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Understanding Guilt in Eastern and Western Christianity
In the Orthodox Christian tradition, The Philokalia (Greek: love of the good) ranks as the authoritative compilation of teaching about Christian life and discipline by the Fathers of the Church. In the reference work The Philokalia: Master Reference Guide, author B.S. Stapakis notes there is no reference to "guilt" in the first four volumes of the Philokalia. The reason for this absence is that the Western Christian concepts about how guilt factors into salvation differs markedly from the Christian East.
The late Orthodox historian Fr. John Meyendorff wrote:
"The development of penitential practice and theology in the Byzantine world was distinct from its Western counterpart in that it never knew the influence of legalistic interpretations of salvation...Byzantine theologians never succumbed to the temptation of reducing sin to the notion of a legal crime, which is to be sentenced, punished or forgiven..."
He goes on to say that the prevailing view sees penance as "liberation and healing rather than that of judgment."
Contrast Meyendorff's conclusion with the Catholic Encyclopedia where guilt is described as liability to punishment incurred by transgressing a law. The process that pronounces a person guilty of transgression is compared to a "court of law," and that "in the Christian life, guilt has this primary objective sense." The subjective ramification of this objective decree is psychological remorse, or from the other direction, psychological remorse is the evidence of objective guilt.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church approaches the matter a bit differently. It does not have a specific entry for "guilt" but states that in the confession or disclosure of sin "...man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, and takes responsibility for them" (1455).
Nevertheless, despite this softening of the juridical motif where the pronouncement of transgression is likened to a court of law, the theme of psychological remorse remains. This is evident in the belief that "a temporal punishment for sin remains" even when sins are forgiven as well as the subsequent practice of granting indulgences that continues even today. Indulgences, "Opens...the treasury of merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of temporal punishments due for their sins" (1478).
Orthodox Christianity does not hold to the notion that guilt is a punishment for sin. Guilt certainly exists as an indicator that sin has occurred, but confession and repentance are understood in more therapeutic terms, as a means by which the sinner is restored to communion with God and through which spiritual healing is affected and not as the process by which punishment is imposed.
One exception to the Orthodox understanding occurred among some teachers who came under the influence of the western ideas in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A prime example is St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-1783) who "borrowed heavily from the west," according to Bishop Kallistos Ware. St. Tikhon "... drew upon German and Anglican books of devotion; his detailed meditations upon the physical sufferings of Jesus are more typical of Roman Catholicism than Orthodoxy." St. Tikhon's prayer life was influenced heavily by St. John of the Cross' Dark Night of the Soul.
St. Theophane the Recluse, a student of St. Tikhon wrote a magnum opus, The Path to Salvation, a reinterpretation of True Christianity written by his beloved teacher. "Judge and condemn yourself, and only yourself...your bad will alone is to blame (guilt of your sin). So blame yourself," wrote St. Theophane.
St. Theophane's western approach to guilt is demonstrated by his view of the majority of Christians as "...people who are more or less depraved in their present lives..." wrote Bishop Ware. The problem here is not acceptance of responsibility within which St. Theophane is in total conformity with the spiritual fathers of the Church. Rather the problem is in his emphasis on the depravity of the individual as such as a "state of being" that functions as a component of guilt and is only realized through the experience of guilt.
Understanding Guilt Today
Modern society holds back no barriers discussing guilt. Barnes and Nobel lists no less that 1,143 titles dealing with guilt. Some psychologists posit that guilt is a developmental stage that a person may pass through (Erickson 1950). Dealing with the deleterious effects of guilt is also a focus of clinical research psychologists. Bandura (1974) argues that guilt, shame or dissatisfaction occurs when an individual compares their behavior to their internal standards and finds that it either violates or falls short of those standards.
Cognitive-behavioral psychology has done much to define the meaning of guilt and distinguish between the functional and dysfunctional uses of the term. One of the basic premises of the cognitive-behavioral approach is to distinguish between the individual (their being, so to speak) from what they do (their thoughts, feelings and actions). From the outset patients are taught this important distinction. Treatment focus starts with the evaluation of the thoughts, emotions and actions without evaluating the "self" (Morelli, 2001, 2004). The value of the individual is simply they are "human" and humans can do good or bad things.
This view is congruent with the Christian view although the Christian view goes further. The scriptures teach that we are created in God's image and called to be like Him. Further, "...God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Gen. 1:31). The things we do may be wrong or even evil but our actions cannot negate the existential truth that we are made in God's image and thus good remains.
St. Isaac of Syria stated, God "...has created all for man and has given him mind and word, by which, rising on high, he can enter into communion with God, contemplating and glorifying Him." From the Christian perspective the value of the human being rests in this capacity to contemplate, commune with, and ultimately glorify, God.
Humans made in God's image are called to be like Him and experience theosis, or God dwelling in them. St. Maximos the Confessor wrote that, "Deification is an enhypostatic and direct illumination which has no beginning but appears in those worthy as something exceeding beyond their comprehension. It is indeed a mystical union with God, beyond nous and reason in the age when creatures will no longer know corruption." Bishop Hierotheos Vlachos (1994) concluded that "...the vision of the uncreated light is man's deification."
Guilt and Human Psychology
How, then, do we properly understand and deal with guilt? The first step is to frame any experience of guilt in the broader context that the penitent was created good, and his essential goodness rests in the capacity to experience the life of God.
One of the major components of guilt is the cognitive construct of "badness" (Burns, 1980, Ellis, 1962). The first cognitive distortion (Morelli, 2004) that leads to guilt is to perceive the "self" as bad instead of the "thought, feeling or action" as bad. In psychological terms this is a fundamental breakdown in reality testing. In spiritual terms, this demonstrates a lack of knowledge about our divine value and potential at best; at worst it broadcasts hopelessness and despair.
Psychologically speaking, a person is still a human despite bad things they have done. This is true no matter what the horror of actions committed from a societal viewpoint.
Spiritually speaking, no matter how darkened the mind or evil an act, cleansing is still possible. The strongest example in scripture is King David who had an affair with a colleague's wife and then had the colleague killed but still obtained forgiveness (2 Samuel 11). The affair and murder did not consign King David to a state of unredeemable darkness (a perpetual state of "badness" to use the psychological terminology). The Psalmist in reference to David's sin wrote:
Have mercy on me O God, according to thy steadfast love: according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me for from my sin (Psalm 50: 1,2).
From a cognitive-psychological viewpoint the next step is to evaluate the "badness" of the thoughts, emotions and behaviors. There are basically two options. The first is to assess if the thought or action is objectively bad, immoral and/or unethical. The second option is to assess if the thought or action is cognitively distorted, that is, not bad at all or not as bad to the degree that it is being perceived. The psychologically healthy response is to assume responsibility for the thought or action commensurate with an objective assessment of the transgression.
Once again this was beautifully expressed by the Psalmist, "For I know my transgression and my sin is ever before me" (Psalm 50:3). A transgression should not be denied, but acknowledged.
A common theme in distorted evaluations is that they have a "demand" and "over-evaluation" factors. Feelings of guilt are often accompanied by "should statements" such as "I should not have done this bad thing," "I am worthless, others will look down on me," and "I thought I could never do such a thing." Individuals see themselves as above being able to do or say bad things.
One of the prayers in the Eastern Church funeral service gets it right, "...there is no man who is alive and does not sin." The denial of the capability to fall short and do bad things is actually a subtle form of pride, and pride is sin.
Even the greatest of saints had a sense of falling short and would turn around through the gift of tears (Staniloae, 2003). Peter, for example, wept after denying Our Lord three times (Matthew 26:75). Should these tears be understood at as psychological self-deprecation? No! The "gift of tears" is really penthos - the "mourning for the loss of God's presence" (Chryssavgis, 1990). They constitute a "joyful sorrow" through which a person is transformed by the grace of God.
Dealing With Guilt
Burns, (1981) describes the "guilt cycle" that often follows a transgression. A person's cognitive processes are trapped in an endless loop: "I am bad, I am worthy of condemnation, I am guilty thus I deserve to suffer." Emotional reasoning is the fuel that feeds this loop: "Because I feel guilty I am guilty; I am inherently bad, I deserve punishment."
Challenging and restructuring this error in thinking is critical at this stage. Ask the person if feelings are fact. Use this example: People once strongly felt that the world was flat. Today we know today the world is round and revolves around the sun. No matter how strongly we might feel about something, feelings are not facts!
The key to dealing with 'guilt' from this point on is again found in the words of the Psalmist: "thou desires truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart....Then I will teach transgressors thy ways and sinners will return to thee" (Psalm 50: 6,13). Clinically and pastorally I use the term "debriefing" to describe this process of dealing with guilt.
Debriefing is a neutral term that is action oriented. It has no surplus meanings that might evoke irrational interpretations and strong emotions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) debrief astronauts after a space flight. The military debrief units after operations. Police and fire units debrief their personnel after incidents. The focus on debriefing is to understand the causes of events, the effectiveness of interventions, the consequences, suggestions, and plans for improvement.
The Church Fathers obviously used different terms. The term examination of conscience covers some of the meanings. The purpose of debriefing is to set the groundwork for a more successful operation in the future. Focusing on self-downing and punishment interferes with this process. The church calls for a metanoia which the Shepherd of Hermas defines as a call for great understanding and discernment (Chryssavgis 1990). Metanoia means a fundamental change of mind; a transformation of outlook.
Moreover, a change of mind indicates a change in emotion and a change in behavior which further indicates a plan of action to bring about this change. Here is where understanding and discernment can be married to behavioral plans. For example, it is folly for a person who has an alcohol problem to continue working as a bartender. A major change, a new plan is needed -- a metanoia of mind, heart, feeling and action.
One issue that usually arises is how do I make up for my past badness, transgressions and sins? The answer is again found in the words of the Psalmist: "Then I will teach transgressors thy ways and sinners will return to thee." To make up for the past put all effort on the present and future. Teach transgressors -- first ourselves and, in humility, others. The past cannot be changed; it can only serve as classroom to learn what to do in the present and future.
As our Lord taught us: While it is still time, fill our lamps with oil.
"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Mat. 25: 1-13).
Behavioral psychology can be useful in planning. Instead of using vague abstract terms, like "I will try and do better," I recommend concrete, specific pinpointed tasks along the order of: I resolve to ____________ (with the concrete action written in). I give specific behavioral homework assignments and require the penitent or patient to report if and when they are completed. For example, an alcoholic may be assigned to list, call and make an appointment at treatment center by, say, noon the next day and report back to me with the exact list, people he spoke with, the time he called, and more. Obviously the homework assignments are targeted to the specific problems (or sins) the individual struggles with.
If repentance changed Peter who denied Christ into a leader of the apostles, the disciples who fled from the Cross into founders of the Church, or Saul the Pharisee who martyred Christians into Paul the great missionary, so too can we, despite our failures and sins, become zealous disciples of Christ for the rest of our lives. Jesus told us that he who has been forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47). This is love in action, not self-flagellation, and can be the greatest and most joyful way to overcome sin. "O Happy Guilt" encompasses the true meaning of guilt that can be the source of our liberation, healing and deification.
Bandura, A. (1974). Behavior Theories and Models of Man. American Psychologist, 29, 859-869.
Burns, D. (1980). Feeling Good: The new mood therapy. New York: Avon
Catechism of the Catholic Church. (1996). Washington, DC: National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Chryssavgis, J. (1990). Repentance and Confession. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Press.
Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. New York: Lyle Stuart.
Erickson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and Society. New York: Norton
Meyendorff, J. (1974). Byzantine Theology. New York: Fordham University.
Morelli, G. (2001). Response to Faros In J. Chirban (Ed), Sickness or Sin? Spiritual discernment and differential diagnosis. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press.
Morelli, G. (2004). Christian Asceticism and Cognitive Behavioral Psychology. In S. Muse (Ed.), Raising Lazarus: Integrating Healing in Orthodox Christianity. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press.
Staniloae, D. (2003). Orthodox Spirituality. South Canaan, PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press.
Stapakis, B.S. (2004). The Philokalia: Master reference guide. Minneapolis: Light & Life.
Stravinskas, P. M. J. (1991). The Catholic Encyclopedia. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor
Vlachos, Bishop Hierotheos, (1994). Orthodox psychotherapy: The science of the fathers. Levadia, Greece: Birth of the Theotokos Monastery.
Ware, T. (1984). The Orthodox Church. London: Penguin.
V. Rev. Fr. George Morelli Ph.D. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist, Coordinator of the Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministry of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, (www.antiochian.org/counseling-ministries) and Religion Coordinator (and Antiochian Archdiocesan Liaison) of the Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion. Fr. George is Assistant Pastor of St. George's Antiochian Orthodox Church, San Diego, California.
V. Rev. Fr. George Morelli Ph.D. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist, Coordinator of the Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministry of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, (www.antiochian.org/counseling-ministries) and Religion Coordinator (and Antiochian Archdiocesan Liaison) of the Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion. Fr. George is Assistant Pastor of St. George's Antiochian Orthodox Church, San Diego, California.


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The N.C. Department of Transportation should assure that changes to the intersection of Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway don't harm nearby businesses.
DOT officials on Wednesday updated the Board of Commissioners on their efforts to modify the Upward Road widening project so it doesn't impede customers from turning left into the Village Square Mall. The shopping center is just north of the intersection on the east side of Spartanburg Highway (U.S. 176).
Business owners worry that a 520-foot-long concrete median DOT had planned to put in front of the shopping center would kill business for the stores there. Commissioners asked DOT to look for alternatives.
District Engineer Steve Cannon on Wednesday briefed commissioners on a couple of options. Of these, the best seems to be a "left-over" break in the median to allow traffic to turn left onto Mount Airy Street and into the shopping center. This would at least allow customers of the shopping center and residents of the neighborhood behind it to avoid having to make U-turns. Even with the left-over, traffic exiting Mount Airy Street and the shopping center won't be able to turn left (south) onto 176.
Another option being considered is a "bulb-out" to allow motorists to make a U-turn at the Upward Road intersection. Engineers said this would be more costly, and there are safety concerns about traffic conflicts between vehicles making U-turns and those turning right from Upward Road.
The left-over would shorten one of the turn lanes that will allow traffic to turn left from U.S. 176 onto Upward Road. State engineers predict that will cause traffic within five years to back up into the southbound through lanes on Spartanburg Highway.
Engineers hope to decide within a month which alternative would be best. Construction on the intersection was originally was set to start next spring, but changes may delay that schedule. That's not a good thing, considering the state has been discussing the Upward Road widening project for a decade and delayed the project twice before finally starting on it in May 2010.
Many residents and some local leaders disagreed with the state's plan to widen the road to four lanes divided by a median. Upward Road property owners who had been forced to sell rights-of-way during the 1990s largely favored five lanes. They said a four-lane divided highway with a median would harm business by restricting left turns (sound familiar?).
DOT came back with a number of measures designed to improve access. These include additional lanes to allow for left turns and U-turns, and a new six-lane bridge over I-26. The changes increased the price tag from $14.7 million to $23.8 million.
Dan Focarino, owner of Negozio's Deli in the Village Square Mall, says state engineers have been "very accommodating" in addressing concerns of businesses. It is good that the DOT is continuing to address local concerns. The left-over has some drawbacks, but barring a better plan, it appears the best option to help keep businesses near the intersection viable.
Heeding business concerns
The N.C. Department of Transportation should assure that changes to the intersection of Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway don't harm nearby businesses.

subset: commoncrawl


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IT Management Slideshow: Nine Technologies Worth Your Money in 2012
No doubt you spend much of your time each day considering where to invest your company's technology budget. You're likely to drop corporate cash on computers, smartphones, cloud solutions, software, or any of the countless other products that your employees might need. But, even hardworking CIOs should get to have some fun with technology. So, what about the gadgets and tools that will benefit your own work/life balance? Here's a look at the nine hottest tech products-from work tools to TV advancements-that are expected to be available in 2012. We think you'll find many of these to be worthy of your hard-earned cash.


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Byron & Byron 35mm & 45mm Romantics Floral Wood Curtain Pole in Antiqued Gold finish with Floral Peony finials. A stunning curtain pole range that offers vintage, classic designs with a selection of contemporary colour finishes. The three dimensional flower inspired finials are hand finished, all in the UK. The collection is available in eight beautiful colourways using a palette of colours that will accommodate an array of interiors. A truly inspired and unique collection of designs and finishes, a timeless classic! * Available in 35mm, 45mm diameter. * 35mm and 45mm diameter curtain poles of 2.4m and above are supplied in 2 pieces with an extra bracket. * Curtain poles are supplied complete with all fittings including cup brackets, rings and finials. * Recess brackets, Double brackets, Architrave brackets and Decorative brackets are available to purchase. * Metal brackets are also available in Antique Brass, Polished Brass and Chrome finish. * Matching holdbacks and extra rings are available to purchase. If you are unsure of colour or finish please request a sample, this will then be added to the basket. Please note Made to Measure/Order Terms apply on all Byron & Byron products. Please allow 10-14 working days for delivery.
* 35mm Curtain weight: Light : Medium * 35mm Bracket projection : 100mm * 35mm Finial height: 85mm * 35mm Finial length: 81mm
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Length No Rings No Brackets 120cm 12 2 150cm 16 2 180cm 18 2 240cm 24 3 300cm 30 3 360cm 36 3 480cm 48 3
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Citing confidential sources, Kotaku reports that Borderlands developer Gearbox Software is now working on Duke Nukem Forever and the game is so close to completion (when have we heard that before?) there will be a playable demo available by the end of the year.
Take-Two maintains publishing rights on the title, but declined to comment on the project and whether or not Gearbox is now involved.
Gearbox studio head Randy Pitchford also declined to comment on Duke Nukem Forever, but did tell Kotaku he would be able to better clarify the situation at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX Prime), which kicks off on September 3 in Seattle.
Sharkey says: There's a reason Wired created its Vaporware Award: Duke Nukem Forever. We've been hearing that it's coming soon for a decade, so this one should be taken for what it is: an unconfirmed rumor. Still, this one has a ring of truth because Gearbox was the studio reportedly working on another Duke Nukem reboot, Duke Begins. Looks like we'll find out for sure at PAX Prime.


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Every successful business has achieved its success through the support of its community.
Miami, FL (PRWEB) January 19, 2013
TrueTobacco.com, a leading purveyor of fine cigars and cigar-related products, will be donating all January 19th proceeds of the sales of Stampede Little Cigars to the global aid agency Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps helps people regain economic stability after the area in which they live has been destabilized, either through a natural disaster, a political upheaval or an economic collapse.
Throughout 2013, True Tobacco will be demonstrating its support for 36 organizations that have made a positive difference in the world. On a designated day, each of these organizations will receive all proceeds from the sales of one of the companies many popular product lines. TrueTobacco.com carries 150 brands of cigars and cigar-related products, and is adding more inventory every day.
"Every successful business has achieved its success through the support of its community," says True Tobacco's general manager Nick Gordon. "This is our way of saying, 'Thank you," to the community that has supported us. As a successful e-commerce business, our community is much broader than the geographic community in which we are based, so we have chosen to give our support to organizations that have broad national or international humanitarian mandates."
The Mercy Corps was founded in 1979 as the Save the Refugees task force. Initially, the agency focused on responding to the plight of Cambodian refugees fleeing from Pol Pot's murderous regime. Three years later, the organization's focus shifted from refugee relief to an effort to find more permanent solutions to hunger and poverty in parts of the world affected by major political, economic and environmental transitions.
In the past 33 years, the Mercy Corps has provided over $1.95 billion worth of assistance to the citizens of over 107 nations. Mercy Corps projects reflect the needs in different parts of the world that the Mercy Corps serves. In Indonesia, for example, the Mercy Corps has stimulated local entrepreneurship through a series of innovative lending programs and workshops that teach business basics such as drafting business plans.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Mercy Corps faced a dual challenge. They wanted to implement a strategy that would alleviate the rapid deforestation of the Congo River forest basin. They also wanted to protect the local women from the rape and assault they suffered when they left the relative safety of the village and went out looking for firewood. The Mercy Corps devised an innovative strategy for dealing with both issues by introducing fuel-efficient stoves that use manure as fuel.
In this manner, the Mercy Corps looks for solutions to problems that help people rebuild communities through sustainable economic initiatives. TrueTobacco.com is happy to give customers the opportunity to support the Mercy Corps while enjoying their favorite Stampede Little cigars at a very affordable price.
About TrueTobacco.com: From its start, TrueTobacco.com has made customer service its core business value. The company guarantees full customer satisfaction on all transactions, and works closely with customers to resolve any issues that may arise during the purchase process. Shipping is free on all orders of $200 or over. Since the business launched its full featured website in the fall of 2012, TrueTobacco.com has become one of the most popular suppliers of cigars and cigar-related products on the Internet.
About the Mercy Corps: The Mercy Corps currently oversees projects that affect the lives of nearly 17 million people in 40 countries around the globe. The organization is currently spearheading initiatives in Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of Congo, North Korea, Myanmar and the United States, among other places.
About Stampede Little cigars: Stampede Little cigars make a bold statement from the delightfully retro design of the product packaging to the robust, aromatic flavor of the smokes themselves. The cigars are cigarette-sized, which makes them portable. They are available in an assortment of flavors, including cherry, strawberry, grape, vanilla, icy mint, mild and regular.


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RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 26 of the City Charter, the proper city officials are authorized to contract with Johnson, Killen & Seiler to assist the city attorney in the representation of the city in a matter currently pending in the St. Louis County district court and entitled Hartley Conrad, Paula Savela and Carol Griak v. City of Duluth, Court File No. 69DU-CV-08-1793, and to be available on a continuing basis to advise the city on the issues involved in the lawsuit, as set out in the request for proposals, pursuant to its proposal dated May 16, 2008, not to exceed $50,000 payable from Fund 610-036-1650-5319.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Pursuant to Section 26 of the City Charter, the city attorney has notified the city council of the existence of a conflict by the city attorney and his staff which prevents the city attorney from representing the city in litigation currently pending in the St. Louis County district court. The litigation challenges the manner in which the city is administrating the retiree health care plan. The conflict exists because city attorney staff are all beneficiaries of this plan. This resolution retains legal representation for the city at the rates specified in the proposal submitted by the retained firm.


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U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., was appointed on Dec. 21 by House Speaker John Boehner R-Ohio, to serve as one of eight House "conferees" to renegotiate differing tax and unemployment insurance plans passed by the House and Senate.
Walden's appointment came as part of a last minute House rejection of a bipartisan Senate bill - a move largely viewed as a debacle by political pundits from both sides of the aisle.
By the late evening of Dec. 22 the skirmish between House Republicans and most other legislators had come to an end, with the House agreeing to pass the Senate bill in conjunction with a crafted compromise proposed by Republican Senator Mitch McConnell.
Walden has been a strong advocate for the House bill and is a close confidant to Boehner. He was selected to play a key role within those negotiations.
Following the Dec. 22 agreement, Boehner was quoted as saying, that the House Republicans' refusal to compromise on the short-term extension "may not be the smartest thing in this world ... but our members waged a good fight."
The Senate had earlier passed a hard-won bipartisan plan to extend expiring payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits for two months, allowing negotiators time to agree to a yearlong plan.
"Neither side got everything they wanted, but we forged a middle ground that passed the Senate by an overwhelming bipartisan majority," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in a statement.
However, Boehner, who originally appeared to back the Senate bill, and his colleagues in the House including Walden, ultimately rejected that plan Dec. 20, scuttling a deal cut between the White House and Senate Republicans.
The newly-agreed Senate short-term extension plan will keep the payroll tax rate at the reduced 4.2 percent rate through February while other details of Obama's jobs plan could be negotiated.
If agreement had not been reached, the payroll tax rate would have reverted to 6.2 percent on Jan. 1 and long-term unemployment benefits will expire without an extension.
Early on Dec. 22, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stepped in with what would become the compromise proposal.
McConnell's plan entails a House agreement to approve the Senate's two-month extension on the payroll tax cut with a simultaneous agreement from the Senate to begin immediate negotiations for a yearlong extension. Obama has also agreed to sign off on the the compromise.
President Obama, in a speech to in-home caregivers on Dec. 15, had urged the House to pass the Senate bill, saying, "Congress should not and cannot go on vacation before they have made sure that working families aren't seeing their taxes go up by $1,000 and those who are out there looking for work don't see their unemployment insurance expire."
The House's last-minute refusal to pass the Senate bill, as led by Boehner, forced renewed negotiations across the two houses of Congress right up to the Christmas holiday wire.
As the House Republican's initiated their last minute scuffle, Walden said in a press release, "I for one am glad the House is back in session this week working toward an agreement with the Senate on tax reductions and unemployment extension with reforms."
Walden's press release did not address the reported influence of tea party members on the House's decision to thwart the Senate bill.
According to a Dec. 21 article in the Associated Press, "House conservatives - including newcomers supported by the small government tea party movement - used a conference call" on Dec. 17 to express their objection of the measure.
"I've never seen us so unified," said Rep. Louie Gohmert, of Texas, as he left a two-hour, closed-door meeting Dec. 19, where Republicans firmed up their plans for the Tuesday Senate bill rejection.
According to the White House staff blog supporting the Senate bill payroll tax cut, the Obama administration stated, "If Congress fails to extend this tax cut, the typical family making $50,000 a year will have about $40 less to spend or save with each paycheck. Over the year, that adds up to about $1,000."
According to an article by Joseph Lazzaro in the International Business Times, "Most economists agree that a failure to pass the payroll tax reduction would lower U.S. GDP growth, as the reduction increases take-home income of working class and middle class employees - two groups likely to put the extra money to use quickly if not immediately, thereby stimulating economic activity.
"In all, about 160 million Americans would benefit from the payroll tax reduction extension, and most Americans would see a $750 to $1,500 annual tax increase without the reduction extension."
With the Dec. 22 agreement in place, Walden issued a follow-up statement saying, "We will continue to work hard toward a long term solution in January and February, and I am hopeful we can reach consensus on stronger policy for the American people - after all, that's what they sent us here to do in the first place."
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Lol...Lol...lol....haha nice edit..
Lol...Lol...lol....haha nice edit..
This is really great, Fizmat deserves more props for such an intensive and well done edit. I spent a fair few minutes pointing things out to Vero. You lose the lamely recoloured Yashy and striped tie if you don't look closely at this one.
This is awesome xDDD
This scared the crap out of me. In a good way.
hey, that's the poster for furry vengeance
xD :'(
worst. movie. ever...... best. edit. for. a. worst. movie. ever.


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Free Beer & Hot Wings: Guy Steals Racer's Mountain Bike; Gets Instant Karma [Video]
It has been said for ages that karma is a b****.
Well, this video is ultimate proof that it is.
During a mountain bike race in Australia, a spectator decided to take the bike of one of the bikers who had previously crashed and gotten injured.
This guy probably immediately regretted his decision as his face made contact with the ground.
These are short clips, but every second in them is enjoyable.
Source: Free Beer & Hot Wings


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Freddie Gibbs - Do Wrong Part 2
Official music video for "Do Wrong Part 2" by Freddie Gibbs off his
new EP Str8 Killa available now.
Directed by Eric Swiecinski.
Posted by @WorldStarVids
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March 16, 2011 — Dry, High Fire Danger East; Northwest to See Additional Precipitation
High pressure will continue to dominate our weather for the next couple of days. That means more sunshine and well above average temperatures across much of the state. Highs in Casper will be in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Conditions will stay mainly dry as well.
South to southwest winds will pick up in the east and south today. 15 to 30 mph sustained winds will be common, with gusts up to 40 mph or higher. This wind, combined with the very dry conditions and low relative humidity has lead to very high and extreme fire dangers in some portions of the state. Parts of eastern Wyoming are in a Red Flag Warning today. Portions of central Wyoming are in a Fire Weather Watch on Saturday. Casper is included in the Fire Weather Watch.
Northwest Wyoming will be the only part of the state that will see moisture. Temperatures even there will be warm enough for the precipitation to stay in the form of rain today in the lower elevations. Snow is expected to mix with the rain tonight. This corner of the state will see more showers and mixed showers on Saturday too.


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It happened again. I was shopping in a grocery store when I looked over to see a mother and child reading a nutrition label on a box of graham crackers. I emitted a silent hallelujah! They were so intent. Crouched together shoulder to shoulder, it was a delight to observe.
She was pointing out that when you're looking at a nutrition label you start at the top with the serving size. "Once you know that you can figure out the amount of sugar for each cracker," she said. He seemed to understand. He appeared to be a new reader, and it clearly pleased him to look for and find words he recognized on that label.
As I observed them in the store, I realized this mother was providing instruction on basic nutrition as well as offering a reading and mathematics lesson, right there on aisle 5.
Do you want details? A serving size of graham crackers is eight sections of cracker (or two full crackers). The fact that they break into small sections for easy management in a small child's hands is a factor I had not considered previously. (So clever on the part of those Nabisco folks.) Per section, each cracker has substantially less sugar than I would have predicted. I calculate 1 gram of sugar for each little hand-held cracker. By comparison, many kids' cereals have 26 grams of sugar per serving, and some cookies pack even more.
I am guilty of obsessing about this particular food item today, but honey-made graham crackers were the ultimate treat in our household when I was growing up, and I'm delighted to see them hold their own in a nutritional assessment done by a 7-year-old.
Observing the beckoning blue-and-yellow box in that little guy's hands made me nostalgic. Does that ever happen to you? I wanted to purchase a box of crackers and head home to make the luscious lemon pie my mother used to make, the pie that demanded a thick graham-cracker crust and lots of lemon-tasting.
Once the pie was recalled, it did not take long for full-force graham-cracker nostalgia to set in. I was soon envisioning cozy campfires with s'mores for the asking — you recall them too, I suspect: crispy graham crackers, melted marshmallows and thick squares of chocolate. Stick-to-your-teeth delicious.
I hold nostalgic moments dear as I age, and I appreciated this little guy and his mom providing me with impetus for fond reflection. It was like a gift. But the real gift was observing mother and child using life to teach important lessons.
Not surprisingly, after much discussion the mother and son made the graham cracker purchase. I was tempted to tell them that if they made s'mores it could also provide the opportunity for her to instruct on the importance of brushing your teeth after eating. But I feel sure they figured that out on their own.
And, yes, I bought a box of graham crackers too. Deferring on the pie-making for now, but planning to succumb to other eating options. One cracker at a time.
Sharon Johnson is a retired Oregon State University associate professor in public health and human sciences. You can reach her at 541-261-2037 or email@example.com.
Nostalgia returns one graham cracker at a time
It happened again. I was shopping in a grocery store when I looked over to see a mother and child reading a nutrition label on a box of graham crackers. I emitted a silent hallelujah! They were so intent. Crouched together shoulder to shoulder, it was a delight to observe.


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Insights: You don't need your DSL to be English-like
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There is a widespread opinion that a good DSL has to be English-like in order to be readable for non-programmers. Dave Thomas advocates against such approach asserting that DSL are not about getting as close as possible to natural languages. Moreover, he argues that having this as a guiding principle of DSL design can be rather detrimental. He also highlights what he believes is important in DSL design and provides some examples of successful DSL that do not necessarily reed like English.
According to Dave, DSL don't need to be close to English or any other natural language because they targets a very specific category or users - domain experts – who actually don't speak a natural language
Domain experts […] are speaking jargon, a specialized language that they've invented as a shorthand for communicating effectively with their peers. Jargon may use English words, but these words have been warped into having very different meanings—meanings that you only learn through experience in the field.
Hence, DSL should reflect this jargon and express the expertise of domain specialists in a concise way. Make for dependency management, Groovy builders for expressing data in code and Active record declaration for data modeling in Ruby are a few successful examples of such DSL that respond to domain experts needs without necessarily being English-like. Even though some statements in Active record declaration may look like English, e.g. has_many or belongs_to, they actually are not: "they are jargon from the world of modeling" and "they have a specific meaning in that context."
Another important point raised by Dave is that, in his opinion, "domain experts" should not be understood as business users but rather as people who are writing specs. These people are programmers. They do not really need an English-like language. Dave actually believes that the notion of fluent interface is often misunderstood: "the fluency here is programmer fluency, not English fluency. It's writing succinct, expressive code".
Dave Thomas argues that not only isn't it necessary trying to get closer to a natural language, but it can also be detrimental. Natural languages are imprecise. This makes their power in the real world but this cannot apply to programming. This is why, "whenever we try to create a DSL that looks like a natural language, we fall short". However hard one tries, syntax tends to remain "very unEnglish like". And this gap is rather confusing:
There's a major cognitive dissonance—I have to take ideas expressed in a natural language (the problem), then map them into an artificial language (the AppleScript programming model), but then write something that is a kind of faux natural language.
To illustrate the possible confusion, Dave gives an example of piece code from a test written using the test/spec framework and analyses one expression:
@result.should.be.a.kind.of String
It reads like English. But it isn't. The words are separated by periods, except the last two, where we have a space. As a programmer, I know why. But as a user, I worry about it. In the first example, we write @result.should.be.a.kind_of. Why not kind.of? If I want to test that floats are roughly equal, I'd have said @result.should.be.close value. Why not close.to value?
Trivial details, but it means that I can't just write tests using my knowledge of English—I have to look things up. And if I have to do that, why not just use a language/API that is closer to the domain of specifications and testing?
It is true that English-like DSL may be more readable, but Dave argues that "the attempt to create a natural language feel in the DSL leads to all sorts of leaks in the abstraction". It might add to readability of code but it would "be taking away from its writability" and "adding uncertainty and ambiguity":
The second you find yourself writing
def a
so that you can use "a" as a connector in
you know you've crossed a line. This is not longer a DSL. It's broken English.
One of commentators, Has, also believes that trying to make a language readable to non-programmers one risks to end up with a "read-only language". He takes the example of AppleScript. To improve its readability, it was necessary to remove "most of the usual symbolic cues that describe a language's semantics". As a result, "the syntax effectively obfuscates, not clarifies, the language semantics". If "it's very easy to read an AppleScript and understand _what_ it does, it's damnably hard to figure out exactly _how_ it does it".
Has highlights another issue that may result from using an English-like DSL: users might assume that "because it _looks_ like English, it will also _behave_ like it" and "form all sorts of very strong associations and conclusions about its nature, which then have to be undone the long, hard way". Hence, according to Has, English-like appearance "accidentally encourages unrealistic user assumptions"
If DSL readability and expressiveness are of interest for you, find more examples and comments on Dave's blog post.
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Another example...
Mirko Nasato
RE syntax is almost as cryptic as it can get for non-programmers, yet regular expressions are so valuable in their own "domain" (text parsing/searching/foo) that pretty much every major programming language now provides them, either built-in or as part of its standard library.
Any attempt at writing a more verbose, "fluent" interface to regular expressions would never gain much attention, because conciseness is exactly why REs are so powerful.
Re: Another example...
James Richardson
i know of a few production projects that use this package.
i would certainly recommend using it in any java project where the cost of maintenance & debugging looks like it might be higher than the costs of writing in the first place.
Re: Another example...
Mirko Nasato
many developers are familiar with it) and, of course, have a solid test suite for maintanance and debugging.
Besides, I think that e.g. (for matching a URL)
is actually easier to read than something like (I'm making up the API)
.followedBy(capturing(exactly(12, WordCharacters)))
just like e.g.
72 * 5 - 37 * 3
is more readable (less noisy) than
and the advantages of a compact syntax become more apparent with more complex cases
and/or when similar operations are repeated again and again. That's why such syntax was introduced in the first place.
Verbosity != Readability
Re: Another example...
Francois Ward
Then tool support: regexs can be copy pasted in Expresso (under Windows anyway), and analysed in a very verbose manner, making them a snap to maintain, even for complex ones. If you don't like Expresso, there's a ton of other tools, and there are tons of references and web sites to help. A custom fluent interface will only have the standard debugger of the given language, the doc of the developer/vendor, and thats it. You're on your own for the rest. If its not an internal solution, you may have the vendor/dev forum too, but its limiting. With normal regex, you can post about it on virtually any developer forum, and someone can help..
Same with all the other things (and its true in other fields too, not just DSLs) I mentionned above. I, for example, LOVE Object Relational Mappers (Hibernate, LLBLGEN Pro, LINQ to SQL, SubSonic, etc), but when making an app, I have to be careful: some of these tools aren't as known/supported as good old stored procedures, so its a toss up. Again, same deal with DSLs, especially custom internal ones.
Sholdn't need to be a complete language at all!
William Martinez
If looking to avoid too much thinking on what the vocabulary and grammar should be by reusing English rules, you may find a worst thing. There are examples in the micro-DSL we create in strings (that are sometimes passed as parameters). Michael Stal posted about it in DSL Revisited and I posted some response in Talking about DSL
Readibility is actually important, since the idea behind DSL is to improve description of a domain in its own words.
William Martinez Pomares.
Architect's Thoughts
Re: Sholdn't need to be a complete language at all!
Sadek Drobi
I have a wiki that is almost empty for now. I aint got time to fill it :)
Re: Sholdn't need to be a complete language at all!
William Martinez
William Martinez Pomares.
Architect's Thoughts
One need not go far at all...
Daniel Sobral
But let's forget languages, for now. Why do mathematicians and logicians use their own DSL instead of natural language? Because, not to put a too fine point on it, natural language SUCKS for what they are writing.
And this is what we have to keep in mind. Natural language is actually very weak for abstract concepts. We usually don't notice it because we are naturally bound by the limits our own languages impose on us. Actually, the same happens for people who only know one programming language. :-)
But it is our job to understand the abstract problems we are facing, and developing an expressive way of "talking" about it.


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Perry named Miss PHS
By Taryn SheltonHaven Perry, senior, was crowned Miss Poteau High School 2014 on Saturday in the Bob Lee Kidd Civic Center.Twenty-one girls participated in the pageant.Mikalyn Reif, junior, was first runner-up; Morgan Giles, senior, was second runner-up; Tabi Waldrop, junior, was third runner-up; and Sunnie McConnell, sophomore, was fourth runner-up.Montana Roll, senior, was voted Miss Congeniality by the other contestants. Jonelle Edwards, freshman, received Miss Photogenic. Nicole Chavez, freshman, won the evening wear and Perry won casual wear and crowd pleaser. Seniors Taylor Rutledge and Maria Hurtado also made the top seven."I was so excited and shocked when I won," Perry said. "I want to thank my mom and Mrs. Davies for all their help. I am pumped to come back next year and see everyone."The Miss PHS Pageant is a fundraiser hosted by the Silver Steppers Dance Team. The team is raising money to attend the national competition in the spring. The group will host a Mr. PHS Pageant on Monday, Nov. 18.Taryn Shelton is a student at Poteau High School.


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From breaking news to debate and conversation, we bring you the news as it happens
If New Zealand don't arrive at Eden Park on Friday morning full of self-belief something's seriously wrong. New Zealand were expected to be at least competitive, if not better, in the T20 and ODI series, and were so. England won the deciders both times, turning it on as New Zealand turned off on both occasions. The tests were different. Few gave New Zealand a chance over the course of the three tests. World no 2 vs world No 8, after all, albeit in the lower-ranked team's back yard.


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Research Update: Does FIV play a role in the development of chronic kidney disease in cats?
In people, an association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) retroviral infection and renal failure secondary to glomerular disease is well-established. Previous studies comparing cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) with uninfected cats have demonstrated that FIV-infected animals are more likely to be azotemic and proteinuric.1 However, no study has specifically evaluated the prevalence of FIV infection in cats with idiopathic CKD, which the authors of this study hypothesized would be higher than in nonazotemic cats.
The authors prospectively enrolled cats presenting to two Australian veterinary hospitals over a 14-month period in this case-control study; this study period was prior to the introduction of the FIV vaccine to Australia, so false positive diagnosis of FIV due to vaccine-induced circulating antibodies was minimal. CKD was defined as concurrent serum creatinine concentration > 2 mg/dl (180 mol/L) and urine specific gravity < 1.035. The authors excluded any cats for which a presumptive or definitive cause of renal disease had been identified.Age, sex, breed, creatinine concentration, urine specific gravity, and results of FIV antibody testing were collected from 73 cats with CKD and from 69 control cats with no laboratory evidence of CKD evaluated at the same hospitals over the same time period. The control group included both sick and healthy cats, and any cat with a concurrent medical condition that may be associated with kidney damage (e.g. urinary tract infection, hypokalemia, hyperthyroidism) was excluded. FIV antibody testing was performed using the anti-Gp40 antibody test, and a single positive result was considered diagnostic for FIV infection.
Twelve of 73 cats with CKD (16.4%) and six of 69 cats in the control group (8.7%) were infected with FIV based on antibody testing. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that FIV infection was significantly associated with CKD in cats less than 11 years of age, with an odds ratio of 10 that cats in this age group would be infected with FIV if CKD had been diagnosed. However, the presence of CKD in cats 11 years of age or older was not associated with a change in odds of infection with FIV.


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OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 21, 1996 -- On-line sensors at three United States textile plants are providing information that will help keep textile industry jobs in the U.S. and improve quality of domestically produced fabric.
The sensors are part of the American Textile Partnership's (AMTEX) Computer-Aided Fabric Evaluation (CAFE) project, developed by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant and other DOE laboratories. CAFE is one component of the $20 million AMTEX partnership between DOE labs and the textile industry. Other CAFE members have included Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.
Tests of the sensor system done last year at Y-12 provided encouraging results, but controlled tests don't always predict what will happen under harsh, real-world conditions. Since July, however, the inspection systems have been providing some valuable information at three textile plants in the Southeast. Although some modifications are needed, plant managers are encouraged by the results.
"We've been compiling data for the last few months and the systems are working as expected," said Glenn Allgood, manager of the CAFE project and a member of ORNL's Instrumentation and Controls Division. "Dust, lint, heat and other real-world conditions aren't interfering with the sensors at all."
Industry representatives agree that the technology holds promise.
"The CAFE project is nearing the final stages of development for a series of on-line sensors that represent a tremendous opportunity for textile manufacturers to gain more control of their fabric forming processes," said Mark Kametches, industry project manager. "Upon commercialization, these sensors could have a major economic impact in the weaving, knitting and printing segments."
Management at Glen Raven, which employs 2,500 at its plant outside of Burlington, N.C., is also certain the project will help the textile industry.
"We're confident that the technology is worthy of the time and money we've spent," said Bill Martin, product engineer at Glen Raven. "We've found that the sensors do many times more than what we thought they would do. The system is going to help us improve quality and hold costs flat, which is what we need to be competitive in the world marketplace. This is going to change the way we do business."
On-line tests began in July and will run through early 1997, said Allgood, who noted that the system enables laboratory researchers to monitor the systems -- and compile data -- from remote locations. The inspection system also provides operators with the location of the defect, which saves time and expense because they can stop the loom, make corrections and tag the defective material.
With visual inspection only, it is possible for defective material to work its way through the entire textile system, eventually reaching the marketplace, before retailers and consumers notice the flaws. With the new inspection system, textile mills and apparel manufacturers will realize a lower level of reduced-price, second-grade merchandise.
Within about nine months, elements of the on-line inspection system should be available to the industry for routine plant use, according to Allgood, who expects them to provide cost-effective information.
"The textile industry is looking for return on investment," Allgood said. "They're going to be looking at the bottom line, and we're confident our on-line inspection system will meet their needs."
More than 1.6 million people in the U.S. work in the textile industry. In fact, textile production exceeds the automotive, petroleum and primary metals industries in contributions to the Gross National Product, according to AMTEX. The partnership was formed because of the important role the textile industry plays in the nation's economy.
"The goal of AMTEX is to strengthen the competitiveness of the textile industry, which consists of the fiber, textile, apparel and fabricated product sectors," Kametches said. "The partnership draws upon the resources of the textile industry, the Department of Energy, DOE labs, other federal agencies and universities."
Funding for the project is provided by DOE's Defense Program.
ORNL, one of DOE's multiprogram research facilities, is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp. The Y-12 Plant is managed for DOE by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems.
If you would prefer to receive your press releases by e-mail, please send your e-mail address to email@example.com
You may read other press releases from Oak Ridge National Laboratory or learn
more about the lab if you have access to the Internet. You can find our
information on the World Wide Web at http://www.


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Racism is big topic for New London candidates
New London - There are economic realities in the city, including property taxes and limited funds to support an adequate police force and repair roads and sidewalks. But the issue that stood out at a candidates' debate Tuesday night was racism.
"Does racism and racial privilege exist in New London and what can we do about it?" was one of the questions audience members posed to candidates. Judy Dolphin of the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut, who moderated the debate at the New London Science & Technology Magnet High School, read the questions aloud to candidates.
For many of the 16 candidates running for seven seats on the City Council, the answer was "yes."
"Yes, there is an issue that we who are middle class and white don't see," said Ronna Stuller, a Green Party candidate for City Council.
"Racism still exists," said Democrat City Councilor Anthony Nolan, who is seeking a second term. The black city police officer said he encounters racism in his job.
"I'm a nice person. I don't care what people say," he said. "Whites say negative things to me. Black say negative things to me."
"Racism exists everywhere in this country," said Keith Robbins, who is running on the Republican ticket. "But we've come a long way in New London." He cited the Elks club, which he said was a "white boys' club" but will soon have a black exalted ruler.
"We have to stop putting labels on each other," Robbins said. "Hey, I'm a bald-headed Irish guy with a Polish mother. But we can all work together."
Republican candidate William Vogel said he sees economic imbalances and education as bigger impediments than racism. Bringing more students from the suburbs into New London schools with the new magnet school plan, he said, could help ease some of the "economic stratification."
But Democratic incumbent Wade Hyslop and Democratic newcomer Erica Richardson, who are both black, chastised Vogel for implying the schools are inferior because the majority of students are racial minorities.
We can't look at our schools as the problem, he said. "Every kid needs an education."
Most of the candidates who addressed the topic of racism - the question was posed to only four candidates, but others chose to add to the discussion - said treating each other with respect is a way to overcome differences.
Michael Tranchida, a Democrat, former city clerk and lifelong resident, said there's been racism in this country "since the Mayflower."
"We're a very blended city. And every day, the city moves forward," he said.
Democratic candidate Efrain Dominguez said kindness to others has to be taught at home and then carried through to schools and into civic life.
"I've been a teacher for 16 years and I treat my class as a family," he said.
Republican candidate Dennis Downing found the simplest way to address the problem. Just say hello, he said. "We have to start somewhere. We're all just people."
Also attending the debate were City Councilor Marie Friess-McSparran, a Democrat running on the Republican ticket; Council President Michael Passero; Carl Lee, a petitioning candidate; Democrat Laura Natusch; and Republicans Michael Doyle, Katelin Teel and Martin T. Olsen.
The city's registered voters have a diverse field of candidates to choose from. Of the seven Democrats, seven Republicans, Green Party candidate and independent petitioning candidate, there are four minorities, four incumbents and five women running for City Council.
The debate was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut, the New London Neighborhood Alliance and New London Parent Advocates.
Critics pile on after Trump cancels visit to U.S. military cemetery outside Paris
Trump walks alone as Macron rips nationalism at WWI centennial


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Giant Lily Pads and Lotus Blossum
- Description: View of giant lily pads floating within a lily pond in Fairchild Gardens.
- Keywords: giant lily pad, lily pad, lily, lotus, flower, water, Fairchild Gardens
- TIFF File: A high resolution TIFF of Giant Lily Pads and Lotus Blossum (28.9 Mb) is available for download. This is a very large file suitable for printing. For most on-screen purposes, you should use the image displayed on this page instead of this TIFF.
- Source: Florida Center for Instructional Technology, Exploring Florida: Social Studies Resources for Students and Teachers (Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, 2009)
- County: Miami-Dade
- Location:
- Date of Photo: 5/26/2008
- Photographer: Roy Winkelman


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If you're trying to figure out exactly what motivated all-time Ravens safety Ed Reed to jump off the Super Bowl bandwagon and sign with the Houston Texans, you should probably consider some other hobby.
Figuring out what makes Reed tick could be a lifelong quest. He's a complicated guy who doesn't fit easily into anyone's preconceived notions about the inner workings of professional football players or, for that matter, superstar athletes of any stripe.
What we do know is that Reed will always be remembered as one of the greatest safeties of all time and he'll eventually see his name gracing a façade at M&T Bank Stadium. He'll also be remembered by his teammates as a defensive savant who could outguess some of the smartest quarterbacks of his era and leave helpless offensive players looking for their shoes when he picked off a pass and headed back in their direction.
What we don't know are all the factors that contributed to his decision to don a different uniform at this stage in his career. It would be easy to just say that the Texans made it clear that they wanted him more than the Ravens did – and that might be true – but this is Ed Reed we're talking about, so you know it's not that simple.
It also is routine in these situations to assume that it was just a matter of who ponied up the most money, which is always one of the most important components of any contract negotiation. Reed is near the end of his career, so that last monetary affirmation probably was of some importance, especially after the Ravens largely ignored his overtures for a contract extension over the past couple of years.
The rest is just a matter of speculation, so here's my take:
Reed has never been far out of the spotlight in Baltimore, but he has always played in the shadow of Ravens icon Ray Lewis. No matter how good Reed was or how many interceptions he rolled up, he was always playing on Ray's team. It was always Ray and Ed at the heart of the great Ravens defenses. It was never Ed and Ray.
And, as if on cue, when the time came for Reed to finally take part in a successful Super Bowl run, Lewis swooped in after spending half the season on the sidelines to occupy center stage throughout the playoffs. He even used the opportunity to publicly turn "his" team over to quarterback Joe Flacco as he headed into the sunset.
Don't misunderstand. No one is saying that Reed left because he wasn't getting enough attention or credit for the Ravens' success. He clearly had the time of his life during Super Bowl week and will cherish his years in Baltimore. But there is an opportunity in Houston to be that missing piece that helps propel another very good team to the promised land, which would enhance an already terrific Hall of Fame resume and allow Reed to walk away from the game untethered to anyone else's legacy.
Ravens fans will certainly miss him. So will a lot of us in the local media, who found him forever intriguing even as he held us at arm's length.
His teammates will miss him most of all, but he may have sensed – quite rightly – that this was the appropriate moment for him to take his leave, both from a personal and team standpoint. The retirement of Lewis and Matt Birk, as well as the departure of Anquan Boldin and Bernard Pollard, signaled a dramatic shift in the makeup and direction of the team. The Ravens seem to be moving on from the Ray Lewis/Ed Reed era.
Maybe Reed just felt it was time to let that happen.


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April Baker grew up in the wood-sided rancher at 9 East Hill Drive in Dana and loved the place so much, she moved back from Asheville with her husband to raise her three boys there. That was before she knew their neighborhood's well water was contaminated with pesticides.
April Baker grew up in the wood-sided rancher at 9 East Hill Drive in Dana and loved the place so much, she moved back from Asheville with her husband to raise her three boys there. That was before she knew their neighborhood's well water was contaminated with pesticides.
Since last spring, the family has been following state-recommended precautions such as limiting their showers to 5 minutes, to avoid exposing themselves to the insecticide dieldrin. They drink and cook using bottled water delivered every two weeks.
With three boys, two of them teenagers, limiting showering time has been the hardest adjustment, Baker said.
"They don't like the point of, 'Hey, hurry up and shower!'�" she said. "And they can't take baths. It would be nice not to worry about it."
A $953,000 project by the city of Hendersonville was supposed to start this fall, extending city water lines to homes on Academy Road, Ridge Road, Meadow Woods Drive, Jade Walker Drive, Emerald Lane, Offense Lane, Largo Lane and East Hill Drive.
But a delay in state permitting for the project — along with setbacks with a N.C. Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant — have pushed back the start of construction to January or February, city officials said last week.
"There's nothing you can do about it," Baker said, after hearing news of the delay. "But I was looking forward to it getting underway."
State and city officials say they're still committed to getting clean drinking water out to the affected homes as soon as possible. But they've run into a few snags.
Henderson County won a $300,000 grant last summer from the N.C. Rural Center to put toward the water line extension. And the Bernard Allen Memorial Emergency Drinking Water Fund, which is funding deliveries of 5-gallon jugs to 20 affected residents who qualify financially, will kick in another $200,000.
But a $500,000 Department of Commerce block grant the city was counting on to help cover the roughly $453,000 difference in the water line project has run into problems, state and city officials said.
"It sounds like we don't meet a lot of the qualifications," said Brett Laverty, a hydrogeologist with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. "They're having a hard time finding a spot for us. If we don't get it, we'll have to go back to the drawing board."
City Manager John Connet said the Department of Commerce is "in the process of a rule change about what qualifies. We're kind of in limbo. Basically, we've got a project that there's questions whether it fits in a pot of money under the old guidelines or a pot of money under the new guidelines."
Even if the city's block grant wasn't in limbo, Connet said Hendersonville is also awaiting some state permits for the water line project. Environmental permits were approved recently, he said, but "now we're requesting permits from the state which would allow us to bid it out."
Whether or not the city wins the block grant, Connet said city council has a backup plan and will make a decision by its Dec. 5 meeting. The options include scaling down the scope of the project or closing the funding gap with city funds.
City Utilities Director Lee Smith said the project can't be scaled down too much because the affected homes "are kind of scattered around. We could come off of Ridge Road and end it just north of East Hill, but that'd be less than $200,000 you could save there."
However, both Smith and Connet remain hopeful that the community block grant funds will still come through.
"We're going to persevere and make this project happen, one way or another," Connet said. "City council is committed to getting good, clean drinking water to the people of Dana. It's just going to take a little more time than we originally anticipated."
Right now, the city is trying to extend water not just to homes with wells contaminated by pesticides, but also to those in the immediate area that could be affected in the future. Laverty said the community block grant is "very important" to that effort.
"We don't foresee that the contamination is going to spread over time," Laverty said. "I think where it is is where it's going to stay. But just to be safe, they want to extend the water line to those other homes in the area."
To date, the state has sampled 80 wells in Dana, Laverty said. Fifty-one had "non-detectable levels of pesticides," he said, while 26 have concentrations of dieldrin above the state standard for groundwater.
State officials still haven't pinpointed the source of the poisoned groundwater, and Laverty said they may never know exactly how a hydrophobic chemical that was designed to bind with soil ended up in wells ranging from 100 feet to 900 feet in depth.
But state inspectors have found "some poorly constructed wells" in the contaminated area that were improperly sealed. Those could be entry points for the pesticide, Laverty said. The state would like to offer residents abandonment of their wells for free, but funding is not yet available.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed," he said. "We really want this water to go to the affected areas. They've obviously been drinking it for years, but now they know. They have to limit water use and it's burdensome. A lot of these homes have young children. As a parent myself, I would be on pins and needles the whole time until we got things resolved."
Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Catherine Zeta-Jones Enters Treatment Center for Bipolar Disorder
Catherine Zeta-Jones has checked herself into a treatment center to help her deal with bipolar disorder on Monday (April 29).
The 43-year-old actress is scheduled to complete a 30-day program, according to TMZ.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Catherine Zeta-Jones
In 2011, Catherine completed a stint at a treatment center for bipolar disorder.
Catherine and her husband Michael Douglas were publicly spotted last week at the 2013 Chaplin Award Gala in the Big Apple.
FYI: Bipolar Disorder is a "mood disorder, where individuals experience episodes of a frenzied state known as mania (or hypomania), typically alternating with episodes of depression."


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Turning 25!
Dear 21 year old self,
I know you are doing pretty good, rather brilliant, if I may say so at this moment. You just got your first credit card, which is a big deal to you, a job you are proud of and most importantly, good people around you. The friends you are hanging out with right now are going to be an important part of your time to come, some of whom you will call up at 4AM and say "Listen, I screwed up". The surprise 21st birthday party was killer and the dinner that followed it too. Now you may wonder what wisdom I have gained in a period of four years that I will share with you. It's not much but let me assure you, you will not be disappointed where you have got.
Chicago is beautiful; its suburbs are calm and serene. New York City is breathtaking to say the least and one needs to spend a year of his life there, well I definitely intend to. And my good old Bloomington, of which you have never heard of before and where I am right now, is a small student town, lively as hell and filled with activity. Let me tell you that for a person who has never left Hyderabad in 21 years for more than a 2 month holiday now and then, the next 4 years of your life is filled with a lot of travel. Some of it alone, some to really far off places and some to a point of no return and you will enjoy each one of those.
So, that brings me to the point of this letter. Sitting at coffee shops and working on case studies, roaming around a small student town and its downtown and attending random music events are some of the things that have been a fascination for a long time and I assure you that most of these small things have been accomplished. Over the last four years, apart from fulfilling all these childhood fascinations, and adding a few more to the to-do list, you have sort of a clearer picture of what to do in life, which had always been a puzzle all through.
We are fascinated by numbers, especially us Indians. The very idea of putting a number next to every little thing in life is something that comes naturally to us. Creating pointless milestones out of irrelevant entities is a common pass time, Sachin's 100th 100 being a clear example here. Living half the world away from the homeland has not taken an iota of Indianess out of me. I strongly believe that biryani and pani puri can bring about world peace and the Golden Gate Bridge is nothing in front of the Tank Bund back home. No arguments on those. Similarly, I still love numbers and turning 25 is a big deal. Turning 21 was a big deal as well, in a good way, but 25 is weird.
The first 21 seemed like a lifetime. That was the only time when you naively trust people to be as nice to you as you are to them. You make a ton of friends, become close to some and lose a lot of them as well. With every friend you lose, you lose a bit of yourself. Some memories, activities, that you associate with one cannot be repeated with anyone else since the effect is just not the same. You will realize that some friendships last for a reason, some for a season and very few for a lifetime. Believing this lessens the pain of the ones that can't go the distance.
This letter is not an expression of rebellion or sadness but of optimism. We are all born with the innate ability to rise above all the pain and suffering that life constantly brings. We are all born with a glimmer of hope, that maybe we can change things for ourselves if we really tried. I know I can overcome adversity because there is a part of me that will never give up. Here's to overcoming our greatest obstacles.
All things considered, you have done a fairly decent job so far. While I am really glad to turn 25 in six months, there are certain things I miss about being 21; things that have withered with time just the slightest bit. The idealism I had, the pure belief that time is the best equalizer, the self-righteousness in decision making and a few other things. I have often wondered the very purpose of life and the comic strip below is the closest I have come to believe.