to the elements and finally I had tricked her into walking through a valet office totally naked. This is how that weekend concluded… Saturday Evening – Room Service I had decided...Read On
Added: 17 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.82 |
Words: 1,539 |
Tags: embarrassed nude female enf exhibitionist dare public
| 6 Comments
A chance meeting between online lovers
As I walked along the road at the end of a long week of work I was fighting back the tiredness. My friends and I were looking forward to a few drinks but I'd had a late night the night before, so was planning just to have a couple and then head home. "Why were you up so late?" my friend asked. "Just couldn't get to sleep," I replied, trying to hide the smile that crept across my face. ...Read On
Added: 13 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.67 |
Words: 1,221 |
Tags: masturbation exhibitionism bar
| 5 Comments
Carol wanted to have sex outdoors and be watched by others
Carol wanted to have sex outdoors. It wasn't just that having sex outdoors was risky or different. It was the exhibition or being seen aspect that excited her. One early summer evening she asked me to drive a few miles outside the center of town, and up a long, tree lined dirt road to a hidden pond favored by undergraduate students for swimming and other adventures. I thought we were going...Read On
Added: 10 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 3,584 |
Tags: outdoor sex exhibitionism hand job blow job orgasms cum anal play
| 6 Comments
I had a taste and now I craved more
The rest of the weekend flew by, however the next three days of school seemed to drag on forever. Vincent had been busy working on a project for school, so we hadn't had our usual opportunity to sneak away to the construction site for quick toke and stroke. Finally, Thursday rolled around and Vincent was free to whisk me away. We headed out the period before lunch, knowing that we would...Read On
Added: 07 Nov 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 1,878 |
Tags: sex back seat audience series
| 6 Comments
It was the perfect start to a perfect evening.
I loved meeting at a bar. It was intimate and personal – yet also public and strangely erotic. I got there a little early and sat at the end of the bar. I was anxious – it had been awhile since we'd last seen each other. I was dressed to impress. Impress you, that is. Black fishnets – crotchless of course. Black shelf bra – leaving my nipples straining out the top. High, black boots. A...Read On
Added: 30 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.9 |
Words: 774 |
Tags: public erotic taboo squirting masturbation orgasm
| 23 Comments
I Love To Show Off For My Husband's Pleasure
Two years ago, my husband and I visited Australia. Sharing a motor home with my brother and his wife left us little opportunity to pander to each other's pleasures, and we so decided to stopover in Bali for an amorous seven days on our trip back. For this beach hotel and island tour, I had packed a separate suitcase containing only the bare essentials for the hot climate, mainly a couple...Read On
Added: 30 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.8 |
Words: 8,788 |
Tags: show off naked wife voyeur
| 9 Comments
Bonnie is sold for a night at a charity auction.
This is a chapter from my book Office Sluts 3: Travels Abroad. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Okay, I will tell you everything," Bonnie said. "But give me a half an hour first." I agreed. She looked like she could use some rest; her cheeks were red, and her hair was messy and sloppy. I helped her undress. She went into the bathroom and took a long...Read On
Added: 28 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 1,066 |
Tags: blowjob slut master auction elevator cumshot oral
| 3 Comments
Her Neighbour spies on her and she loves it
The Voyeur… At 2:12 p.m. precisely, her car purrs onto her driveway, its tyres crunching upon the white gravel. The door swings open to reveal a pair of black leather stilettos perched on the end of shapely, nylon enveloped legs. The driver eases herself from the car before reaching back inside to retrieve her handbag and laptop. Her rounded ass points skyward as she stoops,...Read On
Added: 26 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 5,881 |
Tags: exhib voy milf slut-wife masturbation orgas
| 13 Comments
An insight into how I became what I am today
I sat on my bed thinking about how I ended up this way. I never imagined my life would turn out this way, but I think I actually like it. I was working as a legal secretary for a large firm of solicitors. Some of us decided to go for an after work drink. Gradually as the evening went on, my colleagues all drifted off home until I was the last one left. I wasn't in a rush to get home to my...Read On
Added: 21 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.67 |
Words: 1,611 |
Tags: pvc control lifestyle led astray slutty
| 2 Comments
I just cannot help myself.. another adventure in my sluttly life
Another long day at work, finding myself drifting off into fantasy land just wishing my boss would take me into his back office and have his way with me. I stand about 5'7; still have my nice young firm breast that my long dark hair just brushes up against. I always make sure to wear outfits that hug every slender curve and make it near impossible to avert your eyes away from. I can feel...Read On
Added: 19 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 862 |
Tags: slut quickie car voyeur oral
| 18 Comments
The Happiest Place on Earth just got happier! Based on true events
Thank you to my good friend Melody, for providing the inspiration for this tale~ As we ride the monorail, it's dark and quiet. I relax against the seat, enjoying the time with you. I'm a bit tired, resting on the hard blue bench, chuckling as you swing around gleefully on the handlebars in the compartment. As we reach the Contemporary, I see a gleam in your eye. Suddenly, you swing onto...Read On
Added: 18 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.8 |
Words: 1,293 |
Tags: straight sex disney seduction dominance sumbission slight degradation orgasm denial
| 1 Comment
After a night out a couple finds a public play place
It was late at night. Very late! She and Tom were walking home after a great night of drinking and dancing in town. Giggling they made their way up Frankton Street up towards the overbridge. The night around them was quiet, most people were sound asleep, but as they reached the overbridge she could see the lights of cars rushing past beneath it. It was surprising the number of cars...Read On
Added: 17 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.75 |
Words: 1,250 |
Tags: outdoor mmf group night
| 6 Comments
I begin to fulfill my wife's fantasy of becoming an Embarrassed Nude Female.
Friday Afternoon I came home from work to find my wife upstairs in our bedroom, where she was sitting cross-legged with her laptop on the bed in front of her. I smiled as I entered the room. It was unusual for my wife to be sitting here instead of the living room downstairs. "I want to be her," my wife said, motioning to the screen of her laptop. I frowned a little as I took off...Read On
Added: 12 Oct 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 4.79 |
Words: 1,709 |
Tags: embarrassed nude female enf exhibitionist dare public
| 9 Comments
Married couple has until Christmas morning to seduce their friends
******** RIA ******** When I was a teenager, I spent practically every other night sleeping over at my friend Lois's house. We'd stay up as late as we could, usually just gossiping about boys and rocking out to terrible pop songs. But sometimes? Sometimes we listened to her brother have sex. Nate was five and a half years older than us, and for as long as I could remember he'd...Read On
Added: 21 Sep 2014 | Category: Exhibitionism |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 6,763 |
Tags: sauna cabin temptation best friends xmas christmas latina
| 3 Comments


text:
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Tim Holtz Distress Stains - Forest Moss
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text:
Lewis Black Tickets
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Nursing Essay Writing Help:
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text:
Stories about "Kota Yamazak"
International choreographers perform at the Bates Dance Festival
Tuesday, August 9, 2005 11:04 am
The annual Different Voices concert features an inspiring night of dance from around the globe as visiting artists from the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo bring new works to the Bates Dance Festival stage. The Different Voices concert will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, in Schaeffer Theatre. Tickets are $18/$12 (students and seniors) and may be purchased by calling 207-786-6161 after July 9. (This performance is appropriate for an audience of all ages.)


text: "Coryn is an amazing girl! She has worked with our family for almost 4 years and is totally loyal, dependable, trustworthy and super easy going. She is so great with our girls-has lots of fun with them and keeps their behavior in check! She is also awesome at organizing...she will redo closets, playrooms, etc and make them so pretty and neat! She really treats the kids like they are her own. Any family would be blessed to have Coryn working with them- we all adore her!"


text:
2 goals in less than 2 minutes! Sid the kid!
Printable View
2 goals in less than 2 minutes! Sid the kid!
Go Pens!
Not sure what it says about me that I read this thread title first as "Let's go penis!'
LOL - I did a double take as well.
None the less, LETS GO BUFFALO!
No one likes that butt punching Sindy Crysbaby.
Bring back BigBen'sAngel.
Why is this bulls hit in The Hampur?
Sid the kid once again proving he is the best player in hockey. Another great game.
Isn't there a forum for sports few people care about that are played in a small arena?
Maybe Business Networking?
I have yet to find a Pens fan to have a rational, objective conversation about Crosby, and I don't expect to have one here so we'll just move on and agree to disagree.


text:
Gethin Watts, WRU National Performance manager, believes the appointment of this team creates an important element of stability of environment and culture created in the last two years, something that is key to the developing top class players of the future.
"We are thrilled that Byron has agreed to take on the role of head coach from Danny Wilson," he said.
"Byron is a former international player and a proven professional coach. He coached Ebbw Vale before moving to Sale Sharks and for the past two years he has been a WRU academy skills coach working with the best young players in the Dragons region and as Wales Under 20 attack coach, he formed a successful partnership with Danny Wilson, and this season Richard Hodges.
"Mark Taylor is a pivotal member of the management team and has a proven track record as an international player, and now manager, while Richard Hodges and Ioan Cunningham have both had a season as Wales Under 20 assistant coach and will add their own experience and expertise in completing the team.
"We would like to thank Danny for his excellent coaching and leadership for Wales Under 20 over the past two years and also acknowledge the Scarlets, and previously the Dragons, for their support in allowing him to fulfil the role in such a committed way. There is a huge amount of good work and cooperation between the WRU and the Regions, especially in developing young players and coaches which is clearly beneficial for both parties."
Byron Hayward said: "I'm excited by this new challenge. Clearly it will be a step up from assisting Danny, but I'm confident in my ability to do just that. Danny and I started with the Wales Under 20 set-up at the same time so the transition should be fairly smooth. I've learned a huge amount from working with Danny, especially in the way he set an example to the players and created an optimum culture and environment for the squad. I've also gained a great deal from the other head coaches I've worked under and if I didn't feel I could step up to the plate, I certainly wouldn't have put myself forward.
"It's certainly a big pair of boots to fill, on the back of reaching the Junior World Championship final, but pressure comes with success and that's what you thrive on as a coach. I don't see any reason we can't reach the last four again next year if we keep working hard with the new group of players and if we do that, anything can happen as we saw in France - and South Africa last season."
Danny Wilson, who steered Wales Under 20 to a first victory over New Zealand last season and their first Junior World Championship final place last month after beating South Africa in the semis said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed the past two years. It has been great for my personal development as a coach - the experience has certainly put me on the next step of the coaching ladder - and I've worked with some very good future Welsh internationals.
"I would like to thank Joe Lydon for giving me the opportunity, all the Under 20 staff who were brilliant to work with and also the Scarlets who have been extremely supportive. I'm pleased I can now return that faith by committing fully to my regional role.
"In my opinion, Byron Hayward is an excellent choice to continue the work we started together and under his stewardship, the Wales Under 20s are in safe hands."
Outside of the Wales Under management team, there is ongoing succession planning in order to help players and coaches fulfil their potential. WRU national academy coaching manager and Wales Under 18 head coach Allan Lewis is taking a side to South Africa again next month, to play France, England and host South Africa in a tournament that many of this season's Junior World Championship squad cited as having prepared them well for the Under 20 season.
Lewis also recently travelled to Japan with Robin McBryde's Wales squad in a further example of the WRU's joined up strategy to ensure the players and coaches are all moving in the same direction for the good of the Welsh international game.
Along with other National Academy initiatives, Watts believes the WRU development pathway is beginning to fulfil its potential.
"The relationships and working practices between the international age grade programmes and the national squad are closer than ever and with no fewer than 10 Lions players having come through our academy system in the last ten years - six of whom have played for our international age grade sides since 2008 so we certainly have a good platform to build on."
Wales Under 20 coaching team.
Head coach: Byron Hayward
Assistant coach (defence): Richard Hodges
Forward coach: Ioan Cunningham
Team manager: Mark Taylor


text:
Coulee Recollections
A look at the past
Ten Years Ago
Larry Curtis is a lucky man. That is, if you can call it lucky that he managed to have a massive heart attack while in a recovery room after cancer surgery. Curtis does not remember that day, July 15, except that he recalls someone asking him if he had pain. (In photo Larry Curtis displays the bucket given to him by the "Udder Girls".
Safeway Employee of the Quarter is Norene Kosloski.
The Lake Roosevelt football team dominated North Beach High School in a game Friday that had the team travel all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Raiders defeated North Beach at Ocean Shores, scoring 11 touchdowns on the way to a 75-12 victory. The win improved their non-league record to 2-1.
The Lake Roosevelt volleyball team evened out their record against Caribou Trail League teams last week as league competition opened for the season. The Lady Raiders defeated Oroville in four games Saturday at Lake Roosevelt, 15-12, 15-12, 7-15 and 15-10.
Twenty Years Ago
Jim Black, publisher of the Star Newspaper for the past seven years is leaving his position with the paper effective today, Sept. 30. Black is moving to Yakima to become managing editor of the Good Fruit Grower. Named as his replacement at The Star is Scott Hunter, a reporter for the newspaper since 1988.
A new United States flag flies proudly over Delano because of Wade Burnside's rock-hard determination and Lions Club generosity.
Coulee Community Hospital administrators are optimistic about the future and they have submitted a 1993 budget proposal that says so. They expect the hospital to earn $126,000 in 1993.
The Star won 14 writing and publishing awards including news division sweepstakes at the annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association convention held in Yakima recently.
Kathleen Rice will retire from the postal service Oct. 2. Rice started her career at the Grand Coulee office in April 1965.
Finishing USBR apprenticeships included Mary Cox, electrician; Rod Egbert, electrician; Bob Nielson, electrician and Mike Zowada, pipefitter.
Thirty Years Ago
Marla May, 10, Grand Coulee won the All-Around Trophy Saddle at the Burbank Junior Rodeo in Burbank, Wash.
Dr. Kathy Knapton was given a surprise birthday luncheon party at the Wildlife Restaurant.
Linda Thomas and Lad Flowers exchanged wedding vows Sept. 8 in Las Vegas, Nev.
In sports action, the Raider football team was defeated by the Okanogan Bulldogs 41-8.
Winner of the 100 gallons of gasoline at Dale Chev-Olds was Mitch Windsor of Spokane. He guessed 239 pingpong balls in the jar.
Forty Years Ago
Danny Skinner of Lakeview Terrace, Grand Coulee, was the proud winner of the .270 cal. Remington rifle at the drawing at the First Annual Delrio Grange Rifle Shoot. Winners in the 22 events were Ted Dittmer, 22 rimfire open sights; Mark Holt, 22 rimfire with scope; Mark Holt 22 rimfire mixed scopes and iron sights; P.T. Bean won the 150 yard event for all calibers. In the 100 yard event for 6.5 to .30 caliber winners were Jerry Brenchley, Roy Campbell and P.T. Bean. In the buddy shotgun event, prizes were taken home by Leroy Sanderson, Jim Carzoli, Tom Steffens and David Jurgensen. Winner of both the moving target events were Roy Campbell and P.T. Bean.
Craig Nelson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth (Swede)Nelson of Elmer City was elected Raider of the Week by the football team and coaches at LRHS. Craig is a senior this year. He played lineback and middle guard on defense and fullback on offense.
Fifty Years Ago
Grand Coulee Dam had over 60,000 visitors las month. Arthur Rothstein, "Look" magazine photographer was here compiling material for a special article which was being planned for the magazine's January issue.
Clyde Keefer Jr. was named chairman of the Coulee Dam Advisory Council. Dean Klaas, Pat McVay and Robert Hirts were council members for a one-year term. Council members for a two-year term were L.A. Wyngaarrd, Ed Dittmere and W. Boydston with Dick Berguiest as secretary.
Sixty Years Ago
Mabel Good was elected and installed junior regent to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Edna Sieker at the Monday evening meeting of Grand Coulee Chapter of the Women of the Moose. Two new members included Bessie Wagner and Irene Stallman.
Don Leaton, well known Grand Coulee public accountant, has accepted a position as head bookkeeper in the city utilities office. He will be assisted by Doris Kelty.
the Coulee Dam Employees softball team defeated the Ephrata IDEA team Sunday in a game played at Ephrata. The score was 6-5.
Seventy Years Ago
Fire endangered the Green Hut for the fourth time early Saturday morning. Coulee Dam volunteer firemen were called out at 5:27 a.m. when flames and smoke were discovered in the boiler room. In sixteen minutes the fire was under control, with the damage held to the circulating pump motor at a cost estimated at $50 to $60.
An aroused Grand Coulee Tiger football team pushed Okanogan all over a wet field here Friday night to win a 14-0 decision before a crowd of over 500. Rain fell intermittently throughout the contest causing numerous fumbles.
Construction of a third power house for Grand Coulee Dam is the next step in Cong. Henry M. Jackson's campaign to provide more power for the expanding Pacific Northwest. Bureau of Reclamation engineers have informed Jackson that a mile-long penstock from Roosevelt Lake in back of Coulee Dam could channel enough water to a power house location below the dam to operate six new generators. This would produce 750,000 additional kilowatts of firm power.
Plans for the World Day of Prayer November 2 when the Coulee Dam Community Church will be host to other church women in the area were made on Tuesday at the general guild meeting. Each of the five groups will begin making comforters for Korean overseas relief under the direction of Mrs. J.W. Stansfield, welfare chairman.


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PRINCETON — For 73 minutes, you could feel the frustration growing among the Princeton High girls soccer players.
Despite dominating most of the play from midfield through their attacking end, the Little Tigers had been unable to put a ball past Hopewell Valley goalie Shelby Butler.
"The kids really seemed to be connected through the last 20 minutes. In fact both teams worked extremely hard throughout the game," Princeton coach Greg Hand said later.
If there was frustration growing in the Little Tigers it came to an abrupt end with 6:57 to play when Haley Bodden sent a free kick to the perfect place — the foot of teammate Meghan Brennan.
Brennan put it past Butler and into the far lower corner of the net for the all important first goal.
When teammate Kate Kerr added an insurance goal three minutes later, Princeton had a 2-0 win over its Colonial Valley Conference rival and a date in Tuesday's Central Jersey Group III title game which it will host. Princeton gets to be home for that match since it is the highest seed remaining. HoVal (14-5-2) was the No. 3 seed.
Princeton face Colts Neck in the title game after it beat Wall, 1-0 in the other semifinal. Wall had already eliminated two CVC teams — Hamilton and Allentown.
With its win, Princeton (15-2-1) was able to get revenge for the 1-0 loss it suffered in the opening game of the season, here, to Hopewell Valley.
"It was so crazy when the ball went in," said Brennan. "We all fell to the ground on top of each other, but knew we still had six minutes left to hold on. Haley always puts a great ball right to where you want it to be."
Princeton was able to not only preserve the lead but add to it as goalie Lauren Ullman stopped 11 shots to notch her sixth straight shutout and third in a row in NJSIAA play.
"I thought our big concern with them was in the midfield," said HV coach John McGinley. "Number 18 (Brennan) and number 11 (Kerr) were winning so many balls in the middle.
"In the first half we couldn't get the ball out. It was killing us. They we started fouling and giving them so many chances," said McGinley, whose teams had won the C.J. III title two of the last three years.
"The first game with them was a lot more even, but this time they were able to get it done in the middle and we couldn't overcome it."
"Both teams played extremely hard throughout the game," said Hand, who didn't feel his girls were growing frustrated, especially during a 15-minute span prior to Brennan's goal when they maintained possession almost exclusively and put a dozen shots at Butler from inside the six-yard box. Several were blocked and a few others went wide of both posts.
"We were better connected toward the end of the game than we were in the beginning," said Hand. "That was a good sign because we were getting opportunities, and good shots and you knew one might come soon."
It came from two girls who seem to know what type pass one will send into the goalmouth and is ready to slot it home.
"Haley has been on the money all year long, and Meghan is a big player who always comes up big. It was an excellent shot and a great first touch," said Hand. "What defines this team is heart, and they show it on the field all the time."
Hopewell Valley (14-5-2) 0 0 — 0
Princeton (15-2-1) 0 2 — 2
Goals: P-Brennan, Kerr. Assists: P-Bodden. Shots: HV-14; P-18. Saves: HV-Butler 14; P-Ullman 11.


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Current Population Survey, November 2001: Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), 2001-2002 Wave (ICPSR 4044)
Published: Oct 26, 2012
Principal Investigator(s):
United States Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census; United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics; United States Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; United States Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute
Version V2
This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the November 2001 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in June 2001 (ICPSR 4043) and February 2002 (ICPSR 4031). These three supplements comprise the 2001-2002 waves of TUS data.
The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.
All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS monthly items were eligible for the TUS, which consisted of items PES32 through PES77. The TUS was mainly designed to be a proxy response survey, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent questions. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for questions on the topics of smoking status (items PES32-PES34) and the use of other tobacco products; for example, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PES62A-PES63B).
Additionally, self-respondents were asked various questions depending on their smoking status -- former, everyday, or occasional (items PES36-PES46 and PES55-PES61). Current everyday and occasional smokers were then asked whether the medical community had advised them to quit smoking or if they were planning to quit in the near future (items PES47-PES54). Self-respondents were further queried on smoking policies in their work place (items PES67-PES71), smoking rules in the home (item PES73) and questions on opinions about smoking (items PES72, PES75-PES77).
Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected includes age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.
Export Citation:
Subject Terms
Geographic Coverage
Time Period(s)
Date of Collection
Data Collection Notes
Users are strongly encouraged to refer to the User Guide (produced by the Principal Investigators), which contains not only information about the basic CPS survey, but also detailed technical documentation specific to the Tobacco Use Supplement. In particular, Attachment 9 of the User Guide contains the supplement questionnaire.
Edited universe statements for various variables are defined in either the basic or supplement record layout, which are located in Attachments 7 and 8, respectively, of the User Guide.
The 2001-2002 wave of the Tobacco Use Supplement is comprised of data from this collection, along with data collected in June 2001 (ICPSR 4043) and February 2002 (ICPSR 4031). It is recommended that all three files be used when analyzing the data at the state level. It is also important to use all three files when trying to replicate analysis done by the National Cancer Institute, as much of their analysis was based on a statistical average of all three months.
ICPSR removed all FILLER and PADDING variables from the data. As a result, the column locations in any ICPSR-released data product (e.g., codebook and setup files) will have column locations that are not consistent with locations described in the User Guide.
For additional information about past, current, and future National Cancer Institute (NCI) Tobacco Use Supplements and data products and publications utilizing supplement data, see the NCI Web site.
The CPS uses a multistage probability sample based on the results of the decennial census, with coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The basic CPS universe consisted of all persons aged 15 and older in the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement universe consisted of all persons age 15 and older who completed the CPS core items.
Unit(s) of Observation
Individuals within households.
Data Source
personal interviews
survey data
Mode of Data Collection
Original Release Date
Version Date
Version History
2012-10-26 The ASCII data for this collection have been completely replaced. The data collection has been updated to include SAS, SPSS, and Stata setup files for use with the new data. Also included in the update are a corresponding SAS transport (CPORT) file, SPSS system file, Stata system file, and a tab-delimited version of the new ASCII data.
All adult records retain the basic CPS final weight, PWSSWGT, which controls for age, race, sex, Hispanic origin estimates, and individual state estimates. Use this basic final weight for tallying the labor force items.
This collection contains two special supplement weights: a nonresponse weight, which includes only the noninterview adjustment (PWNRWGT); and a self-response weight that includes both the noninterview adjustment and the self-response adjustment (PWSRWGT).
Additional weights include:
Household weight used for tallying household characteristics and adjusts for household nonresponse.
Family weight used only for tallying family characteristics.
Longitudinal weight found only on adult records matched from month to month. Also used for gross flows analysis.
Outgoing rotation weight used for tallying information collected only in outgoing rotations (i.e., Earnings, 2nd job I and O, detailed NILF).
Veterans weight used for tallying veteran's data only, controlled to estimates of veterans supplied by VA.
Composited Final Weight used to create BLS's published labor force statistics.
Detailed information on all of the weights and how to use them when combining the other files in the 2001-2002 Wave are located in the User Guide.
Data in this collection are available only to users at ICPSR member institutions.
This study is provided by Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD).


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A: People will be willing to pay exorbitant admission fees on Belmont Stakes day even if no Triple Crown attempt materializes.
B: The weather is going to cooperate.
C: Sufficient quality horseflesh can be attracted to compete for absurdly inflated purses in wager-compelling fields.
By essentially combining Memorial Day and Belmont Stakes Day into one and increasing their total stakes purses by $3.1M, the New York Racing Assn. seeks to make their biggest day even bigger. By gutting other weekend cards of graded stakes and concentrating them on fewer, bigger weekends, they expect to increase total handle for the meet.
Even if that expansion occurs, will profitability even be possible given the recent purse hikes?
Some contend the amount of money available to racing on a weekend basis has its limits and base that conclusion on the fact that Breeders' Cup total handle for Friday and Saturday cards hasn't significantly exceeded the one-day Saturday event.
NYRA customers bet more than one out of every five dollars wagered nationwide. Belmont Stakes day is already NYRA's best attraction in terms of attendance and handle; roughly doubling the 13 or 14-race Travers-day handle and more than quadruple the money bet on either of the 11-race Met Mile and Jockey Gold Cup programs.
With national television coverage available, many who could experience the event in person will opt to watch it in high-definition in the comfort and convenience of their living rooms. And many will be encouraged to bet more on-line with money saved from transportation/parking, food/beverage and admission/seating costs.
Raising prices on the latter is the best promotion for staying home.
Many observers agree that year-round live racing has already reduced the game's specialness and eliminated the anticipatory excitement that seasonal venues experience.
And now the reverence normally observed for championship-level sport is being squandered by squeezing several month's of stakes racing into a single weekend.
Worse, multiple events could cannibalize racing's glamour division. Why risk siphoning off any three-year-olds from a possible Belmont Stakes run?
Both the G1 Metropolitan Handicap and especially the G2 Brooklyn Handicap likely would be better positioned after the Belmont, positioning it closer to the Whitney. The Met Mile might attract top three-year-olds prepping for the Haskell and/or Travers as well.
And I've always why there was no tie-in between last year's Belmont Stakes winners and this year's Brooklyn, a natural extension for Elmont-loving three year olds to return for some big money at four?
Is this year's Brooklyn capable of attracting a field worthy of $200K, much less $500K? And will hiking the Met Mile purse from $750K to $1.25M adversely affect the handicap division nationwide? When will the competitive madness between racetracks end? (Since racing is more regional than national in scope, it appears that answer is never).
Raising the Belmont Stakes purse will prove to be a waste unless the Derby and Preakness winners both show up. And wouldn't the race be better served if the winner of a Louisville-Baltimore rubber match be eligible for a bonus? Speaking of bonuses, shouldn't the Triple Crown bonus scheme be reprised? In my opinion, no undercard race not named Breeders' Cup deserves a $1M purse.
The purse elevations of the Manhattan, Ogden Phipps (even with Beholder and Princess Of Sylmar), and Acorn seem particularly unreasonable. What works for Breeders' Cup doesn't really have practical applications anywhere else.
Since management is willing to "experiment" with the allocation of slots revenue, why not try lowering effective takeout for on-track bettors rather than further subsidize the wealthiest owners? This could be achieved in either of two ways: paying a 10% bonus to on-track winners or selling one-day use betting vouchers at a 10% discount on-track.
Would any drop in revenue from a lower takeout come even close to the added infusion of cash into the purse accounts, with or without a Triple Crown bid?
Isn't it ironic that the maximum takeout in Kentucky is lower without slots than New York is with them?
The Triple Crown trail through the Classics demonstrates the value of making horses recognizable to the general public. So, too, would the game benefit from additional divisional series that rewards consistent multiple performances against one another through a bonus program instead of bestowing higher financial rewards one race at a time.
Stacking 10 stakes on Belmont Day does not constitute a mini-Breeders Cup day or even a mini-Jockey Gold Cup day. In my opinion it's a hastily concocted hedge against the absence of a Triple Crown attempt that does little to eliminate dependence on slots revenue and an unhealthy distribution of funds. Overvaluing races while undervaluing customers only reinforces the organization's imperial image the Governor once indicated he would eradicate.
No decision of this magnitude could have been made without approval from the Governor's inner circle, and I wonder if this plan truly was supported by feedback from the Racing Fan Advisory Council, the formation of which was an early attempt by Team Cuomo "regulators to consider more than just the views of owners, trainers and breeders."
If nothing else, this decision has generated a lot of commentary that has raised the visibility of Belmont Stakes Day in February without spending any money at all. Is this is the wave of the future: marketing through controversy; customer acquisition by provocation? Horseplayers can't always be organized but can easily be antagonized.


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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - FY 2010 Testimony
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) is pleased to submit the following testimony on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 appropriation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ASM supports the FY 2010 funding level of $8.6 billion for CDC recommended by the CDC Coalition and the Campaign for Public Health. Funding levels in recent years have not adequately supported the CDC mission to protect public health through health promotion and disease prevention. The ASM appreciates that the Administration and Congress have included science and public health programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It is essential, however, to also provide increased funding through the FY 2010 appropriation and future fiscal years, at levels that sustain CDC programs to protect public health.
There are persistent challenges for the nation's public health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Among these are the nationwide outbreaks of swine influenza, salmonella food poisoning, and upsurges in vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and meningitis.
CDC is instrumental in preventing death and illness caused by infectious diseases, contamination of food or water, or release of bioterror agents. The recent public health concern surrounding human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection illustrates the importance of CDC's role in the investigation and response to outbreaks of infectious diseases. CDC is working closely with officials in states where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) have been identified, as well as with health officials in other countries experiencing outbreaks of H1N1. CDC staff are deployed in the United States and internationally to provide guidance and technical support in response to this emerging health threat. During a rapidly evolving situation, CDC is working to reduce transmission and severity of the disease and to provide information to health care providers, public health officials, and the public.
CDC Combats Infectious Diseases
CDC mission specific components cover a wide spectrum of disease control and prevention activities. One of these, the Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID), oversees national centers focused on immunization and respiratory diseases; zoonotic, vector-borne and enteric diseases; HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis prevention; and healthcare associated infections, migration, and quarantine. CCID centers use the latest technological tools and scientific information to respond to emergent public health challenges as rapidly and effectively as possible.
Emerging infectious diseases. Newly recognized infectious diseases attract considerable attention from the public and the research community, evidenced by swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, H5N1 avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), HIV/AIDS, so-called "mad cow" disease, West Nile Virus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among others. The CDC must respond to these and other emerging diseases with scientific proficiency and round-the-clock readiness. The National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Disease's Division of Emerging Infections and Surveillance Services recruits partnerships across the CDC and with both national and international organizations, to track outbreaks and train laboratory scientists from around the world in preventing and responding to such threats. The CDC has repeatedly taken part in identifying previously unrecognized pathogens like the SARS virus. It also participates in relevant field research around the world.
Influenza preparedness. The CDC effort against influenza includes programs that focus on both seasonal and potential pandemic forms of the disease, such as human cases of swine influenza A virus infection. Every year, between 5 and 20 percent of the US population gets the flu, more than 200,000 are hospitalized, and about 36,000 die. The CDC works with US partners in health departments, clinical laboratories, vital statistics offices and healthcare providers to assess the annual burden of flu. Comprehensive CDC incidence reports use data from nine different sources, like the Nationally Notifiable Disease Surveillance System and the Emerging Infections Program's Influenza Project. In October 2008, the CDC contracted with the American Type Culture Collection to implement the CDC Influenza Reagent Resource, which will serve as a source of diagnostic material for laboratories in the event of an emerging pandemic. The agency also awarded $24 million for 55 projects at 29 state and local health departments to develop better pandemic preparedness models. Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration approved a lab test co-developed by CDC that can reliably detect flu viruses with results within four hours.
CDC extensively monitors the avian influenza virus H5N1 that has spread throughout Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Recognition that the relatively new virus could cause a human pandemic has mobilized public health institutions worldwide. There have been only 413 confirmed human cases in 15 countries (by March 30), but the sustained 60-plus percent mortality is unprecedented for an influenza virus. The CDC developed a measurement tool to help at-risk countries assess their ability to respond to an avian influenza pandemic. Moreover, it continues its laboratory and field research on H5N1 and other flu viruses. CDC scientists reported last year that some avian influenza A H7 virus strains have acquired new features that might boost their potential to cause human disease.
HIV/AIDS. In August 2008, the CDC released its first estimates of HIV infections in the United States based on a new CDC developed laboratory assay called serologic testing algorithm for recent HIV seroconversion (STARHS). The results, unfortunately, indicate that approximately 56,300 new US HIV infections occurred in 2006, about 40 percent higher than CDC's former estimate. The STARHS technology is the basis for the first national surveillance system relying on direct measurement of new HIV infections and provides more precise estimates of HIV incidence. CDC continually tracks the nation's progress against this recalcitrant disease. For example, the CDC and other health agencies updated guidelines in March for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in HIV-infected people.
Global infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are responsible for 15 million (26 percent) of the 57 million annual deaths worldwide and the CDC is a valuable contributor to public health campaigns against these diseases. Examples include its vigorous distribution in developing countries of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine. One of the leading causes of severe childhood pneumonia and meningitis, Hib disease annually causes an estimated three million illnesses and 400,000 deaths worldwide in children five years and younger. Hib vaccines have been widely used in industrialized countries for nearly 20 years, but underused in the poorest countries. The CDC estimates that this year use of Hib vaccine in these countries will exceed 80 percent, compared to less than 20 percent in 2004.
CDC funding supports rigorous research on globally significant diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, and underwrites incidence data gathered from around the world. The CDC is developing a network of Global Disease Detection (GDD) Centers, along with the participating nations' ministries of health, academic institutions, the World Health Organization, and US Departments of State and Defense. Centers currently operational are located in China, Egypt, Guatemala, Kenya, Thailand, and, added in 2008, Kazakhstan. They extend the reach of three established CDC programs in emerging infections, epidemiology training, and influenza. The Coordinating Office for Global Health oversees more than 200 CDC staff in over 50 countries, as first-responders to disease outbreaks. In 2008, CDC responded to more than 90 international disease outbreaks and public health events and found 22 new pathogens.
An estimated 1.8 million airline passengers cross international borders daily, opening multiple routes for disease transmission. The CDC maintains a specific branch to deal with global migration and quarantine issues, using its GeoSentinel Network Surveillance System to collect information from 41 sentinel sites and 200 medical clinics in 75 countries around the world. CDC personnel now staff US quarantine stations at 20 ports of entry and land border crossings. The CDC also provides US travelers with health threat alerts; educational efforts last year included recommendations to the US Olympic teams traveling to China.
Vaccination campaigns. CDC collects vaccine-related information to assist federal, state and local health officials. The CDC also invests considerable resources in educating the public on the importance of vaccination as a preventive tool. At times, vaccines can also alleviate disease rather than prevent initial infection. Last year, the CDC recommended that people age 60 and older be vaccinated against shingles to reduce the number of painful episodes, even in those with previous cases. The most recent CDC survey of childhood immunization in this country found that rates remain at or near record levels, with at least 90 percent coverage for all but one of the recommended series for young children. Still, more measles cases were reported in 2008 than any year since 1996 largely due to failure to vaccinate. Another CDC report concluded that marked reductions in rotavirus-caused gastroenteritis in US infants and young children may be due to a recently introduced rotavirus vaccine, recommended by CDC in 2006 for routine immunization of infants. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in the young, typically causing 55,000-70,000 US hospitalizations and about 410,000 physician office visits annually. Every day, rotavirus kills about 1,600 children under age five worldwide.
CDC Confronts Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance
Each year, healthcare-associated infections (HAI) account for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths in the United States. With over one billion hospital and doctor visits made by Americans each year, there unfortunately is ample opportunity for HAI exposure. A CDC report released in March estimates that the annual direct hospital cost of treating HAI ranges from $28.4 billion to $45 billion, and that improving infection control could save roughly $6 billion to $32 billion, depending on the percentage of infections preventable in health care settings. With 2009 healthcare costs expected to reach $2.5 trillion, saving resources through CDC-facilitated prevention clearly offers a sensible public health strategy.
CDC works to optimize practices for HAI prevention. For example, CDC reports that 85 percent of all invasive infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are associated with healthcare settings. CDC guidelines help assure best practices in healthcare settings. Hospitals in a CDC-supported study reduced bloodstream and MRSA infections as much as 70 percent by implementing CDC prevention guidelines. Last September, CDC launched a public MRSA education campaign.
Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a daunting global challenge, increasing the lethality of pathogens from extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) to this year's flu virus strain highly resistant to the most commonly used prescription drug. Last year, 16 CCID surveillance systems and programs gathered incidence data on antimicrobial resistance among bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral agents. CDC scientists are developing laboratory protocols and diagnostics for a growing list of drug-resistant pathogens. One example is a new protocol for molecular typing of methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Team also recently validated tests that will amend 2009 clinical and lab standards in testing microbial resistance to mupirocin (used for staph infections) and the carbapenem drugs used to treat enteric pathogens resistant to most other drugs.
CDC Strengthens National Defenses against Bioterrorism, Public Health Crises
The CDC's Terrorism, Preparedness and Emergency Response (TPER) funds support the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response objectives. CDC provides science-based strategies and tactical coordination during public health events and maintains emergency response operations like the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The SNS is an invaluable national repository of antibiotics, antitoxins and other medical supplies that can be mobilized rapidly to augment state and local resources during a large-scale health emergency. Opened in 2003, the DEOC is staffed with experts 24/7/365, an integral part of the country's National Incident Management System.
The CDC's inaugural annual report on its TPER-funded activities released in January enumerates its wide-ranging activities. Activities include assessing current administration routes and dosage for anthrax vaccine, inspecting 110 research entities registered to possess microbes on the federal select agents list, and mapping the DNA of the vaccinia virus (similar to smallpox virus) and tularemia bacteria for greater scientific insight into potential bioagents. TPER-funded capabilities help CDC respond more aggressively to public health crises of all kinds, far beyond the threat of bioterrorism. In FY 2008, the EOC was activated in response to 55 domestic and 16 international events, including the floods in the Midwest, multistate Salmonella and E.coli 0157 outbreaks, and outbreaks of cholera and hemorrhagic fever in Africa.
The ASM concurs with the recommended level of $8.6 billion, which will provide needed new funding for CDC's programs that are so critical to protecting people in the United States and worldwide.