text: My "fighting days" have been over for almost 20 years. Up until the time I got sick, I still enjoyed sparring in the dojo and teaching my students techniques I had learned over the years. I had a good teacher in Art Rabesa. In tournaments and dojos I gave and probably received more. I liked a good tough fight as most of us do. But this story is not about me. I have a close friend who is from Louisania. He is well past his fighting prime, in his early 40's. He is a fomer Louisania State full contact kick boxing champion and fought twice for the world championship. In his last fight, a world championship fight, he took a very heavy side kick to the head. He continued to fight, a twelve round fight but it was stopped after the 11th round. He told me he would have been stopped in the 12th round anyway. Three days after that fight, they found he had a blood clot on the brain. Fortunitly surgery was not required and medication took care of the clot. He did begin to have an occasional seizure. This happened almost 20 years ago. Now, the scar tissue, left by the blood clot is causing him to have more frequent seizures. They are quite violent and leave him in tough shape for days after. Surgery is not possible and other than medication there is nothing that can be done for him. What is down the road? They will only get worse and more frequent and no one knows what lies ahead. This man is a true warrior with a enormous heart. More than once I have had to talk him out of going back into the ring. At his age now, he does know better. I might add that he is a teriffic guy, a gentleman and a true and loyal friend who is like a brother to me. This story is rather extreme in relation to the question I am asking. After all, Tate fought professionally, both in kick boxing and boxing. He even sparred with such fighters as Michael Moore, former heavyweight champion of the world and others. I have always believed in "heavy" sparring. Art Rabesa believed in conditioning and I can't remember one student who advanced to black belt that wasn't in condition to "take" the punishment. We sparred full contact and for many years we did not wear any equipment, no hands or feet, just skin and bones. We usually had light contact to the head, but, of course many times control went out the window and cuts, bruises and shiners were not uncommon. We loved it. And if one didn't? They simply didn't show up on Tues. and Thurs. nights, those were our sparring nights. Also unsupervised sparring for a select few on Sundays. I think back about some of the injuries I had and I know that age has brought some of those back. I do not regret one single minute of my training, not one single injury, because that's how I wanted to train. I could have walked away as any of us could. Some did. I will forever be grateful to my sensei, my friend, Art Rabesa for teaching me the way he did. We never had any serious injuries in the dojo. I do remember a couple broken legs but I don't call those serious. I still feel that any of these students could handle themselves out on the street. I know that this type training is not for everyone, we all have to work the next day and I also wonder if this way of training is necessary, I always thought so and I taught the same way. Does it make one stronger both mentally and physically? Again, I always thought so. With the threat of lawsuits and the danger of serious injury, I know many teachers, maybe even most teachers, shy away from the heavy contact for the reasons mentioned. I suppose it also keeps more students in the dojo. Does this "softer training" condition and prepare a student for the streets? I have seen some damn good fighters while sitting on the promotion boards and at the Uechi tournaments. I have also seen some poorly trained fighters who wouldn't last 5 secs out on the street. I know we have to protect our students from serious injury. Can we do that and still turn out a student who can really defend themselves? It's a question I really don't know. I would really like some input, what are your ideas here? I have had several discussions with Sensei Mattson and would appreciate any thoughts from you teachers out there. Please help me out and I'm sure others are somewhat confused as well. Where do we draw the line, or, is there one. Thank you.


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Driving Dog = Fun Summer Vine.
Here's the latest entry in the Observer's Vine contest, in which we'll give a $25 gas card to the Vine that best captures summer fun.
For the uninitiated, Vine is the popular stop-and-start, 6-second video service from the folks at Twitter. If you want to join in our contest, create your Vine and tag it #charlottesummer. We'll monitor throughout August and pick our favorite.
And now, here's a great Vine from Greg Baskwell of Charlotte and Raleigh.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Summer Vines: Finley drives!
Driving Dog = Fun Summer Vine.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Time to Vine
Are you on the Vine yet? Create your best summer Vine, hashtag it #charlottesummer, and we'll pick one winner who will get a $25 gas card! Great for summer travel. Check out this one, by Innovations Editor Jen Rothacker, called "Chris Flips Out:"
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Storify: Twitter thinks ABC's Diane Sawyer is drunk
Storify: Election night humor
Storify: Famous faces hit the polls
Friday, September 7, 2012
Full time deputies, part time entertainers
Unexpected celebrities emerged this DNC week: The dancing sheriffs from Clayton County, Ga., who grooved to the sound of their own whistle, transforming a boring job into an entertaining spectacle.
Everybody loved it.
We at the Observer had a 40-picture slide show:
A search of "dancing traffic cop DNC" on YouTube.com comes up with a whole menu of videos. You can choose which clip is your favorite, but here's one that got almost 23,000 views.
The cops made plenty of print headlines. Here's an assortment of news outlets that picked the story up.
Charlotte Observer: Traffic jammin' officers a hit uptown
NBCNEWS.com: "Dancing traffic cops bust a move at DNC in Charlotte"
NYMAG.com: "Crazy cops turn DNC traffic control into performance art"
news-record.com: "Dancing cops at the DNC"
atcharlotte.blogspot.com: "Traffic cop has a little fun at DNC"
kxan.com: "Cops do DNC dance"
And of course, Twitter was all over the dancing cops:

subset: commoncrawl


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Accounting Rule Makers Diverge on Lease Expensing
U.S. and international accounting rule makers are getting closer to a final version of their long-awaited lease accounting overhaul by next year, but the two boards are unlikely to use the same lease expensing model in their final rules.
The London-based International Accounting Standards Board this week published an update saying it has tentatively decided to propose a single model for lease expenses, rejecting a 2013 compromise with the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board for a dual model amid concerns that it is too complex.
FASB has tentatively decided to retain the dual model, because it believes it better reflects the economics of different types of leases, such as real estate and equipment leases. The models may not result in significant financial differences, but it could have big operational differences for corporate financial staff applying the standards, industry analysts say.
The primary goal of the joint lease accounting overhaul has long been to push companies to bring about $2 trillion in off-balance sheet leases onto the books. Investors complain that today's off-balance sheet leases obscure a company's true liabilities, and that they often have to adjust calculations to include these expenses. Off-balance sheet leases may be understating the long-term liabilities of companies by 20% in Europe, by 23% in North America, and by 46% in Asia, according to IASB research.
But the overhaul has been delayed by disagreements over how companies should measure leased assets and liabilities.
The IASB's single model would treat all leases like financings, requiring companies to recognize a so-called "right of use" asset and amortize it over time. FASB's dual model would treat some leases like financings, such as when a company has the option to purchase equipment at the end of a lease term, and treat other leases, such as store rental payments, as straight-line expenses.
"While it looks like we won't have one complete joint solution in the end, the actual impact of the differing models over time may not be as be dramatic as one might first think," said Nigel Sleigh-Johnson, head of the Instituted of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales' financial reporting faculty.
The real estate industry has primarily been concerned that the single financing model for lease accounting would force them to front-load lease expenses. But when companies include the additional lease service components or tenant improvements into the straight-line expensing model, the final result is often similar to the financing model, according to a study of dozens of real-world leases earlier this year by leasing firm LeaseCalcs LLC.
"In practice, the difference in the IASB and FASB positions is expected to result in little difference," the IASB said in its update.
Write to Emily Chasan at email@example.com.
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To Be Forced to Forget, To Insist on Remembering: Mnemonic Practices During Roma Relocation in Piatra Meamt, Romania
Friday, April 5, 2013
1014 Tisch Hall
The Workshop is organized around the discussion of pre-circulated papers read in advance. A discussant opens the discussion; the presenter has a few minutes to situate the work or respond; and then the discussion is opened generally.
Workshop papers are distributed by email attachment to graduate students and faculty in Anthro-History and affiliated programs, and are available by request to email@example.com
Luciana Aenasoaie, U-M Anthropology and History


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Good luck, DD
On Tuesday night the Yankees were shut down and shutout 2-0 by the Colorado Rockies in Denver, in what was another dead effort in run scoring. Going into last night's game the Yanks were 17th in the majors with 133 runs scored for the year, their wins being mostly one or two-run games. Case in point: last night's ugly 3-2 victory over the Rockies to even the series up 1-1, scoring and stranding baserunners being two issues for the Bronx Bombers.
In the last three games alone the Yankees have left 36 men on base (18 in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Oakland, 11 Tuesday night, eight last night), clearly struggling to generate runs and bring runners to the plate.
Maybe a crash course in "Run Scoring 101" is in order. That, or just actually hitting with runners in scoring position.
Either way this Yankee team, which sometimes looks more like a team you'd see in the final inning of a Spring Training game, will look to take the series from Colorado this afternoon; CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.31 ERA) trying to get back on track after a slew of starts that have been unlike the typical, dominant outings we normally see from him.
Throughout it all the Yanks (19-13) are still hanging in, numerically in second place in the AL East (behind Boston and Baltimore, who are tied for first) and just one game out of first place in the division – a stark contrast from the Miami Marlins, who are 10-25, in dead last in the NL East.
Over the winter the Marlins made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays: Yunel Escobar for a name I recognized – infielder Derek Dietrich. The fledgling Marlins called Dietrich up yesterday morning, and later that day he made his MLB debut in Miami's game in San Diego vs. the Padres. Dietrich started at second base, although all the times I saw him play, he was a shortstop and spent some time at third.
Over the summer of 2010 (as most regular readers know) I interned for the Hudson Valley Renegades, the short-season Single-A affiliate of the Rays. Dietrich was on the team that season, climbing his way up the minor league rungs, and now he's made it.
Always one to be pithy, I have a great story about the Marlins' new second baseman.
As an intern, one of our many jobs was to help entertain the fans in between innings – and if you've ever been to a minor league baseball game, you know it's commonplace for wacky, tacky games to be played to keep the crowd interested while the players warm up.
We usually kept everything theme-oriented. For example one night our theme was "Groundhog Day" and in honor of the classic and quotable Billy Murray movie, we played the same exact game every inning, in accordance with the déjà vu Murray's character Phil Connors experiences in the film. At the end of the night we had a groundhog mascot come out and dance on the field – suffice it to say, it was fun for everyone involved.
And that's just one example. There were plenty of more nights similar to the Groundhog Day game.
One particular game was deemed "Rain Delay Night." The cheesy, wacky tacky games in between innings involved us squirting each other with super soakers, and pretending the games in between innings were "rained out." A blue pool tarp was even laid down in foul territory where we usually held these games.
Yeah, that's how far we took it. Give us credit for committing to the bit, though.
At any rate, as we were stationed in the first base pit next to the Renegades' dugout, Dietrich apparently thought our shenanigans were quite amusing, because he joined in on the action. I vividly remember him sitting near the edge of the dugout; on the top step plotting his course.
He went over to the water cooler in the dugout and poured himself a cup. But instead of drinking it, he ran by and splashed the water on us, leaving us standing there like some puzzled, wet ducks on a rainy day.
Dietrich 1, interns 0. But we got our revenge.
In the top of the eighth he walked past us down the right field line towards the bullpen with an ear-to-ear grin; almost begging us to shoot him with our water guns and retaliate. I remember leaning over to another intern, Anthony, (who we called "Yeti" because he was tall and large, like the Yeti) and asking him if Dietrich was coming back to the dugout. I'll never forget his answer:
"If he comes back down this way, he's a dead man," he playfully responded, cocking back his super soaker.
Eventually the Renegades won the game and Dietrich came back from the bullpen – and right to the first base pit. Not even stopping to take congratulations on the field with the team, he came right up to us and turned his back, as all of us pulled our triggers and fired at will.
On second thought, in reality, we "watered" at will; completely drenched him. When I say we got him good, we got him good – good enough for two points in the water war, I'd say.
Interns 2, Dietrich 1.
The image of the damp "3" and "2" on the back of his (#32) jersey will forever be burnt into my brain. The laughter that ensued by us and Dietrich is also burnt into my brain – truly a fun and lighthearted moment between a player and the ballclub interns.
In his MLB debut today Dietrich went 1-for-3, collecting his first big league hit on a line drive single to right field to lead off the top of the third inning.
Bear in mind, this is just one story involving one player. There were countless other exchanges and moments during my internship with the Renegades that were just as funny and memorable. In my mind I've kicked around the idea of writing a book about that summer and telling a lot of the stories similar to the water war with Dietrich.
I think it'd be a fun read. Wouldn't you…?
In the meantime, I'm wishing the absolute best of luck to Dietrich in his MLB career. Just know, I was part of a team that once beat him in a water fight…we totally won.


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Hello all
Researching my wife's grandmother's family tree of INNES and have found that her great great grandfather enlisted in April 1793 in the 78th Regiment of Foot. He also wrote a autobiography of his life entitled. The Life of Roderick Innes, lately of HM Seventy-Eight Regiment written by Himself printed and published by Alexander Clark, Stonehaven, 1844. Haven't managed to track down a copy of this but if anyone can advise on this I would be very grateful.
The second question relates to his discharge papers where it states that he was 23 years old when he enlisted making his birth year 1770. There is however a hand written addition on the right hand side which seems to suggest he was only 17, making his birth year 1776.. Having some difficultly in making out the full written text though. Can anyone with more experience advise on this section of text, to the right hand corner of the box..
He lived until 1852 when the Stonehaven Press and Journal had him aged 83 making his birth year 1769.. so you can appreciate my confusion.. He was awarded Army of India Medal with three clasps and the Peninsular Medal with Clasp for 1811 Invasion of Java. My wife certainly has won 'who has the best military family history' as there is no way I can beat being commanded by Major General Arthur Wellesley (who later became the Duke of Wellington).
Hope someone can help...


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A history of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
aka Lou Gehrig's disease
and stem cell treatments for humans going back to 2001.
More stem cells in Lou Gehrig's disease
29 Sep 2009 | 19:51 BST | Posted by Monya Baker | Category: Clinical trials
Shortly after my coverage of the FDA's approval for NeuralStem's stem-cell trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appeared on the Niche, Letizia Mazzini and Franca Fagioli of Eastern Piedmont University contacted me to tell me about their team's work using mesenchymal stem cells for the same disease. While Neuralstem is moving forward with neural stem cells, Mazzini and colleagues have been exploring the use of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the patient who will receive them. She has recently published results of a Phase I trial as well as a review of stem-cell approaches in ALS. Unfortunately, I learned of this work only after I'd posted.
Here is their letter:
We have just read, not without some interest, the NeuralStem communicate. The trial is presented as if it were the first clinical study with stem cells in ALS ("This is the first stem-cell approach for ALS" says Lucie Bruijin). However, this needs to be rectified as we conducted two phase 1 clinical trials one in 2001 (Mazzini et al., 2008)) and the other in 2007 (Mazzini L et al., 2009). The trials were approved respectively by the regional Ethical Committee and by the Italian Institute of Health and by the and were designed to test the safety and the feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation into the spinal cord of ALS patients.
MSC were isolated from patients' bone marrow, in vitro expanded for 3-4 passages and evaluated for quality control as requested by national rules on advanced therapies. In neither of our trials were there any immediate or delayed transplant related toxicities. Stem cells were transplanted into the spinal cord at the thoracic levels with a surgical approach. Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic evaluations of the patients showed no serious transplant related adverse events. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) showed no structural changes (including tumor formation) in either the brain or the spinal cord.
Furthermore, we also demonstrated that expanded MSCs can survive and migrate after transplantation in the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1-G93A mice, where they prevent astrogliosis and microglial activation and delay the ALS-related decrease in the number of motor neurons, resulting in an amelioration of motor performance (Vercelli A et al., 2008 ). Therefore we concluded that MSCs represent a good source of stem cells for future ALS cell based clinical trials.
Thus, the NeuralStem trial, as it appears, shows this experimental design to be no different to our studies except for the cell type: neural stem cell derived from a 8-week fetus.
Letizia Mazzini, MD ALS Centre, Dpt of Neurology ,Eastern Piedmont University Maggiore della Carità Hospital Novara, Italy
Franca Fagioli, MD Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Unit Pediatric Onco-Hematology Department Regina Margherita Children's Hospital Torino. Italy
1.Mazzini, L. & Mareschi, K.& Ferrero, I.& Vassallo, E.& Oliveri, G.& Nasuelli, N.& Oggioni, GD.& Testa, L.& Fagioli F. Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 265 (2008) 78–83 (PubMed link)
2. Mazzini L, Ferrero I, Luparello V, Rustichelli D, Gunetti M, Mareschi K, Testa L, Stecco A, Tarletti R, Miglioretti M, Fava E, Nasuelli N, Cisari C, Massara M, Vercelli R, Oggioni GD, Carriero A, Cantello R, Monaco F, Fagioli F Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A Phase I clinical trial.Exp Neurol. 2009 Aug 13. (PubMed link)
3. Alessandro Vercelli, Oana M Mereuta, MD; Diego Garbossa, MD; Giuseppe Muraca; Katia Mareschi; Deborah Rustichelli; Ivana Ferrero; Letizia Mazzini, MD; Enrico Madon, MD; Franca Fagioli, MD Human mesenchymal stem cell transplantation extends survival, improves motor performance and decreases neuroinflammation in mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Neurobiology of disease. 31 (2008) 395–405 (PubMed link)
ADDITIONAL STUDIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (may be some repetition)
2003 – Stem cell therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a methodological approach in humans
Our results appear to demonstrate that the procedures of ex vivo expansion of autologous mesenchymal stem cells and of transplantation into the spinal cord of humans are safe and well tolerated by ALS patients. Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660820310014653
2003 – Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord – Letizia Mazzini and colleagues (Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord 2003; 4: 158—61) injected autologous bone-marrow-derived stem cells into the spinal cord of seven ALS patients. These investigators reported that the procedure had a reasonable margin of clinical safety. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2804%2916634-8/fulltext
2007 – Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Journal of the Neurological Sciences xx (2007) xxx– xxx – The results of the long term follow-up (more than 4 years) confirm that intraspinal injection of MSCs in ALS patients is safe as previously reported. – http://fondazionevialliemauro.it/eng/PDF/JNS.pdf
2008 – Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Journal of the Neurological Sciences – Volume 265, Issue 1 , Pages 78-83, 15 February 2008 – Our results seem to demonstrate that MSCs represent a good chance for stem cell cell-based therapy in ALS and that intraspinal injection of MSCs is safe also in the long term. A new phase 1 study is carried out to verify these data in a larger number of patients.
2009 – Stem Cell treatment of ALS has a history of success since Feb
"In a [February, 2009] published clinical stem cell research study, adult stem cells were shown to help delay Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) progression and improve an ALS patient's quality of life. This research study was believed to be the first published study comparing ALS patients who had their own stem cells injected into their brain vs a control group…
The initial two year clinical test study results of the stem cell procedure was published in Cytotherapy, February, 2009. Positive results were confirmed through both clinical observation and MRI tractography. It is considered by many within the international neurological community to be the foremost procedure available for minimizing or abrogating ALS symptoms and extending the lifespan of ALS patients. The procedure is a state of the art use of autologous CD-133 (+) stem cells injected into the frontal cortices for the effective replacement of motor neurons."
ALS adult stem cell trial = safe and effective
The initial two year clinical test study results of the stem cell procedure instituted by Hospital San Jose Tecnologico de Monterrey, was published in Cytotherapy, February, 2009. Positive results were confirmed through both clinical observation and MRI tractography. It is considered by many within the international neurological community to be the foremost procedure available for minimizing or abrogating ALS symptoms and extending the lifespan of ALS patients. The procedure is a state of the art use of autologous CD-133 (+) stem cells injected into the frontal cortices for the effective replacement of motor neurons.
Via https://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/als-adult-stem-cell-trial-safe-and-effective-reuters/
THE TRIAL: http://www.alsworldwide.net/pdfs/monterey_hospital.pdf
2012 – BrainStorm sees positive data in ALS stem cell trial
TEL AVIVTue Jan 17, 2012 12:07am EST – (Reuters) – Data from the first ALS patients in a clinical trial treated with BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics adult stem cell therapy did not show significant side effects and the treatment has so far proven to be safe, the company said on Tuesday…http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/17/us-brainstorm-trial-embargoed-idUSTRE80G07Q20120117?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100


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Craig allegedly peeked through a crack in the door and then took the adjoining stall, where he "tapped his right foot" and then moved his foot to touch the officer's shoe.
Combined with other moves by Craig, Karsnia said, "I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct."
— Star news services report on 27 August 2007
I talked yesterday to my friend Pam, an ex-girlfriend who relocated to Idaho two decades ago. Apropos of nothing, she asked, "Is the gay Craig fiasco news in New York?" I had to ask her what she was talking about. At first I just assumed she meant one of the many fundamentalist anti-gay gay minister scandals. It turns out she was talking about her U.S. Senator.
Today, though, there's at least four stories at nytimes.com, including one that's blurbed on the front page of the print paper. Interestingly, it's what we call a second-day story….. that is, it's all about aftermath, and mostly assumes the reader knows the basic facts of the scandal.
I didn't, not really. (It's not entirely my fault. An Aug. 28th Editor & Publisher article takes up the question of "How Did News Outlets Miss Senator's Arrest for Nearly Three Months?")
Anyway, here's what happened. On 11 June, Craig entered a stall in a restroom at the Minneapolis airport and checked out his stallmate for a sexual encounter. He was arrested, and, earlier this month, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. A USA Today story notes that that charge requires conduct that "will tend to, alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke an assault or breach of the peace" and questions whether any of his behaviors meets that standard.
The Seattle Times gives more of the mating ritual details than the Star news service:
According to the report, an undercover officer entered an airport restroom stall on June 11 and saw Craig standing outside for about two minutes. "Craig would look down at his hands, fidget with his fingers and then look through the crack into my stall again," wrote the officer, Sgt. Dave Karsnia.
The officer said Craig entered the next stall and placed his roller bag against the door. "My experience has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall," the officer wrote.
The officer said Craig tapped his right foot, "a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. … [Craig] moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area."
Craig then passed his left hand under the stall divider into Karsnia's stall with his palm up and guided it along the divider toward the front of the stall three times, the complaint said.
[UPDATE: Pam sent a link to some audio of Craig's arrest interview, made available by KTVB in Boise.]
The second-day developments are these: Mitt Romney has distanced himself from Craig with the same speed he would presumably use to get away from someone making restroom advances toward him. Craig was co-chair of the U.S. Senate Mitt Romney for President campaign. Craig has already given up his position on one Senate committee, and some senators, including Republican ones, are calling for Craig to step down. They may or may not be influenced by the coincidence that this summer, the head of McCain's Florida campaign was charged with soliciting gay sex in the restroom of a public park. (Oh, and Guiliani's Southern regional campaign chair's name was one of the many on the D.C. Madame's rolodex, and his campaign's South Carolina chair has been indicted on drug charges.)
Craig is regretting his guilty plea and, absurdly, blaming the Idaho Stateman for its "witch hunt." (As it turns out, the paper didn't print anything until the senator pleaded guilty.)
The Editor & Publisher's question about how this went unreported for three months is just the tip of the iceberg.
Detailed accusations against Craig had been available since last year through an Internet-based activist who had a hand in outing several Republican politicians, including former Rep. Mark Foley, the focus of a House page scandal.
The activist, Mike Rogers, went public last October with allegations that Craig engaged in sexual encounters with at least three men, including one who said he had sex with Craig twice at Washington's Union Station.
The Idaho Statesman went even further back into Craig's life, talking to other men who claimed they were solicited by him.
It also mentioned a scandal in 1982, in which a male page reported having sex with three congressmen, and Craig — although not named by the youth — issued a statement denying any wrongdoing.
Rogers noted that some politicians, when confronted with evidence about same-sex encounters, have acknowledged their homosexuality — such as Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and the late Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.).
Others persist in denial, and Rogers contends they are fair game for exposure if they vote against gay-rights causes.
That is, then, the question. Are those of us who, say, argued that Clinton's sexual proclivities weren't proper fodder for a independent prosecutor's investigation, in a position to turn around and go after Craig for his? The obvious answer is that Craig is the one who has, for decades, argued for making the details of someone's sexual interests a matter of concern for the body politic. Clinton did not.
Slate's John Dickerson picked up on that theme effectively in an article yesterday:
Nick Gillespie, the editor of Reason, seized on the Craig affair to make a version of this argument in the Los Angeles Times, where he said that the GOP should get back to its fundamental principles as articulated by Barry Goldwater. Republicans should stop trying to tell people what to do in their bedrooms and bathrooms, either by stinging a Singing Senator or passing an amendment banning gay marriage. This drew criticism from the National Review's John Hood, who argued that Gillespie had misappropriated the memory of Barry Goldwater. "I'm going to go out on a not-very-long limb here and suggest that if Sen. Goldwater was still around," wrote Hood, "he'd be urging Craig to take personal responsibility for the disrepute he has brought upon himself and the Senate."
We don't have to guess about what Goldwater would do. During the 1964 presidential campaign, he faced almost precisely the same issue. In October, the Goldwater campaign learned that Walter Jenkins, LBJ's closest aide, had been arrested on a "morals charge" in the YMCA bathroom. According to J. William Middendorf's account of that campaign, A Glorious Disaster, Goldwater's aides wanted to use the scandal against Johnson, who was well ahead in the polls. Jenkins was not only a security risk—open to blackmail— but long before he was arrested, there were allegations he'd used his influence with then-Vice President Johnson to get an Air Force general who had been busted on a morals charge reinstated. The Goldwater aides even tried out slogans: "Either way with LBJ." Goldwater insisted that they make no use of it. The story never came up during the campaign.
This may say more about Goldwater's personal decency than it does about his governing philosophy. Jenkins had served in Goldwater's Air Force Reserve Unit, and as Goldwater later wrote, "It was a sad time for Jenkins' wife and children, and I was not about to add to their private sorrow. Winning isn't everything. Some things, like loyalty to friends or lasting principle, are more important." Mitt, you're no Barry Goldwater.
Neither is Larry Craig. Oh, and by the way Pam, yes, the Craig story has hit New York. Finally.


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Is it any coincidence that the first time each of the three major actresses performing in tonight's Los Angeles stop of The Unforgettable Tour -- Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, and Preity Zinta -- won their first Filmfare Best Actress awards, they were paired opposite one of the three Khans -- Aamir, Salman, and Shah Rukh (respectively)? Your guess...
Every time I see Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) -- among my favorite love triangles -- I fall more in love with the first half, and more 'out of love' with final quarter. But let that not take anything away from this excellent film I revisited last night. Starring Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan, Vikram Gokhale, and others, with music by Ismail Darbar, and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Here are some highlights:
1. Mr. Bhansali's films have always promised visual spectacles that are seldom rivaled, let alone matched. And this film offered perfect examples for why, beginning with this very first frame:
That and a good sense of humor. Vinay Pathak (recent films include Bheja Fry, Aaja Nachle, Johnny Gaddar, Mithya) is a lot more well-known now than he was back then.
2. Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) was the daughter of a music instructor. Loved how she was introduced. Ms. Rai played the role quite effortlessly. Haven't seen her have this much fun on the sets in a long, long time.
3. Sameer (Salman Khan) was introduced next. If you have seen the film, you know who he spoke to.
4. Nandini was ordered to give up her bedroom to the 'guest' for a few months. She wasn't fond of it, at least to begin with, and made notes in her diary expressing her disappointment.
5. Their pehli mulaaqaat (first meeting) was fabulously done. It's one of the few instances when one wonders if the two were aware of the presence of the cameras and other people. Beautiful.
Sample it here:
(Aside: Everyone who's entered my room on weekdays has probably had similar sentiments. Reckon some have been kind to not make it as obvious!)
This was also where Sameer discovered her diary (see point 4 above).
6. This scene at the dining table was fantastic, because Sameer was challenged to prove that his vocal abilities were worthy of instructor Pandit Darbar (Vikram Gokhale).
Nandini's expression was priceless, but why was her mom wearing that evil grin?
And would Sameer live up to it?
7. Of course Sameer had substance. To top that, he sang from the heart, and Pundit Darbar had no issues taking him under his wing.
8. The song that followed is my favorite from the film. Albela Sajan showcased Sameer, Nandini, and Pandit Darbar's passion for music.
A splendid song choreographed in spectacular fashion.
Lesson learned: Courtships are often aided by winning over the elderly (and more knowledgeable, and often more accommodating) women of the family. Thanks for the reminder, Sameer! ;) Zohra Sehgal as Dadi was fantastic!
9. Slowly but surely, Nandini and Sameer fell in love.
(Although the translation of the song Aankhon ki gustaakhiyaan left some to be desired.)
Here's a scene that no one can own as well as Salman. No second thoughts.
10. Nimbooda was another very good song. Aishwarya looked good, but the choreography was obviously limited given her dancing skills are restrictive. This would have been so much better with Madhuri or Vidya Balan.
Still, not something that hurt the film, especially given that we were introduced to Vanraj (Ajay Devgan) in it.
11. If I were to pick one sequence as my favorite, this would be it. Salman and Aishwarya might have lost each other (for reasons only they know -- the media will keep spreading the rubbish they do, and the innumerable fools -- myself included, sometimes -- will believe them), but we the Bollywood fans lost some amazing sparks on screen after they broke up.
12. We'd heard this before. Oh well...(yawn)...
13. The Pandit learned of the Sameer-Nandini affair. The former was disowned by his mentor, and ordered to leave. He made an honest attempt to have his side of the story understood, but to no avail.
14. The song that served as a catalyst to the separation was amazing. Yes, Tadap Tadap was a sad song, but it remains beautiful and heart-wrenching, and its placement could not have been better.
15. So Sameer left...
...and Nandini was married to Vanraj...
...but thankfully that didn't mean we wouldn't be treated to more Sameer-Nandini songs. Chaand Chupa Baadal Mein won Udit Narayan a Filmfare that year, and rightfully so. It is also one of my favorite Songs with Chaand -- the Eternal Performer.
16. Nandini's mother, who had tried to help her cause with Sameer around, was disturbed with Nandini's continued fascination with him.
17. And when Vanraj discovered of Nandini's true love, he took her to Italy (actually, Budapest, but we have the intellectual capacity to overlook that (no pun intended, really)).
Aside: Who's the abusive partner now, Ash? ;)
18. This scene at a cafe followed a rather thought-provoking scene at a church. Sita-ji at the Bollywood Food Club wrote about it at this link. Sameer and Vanraj were friends!
Dholi Taaro Dhol Baaje followed with some fantastic choreography. If it's beginning to seem the entire soundtrack was fantastic, that is because it was. The songs complemented the film as well as any other, and the result was a true musical.
19. Before I play spoiler to those of you have not yet seen this, let me end with this frame, with Sameer and his mother (played by Helen). The remainder of the film provided the result, of course.
I could go on and on about how good this film was, but I must get going because The Unforgettable concert begins in less than four hours! Suffice it to say, then, that Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was (and is) one of Bollywood's finer products.
Each of the actors did well, but Salman and Aishwarya quite clearly stole the show. The plot, dialogue, performances, music, and breathtaking imagery that was trademark Sanjay Leela Bhansali, made it one of the most popular films of the decade. I didn't completely agree with the definition of love that the film seemed to justify at the end, but let that not take away from a brilliant film! Four stars and then some for a truly unforgettable romance.
If you have not seen this, you really must! If you have, any favorite scenes or songs you'd like to share?
Movie rating: 4/5 (Brilliant!)
My classification: PG (for plot, some dialogue)
Music rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent!)


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Rob Van Puijenbroek's Le Cube Sofa
Rob Van Puijenbroek Presents The Le Cube Sofa
Rob Van Puijenbroek, the project leader of the award winning design Le Cube - Sofa by Rob Van Puijenbroek spells out, A modular sofa, constructed from small cubes, which can be adjusted in height by simply adding or removing cubes. With a small adjustment, the sofa can be given a completely different look. You can play about with the seat height, seat depth, place the seating individually or collectively, give it a relaxed look or an active look. Each cube can be ordered with its own upholstery and with a hard top cover which can be used as a table surface..
Rob Van Puijenbroek's Le Cube Sofa Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Design Honor Magazine homepage.


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Allama Iqbal (1877-1938) : No doubt he was one of great Persons of his times
FFI front page sayA versatile poet-philosopher, an active political leader for Muslims of Subcontinent. He was born in 1877 in Sialkot. He obtained Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Government College Lahore. Later he proceeded to Europe for higher studies and did his doctorate at Munich and finally he was able to qualify as a barrister. In 1908, on returning to India, besides teaching and practicing Law, Iqbal continued to write poetry. He resigned from the Government service in 1911 and took to the propagation of his individual thinking to the Muslims through his poetry
Well that is what OpEd says., FFI old forum also discussed about Allama Iqbal on an doff in different threads., Let us pull the relevant posts here for the sake of readers..but what else would one do to try to stay alive?Spoiler! :Dr. Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal was, and still is, the most famous Urdu, Persian and Arabic poet of the Indian sub-continent, who lived in the 19th century. You can have an idea of his fame by trying a google search of the quotation marked phrase "Allama Iqbal" and "Allama Muhammad Iqbal". A complete biography can be easily found on the internet. Having done most of his studies from England, he was a Ph. D. doctor, a philosopher, a poet, a researcher on Islam, a scholar, a politician and a successful lawyer. Pakistan is said to be the fulfillment of his dream. His poetry is still very frequently used by peak Muslim scholars and Maulvis in their speeches, sermons (even in mosques and religious gatherings) and writings. Most Muslims regard him as a Sufi Saint. His work includes four Urdu, six Persian and one Arabic collection of his poetry along with some work published in English too. He is the father of Dr. Javed Iqbal, the former Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan. Although Allama Iqbal remained a great supporter of Muslims of his time,
Now we shall analyze some parts of his work (poetry) to see how foolishly Muslims think that he was a follower of Islam. Although he could not declare boldly during his life that he was not inspired by the Quran, and occasionally, he has mentioned Islam and Quran in his poetry, it is obvious that he was at least not a Muslim. To avoid the impression that I am trying to promote Hinduism, I'd only say that in this article, I am going to include the reference of his clear inclination towards Hinduism only as a proof of his having rejected Islam, at least.However, you can clearly see that his ultimate message was love and he openly admits that power and tranquility hails in the "songs of Hindu devotees".In his Urdu book, "Bang-e-Dara", he writes:
"Shakti bhi Shaanti bhi, bhakton kay geet main hay. Dharti kay baasiyon ki Mukti preet main hay."
Translation: Shakti (Hindi word for 'power') and Shaanti (Hindi word for 'peace of mind' or 'relexation') is in the songs of bhakts (sages / devotees of Hindu Gods). The Mukti (salvation) of the inhabitants of the Earth is in Preet (love).
But to please the highly sticky Muslim leaders of his time, he starts this poem with the verse meaning "Let me tell you the truth, O Brahmin if you don't mind. The idols of your temples have gone old. You have learnt to keep enmity with your peers from idols."
At another place, he talks to Moses in a disgracing tone and says: "O Moses, it is not your specialty that you can talk to God. Even trees and stones talk to God."Spoiler! :Although the message in this verse is the reflection of Hadith that infers that non-living things talk to God, the point worth noting here is the way Iqbal addresses to Moses, who Muslims, Christians and Jews respect.
The subject of one of his long poems is "Shikwah" (Complint against Allah). Right after he publicly presented this poem, he was declared "apostate", arrested and jailed. Only to come out of this trouble, the history records, he had to write another long poem "Jawab-e-Shikwah" (The Answer to the Complaint against Allah). Ridiculously enough, he was not only set free, but also given the title of Allama, meaning "the most highly knowledgeable".
The English translations / summaries of some extracts of his "Shikwah" are being mentioned here:
"Why should I suffer loss and forget the gains? Why shouldn't I think of the future and keep regretting upon the past? Why should I listen to the cuckoo and keep listening? O my companion, am I a flower that I should keep silent? My speaking power encourages me to speak. I have complaint against Allah (sand be in my mouth)."In one verse he says:Spoiler! :"Doubtlessly, we are famous in obeying your commandments.. If the complaint comes to our lips, we are disabled (not allowed to speak). O God, now YOU MUST LISTEN TO THE COMPLAINT OF THE OBEDIENT TOO. YOU MUST LISTEN THE COMPLAINT OF THOSE WHO ARE FULL OF PRAISE."
"Who enlivened your Ka'aba with prostrations? Who embraced you Quran? Still you complain THAT WE ARE NOT OBEDIENT? Ok, if we are not obedient, YOU ARE NOT AN ADMIRER / LOVER EITHER."
"What if my song is Hindi. At least the tone is Arabian"
One of his "Ruba'ees" (four liners) is shocking (to Muslims at least). It's a "miracle" that Muslims have no objection on it! It says:
"O God, there is no wine left in your glass (an idiomatic expression in Urdu meaning 'you have nothing to give me' any longer). Tell me, are you not my sustainer? The thirsty gets 'dew' from 'ocean'. This is the characteristic (sign) of a miser, not of the one who bestows."
"If there is love and devotion, even KUFR (apostasy) is Musalmani (religiousness). If there is no love and devotion, even a Muslim is a KAFIR (apostate) and the damned."
One thing is particularly interesting. He says:Spoiler! :"The identity of a KAFIR is that he is busy in exploring the universe and the identity of the Muslim is that the universe is busy in exploring him."
Now morons take it as a complement! They think the verse is in Muslims' favor. The fact is that it was intended to
be so, to please the Muslims of his time, while in reality, it has dual meanings. The other meaning is absolutely satirical. In Urdu euphemism, it means "even the whole universe failed to understand what kind of stubborn creatures Muslims are."
Now think, if he was the one to initiate the idea of a separate homeland for Muslims, why would he have praised India several times in his poetry? He says:
"Saaray jahan say achha, Hindustan hamara. Ham bulbulain hain is ski, ye gulsitaan hamara."
Translation: Our India is better than the whole world. We are its cuckoos, it is our garden.
But again to please the boiling Muslims of his time, he had to write:
"Cheen o Arab Hamara, Hindustan Hamara. Muslim hain ham watan hay, saara jahan hamara."
Translation: China and Arabia are ours, India is ours. We are Muslims, the whole world is ours.
Disgusting. I wonder what great work he must have produced had he not been influenced by Muslims of his time. But they kept making him change his statements by hook or by crook. Look at the simplicity of Hindus, they still pay him regards as a great poet "of India".


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Bylaw 3-1(g) and Leadership Diversity
The NEA policy Bylaw 3-1(g) has been a part of the Association's governing documents for nearly 40 years and is the Association's most effective and comprehensive measure for encouraging racial/ethnic diversity in leadership at all levels of the organization. At each Representative Assembly, a state delegation is accorded an ethnic-minority numerical goal for the combined number of ethnic-minority state and local delegates in attendance. This goal is based on the percentage of ethnic minorities within the state's population according to the most recent U.S. Decennial Census. 2012 marks the first year in which the proportion of identified ethnic-minority populations within each state is calculated based on the 2010 U.S. Decennial Census.
The degree to which each state delegation annually approaches, meets, or exceeds its ethnic-minority numerical goal provides an opportunity for us to broadly examine the racial/ethnic diversity present among delegate leaders in our state and local organizations, and in the entire Representative Assembly.
Bylaw 3-1(g) has always been about more than numbers in a report. In crafting ethnic-minority involvement plans, affiliates realize that a wide range of actions and approaches must be taken to achieve and maintain successful leadership diversity. These actions include educating and informing members about the Association's ethnic-minority involvement policies through delivering presentations, distributing brochures, and through other traditional, web, or social media; establishing ethnic-minority affairs or human and civil rights committees to coordinate plan actions and activities between state and local affiliates; identifying and encouraging ethnic-minority candidates to run for delegate and other governance positions, and submitting their names as candidates for appointment to state and national committees.
At NEA, the Executive, Ethnic Minority Affairs, and Credentials Committees serve as the Association's national stakeholders in monitoring the implementation of Bylaw 3-1(g), annually collaborating with state affiliate leaders to discuss the challenges involved in policy planning and to consider effective approaches to improve and reaffirm our efforts for one of NEA's most important and longstanding programs. The range and depth of our actions to support ethnic-minority involvement at all levels enhances and sustains our local, state, and national efforts to reflect the diversity found among the students, schools, and communities we serve.


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I really Like my F-One Trax board from 2012, but the pads and straps are not the best for me.
The velcro is also already starting to get worn out.
Which other brands pads and straps fits this board?
Ive tried Nobile and LF luxura and they seems nice.
Any suggestions, preferrly with heelstraps.


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Bay Stallion
Foaled April 18, 1991 at Pillar Stud, Kentucky
By Cormorant out of Never Knock, by Stage Door Johnny
Breeder: Pamela Du Pont
Owner: William J. Condren & Joseph M. Cornacchia
Trainer: Nicholas P. Zito
Notable Wins
Remsen Stakes (G2)
Chief's Crown Stakes
Preview Stakes
Kentucky Derby (G1)
Notable Performances
2nd at Preakness Stakes
2nd at Belmont Stakes
2nd at Fountain of Youth Stakes
2nd at Wood Memorial Stakes
3rd at Forego Stakes
3rd at Churchill Downs Handicap
Life at the Hall of Champions
Resident of the Hall of Champions since June 2011
Go for Gin loves his gums rubbed after a performance in the Hall of Champions. He also likes to play in water buckets, splashing the water out with his nose. Gin is known to make quite a mess just to hear the splashing noises. Go for Gin is the oldest living Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner based in North America.
Thoroughbred Horse Racing
Thoroughbred horse racing is the most popular form of horse racing in the world. Thoroughbreds were developed in England by crossing three foundation sires from the Middle East with native English mares. These horses race on dirt, turf or synthetic surfaces.


text: Blades-UK.com :: Large Picture Witcher Sword and Plaque All prices include VAT at the current rate Wholesale Trade Enquiries Welcome wholesale details This site was designed & coded by Lee Conlin for Blades UK PHP Code Copyright © Lee Conlin 2002, IMAGES copyright © Blades UK - we will pursue image theft through our copyright solicitors (lawdit) Logos and Trademarks are the property of their owners. The Co. name Blades UK is owned by Blades UK Ltd and protected by law CONTACT US Vat Reg No. 803 248258 Employer's Ref No. 531/BZ49192 Company Number. 04627288


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Jimmy Kimmel Clowns Michael Vick For Coming Out With His Own Reality Show + Michael Vick Spoof Commerical
Jimmy Kimmel Live - New Michael Vick Nike Commercial
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Speech by the FRA Director at the 3279th meeting of the Council of the European Union (Justice and Home Affairs), adopting the Council conclusions on combating hate crime, Brussels, 6 December 2013.
Mr President, Ministers,
Thank you for your invitation to speak to you today on this vital issue.
Hate crime is a daily reality for many people in the EU. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has provided solid and detailed evidence on the phenomenon, most recently on antisemitism and homophobia. And we are continuing our research on the topic.
We have interviewed and surveyed over 120,000 people across the EU about their experiences of bias-motivated crime, providing comparable and reliable figures about this phenomenon for the first time.
Anyone can be a victim of bias-motivated crime, but it predominantly affects the most vulnerable groups in our society. The Agency's EU-wide minority survey indicates that almost a fifth of Roma and Sub-Saharan Africans have recently experienced assault, threat or serious harassment with a racial motivation.
And we must remember that such offences instil fear not only into the victims, but also entire communities. Our recent survey of Jewish populations in eight Member States found that 29% of respondents had considered emigrating because of safety concerns.
Our data therefore allows us insight into the true extent of hate crime, which remains widely underreported and unrecorded, and hence unpunished.
Numerous steps have already been taken to combat such crimes. The Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia provides a strong legal foundation to build upon.
However, our research shows that a far wider range of groups are at risk of being victimised. Therefore, legislation to address hate crime needs to be extended to include all forms of bias covered by the EU Charter's article on non-discrimination. We note that many Member States have already taken this initiative.
Passing legislation to combat hate crime is of course key. But we see that implementation often lags behind. It is therefore crucial that national strategies are developed to combat hate crime, a fact that was underscored by the 400 participants in the Agency's recent Fundamental Rights Conference.
Measures need to include more targeted training for police, prosecutors and judges to help them recognise, record and investigate offences with a bias motivation. At the same time, support needs to be made available that is sensitive to the needs of individual victims, as set out in the Victims Directive.
FRA offers its assistance and expertise to the Council in finding ways to combat hate crime and ensure respect for the fundamental rights of everyone living in the EU. I would like to thank the Lithuanian Presidency for putting this matter at the top of the EU justice agenda, and we look forward to supporting the incoming Greek Presidency in making further progress on this important issue.
Thank you.


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British soccer star David Beckham was involved in a car accident on the Southern California freeway Friday morning, but was not hurt, The Associated Press reported.
According to authorities, Beckham was behind the wheel of a Cadillac that rear-ended another car, whose driver went to a hospital after complaining about neck pain.
Beckham reportedly hit the other car that was stopped in the carpool lane in Torrance's 405 Freeway.
U.S. & World
"Mr. Beckham's black Cadillac SUV collided with the rear of a gold Mitsubishi in the carpool lane," Jennifer Connolly, a spokesperson for California Highway Patrol, said, as quoted by People.
Beckham was not cited. The name of the other driver, a 40-year-old man from Los Angeles, was not released.
Selected Sources: The Associated Press, People


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In his State Of The Union address on February 12, President Obama made it clear that action by the federal government on global-warming legislation will be a major priority in his second term. He declared that "for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change."
The president went on to regurgitate the standard boilerplate claims of the global warming alarmists. He averred:
Now, it's true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods — all are now more frequent and more intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science — and act before it's too late.
President Obama then threw down the gauntlet to Congress, declaring that if they didn't act soon to enact federal legislation he would act without them:
But if Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.
That threat rather openly implies that he intends to ramp up his already brazen agenda of ignoring the Constitution's limitations on the president's powers, bypassing Congress, and ruling by executive orders (see here and here).
However, our Constitution, which President Obama did "solemnly swear," on January 21, 2013, to "preserve, protect, and defend" (view video of Obama taking oath here), does not empower him to do many of the things that he is doing and says he intends to do in the future. As we pointed out here recently ("Danger: Federal 'Regulatory Cliff' Ahead"), the very first sentence of Article I, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution states: "All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States." It is difficult to get more plain and definitive than that: "All legislative powers." Congress is the legislative branch, and it possesses "all legislative powers herein granted." The President is clearly usurping legislative powers in violation of his oath to the Constitution — and is threatening to accelerate this trend. However, much of the "climate change" agenda he is seeking would be unconstitutional even if Congress bowed to his whims, since the Constitution (per the Tenth Amendment of our Bill of Rights) specifically forbids the federal government — which means all three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial — from trespassing beyond the very limited powers delegated by the Constitution and usurping the more numerous reserved powers of the States and the people. The Tenth Amendment states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Even before the Bill of Rights was adopted, the clear understanding of the Founding Fathers was that they had created a strictly limited central government whose powers could be augmented only through the slow and laborious amendment process. "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined," averred James Madison in The Federalist, No. 45. "Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite." The fact that previous presidents — both Republican and Democratic — as well as Congress and the courts have repeatedly violated this essential constitutional restriction on usurpation does not give President Obama free reign to discard his oath and add to the damage already done to our constitutional system.
The "Overwhelming Judgment of Science"?
But what about the president's appeal to what he claims is the "overwhelming judgment of science"? Many watching or listening to his SOTU address, no doubt, nodded in agreement and applauded, believing him to be stating an unassailable truth. However, does the mere repetition of outlandish claims that have been made by Al Gore, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Ted Turner, MSM pundits and reporters, politicized science groups, environmental militants, and NGOs constitute "science"?
Unfortunately for President Obama and the global choir of climate alarmists, the "science" behind their apocalyptic scenarios has been in full-blown meltdown mode for several years, with dozens of major Climategate scandals (see, for instance, "129 Climate Scandals") that have exposed many of the top climate scientists as vindictive frauds and their doomsday computer models as error-ridden and/or outright hoaxes. (See here, here and here.)
Real science is not determined by consensus and is never "settled," despite President Obama, Al Gore, the United Nations, or any other "authority" declaring otherwise. However, one of the most brazen frauds perpetrated by the global-warming alarmist lobby is that not only is there a consensus among scientists that CO2 generated by human activities is causing global warming, but an "overwhelming" consensus. This has been repeated so many times that it has achieved the level of assumed truth in many minds; so much so that President Obama's speechwriters felt confident in asserting it in his SOTU address.
As we have reported many times previously in The New American (see here and here), the truth is quite the opposite; the number of scientists — including "climate" scientists — who are "true believers" in human-caused global warming (anthropogenic global warming, or AGW) is relatively small, with the vast majority being skeptical or undecided on the matter. Not surprisingly, the scientists who are the most zealous and outspoken climate alarmists are the ones working for institutions (the UN, government agencies, NGOs) that are funding alarmism and have the most to gain (in prestige, perquisites, power, and money) from the policies promoted by the alarmists.
Thousands of climatologists, paleoclimatologists, meteorologists, atmospheric physicists, geophysicists, oceanographers, geologists, chemists, engineers, astronauts, mathematicians, and scientists in virtually every field — including Nobel Prize winners and scholars of eminent renown — have publicly challenged the alleged scientific underpinnings of the alarmist claims of the UN's IPCC and other supposed authorities in the climate debate. The following are but a few examples of the evidence that totally demolishes the claims of a consensus in favor of the climate alarmist positions:
• More than 31,000 scientists in the United States have signed a petition urging the U.S. government to reject the kinds of AGW policies proposed by the UN IPCC and environmental extremists. The Petition Project was organized by Dr. Arthur Robinson of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine and Dr. Frederick Seitz, physicist, professor, past president of Rockefeller University, and past president of the National Academy of Sciences.
• Climate Depot and Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) have produced an important 321-page report featuring bios and statements of more than 1,000 prominent scientists from across the globe who vigorously dissent from the phony "consensus."
• Forty-nine former NASA scientists and astronauts sent a letter in April, 2012, to NASA administrator Charles Bolden admonishing the agency for its role in advocating a high degree of certainty that man-made CO2 is a major cause of climate change while neglecting empirical evidence that calls the theory into question. The group included seven Apollo astronauts and two former directors of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
• In the past few years, some of the leading and best-known advocates of AGW alarmism have reversed course and have become outspoken critics of the IPCC and the mindless, anti-science "groupthink" that dominates the alarmist ranks. These include: Dr. James Lovelock, global guru of the Green movement, most famous for developing the "Gaia Hypothesis"; Professor Fritz Vahrenholt, a founding father of Germany's environmental movement; Dr. Denis Rancourt, a professor of physics at the University of Ottowa and a longtime, militant Green activist; Dr. Judith Curry, physicist and the chair of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, called (formerly) by some "The High Priestess of Global Warming"; Dr. Mike Hulme, professor of climate change at the University of East Anglia (home of the Climategate e-mails); Dr. Richard Courtney, U.K. atmospheric scientist, liberal-left environmentalist, and an expert reviewer for the UN's IPCC; Dr. Claude Allegre, a renowned French geophysicist, a former French Socialist Party leader and one of the pioneers of global-warming alarmism; and Dr. Patrick Moore, a leader and founding member of Greenpeace, to name but a few in a long list of defectors.
• Scientists and journalists who have dug into the sources of the alleged scientific consensus on climate change have uncovered a series of incredible frauds. The citations, which appear on the surface to be authoritative surveys representing the consensus of thousands of scientists, turn out to be grossly manipulated data and super-exaggerated numbers. (Articles and studies taking apart the surveys that claim to prove scientific consensus on AGW can be accessed here, here, here, here, and here.)
The scientists publicly dissenting from the AGW groupthink, as we have noted, number in the thousands. Their ranks include a veritable Who's Who of distinguished scientists, such as:
• Dr. Robert B. Laughlin, Nobel Prize-winning Stanford University physicist, formerly a research scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory;
• Dr. Werner Kirstein, professor at the Institute for Geography of the University of Leipzig, Germany;
• Dr. John Christy, a climatologist of the University of Alabama in Huntsville and NASA;
• Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT climate physicist and Alfred P. Sloan Professor of meteorology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences;
• Dr. William Happer, Cyrus Fogg Bracket professor of physics, Princeton University;
• Dr. Leonard Weinstein, 35 years at the NASA Langley Research Center and presently a senior research fellow at the National Institute of Aerospace;
• Dr. Anatoly Levitin, the head of the geomagnetic variations laboratory at the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radiowave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
• Dr. Hans Jelbring, a Swedish climatologist of the Paleogeophysics & Geodynamics Unit at Stockholm University;
• Burt Rutan, renowned engineer, inventor, and aviation/space pioneer;
• Dr. Jonathan Jones, professor of physics, Oxford University, U.K.;
• Dr. Willie Soon, Harvard-Smithsonian Center astrophysicist;
• Dr. Syun-Ichi Akasofu, emeritus professor of physics, and founding director, International Arctic Research Center of the University of Alaska Fairbanks;
• Dr. Bjarne Andresen, physicist, and professor, The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark;
• Dr. Ian D. Clark, professor, isotope hydrogeology and paleoclimatology, University of Ottawa, Canada;
• Dr. S. Fred Singer, physicist and professor emeritus of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia and founding director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service.
Obama's Claims vs. a "Brutal Gang of Facts"
"There goes another beautiful theory about to be murdered by a brutal gang of facts." That famous maxim by 17th century French writer François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld (though often attributed to Benjamin Franklin) fits well the fate of many of the current environmental sacred dogmas.
Marc Morano at Climate Depot was one of the first out of the gate with a brutal gang of facts to provide a point-by-point rebuttal to Obama's climate claims. James Taylor did likewise at Forbes.com.
We have provided the real facts on each of Mr. Obama's claims many times at The New American, but let's examine each of them here briefly:
• "The 12 hottest years on record [for the United States] have all come in the last 15" — In his testimony last in August 2012 before a U.S. Senate committee, Dr. John Christy, a climatologist who monitors global surface and satellite temperatures at the University of Alabama and NASA, presented evidence demonstrating that, contrary to claims by the White House and the media, the hottest years on record in the United States were in the 1930s, a verdict that is supported by a wide array of climate scientists. Even the Obama administration's EPA, one of the foremost AGW alarmist institutions, provides a graph on its website showing that the 1930s were indeed much hotter than our most recent 15 years. And Climate Depot provides links to a host of sources debunking the "hottest year" meme here;
• Droughts — As we have reported previously, the global AGW drought scare is based on the predictions of the flawed computer modeling of the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). A 2012 study by Princeton University professors Eric Wood and Justin Sheffield published in Nature exposes the serious problems with the PDSI. "We've known for quite a long time that the PDSI calculation is prone to problems dealing with climate change," said Columbia University drought and climate researcher Richard Seager after the Princeton study was published.
• Wildfires — James Taylor points out that the number of wildfires has actually been decreasing over the past several decades, even while the intensity of the fires has been increasing, thanks to forest malpractice by our federal Forest Service, which has drastically restricted forest harvesting (logging) and allowed our forests to become clogged with bug- and disease-infested trees and brush. Taylor notes: "The National Interagency Fire Center reports the number of annual wildfires in the United States has been declining for more than 30 years. In fact, the 'overwhelming judgment of science' reveals the number of wildfires rose from the 1950s through the 1970s, as global temperatures declined, and has been declining ever since, as global temperatures have modestly warmed."
• Floods — Over the past several years, it has become standard AGW "extreme weather" dogma that increased CO2 is simultaneously causing extraordinary hot and cold waves, droughts and floods. In an October 24, 2011 posting Dr. Roger Pielke, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, took on the flood claims. He cites abundant research to show that "flooding has not increased in the United States over records of 85 to 127 years. This adds to a pile of research that shows similar results around the world." In a January 15, 2013 posting, he provided additional authoritative data to show that flooding is not beyond normal ranges.
• Hurricanes, tornadoes — As The New American reported last year, Superstorm Sandy was "neither the largest Atlantic storm on record nor the deadliest. The National Hurricane Center reports Olga was the largest in recorded history with a wind extent of 600 miles, more than 100 miles greater than Sandy's. In terms of death toll, among the top 10 worst U.S. natural disasters reported by LiveScience are the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 which claimed 8,000 lives and the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 which killed 2,500." Neither did it make the top 10 list of costliest hurricanes. ICAT's Damage Estimator, we reported, "ranks the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 as number one at more than $180 billion in 2012 dollars. The Galveston and Lake Okeechobee storms rank second and ninth respectively, and seven of the top 10 occurred before 1961. Hurricane Katrina is number four." Nor are hurricanes more frequent today. As James Taylor writes, "NOAA reports a long-term decline in strong tornadoes striking the United States. The National Hurricane Center reports that the past 40 years have seen the fewest major hurricane strikes since at least the mid-1800s. Even Hurricane Sandy reminds us that the U.S. Northeast has experienced only one major hurricane strike since 1960, but experienced six major hurricane strikes during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, when global temperatures were cooler."
Obama Stifles Energy, Claims Credit for Energy Boom
Closely related to the climate myths in the president's SOTU address were his outlandish claims about the supposed achievements in U.S. energy production, thanks to his administration. David Middleton, in an informative posting at WattsUpWithThat.com, conducts a point-by-point rebuttal of President Obama's claims.
For example, he presents this Obama SOTU claim: "That's why my administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits."
Middleton responds:
Drilling permits that once took 30 days to be approved now take more than 180 days. Even relatively simple things like the approval of development plan (DOCD) revisions are sometimes drawn out to nearly 300 days. As of a year ago, the average delays for independent oil companies are currently 1.4 years on the shelf and almost 2 years in deepwater.
Between the "permitorium" and high product prices, many of the best, most capable drilling rigs have been moved overseas. Once we manage to get permits approved, the delays in obtaining a rig can be almost as long as the permit delays were. In this "dynamic regulatory environment," wells can't be drilled quickly enough to compensate for decline rates, much less to increase production.
"We need audacity, and yet more audacity, and always audacity!"
President Obama and his speechwriters have spectacularly failed Climate Science 101.But, then again, so have Al Gore, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the IPCC, and most of the MSM talking heads. However, almost none have been willing to admit error and reverse course. In fact, the standard operating procedure has been to double down, go on the attack, and scream even more loudly and emphatically about ever more exaggerated climate threats. They appear to be consciously following the counsel of infamous French Revolutionist Georges Danton, affectionately known as "rebel Satan," who famously advised: "Il nous faut de l'audace, et encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace" — "We need audacity, and yet more audacity, and always audacity!"
Photo of President Barack Obama at State of the Union address: AP Images
Related articles:
Obama's State of the Union: Toddler Care, Gun Control, Executive Orders
Rubio's and Rand's Contrasting State of the Union Address Responses
Prayer Breakfast: Obama's "Humility" Prayer v. Carson's Humble Appeal
New Report: Man-made Global Warming Is a Farce ("Extreme Weather" 2012)
"Climate Science" in Shambles: Real Scientists Battle UN Agenda
What Consensus? Public, Scientists Doubt Climate Crisis


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Indiana Pacers beat Miami Heat, stretch winning streak
The Indiana Pacers stretched their home-court winning streak to 13 games and closed in on the NBA Central Division lead by beating the Miami Heat 102-89 on Friday.
The Indiana Pacers stretched their home-court winning streak to 13 games and closed in on the NBA Central Division lead by beating the Miami Heat 102-89 on Friday.
Indiana moved within half a game of Central-leading Chicago after the Bulls lost 93-89 at the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn's city rival New York stayed 2-1/2 games clear in the Atlantic Division by beating Milwaukee. In other key games, Toronto cruised past an undermanned Los Angeles Clippers team, Utah continued its strong home form by beating Portland and Denver won its sixth straight by downing New Orleans.
Indiana's David West scored 30 points and Paul George added 15 as the Pacers beat the Heat for the second time this season.
Miami was led by LeBron James with 28 points but this time the Heat were beaten at their own game, with Indiana shooting a season-high 55.7 percent from the field.
The Pacers took control with a 13-0 first-half run that turned a 23-20 deficit into a 33-23 lead and they never trailed again.
The Brooklyn Nets turned to their bench to eke out a 93-89 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Brook Lopez scored 20 points through three quarters, then the bench took over, with Andray Blatch scoring all his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Luol Deng scored 18 points for the Bulls, who played without starters Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich.
The New York Knicks won their third straight, steadying after a wonky run, by downing the Milwaukee Bucks 96-86.
Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points while Amare Stoudemire had 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Knicks, who trailed until a storming run in the third quarter.
Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with 19 points and seven rebounds.
The Toronto Raptors were 98-73 winners over the L.A. Clippers, with Rudy Gay scoring 20 points in his Toronto debut, having just moved from Memphis.
Amir Johnson had 19 points and matched his career high with 16 rebounds for the Raptors, who have beaten the Clippers four straight times north of the border.
The Utah Jazz made it eight wins from nine home games by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 86-77.
Al Jefferson had 21 points, including two one-handed shots in the lane to clinch the victory, while Paul Millsap had 15 points for the Jazz.
LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds, led the Blazers.
The Denver Nuggets, who won 12 of 15 games in January, started February in similar fashion with a 113-98 win over the New Orleans Hornets.
Ty Lawson had 21 points and 13 assists while Andre Iguodala scored 24 for the Nuggets.
Ryan Anderson had 21 points for the Hornets, who have dropped five of six.
The Memphis Grizzlies were 85-76 winners over the Washington Wizards, with Mike Conley scoring 18 points and Tayshaun Prince adding 14 in his Memphis debut, including a pair of key fourth-quarter baskets.
The Los Angeles Lakers got strong performances from two of their stars as they won 111-100 at the Minnesota Timberwolves. Pau Gasol had 22 points and 12 rebounds in his return to the starting lineup and Kobe Bryant nearly had 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
The Boston Celtics responded to yet another long-term injury blow by downing the Orlando Magic 97-84. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each had a double-double for the Celtics, a day after learning promising rookie Jared Sullinger will join Rajon Rondo on the season-long injury list.
Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday scored 21 to lead the 76ers past the Sacramento Kings 89-80.
The Dallas Mavericks had six players in double figures - despite the absence of the injured Dirk Nowitzki - in the 109-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns. O.J. Mayo top scored with 20 points.
The Detroit Pistons led throughout in a 117-99 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.


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Woo hoo……..we have a caravan, what a relief. After a very long and tiring few days our search ended much further afield than we had hoped – we hit the road at 6am yesterday and didn't get back home til gone midnight this morning!!
BUT, we finally found our caravan – the picture isn't actually ours but it is the same make and model.
Bessie the caravan (named because she is a Bessacar Cameo 500GLE – so obviously a Bessie) is still 'up north' where she is having all her predispatch checks and a few odd jobs done on her to make her ship shape for us to take. We collect her next Tuesday which is cutting it fine as we leave on Thursday but it justs adds to the fun right!!
The search of the last few days has been pretty manic and we have been running on adrenaline for most of the time. We have looked at so many caravans and seen for the most part some real dross. We aren't buying new and the second hand market is still overpriced (like most things it seems) and so to find something that is actually fairly priced and not in apalling condition is no mean feat but Bessie certainly fits the bill and as we drove home last night the excitement was beginning to trickle through – hubby even managed a celebratory whoop of delight in the middle of the motorway services carpark!! In the howling wind and rain no-one noticed except me who was whooping along as well!!
The next few days are going to be mega busy as we frantically tie up all the loose ends, take copious amounts of rubbish down the tip including some left over furniture, clear the last of the garden, pack up the last of the storage boxes, finish scanning about 3000 photos to the computer, pack up the caravan when she arrives, clean the house and whatever else needs doing that I can't even think about at the moment!!
We also have to keep abreast of the situation unfolding in France. They are striking against a proposed raise in retirement age from 60 to 62 and are blockading oil refineries which has caused big fuel shortages all across the country. Unfortunately we can't get across France on one tank of fuel and so we could be stopped up there for longer than we want!! Fingers crossed the situation will be resolved before we get there next week.
So, thats our latest news and progress report!! 9 days to go and it feels very real now……………


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Champagne Risotto
Recipe from foodnetwork.com Ingredients 4 thin slices prosciutto 3 cups reduced salt chicken broth 12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces 2 tbsp butter 1 shallot, finely chopped 3/4 cup Arborio rice 3/4 cup Champagne 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Method Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C. Place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Reserve for garnish. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer. In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus and Parmesan. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately. Serves 2. Will HE make it again? YES


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A Portage Park range takes a whack at bringing axe-throwing to Chicago.
A nationwide shortage of psychiatrists is being felt in Chicago, from the Department of Public Health to area medical centers and health providers.
It may not seem like gardening weather, but The Organic Gardener Jeanne Nolan says now's the ideal time to plant lettuces, radishes and peas which thrive in cooler temperatures.
Stakeholders had raised concerns over school's "racist" namesake
A Lakeview elementary school will keep its name despite a push from community members who wanted to shift away from racist undertones surrounding the school's namesake.
A company on the West Side of Chicago has been cited for improperly storing chemicals and threatening public health, according to a suit filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
New ways of producing, distributing and consuming TV shows means consumers no longer have to rush home to catch a scheduled broadcast.
Issues impacting the Great Lakes and communities surrounding the massive freshwater system will be at the center of a two-day conference in Chicago starting Wednesday.
Craig Rex Perry grew up in Englewood and has studied and worked around the world. We catch up with him in Kenwood during a master class on cartooning – and careers.
Plans for new office buildings, apartment complexes and hotels along the North Branch of the Chicago River are underway.
Watch the May 9, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."
The political inertia that's left Illinois without a budget can't continue, according to a report released Tuesday by the non-partisan Civic Federation.


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When a familiar face offered her the chance of a fresh start, Melissa Henderson jumped at the opportunity.
The Dash's latest signing has an outside shot to be involved in Friday night's vital home game against the Boston Breakers (8 p.m. CT; TICKETS) even though she is yet to take part in a training session in Houston. Henderson may have brand-new teammates but she has plenty of history with Dash head coach Randy Waldrum.
The forward played under Waldrum at the University of Notre Dame, winning an NCAA championship in 2010. That year she scored 17 times, provided 11 assists and won the Honda Sports Award as the country's best collegiate women's soccer player—an accolade also claimed in recent years by fellow Dash teammates Teresa Noyola and Whitney Engen.
Not only that, but the 24-year-old is a native Texan from the Dallas area, just like Waldrum. "He has been such an inspiration in my whole career, he helped me so much. It's just nice to play for him again and represent the Dash and know that you're playing for a coach that has confidence in you I think helps so much," Henderson told HoustonDashSoccer.com on Thursday as she headed south to Houston.
"I am beyond ecstatic about joining the Dash. Just being back in my home state already feels incredible and to be able to know I'm going to a team with great players and people and to be playing for Randy again is absolutely amazing and I'm very fortunate and grateful to have this opportunity…. At Notre Dame I loved the style of play that he produced."
Henderson was acquired from FC Kansas City in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. Midfielder Lindsay Elston, who made one start this year, was waived to make room on the 20-player roster. Henderson scored against eventual champions Portland Thorns FC in last season's playoffs but found first-team opportunities limited in Kansas. However, she has played twice at BBVA Compass Stadium in 2014, starting in the Dash's loss to Kansas City last month and coming on as a late substitute when the sides met in May.
"I don't know if we'll play her on Friday since she won't have much time with the team, but she'll be available to play if we need her to on Friday," Waldrum told HoustonDashSoccer.com.
"I'm very excited about her. She's had a hard time finding her place at Kansas City the last two years because they just play with the one forward… Hopefully she'll be highly motivated since she didn't get a lot of time there, to come in and make a difference. She knows our system, she knows how I like to play, so it shouldn't take her much time at all to fit in.
"It gives us one more attacking option. She's a player that's a little bit more experienced, a little better at holding the ball up at times. She brings some intangibles, she's got good pace and when she's on form she can score goals."
Waldrum hopes that Henderson's arrival will help spark the team back into life after three successive NWSL defeats left the Dash ten points off the postseason pace, making a win imperative on Friday night when the league's bottom club visit BBVA Compass Stadium.
"All of our games coming up, these last nine games, become really important for us to be getting as much out of them as we can," said Waldrum. After Friday, the Dash are home again on July 17 against the Washington Spirit, the team currently occupying the fourth and final playoffs place.
Whether she makes her Houston debut then or on Friday, Henderson is certainly sure to infuse the team with her infectious enthusiasm. "I'm just really looking forward to the experience and the opportunity," she said. "I'm hungry to play and just very excited."
Tom Dart is a contributing writer to HoustonDynamo.com and HoustonDashSoccer.com. Former editor and reporter for The Times of London and reporter for SI.com, Dart currently freelances for The Guardian.


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How can the same pieces of the tangram make this bowl before and after it was chipped? Use the interactivity to try and work out what is going on!
There are nine teddies in Teddy Town - three red, three blue and three yellow. There are also nine houses, three of each colour. Can you put them on the map of Teddy Town according to the rules?
Cut four triangles from a square as shown in the picture. How many different shapes can you make by fitting the four triangles back together?


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Nursing homes were one of the first institutions to welcome therapy dogs and allow them to interact with patients. They were originally welcomed because of the instant empathetic connection they were able to make with most patients and continue to be welcomed in part because of the increase in patient communication when the animals are brought in. [continue reading…]
SVP, Sunbelt Staffing
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Volunteers fix condemned Bath home
City rescinds condemnation order
A volunteer effort to repair a condemned home has allowed a Bath couple to have more time to look for alternate housing.
The city of Bath had condemned the Windjammer Way home of Yvonne and Alan Orchard last December and the couple had received an eviction notice.
But the efforts of a number of volunteers, including Bath Iron Works employees, shored up the home's foundation and provided a bigger tarp for it.
"We've pulled it back from the precipice of -- 'you've got to get out of this building because it's not safe to live here right now' -- that's gone now, we're not at that. They've got some time to think about what to do," said Bath Code Enforcement Officer Scott Davis.
The Orchards know the repairs are a temporary fix, but a judge's order to rescind the eviction gives them more time to search for a new home.
"I want everybody to know how much we appreciated whatever they did for us during this whole thing. It was highly appreciated. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be warm now," Alan Orchard said.