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Story highlights
- New study shows fathers who care for their kids have similar brain activation as moms
- Brains of primary caregivers and secondary caregivers show different responses
- Time spent taking care of their child correlated with greater amygdala activation
It took less than half a second for Jeremy Hooper to fall in love with his little girl. He was with her mother for 24 hours in the hospital while she gave birth, and even cut the umbilical cord.
He remembers waking up the first night his daughter cried, begging for a bottle.
"She looked up at me, and our eyes connected," he said. "I thought, 'Here we go, kid.'"
Hooper and his husband of five years adopted their daughter, Savannah, last fall. Although they are not biologically related, Hooper says "it was love at first sight."
Hooper is one of a growing number of fathers who are acting as primary caregivers for their children, with or without maternal involvement. The number of stay-at-home dads has doubled since 1989, to 2 million in 2012, according to Pew Research Center. Single-father homes are also on the rise: 8% of homes are now headed by a single father, up from 1% in 1960.
Our brains are ready for this cultural shift, researchers say. Scientists from Bar Ilan University in Israel recently published a study showing that the brains of dads who are highly engaged in their infants' lives are activated in the same way mothers' brains are during pregnancy. This maternal neural network allows mothers to react quickly and instinctively to their child's needs.
"There's something really strong that makes (mothers) bond with the infant right when they're born," said lead researcher Ruth Feldman, a professor of psychology at Bar Ilan University and an adjunct professor at Yale University. "Fathers need a little more work for that to happen."
Dads' brains are 'particularly plastic'
Feldman's study is the largest on the parental brain to date, with more than 90 mothers and fathers participating in the research. Feldman and her team wanted to find out how our brains operate differently as parents, and, more specifically, how men's brains are altered in response to fatherhood.
Researchers know from previous studies that the amygdala becomes highly active in mothers after giving birth. What they didn't know was if -- and if so, how -- fathers' brains change.
Feldman studied three groups of parents: heterosexual primary caregiving mothers, heterosexual secondary caregiving fathers, and homosexual primary caregiving fathers. The researchers videotaped the parents playing with their children at home and later played the videos back to the parents while they were in an MRI tube, along with videos of other infants to compare the brain responses.
The researchers found that the brains of primary caregivers and secondary caregivers showed different responses while the parents watched videos of their infants.
The brains of the primary caregiving mothers demonstrated a strong response in the amygdala, which regulates emotional reactions and allows mothers to bond quickly with their newborn. Secondary caregiving fathers' brains, on the other hand, showed a strong response in the neural network that regulates social cognitive processing
However, in the primary caregiving fathers -- the 48 homosexual fathers who were parenting without maternal involvement -- the researchers discovered that both paternal and maternal networks were activated. In other words, these primary caregiving fathers demonstrated a brain response similar to mothers who had carried their babies to term through pregnancy, yet also showed brain responses similar to those of secondary caregivers.
Amongst all fathers, both primary and secondary caregivers, time spent taking care of their child correlated with greater amygdala activation.
"It shows that the amygdala can be sensitized through months of pregnancy, but also through active parenting," Feldman said. "Fathers' brains seem to be particularly plastic."
The new fatherhood
As societal norms continue to evolve, Feldman and others say the definition of what it means to be a father is rapidly changing.
A mother's role in child rearing has been fairly consistent across cultures and throughout history, Feldman says, while fathers' involvement has varied widely. More than anything, fathers are now playing a greater role in rearing their offspring, a relatively recent development in Western society.
It's a fascinating shift, said James Morris, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Virginia who studies the neurobiological basis of social functions.
"We can (now) study parenting without a female being involved, which is a relatively new phenomenon in nature," he said. "It's well known that (neurobiological changes) will happen when you become a mother, but we don't know this for males."
Morris emphasized that scientists didn't need brain imaging to confirm that fathers can be fantastic primary caretakers.
"That said, the study is important because the neurobiological processes underlying parenting behavior are not well understood," he said.
Morris, however, cautioned against drawing conclusions based on the differences between the gay men in the study and their heterosexual secondary caregiving counterparts.
Gay male fathers were used as test subjects because researchers wanted to see what happens to fathers' brains when there are no mothers around, not because these men were homosexual.
"The differences found between men in this study cannot necessarily be attributed to the fact that one group is gay," Morris said in an e-mail. "These findings might be useful when considering other social dynamics (like) situations where fathers may take more of a 'primary' role in parenting than has been considered 'traditional' in the past."
Although Morris praised the study as "well-grounded," he also questioned its strong distinction between the so-called maternal pathway and paternal pathway. The distinction is probably much looser than that, he said.
"I would say there are probably some interesting differences between males and females, but I don't know if we could say that one group is more emotional than the other, or more cognitive than the other," Morris said.
Morris added that to further perfect the study, researchers would need to perform the tests before and after parents have children to show that these changes occurred after the birth of their child.
For now, primary caregiving fathers like Hooper say they are heartened by the researchers' findings.
"It does thrill me as a parent because I think we're doing a pretty nice job raising our little girl," Hooper said. "I love that we're having this conversation."
Researcher Feldman was not particularly surprised by the findings, saying she expected to discover some degree of plasticity in the male brain.
"What was surprising was how neatly and how beautifully these things worked together," she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Regulations to be set on general sportfish length and creel limits,
prohibition of white perch
PRATT -- The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing at Southwestern College, Wroten Hall in Winfield on Thursday, Jan. 11. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. The evening public hearing will begin at 7 p.m.
The public is invited to attend all sessions. The afternoon session agenda includes the following discussion topics:
- proposed legislation for fiscal year (FY) 2007;
- FY 2008 budget;
- upland game bird seasons report;
- Deer Working Group report;
- Free Park Entrance Days and Free Fishing Days;
- Life Hunts for big game; and
- electronic licenses and permits.
The afternoon meeting will also include workshop sessions in preparation for
potential future regulatory action on the following topics:
- wild turkey -- legal equipment and methods of take;
- wild turkey -- fall seasons, bag limits, and permits;
- antelope -- open seasons, bag limits, and permits;
- elk -- open seasons, bag limits, and permits;
- big game -- legal equipment and methods of take; and
- deer -- open seasons, bag limits, and permits.
The Commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at the same location at 7 p.m. for presentation of a service award to retiring Commission Chairman James Harrington, discussion of Arkansas River Access, fishing opportunities in Cowley County under the Community Fisheries Assistance Program (CFAP), and a public hearing on the following proposed regulations:
- KAR 115-18-10 -- addition of white perch to the list of prohibited species; and
- KAR 115-25-14 -- general creel and size limits for sportfish.
If necessary, the Commission will recess on Jan. 11 and reconvene Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. in the same location to complete its business. Time will be set aside in all sessions for public comment on items that are not on the agenda.
If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the Kansas Commission of Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the Commission secretary at 620-672-5911.


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President Barack Obama vowed Saturday in his weekly address not to forget the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, speaking on the fourth anniversary of the tragic disaster that killed more than 1,600 people as it rampaged through New Orleans.
"None of us can forget how we felt when those winds battered the shore, the floodwaters began to rise and Americans were stranded on rooftops and in stadiums," Obama said from Martha's Vineyard, where he is vacationing with the First Family.
Obama, who has already sent 11 Cabinet members to New Orleans to monitor progress, said he would visit New Orleans before the end of the year -- and that he wouldn't tolerate bureaucratic nit-picking get in the way of improvement.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"Government must be a partner, not an opponent, in getting things done," he said.
Katrina barreled into New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005 and left more than $40 billion in property damage to areas of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Read more: The Associated Press


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"Modern Family" beauty Sarah Hyland is usually known for bringing the laughs.
But now, the 21-year-old actress is making a very serious revelation – she underwent a kidney transplant in April.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Modern Family' Beauty Sarah Hyland
U.S. & World
In a new interview with Seventeen magazine, Sarah revealed she has been battling kidney dysplasia for many years, and it was her father who donated the kidney to save her life.
"You know that family is going to be there for you no matter what. My dad gave me a freakin' kidney!" the actress told Seventeen. "But it's also the families that you create outside of your family. And you really find out what kind of people you're friends with."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Modern Family's' Beautiful Brunette Sofia Vergara
Following the operation, the star – who plays the bubbly Hayley Dunphy on the hit ABC sitcom — is well on the road to recovery, and she admitted the whole ordeal has given her a sense of who her loved ones really are.
"It was just amazing, and it really opened my eyes to see who's there for me and who's not," she continued. "There are people who came out of the woodwork, not because it was, 'Oh hey, congratulations on your show winning an Emmy.' No, it was, 'Hey, I'm here for you.'"
One person especially close to Sarah who helped her through it all was her boyfriend – actor Matt Prokop.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Cast Of 'Modern Family'
"He helps me with my medication and takes me to doctor appointments and all the stuff that I need to do to take care of myself. Any other 21-year-old guy would not be there, I guarantee it. I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have him be there for me," she gushed over Matt.
While Sarah is approaching life with positivity and a refreshed outlook, she understands that things could have gone very differently had the operation not been a success.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Stars Who Have Gone Under The Knife
"I have a second chance at life – not a lot of people get that," she noted.
Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Dish Of Salt: Sarah Hyland Gets 'Struck By Lightning'
PLAY IT NOW: The Cast Of 'Modern Family' Talks Filming At Disneyland
More from Access: [ Sarah Hyland Modern Family ABC ]


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Hello to you all!
On Thursday, I was very pleased to meet with Father Wayne Paysse, a priest from the Archdiocese of New Orleans who is the new director of the Black and Indian Mission Fund at the U.S. Bishops' Conference.
For many years the director was Msgr. Paul Lenz, who was very supportive of my ministry in the Virgin Islands. Msgr. Lenz was also very instrumental, I believe, in promoting the cause of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, who will be canonized due in great part to his good offices that promoted the cause. He did an extraordinary job supporting the ministries of the Black and Native American communities and now has been replaced in this wonderful post by Father Wayne Paysse.
Father Paysse presented me with a copy of this book on the life of Blessed Kateri
This ministry, which does such important work for our Church, is supported by a yearly second collection in all our parishes. Many of the second collections we have in our churches are a way that we, as Catholics, participate in the universal Church and promote evangelization and works of mercy across our country and across the globe. It is not just that the basket is being passed once again; it is an opportunity for us to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the faith in other parts of the globe. This is part of the catholicity of the church.
– – –
Also that I was happy to meet the latest member of the Archdiocesan family, Isaac the newborn son of Rico Ciricola, who works as Executive Assistant to the Vicar General and his wife, Ashley. The proud parents were showing him off around the office.
It was wonderful to meet little Isaac. Congratulations Rico and Ashley!
– – –
Also on Thursday I was visited by Paul Fanning and Connor Schapiro, members of the St. Boniface-Haiti Foundation that runs the Catholic hospital in Fond des Blanc in Haiti.
This is a local group that was founded in St. Boniface parish in Quincy. The foundation has done an extraordinary job providing healthcare for the Haitian people. They run one of the largest and best hospitals in the country.
Paul is on the board of the foundation and Connor has lived in Haiti for quite a long time and now splits his time living in both the US and Haiti. They came to give me an update on some their activities.
– – –
On Friday, I participated in the annual meeting of our Planning Office of Urban Affairs.
The work done by the planning office is just amazing. They have created over 3,000 units of housing for elderly and low-income families. They have done an extraordinary job taking up the challenge of the bishops' pastoral that the Church review its resources and properties and do as much as we possibly can to promote and provide housing for low-income families. The archdiocese has been engaged very actively this ministry and Lisa Alberghini has done an extraordinary job leading that office.
– – –
At noon that day, I celebrated the Mass here at the Pastoral Center as a way of celebrating Easter week with employees at the Archdiocese.
It also was the day of the Red Sox home opener. So after the Mass we had a sort of "take me out to the ballgame" lunch for the staff with hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn and such. To top the day off, the Red Sox won, though they seem to have trouble doing so since.
– – –
On Saturday morning, I came into the Pastoral Center for some meetings.
I was visited by Father Red Raux, one of our priests of the archdiocese who is serving in the military. He is currently serving at the Pentagon but is being reassigned to Germany and he came by for a courtesy visit.
We wish Father Raux well in his new assignment and thank him for his service to our country.
Then we had midday prayer and a session with the 47 candidates for the permanent diaconate who were meeting at the Pastoral Center for an all-day session classes and presentations.
– – –
That afternoon we travelled to Lynnfield celebrate the 75th anniversary of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. Father Jack Farrell has been pastor there for a number of years and has done an extraordinary job. The parish is very vibrant; they have a youth choir that sang and a very good parish choir. There were also a number of high school-aged altar servers – there were just so many signs of vitality.
It was very good to be able to be together with the people of the parish as they marked this important milestone.
– – –
That evening I celebrated the wedding of Tim Van Damm and Cecilia Zavala at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine in Boston. Tim, of course, was very active in our Boston Catholic Men's Conferences and has remained active in the Young Adult Ministry in the Archdiocese.
As I told the couple, their vocation is a gift to the entire community of faith. It was a pleasure to preside at their wedding.
– – –
Just as Metropolitan Methodius joined us for our annual Chrism Mass at the Cathedral during Holy Week, and brought us greeting from the Greek Orthodox community (as regular readers will remember), so I went to be present for their Easter vigil which this year was the Sunday after our Easter, according to the Julian calendar.
During the liturgy I was invited to proclaim the gospel an address the people.
It is always a great honor and pleasure to join our Orthodox brothers and sisters for this most holy night of the Christian year.
I came back directly from the Greek Orthodox vigil to attend the Easter celebrations of our Ge'eze Rite community that were still going on. These are the Ethiopian and Eritrean Eastern Rite Catholics whose community is based in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
– – –
On Sunday I was very pleased to go to St. Malachy's Parish in Burlington to celebrate confirmations. Father John Capuci is the pastor there.
It is always a great joy to help celebrate confirmations of our young people.
– – –
On Monday, I attended the Knights of Columbus Lantern Awards ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel in Framingham. The Lantern Award has been presented to an outstanding citizens by the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus every year for over 50 years at their Patriot's Day Dinner.
The recipient of this year's award was Father Bill Devine, a priest of the Archdiocese who has been deployed many times in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He gave a very moving witness of what it was like to serve the troops in those war zones.
We see the role of the military chaplain as a very important service to the Church, and the Archdiocese of Boston has always tried to be very supportive of our priests who choose to serve. It is very important that the Church be present to this demographic of young people, particularly those who are in harm's way because of military service.
In fact, we announced this week that our Secretary for Parish Life and Leadership, Father Tom Foley, will be leaving to become a military chaplain — just another example of the fine men who have chosen to serve their Church and their country in this way.
– – –
Earlier I was describing the wonderful work of our Planning Office of Urban Affairs. Well, we had another example of that work on Tuesday morning when we gathered to dedicate their latest affordable senior housing complex in Billerica.
The Rose Hill Manor complex was developed by the Planning Office in conjunction with parishioners from St. Theresa of Lisieux Parish in Billerica. Together, they have created a wonderful housing complex for senior citizens on property that had been owned by the church. The name was chosen as an allusion to St. Therese of the Little flower, who is always represented by roses.
Father Gene Tully was very instrumental in bringing this about and he was presented with a table made out of the cherry wood from a tree that had been on the property.
This project is yet another example the benefits society gains through the partnership between the Church and local, state and federal governments.
As the controversy rages about the HHS mandate and erosion of religious freedom, people should realize what an extraordinary contribution the Catholic Church, and other nonprofits, make to the life of this country and, therefore, the importance of exemptions that allow these kinds of wonderful ministries to exist and to make such an extraordinary contribution to the life of the community.
– – –
Twice a year we meet with the bishops of the Boston province, which is comprised of the dioceses of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. At this meeting we discussed a number of pastoral and local issues.
We also took the occasion of our lunch together to honor Bishop Robert Hennessey on his 60th birthday.
– – –
Finally, that evening Father Paul Aveni invited a number of his classmates and other priest friends for evening of dinner and socialization at St. Ann's Parish in Wollaston.
I was very happy to join them and spend some time with my brother priests.
Before I end this post I would like to invite you to the Eucharistic Congress for College Students and Young Adults that will take place next weekend in the North End. You can read more here.
Until next week,
Cardinal Seán


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Anyone got a spare $1,000? Because Bunny Lebowski is back.
In an interview with Hollywood.tv, actress Tara Reid - who played the kidnapped trophy wife at the heart of the Coen Brother's cult classic "The Big Lebowski" - revealed that among her upcoming projects is "Lebowski 2."
Reid goes on to say that "everyone should be coming back for that," but admits she has not actually seen a script.
U.S. & World
Rumors have been kicking around about a Lebowski sequel for a while, but many of them seemed to be purely fan wish fulfillment rather than based on anything concrete out of the Coen camp.
The Coen Brothers, of course, just directed Jeff "El Duderino" Bridges to a Best Actor Nomination for "True Grit," so who knows what they have planned. We're dusting off our Autobahn albums in anticipation.


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After a week's intense project on country profiles and information compilation, I finally got some free time to write something. I decided to share some of the interesting findings about national flags that came across in my work:
- My flag is your flag! almost..
That means your flag is my flag as well. However, it doesn't really mean that my people is your people. I guess it would be fine for the Netherlands and Luxmerbourg to sawp citizens equally, I doubt if Romania, Ireland, and Manaco would ever want to bring the people under the "same" flag to their countries from Chad, Ivory coast, and Indonesia, respectively.
- My flag is REALLY just my flag! totally…
As Romanians were still in deep sorrow about their loss in another Romanian flag in the Olympic gymnastics, others would hurry to proclaim the uniqueness of their national flags – that my flag is really JUST my flag! A Nepalese would proudly shout out loud into the sky: "Only Nepal has the double triangle flag in the world!".
Qaddafi royalists would deride on the Nepalese irregular weird-shaped flag and think all green flag in the world represents Libya. Too bad Formula One did not adopt the green flag as the winning flag for the racers in the last lap, otherwise Gaddafi could claim that Libyan as well.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, fellow countrymen of Paraguay couldn't help snorting to exert their contempt with the amateur pennon or the green rectangular flag. They would flip over their national flag and show others how prestigious their flag is, so prestigious that it is designed differently for the observe and reverse side.
"What's the use of prestige anyway?" The Liberation Front of Mozambique begs to differ. They kicked away all those "prestigious" white Portuguese "with love from Russia". They would rather put those practical lovely AK-47 on their national flag in memory of these babes that helped them sweep away the colonists.
The Northern Alliance of Afghanistan would never agree with the former black rebels in Africa about how they should decorate the flag. After years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan with only Shahada on the blank flag, the new rulers of Afghanistan can't wait to switch the flag back to their good old black-red-green stripes with the classic Afghan emblem – a mosque with its mihrab facing Mecca, which was first adopted by the Emirate of Afghanistan over a hundred years ago. Classicism is all what's it about. They just couldn't get enough of their good old fashion three-color-stripes on their flag, and therefore decided to add two more mini Afghanistan national flags in the emblem that was placed in the center of the flag to show their passion and admiration for the classic time.
Speaking of passion for classicism, there is nothing more passionate and respectable than putting the totem you have worshiped for thousands of years. That is the case for Bhutan, the only country who put a DARN dragon on its flag. You eagle, lion, tiger lame worshipers, there's nothing more awesome than a darn dragon, not even if dinosaur were still alive! We Chinese would be the first one to exclaim up into the sky, "Alas, our dragon is now in the flag of that petty princedom of Bhutan. Not to mention the first modern national flag of China is nothing but a giant dragon!" Koreans would be the second one to sign, though secretly, "Alas, if only we didn't listen to China in 1882, we would have got that giant dragon in our flag instead of this Yin-Yan scam…" Well, now it's pointless; Bhutan got the pure awesomeness. The darn small tiny mountain state of Bhutan.
- My flag is no longer my flag! epic fail…
Some respect culture and tradition, some don't. Some just likes to change their national flags once in a while to confuse everybody, if everybody cares at all. This certainly troubles the organization I worked for, who has to constantly keep an eye on those new changes all the time to avoid political controversies from displaying the old flags. In the past 5 years, there are six countries that have deliberately changed their flags to complicate my work. There are Republic of Malawi (2010), Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2010), Republic of Iraq (2008), Democratic Republic of Congo (2006, by the way, only dictators like to emphasize their countries being 'democratic'), Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (2006), and Kingdom of Lesotho (2006).


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Former state Rep. Robin Kelly easily won the special Democratic primary Tuesday night in the race to replace the disgraced Jesse Jackson Jr. in Congress, helped by millions of dollars in pro-gun control ads from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's political fund.
A snowstorm and lack of voter interest kept turnout low as Kelly had 52 percent to 25 percent for former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson and 11 percent for Chicago 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale with 99 percent of precincts counted.
Kelly will formally take on the winner of the Republican primary in an April 9 special general election in the heavily Democratic district. In the GOP contest, less than 25 votes separated convicted felon Paul McKinley and businessman Eric Wallace.
Kelly framed her win as a victory for gun control forces.
"You sent a message that was heard around our state and across the nation," Kelly told supporters in a Matteson hotel ballroom. "A message that tells the NRA that their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end.
"To every leader in the fight for gun control ready to work with President (Barack) Obama and Mayor (Rahm) Emanuel to stop this senseless violence, thank you for your leadership and thank you for your courage," she said.
Halvorson told supporters to rally around Kelly as the Democratic nominee. But Halvorson also made it clear she believed her biggest opponent was the mayor of New York, whose anti-gun super political action committee spent more than $2.2 million attacking her previous support from the National Rifle Association while backing Kelly.
"We all know how rough it was for me to have to run an election against someone who spent ($2.2) million against me," Halvorson said at Homewood restaurant. "Every 71/2 minutes there was a commercial."
Bloomberg's Independence USA PAC was the largest campaign interest in the race and dominated the Chicago broadcast TV airwaves compared to a marginal buy by one minor candidate.
Beale also called Bloomberg's influence "the biggest disservice in this race."
"If this is the future of the Democratic Party, then we are all in big trouble," Beale said.
Bloomberg, an Emanuel ally in the fight for tougher gun restrictions, called Kelly's win "an important victory for common sense leadership on gun violence" as well as sign that voters "are demanding change" in a Congress that has refused to enact tougher gun restrictions, fearing the influence of the NRA.
But as much as Bloomberg sought to portray the Kelly win as a victory over the influential NRA, the national organization stayed out of the contest completely while the state rifle association sent out one late mailer for Halvorson.
Be it the TV ads or a late consolidation toward Kelly in the campaign, the former Matteson lawmaker made an impressive showing with Democratic voters in suburban Cook County, where the bulk of the district's vote was located, as well as on the South Side.
Despite the size of the field, Kelly got more than half of the votes cast in the two most populated areas of the district. Halvorson won by large percentages over Kelly in Kankakee County and the district's portion of Will County, but those two areas have very few votes.
The special primary election, by its nature, already had been expected to be a low-turnout affair — an expedited contest with little time for contenders to raise money or mount a traditional campaign.
Adding to the lack of interest was the fact that there were no other contests on the ballot in Chicago and most of the suburban Cook County portion of the district. Few contests were being held in Kankakee County and the portion of Will County within the 2nd District.
Turnout was reported to be around 15 percent in the city and suburban Cook. More than 98 percent of the primary votes cast in Chicago were Democratic, as were 97 percent of those cast in suburban Cook.
On the Republican side, the unofficial vote leader was McKinley, 54, who was arrested 11 times from 2003 to 2007, mostly for protesting, with almost all of the charges dropped. In the 1970s and '80s, McKinley was convicted of six felony counts, serving nearly 20 years in prison for burglaries, armed robberies and aggravated battery. He previously declined to discuss the circumstances of those crimes but has dubbed himself the "ex-offender preventing the next offender" in his campaign.
Records show McKinley also owes $14,147 in federal taxes, which might explain his answer at a forum when asked if he would cut any federal programs. "Certainly," he said. "The IRS."
Kelly easily wins Democratic race to replace Jackson Jr.
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text:
ROCKFORD — A fire caused an estimated $5,000 in damage to a vacant garage about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at 1600 S. Main St.
Flames were showing from the structure when Rockford Fire Department firefighters arrived, a fire summary said.
Firefighters extinguished the fire and completed their work within two hours.
No one was reported injured.
The cause of the fire was not known.
— Jeff Kolkey


text: American Tackle Matrix Blanks / American Matrix Series - Fuses the beauty of a woven twill graphite material with a traditional intermediate modulas blank design. The result is a cutting edge blank and the first of its kind to be offered to rod builders. The " Matrix " material adds power and sensitivity to the butt section without inhibiting the performance of the unidirectional tip section. Presented in Emerald Green or Charcoal Gray.


text:
Item Description
Letter, draft of, written by Amos Lawrence for Sara Robinson
Author: Lawrence, Amos Adams; Robinson, Sara T. L. (Sara Tappan Lawrence), 1827-1911
Date: 1856
According to Frank W. Blackmar, who reprinted this document in the appendix of his book, The Life of Charles Robinson (1901), it was "a draft of a letter sent by Amos A. Lawrence to be re-written and signed by Mrs. Robinson and addressed to Mrs. Lawrence, [a "relative" of President Pierce and] the mother of Amos A. Lawrence. The letter," which concerns Charles Robinson's imprisonment (May 10-Sept. 10, 1856 ) in K.T., was sent by Mrs. Lawrence to Mrs. Pierce, wife of the President who gave it to the President to read."]
Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: Charles & Sara Robinson Collection, #488, Box 1, Folder 2
Item Number: 101115 Number of images: 4
Keywords: Abolitionists; Atchison, David Rice, 1807-1886; Bogus legislature; Election fraud; Free state cause; Lawrence, Amos Adams, 1814-1886; Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869; Popular sovereignty; Robinson, Charles, 1818-1894; Robinson, Sara T. L. (Sara Tappan Lawrence), 1827-1911; Shannon, Wilson, 1802-1877; Treason
pg. 1
pg. 2
pg. 3
pg. 4


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Bruce belts first spring homer in Leake's debut
Reds starter allows one run over two innings after recovering from abdomen strain
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Former Red Adam Dunn had two RBIs, while Jay Bruce hit his first home run of the spring as the White Sox took a 4-3 victory over the Reds on Friday at Goodyear Ballpark.
The game started with Adam Eaton ripping a double to left-center field against Reds starter Mike Leake. With two outs, Dunn scorched Leake's first pitch off the glove of third baseman Chris Nelson for an RBI single.
Leake was making his delayed spring debut and pitched two innings, allowing one run and two hits with one strikeout. He was pushed back because of a minor abdomen strain but showed no ill effects.
"They were aggressive, so it made it tough to get into a count with them," Leake said. "The one Dunner hit was a good pitch. He's a hitter that likes to jump on that first pitch. I'm not worried about that stuff on the first outing."
Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning against White Sox starter Felipe Paulino. Zack Cozart lined a one-out double off the wall in right-center field. Two batters later, Bruce crushed a 1-1 pitch well over the fence in right field.
With two outs in the Reds' second inning, Roger Bernadina smoked a double through the gap in left-center field and scored on Nelson's lined single to left field.
Paulino gave up three runs on four hits over three innings, with one walk and five strikeouts.
"It's Spring Training," Paulino said. "I felt like I threw the right pitch, but [Bruce] got me there. It was down and away ... he just made a good swing. It's baseball. I just tried to make pitches, and he got me that time. But I got him the second time [on a groundout]. It's about competing, and next time we'll compete again."
In the third inning, Alex Liddi's two-out RBI single off of the Reds' Aroldis Chapman tied the game.
Chicago scored two runs against Reds reliever Tim Crabbe in the fifth. Gordon Beckham lined an RBI single to center field and, with two outs, Dunn overcame a shift with a sharply lined RBI single past diving second baseman Skip Schumaker.
Up next: A possible candidate for the rotation if Mat Latos isn't ready, Alfredo Simon has performed well by not allowing a hit over his first five innings in two games, with four strikeouts. Simon will make his third start of the spring on Saturday, when the Reds face the Cubs in Goodyear at 3:05 p.m. ET, live on Gameday Audio. Manny Parra and Sam LeCure are also scheduled to see action. Jason Hammel is the Cubs' probable starter.


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Liberty News
Students handpicked to present at Glenn Beck's Independence Day event
This Independence Day, 12 Liberty University students will share the historical significance of important artifacts in the Independence Through History museum, part of Glenn Beck's "Man in the Moon" event July 4-6 in Salt Lake City.
Students will host the museum's 12 thematically arranged stations featuring about 100 historical artifacts — an estimated $55 million value — collected and arranged to tell the story of America's freedom through its choices.
The artifacts include the desk on which President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, a lock of George Washington's hair, and Edmund Burke's prayer Bible. The tours are already sold out and a number of high-profile figures — including state senators, governors, and prominent historians — are among the expected guests.
"As a country we have always had to make decisions, not between democrat and republican but literally between good and evil," said Joe Kerry, Glenn Beck Program chief of staff and president of Mercury One, the nonprofit presenting the event. "We are going to walk the (guests) through these choices that we have made as a country … we are blessed when we make those decisions that bring us closer to God, and when we don't, we suffer the consequences."
|Glenn Beck delivers the keynote speech at Liberty University's 2010 Commencement.
Beck said he specifically asked for Liberty students because he greatly respects the university's courage, educational integrity, and commitment to traditional American values. Liberty selected the following Helms School of Government students to participate: Whitney Rutherford, Jacob Mast, Leah Zawasky, Mark Osborne, Liz Chadwick, Claire Francisco, Christian Hamilton, Micah White, Katelyn Evans, Myung Jin Son, Brian Mauldin, and Montgomery Pace.
The Man in the Moon event is a three-day celebration of America's freedom culminating with a special show — a never-before-seen storytelling spectacle utilizing live-action stunts and innovative film techniques. Leading up to the finale will be several seminars, conferences, speakers, and displays designed to enhance the experience.
Beck has become a strong supporter of Liberty over the years. He was the keynote speaker at Liberty's 2010 Commencement and is a friend of Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., who has appeared on Beck's television show to discuss topics such as social justice and the role of religion in today's society. Falwell was recently featured on Beck's radio program after Falwell supported Cole Withrow, a high school senior who became the center of a gun control controversy.
While many institutions have fallen prey to political correctness, Liberty is committed to academic freedom and the fundamentals of faith. The university appreciates, respects, and promotes the founding principles of the U.S., including free enterprise and limited government.
Many prominent schools have fallen away from these ideals and as a result "history and our true heroes" are being lost, Kerry explained. Beck recognizes that Liberty is committed to teaching American history and encourages students to "think for themselves," a reason he wanted Liberty students to participate in the event.
Falwell volunteered to pay for the students' airfare, a gesture much appreciated by the nonprofit, which will use profits from the museum to acquire and preserve historical documents.
Montgomery Pace, who flew into Lynchburg from Tampa, Fla., to meet the other students, said she was honored to be selected and humbled to represent Liberty at a large national event. She said Liberty's ideals are rooted in our nation's history.
"We learn all viewpoints fully and fairly and have intelligent discussions about them … students in the School of Government sit around the 'round table' daily and have political discussions," she said. "Liberty brings in excellent speakers every week from all spheres of society and careers from all over the world. It stands by its mission and beliefs and truly upholds the values it stands for."


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Owls' Football Coach Retires After 29 Years at the Helm
Rich Cavanaugh has announced his retirement as head football coach at Southern, effective January 1, 2014. Cavanaugh has enjoyed an affiliation with the university since 1982 and served as head coach of the Owls' gridiron squad since 1985.
"Rich Cavanaugh has left an indelible mark on both our football program and our institution as a whole over more than three decades of service to Southern Connecticut State University," said Director of Athletics Patricia D. Nicol. "Over the course of his tenure, he guided our program to newfound heights on the playing field, in the classroom and in the community.
"The impact that Coach Cavanaugh has had on thousands of student-athletes goes far beyond the wins and losses. Through his commitment and dedication, our institution has been impacted in such a profound way. I thank Rich for his service to Southern Connecticut State University and wish him and his wife, Carol, all the best in retirement."
Cavanaugh concludes his career as the winningest (170 victories) and longest tenured head coach in program history. He recorded 19 winning seasons on the Owls' sidelines, highlighted by four consecutive NCAA Championship appearances from 2005-08.
"It has been a great honor to serve as the head football coach at Southern Connecticut State University for the past 29 years," Cavanaugh said. "The success that we have enjoyed as a program over that time has been the byproduct of support from an extensive group of individuals.
"I want to thank everyone affiliated with our administration during my time here at SCSU, beginning with Ray DeFrancesco for providing the opportunity to serve as our head coach, and stretching up to today with the great support from our university President Dr. Mary Papazian and Director of Athletics Pat Nicol.
"I also want to thank all of the assistant coaches and student-athletes who have been a part of our program during my time here at SCSU. Each and every one has had a profound impact on my life. I am forever grateful for their hard work and dedicated efforts to making our program and our university the best it could be."
Southern Connecticut claimed its first NCAA playoff victory during the 2007 season under Cavanaugh's guidance. The Owls also earned a share of three Northeast-10 Conference Championships (2006, 2009, 2010).
Over the course of his career, Cavanaugh coached 148 All-Conference selections, 66 All-New England honorees, 53 All-ECAC performers, 17 All-Americans, 14 All-Northeast Region picks, six Offensive Players of the Year, three Northeast-10 Most Valuable Players, three NE-10 Rookies of the Year, three NE-10 Defensive Players of the Year, two NE-10 Defensive Linemen of the Year, two Division II-III Gold Helmet Award winners (Jim Lukowiak in 2005 and Steve Armstrong in 2007) and two NE-10 Offensive Linemen of the Year.
The 2008 Northeast-10 Coach of the Year, Cavanaugh finishes his career with an overall mark of 170-131-1 in 29 seasons as head coach. He ranks No. 29 in NCAA Division II history in coaching victories with his 170 triumphs.
Several Owls moved on to the National Football League after playing for Cavanaugh at SCSU, including Joe Andruzzi (10-year career with the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns; three-time Super Bowl Champion), Jacques Cesaire (eight seasons with the San Diego Chargers), Scott Mersereau (eight seasons with the New York Jets) and Travis Tucker (three seasons with the Cleveland Browns).
A national search for Cavanaugh's successor will begin immediately.


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I'm trying to see things more positively, even if it means turning upside-down so the glass looks half-full. After two months or so of gluten avoidance, it seems that the best course of action for Cait's health is that we make our house damn near gluten free. Right now we're still getting rid of some gluteny stuff we've got, but today I made the big decision to pack up all the unopened stuff from our basement shelves to donate to a food bank. I decided I could either resent the situation and dwell on the money, or make the best of it and make our loss helpful someone else who is in a worse situation. And it does feel better.
There are definitely still aspects of the transition for which I can't see the positive – replacing the Kitchen Aid, just to name one – but I'm going to see what I can do to let go of the frustration and move forward with the smaller things, at least.
It's not all forced Pollyanna smiles, either. We truly are benefiting from the change in some ways, not the least of which is that it is forcing us to move even farther away from processed food, and shake up our food routines. Tonight we had baked tofu, grilled vegetables, and zucchini fritters. All naturally gluten free (except the fritters which required one simple substitution of GF flour blend for white flour) and all delicious.
I'm still me, though, and even though the glass is half full that does mean there's an awful lot of empty in there too, so I will point out that Teddy hated all of it and Natalie only liked the tofu. And cooking from scratch means a hellacious amount of dishes.
But it was tasty for the adults, it was in season, some of it was local, and it was healthy. You can't shake a stick at that.


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Police recommend physical charges in missing girl case
WISN 12 News has learned that Milwaukee police are recommending criminal charges in the case of the two girls who were missing for awhile over the weekend.
Police just finished met with the District Attorney's Office on Tuesday, forwarding a case against a relative of one of the girls. So far, though, no decision on charges has been made.
A massive search of the area around 55th and Center streets wound down around noon Sunday, after word spread that 9-year-old Samaria Johnson and her 4-year-old sister Olivia Erkins were found safe.
That was some 12 hours after the pair apparently walked away from their home sometime around 11 p.m.
WISN 12 News learned that about four hours after the girls were taken to Milwaukee police by a so-called concerned citizen, police arrested a 27-year-old female relative of the girls. She was questioned for several hours before being transported to the jail.
Most relatives of the girls are not returning calls or answering the door when WISN 12 News visited Tuesday, but one did answer 12 News reporter Nick Bohr when he asked how the girls were doing, saying "They're perfect. They're doing fine."
The State Department of Children and Families responded to an inquiry Tuesday about the case by saying they "Could neither confirm or deny that the individuals are known to the department."
According to online records at the Milwaukee County Jail, the woman remains jailed Tuesday night without bail awaiting a decision on charges.
She has no prior criminal record in Wisconsin.


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October 13, 2012
By LINDA HARRIS - Staff writer, The Herald-Star
Post-Press Conference Special Edition
YORKVILLE - Ohio Gov. John Kasich hinted Friday that Esmark Steel's plans to reopen an idled cold-rolling mill in Yorkville could be just the tip of the iceberg.
Esmark Chairman and CEO Jim Bouchard said the Kasich administration was instrumental in closing the $6.5 million deal for the Yorkville mill, working with his company and the US Environmental Protection Agency to develop a remediation plan that addresses unresolved chemical spills that former owner RG Steel neglected to correct two years ago.
In addition to the Yorkville mill, which will be known as Ohio Cold Rolling Co., Bouchard also acquired a 50 percent ownership stake in the nearby Ohio Coatings Co. tin plating facility, partnering with South Korea's TCC Steel.
Left: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE — Ohio Gov. John Kasich, left, and Esmark Chairman and CEO Jim Bouchard discuss the latter's acquisition of a cold-rolling mill in Yorkville. Bouchard purchased the mill, formerly owned by bankrupt RG Steel, for $6.5 million, and said he plans to invest another $15 million to $20 million in getting it back in operation. – Linda Harris
Both mills were acquired from bankrupt RG Steel, which also sold its property in Steubenville to River Rail Development LLC, a division of Wheeling-based Strauss Industries, and its Mingo Junction plant to New York-based salvage company, Frontier Industrial.
Asked if his staff had been involved in discussions about the future of either of those properties, Kasich said, "We know all about those properties."
"The Steubenville property, to my understanding, is going to see good things happen there with the (new owner) being able to come in and perhaps lease some of the more valuable parts of that," the governor said. "It's another thing our Ohio EPA had to be involved with, to make sure we can clear the hurdles. It's good news it's not like we hit a grand slam; we're getting singles, maybe a double here and there, but we've got to do a lot more."
Kasich, meanwhile, credited Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally with "coming to the rescue" after legacy environmental issues threatened to derail Bouchard's acquisition of the Yorkville plant.
"He's not a pushover, if you do something bad to the environment he's going to call you on it," Kasich said. "But he also has common sense. He was able to take authority over this (Yorkville) operationout of the hands of the federal EPA into the hands of Ohio EPA. As a result, we can have more common sense, more active development here, and they're still going to clean things up."
The governor told workers and dignitaries gathered outside the plant Friday that "there's no reason we can't be optimistic about the future." He said at a minimum, it means work for 165 idled steelworkers at Yorkville alone, "but I think the numbers will be bigger than that."
"This is a good day," he said. "People will be people coming back to work, more people, I think, then they've already announced...It's a great start, and it's good news for us. There's no reason we can't be optimistic about the future."
He stressed that state and local leaders need to figure out how to maximize the Ohio River's development potential.
"It's going take folks with some really creative thinking, but it's important with what we're going to see from oil and gas and the companies that spin off from that," he said. "It's just going to take time."
Now that the Yorkville plant is in the Esmark stable, Bouchard said he's planning to invest another $15 million to $20 million to get it up-and-running.
"Everybody I talked to this morning basically said I was out of my mind," he admitted. "The state of the steel business globally and here in the U.S. is bad, and here we are committing $20 million plus to start up the Yorkville cold mill. Do people think I'm nuts? Yes. But I think we've got a good plan, I think the workers are up to it. It's going to be a challenge, but we're up to the challenge."
But Bouchard said it's "a good opportunity, I wouldn't do it if it wasn't."
"I think all the positives will outweigh (conditions) at this point in time in the steel market," he added. "But it would be a heck of a lot easier if the steel market was humming along."
He said the Yorkville plant is capable of processing 50,000 tons of steel a month, "but we're going to start at about 25,000 tons and make sure we bring it up slowly. The plan is next year to get up to about 40,000 tons a month we're going to start slow and be conservative. We're not going to buy market share. We have a nice plan we've put together, a nice, conservative business plan."
He said Esmark committed millions, along with the State of Ohio, "to help clean up the site so it will be cleaner than it's ever been."
"We will immediately clean up the pickle spill RG had a few years back, we have a nice plan to remediate the rest of the project over time so we can have a nice, clean plant that will be the foundation, hopefully, of some other things," Bouchard said.
He also said the window of opportunity to make a go of the steel operations had narrowed considerably, particularly with Ohio Coating. "They had their annual contracts to nail down for next year, so we were really at the end of the window," he said. "We lucked out because Mittal and U.S. Steel were late in concluding" contract talks, and buyers delayed placing orders because they weren't sure if the United Steelworkers union would strike.
He said Esmark and the USW already have a tentative agreement for the Yorkville operation.
"To be honest, to see a mill of this size without a pound of steel in it, see it without any lubricant in it, without the electricity turned on scares you," Bouchard added. "But we're going to give it our best."
Created by AC Incorporated
© Esmark. All rights reserved.


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Dust Of Uruzgan
New and Updated for 2014 Education Pack for Dust of Uruzgan Download here (pdf)
|Dust Of Uruzgan
|It gets in the machinery, it foils every plan,
the dust of Uruzgan
|Live Like an Afghan
|Taliban Fighting Man
|Sapper's Lullaby
|Zeebrugge FOB
|A Thousand Splendid Suns
|Better Soldier
|Niet Swaffelen op de Dixi
|Ask a Dutch speaker about this one.
|Christmas in Kandahar
|You could do much worse i guess...
|Woman in a war
|August 20 (FOB Mirwais)
|Trembling Sky
Every now and then you hear a song and you think to yourself "I wish I'd written that." Fred Smith's album is chock-a-block full of songs like that. Arresting, insightful and packed full of gritty detail, Fred Smith's songs literally bash down the doors of national understanding and conscience. If there is any justice in the world, this album will be a major hit.
John Schumann
These 12 songs have a singular power and emotional honesty, because Smith was actually there
Warwick McFadyen, The Saturday Age, 30 July 2011
… the music of Fred Smith comes straight from the front line…raw, ribald, but also capable of moving grown men to tears.
John Huxley, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2011
an exceptional songwriter and certainly the equal of Bogle, Walker and Schumann,
Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald 'Review of the Week' 6–7 August 2011
a cycle of songs that are raw, remarkably honest and suitably ambivalent about the nature of war
Bruce Elder Sydney Morning Herald 'Review of the Week' 6–7 August 2011
This album is, without doubt, a masterpiece
Ian Dearden, Trad & Now, August 2011
a collection of songs that offers an intimate perspective on the war in Afghanistan.
Bruce Elder Sydney Morning Herald 'Review of the Week' 6–7 August 2011
"I think he's a star" Schumann says of Smith. "There's so much vacuous bullshit around, it's a delight to hear songs well-crafted, with something to say."
John Schumann quoted by Warwick McFadyen The Saturday Age, 30 July 2011
continues a tradition of profoundly affecting Australians-at-war ballads that includes Eric Bogle's And the band played Waltzing Matilda, Don Walker's Khe Sanh (Cold Chisel) and John Schumann's I was only 19
Stephen Fitzpatrick The Weekend Australian Review 'Cover Story' 30–31 July 2011
"In a world full of vacuous songs, Fred's is an incredibly strong body of work"
John Schumann quoted by Stephen Fitzpatrick The Weekend Australian Review 'Cover Story' 30–31 July 2011
The presence of Fred Smith over the weekend was the highlight. Why this man isn't regarded as one of Australia's best-known songwriters is beyond me. His new material based on his experiences in Afghanistan is powerful, his guitar playing is understated and his lyrics incisive, deft and challenging. His song, "Dust of Uruzgan" rates is the best anti-war song written since Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" or Redgum's "Only 19". One set saw him gone a standing ovation (in the middle of the set) which I've only witnessed two or three times in my 30 years of attending folks at festivals.
Chris Spencer, Trad & Now, May 2011


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Beat the Streak Report: Thursday, May 26
Extra innings giveth, and extra innings taketh away.
If you entrusted your streak to any hitter involved in yesterday's Reds-Phillies tilt, you're probably walking around with a little extra swagger this morning. Fifteen of 16 starting hitters in that one recorded at least one base knock, which isn't surprising given that the game went 19 innings and most of those guys saw eight or nine plate appearances.
The Giants and Marlins also needed bonus baseball to settle their score last night, and the three extra frames (Three? Danys Baez is not impressed!) provided opportunity for BTS stalwarts John Buck and Greg Dobbs to get on the board. So, uh, cue the old saying about the blind squirrel and the nuts if you advanced on one of those two.
The big news in San Fran, however, was the loss of Giants catcher Buster Posey. Our current MLB streak leader at 13 games, Posey suffered an apparent leg injury attempting to block the plate in the 12th inning. We're only a dentist, but this does not look promising. The 24-year-old carried many a Streaker during a 21-game tear last summer and entered Wednesday's action 14-for-35 (.400) over his last nine contests.
He's a player who would be sorely missed. Please pass around the Get Well Soon card in the comments.
Thursday's picks:
(Make a BTS pick)
Oh, hello there …
Melky Cabrera: .435 (10-for-22) since '06 vs. Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie
Scott Rolen: .471 (8-for-17) since '06 vs. Phillies starter Cliff Lee
David DeJesus: .393 (11-for-28) since '06 vs. Angels starter Joel Pineiro
Torii Hunter: .455 (5-for-11) since '06 vs. A's starter Brett Anderson
Feeling kinda spicy?
Mark Ellis: .500 (9-for-18) since '06 vs. Angels starter Joel Pineiro
Mark Reynolds: .409 (9-for-22) since '06 vs. Royals starter Jeff Francis
You'll thank me later …
Erick Aybar: .000 (0-for-10) since '06 vs. A's starter Brett Anderson
Carlos Beltran: .188 (3-for-16) since '06 vs. Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano
Chase Utley: .125 (1-for-8) since '06 vs. Reds starter Homer Bailey
Leaderboard time!
Sgtdave3127 remains atop the pack after reaching the quarter-century mark. Move 'em out, Sarge! "I don't know but I've been told, picking Jose Reyes yesterday was good as gold. Sound off!"
Top MLB streakers
Buster Posey: 13 games
Vladimir Guerrero: 10 games
Nick Markakis: 10 games
Juan Pierre: 10 games
Home Run Beat the Streak pick:
Justin Upton: (9 HR this season) vs. Rockies starter Clayton Mortensen
(Make a BTS pick)
17 Comments
I have Adam Jones of BAL in an attempt to match my season-high 11 streak. I agonized over picking Jones, V. Guerrero, and Starlin Castro.
And Jones is good while Vlad sits 0-2. Good choice.
Woo-hoo! Let's see if I can break into the teens this time…
LaV's List
Thursday's Top Picks of the current Top2500,
107 Batters picked overall
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Starlin Castro 271 10.95
Adrian Gonzalez 254 10.26 (2ND)(2ND)
Vlad Guerrero 241 9.74
Todd Helton 220 8.89
Carlos Gonzalez 151 6.1
Adam Jones 149 6.02
Jose Reyes 100 4.04
Jose Bautista 87 3.52
Troy Tulowitzki 61 2.46
No Selection 60 2.42
Placido Polanco 35 1.41 (2ND)
Gaby Sanchez 12 0.48 (1RST
Highest "No Selection" 😛 pg# 4 with streak of 16 back to zero.
Yesterday's Top2500 Reset rate was 21.2% with JOSH HAMILTON reseting the most.
There was also 23.32% PPD due to players not playing. These streakers do not reset, but did not increase either.
Got Pinched OR 1 AB Wonders
TOP2500 saved or reset by PHA (going to include any pinch hitters and/or double switch, 1 AB or More)
A Ethier LAD, 68, BB(NO EFFECT) HIGHEST WAS 19 GAMER
M Prado ATL, RESET 62, HIGHEST WAS 21 GAMER
O Cabrera CLE, RESET 4, 13,9,8,8 GAMERS
A Rowand SF, RESET 3, 10,9,8 GAMERS
C Utley PHI, 2, BB(NO EFFECT) 7,7 GAMERS
J Herrera COL, SAVED 1, WAS 7 GAMER
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Rank, Pick
gpearson17, 10, pg 29, 688, ADAM JONES (PICKED 149X)
ttrebnivel, 10, pg 40, 688, SETH SMITH (PICKED 27X)
bjm5355, 8, pg 70, 1471, CAR-GO (PICKED 151X)
kenfucious, 7, pg 100+, 2255, STARLIN (PICKED 271X)
Bloggers Reset Yesterday
GL to all
Today is the day where somebody could have won $5 million-plus if they had picked perfectly every day. I wonder how many dream-crushing resets have occurred in these first 57 days? With my hit early today, my record is 41-13-3 (three rainouts). I'd like to be up around 48 at WORST.
Guess who I picked? The only O fer on the entire Orioles.
I don't play to get the only ####ing O fer on a team. This is the 3rd time this screw job has happened. Thanks a lot Guerrero every single other Oriole hitter can get a hit but you.
First Jeter goes O fer 6 braking my biggest streak of the season at 15, then A Rod went O fer against these Os and then he was walked on his 4th PA and then he got no 5th PA because he was removed from the game. Now Guerrero gets 5 ABs with the 5th AB in extra innings and goes O for 5.
The Orioles hit into a force at the plate and then a double play so the game is still going on! 🙂
Due up 4th in the bottom half.
Guerrero is up:
Guerrero got a game winning single all is forgiven! 🙂 🙂
I feel your pain a little.
I had Guerrero too today.
That is 2 last AB hits in a row.
I had Buster Posey last night.
He got the hit in the 9th inning and then broke his leg before coming up again.
I wonder if Guerrero will suffer a similar fate tomorrow?
Mark, I need to take more time off from blogging. Since I took a pause on this blog, the leaders have been dropping like flies :). Talk with you this weekend
Wonder if friends of sgtdave3127 are playing taps for him?
And another drops tonight with Gabby's 0-fer.
Going to be a fairly low reset today with Starlin and Vlad both squeaking out last ab hits. A-gon, Jones and Reyes all good. Only big numbers left with Tista, CarGo, Helton and Tulo.
GL if you're still waiting.
One thing I am a bit confused about is if any of the hits in that 8th inning for the Red Sox count?
I remember during the '08 World Series, they mentioned that if the commissioner had not exercised his discretion, the Rays still would have lost the game, because the full inning was not completed.
So, A-Gone got his only hit in the 8th inning, but the Tigers did not get to bat.
Does A-Gone's hit not count?
If so, he would be 0 for 4.
They did count it Champion. If you look at the results of BTS he went 1 for 5 so they counted the hit but the game was called in the 8th inning.


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Dear Visitors,
Welcome to the Town of East Haddam's new website. We are pleased to have this opportunity to provide you with a variety of information concerning the East Haddam/Moodus community and hope you enjoy your visit.
The website is designed to allow you easy access to general Town information, schedules, calendars and topics specific to our various departments and agencies as well as local community events and activities. You may sign up to electronically receive meeting notices, minutes and agendas and notification of local events. Significant emphasis has been placed on improving communication.
We are proud of our municipal programs and services and will continue to work to provide the highest quality and responsive services to our residents and visitors. Our website will be continuously updated and new information added as we continue our efforts to provide outstanding customer service.
Please take a moment to visit our various sites, and again, welcome to East Haddam's website.
Robert R. Smith
First Selectman


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Winchester man building support for invention: A new, stronger type of thread fastener
WINCHESTER, N.H. -- Dale Van Cor has a product he thinks is really going to take off.
He has developed a new type of thread fastener -- for nuts and bolts or anything else screwed together -- that he says is more than 20 percent stronger than whatever else is on the market today. He has made about 200 graphic prototypes of what he calls the wave thread, which he believes can change the way objects such as furniture and jet engines are made.
Van Cor described the wave thread as a breakthrough in how to evenly distribute stress.
"It is a stack of circles whose center is moving and follows a helical path," he explained, adding that he has patents pending on this product as well as two others. "This is a very complex geometry."
Sitting at a table with his prototypes, many of which are comprised of glued plaster, Van Cor said the thread's resolution is made up of two layers one-thousandths-of-an-inch in width and connected by glue about one-thousandths-of-an-inch thick.
"The smoother the surface, the tighter the hold," he said in the Reformer's conference room this week. He said his success has come from his ability to access 3D printing, a process of making a solid three-dimensional object from a digital model using layers of materials laid down in different shapes.
Utilizing 3D printing has helped keep costs down, as glued plaster is about $20 per cubic foot.
"The machine to make it is expensive but the material is cheap," he explained.
Van Cor has been able to work full time on his creation the past five years with the help of his wife's income from her job as a nursing director at Applewood Rehabilitation Center.
His research assistant, who has conducted more than 60 finite element analyses, is Jigarkumar Patel, a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
"My job was to do engineering analysis of his work. It was mostly on computers," Patel told the Reformer. "(The wave thread) is impressive. ... I enjoyed it and worked on it for about two years. And hopefully I can use the experience further down the line in my career."
Van Cor, a 1978 graduate of Keene State College, used his background in the software development business to create the wave thread, which he hopes to market to the world. He is now using RocketHub, "an online crowdfunding platform" that raises money and awareness for projects. Anyone can contribute to the wave thread project by searching "wave thread" on rockethub.com.
Van Cor said he hopes to generate between $18,000 and $23,000 for his project, with $6,000 to be used for a website to sell a digital library of files pertaining to the wave thread that can be purchased for $299.
Information can also be found at www.wavethread.com.
Domenic Poli can be reached at email@example.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Leave it to Hollywood to unveil with 36 hours of each other trailers for two films about insanely attractive people who have trouble finding love, so they start sleeping with their best friend, who just happens to be an equally hot person of the opposite sex. And the twist in each appears to be that she's the one who wants to keep it physical. Oh, to dream...
"Friends With Benefits" stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as two friends who decide to reset each other's odometers, and a supporting cast featuring Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Patricia Clarkson and Andy Samberg.
Because this is a family website, we should warn you that the trailer, embedded below, is of the "red-band" variety, meaning that there's some swearing, adult situations and a little skin.
U.S. & World
Timberlake gave an eye-opening turn in "The Social Network," while Kunis has been getting nice reviews for her work opposite Natalie Portman in "Black Swan," so these two both have an opportunity here to establish themselves as leads.
And the film is directed by Will Gluck, who helmed "Easy A," the teen sex comedy starring Stone, that was one of the most unexpected surprises of the year.
Not to damn it with faint praise, but "FWB" looks infinitely more promising than the trailer for "No Strings Attached," starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, that came out just a day or so earlier. "NSA" appears to be a sappy, uninspired mess, while "FWB" seems to at least have some edge to it.
And if you have any doubts about what the suits think of their respective films, the release dates tell the story: "No Strings Attached" arrives Jan. 21, while "Friends With Benefits" comes out July 22.


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It's the third day of the show, and boy am I feeling it. You always think traveling for work is going to be fun, and generally it is, but after a few days of little sleep, lots of walking and tons of schmoozing, it can wear a girl down.
Take for example my less than restful Wednesday night. At about midnight, I woke to someone trying to use their keycard to get into my room, mistaking 12-117 for their own. After that got my adrenaline going, I was then unable to get back to sleep. So, I lay there, willing myself to sleep, until I started to hear raised voices from the room next door. As the voices got louder and the couple started arguing more intensely, I got up to put my ear against the door to see what was up. I was just about to call security though, when I heard a piano being played. Then more shouts. Then more piano. After a couple of confused moments, I realized the people next door were watching a movie.
I then laughed myself to sleep.
Then, Thursday night I couldn't fall asleep, exhausted as I was. It's like the entire trade show was still going in my head - all the music, the hum of the treadmills, the sound of instructors leading spin classes. I think I finally conked out at midnight and was up bright and early at 6 am for today's early morning workouts.
However, as sleepy as I was, I definitely perked up after some coffee and a meeting with Octane Fitness. There, I tried out their latest elliptical which has some really cool interval programs.
Next up was some weight lifting over at the Star Trac booth. The company partnered with Koko, and I spent about 30 minutes with Koko, a piece of equipment with an interactive digital personal trainer. "Koko" knew his/her stuff.
I finished my workout with a quick 15 minutes on Cybex's Arc Trainers, one of my favorite pieces of equipment because it makes you feel like you're walking on the moon.
Because, I'm flying out of Chicago this evening and returning back home to Kansas City, I know I'll get a good night's rest in my own bed, but I'm not sure I can say the same about my everyday workouts. The show may be exhausting, but you sure do get fit! --Jennipher


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I'm currently owning an old superzoom (Canon Powershot S3 IS) and the Panasonic LX3 and am getting ready to move up to a "real" camera. I'm convinced that the Micro Four Thirds (m4/3) system is the right choice for me, as I suspect I would never actually carry a full-size SLR with me.
Coming from the LX3, which is a camera I really love, I have a bit of Panasonic bias. I like the way it performs and handles, and that has at least up until recently made me convinced that I should get a GF1, especially since it has (had) a much better AF performance than the Olympus PENs.
However, I'm starting to slowly change my mind. I was recently playing with an E-P1 in a shop and was first very annoyed with the Auto mode which consistently chose slower shutter speeds than was possible to manage without a tripod. Then after about 20 shots, I realized that the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) was turned off. After enabling it, I suddenly got almost 100% sharp photos instead. (Btw, I guess this tendency to select too slow shutter speeds is a firmware bug or something? Shouldn't it take into consideration whether IBIS is enabled or not?)
Unfortunately, Panasonic chose the route to put image stabilization in their lenses, but not in all of them (and obviously not in rivaling Olympus lenses). Olympys, on the other hand, chose the in-camera body stabilization instead, which means that any lens attached enjoys the benefit of stabilization. 3 stops of IS is pretty huge. In the Panasonic LX3, I can sometimes take sharp photos at 1/8 shutter speeds without a tripod I if set it to burst mode and take 3-4 photos at the same time.
This leads me to think that buying a camera without IBIS is a pretty bad idea, given that many lenses (20mm/1.7, 7-14mm, 9-18mm) don't have IS in the lens either. Also, with the new firmware update, it appears that Olympus isn't that far behind in terms of AF performance anymore, although the kit lens isn't very fast of course (though I didn't find it slower than my LX3).
So, I'm now a bit torn. I'm starting to lean towards an E-PL1 because it also has a built-in flash, and the out-of-the-box colors of the JPEG images are simply stunning. In general, it feels like it has many advantages over its bigger brothers E-P1 and E-P2 while at the same time being cheaper.
At the same time, I really want the Panasonic 20mm/1.7 lens and think I'd use that more than any kit zoom, and I realize that buying that lens separately ends up getting pretty expensive compared to buying it as a kit lens with the GF1.
Am I overrating the importance of IS here? It feels to me like buying any Panasonic m4/3 is a bad idea if you care about low light performance and want to also use the camera as a casual social setting camera.
It's such a shame that Panasonic chose the in-lens IS route here, since it really makes me less interested in their cameras even though they seem to perform better in many aspects. At this point, I would even go as far as saying that I am hardly interested in what a future GF2 will look like, because I already know that it will force me to use 3-4 stops higher shutter speeds compared to any Olympus camera with the same pancake lens.


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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Traveling using Restaurant.com
8:37 AM | Posted by Frugal Science Gal | Edit Post
Our trip to San Francisco was pretty expensive. In order to save a little on our meals I ordered Restaurant.com gift certificates online before we left. I knew that we would be walking everywhere since we weren't getting a rental car and so I got all of them within a 10 minute walk. This was really easy since we were staying in Fisherman's Wharf and there are a TON of restaurants around the area and people walk EVERYWHERE. We were able to eat at a really nice restaurant that we wouldn't have been able to afford without the certificate. Another restaurant we ate at was in the Hyatt across the street from our hotel and it was so good that we ended up going back there a second (unfortunately without a certificate). The next time you take a vacation across the country or city near your own, you should check out Restaurant.com to help save some money!
Even better, you can get $25 gift certificates for as little as $2 a piece!!! They are currently 80% off if you type in the code SUMMER during check out!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Houston Couponers!!
4:50 PM | Posted by Frugal Science Gal | Edit Post
Groupon is having a Deal for the Houston Chronicle.
It's the Newspaper for 52 weeks for $52! That's half off the normal stand price!! Another way to cut back on the cost of getting your weekly coupons, delivered to your door!!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
San Francisco Vacation
8:45 AM | Posted by Frugal Science Gal | Edit Post
I LOVE San Francisco!
We went on vacation this past week to San Francisco and I fell in love. I have been born and raised in Texas and I never thought I would ever find a place that I could live other than the sweet, southern-hospitality state of Texas, but...I think I found it!
I have so much to write about this wonderful city.
To leave you off with one feature that I loved so much about San Francisco was their environmental consciousness. They were very much focused on reducing our carbon footprint in this world which I absolutely love/respect. Their Recology program is one that should be spread Nationwide.
Even our Hotel had bins at the Continental Breakfast that said,
"Recycle", "Compost", and "Landfill".
It really drives home the fact that what we throw in the trash will be sitting in a landfill.
More on this amazing trip to come with travel details!!
Can't wait to share!
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The latest 3D Sony Vaio L series touchscreen multimedia all-in-one PC will be shown off at IFA 2011.
The Vaio L 3D - or Vaio VPCL21S1E/B to give its full name – is described as a slim all-in-one desktop with a 24-inch Full HD Vaio LED backlight display.
It has 2D to 3D upscale from the touch of a button and has a 3D HDMI input which will allow you to connect up your PS3 and play 3D games.
You can check out video of all the best Sony products on show at IFA below:
"New VAIO L Series 3D offers more ways to enjoy your favourite entertainment," explains Sony.
Restless native
"'Native' supported 3D content includes movies on Blu-ray Disc, games and videos. You can also enjoy 3D panoramic still images captured with Cyber-shot digital cameras and Alpha DSLR digital cameras by Sony," it continue.
"There's also a dedicated button on the bezel that instantly converts 2D content like Blu-ray Disc movies to simulated 3D at a single touch."
Also bundled is Family Paint 3D software, an integrated HD webcam, a WEB button to "get you online in seconds" and an HDMI out so you can route the picture into your HD television.


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About Us
By working with Trilogy Search, you can expect:
- An intense, passionate focus on a handful of practice areas that span leading business and philanthropy organizations, so you can draw from a diverse, expansive talent pool.
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- Trusted ambassadors who understand your work as if it were their own.


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President's Biography
Dr. Rebecca L. Sherrick became the 13th president of Aurora University in 2000 after serving for 20 years as a faculty member and senior administrator at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Sherrick was born in Carthage, Illinois, and attended Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) in Bloomington, Illinois, as an undergraduate. She was elected as a student laureate to the Lincoln Academy of Scholars and earned her bachelor's in history, summa cum laude, in 1975. IWU recognized her achievements with the awarding of an honorary Doctor of Humane letters degree in 2001.
Sherrick attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, for doctoral studies on a William Randolph Hearst Fellowship and completed her PhD in history with specializations in American and Latin American history in 1980. She is active in a wide range of professional and civic organizations.


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CHANEL jewellery pieces are created using exceptional gemstones and precious metals, and are selected for their aesthetic quality and rarity.
To preserve their beauty, you are advised to treat them with great care and handle them with delicacy.
By acknowledging a few precautions for use and maintenance, you will be able to keep your jewellery in perfect condition for a long period of time.
The precious stones and metals which compose your CHANEL piece of jewellery are delicate materials. Choose your piece of jewellery according to your activities.
It is best to avoid wearing your jewellery in the following situations:
- When washing your hands, in order to avoid soap deposits slipping into small crevices and tarnishing your piece of jewellery.
- When doing activities requiring the use of corrosive products (gardening, cleaning, dishwashing…) in order to avoid damaging the stones that adorn your piece of jewellery.
- When practising sports, in order to avoid impacts and scratches.
It is also best to avoid:
- Exposing jewellery to strong heat: temperature changes can irreversibly damage precious stones.
- Putting on perfume and make-up while wearing your jewellery: chemical ingredients contained in cosmetics are harmful to certain stones.


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There are some moments in life you can recount in vivid detail no matter how many years go by. Like how you met your life partner, or that epic trip abroad.
Driving some of the world's most renowned sports cars along the Sea-to-Sky Highway has become one of those rarefied moments. For years, I will be able to recount the glorious wail of the Ferrari V8 reverberating against the rock cliffs, the flash of the bright orange Lamborghini under the summer sun, the exquisite proportions of the Audi R8 and the jaw-dropping performance of the Nissan GT-R.
For an afternoon, myself and three other equally lucky guys — regular Joes in the grand scheme of things — got an automotive experience fit for rock stars, oil barons and crown princes.
Making this happen are two other regular guys, Thom Boecker of Langley and Bryan Kohare from Mission. Boecker and Kohare have started Scenic Rush Driving Experiences — yes, they will let you drive the Lamborghini, Audi, Ferrari and Nissan GT-R too, for a price.
After the two guys experienced something similar in Las Vegas, they figured Vancouver should get its own version of the supercar buffet and went about amassing $480,000 of hardware.
The guys are targeting tourists and just about anyone who wants to experience the beautiful Sea-to-Sky drive from the perspective of four exotic vehicles. They also think the corporate community might be interested as an amazing experience for team-building, client appreciation or staff appreciation.
They opened for business this month. For $495, Boecker insists the experience isn't merely renting an exotic, but rather a guided tour along the way which includes a trip up the gondola in Squamish. The trip takes roughly three hours with planned stops as drivers swap cars and are encouraged to take photos at various scenic points. For $1,295, you get the top-shelf experience with a five-hour tour up to Whistler.
With four such special machines in his stable, Boecker wouldn't tell us if he had a favourite.
"I get asked that question a lot. It really depends on where I'm going and what I'm doing."
As for my favourite, I'm never one to delay gratification. The seductive lines of the bright red Ferrari F430 was simply too much for me to resist. I drank in the gentle curves of its red bodywork atop each front wheel framing the view down the hood, as well as the alluring shape of the wing mirrors, which are reminiscent of a woman batting her lashes.
With Boecker in the lead in the GT-R, and Kohare following in a pickup, our exotic convoy gingerly made its way toward the Sea-to-Sky highway.
I put the hammer down as we merged, and the car came alive. Unleashing just under 500 horses over my shoulder, I was pinned into my seat as I chased the Lamborghini for a few scintillating seconds before Boecker settled into our cruising speed — making us responsible citizens on the road.
We were an instant sensation for every passing vehicle in both directions. They took their time to get by our convoy with every head on a swivel. Of course, the bright Italians drew the most attention, but I noticed a fair bit of stares towards the more sedate GT-R and R8. Together, the convoy became more than the sum of its parts.
Next is the Lamborghini Gallardo, the product of a man whose purpose in building cars was a personal grudge against Ferrari. With its racy rear wing, massive wheels and an exhaust note that drowned out the convoy, it was the biggest hit among the guest drivers of the day (apart from me). Unlike the Ferrari, which was light on its feet anywhere from a windy road to the parking lot, driving the Lambo felt like riding an angry bull that is ready to charge in any instant.
The interior is what Audi does best. Unlike the pair of brash Italians, it's a grownup car that felt as though it was designed from the inside out.
And finally, I took the reins of Godzilla. The monster from Japan, it is the anti-supercar. In contrast to the colourful characters of the pack, the GT-R executed its task of attacking the pavement with brutal efficiency.
Under Boecker and Kohare's well-orchestrated program, the run up and down the Sea-to-Sky from the Thunderbird Marina in West Vancouver to the gondola in Squamish was smooth and controlled. And that's how it should be, because as long as you follow Boecker's steady pace you could have a good taste of what the cars have to offer while staying well within the right side of the legal limits. In fact, Scenic Rush's business presence is known to local law enforcement in order to make everyone's job easier.
We savoured the afterglow of the experience on the ride home, jabbering excitedly about all the details that are now imprinted in our brains forever. Supercar neophytes in the morning, we felt like experts after we left. We looked around us on the Tuesday afternoon rush hour, smug in the knowledge that we had just experienced four really special cars when most people won't dream of driving even one in their lifetime.
For all that, $495 per person seems like a bargain.
Top speed: 325 km/h*
Built in: Maranello, Italy
Price as tested: $140,000
Top speed: 325 km/h*
Built in: Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Price as tested: $170,000
Top speed: 299 km/h*
Built in: Neckarsulm, Germany
Price as tested: $100,000
Top speed: 311 km/h*
Built in: Kaminokawa, Tochigi, Japan
Price as tested: $70,000
* Top speed figures may vary slightly depending on source of claim


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07 August 2012
The GAA in Ulster and Fermanagh has publicly acknowledged its members' emergency response efforts when an official took ill.
Brookeborough GAA clubman Peter Boyle, a lifelong volunteer within the Association, was officiating as umpire at a Club league game on August 1st when he took ill after the final whistle. He was immediately attended to by Brookeborough GAA and Aughdrumsee GAA Club officials, who successfully used the Brookeborough Club's defibrillator and emergency response techniques until the Ambulance Service arrived on scene. Peter remains in hospital but his condition improves each day.
Ulster GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail said, "I have known Peter for many years as a lifelong GAA volunteer and I am pleased at his continued recovery from this incident.
"The successful use of the GAA's Club's defibrillator by trained Club personnel highlights the value of having this life saving equipment and trained personnel in the GAA Club environment.
"In the past number of years, GAA clubs in Ulster took the decision to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in response to the heightened awareness around Cardiac Risk. While a defibrillator is only of value where the heart is in a 'shock-able' state, in these incidents it will increase the chances of survival and ultimately recovery".
The Ulster GAA, in conjunction with its County boards and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Services, conducted a pilot programme during the winter whereby AED training was offered to GAA clubs. 246 GAA members were trained through this pilot scheme, including members of the Brookeborough Club.
Fermanagh GAA chairperson, Patsy Dolan stated, "Ulster GAA and Fermanagh GAA wish to commend all Clubs who have a defibrillator in their possession, and to particularly note the efforts of those on duty in Brookeborough last week. This collective effort on the part of the GAA family reflects the steps being taken for the betterment of their wider community.
"I join with the entire GAA family in wishing Peter a full and speedy recovery."


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Martyr Agathonicus of Nicomedia, and those with him, who suffered under Maximian - Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 4
Your holy martyr Agathonicus and his companions, O Lord, / through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through their intercessions, save our souls!
Kontakion — Tone 1
Having received the good calling, divinely-wise One, / you abandoned the cult of evil men, not fearing their tortures, glorious Agathonicus. / Therefore, you have inherited good things, / and worthily received the incorruptible crown with your fellow martyrs.


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U.S. Bends to Protests in Pakistan
To contain mass protests in Pakistan over a now infamous anti‐Islamic film, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appear in a $70,000, U.S.-funded ad on Pakistani television denouncing the film and saying America "respects all faiths."
This joint White House‐State Department effort seems terribly misguided, as I would wager that Pakistanis are angrier with Washington dropping bombs on their domes—both cranial and architectural. But what makes this public relations endeavor particularly ill conceived is that, on a basic level, the U.S. Government should be taking this opportunity to promote one of its core foundational principles: the free speech of private citizens.
The ad does not do that. It instead emphasizes America's tolerance for religious freedom without reference to other fundamental rights. I recognize that Obama and Clinton not only want to stop the anti‐American protests, but also challenge the misconception that private and public speech in America are essentially one and the same. But when demonstrators in Peshawar are burning movie theaters and setting fire to posters of female movie stars, our leaders convey the impression that they are kowtowing to radicals. (It should be noted that the savagery perpetrated by radicals in the Muslim world disgusts many moderate Muslims.)
It is bad enough that Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked its American counterpart to have the anti‐Islamic film removed from YouTube. It would be worse if Washington fulfilled that expectation by obliging. As writer Salman Rushdie has said of the protests more generally, free speech is at risk because "religious extremists of all stripes" attack people who criticize beliefs.
Americans live under a different set of laws and customs and should never be scared into bending to extremists. And, however offensive the film mocking Mohammed was, there is no excuse for the violent behavior on display.


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The search found 92 results in 0.011 seconds.
Are "hook up" apps leading to a new kind of dating culture on college campuses? Dating apps like Tinder and Bumble are have a different impact on the lives of college students versus older daters. Many students are using these apps to circumvent the romantic gatekeeping that campus party culture has long dominated.
Between 2008 and 2011, the dysfunctional North London line was improved and rebranded into a high‐quality, high‐frequency service: the London Overground. Great ambitions for regeneration came with this project: The improved line, running through deprived areas of East London, was expected to bring inward investment and to open access to new opportunities outside the borough to its residents.
China has become an important global actor in the arenas of production, trade, and foreign investment. In 1948, China contributed slightly less than 1 percent to global exports; by 2013, it had grown to almost 12 percent. Has China's vertiginous trade growth come at the expense of other exporters or does it represent an expansion of new consumer markets? For policy makers in the so-called "emerging markets," this is most relevant since many have adopted the export-led model as their engine of development.