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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
I've decided to have my baby in an igloo with three fish as midwives. Oh, and a leprechaun as an anesthesiologist. Are you happy now?
I can't remember if I blogged about my labor and delivery with Junior. Oh right, I did. I shared how, after 6,000 hours of Pitocin, 547 epidurals and indescribable pain, Chuck told me to picture my happy place and I dreamed about being flattened by a Mulletville transit bus.
That's how my labor went.
Now here we are again. Another pregnancy; this time, the vexing question: How will this child enter the world? Had my first labor not ended with an emergency C-section—which saved my life and Junior's—I wouldn't be sitting here trying to decide what the hell to do. I'm one of the few whose doctors will support a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean), but—but—she also scheduled a C-section just in case.
Cue Jeopardy music. Pan in on Mrs. Mullet biting her lips, nails and Chuck trying to decide which option is best.
I realize in writing this post and approaching it in an I'm-not-sure-what-to-do manner I'm putting myself out there for possible judgment and criticism, but I want to go there because the topic fascinates me. Women have strong (sometimes frighteningly so) opinions about how babies should be labored. There are some, like Blossom star Mayim Bialik , who heartily judge women who've experienced medically-aided, non homebirths.
Others have such a low opinion of how delivery is handled by hospitals they've coined terms like "birth rape." According to an article on Salon.com, "The term is being used to describe cases where a woman feels that her rights are violated by doctors, nurses or midwives." Writer and activist Amity Reed feels that "Fingers, hands, suction cups, forceps, needles and scissors ... are the tools of birth rape and they are wielded with as much force and as little consent as if a stranger grabbed a passer-by off the street and tied her up before having his way with her."
Wow, birth rape.
The prejudice is even appearing in cutesy parenting magazines. A woman I'll call "Sphincter" recently responded to an article about a homebirth with "How sad that micromanaged hospital births are now the norm."
Sniffle, sniffle.
Get the feeling that unless you deliver your kid at home while the neighbors rub nectar on your cooch and everyone hums Kumbaya, you're pond scum? Kind of feels like that. Hospital births seem to have become the enemy. I concede that the medical system is imperfect (C-section rates in the United States are at an all-time high), but what system is perfect? And is the answer to a few horrific deliveries by overzealous, unsympathetic doctors really a showdown between mothers?
I continue to hope not. The idea of a natural delivery is so built up and so acutely affixed to our idea of womanhood and motherhood it cuts at the soul when the delivery experience fails miserably; no one needs judgy shit from other moms on top of that.
But there it is: the "how sad" bullshit. The pity and shame.
Which brings me back to my dilemma. After I had Junior, I heard myself tell people I'd had a C-section "because I had to/we would have died." The urgency absolved me; I found comfort in that. Even worse, I added, "And I have a beautiful baby boy!" as if Junior were a consolation prize. As if the labor journey mattered more than the end result.
I promised myself I wouldn't care this time, but every time I ask Chuck what we should do, I hear a nagging voice. This time, if I choose a C-section, I'll have a dirty little secret. My surgery will have been by choice. I will have chosen to fail at labor. Even though a VBAC might mean laboring again for 24+ hours and never dilating. Or possibly losing kid #2 because of the stress of a 24+ labor that doesn't go anywhere. Or taking a month to heal from another emergency C-section because of all the trauma my body endured leading up to it.
Even though.
Is being able to fly the "My kid was 100% naturally vagged!" banner really worth it? A big part of me thinks not. Just like being able to fly the "My kid was 100% breastfed!" banner was overrated. At some point the banners come down and your kid is either healthy and happy or you've royally fucked up—regardless of which body cavity he came from and how you fed him.
32 comments:
- The Captain's Wife said...
no matter what you decide in the end, I would never call it failure! Bringing your child into the world in the safeest way possible is the goal (IMO).
Is your C section scheduled post due date? If that is the case, I suppose I would "wait and see" if I go into labor on my own, and if I got up to my c section date, then I would go with that plan of action....
But this would be my thought process....I've heard lots a great stories about VBAC and also some not so great. It is a tough choice, but how lucky are we to have that as a choice...
GL with your decision
- November 3, 2010 at 9:39 PM
- tootertotz said...
My experience is all I can offer...had an emergency c with Bug and my doctor felt more comfortable going with a planned c for Bub's delivery.
I got on board with her b/c it was nice to have a plan with a kid already at home. I preferred the cushion that the planning provided b/c we had no one to take Bug if I went into labor unexpectedly. Having a date and time helped us plan for him.
Also the few days of recovery in the hospital before coming home to life with 2 kids and no other help besides the hubs. We have no family in town and hubs travels for work.
You do whatever feels best for your family...nobody else matters worth a damn anyway. And heaven forbid anyone judge you...they deserve an unbearable itch in their lady bits for eternity.
Good luck with your decision!
- November 3, 2010 at 10:30 PM
- NHGirl said...
I had an emergency c-section with my first, too, and opted to have a planned one with my second. From experience, I can tell you that the second is WAY easier to recover from. And I proudly tell people I've had two- if it's the best for mom and baby, who's to judge me, right? No feeling of failure here. I actually feel more responsible than those people that "deliver your kid at home while the neighbors rub nectar on your cooch and everyone hums Kumbaya" (btw, laughed out loud at that)- going through physical hell (aka, c-section) for the best interest of someone else (aka, the baby) tops anything those hippies think is best. Good luck! :)
- November 3, 2010 at 10:48 PM
- Getrealmommy said...
I am a proud mama of two boys by c-section. My first son was breach, and we could not turn him-so there you have it c-section. My second son I decided to have a c-section and not do a VBAC. There are *some* risks involved with VBAC, and I a worrier, and I thought labor would be scary without the burden of worrying about my uterus rupturing. My babyies are healthy, and I have no guilt what-so-ever for my choices!! Do what is right for you, and don't think twice!
- November 4, 2010 at 12:49 AM
I was fortunate enough to have a natural birth after three hours of labour. Note the use of the word 'fortunate'. I don't believe it was due to any special skill or preparation on my part - I was lucky. Surgery brings other risks, but it sounds to me like a 'natural' birth in your case already poses plenty of risks - and in your shoes, I'd have no guilt whatsoever about choosing the C section. As the Captain's Wife said: it's about bringing your baby in to the world in the safest way possible. You and your doctor are the best judge of that.
- November 4, 2010 at 1:44 AM
- Frogs in my formula said...
Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's so incredibly helpful.
Tootertotz, you make some really good points.
- November 4, 2010 at 7:44 AM
- Julie C. said...
Obviously, it's nobody's business why/where/how you choose to birth your baby (hospital, birthing center, home, bathtub, field of daisies, Mulletville Rite-Aid). As long as you're happy and not putting yourself/baby at undue risk, you'll make the right decision.
I had my two babies in the hospital with long labors and then epidurals after it became clear I wasn't going to make it without (with the second baby, about 5 minutes after contractions got nasty). There are people I shared this with who reacted with different degrees of disdain/disapproval. I tried not to give a crap, but motherhood/childbirth is one of those hot-button issues for all of us. We don't want to do it "wrong" and unfortunately, there are plenty of mothers who are happy to tell us when we do. (I witnessed a woman, after hearing that a colleague had a c-section, ask her: "Do you feel like less of a woman because you didn't give birth the right way?" Nice. Enlightened!)
Good luck with your decision, and good luck to all of us trying to dodge the strident judment some women are capable of.
- November 4, 2010 at 8:52 AM
- The Mother said...
Does nobody read my history of obstetrics posts???
Say what you will about the medicalization of childbirth--that medicalization has dropped our maternal mortality from 7/1000 to 0.1/1000 in 50 years.
The infant mortality drops are even higher, but I don't have those numbers in front of me.
Human deliveries are fraught with hazards. Evolution has not caught up with head size. Bad things HAPPEN--often too fast for transport to medical facilities.
Sure, it would be grand if we could all deliver at home in privacy and comfort. But it's too, too much of a risk with your baby's life. And the studies on homebirths are beginning to show that.
- November 4, 2010 at 9:19 AM
- Mama Badger said...
No matter what you do, someone will judge you. You either endangered your kids like to try to have the "happy hippy" birth YOU wanted, or you gave in to the man because YOU wanted the easy hospital option. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Having had one of each, I will say it was easier to recover from the "natural" delivery. I avoid having people interfere with my guts when ever possible, though.
Just a thought though (which sometimes escapes people with planned c-sections)- the kid comes when they want. I had a scheduled c for little o, and he wanted out three days before that. Welcome to the emergency C! Ugh.
- November 4, 2010 at 9:33 AM
I think that some people with all their "back to natural birth" nonsense forget that back when natural birth was all the rage mothers and babies died. Why do we think it's our job to dictate how other women give birth of all things? Everybody alive? 10 finger and toes? Great job mom!
I too had an emergency c-section the first time around after 36 hours of hard labor (the last 18 with Pitocin) and no epidurals because the hospital didn't offer them, followed by 4 1/2 hours of pushing in which the baby didn't move. When they finally decided to do the c-section they got angry with me because I wasn't focusing on their liability statement that I needed to sign. I was like look, you could tell me you needed to lop of my head to make this stop, and I'd sign in permanent ink. I had post birth nightmares for years.
I was strongly encouraged to have a VBAC the second time around. I said no dice, and took a lot of flack at every OB appointment for having an "elective c-section". I had absolutely no reason to believe (like a breach or wrapped cord) that a second attempt at the holy grail of "natural" child birth would be successful.
During my second c-section, my surgeon praised my decision. He told me that the scar tissue from my first was spread so thin if I would have had even one good contraction my uterus would have ruptured. Thus c-sections saved my life twice, and the lives of each of my daughters.
I also had a neighbor who had 3 vaginal births, one c-section, then a VBAC -- no problem.
Do what is best for you. The second c-section was scarier than the 1st because I had plenty of time to think about it, but there was no way I was going through all that again. Make your decisions based on your body, the reasons for the first section, and just what you can tolerate. If the hospital is well staffed for emergencies, and you want to try the VBAC, got for it. If you really can't stand the thought of becoming an emergency again (and a statically speaking a scheduled c-section is much safer than an emergency one), take the "elective c-section".
- November 4, 2010 at 10:12 AM
It's pretty crazy how judgmental our society is, isn't it? I feel where you're coming from. My son was a c-section baby that wasn't 100% medically necessary - I had gestational diabetes and they didn't want me to go much past his due date. So they did a failed induction and after about 12-18 hours offered me the option of trying another 12-18 hours (possibly for nothing) or go ahead with a C-section. Hell yes I chose C-section! What gives anyone else the right to judge me for that? My baby came into this world just as healthily and loved and nurtured as any other, and I didn't have to squish his poor little head through my hoo ha to get him here.
Whatever you decide to do - that's the right decision for you. And everyone else can suck it.
- November 4, 2010 at 12:38 PM
The best birthing method is the one that gets the baby born safely and keeps the mama safe. The end.
- November 4, 2010 at 12:49 PM
- Nanc Twop said...
I vote with Julie - have'm at the Mulletville Rite-Aid. Lots of pain relief & junk food at hand - you rem they never let you self-medicate or eat during labor at a hospital.
Plus you'll get a birth video from several angles. All the proof you need to show he was born in the U.S. (Very important for his 2050 Prez campaign) Not to mention there'll be no need to send out pesky birth announcements once this hits the 10 pm news... Go for it.
*Seriously, either way make sure you keep up your perineal massage, to help things go smoother. Good Luck!
- November 4, 2010 at 2:21 PM
- Unknown said...
Huh. I didn't even realize bullying based on birthing choice was an issue. I know my friends and I have talked about it some (none of us have actually spawned anything yet though, so it's all academic at this point) and I know some of them would prefer to have control over the whole thing. Personally, I wanna go in with my bear face on and greet the battle head-on and drugless. But I say that without child in my womb, so I'm sure I'll feel differently when my time comes.
Regardless though, I don't get it…why is that even a thing to be snarky about? Personally, I give props to ladies who are OK with having their stomachs sliced open. Blech blech blech. And seriously…if your kid comes out of you like something from Alien, well…props to him/her too. Maybe that's what you should tell people…don't say you had a C section, ask them if they've seen Alien (or Spaceballs) and leave it to their imagination. You'll be the toughest momma on the block. :-D
- November 4, 2010 at 5:12 PM
- PseudoWifey said...
Personally, I think your parting thoughts sum it up nicely. As a mother who both fully vagged it up with the first kid, and did the breastfeeding thing to boot, I have to say that neither of those aspects of her life really seem to matter now. She is now nearly 4-years-old with a sibling due in February, and I just can't seem to drudge up the energy to care about my "birthing plan" for my second-born. It seems that the way my eldest was born has very little to do with who she is now, or who she will become.
Well, unless vaggy births tend to spawn obnoxiously adorable and prematurely self-righteous toddlers...
- November 4, 2010 at 5:12 PM
- MaryBeth said...
birthplan: living.
fuck everyone else. it's your body.
- November 4, 2010 at 6:19 PM
- Frogs in my formula said...
So it's official? I'll drop trou at the Mulletville Rite-Aid and try to make the Mulletville Herald?
You guys rock!
- November 4, 2010 at 7:20 PM
- JoAnna said...
I have to wonder: Pan in on Mrs. Mullet biting her lips, nails and Chuck trying to decide which option is best. Were you also biting Chuck?
- November 4, 2010 at 8:51 PM
- Keely said...
I do think doctors are a little quick on the C-section button (not in your case, obviously, it was completely necessary...I mean it seems like they ship you off to get cut open if they're impatient. Or have a golf game.) but "birth rape" is a ridiculously extreme term.
Advocate for yourself and your baby. Do what's best for survival. Fuck the rest of them.
- November 4, 2010 at 10:03 PM
- Jenni said...
I'm kind of surprised that you feel like there is public pressure to birth at home. I had my kids at home and I felt exactly the opposite - like there was a lot of pressure for me to just have them in the hospital like a "normal" person.
The only people who's opinions on your birth that are of any consequence are yours, Chucks, and your midwife/docs. That's it. Don't carry around other people's baggage. Do what you feel in your heart is right, what you feel is safest for you and your baby. I think you are smart to not take the decision lightly.
And, just for the record, no studies on home birth are beginning to show that they are more dangerous than hospital births. The studies that show this include unplanned, accidental home births and those are just not the same as a planned home birth attended by a medical professional. The most recent study on home birth done in 2009 showed that for low-risk women, birth outcomes and mother and infant mortality rates are nearly identical to hospital births. (see, people say crap like, "oh, it is so unsafe" and I get all defensive.) And that study was done in fucking Canada and you know Canadians don't lie.
Good luck, woman. He's coming out one way or another :)
- November 4, 2010 at 10:09 PM
- Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...
Yeah, that whole natural birth thing sucks anyhow. I did it. 23 hours of labor with no pain killers. I don't feel better for it...I feel dumb for not taking the drugs
- November 4, 2010 at 10:14 PM
- jo said...
Stay off forums that even discuss birthing, don't listen to any one except your Dr. I don't want to hear other peoples labour stories, good or bad so I don't discuss mine (which were all good). Go for what is safe for you & your bambino...marybt summed it up perfectly. Good luck
- November 5, 2010 at 7:22 AM
- Julia said...
Well it seems things are moving along splendidly on the pregnancy front. Ha.
Had the scheduled C-section for #1. Breech, no turning room, no other option except taking kid out in pieces. NO BRAINER C-section.
No VBAC Dr. #2 baby = C-section. No guilt. Why not? I don't know. OK maybe I do.
Maybe not having my vagina split open by a babies head was a good thing. And all those hands and tubes and stuff shoved around down there would have been a huge downer. Or would have freaked me out significantly.
Yeah, maybe it was just that I was not so regretful of the c-section after I had a healthy live baby #2 in my arms. That could be a big part of it.
- November 5, 2010 at 11:53 PM
- Pollyanna said...
I had and emergency c-section with Cupie. I didn't have any surgery complications and felt great afterward. So great, I was looking forward to a c-section with Stinkles.
I don't think it's a badge of honor or shame. Regardless of how they got here, I brought two beautiful girls into this world and I'm proud to be their mother.
- November 6, 2010 at 10:44 AM
- Stephanie said...
I wish I understood all the drama about natural vs. C section. I think that all that truly should matter is that both Momma and Baby are safe and healthy!
- November 6, 2010 at 7:28 PM
Ooooh, I feel your pain. I have had 3 c-sections. I have never experienced labor. After my 1st section I really wanted a vbac but really was scared about the whole uterus rupturing chance!
But for my 3rd child I got to pick a really cool birth date 03-04-05, how cool is that to be able to choose when baby comes into this world!!
- November 6, 2010 at 11:05 PM
- Nanc Twop said...
Look, they're waiting for you!
* Had to come back here and
post this after I saw it... ;-)
- November 7, 2010 at 5:41 PM
- Mrsbear said...
I had a c-section with my first and three VBACs followed it. The first VBAC, the one that followed the initial c-section was a nightmare that involved a post delivery look-see with all the interns so they could get a close gander at how I'd ripped apart my nethers...the other two VBACs were a breeze compared to that.
With that said, I never once felt violated by the medical staff. I was glad to have them. And the safety of you and your baby is the priority.
You really don't get a special badge for squeezing a baby out of your hoo-ha. But after a bad delivery, you want to go in to this second experience not terrified about what's going to happen. So if choosing a c-section is peace of mind, you should opt for it without worrying about judgment from anyone.
- November 8, 2010 at 9:46 AM
- Our Crazy Life said...
I also had an emergency C-section to save my life and the life of my 10 pound son who was stuck as he could be under my pelvic bone.
My next baby weighed in a 4.5 pounds and the doctor gave me the option. I decided I like pretty pink babies with round heads and no laboring for hours, had them all that way and wouldn't change a thing. Don't let what someone else thinks change your mind, do what is right for you and your baby!
- November 8, 2010 at 1:08 PM
- Our Crazy Life said...
Oh yea, I forogt, I love the idea of a leprechaun as a anesthesiologist, they might not charge as much!!
- November 8, 2010 at 1:08 PM
- Gretchen said...
At the end of the day, the hospital doesn't give out blue ribbons for vag births and red ribbons for c-sections, and gold medals for unmedicated.
It's funny, when I think about women being "birth raped". I mean, who is the adult here? Can they not just stand up for themselves and say, I DO NOT WANT YOU TO TREAT ME THAT WAY??? I mean, the women who say that hospitals are micromanaging births, aren't birthing their babies in their hospitals. And if the mothers in those hospitals cared so much, why wouldn't they go somewhere else?
My point is, it's easy for women to point at choices that contradict their own and say "THAT CHOICE IS BAD". But if the baby is born healthy, I'd say that the choice was a good one, no matter what the choice was.
I hope you have a successful birth and tell everyone who has an opinion to just f**k off. You & Chuck are the only ones who really matter in this situation. Good luck and stay healthy.
- November 9, 2010 at 1:18 PM
- Judy said...
Have the c-section and don't worry about it. It's no ones business HOW you gave birth--just that you have a new, beautiful boy. I liked it back in the day when we didn't feel we had to discuss with everyone HOW we birthed, or HOW long labor was, or HOW anything--and no one ever came up to us and touched our pregnant belly. Ain't nobody's biz!!
- November 10, 2010 at 10:31 PM
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Shell shocked: Lewis wows with technique
Sometimes it's best not to know. At a September 25 workshop, David Dodge Lewis will teach the process he used to create the 11 works on paper comprising his exhibition, "Darwin's Sanctum," currently on view at Chroma Projects. But Lewis's pieces are so staggeringly beautiful, disclosing their nuts and bolts may taint their magic.
Combining India ink, Cont© crayon, charcoal, and pencil, along with a wax-resist technique to suggest texture, Lewis makes what initially appear to be black-and-white scientific drawings of barnacle-laden objects. But he enlarges his encrusted subjects and presents them free of context, letting them float on the page and prod viewers to make non-barnacled associations. (An overhead view of an alien landscape? A stone sprouting succulents? A meteor fragment?)
Particularly intriguing is how Lewis's compositions offer one experience viewed from a distance, where they seem like ultra-realist renderings (of what exactly remains unclear), and another when observed up close, where subtle details emerge. For example, in a work on the gallery's east wall, faint penciled outlines create the impression of filmy layers of tissue surrounding the central object but disappear altogether when the viewer takes a few steps back.
In another piece, hanging near the gallery's southwest corner, a shadowy area of roughed-in charcoal transforms into a bit of script reading, "You Us," when examined from a few inches away. Lewis deftly uses such an extensive range of marks to create his works, one has to wonder how many secrets would emerge if one looked long and carefully enough.
Another significant aspect of Lewis's technique is the way he mixes the spontaneity of ink spatters, which energize his backgrounds, with areas of controlled refinement. By integrating areas of ink wash with precise charcoal and Cont© drawing, he creates a sense of dimension and depth that pulls the eye into areas of shadow, even as brittle projections seem to jut from the page.
And then there are the barnacles themselves, at once monstrous and erotic with their tight-lipped or gaping mouths lurking within stiff raised collars. By enlarging his subject matter and thoughtfully choosing how to let the barnacles cascade across the page, Lewis creates a compelling tension between repulsion and seduction (with seduction winning every time).
No doubt, Lewis's workshop will be instructive, but to sustain the marvel of his art, take a tip from Wizard of Oz: "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
David Dodge Lewis's exhibition,"Darwin's Sanctum," is on view through September 25 at Chroma Projects Art Laboratory. 418 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 202-0269.

subset: commoncrawl


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With its 20 years of experience, VocoPro has become, and still is, something of an industry pioneer. A few of their many "world's first" designs include an all-in-one entertainment P.A. system, and a dual tray multi-format hard drive player. In addition to their many innovations, VocoPros multi-channel wireless microphone systems reign as the top-sellers for most major music retailers.*
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DivX Stash has been shown as a concept before, but Pocket-lint has learnt it will be entering a beta test phase soon, with a full roll-out due later in the year. We were also given a demonstration of Rovi's software running on Mac, iPhone and iPad during CES 2013 in Las Vegas, and we have to say it's looking good.
DivX Stash is a playlist creation tool for online video. Rovi has partnered with some of the biggest names in the industry, including YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, Ted and plenty of others, and plans to open talks with countless additional services.
The software - once installed in the form of applications on your multiple devices - allows you to "stash" a video by simply clicking a button that appears under the clip, and it then appears in your DivX Stash playlist. Simple.
You can then see that content appear instantly in your playlists across all devices. You can even sort them further into genres or sub-playlists which you name yourself and, as long as the video is not deleted from the original service, can stream them whenever you have an internet connection.
Of course, YouTube and sites like it offer playlist creation tools of their own, but this is a great and easy way to aggregate the content you like across many services. For example, pop videos from your favourite artist may appear on several sources because of exclusivity deals. Stash them, and you don't even have to know from where they originate.
The playlists are well presented too, especially on the iPad, where you get either a list in portrait mode or large thumbnails in landscape. All metadata from the sites is included, so you can see the full description for each clip.
The private beta program will be opening soon in order for Rovi to get customer feedback, to result in a streamlined product for launch. Pocket-lint will bring you more when that's fully under way.


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Summer heats up fast when all you have is a fan to cool you down. Central air conditioning could solve all your sweaty problems, but the price may knock you
Summer heats up fast when all you have is a fan to cool you down. Central air conditioning could solve all your sweaty problems, but the price may knock you out cold.
The cost to install central air conditioning, including the unit, ranges from around $3,000 to over $7,000 on average, according to home services company HomeAdvisor. But the price tag varies widely depending on where you live, the type of system you need and the condition of your existing air ducts.
Here's more information about what goes into the cost and tips to help you save.What factors affect the cost to install central air
The price of an air conditioning unit is only one piece of the total cost to install central air. You'll also need to pay for a pre-installation evaluation, possible air duct installation or modification, and a qualified professional in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, to do the work.Pre-installation evaluation
A Manual J load calculation is the first step in proper installation, says Rob Minnick, CEO and president of Minnick's Inc., an HVAC company in Laurel, Maryland. This calculation tells contractors how much heat your house gains throughout the day and what size air conditioner will keep it cool.
Ideally, the load calculation would be part of a home energy audit. This assessment identifies air leaks and other issues that increase the cost to run an air conditioner. An energy audit can cost several hundred dollars, but your utility company may offer discounts or rebates.
� MORE: 6 energy-efficient upgrades that increase home valueDuctwork and design
After the Manual J load calculation, your contractor should check the systems an air conditioner relies on, especially ductwork, and ensure they can handle central air.
Existing ducts often can't handle the airflow of a modern air conditioner, says Louis Fuentes, president of Air Conditioning Guys Inc., in El Centro, California. Your home may also lack space to run a refrigerant line to the exterior, or room for an air conditioner coil or properly-sized vents.Any upgrades or modifications to accommodate the new system will likely increase the total cost to install central air conditioning, but they can help you �avoid high energy bills �and hot rooms.The central air unit
After home performance and support systems are evaluated, it's time to select an air conditioning unit. Depending on the size and structure of your home, you'll choose from the following types:Split air conditioning systems These have three main elements: the condensing unit, the evaporator coil and the air handler. The condensing unit is placed outside and looks like a big metal box with a fan in it. The evaporator coil and air handler live inside. Split systems are most economical in homes that already have a furnace, and are generally quiet, efficient and affordable to maintain.
Average price: $1,400 to $1,700 plus laborPackaged central air systems These function like split systems, except all three elements are housed in a single 'box' located on the roof or next to the foundation. Packaged units are uncommon in residential settings unless a split system won't fit, and they don't offer the same efficiency.
Average price: $1,800 to $3,000 plus laborHeat pumps They act as both an air conditioner and furnace, and are best suited for mild climates. The heat pump extracts hot air from your home and dumps it outside in the summer, then pumps outdoor heat inside during the winter. Heat pumps can be an efficient option, especially when combined with an existing gas furnace.
Average price: $3,200 to $3,700 plus labor
In addition to type, the cost of a central air unit varies by size. An air conditioner's capacity to cool the air is measured in tons; residential systems are generally available in 1.5- to 5-ton capacities. Bigger isn't always better; your air conditioner's size should be determined by the load calculation mentioned above.
Don't choose an air conditioning unit just for its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER rating, either. An air conditioner with a high SEER rating costs more but will still waste energy if it's improperly installed or your home is full of leaks, Minnick says. So make sure your contractor evaluates the home's performance before recommending a unit.
� MORE: How to avoid costly home-renovation mistakesInstallation and labor
An HVAC contractor's business size and location affect the cost to install central air conditioning, says Todd Washam, director of industry and external relations at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, or ACCA. But don't get too hung up on finding the lowest bid.
'If it's good and cheap, it won't be fast. And if it's fast and cheap, it won't be good,' Washam says.
Almost half of all HVAC systems are installed incorrectly, reducing their efficiency by up to 30%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star website. So finding an HVAC pro who does it right is worth the time and expense.
To find a high-quality HVAC contractor:Read online reviews and ask friends for referralsCompare estimates from at least three different companiesUse this �handy checklist �to guide your conversations with contractorsAsk lots of questions about their qualifications and standards 3 tips to control central air conditioning installation costs1. Examine your cooling needs
If you're an empty nester or only home at night, consider a ductless mini-split air conditioning system. These systems combine an outdoor compressor and condenser with indoor blower vents that can be installed on just about any exterior wall.
While not technically central air, ductless systems can be an efficient way to cool small zones within a larger home, like a TV room or bedroom, Fuentes says.2. Time it right
HVAC contractors are always busy during the hottest and coldest months, Washam says. Scheduling installation in the off-seasons " spring and fall " may yield a lower price or faster turnaround time because workers aren't as busy.3. Look for equipment rebates and tax credits
Local governments, as well as utility companies and manufacturers, promote the use of high-efficiency air conditioners through financial incentives. Use the Energy Star rebate finder to find money-saving opportunities in your ZIP code.
The article The Cost to Install Central Air and 3 Ways to Save originally appeared on NerdWallet.


text:
The Helios mixing desk is a rare classic studio console from the late '60s and '70s with an idiosyncratic upright and sometimes wrap-around design. These custom-built consoles were used by The Rolling Stones for their mobile studio, and The Beatles, who had two in their Apple studios.
Waves' HLS Channel gives us a faithful reproduction of the original's features. With the help of renowned engineer/producer Eddie Kramer, Waves sourced a module from the original Rolling Stones mobile console to base it on.
The original's character was in no small part due to the varying colouration introduced by harmonic distortion in the preamps, and Waves has precisely modelled this, including an adjustable drive knob and the characteristic noise and hum.
On the real thing, the sonic colour imparted would depend on whether you plugged into the line or mic input, and this has been reproduced, with a switch to toggle between the two options. The noise is optional too, and while it's pure nostalgia to hear the hiss increase as you ramp up the gain dial, it's equally satisfying to be able to switch it off when it's not appropriate - noise was always the enemy in the analogue days, after all!
Yours faithfully
The EQ is a faithful reproduction of what was, in its day, a comprehensive three-band equaliser: a 10kHz high-frequency shelf with a +12/-16dB range in 4dB steps (yes, 4dB!); a mid-range bell curve offering eight choices of centre frequency and a +/-15dB range; and a low-frequency band that's either a variable roll-off at 50Hz or a shelf boost at four frequencies.
As a general observation it's fair to say that many software reproductions can be, at times, overly faithful, and this very much applies to HLS Channel.
Old gear might well have had a unique sound but it was also frustratingly limiting at times and this EQ is a perfect example, not least the clunky 4dB steps at the top-end. Why not take the best bits of the original while improving on the shortcomings to realise its full potential?
The EQ does sound great, though. The top end is extremely smooth and silky and the bottom end particularly fat and warm. The presence range is a little harsh, possibly, but the general mid-range has a highly musical feel and lends itself to mid-scooped 'hi-fi' sonics.
The preamp colouration is subtle but it adds to the energy of a sound, making it more urgent - almost as if it's jumping out of the speakers, but not in a compressed way. There can't be that many more classic consoles for software developers to plunder, but the Helios is certainly one that's worth revisiting.
HLS Channel is among the most analogue-sounding plug-ins we've tried, right down to the noise. It also has the limitations of the original, but at least you can add another instance if you need more EQ bands.
Hear how the HLS sounds in practice with our audio demos:
Vocal - unprocessed
Vocal - Line Pre-Amp max no noise
Vocal - Line Pre-Amp max no noise with EQ
Vocal - Mic Pre-Amp max no noise
Vocal - Mic Pre-Amp max with noise


text:
Don't expect phone calls this weekend from Riley Green, he is only calling turkeys
Alabama is approaching turkey hunting season and this rising country star is gearing up to head into the great American outdoors! However, it's not the turkeys that he is necessarily looking for. Riley recently shared with the press the real reason for the season.
The "Bettin' Man" singer shared that being entirely off the grid is actually the real reason behind his hunting habit.
"I mean, it's turkey season right now in Alabama. I think I've gotten to know where I enjoy it a little bit more because it gets me out in the woods away from everybody where my phone doesn't work."
Riley was previously seen on CMT's reality show, 'Redneck Island' and will be heading out on tour with Brad Paisley later this year.
Photo Credit: Getty Images.


text:
Yorick, the Gravedigger
|Release date (US)
|June 22, 2011
|Highlights & notes
|Related links
|Patch chronology
|← Previous
|Next →
New Skins in the Store 编辑
The following skins were announced and released on an earlier mini-patch on Friday, June 17.
The following skins were released along with this patch.
This skin was announced on June 17 but was not available to purchase until Friday, June 24.
The following skins were released along with this patch, but were not available for purchase until Monday, June 27.
League of Legends v188.8.131.52 编辑
英雄 编辑
Yorick, the Gravedigger (Original Stats)
- Omen of War Omen of War: Yorick's next attack will deal bonus physical damage and summon a Spectral Ghoul that deals additional damage and moves faster than Yorick's other ghouls. While the Spectral Ghoul is alive, Yorick moves faster as well.
- Omen of Pestilence Omen of Pestilence: Yorick summons a Decaying Ghoul that arrives with a violent explosion, dealing damage and slowing nearby enemies. While the Decaying Ghoul remains alive, nearby enemies continue to be slowed.
- Omen of Famine Omen of Famine: Yorick steals life from his target and summons a Ravenous Ghoul that heals Yorick for the damage it deals.
- Omen of Death Omen of Death (Ultimate): Yorick conjures a revenant in the image of one of his allies. If his ally dies while its revenant is alive, the revenant sacrifices itself to reanimate them and give them time to enact vengeance.
- Unholy Covenant Unholy Covenant (Innate): Yorick's attacks deal more damage for each summon that is active. Meanwhile, Yorick's ghouls deal some percent of Yorick's Attack Damage and have some percent of his total health.
- Fixed a bug where Molten Shield damage wouldn't trigger if the damage done to Annie was absorbed by other shields.
- Blitzcrank will now attempt to immediately attack champions affected by a successful Rocket Grab Rocket Grab.
- A particle will now appear correctly on enemy targets when they can be killed by Feast.
- Hate Spike Hate Spike: missile speed increased.
- Shadow Walk Shadow Walk will now apply a 30/35/40/45/50% slow for 3 seconds instead of a stun for 1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2 seconds.
- Malice and Spite Malice and Spite:
- Health restored reduced to 150/225/300 per kill or assist from 350/500/650.
- Attack speed bonus reduced to 25/50/75% from 50/75/100%.
- Drain:
- Range increased to 475 from 450.
- Heal is no longer reduced if the damage done to the target is shielded.
- Dark Wind: base damage increased to 65/90/115/140/165 from 65/85/105/125/145
- Crowstorm:
- Ability power ratio per second increased to 0.45 from 0.4.
- Channel duration reduced to 1.5 seconds from 2.
- Idol of Durand Idol of Durand will now correctly increase its damage when the damage taken is absorbed by shields.
- Grog Soaked Blade:
- It will now apply a 7% slow instead of reducing healing and regeneration.
- Duration reduced to 3 seconds from 10.
- Poison magic damage changed to 3 + (1 x level) per second from 5 + (1 x level).
- Both the slow and the damage stack up to 5 times.
- Parrrley:
- Now applies Grog Soaked Blade to the target hit.
- Fixed a bug where it could sometimes restore gold to other players.
- Raise Morale: active duration increased to 7 seconds from 6.
- Cannon Barrage: base damage per cannonball increased to 75/120/165 from 65/110/155.
- Perseverance:
- Now marks Garen as being in combat even if the damage taken is absorbed by shields.
- Now shows the particle on Garen even if at 100% health.
- Fixed a bug where it could sometimes activate immediately after taking damage.
- H-28G Evolution Turret:
- Mana cost reduced to 70/80/90/100/110 from 120/125/130/135/140.
- Fixed a bug where his turrets would not assist him if damage from an enemy champion was absorbed by shields.
- Transcendent Blades Transcendent Blades:
- Heal versus champions increased to 25% of the damage dealt from 20%.
- Now heals Irelia based on the actual damage dealt (instead of the raw damage the ability deals).
- Now the heal is not reduced if the damage done is absorbed by shields.
- Demacian Standard:
- Armor bonus reduced to 10/13/16/19/22 from 10/14/18/22/26.
- Attack speed bonus reduced to 10/13/16/19/22% from 10/14/18/22/26%.
- Martial Cadence: target's max health to magic damage ratio reduced to 8% from 10%.
- Leap Strike: attack damage scaling reduced to 70% from 100%.
- Fixed a bug where Mirror Image clone would be permanently disabled if disabled when it spawns.
- Nether Blade:
- Passive base mana restore per attack increased to 8/11/14/17/20 from 4/8/12/16/20.
- Active changed to dealing 20/30/40/50/60 (+0.15 ability power) bonus magic damage dealt on hit for the duration instead of receiving 7/15/25/38/50 armor penetration for the duration.
- Null Zone:
- Base damage to max health ratio reduced to 4/5/6/7/8% from 5/6/7/8/9%.
- Ability power ratio reduced to 1% per 100 ability power (0.01) from 1% per 80 ability power (0.0125).
- Cooldown reduced to 14 from 16.
- Nether Grasp: ability power ratio over the duration reduced to 1.3 from 1.5.
- Strut is now properly removed when taking damage that is absorbed by a shield.
- Iron Man: shield generation is no longer reduced if the damage done to enemies is absorbed by shields.
- Fixed a bug where Children of the Grave could steal enemy passive abilities permanently.
- Black Shield: base shield strength changed to 95/160/225/290/355 from 100/150/200/250/300.
- Fixed a bug where Javelin Toss and Bushwhack would target a wrong location when cast immediately after transforming back to human form.
- Consume: base damage reduced to 400/525/650/775/900 from 500/600/700/800/900.
- Ice Blast Ice Blast: slow reduced to 20/30/40/50/60% from 40/45/50/55/60%.
- Clockwork Windup:
- Fixed a display error on the tooltip.
- Fixed a bug which was causing it to add less damage than intended.
- Fixed a bug with Command: Protect Command: Protect that was causing the shield particle to not display.
- Fixed several incorrect interactions with clones or unusual movement types.
- Poppy will now attempt to immediately attack champions affected by a succesful Heroic Charge Heroic Charge.
- Fixed a bug where Defensive Ball Curl had an ability power ratio.
- Cull the Meek Cull the Meek: heal is no longer reduced if the damage dealt is absorbed by shields.
- Fixed a bug where damage absorbed by a shield wouldn't mark Renekton as in combat for the purposes of Fury generation.
- The Equalizer:
- Trail's burning damage reduced to 100/140/180 per second from 120/160/200.
- Trail's burning damage ability power ratio per second reduced to 0.2 from 0.25.
- Cooldown increased to 105/90/75 from 90/75/60.
- Hallucinate: clone now correctly benefits from critical strikes.
- Fixed the dance animation to loop properly.
- Cannibalism: heal is no longer reduced if the damage dealt is absorbed by shields.
- Fixed a bug where shields and Ignite could sometimes cause her spell sounds to get cut off early.
- Ravenous Flock:
- It now heals Swain for 50% of the actual damage dealt to enemies (instead of 50% of the raw damage the ability deals).
- Now the heal is not reduced if the damage dealt is absorbed by shields.
- Move Quick: passive movement speed bonus is now correctly removed even if the damage taken is absorbed by shields.
- Fixed a bug where Rocket Jump cooldown reset upon kill or assist could fail if Tristana's damage output was fully absorbed by a shield.
- Fixed a bug where Undying Rage Undying Rage improperly showed "Endless Rage!" to represent damage being prevented.
- Blue Card Blue Card: mana restore is no longer reduced if the damage taken is absorbed by shields.
- Loaded Dice Loaded Dice is now deactivated while Twisted Fate is dead. [1]
- Fixed a bug where activating Gate channel time would not interrupt it. during the
- Mana cost of shifting stances reduced to 55/50/45/40/35 from 75/65/55/45/35.
- Turtle Stance:
- It now heals Udyr based upon the actual damage dealt to enemies (instead of the raw damage his attacks would deal).
- Now the heal is not reduced if the damage is absorbed by shields.
- Phoenix Stance: waves' base damage from activation increased to 15/25/35/45/55 per second from 10/18/26/34/42.
- Fixed a bug where when attacking a champion with Terror Capacitor Terror Capacitor active, it was slowing for less than the tooltip stated.
- Fixed a bug where when using Acid Hunter with Terror Capacitor Terror Capacitor, it was slowing based upon Acid Hunter's rank rather than Terror Capacitor Terror Capacitor.
- Silver Bolts: true damage will no longer be blocked by spell shields.[2]
- Tumble: bonus damage reduced to 40/45/50/55/60% from 55/60/65/70/75%.
- Condemn: base damage reduced to 45/80/115/150/185 from 50/90/130/170/210.
- Final Hour:
- Movement speed bonus is now tripled instead of quadrupled.
- Attack damage bonus reduced to 25/40/55 from 35/55/75.
- Transfusion:
- Cooldown changed to 12/10/8/6/4 from 12/10/8/6/3.
- Base damage changed to 90/125/160/195/230 from 70/115/160/205/250.
- Hungering Strike Hungering Strike: heal is no longer reduced if the damage dealt is absorbed by shields.
- Crescent Sweep:
- Targets' current health to damage ratio reduced to 15% from 20%.
- Bonus armor and magic resistance per champion hit reduced to 5/8/11 from 7/10/13.
物品 编辑
- will now mark you in combat for receiving or dealing any damage, even if it is absorbed by shields.
- It now increases regeneration from lifesteal and spell vamp.
- Fixed a bug where it was granting too much bonus regeneration.
- Health regeneration per 5 reduced to 18 from 22.5.
- Mana regeneration per 5 reduced to 8 from 10.
- : combine cost increased to 500 from 400.
- : active cooldown decreased to 90 from 105.
- : spell vamp reduced to 15% from 20%.
- The gold per 10 component of , , , and is now unique to itself. This means that it won't stack when the bonus comes from the same item, but it will stack when having different items.
General 编辑
- Updated tooltips for many champions.
- Lifesteal and spell vamp are no longer reduced if the damage done is absorbed by shields.
- Healing reductions now reduce health regained by lifesteal and spell vamp.
- Maximum gold for killing a player on a long kill streak reduced to 500 gold from 1000.
- Minimum gold for killing a player on a long death streak reduced to 15 gold from 90 gold.
- Gold rewards for kills where the target is on a 3 kill or 3 death streak or less should give comparable amounts or even more gold than before.
- Experience granted for kills is now determined by the dying champion's level.
- Killing champions higher level than you will now grant more experience .
- Killing champions lower level than you will now grant less experience.
- Killing equal level champions is unaffected.
- Wards and spawned minions that don't attack are no longer targetable/manipulated by spells (except Summoner spell Teleport).
- This means, for example, that wards will no longer be able to block 拉莫斯的 Powerball, Teemo's Noxious Traps will not block skillshots, and 贾克斯 is no longer able to Leap Strike onto a ward.
- Fixed a bug where minions were playing their particles multiple times when attacking.
Undocumented changes 编辑
英雄 编辑
- Classic skin splash art has been updated.
- Animations and sound effects have been updated.
物品 编辑
- [3] : aura bonuses are now only applied to ally champions instead of to all ally units.
Hotfix 编辑
Two hotfixes for this patch went live a few hours after the release. The first one addressed a serious bug that was affecting Yorick, where a champion targeted by his Omen of Death Omen of Death would continuously respawn with 1 health point. A second one reverted the changes for Kayle which were accidentally released in this patch. The changes in question were the following:
Important Note: The following changes were reverted and should not be documented anywhere else on the wiki: Kayle
- Holy Fervor:
- Attack damage to ability power conversion ratio reduced to 20% from 30%.
- Ability power to attack damage conversion ratio reduced to 10% from 15%.
- Reckoning:
- Base damage increased to 80/130/180/230/280 from 60/110/160/210/260.
- Ability power ratio increased to 1.0 from 0.8.
- Mana cost reduced to 70/75/80/85/90 from 80/85/90/95/100.
- Divine Blessing:
- Heal changed to 60/115/170/225/280 from 65/100/135/170/205.
- Ability power ratio reduced to 0.25 from 0.5.
- Movement speed boost increased from 12% at all ranks to 18/21/24/27/30%.
- Duration reduced to 4 seconds from 10.
- Mana cost increased to 75/90/105/120/135 from 60/65/70/75/80.
- Righteous Fury Righteous Fury:
- Base bonus damage increased to 10/20/30/40/50 from 4/10/16/22/28.
- Range buff increased to 425 from 400.
- Cooldown reduced to 17 at all ranks from 22/21/20/19/18.
- Mana cost reduced to 50 from 65.
Patch Preview 编辑
The Patch Preview was streamed live just before the grand finals of the Season One Championship at Dreamhack. You can watch the patch preview on the following link: V18.104.22.168 Patch Preview (0' to 20')
References 编辑
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 基兰的 Heightened Learning is already deactivated while dead.
- ↑ This only affects spell shields ( Spell Shield and Shroud of Darkness), not absorption shields ,
- ↑ Riot confirmation on changes to aura bonuses.
|League of Legends: Release History
|Season Three
|Season Two
|Season One
|Closed Beta
|Alpha Stage


text:
ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Rookie Kolten Wong keyed the St. Louis offense with his legs in support of Shelby Miller's strongest outing of the season, and the Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Saturday.
Wong scored on Yadier Molina's sacrifice fly just beyond the infield to tie it in the fourth. He bunted for a hit and drew a wild throw in St. Louis' go-ahead, two-run rally off Aaron Harang (4-4) in the sixth.
The Cardinals matched their season high with their fourth straight win.
Miller (6-2) allowed a run and five hits in seven innings, one inning longer than his previous high this season. He matched his season best with seven strikeouts, fanning B.J. Upton three times.
Trevor Rosenthal fanned two in the ninth inning, with Upton striking out a fourth time, to earn his 13th save in 14 chances.


text:
Summer is approaching.. who's ready for the heat!?
If anyone knows how to make an extension for Opera, please let me know. otherwise, I will have to contract a 3rd party to do so.. unfortunately, I have no knowledge of Opera.
Does Bit Che have an add-on for Firefox? It seems like it is too much work for little gain. Who would use Bit Che in a browser as opposed to the standalone app? I guess the fact that the add-on in the database would draw in new users though.
Page created in 0.189 seconds with 23 queries.


text: When Scottsdale, Ariz., police pulled over a vehicle on Sept. 10, 2008, they found sales contracts from a local automotive dealership. According to The Arizona Republic, the contracts were among many items in the car that documented a fraud ring involving Gilbert-based Henry Brown Buick-GMC-Pontiac finance manager Dominick Hurley. Rampant dealership identity theft "It was Read on! →


text:
The Wind in My Sail
Sometimes there are things in life that make you extremely sad. That devastate you, that take the wind right out of you. It's like to know the course of the ship and where it's suppose to go, but all these waves and harsh weather make it feel like it's impossible to get to the destination. In my case, I know I will get there but I will be badly damaged. There are things that just can't be helped. The way a person feels, the way things used to be, and maybe the truth that you already know.
The inevitable.
I never been one to beat around the bush or linger in limbo but at this moment, that's where it feels safer. I already know what's going to happen. I don't have to be psychic to see the damage that is lingering on the horizon. I feel it. I sense it. I know it. The way you see the sky darken and the clouds descend from the sky. The way you know that there is a storm coming.
There is a storm coming.
And I have no one to brace myself with. I am envious of those around me that do. I am sick of seeing it. But like all things, you must swallow it and just move on. Cause that is all I have ever done. Move on.
There is no more time to review on what I could have done, or where I went wrong in the past. It doesn't matter; and I'll spend the rest of my life beating myself about it.
For now I will just have to figure a way to sail…
Sail without wind.


text:
The comments come in different forms but all carry the same underlying message. Becca Dabrowski doesn't belong.
You're a girl. Get out of the pool.
The words are meant to scoff and intimidate the McHenry sophomore water polo player. They are often accompanied by sneers. Rather than ignore the verbal slights, though, Dabrowski takes them to heart.
"I love it because the guys look at you and say, 'Oh yeah, she's a girl, she can't do it'," Dabrowski said. "And then you go and kick their butt."
Dabrowski and teammate Torey Kervick are in the minority of a high school sports landscape inhabited by nearly 7.7 million players nationwide. They are female athletes competing in sports with otherwise all-male rosters. To play on those teams may be considered by some to be an extreme choice, but one that remains an option almost 41 years after Title IX was enacted.
For girls who cross over – like Huntley's Ali Andrews, who played for two years for a boys AAU basketball team, and Crystal Lake South freshman Tepenga Vrame, who joined the Gators' club lacrosse team this spring – fitting in can sometimes be difficult.
But the jeers they hear mostly from opponents are not enough to deter female athletes who only seek the opportunity to play the sport. Whether that's a convincing enough argument for girls to compete against males on a regular basis, though, remains in question to some.
"I don't think it does girls and women's sports any good when we're saying that the best way for girls to develop athletic talent is to play against boys," said Nicole LaVoi, the associate director of
the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women In Sports at the University of Minnesota. "But I wouldn't deny the girl the chance."
• • •
Dabrowski grew up around water polo, with two older brothers who played at McHenry and who now compete at the club level in college.
She never asked for special treatment, believing that if she could endure the competitive abuse she took from her brothers, she could certainly play other boys her age. Because of Title IX, a federal law passed in 1972 requiring equal opportunities, Dabrowski and Kervick must be allowed to compete at McHenry, because the school doesn't offer a girls team.
Her teammates have been accepting, willing to treat the two girls like one of the guys. Dabrowski and Kervick don't expect anything less. If Warriors coach Craig Fowles is chewing out his male players, the girls want to be chided just the same.
But once the games begin, some of the camaraderie disappears. That's when Dabrowski and Kervick hear the demeaning characterizations the most, suggesting they shouldn't be playing, asking if they know that water polo is a boys sport.
Other opponents take it a step further, pointing their comments at their fellow male counterparts.
"What's it like to defend a girl?" they ask McHenry's boys players.
Some flat out refuse to try to guard one of the girls, either because they don't want to risk making awkward or inappropriate contact or because they don't want to be shown up. On one occasion, Dabrowski said, one of her teammates switched defensive assignments with her just so they could deal directly with the player herself.
"It kind of gets me going," she said. "I get excited to prove people are wrong because I know I'm better and that I can do it."
Until last year, Fowles never considered having girls contribute on his varsity team. Any girls who showed up for tryouts were delegated to the junior varsity team. On the rare occasion when a girl traveled with the varsity team, they didn't play until after the score was well out of hand.
But Fowles was soon confronted with the reality that both Dabrowski and Kervick were among his best 14 or 15 players that make up the game day roster. That left him with no other choice but to include them. It also forced him to deliver what he calls his "Girl Talk", an uncomfortable speech he says is always a nightmare to deliver. It's a speech geared at covering topics that need to be addressed with both boys and girls in the water at the same time.
One of the sport's basic moves, he said, involves players shoving off the chest of another player. While nothing inappropriate has ever happened with his players, Fowles can't stop opponents from doing what they will.
"You're constantly checking them with your hands, and guys don't have to worry because there's nothing there," Fowles said. "But with a girl ... that makes me nervous."
But even after discussing topics like inappropriate touching that still cause him to blush, Fowles remains a little uncomfortable. Given the brutal style of play that goes on in the sport – especially out of sight from game officials – Fowles admits he had serious concerns about including the two female players.
"You don't want to get them in that water and play because you know what happens," Fowles said. "It's awful, and so getting over my own misgivings was probably the biggest thing. I had to convince myself it was OK to put them in."
LaVoi, however, argues that if coaches have reservations strictly based on a female player's safety when they could easily have the same misgivings about a smaller or less-talented male player, they are guilty of feeding gender-based stereotypes that continue to permeate society.
Even in the four decades since the passing of Title IX, LaVoi said changing people's thinking when it comes to men's and women's roles, even on the playing field, remains a tough task.
"As long as those stereotypes persist, men's sport will still be perceived as the better version – or the real version – of sport compared to girls," LaVoi said. "Those stereotypes serve a purpose to sustain power and privilege."
• • •
Last year, 4.4 million boys across the country participated in high school sports, while 3.2 million girls played, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Basketball and track and field remained among the most highly populated sports for both boys and girls, representing activities that offer teams for both gender groups.
But when schools don't field teams for both boys and girls in less popular sports, such as water polo, lacrosse or hockey, it opens the door to athletes choosing to participate in a sport designed for the opposite gender.
For Andrews, who helped guide Huntley to the Class 4A girls basketball state semifinals, playing for the Kessel Heat AAU boys basketball team when she was a seventh-grader was a no-brainer, helping develop her into one of the area's top players.
The idea to jump from a the girls team she had played with since fifth grade was introduced to her by Kessel coaches. At the time, they believed Andrews, who was 5 to 6 inches taller than most of her female competition at the time, would be better suited if she played with the boys.
"I wouldn't say (playing with the girls) was easier, but the coaches wanted to make it more of a challenge and so I'd learn more from it," said Andrews, who averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.4 blocks a game for Huntley this year. "I thought it would be a lot more fun since [boys] are so much bigger and stronger."
Kervick has managed to do both.
The McHenry senior has swum competitively for most of her life. The next logical step was to add water polo, a sport she hopes to play in college. In addition to playing for McHenry's boys team, Kervick also competes in the Northern Illinois Polo Club girls program. The two playing styles are worlds apart. While boys tend to be brutal in a game that often involves punching and kicking under the water's surface, the girls game, Kervick says, is more "grabby."
Much of the contact there comes when players grab the suit of their opponents, slowing down the progress of faster players. But having to adjust to how boys play didn't keep Kervick from making the cut at McHenry.
"I think if you love the sport, you'll play in any position you can play," Kervick said.
Although she has chosen to play for what is the only co-ed high school water polo team in Illinois, Kervick said she understands why more girls don't follow her lead.
"They don't even give it a chance," Kervick said. "They think, 'Oh, if I do that, I'll be more manly.' But I wear dresses – I don't care."
For Vrame, her desire to compete among male athletes has less to do with making a statement and more to do with remaining within her comfort zone. Like with Dabrowski and Kervick, she's able to play lacrosse at South because the school doesn't offer a comparable program like field hockey.
Vrame says she has always had a tomboy side, one that manages to exist despite Vrame also taking a "girly-girl" approach to life. When it comes to sports, she has always felt more comfortable competing among the boys.
Rather than play Little League softball, which she characterized as "too prissy," Vrame played for Crystal Lake's baseball program. Her father, Paul, said allowing her to play brought him a lot of grief, but he didn't want to disappoint his daughter.
Deep down, he didn't like the idea of Tepenga playing baseball when there was a softball program for girls she could participate in. But he had always taught her to chase after her dreams and not to take any guff from anyone. So if baseball was her choice, he wouldn't stand in her way.
"That's my daughter, and your heart takes over what the brain thinks," Paul Vrame said.
Vrame said she started playing lacrosse when she was 4. So after growing up with the sport, she decided last year she'd like to continue playing throughout high school. Most of her teammates have been accepting. Others, she said, haven't, suggesting she doesn't understand the game and that she's "too wimpy" to play.
Vrame is determined to show them she's not.
"I want to show them that girls are just as strong as they are and that anything boys can do, girls can do," she said.
Andrews flourished in her two years with the Heat. She said she gained toughness, both physically and mentally, that have carried over not only to her varsity career at Huntley, but also with the Midwest Elite 17-U girls AAU team she plays with even though he's only 15.
Now at 6-foot-2, Andrews would welcome the chance to compete against boys all over again – not because she feels like they're better, but that they helped her bring her game to a different level. She describes the girls game as being played at a more controlled pace, while her time with the Heat pushed her to play quicker.
"I don't think boys are better," Andrews said. "I think it's equal. It's just different."
• • •
The Illinois High School Association sanctions 29 sports – including 15 for girls. Ten of the sports are offered to male and female participants while offering two and three sports, respectively (football and wrestling for the boys and badminton, competitive cheer and competitive dance for the girls) that are gender-specific.
While girls can play boys sports if a similar alternative isn't offered, boys cannot cross over, according to the IHSA's Affirmative Action Policy.
The foundation for the rationale, the policy states, is that by allowing a boy to compete on a girls team would most likely result in him replacing a girl on that team, taking away an opportunity. The policy also states that the situation not only adds to the difference in participation opportunities, but also hurts the growth of the girls program.
To some, that opens the door to a double standard since some schools – like in McHenry County – don't offer a sport like boys volleyball when interest could exist in some boys playing in the sport like they can at the club level. In Illinois, 88 schools offer boys volleyball as a varsity sport, and while introducing the sport here was discussed in the late 1990s when boys volleyball became sanctioned by the IHSA, low interest numbers has kept those discussions from moving forward.
In 16 years at Prairie Ridge, athletic director Patty Hie says she's never had a boy inquire about joining a girls team.
LaVoi argues, however, the position that boys are being discriminated against by not being allowed to try out for a girls team is a "a classic argument" among those who don't know what Title IX is all about.
"Title IX is not a law that's supposed to be limiting opportunities for participation for anybody," she said. "We need to protect girls' opportunities because they have been drastically under-represented. And that's true."
LaVoi would entertain the notion of eliminating gender-specific sports since high school athletics remains among the only life venues where males and women don't coexist.
She points to workplaces, where both men and women work in a cooperative environment and to adult recreational co-ed sports leagues, where both genders are represented on the roster. LaVoi suggests that by keeping male and female athletes separated at the high school level supports the stereotypes that she says still exist, where the male version of the sport is still considered "the real" program.
Doing away with gender-specific sports, she said, would eliminate that, although she doesn't foresee that happening any time soon.
"If we really want to train boys and girls to be cooperative and respect the talents of the other sex and learn to get along," LaVoi said, "what better way than to let them play together in sport in a context which they really care about?"


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LONDON 2012: U.S. women's hoops beats Turkey 89-58
LONDON (AP) -- Angel McCoughtry and the U.S. Olympic women's team's depth wore down Turkey.
McCoughtry scored 18 points and Tina Charles added 16 to help the Americans beat the Turkey 89-58 Wednesday night.
Turkey entered the game undefeated and were expected to give the Americans their toughest test in the Olympics so far. The Turks had looked impressive in their first Olympic appearance and said they weren't intimidated by the top-ranked team in the world despite the U.S. winning its first two games by an average of 38.5 points.
The Turks stayed close for a while. They had an early one-point lead in the first quarter before McCoughtry helped the Americans build a 15-point advantage by the half.
Turkey didn't waiver, coming within 50-45 in the third quarter before McCoughtry and the reserves put the game away.
Her three-point play started a 13-2 run. On the Americans' next possession she missed a 3-pointer, but hustled for the offensive rebound and found Maya Moore for an easy lay-in.
Lindsay Whalen then took over, scoring six of the final eight points during the burst to make it 63-47 after three quarters much to the delight of LeBron James, who was in attendance along with some of the other men's Olympic team.
The Turks could get no closer in the fourth quarter. Former VCU star Quanitra Hollingsworth led Turkey (2-1) with 11 points. She was born in American, but became a naturalized to play for Turkey in May. Birsel Vardarli also had 11 points for the Turks.
Coach Geno Auriemma has said the U.S.' depth would be key to its success. The Americans played without center Sylvia Fowles for the second straight game because she was resting a sore left foot. She also sat out the team's 52-point win over Angola on Monday night.
The Turks have played well in their first Olympics with wins over Angola and the Czech Republic. They had hung with the Americans for three quarters of an exhibition game in Istanbul last month before the U.S. pulled away to a 19-point victory.
They had a tougher time on Wednesday against the U.S., which now has won its last 36 games in the Olympics and is attempting to win a fifth consecutive gold medal.
Next up for the U.S. on Friday is the Czech Republic, which beat Croatia 89-70 for its first win. After playing, practicing or traveling for the last 18 days the Americans will take Thursday off.
The Americans close out pool play Sunday against China, which is also 3-0 after routing Angola 76-52. China has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinal.
Also Wednesday, France edged Canada 64-60 to advance to the next round. Russia remained unbeaten with a 67-61 win over Britain. The Russians also advanced to the quarterfinals. Australia rebounded from its first loss to a non-American team in the Olympics since 1996 with


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CONCORD, N.H. – Riding Saturday night's momentum from their first appearance at a rally together, President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton took to the small Granite State capital to make their case for the former's second term.
Introducing the president, Clinton reminded the crowd how good New Hampshire had been to him when he first ran for president, leaving unsaid that the state also voted for his wife Hillary in the 2008 Democratic primary.
"Twenty years and nine months ago, New Hampshire began the chance for me to become president," Clinton told the 14,000 people gathered in a park near the statehouse here.
But, he added, he was much more enthusiastic about campaigning for Obama now than he was for himself.
"Maybe because I have done this work. Maybe because I know how hard it is," he said.
"Twenty years and nine months ago, New Hampshire began the chance for me to become president," former President Bill Clinton told 14,000 gathered in Concord before introducing President Barack Obama. Clinton said he was more enthusiastic for Obama than he was for himself.
And Clinton also played the role of aggressive surrogate for the more reserved president, reviving the "Romnesia" attack line that Obama had deployed in the weeks leading up to the tone-changing Hurricane Sandy.
"As President Obama has told us there's this great public health epidemic, this virus, sweeping across America causing a condition known as Romnesia," Clinton said, "and the virus is so rampant that anybody's vulnerable to gettin' a little of it."
For his part, Obama sought to draw a parallel between Clinton's economic policies, popular around the country in retrospect, and his own.
"Just as we did when Bill Clinton was president, we gotta ask the wealthiest to pay a little bit more so we can reduce the deficit and still invest in the things we need to grow," he said.
And Obama also gave an unusually detailed plug for some of the state's down-ballot candidates, a nod to the Democrats' fight to regain the House, as well as add more governors to the party roster.
"If you want to break the gridlock in Congress, you'll vote for leaders who feel the same way whether they're Democrats or Republicans or independents – folks like John Lynch, folks like Jeanne Shaheen, you'll vote for candidates like Annie Custer, Carol Shea-Porter. You'll make Maggie Hassan the next governor of New Hampshire," he said.
Amanda Henneberg, spokeswoman for GOP nominee Mitt Romney's campaign, responded to Obama in a written statement: "With no rationale for re-election, President Obama has resorted to false, discredited attacks and a cynical closing message urging voters to choose 'revenge.' The people of New Hampshire, along with the rest of America, will choose Governor Romney's optimistic vision for our country's future and will vote for real change so he can get our country back on the right track."
The president continued his frenetic campaign pace, hopping on a plane to Florida after his New Hampshire stop.


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Rhythm of the Dance
Thursday, March 14, 2019 • 7:00pm
This two-hour dance and music extravaganza contains a wealth of Irish talent. The show is an inspiring epic, reliving the journey of the Irish Celts throughout history. Using modern art forms of dance and music, this richly costumed show marries the contemporary and the ancient. Combining traditional dance and music with the most up to date stage technology, the show is a thousand year old story executed with all the advantages of the modern day stage show.
Rhythm of the Dance has heralded a new era in Irish entertainment, internationally rated as one of the most popular and busiest Irish step dance shows in the world. Rhythm of the Dance aspires to a purity content preserving the traditions of Irish step dancing and yet presenting it in the most modern format that has made it a leader in its field.
The show features a live band, three tenors & some 22 dancers. Be sure to experience Rhythm of the Dance when it performs in a venue near you. You'll be very glad you did! 4.5 million fans can't be wrong!!


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Mini-Harley Quinn is quite the little cosplayer and she's only four-years old! Her love started with a simple cape and has since transformed into a wide range of costumes including her adorably popular Mini-Harley Quinn.
I thought it would be fun to interview one of the smallest little cosplayer. In a mix of her own words (she's only four-years old after all) and translations by her mother, come with me as we learn about Mini-Harley's current projects, her love of helping the furry and what it's like to be a four-year old cosplaying star. Mini-Harley Quinn will also reveal why she loves Harley Quinn and why she means so much to her.
GeekMom: What was the first character you dressed up as?
Mini-Harley: Her first costume was Tinker Bell for her first Halloween she was 11 3/4 months old. Her first costume for a convention was Supergirl at Mega Con (she was two years old) because her real name is Kara and she liked to play in the cape around the house.
GM: Which costume is your favorite and why?
MH: Her eyes lit up. "Harley Quinn!" When I asked her why she said "because I love Harley Quinn!" At her first Mega Con convention (where she was Supergirl) she met an Alex Ross Harley Quinn and Joker. They played with her for a long time and answered all of her questions. She's loved Harley ever since.
GM: Who makes your costumes?
MH: Holly Messinger is her amazing seamstress. I sent her the measurements and she makes them (we found her on Etsy). "Mommy and Papi make my hammer and gun though." She is finally old enough for a mask and the people at Karneval Masques made one just for her. She went for the fittings to make sure it was perfect for her little face.
GM: Do you remember any instance in particular where you were dressed up and people gave you an awesome reaction?
MH: "Mega Con because a lot of people took pictures of me and screamed." This was the first time she wore Harley Quinn to a convention. She wore a Harley Quinn her aunt and I made her for Halloween, but it fell apart on Halloween, so Mini-Harley Quinn debuted Saturday at Mega Con last year. She had so much fun that we went to Disney on Sunday (only did Mega Con Saturday last year) and when I told her we were going to Disney she got mad at me and told me she wanted to go back to Mega Con and be Harley. She was ticked that I "made" her go to Disney.
GM: How often do you get to wear your costumes?
MH: "Whenever I want to and at Mega Con, costume contests, and Disney. I love to dress up and have fun." (By the way, all conventions to her are Mega Con.) She goes to Disney once a month and wears a different princess dress to each park we go to. She loves to twirl with the princesses and the attention she gets from the cast members and the characters. The Fairy Godmother in the parade always does the heart thing with her hands, so now Kara does it to all of the people going by in the parade too.
GM: Do you read any books that include your favorite costumed characters?
MH: "Read books? I'm four, mommy!" I do read to her, but she gets bored and goes off to play. She prefers playing alone and using her imagination. She enjoys watching Batman: The Animated Series and loves watching the Disney Channel, Curious George and Martha Speaks on Netflix.
GM: What are you plans for Mega Con this year?
MH: "Is it time for Mega Con Mommy!?!?!? I want to be Cinderella, Supergirl, Harley Quinn, Catwoman. And I want to take pictures with people. I'd love to see Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Hulk Smash, Joker, and Harley and..." She went on to name about twenty different characters at this point and I lost track.
GM: What's your favorite memory while in costume?
MH: "Winning costume contests. I love the trophies and taking pictures with people." She believes the trophies are the coolest thing and the people taking pictures of her on stage. She loves the attention and loves to watch other people on stage and ask people about the characters they are dressed up as.
She's been asked by celebrities at the conventions to take pictures with them and they play with her, but she doesn't know how they are. She just likes playing with them. They are all so sweet to her and she talks about some of them often. Thanks to some of the Walking Dead cast members, she now has a Zombie obsession...
GM: Besides dressing up, what else do you like to do?
MH: "Playing with my toys, on the computer, going to school, playing outside, going to Disney, playing with my puppies, and finding them new mommies and daddies. A lot of stuff!"
Our current foster puppies are named after the X-Men; Jean, Scott, and Logan. She's already working on names for the next puppies when these "find new mommies and daddies." Our rescue has been in operation since June and in the first six-months we have saved and found homes for 60 dogs!
She also has The Little People DC and Princess collections and they all play together. Usually Batman is saving the Princesses from Joker, or Batman and Joker are wrestling. She loves the Florida Supercon Wrestling guys and she acts out wrestling quite often with her toys. She also likes to play kitchen and cook and play cashier and check you out with your groceries. Her prices are very high though.
GM: Would you like to give anyone a shout out?
MH: "A what? No mommy"... Florida Supercon Wrestling, One By One Dog Rescue. FSCW guys have been so good to her and watch out for her like a daughter. Great group of guys and great extra security for a tiny socialite like Kara. Kara knows no fear so chasing her around for twelve hours in a convention while she socializes and speaks to everyone about whatever costume they have on is very exhausting.
GM: What do you like to spend your costume award money on?
MH: "Money? That is for the puppies and for Disney." She hasn't won very much money and actually likes the trophies more. She shows anyone who comes over her trophies, because she is very proud of them. She likes to go to the pet store and buy toys for her puppies and dog food. She also goes to Disney once a month. While she doesn't ask for much, she gets new things at almost every convention.
We always end up buying prints for her room. At Animate she got Harley Quinn, Supergirl, and Belle with Beast prints that she picked out along with a My Little Pony plush and a set of seven ponies. We like to buy from vendors at the conventions because they are small businesses and we always support small businesses when we can.
GM: Do you have any future costume plans?
MH: "Supergirl!!!" I had been searching for Supergirl boots in her size for over a year because she wanted to be Supergirl. She got them for Christmas so now we are working on getting the Supergirl costume made for Mega Con. I wish I had time to learn to sew so I could make them with her. If she is still into this when she gets a bit older and wants to learn to sew, I will happily find a teacher to teach her and let her live out her dreams and do what she loves.
After the interview, Kara's mom had this to say about her daughter's unique hobby:
"As long as Kara wants to dress up, I will support her as long as manners and school come first. Conventions have allowed Kara to become a very social child and excel in school. She was picked as a role model student for her three-year-old program at school because of her social and verbal skills. I have conventions to thank for that. I thank every person who has ever come in contact with her that has become a positive experience in her childhood and helping her do what she loves. All the questions she asks about the character or the costume you all always spend the time to answer her and explain and that means so much to me.
I hope people understand that we go to Mega Con and let her dress up because everyone else does (the Supergirl costume was in a bag, we let her decide to wear it when she was two). We never thought going to a convention and having fun would turn into everything that it has. The minute she says she doesn't want to do it anymore, then it is done and over."
While Kara is best known at conventions for her Harley-Quinn, she has a closet full of other costumes including every Disney Princess, Princess Leia, American Dream (with the Captain America shield), Supergirl, Catwoman, Doctor Scrubs, and White doctor coat with doctor's bag (she loves Doc McStuffins).
Her next appearance will be at Mega Con in Orlando, Florida. If you see her, say hi and feel free to talk to her about your costume.