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September 15, 2008 By Tania Aebi
Last Letter From Home
By Tania Aebi
Here we are, a year since I first started writing for BoatUS about the trip with my boys. For half my life, I've been calling myself a writer, mostly on sailing-related subjects, and on one old computer I taped a bumper sticker that said, "I'd rather be vacuuming." For years, it wasn't a joke.
When this trip began to really take shape, I found myself facing deadlines and writing with much more frequency, for several venues, not just this blog. And, I'm happy to report that, among the many ways this trip has enriched my life, I actually started to enjoy my work, didn't feel compelled to come up with a million excuses and ways to procrastinate.
For the first time in my writing history, whenever I sat down in front of the computer, there was something to say, real stories to tell, and they flowed freely. Each posting here to you has been a way for me to process and capture moments preserved much more effectively than would've been possible with just logbook entries, and for that I'm grateful.
Well, the five months my boys and I have spent apart – they're finally home from sailing the Pacific with their Dad -- have passed. I'm writing this log in real time, the boys and the logbook have just come home now, and this will be my last entry for my BoatUS series. Shangri La is on the hard in New Caledonia, a large French island east of Australia.
In one month, I'll fly there to pack whatever the boys didn't bring home for me, organize, wrap up details, say goodbye, and sell her. I don't want to, but I really can't afford to keep a boat that isn't lived on, used, and maintained regularly. It's time for her to become somebody else's Shangri La, their ideal, like she became for us.
If I continue writing about our lives, it won't be about sailing anymore, but about the gardens, the flock of rapidly growing meat chickens out back, the four new laying hens that replaced the ones we left behind who didn't make it through the winter -- not your typical Boat US subjects. With the whole trip over, so ends this narrative, but not before I quickly backfill, and tell you the story about the time the boys spent sailing with their father.
As humans, we can be pretty adaptable, but sometimes we can't believe this is true until life teaches us a nature-revealing lesson or two, which, of course, was one of the primary reasons I wanted this trip for my kids. There were things they could never learn in our comfortably predictable routine at home.
When they arrived on the boat in Curacao, and over the course of the first couple of months, I don't know how many times I heard 13-going-on-14-year-old Sam say he could hardly wait for the trip to end, that his time on the boat felt like an interminable prison sentence. He was positive he'd never get to like it. Never.
My reply was consistent. It's an adjustment to a whole new life, I'd say. Of course you miss your home. But, it'll always be there. Always. This adventure, however, will only last for ten months. Time will speed by, then it'll be over, and you'll never again able revisit a year such as this one. Nope, he'd insist. I'll never get accustomed to this and time will continue to crawl.
But, time quickly rose up on two legs and sprinted, and when I left the boys in Tahiti, Sam had escaped from prison and wasn't counting the days until the trip ended anymore, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He'd adapted to the life as well as a mother such as myself could hope for. When I pointed this out as we hugged goodbye, he smiled sheepishly, admitted I'd been right, yet again, and turned back to setting up another fishing line. Nicholas just ordered me to stop worrying, they'd be fine. And, once I was back in Vermont, in lieu of the frequent writing I'd been doing for this website, the boys and I emailed, and they were fine.
Nicholas completely took over the SSB, diligently using it to send and receive satisfyingly frequent and newsy updates, while Sam took over the cleaning. He was doing all the dishes, he wrote to me, as well as all the sweeping, and was permanently exhausted.
Now, stuck with Dad in such a small space, he was finally realizing how much I did, how much we were alike, as far as craving tidiness and order went. On my half of the trip with them, we'd bonded in ways that would've been impossible at home, they really got to know me in ways typical teenagers don't get to know their parents, and our letters were a hard copy continuation of all the talking and connecting we'd done out there.
While they were bonding with their father, I adapted pretty quickly to living in a construction site, bonding with the paintbrush and vacuum cleaner. There were a bunch of house-finishing projects that needed doing while I was alone. After 13 years, I thought we could finally have a proper ceiling in the living room, trim, and baseboards, a refinished floor, some finished shelving and cabinets. So, my days were spent measuring, mitering, caulking, sanding, priming, and painting in between receiving and sending emails.
Not a single job seemed as hard or significant as so many of the tasks aboard Shangri La had felt. What a relief to worry only about the way things would look and not about whether an oversight would cost me a boat, or the lives of my boys. What a relief to worry instead about disappearing bees, dying bats, not enough rain, too much rain, the threat of offshore drilling, what Nicholas will do after the coming senior year ends, how they were faring on the other side of the world from me.
On Dad's watch, between March and July, they sailed from Bora Bora to Raratonga in the Cook Islands, to Western Samoa, to Wallis Island, to Savu Savu in Fiji, and Ile de Pins in New Caledonia, before putting Shangri La on the hard in Noumea. They called when they could from internet cafes with Skype, sent a picture of Sam with his monster mahi mahi, and our exchanges totaled up to 60 pages of back and forth, 12-point, single-spaced dialogue when printed out.
I caught them up to date on their school schedules for the next year, the growth following the seasons, the doings of friends and neighbors, world news, Obama updates, and I knew they cared. They, in turn, told me stories, like the one about when the camera was forgotten on the dinghy and fell overboard somewhere between the beach and the boat and the ordeal of finding it, because they knew I'd be interested, was always ready to listen, or in this case, read.
I heard about their weather, how Raratonga was a spectacular landfall, how they'd understood the Tahitian French better than the Cook Island English, how they made friends with local kids on the pier who took them swimming and snorkeling, about the delicious and cheap food in Indian restaurants.
As the snow melted and shoots started poking up through the ground, I read about the big squid and three-foot-long wahoo Sam caught on the way to Samoa and how it didn't taste as good as tuna, got a log of miles made good, wind speeds, wave heights, the calm they got just before pulling into Apia.
Right after the electrician finished wiring some more lights and plugs in the living room, I read about how Dad's girlfriend had arrived, and two days later, how they were bouncing over a reef into a lagoon. Don't worry, Nicholas wrote, always considerate of my propensity for worrying. It's good we have a steel boat. "Never again will I complain about Shangri La being uncomfortable," he said. "The fact that all we got were a few scratches in the hull paint makes her the best boat in the world in my book."
They spent a couple of weeks anchored off Wallis Island, the most special South Pacific landfall I remembered from my long-ago trip. This is definitely my favorite place, Nicholas wrote, describing the empty lagoon, the friendly people who invited them for meals, the way no car on the road would pass without stopping to offer a ride
Then, he asked for instructions on how to clean and prime rust spots. Sam wrote about the piles of shells he was finding, how he was spending hours in the water spear fishing with the Alaskans on one of the few other sailboats there, how many push-ups he was doing daily. Then, he asked about how to flush clean the smelly sink and head drains. Our worlds were so different.
At home, as much as I'd begun to enjoy myself out there, surrounded by all that is familiar, I didn't miss the sea for long. The boys, yes, but not the sea. Shangri La had been home for six months, this was home forever. The roots I'd yanked up before leaving replanted themselves pretty quickly and sprouted with the onset of spring and summer as the boys sailed to Fiji and onwards to New Caledonia.
The trees in the surrounding forest leafed out and the vegetable and flower gardens came back for another round of beauty and productivity to great the young sailors when they got back.
Four days after painting the last coat of polyurethane on the floors, the raspberries were coming in and I was at the airport, hugging my tall, blond, tanned, and wistful sons who, on the interminable flights home, had already begun transitioning from a way of life they'd come to love to a home they'd missed. Because we adapt to some situations more quickly than others, re-entry for the boys has been smooth and speedy sailing.
Yes, the San Blas Islands, the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a perfect trade wind day, Ua Pou, Rangiroa, Wallis, Fiji, underwater worlds of wonder and discovery, these were all spectacular. And yes, beating for four days straight, squalls, winds, a needy engine, butting heads yet again with annoying Mom or Dad in such confines, all that was extremely memorable, too. However, to see Nicholas rediscover his place on the couch with such pleasured satisfaction, to watch Sam arrange all his shells on his knick knack shelves, and to hear both of them saying, repeatedly and gratefully, that they miss the boat a lot, but also feel lucky to have the past year end with such a special place to come home to, this is priceless.
Two weeks after they got home, the picture of Sam with his mahi mahi is already blown up and framed on the staircase wall leading up from the basement, under the light, where every incoming guest will be able to admire his fishing prowess. There is another one of Nicholas doing a back flip off Shangri La's bow in front of Bora Bora's dramatic silhouette that needs similar treatment.
The turtle tapa from Ua Pou is hanging above the staircase leading up to the bedrooms. Tahitian bowls and carvings are on the windowsills, the big wooden mask from Fiji contrasts darkly with a prominent and freshly painted wall in the kitchen, Colombian and Panamanian prints decorate the kids' bedroom. Visual memories enhance our finished home, punctuating with fresh and vibrant colors the faded pictures and dusty carvings from my long ago first voyage that inspired all this.
My job is done in more ways than one. The boys have come to know the sea that once taught me so much about myself and life, they have also learned to truly appreciate what they have, and we all get to wait and see what, as a result of all this, will be the long term effects. Once again, only time will tell.
As I finish with the chronicling and sign off now, let me repeat that the writing has been a real pleasure, that it's a gift to have such a record of the whole experience. Without readers, this log wouldn't have been possible, so thank you for reading and sharing this trip with me and my family. Until the next time, fair winds to all. Over and out.


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Sen. Mike Duffy's trial offers a chance for answers to some unresolved questions
In April, after the RCMP declined to lay charges against Nigel Wright in the matter of the $90,000 payment to Sen. Mike Duffy, the air was thick with instant analysis.
To partisans on the left, it was evidence of a vast conspiracy on the part of the RCMP and others to make the whole story go away. To partisans on the right, it was proof it was all a smear got up by the Media Party, a months-long hysteria campaign over what amounted to nothing more than a simple effort by Wright to repay the taxpayer for Duffy's expenses.
Well, now the RCMP have charged Duffy, 31 times in all, including three counts — bribery, fraud, and breach of trust — specifically arising from the same $90,000 payment. Which suggests that both of those April storylines might have been a little hasty.
If there were a coverup in the works, charging Duffy, who has not been shy about expressing his sense of being ill-used in the affair and has hinted on several occasions that he knows more than he has let on, would seem just about the worst way to go about it. And while Duffy has only been charged, not convicted — he insists he was an unwilling participant in this "monstrous scheme" — it would seem equally difficult after this to pretend there's no story here.
Rather, the police appear to be proceeding, albeit slowly, as they should, methodically assembling the evidence, not only with regard to the Wright-Duffy payment, but to the expense claims that preceded and, in part, precipitated it — the other 28 charges. It would behoove the rest of us to follow their example. There are, to be sure, a great many questions still unresolved about the whole affair. But there is no need to answer them before their time.
To the question, in particular, on everyone's mind — how could Duffy be charged with taking a bribe, the most serious offence, without Wright being charged with giving it — there may be any number of answers. Section 119 (1) of the Criminal Code makes any "member of Parliament" (that includes senators) guilty of an offence who "corruptly accepts, obtains, agrees to accept or attempts to obtain" any "money, valuable consideration, office, place or employment" in exchange for "anything done or omitted to be done . . . by them in their official capacity"; likewise it indicts anyone who "corruptly gives or offers" the same.
The key word is "corruptly." The RCMP may believe that, while Duffy accepted the money corruptly, Wright did not offer it in the same spirit. Or they may believe they can prove corrupt intent in the first case but not the second. Or they may have offered Wright leniency in exchange for giving evidence against Duffy. Doubtless there are other possibilities. Presumably the truth will emerge in due course; until such time we would do well to hold the speculation.
While Duffy is the one facing charges, he was only ever part of the story. Beyond the immediate matter of his guilt or innocence, his trial will be of interest for the chance it affords to get some answers, at last, to those larger questions I mentioned. Wright will almost certainly be called as a witness. Given Duffy's contention that he is being made a scapegoat by those higher up, others in the government may be as well — perhaps even the prime minister.
The biggest question to be answered remains: why? Not only why did Wright make the payment — which, remember, was not to "the taxpayer" but to Duffy, in secret and on condition that he remain silent about it — but why were so many other senior people in and around the government, as we learned from the trove of emails unearthed by the RCMP, so utterly transfixed with the task of paying Duffy's falsely claimed expenses? Why not just leave him to face the consequences of his own actions?
Why, in particular, when it involved colluding in a fairly extensive coverup: peddling the lie that Duffy had repaid his own expenses, leaning on an auditor to minimize his misdeeds and whitewashing a Senate committee report to the same end. It's entirely possible that stupidity is the primary explanation. But it is also possible that the desire to satisfy Duffy had some other motive, and since none of the principals have been good enough to enlighten us, we must hope Duffy's trial will provide them with the opportunity.
And of course there is the question that obsesses the political class: what involvement or knowledge did the prime minister have, particularly with regard to the $90,000? In a sense, it does not matter: that so many people close to him were so ready to act in such an unethical fashion is damning enough in itself. But in a sense it is all that matters: partly because the prime minister has been so vehement in his denials of any foreknowledge, and partly because the set of circumstances required for this to be true seem so implausible.
Among other things, it requires us to believe not only that Wright and everyone else around the prime minister lied to him for months on end about how Duffy's expenses were repaid, but that Wright lied to the others: that having told him at a meeting in February of 2013 that Duffy would repay his own expenses, he then told his fellow conspirators the prime minister was "good to go" with an earlier plan for the party to pay them; and that when Wright later told the prime minister's former communications director, Andrew MacDougall, that "the PM knows, in broad terms only, that I personally assisted Duffy" he was lying then, too.
What's the true story? All in good time. I think we can be sure of one thing: if and when Wright testifies under oath, he will not be lying then.

subset: commoncrawl


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THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Let down: Theater request irks nursing mom
On July 29, Brian and Kristin Bell took their three-week-old son to a matinee at the Regal Cinema on the downtown mall. What started as a fun outing, sadly, ended in anger.
In a written account of the incident that Brian sent the Hook, he states that at the end of the movie, Kristin (who was wearing a shawl-type nursing drape) was breastfeeding their baby. The theater emptied, the lights came up, and employees began cleaning the theater for the next show.
When they were done, Brian claims, a male employee asked the couple if they "could move this to the lobby." Brian says Kristin replied that she was nursing their baby, "and it would only take five minutes or so for him to finish." According to Brian, the employee urged them to leave, saying, "I can't sign off that the theater is ready for the next movie until everyone has left."
Brian offered to talk to the manager if their staying for a few minutes more would be a problem (he claims the next movie wasn't scheduled to start for another 30 minutes), but "the worker sighed and said, 'No, I'll just wait.'"
While Kristin was in the restroom changing the baby's diaper, Brian states that he went to the lobby and spoke to manager Kenneth Sosnowski "to let him know that his worker should have some sensitivity training for the needs of young infants and moms regarding nursing." He claims that Sosnowski "sarcastically" replied, "Yeah, I'll be sure to tell him that." Brian then asked whether Sosnowski had children, and he said no. After another testy exchange, according to Brian, Sosnowski said that breastfeeding in public was "inappropriate."
Here's what makes this situation more charged than it otherwise might have been: the Bells' baby has cystic fibrosis (a chronic lung and pancreatic disease), and the Bells have been encouraged by his doctors, Brian says, "to breastfeed him on demand as a way to boost his immune system and to get the nourishment he needs to gain weight."
When I called Sosnowski to discuss the incident, he refused to comment. I persisted, asking, "Did you say that breastfeeding in public is inappropriate?" "I have no comment," he replied.
The Bells sent a letter to Regal's corporate headquarters in Tennessee on August 27, but claim they got no response. I tried twice to speak to someone in Regal's public-relations department, and got a voicemail message after my second attempt. I called back– two more times– but never got a response.
Since I have no experience with breastfeeding, I called my sister Karen, who not only nursed children for about six years, but was active in the La Leche League (a breastfeeding advocacy group) as well. Would it have been feasible, I asked, for Kristin to walk to the lobby while nursing the baby and continue feeding him there?
"Physically, it would be easy," she said, for Kristin to have stood up and walked into the lobby while nursing. For the baby's comfort, however, staying put made good sense: "For one thing, the lobby would have been noisy, and he might have stopped nursing and started crying."
I spoke to Kristin about the situation, and she said that the Charlottesville La Leche chapter is considering staging a "nurse-in" outside Regal Cinemas. And Jenny Ragsdale, after reading about the incident in an online group, wrote the Hook a letter that said, in part, "Why is it acceptable for women to wear low-cut or tight tops and display their bodies sexually in every establishment on the downtown mall, but unacceptable to use their bodies to nourish their babies?" Good question.
The owner of the fencing company in last week's column ["Off the fence"] is Kelly Hensley Jr. His father, Kelly Hensley Sr., has no connection to the company.
Do you have a consumer problem or question? Email the Fearless Consumer or write her at 100 Second Street NW, Charlottesville 22902.
9 comments
Some government agency should evaluate this couple for parental fitness. Bringing a diseased 3-week-old baby to a movie theater? They think that's proper care? There are times when what is appropriate is watching rented tapes or TV at home rather than take a sick baby on parental entertainment jaunts. What else do they do as a threesome, Fridays After Five? A night at the bar? White water rafting?
"Movie Goer"s response to this article is inflammatory and just plain mean. These parents have been through enough with the diagnosis of a life-long and at times, life-threatening illness, without the condescending judgement. The baby is not "diseased" but instead the victim of a genetic hiccup that makes him less able to fight infections if his cystic fibrosis remains untreated. The baby and the family shouldn't live in a bubble; it is neither practicle nor in the best interest of the child. Furthermore, comparing a movie in a theater to white water rafting is clearly ridiculous. I go back to my statement about just being mean.
Nursing in any place in any form at any time should be encouraged for any baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics backs me up on this statement. Why are so many members of the public bent on discouraging something so natural and healthy?
Everyone is sorry this couple has a child with cystic fibrosis and everyone should understand that they need some relief from the tension and round-the-clock care of a sick child. If they can take a little baby unobtrusively to the movies, good for them.
However, this couple should also realize that the world doesn't stop spinning because they've had the misfortune to have a sick baby. The article says "Brian offered to talk to the manager if their staying for a few minutes more would be a problem (he claims the next movie wasn't scheduled to start for another 30 minutes), but "the worker sighed and said, 'No, I'll just wait.'"
All they had to do was finish nursing the baby while the worker waited and then go home. The problem started when the husband thought his annoyance was worth a confrontation with the manager.
Again, they're in an unfortuante situation and everybody is sorry. But they need to get some perspective before they start calling newspapers and riling up groups that threaten to hold a "nurse in" outside the theater.
All parties to this ridiculous situation need to get some perspective. It isn't a question of some women being allowed to "display their bodies sexually" and this poor victim not beling allowed to nurse her baby. Nobody told her she couldn't nurse the baby or asked her to stop. The worker offered to wait while she finished.
Any mother knows you can walk all over town with a nursing baby if you have to. I wish the couple well with their baby, but I'm afraid all they're going to learn from this experience is that they're victims and the world should stop and cater to them-- a terrible lesson for them, and a rotten attitude for the unfortunate baby to grow up with.
It sounds like this parent had an "attitude of entitlement" that many women with infants seem to have; which is that when they are in public everyone else should attempt to accommodate them, while they blatantly disregard any inconvience their kid might be causing others.
I oppose breast-feeding in public. But if it's not against any law then by all means go ahead (and don't mind me if I decide I want to watch- it is after all a public place).
An infant should not be brought to a movie theater until they're old enough to enjoy the show. I do not attend films geared toward children, so I should not have my theater experience ruined by a parent with a squalling child. That sentiment is also extended to restaurants which are not specifically geared toward the "family" market.
Having children is a "lifestyle choice" which brings with it certian sacrifices- one of which is accepting that until your child is of a certian age there are times when s/he should be left at home. Which might mean that it's an event which you (the parent) will have to forgo attendance at. Along with an understanding that not all business will (or should) welcome a woman who wishes to engage in public breastfeeding.
Additonally the need for public breastfeeding should not be a foregone conclusion. There are devices and equipment that will allow a nursing mother to store her 'milk' for her infant- when direct breastfeeding is not an option or appropriate.
I understand the couples need to get out and enjoy themselves for a few hours. I breastfed all three of my children, its the best thing for a child. But were they even concerned for their child's hearing? A movie theater is not the place to take an infant, it is entirely to loud. Damage only takes a few minutes at this young age. Also I would like to know if Bill Wells has any children? Yes, having children is a choice-your mother and father made a choice too! Did Your mother breastfeed you? All women are asking is to care for the child and breastfeeding is best. We do not ask everyone to accomodate us. You can not predict when an infant is going to want to eat. Breastfeeding is very appropriate Mr. Wells, and the public should recognized that.
I do realize that Breast feeding is good and healthy for the baby. At no point in my previous post did I suggest otherwise (lets work on our reading comprehension). I pointed out out that there are devices that allow the mother of the infant to harvest her breast milk for later use when natural feeding is not possible or appropriate. These devices do not prevent the baby from recieving the full benefit of breast milk.
"and don't mind me if I decide I want to watch" -- Holy crap, Bill, you're pathetic.
From my understanding, the child was causing no inconvenience for anyone except the (somewhat clueless) usher. If the baby were screaming during the movie, that's one thing, but "An infant should not be brought to a movie theater until they're old enough to enjoy the show"? Are you for real?
We could start the whole "Where does my right to go out interfere with your right to a comfortable meal?" debate, I suppose, but that gets tiresome. I'll just suggest that if you find the world so offensive, then buy yourself an internet porn subscription and stay at home.
"No, you stay at home!"
"No, you stay at home!"
See? Tiresome. It's a whole lot easier just to not worry so friggin' much that not everyone does what Prince Bill wants day in and day out.
As for breast pumps, there are several reasons direct feeding is better: bonding, convenience, balancing supply and demand. For a three week old, nipple confusion can be a problem.
The long and the short of it: natural feeding is not always possible, but always appropriate.
Infants eat sleep and poop almost non-stop from the get go. There's plenty of opportunity to "bond" with ones baby via breastfeeding somewhere that's not a public location. As for the rest of it- there are two separate issues here: 1) Bringing Infants who cannot enjoy the movie to the theater in the first place and 2) The issue of Public breastfeeding. These issues as discussed, exist apart from the above incident in the article. Both items (1 and 2) I believe are inappropriate. And as such I think the woman in the article has absolutely no reason to be miffed. A business is a private enterprise and as such has the right to set down whatever rules it sees fit so long as said rules do not violate law. Just as a customer has a right not to patronize a business if they do not like the rules set forth. As such a nursing mother is due no more or less consideration than any other patron or customer of a business. Additionally do not attribute to me what I did not write. I did not write that I think breastfeeding is offensive. I do not think it is offensive. I just do not think a public location is the proper place. That's my *opinion* on those issues. Don't like my opinion? Get over it.
Parents should realize that the world does not revolve around them and their children. The parents not only had a total and complete disregard for the theater workers, but expect that a movie theater that accomodates thousands of people make exceptions for them. Had the parents talked to management upon their arrival, I think a reasonable accomodation could have been made should that situation arise. I really don't think the issue is breastfeeding in public as it is arrogance on the part of the breastfeeder.


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In honor of the upcoming ANZAC Day, findmypast.com.au has added thousands of military records and has just launched its inaugural Findmypast Anzac Memory Bank. Plus, to commemorate Anzac Day the entire military collection (including the newly released records below) will be available free of charge in the week leading up to Anzac Day (Monday 22 to Friday 26 April, 2013).
The findmypast.com.au records are described as follows on the Voxy.co.nz website:
The comprehensive collection includes 3.6 million records from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Britain and the United States. The updated archives will make it easy for Australians and New Zealanders to investigate their family's past and learn more about their achievements and efforts during Australia's and New Zealand's international conflicts. Some of the new records available on findmypast.com.au include:
- Australasian Imperial Expeditionary Forces Roll of Honour - An index to the roll of honour of the soldiers and sailors of Australian Imperial Expeditionary Forces
- New South Wales Roll of Honour - A comprehensive list of the names of service personnel extracted from honour rolls in schools, public halls, clubs and village war memorials across NS
- New Zealand War Medal Roll - An index of returns of Officers and Men of the Colonial Forces who made applications for the New Zealand War Medal for services before 1866
- New Zealand Boer War Servicemen - A list of New Zealand servicemen who took part in the Boer WarsANZAC Day will be on April 25, 2013.


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There are no fees required in order to register for classes with Central Texas College.
Central Texas College does not require SAT or ACT scores in order to enroll.
For those non-military members enrolling with Central Texas College, a copy of your high school diploma or GED certificate is required in order to register for classes. Those without a high school diploma or GED certificate who wish to attend Central Texas College may be admitted if they meet certain criteria.
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Agricultural Subsidies and the Environment
Heather Williams
Worldwide, governments subsidize agriculture at the rate of approximately 1 billion dollars per day. This figure rises to about twice that when export and biofuels production subsidies and state financing for dams and river basin engineering are included. These policies guide land use in numerous ways, including growers' choices of crop and buyers' demand for commodities. The three types of state subsidies that shape land use and the environment are land settlement programs, price and income supports, and energy and emissions initiatives. Together these subsidies have created perennial surpluses in global stores of cereal grains, cotton, and dairy, with production increases outstripping population growth. Subsidies to land settlement, to crop prices, and to processing and refining of cereals and fiber, therefore, can be shown to have independent and largely deleterious effect on soil fertility, fresh water supplies, biodiversity, and atmospheric carbon.
Ethics of the Zoo
Jozef Keulartz
The animal world is under increasing pressure, given the magnitude of anthropogenic environmental stress, especially from human-caused rapid climate change together with habitat conversion, fragmentation, and destruction. There is a global wave of species extinctions and decline in local species abundance. To stop or even reverse this so-called defaunation process, in situ conservation (in the wild) is no longer effective without ex situ conservation (in captivity). Consequently, zoos could play an ever-greater role in the conservation of endangered species and wildlife—hence the slogan Captivity for Conservation.
However, the integration of zoo-based tools and techniques in species conservation has led to many conflicts between wildlife conservationists and animal protectionists. Many wildlife conservationists agree with Michael Soulé, the widely acclaimed doyen of the relatively new discipline of conservation biology, that conservation and animal welfare are conceptually distinct, and that they should remain politically separate. Animal protectionists, on the other hand, draw support from existing leading accounts of animal ethics that oppose the idea of captivity for conservation, either because infringing an individual's right to freedom for the preservation of the species is considered as morally wrong, or because the benefits of species conservation are not seen as significant enough to overcome the presumption against depriving an animal of its liberty.
Both sides view animals through different lenses and address different concerns. Whereas animal ethicists focus on individual organisms, and are concerned about the welfare and liberty of animals, wildlife conservationists perceive animals as parts of greater wholes such as species or ecosystems, and consider biodiversity and ecological integrity as key topics. This seemingly intractable controversy can be overcome by transcending both perspectives, and developing a bifocal view in which zoo animals are perceived as individuals in need of specific care and, at the same time, as members of a species in need of protection.
Based on such a bifocal approach that has lately been adopted by a growing international movement of "Compassionate Conservation," the modern zoo can only achieve its conservation mission if it finds a morally acceptable balance between animal welfare concerns and species conservation commitments. The prospects for the zoo to achieve such a balance are promising. Over the past decade or so, zoos have made serious and sustained efforts to ensure and enhance animal welfare. At the same time, the zoo's contribution to species conservation has also improved considerably.


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Emilio Cavan Alo
(9-Jul-1913 – 25-Aug-1989)
"The creative person is both more primitive and more cultivated, more destructive, a lot madder and a lot saner, than the average person." –Frank Barron, psychologist
Son of Romano Jurado Alo and Paulina Alesna Cavan.
Raconteur par excellence;
Identified by "Come to me no more, Moses, for the day you see my face again you will surely die!"–Ramses' admonition to Moses; the line and others in the Ten Commandments movie were memorized by him, to be heartily delivered [why no verb "to elocute"?] on request, which skill set him far out of reach (perhaps his intention) from other Carcar bright boys; it is said he was able to watch the movie countless times—free–because of a taquillera who was a relative; lesser souls were intimidated and put off by his irreverence which didn't suffer fools gladly but his children–all professionals–are genetic evidence of his soaring intelligence; a true household name in Carcar.
Goodbye, our one-time brother.
Married to Paciencia Panuncialman Macasero with 7 children.
(page under construction)


text:
Elephant Man Dancehall Gym Webisode 2
Elephant Man man shows us how to do some of his favorite dances in a Richard Simons esque performance!!&IP=126.96.36.199
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The world can now explore London in greater detail from a computer screen, as Google Maps today launches 3D mapping of the capital.
The online mapping experts were able to recreate the entire city in 3D using 45-degree aerial imagery. Famous landmarks such as Parliament, the Shard and Tower Bridge can be seen in stunning detail, with computer users able to pan around the iconic buildings for a complete view.
The 3D images also allow London's famous sky line to be shown in its full glory, giving viewers a true impression of the capital's tallest and most treasured buildings.
An aerial shot shows how built-up the city is with homes and offices, punctuated with spires, skyscrapers and more unusually-shaped buildings such as the Gherkin and the "walkie-talkie" tower.
Using 45-degree aerial imagery, we're able to recreate entire metropolitan areas in 3D. This means every building, not just the famous landmarks, the terrain, and any surrounding landscape of trees are included to provide a much more accurate and realistic experience of the city. As you zoom into London on Google Maps or Google Earth, buildings and terrain will start to appear in 3D. Once you can see the buildings, pan, zoom, tilt and rotate to explore the 3D environment.
London is the fifth city in the UK to be represented in 3D after Birmingham, Leeds, Reading and Stoke on Trent.


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The NHL is now 23 days into the lockout and many players have fled to various leagues on the other side of the pond. While the owners and the NHLPA continue to bicker over the details of a new collective bargaining agreement some of the NHL's top talent are over seas putting together dominant performances and highlight reel goals.
Players like Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Alexander Ovechkin, and Ilya Kovalchuk have bolted to Russia's Kontinental Hockey League and have been successful while there. Malkin has recorded two goals and seven assists in nine games, Datsyuk and Ovechkin have recorded three goals and five assists in six and seven games respectively and Kovalchuk has potted four goals and six assists in six games.
However, not all of the NHL's top players are taking their talent to Russia. Anze Kopitar and Gabriel Landeskog have traveled to Sweden, and Rick Nash and Joe Thornton are playing in Switzerland.
Here are some of the highlights of NHL players and their talents outside of North America thus far.


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The question I am asked most often, second only to, "Isn't AIDS over?" is how I met Edward, 13 years ago this month. It must seem odd to outsiders that a grade six student, who up to that point had lived a textbook sheltered life, should suddenly meet an HIV-positive man who is in his mid thirties, a stranger, in the course of a school science project about a disease.
The teacher handed out a two-column list of diseases and told us to pick one to research. After giving us a few minutes to mull it over, she called on us one by one, in alphabetical order. My last name then being Palmer, it was a long wait and all of the easy to research diseases were gone, so for some reason I never could quite remember, when my name was called I said "AIDS".
Our library may have been well-stocked by the standards of 1997, I'm not sure, but by today's standards it would be seen as sorely under stocked. For example, it had only one book about HIV/AIDS, an older book published years earlier by David Suzuki. I took this one book out of the library and somehow found myself at the back of the book where there was a list of Canadian AIDS organizations. There were two listed in Nova Scotia, which turned out to be, in fact, one -- the two had joined forces -- and I called the number.
In hindsight I must have been better on the telephone then than I am now. I explained the purpose of my call (to find out more information than the slim David Suzuki book could offer), and was put through to Edward. All I remember of this first conversation is that I gave him my school's fax number, and he told me how to spell his last name, which it turned out, was spelled exactly as I thought. No doubt I also told him how to spell my name: A-l-e-s-s-a-n-d-r-a.
Coming to school the next morning, my teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, took me aside and placed the large manual -- AIDS 101 -- that had been faxed the night before in my hands. I believe she said she had received a call from our vice principal demanding to know if she had allowed me to have something faxed -- the manual was impossibly large and I imagine it must have flooded the floor with connected pages.
That first phone call started a pattern, and I probably called every day after school, except Friday, when Edward wasn't in. Mostly I remember asking him generic questions, AIDS 101 stuff like how they knew it couldn't be transmitted through casual contact. And then I asked him if he would mind coming in to speak to my class.
The funny thing about that is, I was never one of those kids. I never wanted bonus points, I never wanted to be the teacher's pet -- although, ironically, more often than not I was -- and I did not like guest speakers. And he said "You do know I am HIV positive, right?" or something to that effect. I said "Of course!" with very fake confidence, and probably exaggerated certainty. I quickly got off the phone then, saying it was time for dinner even though it was only mid-afternoon.
I had no idea.
For years after this, every time something wasn't exactly how I had expected it to be I reminded myself that I had to be the only person who could call an AIDS organization and not expect to speak with someone who had it. When I told my stepfather that Edward was HIV positive, he said, "Of course!" in that incredulous way he has, so I always figured I was the only one who hadn't seen that coming.
Another thing I didn't expect was the sheer amount of preparation that had to be done before having Edward in. I spoke with my teacher, and then a note had to be sent home giving parents the option to keep their child home -- to my great surprise, some parents did exercise that option. My teacher also had to speak to the principal, the other teachers, and Edward.
On October 8, 1997, I dressed in a cream turtleneck, grey, red, and yellow tartan skirt, my mother's dangly earrings with the gold balls at the end, and high heels that were black with a gold decal, also my mother's. I sat in class nervously until Mrs. Sullivan sent me to the entrance to wait for Edward. Once there, I paced, and bit my nails, it was the first time I can remember being really nervous.
I'm not going to pretend I remember everything though. I don't. In fact, the next thing I remember is this: he's arrived, he's sitting facing me on one of the benches in the entrance way, and he says the words every grade 6 student who's taking his or her shot at being one of those kids, dreads. He says: "I don't have anything prepared." As in, prepared to say. I think "Uhhh what?" but say "Okay".
The funny thing, and something I am moderately ashamed to admit, is that I only remember one thing about what he said to the class, and this came towards the end. My mother asked him whether he watched movies about HIV/AIDS, like Philadelphia, to which he replied that he tended to avoid them. Thirteen years later, I totally get that.
For years my mother, who was in attendance but had up to a few days before -- this is something I didn't realize -- known nothing about my conversations with Edward, wouldn't let me live down the end. It was getting close to lunch time, which meant Edward was wrapping up, and he presents me with this book in front of the class. If waiting for Edward was the first time I had ever been truly nervous, this was the first time I was ever truly embarrassed, and whatever grace had seen me through the beginning of the day was gone. I flushed deep red and hid my face with my hair. After he left, I read the inscription. It said: "For Aless with appreciation and admiration for your kindness, courage, and compassion. Edward."
I think he expected it to end there -- he'd come in, say his piece, and that would be it for my interest, and his involvement; essentially, my project would be just that: a brief project. But it wasn't. It turns out, it's hard to just walk away once HIV hits close to home and you know someone who has it. This is a pattern that also led years later to me assisting in efforts by American youth to get hate crime legislation passed, and also to speak out against Proposition 8.
Since that day in October 1997, I have done three different presentations, another AIDS 101 one to other classes in grade 6, one about the social impact of AIDS in junior high, and one to boost my sociology mark in grade 12, and have met many people. All of their stories are different, and sadly, there are still youth and people I went to school with as well, who think AIDS can't happen to them.
A few years ago, when it was getting close to the ten year anniversary of the day we met face to face, I asked to interview Edward -- a suggestion he found odd, but to which he ultimately agreed. I didn't get much. It was almost ten years into a wonderful friendship, that admittedly some still found odd, and my emotions prevented me from being as objective as I maybe should have been. There are some questions I didn't ask because quite frankly, as much as I wanted to know the answer, I was also afraid of the answer.
One question I am quite pleased with myself for thinking of, however, is this: "What are your hopes for the future?" He replied: "To live, to love, to work, to grow, to advance my career, to obtain financial security."
Edward once wrote in a letter to me after my second report that same year that was delivered to the other grade 6 students with the same hullabaloo surrounding having Edward in, that I would be an example to my peers. I've tried very hard to live up to that.


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Bill Telepan on His New Downtown Restaurant and His Uptown Redesign
"Subtly, in our own little cube here, we always push ourselves."
Bill Telepan didn't have a set career plan when he graduated from the CIA, but stints with some of the greats of classic cuisine (Gilbert Le Coze, Daniel Boulud, Alfred Portale, Alain Chapel) gave him strong roots in technique. At his Upper West Side restaurant, Telepan, he practices restraint and teaches his cooks to coax the most he can out of his ingredients. In the coming weeks we'll see the opening of his downtown spot, Telepan Local, in Tribeca, where he'll play with a fun, funky menu of small plates.
In person, Telepan exudes healthy and energy, his laugh is boisterous as he's quick to pick up on a joke. It's easy to see why his spot has become a fixture in the neighborhood, and why his staff sticks around: "You want people to like each other so that if somebody's in the shits, somebody who's not will come over and say, "Hey, how can I help?" We caught up on his uptown redesign, what's in store for the downtown menu, and how it keeps him pumped for more.
Why redesign your uptown space while crafting a new space downtown? It just felt like it was time. I always liked the green a lot—we all liked it a lot—but no one loved it. Now we're getting, "Oh my god, Bill, the place looks great!" And I think it makes the food pop more because the lighting's different and the way the customers look is different. And the staff is sort of standing up straighter, in both front and back. We opened on a Friday and brought everybody back that Wednesday to clean and cook a little, and had this sort of camaraderie. We were talking about being a little more precise, a little tighter, and thinking more. So, in that regard, it's kind of like a new restaurant in a way, where our attention is at a high level.
Did you see that change your guests at all? They're actually behaving better! The restaurant had become like their home. We have a lot of regular and repeat customers, and you know when you're at home you take your shoes off and walk around in your underwear? It's like they're going to somebody else's house now. But a comfortable house, a friend's house.
You've seen success for a while now and could choose to go a more casual route if that was your preference. Why tighten up a bit? The style of cooking we've been doing and the ingredients we use are of such a high quality that I think it warrants it. Does that sound pretentious? We offer a high level of service, our wine list is amazing and really unrecognized, and I think our bar is tops. And we still talk about making sure we continue to do it that way. Subtly, in our own little cube here, we always push ourselves.
Where is that push taking you? If you use a high-quality ingredient, you have to make sure you don't mess it up. No disrespect to outside of New York, because there are a lot of great chefs across the country, but a lot of chefs put too much into things just to get the splash effect. I like good, clean food. We use really clean ingredients that are not overly processed. And I don't use a lot of spices; it's just not my style. So it's about drawing as much flavor out of the ingredient we can with salt, pepper and cooking.
Where did this come from? I saw your incredibly fun New York Times piece full of the fried foods you claim of your youth in Jersey, so I know it wasn't always this way for you. Ha! Growing up as a kid my mom was a great cook but it wasn't this adventurous cooking. My dad worked in a factory and he wanted meat and potatoes. We rarely ate any fish, and we didn't have a lot of money to explore, so it just wasn't spiced up. But through my years working with great chefs it was about "ingredient, ingredient, ingredient," and what you could draw out from it. Like, taking a vegetable; why would you boil or blanch a carrot in water instead of blanching them in vegetable stock and then using the juice in the pan to glaze them? How do we keep the flavor in?
How does this work into what you're doing downtown? Well, it's the same thing—high-quality ingredients cooked well, seasoned properly—but not as many things on a plate. We're just going to make little dishes of food that are seasonal and yummy.
What is yummy to you? That's a good question—I've never thought about that. When I go out to eat it could be any kind of cuisine, as long as it's well seasoned and the meat is of a good quality. A slice of pizza can be great. A shrimp cocktail is one of those things I love, though a lot of people don't do it well! So I guess what we're looking to do is kind of like what we do here—take the ingredient and make it taste good, from coaxing the carrot to cooking the pork properly to making the octopus tender. We hope things will be delicious. There will be some fun snacky things...
Like what? A take on pan con tomate but Americanized with a grilled cheese. We make a sort of a cross between a hotdog and kielbasa that we may make into a pigs in a blanket or a corndog. And these little crispy thingies that are like potato chips, fried onions and fried pig skins sort of mixed together. We're going to have a lot of vegetables—eight to ten offerings of vegetables—and some fun American things, like a take on a crab cake. We have a shrimp popper that's take on a jalapeño popper. We get a lot of great chicken in, so we're gonna do a whole breast in the oven and the rest will be used for fried chicken for brunch.
You started brunch here recently too, right? I told the chef we needed a brunch dish that was sorta "wow." So I said to her, let's develop a pancake soufflé. And it just kept falling, but it tasted like we wanted it to, so we just said, "Fuck it, we'll call it a Fallen Pancake Soufflé." And it's been a signature item on brunch. It's wonderful! We're trying to develop a whole wheat sourdough English muffin, so we're gonna play around with that. And we're getting this badass waffle machine, so we're gonna do something with waffles.
You sound like you're having fun. I am. It's just really busy right now!
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text:
An avulsion fracture occurs when an injury causes a ligament or
tendon to tear off (avulse) a small piece of a bone to which it is attached.
Serious injury to the involved ligament or tendon may also be present.
An avulsion fracture may be caused by direct force, such as a hard
tackle in football, or indirect force, such as an aggressive pivot in soccer or
basketball. Small avulsion fractures are usually treated with ice and rest and
rarely cause any problems, such as pain or discomfort, after the injury heals.
Surgery may be needed if the bone fragment is large and widely separated from
the bone and other significant tendon or ligament detachment is also present.
Avulsion fractures that occur on a growth plate in young children also may
require surgery.
Last Revised:
July 30, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
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If you are looking for an example � another example in an endless list � of bad government and arrogance on the part of an elected official, look no further than Sen. Tommy Tucker and Tuesday�s session of the N.C. Senate�s State and Local Government Committee.
Tucker, a Waxhaw Republican, pulled a political shenanigan for the record book. In doing so, he thumbed his nose at all citizens of North Carolina and their right to know what happens in their government.
Under Tucker�s leadership as co-chair, the committee put its stamp of approval on a bill that allows governments to hide public notices on their web sites rather than publishing them in newspapers.
The favorable reading came after what observers called �a hazy voice vote� that did not appear as if a majority of committee members supported the bill.
Sen. Michael Walters of Proctorville attempted to ask Tucker for a roll call vote, but Tucker cut him off, saying �Adjourned,� then quickly rushed out.
It might seem bad enough that Tucker slammed the door shut on an opportunity to confirm the committee�s voice vote. If he honestly believed the measure had passed, he wouldn�t have minded a call of the roll. That would have left no doubt about members� positions on the bill.
Instead, Tucker let it be known that, in his mind, North Carolina citizens are secondary to North Carolina senators when he had this to say to a newspaper publisher who drove to Raleigh for the committee meeting:
�I am the senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet.�
The senator needs a civics lesson. He has it backward.
The people are the government, Mr. Tucker. With an arrogant opinion such as that you are unworthy to represent the people of this state and impose laws on them.
The bill before the committee, poised to come to the Senate for a vote, then move on to the House, is bad legislation that cuts directly to the heart of our form of government: the people�s right to know.
The bill would allow certain counties and municipalities in North Carolina to post public notices on government websites only. This departs from current state law which requires public notices to be published in newspapers.
Understandably, newspapers throughout the state oppose such a bill that would dip into their revenue at a time the industry is suffering from economic losses.
Our opposition, however, grows out of our unswerving dedication to government transparency and the public�s right to know.
The Gazette , like newspapers across North Carolina, publishes public notices not only in the print edition, but also on our website at no additional cost.
Those who oppose the public�s right to know disguise their argument by claiming that public notices are simply a subsidy for newspapers. That is not true. Advertising covers the cost of all that newspapers do for free � covering local events, community activities, news from the faith community, youth sports and more to reflect the life of the community and its residents. And yes, newspapers provide � at no cost � the critical role of watchdog over government and government officials.
While more and more readers consume their local news online, many do not. A significant number of people don�t own or use computers. They, and those with limited time, won�t surf the web looking for an obscure government website where notices can easily be made difficult to find.
Newspapers, on the other hand, are easily accessible, whether delivered to your home or office daily or purchased from easy-to-find vending racks and inside store locations. They�re free at the library, available in local restaurants, medical offices and any number of other locations.
In truth, wise lawmakers of the past required the publication of public notices in newspapers to avoid the suggestion of back room deals and sweetheart bidding. They understood the importance of transparency to good government.
The bill that Tucker claimed had support of the committee is pure and simple a mechanism for government misbehavior. It doesn�t require public notices to be pulled from newspapers, but sets up a scenario whereby government officials can threaten to pull the ad � the newspaper�s source of revenue � if coverage isn�t to their liking.
Keep in mind, too, that a newspaper�s revenue is what pays employees and keeps jobs in a community.
This bill is bad. Lawmakers who support it are responsible for bad government. It�s clear where the senator from Waxhaw stands. We implore his colleagues to stand not with him, but with the people of North Carolina and vote against this attempt to keep the public�s business anything but public.


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text: Sarthak Singhal is a member of the Fireworks engineering team. He loves interacting with the Fireworks community and sharing extensions, which he creates during his spare time. He is an avid traveler and is learning the art of photography. He is also trying to find time to build his own website.


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Classic Confrontation: Dave DeBusschere versus Gus JohnsonWe are currently in a Golden Age of power forwards—the NBA landscape is patrolled by an incredibly diverse and skilled group of "fours," including 2002 and 2003 MVP Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, a strong MVP candidate this season. They have led the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks respectively to the top of the Western Conference and seem destined to engage in an exciting playoff series in May. Three decades ago, power forwards Dave DeBusschere and Gus Johnson squared off in some of the NBA's most memorable postseason battles. On three occasions the winner of the series between DeBusschere's New York Knicks and Johnson's Baltimore Bullets ultimately advanced to the NBA Finals.
Johnson, one of the game's first great dunkers, was breaking backboards long before Darryl Dawkins arrived from Lovetron with rhyming names for his slams. Johnson's moves were so sweet that he earned the nickname "Honeycomb." His game was flamboyant and he oozed confidence. When teammate Walt Bellamy cracked Johnson's tooth with an elbow during practice, he got an artificial tooth with a star imbedded in it: "A star for a star," Johnson said, adding, "It fits my character."
Johnson was so good that he made the All-NBA Second Team in 1965-66 despite playing in only 41 games due to injury. He played all over the court on offense and on defense, which perhaps contributed to his frequent injuries and occasional inconsistency. He once declared, "Nobody appreciates what I have to do. Maybe I would be more consistent if I wasn't asked to so much. I'm fighting guards or centers on one end of the court and forwards on the other. I've never had the chance to concentrate on my offense. Just once, I'd like to play on a team with a big man and a good forward so I could see how really tough I am. I believe I'm the best. I mean that. I can do so many things others can't do. Maybe too many things. I've been asked to do so much as long as I've been playing ball."
DeBusschere also played multiple positions, spending time in the backcourt in his early years with the Detroit Pistons and matching up with centers from time to time as well. The Pistons appointed DeBusschere player-coach in 1964, making him at 24 the youngest coach in pro basketball history. DeBusschere earned three All-Star selections and made two playoff appearances during his first six seasons with Detroit. He was a very good player but hardly seemed to be on the path toward basketball immortality. That all changed on December 19, 1968, when the Knicks acquired DeBusschere from Detroit for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives. Hall of Fame Knicks Coach Red Holzman later noted, "DeBusschere was our Holy Grail." After DeBusschere's arrival in New York, Willis Reed shifted from power forward to center, Bill Bradley moved from guard to forward and Walt Frazier began logging heavy minutes at guard. Holzman explained his value this way: "Dave DeBusschere is the complete basketball player. Sometimes he'll score only four or six points in 40 minutes. People say to me: 'How come you play him so long?' I say because he does a whale of a job rebounding for us, a whale of a job on defense for us. If he can get the rebounds and play good defense, we got the other guys on this team who can shoot."
DeBusschere described his defensive philosophy thusly: "I try to set up a triangle with me, my opponent and Willis (Reed). I want to force my opponent to go where Willis is, if he goes anywhere." He also noted, "Speed and mobility are much more important than height in rebounding."
Johnson was plagued by bad knees for much of his career, which made his productivity all the more remarkable. In game six of the 1970 playoff showdown with DeBusschere and the Knicks he scored 31 points, including 15 in the third quarter. His knees were so bad during that series that he couldn't play in game one: his left knee was filled with fluid and his right knee would require postseason surgery. Just days before that playoff series he had powered the Bullets into the postseason by producing 19 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks beat the Bullets in seven games despite Johnson averaging a double-double, including a team high 18.4 ppg. New York went on to win its first NBA championship that season, capped off by Willis Reed's memorable return to action for game seven versus the Los Angeles Lakers.
Baltimore and Johnson avenged this loss in 1971, beating the Knicks 93-91 in New York in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bullets were not able to capitalize by winning a championship, losing to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Oscar Robertson Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. New York returned to the NBA Finals in 1972 after outlasting the Bullets 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals but the 69-13 Wilt Chamberlain/Jerry West/Gail Goodrich Lakers beat the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
In three playoff series, DeBusschere held a 10-9 advantage against Johnson in playoff games (Johnson did not play in the Knicks' four game sweep in 1969 or in game one in 1970). After the Knicks' triumph in 1970, DeBusschere said, "Gus is the difference between the Bullets this year and last year, when we beat them four straight." Holzman once observed, "People came to see the Knicks play the Bullets and left talking about the mini-war between DeBusschere and Johnson."
Two-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Team member Paul Silas played against DeBusschere and Johnson. He says, "The game was so different then in that it was Gus against Dave and you didn't have the defenses that you have today--the help side and all that kind of thing, guards coming back helping. So, they had to go against each other and battle each other. It was just a war. That's all you could say. Each guy wanted to prove to the other that he was superior. Gus probably had more natural talent in that he could jump higher, maybe run faster, that kind of thing. But Dave had the savvy, he had the know-how and he always had the toughness. Dave's game was a little different in that he was more of a long range shooter. Gus was a mid range shooter that could get to the hoop (and) power inside, but not really a post up guy where you would post him up and he would go to the hoop--more of a fade-away jump shooter. Each one of them in their own way was great for his club and it was just a great rivalry."
"Gus was tough for me because he was quicker. He could get around me and he just knew that he could take me. There's always one guy who just knows that every time you get on him that he can take you. That's what disgusted me about Gus," Silas adds, laughing good naturedly. "Every time I stepped on the court against him he would kind of lick his chops. But I would get my licks in and he was tough. He wasn't to be messed with. I always thought that Gus was sort of a mean guy, but he really wasn't. Off the court he was just a mellow kind of guy--just a good person. Dave, we just had terrific battles when I was with the Celtics. I remember one time we were battling so hard and we just wrestled each other down. He looked at me and I looked at him and we said, 'Boy, we're battling like hell, aren't we?' It was just a respect that we had for another that we showed. It was good. It was a good rivalry."
DeBusschere retired after the 1973-74 season. He became General Manager of the New York Nets in the ABA before serving as ABA Commissioner. In 1982 he returned to the Knicks for a four year stint as General Manager, a period highlighted by the emergence of Bernard King as a superstar before King's devastating knee injury and by winning the rights to draft Patrick Ewing in the NBA's first Draft Lottery. DeBusschere was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1983 and selected to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players List in 1996. He passed away on May 14, 2003 at the age of 62.
Johnson's knee injuries seemed to have brought his career to an end in December 1972 when the Phoenix Suns waived him but two weeks later the Indiana Pacers, defending ABA champions, signed him. Johnson played sparingly during the regular season and even less during the playoffs, but he had an impact in the ABA Finals as the Pacers successfully defended their title. Mel Daniels, two-time ABA MVP with the Pacers, explains the crucial role that Johnson played on the Indiana Pacers' 1972-73 ABA championship team: "He was older. He came in and he helped with our overall understanding of the game--what it took to win. The experience that he brought was invaluable. He blew out his knees, but he was a magnificent basketball player--heck of a rebounder. He wasn't a great offensive ball player, but he knew his limitations--he was the Charles Oakley of his day, or better."
Johnson's veteran savvy and tremendous physical strength came in handy during the ABA Finals when Daniels was forced to the bench with foul trouble. Johnson came into the game and matched up against Artis Gilmore, the Kentucky Colonels' great young center. Daniels recalls, "He came in and did a great job. He was strong. He wasn't as big as Artis so he would get underneath him and really frustrate Artis. He didn't have any leverage to roll off of him. Gus did a great job. He rebounded well." Pacers' Coach Bobby "Slick" Leonard was not at all surprised by Johnson's performance. Leonard says, "I drafted Gus out of Idaho in the second round when I was with Baltimore and he became one of the great defensive players ever. He gave us a lift--just Gus' personality--and in that seventh game in Kentucky Mel Daniels got into foul trouble and Gus didn't have the knees and everything, but I put him in there and let him take Artis…Gus could get up and play people. If Dave were still alive—I've known Dave DeBusschere for a long, long time--and if Dave were still alive he would tell you that Gus Johnson was one of the toughest defenders that he played against. Those matchups are legendary."
Leonard explains how Johnson held his own against the younger and bigger Gilmore for those key moments: "This is how strong he was in his upper body. He pushed Artis--by the time Artis got the ball in what should have been the low post, Gus had walked him right out of there, walked him right out 15 feet out on the floor. He rode Artis all the way out of there and played quite a few minutes. I've still got a picture, a big blowup that I had in the restaurant of Gus with the net--you know, we cut down the net--he had the net around his neck and we had our arms around each other."
Johnson never won an NBA championship but Leonard proudly notes, "But he got a ring. The only he ring he ever got." Johnson passed away on April 29, 1987. He was only 48 years old.
Labels: Artis Gilmore, Baltimore Bullets, Dave DeBusschere, Gus Johnson, Indiana Pacers, Mel Daniels, New York Knicks, Paul Silas
posted by David Friedman @ 3:34 PM


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Oman Air, The Sultanate of Oman flagship carrier based in Muscat, have signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire six (6) Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft from ALAFCO Aviation Lease And Finance Company headquartered in Kuwait. Oman Air would be the first airline in the Gulf region to undergo such move to obtain the Dreamliner aircrafts, which are expected to be delivered to the carrier in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Oman Air said the 787 would upgrade its existing fleet, as well as provide for fleet growth to meet its future aggressive expanding plans.
Corporate Communications and Media Department of Oman Air explained that the B787 is a family of airplanes carrying 200 to 300 passengers on routes between 6,500 to 16,000 kilometers. The 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than today's similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to today's fastest wide bodies. The 787 is designed for the environment with lower emissions and quieter takeoffs and landings, with up to 45 percent more cargo revenue capacity.
Ziad Bin Karim Al Haremi Chief Executive Officer of Oman Aviation Services (Oman Air) said, "Today marks a milestone in Oman Air's proud history, and will move about the company closer to the realization of our ambitious growth plan. Looking to our plans for future growth, we see the greater economics and unique passenger comfort features of the 787, bringing even superior recognition to Oman Air as we fulfill our commitment to provide world-class service to our passengers. He said The 787 is an excellent match for many of our necessities for its efficiency, operational performance, and passenger comfort. It is evidently a phenomenon of an all-new, technologically advanced and environmentally progressive airplane. The 787 will certainly open for us new market opportunities, hence with its new technology, B787 Dreamliner will enable Oman Air to expand its route network, provide excellent operating efficiencies, and cost savings. Boeing's 787 uses modern technology in ways that our customers regionally and internationally can feel serve. Inside the airplane, passengers will find cleaner air, bigger windows, more stowage space, and improved lighting. With a modern, mixed fleet of Boeing jets, the airline will serve its customers well and enhance its capability for growth and success." He said.
Mr. Al Haremi stated that the strategic decision to get hold of Boeing's revolutionary twin-aisle jet positions the airline to achieve its plans for continued growth and increased profitability. By expanding our fleet with long-haul twin-aisle airplanes, we will offer our customers many more choices for far-away destinations. We are eager to enter this new chapter in our proud history. This move demonstrates our commitment and a purposeful strategy to establish first-rate commercial aviation service in Oman. This shift will be a tool for prosperity and will help Oman Air offer an all-new passenger experience to its customers, moreover will enhance our capability for growth and success that contributes directly to Oman's economic development. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, scheduled for entry into service in 2008, provides passengers with a better flying experience, and operators with a more efficient commercial jetliner. " said Oman Air's Chief Executive Officer.
He further added that the super-efficient 787 Dreamliner with its new passenger-pleasing features fits perfectly into our fleet strategy, and offers Oman Air the opportunity to reach out across the globe. Passengers will enjoy an innovative new interior environment with higher humidity, wider seats, and aisles, and larger windows, greatly improving the overall flying experience where people to experience the wide-open spaces and friendly charm found here in Oman. These new aircraft are important to Oman Air's growth plans over the next decade. Today, we continue the program that is setting the airline's course of the future. The 787 will allow airlines to offer more of the comfortable point-to-point travel that passengers want, he finally concluded


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Web developer Elliot Kember questioned Google's security practices after showing that anyone with physical access to the computer will have immediate access to the passwords, which can easily be toggled to plain text. Someone can simply go to the URL chrome://settings/passwords or visit a user's password page in the browser Settings menu to easily view the data. There is no master password or even a generic prompt – essentially, there is no added security for the passwords.
The main concern that Kember raises is the fact that the mass market doesn't expect it to be that easy for others to get to their data. In his blog post, he calls for Google to either clarify the security policy so users can make a more informed decision, or to add a master password option (as Mozilla Firefox has done).
This "flaw" in Google Chrome is old news to many. However, the fact that Chrome is now one of the three most widely-used browsers in the world means that more and more of the general population is utilizing Chrome and saving their data to the browser, with little information regarding how that data is protected.
Ultimately, the most secure way to store your data is to not store it in a browser at all, where there are minimal security options and a host of possible threats. By storing your data in a password manager, you're adding at least one authentication layer with your master password, not to mention the encryption technology built into the software itself.
There is also the added benefit of utilizing multifactor authentication and other features to control where and how your data can be accessed. These features include the ability to restrict logins to specific countries or to enable master password reprompts on more sensitive logins. It also ensures that should one computer or browser crash, or be lost or stolen, your data remains securely accessible on your other devices.
While we agree it would be wonderful if Chrome would increase their security options or offer better warnings for users, Chrome users can be proactive today by downloading a password manager like LastPass and migrating their data out of their browsers. LastPass will even help you with that process by automatically importing your passwords for you as you get started – so don't wait until it's too late.
Were you aware of this shortcoming in Google Chrome? What other steps are you taking to protect your data?


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Posted 8 years ago
(802 items)
Here is another coin silver spoon I found recently. This one is marked B. Cleveland who was a watchmaker and silversmith from 1790-1836 in good old Newark, NJ. Very lovely shell design on the flip side. Sharp shoulders and fiddleback on the reverse also. I really like this spoon, it is a nice addition to my collections. Enjoy!
(Please add to coin silver category)


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Women Full Grain Leather Backpack Stylish Ladies Backpack Girls Backpack JD278
Design: Vintage Leather Backpack
In Stock: 1-3 Days For Making
Color: Brown / Wine Red / Black
Leather: Full Grain Leather
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Weight: 0.9 kg
Style:Cool Leather Men Backpack
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3. Return shipping fee is paid by buyer except quality problems.
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Personalized Waxed Canvas Backpack Large Travel Backpack School Rucksack Laptop Backpack Unisex Weekender Backpack
Personalized Leather Backpack Men Travel Backpack Hiking Rucksack Unisex Backpack Weekender Backpack


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PC Decrapifier – Toilet Paper for you PC
In many cases, when you get your new computer, not all the software, preinstalled on it, is really needed. But when you are dealing with the warranty covered device, you are trying to be extra careful not to remove anything of value.
Unfortunately, most boxed PCs come full of bloatware, which was prearranged with software vendors, which made related deals with computers manufacturing, and you probably don't need (or want) most of it clogging up your system resources.
That's where the utility, called PC Decrapifier, comes in. This pint-size wonder program scans your PC, brings up a checklist of the bloatware installed on your machine, and helps you wipe unneeded crap away in couple of simple steps.
Main Features:
* It is super easy.
The PC Decrapifier provides an easy step-by-step process to help you remove the garbage clogging up your computer.
* You are always in control
Nothing is removed without your approval. You can review and approve the list before anything is removed.
* Community recommendations
Decide what to remove based on our community of PC Decrapifier users.
Web site: https://www.pcdecrapifier.com/


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PJ Sharon here. I've been taking an online course this month to learn how to use Scrivener. For those of you who don't know what Scrivener is, it's a software program developed specifically for writing. Scrivener puts everything you need for structuring, writing and editing long documents at your fingertips. It's a way to organize your work into chapters, scenes, or sections so that it's easy to move and manipulate them within your document. There's even a place to keep all your research together in one easy to find folder. Think of it as one of those cool binders you loved to shop for when you were in high school…or maybe that was just me.
Scrivener is available for Windows or Mac users and there are tons of tutorial videos out there. So why am I taking a course? Because I'm one of those non-tech-savvy individuals who needs my hand held whenever I'm faced with learning anything new on the computer. I'm convinced that this is why I married an engineer (aside from his being a sweetheart, a hottie, and a heck of a good kisser).
Scrivener is one of those writing tools that I can see has amazing potential to streamline my writing process. Once I've completed my manuscript, the program compiles it all into a professionally formatted document and even allows me to produce a .mobi file and an .epub file for upload to Amazon and B&N, respectively. I'm not there yet, but I'm pretty sure it will generate the appropriate file format for I-Books and Kobo as well. This would save money on hiring a formatter to do this for me, and I would continue to have complete control over making changes as needed.
If I were one of those folks who loves new gadgets, gets excited about the prospect of Windows 10, or one who can't wait to buy the latest greatest I-Phone, I'd be stoked about learning Scrivener. Alas, I am not one of those people. Although I pride myself on being an intelligent person with a "can do" attitude most days, my brain does not appear to be wired for organization of files or the minutia of the not-so-intuitive Scrivener program. I'm more the absent-minded professor type who lives with piles of notebooks and file drawers full of things I'll probably never need but can't get rid of. Frankly, I'd rather be writing my stories than learning ANOTHER new computer program.
I'm hoping to feel differently after the course is complete and will report back as to its usefulness, or more to the point, my ability to adapt to it.
There are however, other tools of the trade that I have found exceedingly helpful. Here's my top 5 list!
Authorgraph: Nothing to learn and everything to gain! Signing up for Authorgraph is free and easy. It allows me to digitally "autograph" my ebooks for readers who request it, and it sends me weekly updates regarding my books' Amazon rankings. It also notifies me of new reviews. Great tool! http://www.authorgraph.com/
Canva: I'm new to Canva and will be attending a webinar to learn more about how to use all its features, but it appears to be user friendly and intuitive. It allows me to make my own graphic designs, has templates for Facebook and website headers, and offers a ton of royalty free photos to use for the designs. It's perfect for creating graphics for Pinterest boards, blog tours, or events. I'm looking forward to letting my creative mind explore this fun new resource. https://www.canva.com/about
Drop Box: This is a "cloud based' storage area for all of your files, photos, and documents. The free version offers enough memory for most of us to never run out of room (unless you're storing tons of photos or videos which take lots of space). You can buy more storage space if needed, but the standard free 2 GB are plenty for my files. Drop box allows you to store, share, and work together on projects with others and syncs up to all of your devices so your info is always available. I use this as my back up to One Drive (which is also cloud-based storage). I also periodically back up my computer onto an external drive from Seagate. https://www.dropbox.com
Excel: Not long ago, I recall saying the only thing I knew about spread sheets was how they fit onto a mattress. After a few quick tutorials with techno-hubby, I was able to reap the benefits of this most excel-lent tool. I use it for my list of websites and passwords, keep track of bloggers, reviewers, and promo sites, and compile my quarterly/yearly sales reports (when I get around to them), all done with excel spread sheets. I know only the basics of how to use it, but it seems to be doing the job for me just fine. Excel is available through Microsoft Office.
Hoot Suite: This social media powerhouse allows me to schedule tweets ahead of time. The basic program is free and user friendly. Again, I'm certain I'm only using the most basic features, but it does what I need it to. When I have a promotion going on, I can set up my tweets and schedule them to release throughout the day without having to be on Twitter all day long. It also allows me to group certain individuals, much the same way Twitter does. I can have bloggers and reviewers in one group, writers and publishers in another, and readers in yet another, so that I can target tweets to a specific audience. Very handy indeed! And don't you just love their logo? (Casey Wyatt? I'm talking to you!) https://hootsuite.com/
So these are a few of my favorite tools of the trade. Have you used any of these? Love them or hate them? Any I've missed that you'd like to share?


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The Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) is an institution founded on the principles of excellence through hands-on knowledge. We believe in giving students a rigorous, practical education while applying cutting-edge concepts for real-world solutions.
As Oregon's polytechnic university, we take pride in our mission to deliver technology education; we continually partner with industry leaders to ensure that our programs and classes adapt to new technology and prepare students for today's and tomorrow's workforce demands. This real-world focus gives our students a competitive edge: 96 percent are either employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months after graduation, with an average starting salary of $60,000 per year. We also attribute this to our dedicated professors, who provide personalized attention and are genuinely invested in their students' learning. A total enrollment of almost 5,400 allows for an intimate campus environment distinguished by small classes and a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. This personal approach leads to high student achievement and career success.
Our individualized and applied approach to teaching, which blends theory and practice, is the main reason our alumni are so avidly recruited. Whether they study software engineering, vascular technology, business, or dental hygiene, Oregon Tech students have amazing opportunities to apply what they learn in lab-based classes, clinics, externships and workplaces. This practical focus is reinforced in the classroom by instructors who come to Oregon Tech with relevant business, industrial, or clinical experience.
And in every program, major studies are underscored by a general-education core that broadens students' understanding of the world and teaches them to communicate effectively, solve problems and think for themselves. Oregon Tech is best known for its traditional engineering and technological core, but new degree options (and surprising twists on old ones) are remarkably multi-dimensional. A Geomatics student might use GIS technology to survey an archaeological excavation, or a Mechanical Engineering student may complete a cross-disciplinary application in sustainability. A Communication Studies major might compile a technical manual for an Oregon Renewable Energy Center project. Information Technology and Health Informatics or Management students might specialize in allied health management.
Oregon Tech has locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. In Oregon, this includes the traditional, residential campus in Klamath Falls, the urban campus in Wilsonville, as well a site in Salem. In Washington, Oregon Tech offers degrees to employees of The Boeing Company at sites in the Puget Sound area. Oregon Tech Online delivers a variety of programs with convenience and flexibility.
Take a moment to check out each campus and find out which best fits your needs.
Oregon Tech, a public, state-supported institution is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Individual programs also are accredited by the appropriate professional organizations.
Public, coed college
Dr. Nagi Naganathan
Blue and Gold
Hustlin' Owls
5,319 (50% male / 50% female)
45 degree options
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities


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One of more enjoyable parts of watching the reconstituted "American Idol" is that the auditions seem to be attracting younger, fresher talents, compared to last season's disappointing contestant crop.
The change is likely due in part to the lowering of the minimum age to 15 – a move made palatable by the transformation of the judges' table into a largely nastiness-free zone in the post-Simon era (even if Steven Tyler needs to lose the leering).
So forgive us for being alternately amused and concerned by Cowell's announcement this week that he'll be a judge on the U.S. version of his talent show, "The X Factor" – a program that will feature contestants as young as 12, with no age limit.
Cowell crushed many a young ego during his nine seasons on "Idol," which was demoralizing enough for the 16-and-up set. Putting him up against sixth graders portends to be an exercise in cruelty that could pretty quickly take the joy out of "X."
It's fairly certain Cowell is smart enough not to blatantly make sport of adolescents. We're assuming the younger contestants will be screened so that only the strongest will make it before him – unlike the "Idol" audition freak shows, where the self-deluded and talent-free were served up as straight lines for Cowell's cutting comedy.
And we're guessing he'll try to restrain his trademark mockery when critiquing the youngest, most vulnerable hopefuls, who already will have ample pressure performing in front of an in-studio audience of 5,000 with $5 million in prize money on the line.
But his reputation precedes him, particularly with contestants who were toddlers when "Idol" debuted and grew up with him as TV's best-known purveyor of sarcasm. Attitude can speak louder than unspoken jibes.
The question becomes can Cowell recreate himself, particularly after his announcement a little over year ago that he was leaving "Idol" helped turn last season into a hard-to-watch slog at times, rather than a victory lap.
Fox's special effects-packed promo during the Super Bowl for "The X Factor" – featuring Cowell being rebuilt piece by piece like a creature out of "The Terminator" and the tagline "He's back" – suggested we're getting both a new and old Simon.
Whatever the case, he's successfully turned the conversation back to him, with "Idol" just three weeks into its new season and the debut of "The X Factor" at least seven months away.
Cowell still hasn't announced the rest of his judging lineup, and isn't ruling out a seat on the panel for Paula Abdul, his loopy former "Idol" sparring partner whose departure kicked off that show's slow decline.
The reteaming/rematch would fit with the old/new theme. Signing up Abdul to revive her role as the kindly eccentric aunt to Cowell's cranky uncle also could serve at least one important purpose: After all, someone will need to look after the kids.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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Mercedes E Class
E300p AMG Line Premium 2dr Coupe Auto 20.5MY
Payment Profiles
All business leasing prices exclude VAT.
|Contract Length
|Monthly Price
|24 Month Lease
|£500.00 + 9 + 23
|10,000 Per Annum
|£315.00 Lowest Price
|24 Month Lease
|£500.00 + 6 + 23
|10,000 Per Annum
|24 Month Lease
|£500.00 + 3 + 23
|10,000 Per Annum
The rental quoted is commission free. Excess mileage charges will apply. This is a non-maintained contract and the responsibility is with the hirer to maintain the vehicle (driver maintained), at the main dealers as per the manufacturer's warranty guidelines. At the end of the contract you simply hand the vehicle back (subject to terms and conditions of your agreement).


text: THE idea that an infusion of hope can make a big difference to the lives of wretchedly poor people sounds like something dreamed up by a well-meaning activist or a tub-thumping politician. Yet this was the central thrust of a lecture at Harvard University on May 3rd by Esther Duflo, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology known for her data-driven analysis of poverty. Ms Duflo argued that the effects of some anti-poverty programmes go beyond the direct impact of the resources they provide. These programmes also make it possible for the very poor to hope for more than mere survival.


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A rough week on the public corruption front
For a while, it seemed like the number of Republican officials caught up in various scandals -- some ethical, some criminal, some just ugly -- was growing at an alarming clip. Over the course of a several weeks, controversies of varying degrees of seriousness surrounded Chris Christie, Bob McDonnell, Trey Radel, Michael Grimm, Scott Walker, Pat McCrory, and others.
It's apparently Democrats' turn now.
Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon was arrested Wednesday on federal public corruption laws after a four-year investigation, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte announced.Cannon was charged with theft and bribery after an FBI sting operation, said Anne Tompkins, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.FBI agents, working on a tip that Cannon, 47, was potentially involved in illegal activities, started an investigation in August 2010, Tompkins said in a statement.
Cannon, just five months into his term after 20 years on the Charlotte City Council, is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents. A copy of the Justice Department's allegations is available online here (pdf).
The mayor, however, is not alone on the list.