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On the 13th of Adar of the year 3405 from creation (356 BCE), battles were fought throughout the Persian Empire between the Jews and those seeking to kill them in accordance with the decree issued by King Achashveirosh 11 months earlier. (Achashveirosh never rescinded that decree; but after the hanging of Haman on Nissan 16 of the previous year, and Queen Esther's pleading on behalf of her people, he agreed to issue a second decree authorizing the Jews to defend themselves against those seeking to kill them.) 75,000 enemies were killed on that day, and 500 in the capital, Shushan, including Haman's ten sons (Parshandata, Dalfon, Aspata, Porata, Adalia, Aridata, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizata), whose bodies were subsequently hanged. The Jews did not take any of the possessions of the slain as booty, though authorized to do so by the king's decree. (The Book of Esther, chapter 9).
Link: The Story of Purim; see also "Today in Jewish History" for tomorrow, Adar 14.
The Maccabees defeated the Syrian General Nicanor in a battle fought four years after the Maccabee's liberation of the Holy Land and the miracle of Chanukah.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein was one of the major leaders of American Jewry in the 20th century. Born in 1895, he came to New York in 1936 in order to escape the oppressive Soviet regime.
In addition to the students in the yeshivah he headed, he guided rabbis and lay people with his insightful and definitive responsa on virtually every area of Jewish law. Many of them have been collected in the multi-volume Igrot Moshe.
This being the Shabbat before Purim, on which we celebrate the foiling of Haman the Amalekite's plot to destroy the Jewish people, the weekly Parshah is supplemented with the Zachor reading (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) in which we are commanded to remember the evil of Amalek and to eradicate it from the face of the earth.
"Parshat Zachor" is the second of four special readings added during or immediately before the month of Adar (the other three being "Shekalim", "Parah" and "Hachodesh")
The Zachor Reading with commentary
More on Who Was Amalek?
The festival of Purim begins at nightfall tonight, and the Megillah (Book of Esther) is read for the first time this evening.
Since the first Megillah reading takes place after Shabbat ends, one should be careful not to travel to the synagogue to hear the reading prior to the end of Shabbat (click here for times), or before saying the special prayer: Blessed Is the One Who Separates Between Holy and Mundane. If one owns his own Megillah scroll, it should be brought to the synagogue prior to Shabbat (since one may not prepare on Shabbat for after Shabbat).
See entries for tomorrow, Adar 14. (In Jerusalem and other ancient walled cities, the festival is observed beginning tomorrow night--see entries for Adar 15.)
NOTE: The "Fast of Esther", usually observed on this date, is moved back this year to the previous Thursday, because of the sanctity of Shabbat (see entry for Adar 11)


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After driving through a beautiful stretch of rubber trees you'll find Nai Yang Beach Resort, tucked away on a secluded stretch of sand on the Northwest coast of Phuket. The entire area is under the supervision of Nai Yang National Marine Park, making it protected, quiet and safe. The resort offers unforgettable views, seclusion, and access to a variety of activities including Dive center, shopping Plaza with the unique souvenir and professional Thai and foot massage. Or for that true escape, restful times with a good book while relaxing awaying casuarina and coconut trees. Swimming and relaxing at the front beach.
Nai Yang Beach Resort located in the middle of Sirinard National Park

subset: commoncrawl


text: Kentucky Farmer Named Horizon Award Winner January 29, 2013 05:30 AM Tweet Joanna Carraway, center, is the 2013 Tomorrow's Top Producer Horizon Award winner. She's pictured, from left to right, with Top Producer's Jeanne Bernick, her husband, Craig Carraway; SFP's Reggie Underwood and Top Producer's Sara Schafer. TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Sara Schafer Top Producer Editor Email The Tomorrow's Top Producer Horizon Award recognizes a producer, under the age of 35, who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming. This includes marketing, farm finance, technology, and family and employee relations. Every corner of farm country has its own unique challenges. In Murray, Ky., the hometown of this year's award recipient, the biggest challenge has been no rain, something most of us can now relate to. Joanna Carraway and her husband Craig bought into his family's farm, which includes Craig's parents, Steve and Freda, in 2006. They had a banner year growing corn, soybeans, winter wheat and tobacco. It was such an encouraging year that Joanna left her job at a software development company to also join the farm, full-time. In 2007, it quit raining, and hardly rained since. Corn yields on Carraway Family Farms have come in under 100 bu. per acre five of the last seven years due to drought. In 2012, corn yields were a devastating 31 bu. per acre. Yet, these young farmers have been able to not only survive, but thrive under very adverse conditions. Joanna says that nothing teaches you to manage money better, than not having any. She says in 2007 they were facing a trying financial situation, because the corn, soybean and tobacco crops were all a disaster. She knew it was time to make some management changes to create a better future. Joanna grew up the youngest of five girls in southeast Missouri. She says after many hours on the tractor, starting at age 8, she had no plans to be a farmer. She enrolled in Murray State University, wanting to find a career in business administration. Yet, after only six months, she missed agriculture and farming. It was just in her blood. She switched her major to agronomy and started an internship at a local agriculture retail store, where she met Craig. Joanna says as a child, farming was long, hot and hard days. Now she knows farming is more than just driving a tractor, even though she still does plenty of that. She has taken on the role of record keeping, setting financial goals and making plans to execute them. Joanna and Craig are both seventh-generation farmers. Or as they say, their families have been farmers for as long back as they can track. The couple has a have a son, Preston, and daughter, Hannah. About the Award 2012 was the first year for this prestigious award. Michael Daniels, an impressive farmer from Salem, Wisconsin, received the award last year. By winning this award, the young farmer receives a trip for two to the Tomorrow's Top Producer conference in Chicago, as well as a 7-day trip to the Cereals Show in the United Kingdom, which takes place in June. This award is sponsored by SFP. See full coverage of the 2013 Tomorrow's Top Producer event. .................................... Thank you to the 2013 Tomorrow's Top Producer sponsors: Agrotain, Farm Credit, SFP Back to news


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Suzanne Morris, a successful investment banker working at Lehman Brothers in New York City, decided to make a significant life change by going to work for a small nonprofit that was poised for growth. She accepted a position as chief operating officer (COO) of an organization that helps female entrepreneurs grow their businesses through confidence-building tools and training, a mission that resonated strongly with Morris. She came to the job with a love of problem solving and a penchant for growing and managing teams as well as a deep admiration for the organization's celebrated CEO.
During her first week on the job, Morris learned that she was the organization's fourth COO in a year and a half.1 Morris was told that she would be responsible for human resources (HR), legal, technology, and board management, as well as responsible for managing everyone except the controller, who reported to the CEO (and happened to be the CEO's sister). Morris felt that if she'd survived the rough-and-tumble world of investment banking, she could certainly tackle this challenge.
Over the next nine months, however, Morris learned that the dynamic CEO whom she had admired resisted processes and systems, asserted tight control over all details, avoided delegation, felt threatened by opposing views, and contributed to a negative staff culture. It seemed that the CEO was not prepared for a strong management team or aware of the opportunity that having a strong team would present. Although Morris felt that she contributed to the organization's overall development, she decided that her skills could be better used elsewhere and left. By refusing to relinquish control, the CEO missed an opportunity to fully engage Morris and capitalize on her strengths.
Awkward leadership transitions like this one are not uncommon, particularly when an organization is young and growing fast. When this type of transition is handled poorly, it can cause high employee turnover, low morale, inefficient systems, loss of credibility with stakeholders, and decreased impact. When the transition is handled well, it can help vault a small organization into the high-growth phase.
Instead of resisting change, social entrepreneurs must embrace it at this critical inflection point by creating a leadership team of qualified and driven individuals. Ultimately, as a recent Bridgespan Group report put it, "augmenting the experience and capabilities of the senior leadership team is often the most visible sign of change in organizations that are becoming more strongly managed."2 With strong management come strong systems, infrastructure, talent development, programming, and, ultimately, meaningful impact.
To understand how social entrepreneurs can make the transition from running a start-up to creating an organization that is able to scale up, we interviewed dozens of social sector leaders. From these interviews we identified the steps that social entrepreneurs must take to build a team and the five leadership roles that an organization must have for it to be successful at this stage of its development: the evangelist, scaling partner, connector, program strategist, and realist. Before exploring these roles in detail, it is useful to look at one social entrepreneur's successful effort to create a leadership team.
Vision Spring's Experience
In 2001, Jordan Kassalow, a practicing optometrist, and business partner Scott Berrie formed the Scojo Foundation, a nonprofit organization that sells inexpensive eyeglasses to the poor, and Scojo New York, a for-profit optometry business. Five percent of Scojo New York's pre-tax profits are directed to fund the work of the foundation (which in 2008 changed its name to VisionSpring.) Since its founding, VisionSpring has trained more than 5,200 entrepreneurs, who have sold more than 360,000 pairs of glasses. VisionSpring believes that it can help reduce poverty in the developing world by selling affordable glasses to tailors, mechanics, artisans, and other professionals who need to see well to do their work.
In 2003, when the Scojo Foundation was just getting off the ground, Kassalow and his then senior director, Graham Macmillan, created a strategic plan that wasn't just about programs, but was also about people. "We tried to envision the organization five years down the road," says Kassalow. "What management roles will we need at that point?" They drew boxes for each role—20 in total—and divided the roles between them. Kassalow's positions included CEO, director of development, director of business development, and country manager. Macmillan's roles included everything related to finance, sales, operations, and HR.
The two founders then began the process of shedding roles by asking which jobs we "hated the most and were least good at doing," says Kassalow. Over time they chipped away at the boxes, erasing their names and putting in the name of a new employee with stronger skills in that particular field. The goal was to have Kassalow's name in only two places: the evangelist box and chief fundraiser box. When Macmillan decided to leave VisionSpring last fall, the board pushed Kassalow and Macmillan to define the skills Macmillan's replacement would need so that Kassalow could continue to shed additional roles. A job description for the position—now called COO instead of senior director—was created that highlighted deep financial, accounting, and people management experience, along with multi-sector experience and a certain gravitas. Government experience would be icing on the cake.
Kassalow filled the new position by hiring Sean Mayberry. Mayberry has senior executive experience at Population Services International, Intel Corp., and the U.S. Department of State. As Mayberry gets settled into his role as COO, Kassalow looks forward to replacing his name with Mayberry's in a few more boxes.
Building the Team
It is rare for an entrepreneur to begin thinking about how to build a management team as early as Kassalow did. More often, entrepreneurs put off constructing a management team until they have no other choice. Kassalow provides a model for the steps that social entrepreneurs can and should take to create a strong leadership team that is capable of taking an organization to scale: Recognize that you can no longer do it all alone; hold frank conversations with your board about the transition; and hire strategically rather than opportunistically.
One of the remarkable traits about social entrepreneurs is their ability to play many roles. They care deeply about how their vision is implemented and feel personally invested in the outcome. Social entrepreneurs are often so involved in all aspects of the organization that they end up holding up decision making, losing talent, and creating bottlenecks. At some point, grumblings of dissatisfaction from employees or frustrating inefficiencies emerge and need solutions. To avoid getting to this detrimental stage, the entrepreneur must recognize that he can no longer do everything himself and preemptively prepare to let go. Before hiring any high-level managers, he needs to assess his own strengths and weaknesses honestly. Social entrepreneurs must ask themselves questions such as What do I enjoy doing? What am I really good at doing? What am I not good at doing? What kind of people do I need around me?
Board members play a particularly important role at this stage of the process. They should instigate conversations with the social entrepreneur about building strong, talented management teams, preparing for leadership succession. To ensure that this happens, entrepreneurs should fill their board with opinionated members who bring skills, networks, and experience to the organization. Entrepreneurs must use the start-up stage as an opportunity to build trust with board members and ensure that board members are invested in the vision and long-term sustainability of the organization. This trust enables entrepreneurs to heed advice that can often feel personal or be difficult to hear. Strong boards help entrepreneurs grow comfortable with dissenting voices, challenged ideas, and evolving roles.
Entrepreneurs should map out their senior management hires ahead of time. Too often, they see an oncoming cash flow crisis and hire someone with an accounting background, or decide they are overwhelmed with direct reports and hire a COO. "Social entrepreneurs are often encouraged or forced to get a person or a skill set in immediately," says Sally Osberg, president and CEO of the Skoll Foundation. They "often go into it feeling cornered." Kevin Flynn, director of client services at Commongood Careers, sees this behavior frequently. "We hear, 'I need someone who is an entrepreneurial CFO and can do technology and fundraising and also code in Java,'" says Flynn.
The Leadership Team
Once the social entrepreneur has spent time in honest self-reflection and frank board discussions, it's time to create a new leadership team. The entrepreneur must approach leadership team development with the same thoughtfulness and determination that he applies to creating his vision or he risks making the wrong hires. Our research indicates that there are five essential leadership roles in an organization that is ready to scale up. These roles may or may not be filled by five separate people; in some cases multiple roles can be filled by one person. The five roles are the evangelist, scaling partner, connector, program strategist, and realist.
The most important member of the leadership team is the evangelist—the person who is deeply passionate about the organization's mission and convinces others to help fulfill it. When the founder is still at the organization, he is the person who fills the role of the evangelist. If the founder has been replaced, it is the entrepreneur who is running the organization (often with the title of CEO, president, or executive director) who becomes the evangelist.
The evangelist has a number of responsibilities. First, he is the organization's visionary, continually refining its mission and strategy and making sure that priorities are established and met. He needs to share his vision with people inside and outside of the organization, especially with the leadership team. Willy Foote, president and founder of Root Capital, explains that the evangelist is going to see new opportunities that may not fit with the current organization's strategy, and his role is to "get the team to believe in the value of disruption, while being very cautious to court disruption not destruction."
The evangelist also maintains the organization's culture. For example, when Mike Feinberg, cofounder of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), served as CEO of the KIPP Foundation, he ensured that each conference room held the name of a children's book that held significance on the KIPP school campuses. All new hires learned the symbolism of these books and embraced the metaphors associated with them. For example, The Polar Express represented the message that all "KIPPsters" (students who attend a KIPP school) can "hear the bells" even when naysaying communities, peers, or adults try in vain to convince them that college is not an option. Each evangelist will choose a different way to keep the organization's culture alive, but he needs to be the person who constantly reminds others of the importance, characteristics, and values of the organization's culture.
The evangelist is also the external face of the organization. People want to understand the evangelist's underlying motivations for leading the organization and be captivated by the organization's founding story and long-term vision. The evangelist can skillfully weave together the organization's mission and programs with stories that express it in personal terms in order to truly "evangelize" and convert nonbelievers.
Scaling Partner
The second role that is required is the scaling partner. This person is the organization's pragmatist, someone who can think strategically and make the evangelist's vision a reality. Sometimes this position is called the COO, and other times the deputy or managing director. The scaling partner must enjoy creating and managing systems that improve organizational efficiency, as well as creating systems that allow staff members to enjoy their jobs and feel valued and rewarded.
"A lot of organizations are looking for entrepreneurial people who can build the plane while flying it," says James Weinberg, founder and CEO of Commongood Careers. "But at [the scaling] stage, they actually do need someone to just build the plane." Or as Osberg says, the scaling partner is "someone who can unleash the productivity of the organization by ensuring that people spend their time in the right way."
Erin Ganju, former COO and current CEO of Room to Read, is a good example of a scaling partner. In 2001, Ganju first offered to help founder and executive chairman John Wood manage his burgeoning organization. Wood recognized right away that Ganju was a good potential scaling partner because she could think big, yet was also detail oriented and enthusiastic about tasks that he didn't like doing. Before joining Room to Read, Ganju had worked as a product line manager at Unilever and as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. She immediately put her strong project management skills to use at Room to Read. She helped develop a strategy for entering new countries, formalized program design, and helped channel Wood's fundraising talents into specific programmatic areas. Ganju enjoyed managing operations, talent, and processes while Wood preferred public speaking, fundraising, and building a worldwide network of allies. Ganju was the perfect scaling partner for Wood.
As crucial as the scaling partner position is, it is also the most delicate and controversial of the five roles. At its worst, the position can become what Gretchen Anderson, former director of business development for On-Ramps, calls "a dumping ground for the CEO." The role of the scaling partner works only when it is a yin and yang match with the founder, a true partnership stemming from trust and leadership. The scaling partner should be the first person the founder hires on the leadership team so that he can be a sounding board for all future hires.
The role of the connector is to fill in the gaps left by the entrepreneur as he focuses on being the evangelist. Traditionally, this position might be called a vice president or director of development. It is also akin to the role that the chief of staff plays for a politician, maximizing the politician's time and ensuring access to important people. The connector makes sure that the evangelist is speaking to the right audiences at the right time and capitalizing on all opportunities. In addition, the connector ties development efforts to programs and manages existing funding relationships, freeing the evangelist to spend time on other activities.
Even with these clearly defined responsibilities, the connector role can conflict with the evangelist, particularly in the area of fundraising, and cause tensions if the roles aren't clearly defined. Donors are the lifeblood of the organization, and having more than one person manage those relationships is risky. Even though it is difficult to divide these roles, it is important that it be done so that the organization can grow.
Jeff Berndt, a partner at New Profit Inc. who oversees investor relations, communications, and fundraising, is a good example of a connector. Berndt has four primary responsibilities. The first, which he describes as "wearing out the soles of my shoes," is meeting regularly with a variety of constituents to build the New Profit network and deepen its long-term relationships. The second task is to make sure that Vanessa Kirsch, New Profit's president and founder, meets with the right people. "Vanessa is gifted and has great instincts; our team has to Navy SEAL her in and out to maximize her impact." The third task is to make sure that the management team, and ultimately the entire staff, has the tools they need to sell the organization. The fourth and final task is to build the fundraising team, a complex operation that caters to the needs of the entire organization.
Program Strategist
All organizations—whether they are focused on education, health, or climate change—need a program strategist who is an expert in that particular field and whose role is to ensure that the programs achieve the desired outcomes. The program strategist not only has issue area expertise, but also understands how the programs are implemented in the field. This role brings credibility and expertise to the organization and its programs that may not have existed. The program strategist not only looks at how programs are running day-to-day, but also thinks about how the innovation can be scaled up, diversified, and perfected. Foote describes the program strategist as the "sacred flame" of the organization, responsible for creating a bridge between the reality of the programs and the vision of the evangelist. Without a program strategist with a strong voice on the leadership team, an organization can stray from its mission and end up scaling programs that do not produce the desired outcomes.
Ajuah Helton, the first chief program officer at BUILD, a fouryear college preparation organization, is a good example of a program strategist. In 2007, BUILD evaluated a student's performance solely on his grade point average (GPA), dismissing students below a certain threshold. The policy was intended to honor the program's academic rigor and motivate students to perform better in school. The problem with this policy is that it often ended up dismissing the very students BUILD was designed to help, sometimes in their senior year of high school. As chief program officer, Helton analyzed data and collaborated with staff to create a new way of evaluating student performance. The result was the BUILD score. Instead of judging students solely on their GPA, the team also began evaluating students on other characteristics, such as commitment and passion, which served as strong indicators for longer-term success and better supported BUILD's theory of change. Without Helton's extensive experience in education, credibility with the team, and overview of trends, BUILD ran the risk of scaling efforts that would have reduced the organization's impact.
Every organization needs someone on the leadership team who plays the role of the realist, the person who keeps the organization grounded in financial reality. This person is often called the chief financial officer (CFO). Placing the financial function on equal footing with other senior management roles ensures consistency, practicality, and coordination within the organization. "The finance person is the bedrock position," says Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Benetech. "He or she inserts a culture of frugality and ethics, accountability for financial results, and reality." The realist is more than a financial officer, he is also the person rolling up his sleeves and "minding the store."
The importance of having a strong and skilled realist is demonstrated by the traumatic series of events that a New York-based nonprofit recently underwent.3 The organization had 26 international offices, almost 90 staff members, and only two accountants. The board, evangelist, and scaling partner all understood the need for a realist, so they hired an executive from a leading New York law firm. The person had experience managing financial operations at a for-profit, but he was not a certified public accountant (CPA), had never run financial operations at a nonprofit, and had never directly managed accounting. For almost a year he claimed to be revamping the financial systems and yet very little changed in practice. Because of a host of internal oversights, the organization did not have the systems to distinguish unrestricted from restricted funds, double-dipped into reserves because of inadequate and decentralized expense management practices, and raised new grants without having adequate overhead to meet expenditures.
In February 2009, believing that the organization was $5 million in debt, the vice president of finance finally explained the financial crisis to the president of the organization (the evangelist). In short order, an interim CFO who had a CPA and strong accounting skills was hired. She personally audited the organization's books and traveled to every regional office to fix financial systems and expense practices and to institute cost-cutting measures. A recent external audit shows that the organization is about $2.5 million in debt. The organization will likely survive because of the strength of its programs and reputation, new leadership and systems, and committed and generous donors. Its long-term future will be decided by how the board and management team navigate the next six months. As this example shows, organizations with world-class programs, visionary founders, and strong partners can suffer dramatic setbacks without a talented realist.
Other Considerations
The five roles describe the skills needed in a successful leadership team. These roles may overlap, however, and may not always be held by a single person. For example, Julie McGuire, director of development at Spark, currently plays both the realist and connector roles. By owning cash flow and revenue projections for the organization, McGuire is able to connect development directly to the internal functions of the organization. Another example is Mayberry, who plays the realist and the scaling partner roles at VisionSpring, responsible for all internal operations, including managing talent, performance, financials, and operations.
There are other roles besides these five that may be needed in a leadership team as the organization grows. Marketing officers, chief technology officers, or chief people officers often appear in organizations that have passed the first major inflection point and are embarking on another scaling push. These roles are valuable, but can be combined with other positions or outsourced until the organization can afford to have unique positions created. The five principal roles, however, can't be outsourced or compromised when developing a leadership team for an organization poised for growth.
Although our research and interviews focused on social entrepreneurs, many of our findings can also be applied to for-profit start-ups. Google's Eric Schmidt, for example, could be described as a scaling partner to founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, even though Schmidt's official title is CEO. Schmidt brought sound business practices to complement the creative and technical genius of the founders. The connector role at a nonprofit, to cite another example, is similar to the vice president of marketing and sales position at a for-profit. Both require someone with extensive networks and the ability to help strategically position the organization and its CEO. And it goes without saying that the realist plays a critical role in the for-profit sector where the bottom line is measured in dollars and cents and serves as the ultimate indicator of a company's success.
When social entrepreneurs understand their strengths and priorities, and develop a leadership team composed of people with disparate and complementary skills, it creates what Wood calls "the perfect combination." In a note of caution, however, Wood points out that "if you only have a lot of corporate refugees who know strategy and process, they can scale like champions, but you won't have deep programs. Conversely, if you only have a lot of programmatic specialists with nonprofit backgrounds, your programs are incredible, but they don't scale." The solution, Wood continues, is to "find your perfect combination and scale the heck out of it." When social entrepreneurs stop thinking of leadership positions as simply a solution to an immediate problem, and begin to create roles and hire talent with the same vision and foresight that they use to perfect their idea and mission, scale becomes a natural progression rather than an elusive goal.
Chantal Laurie Below is managing director for strategy, talent, and operations at Teach for America-Bay Area. She began her career as a Teach for America corps member in Washington, D.C. Below then served as the manager of fellow programs at the KIPP Foundation. After KIPP, she joined BUILD, where she launched the organization's first expansion site and served as its West Coast regional director.
Kimberly Dasher Tripp is a program officer at the Skoll Foundation, where she manages grant relationships. Before Skoll, she served as program officer on the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation's entertainment media partnerships team. Tripp began her career as a member of the policy studies team for the United Nations Association of the United States of America, building its program on postconflict peace building and the rule of law.


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To the Editor:
I no longer understand my country. The changes I see frighten me and the indifference of the public is in indication that freedom and democracy are on the verge of extinction. Democracy is based on openness and transparency; they cannot co-exist, as they are opposites. We have "secret courts," "secret laws," "secret trials," "secret judges," "secret kill lists," including American citizens, "secret prisons," where we do not know who is being held. The views of our Congressional delegation on "secrecy" apparently are a big "secret."
A "whistleblower" with a conscience revealed to the public that government is intercepting all their communications, including e-mail, phone, computer, and that government is not only spying on all Americans, it is spying on the entire world. Despite my belief that the public has the right to know that its privacy has been invaded, a violation of the constitutional right to privacy, the whistleblower is labeled a traitor and a worldwide hunt seeks him out so that he will be silenced and the cloak of secrecy maintained. Those who violate the law and our privacy are accountable to no one, while the hero with a conscience will be imprisoned for life.
In a similar situation, we have a young soldier with a conscience who witnessed war crimes, including the murder of innocent people in Iraq, and his conscience dictated he make this information public. He is currently on trial in a courtroom where the 23 witnesses against him are hidden behind a "secret" screen. He is not allowed to know who is testifying against him, and his lawyer's conversations have been intercepted by the government. Truly this is a "kangaroo court," yet the public is indifferent.
Journalists have been targeted and spied upon, endangering the idea of a free press, and even journalists who have been compromised seemingly accept their fate quietly, as does the public.
The argument the public uses to justify its indifference is; if you don't have anything to hide, why worry? This is an intellectually lazy argument and it displays a complete lack of historical context. You do not have the right to casually surrender rights that were gained by tens of thousands of brave patriots who shed much blood to gain constitutional rights. We do not have the right to virtually give those rights away, thus betraying the heroes who fought and died to gain them. The same argument of "why worry" was adopted by the German population in pre-World War II.
If you can be secretly imprisoned, tortured, deprived of legal representation, spied upon constantly, and even secretly killed by your own government without reason or explanation, do you really believe you have a democracy?
Joseph Clifford


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::Conservapedia supports and defends the full right to [[free speech]], and urges liberal groups to do likewise.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 12:16, 3 June 2013 (EDT)
::Conservapedia supports and defends the full right to [[free speech]], and urges liberal groups to do likewise.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 12:16, 3 June 2013 (EDT)
Revision as of 11:32, 3 June 2013
Comment here
Hi! Thank for for creating this website.
Christian Feasts
I was a little bit disappointed that Pentecost didn't make the Main Page, even after I had mentioned it: see Talk:Main_Page#Pentecost....
I'd like to see the Christian Feasts being honored on the Main Page, be it by a masterpiece, a link to an article, etc.: the next will be Trinity Sunday. Any ideas?
Thanks, --AugustO 08:42, 21 May 2013 (EDT)
- Good suggestions. Often this will depend on what else is in the news, or what other entries editors are spending their time on at a particularly moment. Other websites on the internet are purely religious sites.--Andy Schlafly 10:48, 21 May 2013 (EDT)
Conservapedia Proven Right
Mr. Schlafly,
I wanted to apologize if my past edit offended you or damaged the project. It was never my intent to remove information from the table, but only to enhance the layout and supplement the content through additional citations. I have also apologized on the talk page of the article, but I thought I owed you a direct apology as well.
Additionally, I still have a desire to improve the article. I have posted a proposed plan on the talk page, and I would be very grateful for your input. I eagerly await your suggestions.
Sincerely, WilliamWB 11:27, 23 May 2013 (EDT)
"Jesus prayed, often publicly, for people"
Andrew Schlafly, you claimed that "Jesus prayed, often publicly, for people". I'm still interested in an example for this - as you said that this happened often, you should be able to provide us with one. To be more precise: I don't want examples of Jesus blessing or giving thanks ( εὐλογέω - like in Matthew 14:19) or laying hands upon someone (ἐπιτίθημι χεῖρας - like in Matthew 19:15), I'd like to see an example of Jesus praying (προσεύχομαι) publicly for people.
Could you please give us a verse? Thank you. --AugustO 15:40, 24 May 2013 (EDT)
- For example, Jesus routinely prayed in public before each meal.--Andy Schlafly 21:32, 24 May 2013 (EDT)
- "I don't want examples of Jesus blessing or giving thanks"
- "I'd like to see an example of Jesus praying (προσεύχομαι) publicly for people"
- "Could you please give us a verse?"
- As you can see, your answer doesn't match the question. --AugustO 22:45, 24 May 2013 (EDT)
- Try John 8-14 (Translated)#11:41 - when Jesus very publicly prays to and thanks God prior to raising Lazarus from the dead.--Andy Schlafly 23:45, 24 May 2013 (EDT)
- I wonder if he'd be satisfied with John 17:11-17:
- Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. [1]
- Perhaps there aren't as many transcripts of our Lord's specific prayers as we'd all like. --Ed Poor Talk 19:46, 26 May 2013 (EDT)
- I wonder if he'd be satisfied with John 17:11-17:
My faith is VERY IMPORTANT to me
I may be a "liberal" Christian but I am devout, but some articles (guess by who?) suggest I am more associated with Satan them I am Jesus. I will not stand for it any longer--Patmac 09:34, 26 May 2013 (EDT)
Dear Mr. Schlafly,
Can you please unprotect this page? I would like to update it with information about VY and Shock's chatroom that has come to light at Talk:Main Page. If this is not desirable, then I would suggest unprotecting the page (which is currently sourced only to a single page on an anonymous blog) so that a more verifiable article can be written in its place (and perhaps if I can get a hold of Conservative, he can point me to reliable sources). Thanks, GregG 21:28, 31 May 2013 (EDT)
Dead link
Can you do anything with this: Template:Dead link? --JoeyJ 14:02, 1 June 2013 (EDT)
- What is wrong with it?--Andy Schlafly 16:20, 1 June 2013 (EDT)
My talk
Could you restore my talk page, actually? A nice little memento from the hoopla. :) Onward 20:24, 1 June 2013 (EDT)
A copy from my post on Main page talk
Conservative still goes on with his hatred, I will get blocked for this but here is my promise, I will wait 3 days and if after that time this users hatred is not completely removed from this site I am going to report Conservapedia to the Southern Poverty Law Center and request it is designated a hate group.--Patmac 11:28, 3 June 2013 (EDT)
- I would have preferred to send these messages to you in person but I cannot find an email for you so it has to be done here, I have requested you do something before but have been constantly ignored. Lets face it Andy, despite not holding office you are very much a politician, and what does a politician do when a subordinate constantly jeopardizes his position? He gits rid.--Patmac 11:41, 3 June 2013 (EDT)
- Conservapedia supports and defends the full right to free speech, and urges liberal groups to do likewise.--Andy Schlafly 12:16, 3 June 2013 (EDT)
This is not free speech, this is hate speech. When i read that Jesus eats and spits out moderate Christians that is hate speech, and it also brings the name of our saviour into disrepute. He does not just attack evolutionists and atheists, he attacks Christians, to the extent that we are not Christians at all. "Liberal" Christianity and marital infidelity, "Liberal" Christianity and whore mongering, "Liberal" Christianity and bestiality, need i say more? But if someone dare challenge his position, he blocks them, how is that free speech? I think you personally have some pretty strange ideas but you do allow them to be challenged without going on a hate spree, and you are to be respected for that. But constantly allowing Conservative to post his vile tirade, however free it may be, just undermines Conservatives and by extension your image.--Patmac 12:32, 3 June 2013 (EDT)


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Safer Neighbourhood officers will be heading out on the beat to combat shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in Matlock and the surrounding areas.
The priorities were set by the local Safer Neighbourhood team as no issues were raised by residents during the latest governance meeting.
The meetings are a great opportunity for residents in Matlock, Matlock Bath, Cromford and Bonsall and also Darley Dale and Winster to raise any neighbourhood concerns with their community officers.
Police will be heading out on high-visibility patrols to target anti-social behaviour in the community as the nights get lighter. Officers will be engaging with groups of youths to speak to them about the impact that their behaviour can have on people living in the local community.
They will also be tackling noise nuisance by speaking to young drivers about over revving their engines and causing a disturbance in the neighbourhood.
The policing team will continue to monitor shoplifting in Matlock town centre by carrying out increased uniformed and plain clothed patrols in a bid to deter criminals.
Residents are invited to attend the next Safer Neighbourhood governance meeting to help set policing priorities for their area. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 4 at Matlock police station on Bank Road and will run from 5.30pm.
To speak to your local Safer Neighbourhood team call 101, the non-emergency number for Derbyshire police.
Alternatively, email the team at email@example.com
Do you need a quick answer to a general question? Then we recommend you visit the national Ask The Police web site.


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Loading Map....
Monday, Sep 24th - 2018
9:00 am-10:00 am - $15 casual, 30% off for locals
Kit Carson Park
Yoga in the Park is on daily from 9-10am in Kit Carson Park, by the big stage.
All ages and stages welcome. It's Yoga in the flow of nature.
Every Friday from 10-11am there's a 'Talk in Park', under a tree, about all things Yoga.
This is a free event.


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Ripley's Aquarium1110 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 916-0888
› visit website
Just enter your Email address and your zip code and you'll receive the very best money saving deals you can find in Myrtle Beach.
The Myrtle Beach area is home to over 1,500 restaurants, 80 miles of beaches, attractions, shows, nightlife and more. Choosing what to do while you are in town can be difficult with so many fantastic options and the staff at the Dunes Village is ready to assist you in planning your perfect day. While at the resort, enjoy our full service concierge services or call in advance to start your planning. Here you will find a list of our favorite attractions, shows and more that we are sure you're going to love.


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Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, popularly called as
is one of the popular schools of learning dedicated to training students in various careers that lead to the area of public service. As you may be aware, LBJ is affiliated to the University of Texas, Austin. Since the year 1970 when LBJ was established, numerous such courses have been conducted and hundreds of students have derived benefit from these courses. These students are very well placed and they are working in various positions in public service. LBJ has now introduced few exclusively designed courses under the caption 21st Century Project.
Project and topics covered
The course content envisaged under this project revolves around policy making in the field of technology like telecommunication, digital media, internet and other related fields. The other notable issues envisaged under this 21st century project involves topics like interactive federal budget project, community and media policy, disaster informatics as also e-government and citizen participation.
Concept envisaged in the program
Take for example the issue of interactive and federal budget. This project deals with various issues relating to public participation in monitoring the budget of public sectors so as to ensure these agencies perform within the ambit of the Federal Transparency Act of 2006. Thereby the project aims to achieve higher transparency through citizen participation. For this purpose, the course aims to invoke the concept of accountability in spending. To achieve this, the program envisages making the best use of the concept of e-government and citizen participation. The program emphasizes the fact that technological advancement should not be limited to just being a matter for discussion. The modern technology should be aimed at enhancing transparency and efficient management and administration of the various agencies of the government. Thereby the program aims at underlining the fact that any technological improvement which does not provide any benefit to the citizen would be a waste.
Grading of students
In short, the 21st Century projects are designed to address the needs of the common man. The program emphasizes on the citizen participation by making best use of modern technology so as to make the government proactive in making governance transparent and thereby bringing in more efficiency in governance. The spade work for designing of these courses has been done by some of the graduate students of the University of Texas, Austin. The course content are designed with appropriate number of lecture hours, talks by guest lecturers, readings, field trips and case study by students in the appropriate organizations. Although students are supplied with course materials, they are strongly advised to buy text books as suggested by the faculty. Students will have to make reference at the College library. Students will be graded on the basis of their performance in the examination as also on the basis of their participation in the class and in the case study they have conducted. Wherever necessary, students will be provided with additional classes depending on their overall performance. Visit the website of LBJ to know more about these courses.


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Young children (under age 6)3: 270,989
* This graph includes all possible risk factors: poor, single parent, teen mother, low parental education, nonemployed parents, residential mobility, households without English speakers, and large family size.
The Early Childhood Two-Generation State Policy Profile shows which state policies meet benchmarks that are favorable to the well-being of children and their families. The profile includes policies that are key elements of a two-generation approach to supporting the well-being and life opportunities of young children and their parents, in the areas of health, early care and education, and parenting and economic support.
A two-generation framework for policy design reflects extensive research that identifies the critical supports young children need over time to thrive1,2. Most two-generation supports for young children and families are created through the collective impact of multiple policies. An example is investment in prekindergarten programs and an effective quality improvement system that promotes children's access to high quality early care and education programs along with state policies such as the Earned Income Tax credit and minimum wage that raise the incomes of low-income working families; another is policies that ensure mental health screenings and access to quality health care for both children and parents.
A brief overview of policies in the EC Two-Generation State Policy Profile is provided below (see policy definitions for an explanation of benchmarks). The Profile is limited to policies for which 50-state data are available. Users who wish to examine additional policies specific to their state, within a two-generation framework, can find suggestions in State Policies through a Two-Generation Lens: Strengthening the Collective Impact of Policies that Affect the Life Course of Young Children and their Parents.
States can support young children's development by making key policy choices in early health and development. This section of ITO highlights states' policy choices for supporting young children's wellbeing: 1) Access to and continuity of health care, including state Medicaid/CHIP eligibility levels and coverage of legal immigrant children; 2) Parents' access to health care, including for low-income pregnant women, and access to a medical home for young children; and 3) Preventive screening and assessment, including adherence to recommended schedules for well-child visits.
Early Care and Education
States make important decisions about the early care and education services they provide to young children and families. This section of ITO higlights states' key policy choices that affect children's development and parents' ability to work: 1) Access to childcare, including subsidy eligibility levels and reimbursement rates; and 2) States' investment in Head Start, Early Head Start, pre-kindergarten, child care centers' class size and student-teacher ratios and investment in infant/toddler specialist networks and credentials and Quality Rating Improvement Systems.
Parenting and Economic Supports
States make critical policy choices that help low-income parents effectively support young children's healthy development. This section of ITO spotlights states' policy choices related to important economic supports for low-income families with young children: 1) TANF requirements for parents of young children; and 2) Income support policies including tax relief, earned income and dependent care tax credits, as well as child support disregards.
State Choices to Promote Access
Sets the income eligibility limit for public health insurance (Medicaid/CHIP) at or above 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) [2018]5
- Children <1 year
Sets eligibility at 305% (S-CHIP) and 190% (Medicaid and M-CHIP)
- Children 1-5 years
Sets eligibility at 305% (S-CHIP) and 138% (Medicaid)
- Children 6-18 years
Sets eligibility at 305% (S-CHIP) and 138% (Medicaid and M-CHIP)
- Pregnant women
Sets eligibility at 190% (Medicaid and Unborn Child Option: CHIP-funded)
- Provides lawfully residing immigrant children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage without 5-year waiting period [2018]5
- Provides lawfully residing pregnant immigrant women with Medicaid/CHIP coverage without 5-year waiting period [2018]5
- Provides temporary coverage to children under Medicaid or CHIP until eligibility can be formally determined [2018]5
- Provides temporary coverage to pregnant women under Medicaid until eligibility can be formally determined [2018]5
- Includes at-risk children in the definition of eligibility for IDEA Part C [2014]6
- Does not require redetermination of eligibility for Medicaid/CHIP more than once a year [2018]5
- Has adopted Medicaid expansion as part of the Affordable Care Act [2018]7
- Has an online dual-benefit form to apply for Medicaid and SNAP [2018]5
- Medicaid pays for maternal depression screening during pediatric/family medicine visits under the child's Medicaid [2018]8
State Choices to Promote Quality
EPSDT screening periodicity schedule meets recommendations of American Academy of Pediatrics [FY 2016]4
- 7 screenings for children <1 year
State requires 6 screens. 100% of eligible screens were completed in 2016.
- 4 screenings for children 1-2 years
State requires 5 screens. 73% of eligible screens were completed in 2016.
- 3 screenings for children 3-5 years
State requires 3 screens. 63% of eligible screens were completed in 2016.
- 4 screenings for children 6-9 years
State requires 4 screens. 41% of eligible screens were completed in 2016.
Early Care and Education
State Choices to Promote Access
- Sets the income eligibility limit for child care subsidies at or above 200% FPL [2017]9
A family of three qualifies for assistance at $37,296 or 183% FPL. This reflects a decrease from 184% FPL in 2016.
- Reimburses center-based care at the highest quality QRIS tier above the 75th percentile of current market rates [2017]9
The reimbursement rate for center care for a four-year-old in Group Area A at the highest quality tier was 9% higher than the rate at the lowest quality tier.
- Provides families with at least 12 months of continuous eligibility for child care subsidies [FY 2016]11
- Funds a pre-kindergarten program and/or supplements Head Start [FY 2016]12
$69,999,910 for Head Start
- Requires districts to offer full day kindergarten [2018]13
State Choices to Promote Quality
- Requires one adult for every four 18-month-olds in child care centers [2018]14
- Requires one adult for every ten 4-year-olds in child care centers [2018]14
- Requires one teacher for every 12 students in kindergarten classrooms [2018]15
Not specified in statute, rules or regulations.
- Has early learning standards or developmental guidelines for infants and toddlers [2017]16
- Has an infant/toddler credential or certificate [2018]17
- Requires that infants and toddlers in child care centers be assigned a consistent primary caregiver [2016]18
- Has implemented a statewide Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) [2017]19
- Has comprehensive, free-standing standards for social emotional learning at the K-12 level [2018]20
Oregon has SEL standards for pre-kindergarten through kindergarten.
- Requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree for lead teachers in public pre-K programs and licensed child care centers [2018]21
Parenting and Economic Supports
State Choices to Promote Effective Parenting
- Extends Medicaid coverage for family planning to otherwise ineligible low-income women [2018]22
Eligibility based on income up to 250% FPL, includes men and individuals younger than 19 years of age.
- Exempts single parents on TANF from work requirements until the youngest child reaches age 1 [FY 2016]23
Parent must return to work when child is 6 months.
- Reduces the TANF work requirement to 20 hours or less for single parents with children under age 6 [FY 2016]23
Case-by-case basis.
- Has paid family leave for a minimum of 6 weeks with partial replacement of wages [2018]24
- Offers accrual of at least five paid sick days [2018]25
Employees can use up to 40 hours per year of paid sick leave. This statute does not apply to employers with fewer than 10 employees.
State Choices to Promote Family Economic Security
- Established a state minimum wage that meets or exceeds $10.00/hr and is indexed to inflation for a family of three [2018]26
The standard minimum wage is $10.75. Oregon also sets a higher rate for employers located in the Portland metro ($12.00), and a lower rate for employers located in nonurban counties ($10.50).
- Sets gross income eligibility limit at 200% FPL and does not have asset limits for SNAP [2016]27
Gross income limit is set at 185% FPL. No asset limit.
- Exempts single-parent families of three below the federal poverty level from personal income tax [2016]28
- Offers a refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit [2017]29
11% of federal Earned Income Tax Credit for workers with children 3 years and younger. 8% of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit for others.
- Offers a refundable state dependent care tax credit [FY 2016]30
Under Oregon Working Families Child and Dependent Credit, the maximum refundable credit is $18,000. Only care expenses for children under age 13 or disabled spouses or dependents of any age may be claimed for this credit.
- Offers a refundable Child Tax Credit [2018]31
- Keeps copayments for child care subsidies at or below 7% of family income for families of three at 150% FPL [2017]9
Copayments set at 19% of income.
- Offers exemptions and/or extensions of the TANF benefit time limit for women who are pregnant or caring for a child under age 6 [FY 2016]23
- Offers a minimum of 28 weeks of Unemployment Insurance benefits [2018]32
State provides up to 26 weeks of regular state-funded UI.
Data Notes and Sources
Last Updated: August 22, 2018
Send us recent developments to update your state's profile.
- Chase-Lansdale, P. L., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2014). Two-generation programs in the twenty-first century. The Future of Children, 24(1), 13-39.
- Shonkoff, J. P., & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Rethinking evidence-based practice and two-generation programs to create the future of early childhood policy. Development and psychopathology, 25(4pt2), 1635-1653.
- National data were calculated from the 2016 American Community Survey, representing information from 2016. State data were calculated from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey, representing information from the years 2012 to 2016.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2017). The Annual EPSDT Report (Form CMS-416) for FY 2016. https://www.medicaid.gov (accessed December 11, 2017). Data were not reported for ND.
- Brooks, T., Miskell, S., Artiga, S., Cornachione, E., & Gates, A. (2018). Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, Renewal, and Cost-Sharing Policies as of January 2018: Findings from a 50-State Survey. Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. http://files.kff.org (accessed July 2, 2018).
- Ringwalt, S. (Comp.). (2015). Summary table of states' and territories' definitions of/criteria for IDEA Part C eligibility. http://www.nectac.org (accessed August 25, 2015).
- Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. (2018). Status of State Action on the Medicaid Expansion Decision. https://www.kff.org (accessed July 13, 2018).
- Update of the National Center for Children in Poverty Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Medicaid Survey reported in March 2017. http://nccp.org Data were based on 49 state survey updates as of August 2, 2018. Pending states: AR and OH.
- Schulman, K., & Blank, H. (2017). Persistent Gaps: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2017. National Women's Law Center. https://nwlc.org (accessed November 2, 2017). Parents at 150% FPL ineligible for monthly child care copayments in Maryland.
- U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. (2018). National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2017 Math and Reading Assessment. https://nces.ed.gov (accessed June 29, 2018).
- Minton, S., Blatt, L., Tran, V., Stevens, K., & Giannarelli, L. (2017). The CCDF Policies Database Book of Tables: Key Cross-State Variations in CCDF Policies as of October 1, 2016. OPRE Report 2017-105. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov (accessed February 22, 2018).
- Barnett, W. S., Friedman-Krauss, A. H., Weisenfeld, G. G., Horowitz, M., Kasmin, R., & Squires, J. H. (2017). The State of Preschool 2016: State Preschool Yearbook. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. http://nieer.org (accessed December 19, 2017).
- Diffey, L. (2018). 50-State Comparison: State Kindergarten-Through-Third-Grade Policies. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States. http://ecs.force.com (accessed June 29, 2018).
- Child Care Aware of America. (2018). The Child Care State Licensing Database. Arlington, VA: Child Care Aware. http://licensingdatabase.usa.childcareaware.org (accessed July 25, 2018).
- Diffey, L. (2018). 50-State Comparison: State Kindergarten-Through-Third-Grade Policies. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States. http://ecs.force.com (accessed June 29, 2018). Data for MS were obtained from MS Kindergarten Guidelines.
- Administration for Children & Families, National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance. (2017). State Early Learning and Developmental Guidelines. https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov (accessed December 19, 2017).
- Administration for Children & Families, National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning. (2018). State/Territory Infant/Toddler Credential Overview, February 2018. Obtained data from staff at ZERO TO THREE.
- Sosinsky, L., Ruprecht, K., Horm, D., Kriener-Althen, K., Vogel, C., & Halle, T. (2016). Including Relationship-Based Care Practices in Infant-Toddler Care: Implications for Practice and Policy. Brief prepared for the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- QRIS National Learning Network. (2017). Current Status of QRIS in the States map. http://qrisnetwork.org (accessed February 7, 2017).
- The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2018). K-12 Learning Goals for SEL in all 50 States. Chicago, IL: CASEL. https://casel.org (accessed June 29, 2018). Data for DC were based on DC Educational Standards.
- Whitebook, M., McLean, C., Austin, L.J.E., & Edwards, B. (2018). Early Childhood Workforce Index 2018. Berkeley, CA: Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley. http://cscce.berkeley.edu (accessed July 25, 2018).
- Guttmacher Institute. (2018). Medicaid Family Planning Eligibility Expansions. New York, NY: Guttmacher Institute. Https://www.guttmacher.org (accessed January 3, 2018).
- Giannarelli, L., Heffernan, C., Minton, S., Thompson, M., & Stevens, K. (2017). Welfare Rules Databook: State TANF Policies as of July 2016. OPRE Report 2017-82. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov (accessed December 19, 2017).
- National Conference of State Legislatures. (2018). State Family Medical Leave and Parental Leave Laws. Washington, DC: National Conference of State Legislatures. http://www.ncsl.org (accessed July 20, 2018).
- National Partnership for Women & Families. (2018). Paid Sick Days - State and District Statutes. Washington, DC: National Partnership for Women & Families. http://www.nationalpartnership.org (accessed July 20, 2018).
- National Conference of State Legislatures. (2018). State Minimum Wages: 2018 Minimum Wage by State. Washington, DC: National Conference of State Legislatures. http://www.ncsl.org (accessed July 20, 2018).
- National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), 50-State Policy Tracker. (2016). 50-State Data, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). http://nccp.org (accessed July 18, 2017).
- National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), 50-State Policy Tracker. (2016). 50-State Data, Income Tax Liability. http://nccp.org (accessed July 20, 2018).
- Williams, E., & Waxman, S. (2018). States Can Adopt or Expand Earned Income Tax Credits to Build a Stronger Future Economy. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org (accessed June 29, 2018).
- National Women's Law Center. (2017). State Child Care and Dependent Care, Tax Provisions, Tax Year 2016. Washington, DC: National Women's Law Center. https://nwlc.org (accessed December 19, 2017).
- Tax Credits for Workers and Their Families. (2018). State Tax Credits Maps. http://www.taxcreditsforworkersandfamilies.org (accessed July 20, 2018).
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2018). Policy Basics: How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Are Available? Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org (accessed July 25, 2018).


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Style Jukebox is an interesting, cloud-based service that enables you to enjoy your music collection wherever you may be. Available for Windows and Windows Phone, as well as competitor platforms, we've followed the development of Style Jukebox since the original version of the Windows Phone app was released some time ago. Today we're revisiting the app, which has been majorly updated with a new look and premium account support.
If you've used Style Jukebox previously, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good the app looks with this latest release. Screaming Modern UI, it's an absolute joy to use, though we'd like it if it weren't required for you to use the Windows client to create an account. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider if you've not got access to a computer temporarily. So what else is new in the update along with the new look?
Automatic music import from Dropbox and SkyDrive is now supported. This means you can clear up space on your personal cloud storage services, while keeping all your files together in one location, which is accessible through any Style Jukebox app. It just works, if you will. Really neat addition and one we're sure fans will warmly welcome.
Now, we've noted before how Style Jukebox is free to use (bar the fee for the paid app without advertisements), but the team has unveiled a premium account option for those hardcore music lover who require 400TB drives for their collections to be stored. With the free account, you get a generous 1,000 song limit - more than enough for most who simply desire a means to stream favourite playlists, but what if you require more? This is where premium comes into play.
Providing extra storage, the optional upgrade (which costs $2.99/month or $24.99/year) includes a limit increase to 20,000 songs; files that are up to 1GB in size (for those massive megamixes); FLAC, MP3, WMA, AAC and M4A formats supported; and up to 10 devices linked to any one account. It's not a bad option, especially if you find yourself hitting a streaming wall and require a higher limit for songs and hardware.
Here's a sweet video introducing you to the service:
You can download Style Jukebox from the Windows Phone Store for $1.49 - free version available, but ad-supported (right QR code). Best of all: it's completely free to use, unless you'd like to upgrade to premium and take advantage of more features and functionality.


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Samuel Tadros is a Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom. At Hudson, he is researching the rise of Islamist movements in the Middle East and its implications on religious freedom and regional politics.
Prior to joining Hudson in 2011, Tadros was a Senior Partner at the Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth, an organization that aims to spread the ideas of classical liberalism in Egypt. He has received his MA in Democracy and Governance from Georgetown University and his BA in Political Science from the American University in Cairo. Mr. Tadros has previously interned at the American Enterprise Institute, where he worked on the Muslim Brotherhood and worked as a consultant for the Hudson Institute on Moderate Islamic Thinkers, and most recently the Heritage Foundation on Religious Freedom in Egypt. In 2007 he was chosen by the State Department in its first Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program in collaboration with Syracuse University's Maxwell School.
His articles have previously been published by the Wall Street Journal, Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, National Review, World Affairs, and the Weekly Standard. Mr. Tadros is a Professorial Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.
In 2013, Tadros published Motherland Lost: The Egyptian and Coptic Quest for Modernity (Hoover), a book on the Copts and the modern politics of Egypt.


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Sleep: I have to tell you along with exercise and nutrition, sleep is equally, if not more important, for our brains and bodies. It's necessary for recovery from hard work, long days, stress, playing hard and training even harder. To sleep well is to live well! To be able to create well! With great sleep, we get to wake up energized and take on anything that comes our way.
I am fortunate to have set up my life in a way that most days I get to sleep naturally. This means I go to bed when I'm tired and wake up when I'm rested. My sleep time is usually 8 to 9 1/2 hours and even 10 1/2 to 11 hours happens several times a month, depending on how active the day was. Any sleep less than 7 hours is not enough for me. I am an early to bed, early to rise guy. Waking most days just before sunrise. Carpe diem... to seize the day! This is what I love. I'm like a kid who wakes up and cannot wait to get outside. For me there aren't enough hours in the day to do all the amazing things that life has to offer.
In the U.S. it is said that at least 40% of the population does not get enough sleep (at a recommended 7 to 9 hours) with children and teenagers needing even more. With more sleep you will have the benefits of a better life! Here is a list of them: It raises your testosterone levels, boosting libido for both men and women. You'll be happier. You will have healthier skin and fewer signs of aging. You will be able to build muscle easier, by your body releasing your own natural growth hormone to repair cells, tissues, eyesight, hearing, our brains, hearts and lungs. All the functions of our body are repaired with a good nights sleep. Stronger immune system preventing colds. Memory and faster and higher learning skills.
For me, to be energetic and happy I organize my life in a particular way. I find time where I would otherwise be stressing over plans undone or future desires unmet to focus on being present. When your brain is in the here and now it is calm. How I wake up in the morning becomes the template for a day well lived and a night well slept. I am mindful, grateful, slow and quiet in the AM. I usually awaken with the sun, if I have gone to sleep early enough the night before.
Sleep heals and rejuvenates my body. It purifies my thoughts and regenerates my brain function. It also helps me defy the aging process. At night my body can relax, recharge and rejuvenate. I used to believe that I was more efficient without a lot of sleep. Bobby made me realize that wasn't true. Now I get 8 to 9 1/2 hours of shut-eye and I LOVE it.
I also take a short nap during the day and still welcome a long night of sleep. Because, like so many, I have a stressful life so I make sure I create a sleep environment on the inside (my physical body and brain) and the outside (the actual environment I am sleeping in) that is conducive to rest. I exercise everyday, eat well, and do something called Brain Wave Optimization to ensure a peaceful brain and restful night. Exercise makes it so my body is physically tired at bedtime, (it is like when my girls were babies, I would exhaust them so they would fall asleep easily and remain asleep all night). I eat a clean un-processed diet and drink no more caffeine by the late afternoon.
Oh delicious sleep how I adore you now!


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The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 stylishly embraces a more simple aesthetic compared with its predecessor. For a 10-inch tablet, it manages to be a rather compact device; it's lightweight and sleek, with thin bezels and a clean, cohesive design that would make any iPad melt with flattery.
Unfortunately, Samsung continues its trend of lackluster updates to its 10-inch Galaxy Tab line. While I appreciate the Tab 3 10.1's stylish turn, its specs are only a modest upgrade from the Tab 2 10.1, resulting in noticeably lackluster performance. In fact, "change" -- instead of "upgrade" -- is a better way to describe its new components.
Also, the tablet's design is plagued by trigger-happy menu and back buttons. The two buttons can too easily be activated, and I found myself accidentally pressing them a lot, even after I'd become painfully aware of their over-sensitivity. However, its design -- certainly not its functionality -- is what prevents it from being completely forgettable.
Samsung didn't attempt to push the envelope with the Tab 3 10.1 and succeeded in producing a mediocre device. Thanks to its dull hardware upgrades and the resulting underwhelming performance, the tablet proves an inferior product in a sea of much wiser choices.
For the same price, the Google Nexus 10 offers a higher-resolution screen, faster performance, and is much more functional.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, the largest in the Tab 3 family, boasts a simpler and smaller design than any previous Galaxy Tab 10.1 model. Its trim size is because of its skinnier bezels and revamped metallic border. While the Tab 2 10.1's thick frame housed front-facing speakers, the Tab 3 10.1 relocates them to the left and right edges.
|Tested spec
|Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1
|Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
|Google Nexus 10
|Apple iPad (fourth generation)
|Weight in pounds
|Width in inches (landscape)
|Height in inches
|Depth in inches
|Side bezel width in inches (landscape)
The 10.1-inch tablet is relatively thin and light, although it's no Sony Xperia Tablet Z. It's also comfortable to hold in both hands and feels solid, but the tactile sensation of the smooth plastic back gives it an inexpensive feel. Thankfully, it isn't slippery and you can actually get a pretty good grip when holding it.
On the bottom bezel there is a navigation array that consists of two capacitive menu and back buttons with a physical, slightly raised, Home button in between them. This design choice is reminiscent of Samsung's Note line but, thanks functionality issues, it doesn't translate well onto the 10-inch Tab 3. Although a physical Home button is a useful addition that offers quick access to the home screen and a view of all open apps, the menu and back buttons are unwelcome intrusions to the basic usability of the tablet.
In order to trigger the menu and back buttons, you don't need to directly touch the icons, but merely place a finger in their immediate area. The active space, or hit-box, on the bottom bezel that initiates the menu and back functions spans for a little over 3.5 inches.
There shouldn't be a learning curve to holding a tablet, but the Tab 3 10.1 has one. The navigation array's hit-box is hard to avoid while using the device in its designated landscape orientation because it's the same space your hand casually occupies when holding it.
My left thumb unintentionally grazed the back button consistently -- it's really more like a back-space -- and exited me out of whatever I was doing; I became accustomed to continually checking my fingers to make sure they were in an area that wouldn't touch its hit-box, instead of, you know, actually enjoying my time with the tablet. The last time I touched something this sensitive, I was comforting my best friend after a bad breakup.
The back and menu buttons on other Android devices are usually placed in the onscreen navigation bar, and, although the extra space freed up on the Tab 3 10.1's screen is nice, I would gladly sacrifice it for a less frustrating experience. In addition, there is very little control over the capacitive buttons; you can only change the amount of time they stay lit. Despite this option, the buttons remained bright while streaming Netflix and while using a few other apps.
The tablet's top edge is home to the power/sleep button, volume rocker, microSD expansion slot, and IR blaster. Sitting not too far away is the headphone jack on the top-left corner, which is right above the speaker on the left edge. A Micro-USB port and microphone pinhole are located on the bottom edge, and the right edge houses its speaker at its top. There's an ambient light sensor and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera in the center of the top bezel and a 3.2-megapixel rear camera in the top-center of the tablet's back.
Software features
The Tab 3 10.1 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's TouchWiz UI skin. Features include Smart Stay, which puts your tablet to sleep when you're not looking at it, and a useful notification panel that's somewhat customizable.
The Smart Stay function worked fine but not as well as advertised. It often had trouble detecting my eyes, even though I was looking directly at the screen and, because of its inconsistencies, the feature proved to be as useful as a normal screen sleep setting. The amount of time it took to detect that I had taken my eyes off of the screen was around the same amount of time it took for my selected screen timeout function to kick in. The Tab 3 10.1 doesn't feature the Smart Pause or Smart Scroll options that other Galaxy devices have, so the setting is more like Smart Stay lite.
The shortcut tray that is easily accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen allows you to turn features like Wi-Fi, GPS, Smart Stay, and screen rotation on and off, as well as adjust the brightness level. You can customize which order these settings are in, but you cannot add any new ones to it. Below these settings are notifications and a small black bar that lets you know which Wi-Fi network you're connected to.
The Tab 3 10.1's built-in IR blaster allows it to be used as a universal remote, and it offers a few apps to help you do just that. I couldn't get Peel's Smart Remote to work with my cable box instead of my television, so instead I favored Samsung's universal remote/video hub app Watch On. I was able to easily browse TV listings, set reminders, change channels, and turn my television and cable box on and off.
The setup took some time because of connectivity issues, but otherwise the feature worked smoothly, however, slowly. The app is responsive but suffers from some serious lag issues; it took some time to launch, and navigating from one screen to another always took a couple seconds.
The integrated streaming-video content through the app is convenient for on-demand viewing but its search option isn't very thorough. Search results are often limited to Samsung's own Media Hub service, Hulu Plus, and Blockbuster Video, even though Netflix and Google Play offer the same content.


text: Leonid KAREV (1969) is a composer, pianist and organist. Born in Russia he has lived in France since 1992.He studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and at Conservatoire NationalSuperieur of Paris like composer, pianist and organist. He graduated from EcoleNormale Superieure de Musique in Paris as a composer. His symphony DulceMemoriae was awarded Sacem prize and a prize at the Gino Contilli competition inItaly and his piece for choir Ave Maria was awarded at the Guido dÆArezzocompetition in Italy. He is also the First Prize winner of Marcel Duprķ organCompetition in Chartres (1998), and the First Prize of honor winner of the UFAM inParis (1996).He is a keen chamber music recitalist and vocal coach, both in baroque music andromantic repertoire: graduated from the City of Paris Conservatory (1st Prize inCollaborative Piano as singers' accompanist) and the University of Paris(Performance Masters "The art of song recital"; Doctorate in Linguistics"Pronunciation adaptation in classical singing") he is qualified professor ofcollaborative piano (specializing in singers' accompaniment).His musical partner list includes Agnes Mellon, ╔ric Aubier, Andrķ Cognķ, JeanBķlliard, Daniel Grķnel, Serge Delmas, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Jean Tubķry, PhilippeBernold and many others.Actually his is a professor at the Conservatories of Paris and Yerres, organist at theNotre-Dame-de-lÆAssomption church in Paris and of the Bertrand Cattiaux organ ofthe Saint-Mķdard church at Brunoy (France).In his music Leonid Karev has continued the Russian tradition adapting it tocontemporary compositional ideas. He has given many organ concerts in Russia,France, USA and other countries. His compositions have been performed at differentfestivals and many other music events.


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Johnson & Reed Philosophical Documents in Ed, 3e ISBN:0-205-55384-2 "Given that many of the students are encountering philosophy for the first time and find it very difficult, this book is helpful to them: clear introductions, readable selections, and helpful inquiry questions at the end of each selection." - Megan Laverty, Montclair State University "I know of no other comparable text." -Dale W. Cannon, Western Oregon University "The idea for this book is a great one. I quickly snapped it up the minute I became aware of it, and still use it because the notion of philosophy is so important in daily teaching and educational leadership life." - Brenda R. Beatty, Monash University Philosophical Documents in Education, 3/e,masterfully argues that students can better understand and practice their profession by reading, contemplating, and discussing the great philosophic tradition in education. An edited anthology of 18 primary source materials in educational philosophy, this text provides a wide range of both historical and contemporary viewpoints. Works by philosophers of numerous perspectives-including works by Catharine Macaulay, Hannah Arendt, Cornel West, Maxine Greene, Paulo Freire, Kieran Egan, Jane Roland Martin, and Parker J. Palmer-expose readers to views of women and philosophers of diverse populations and convictions. New to this Edition: Three fresh perspectiveshave been added to provide a more balanced selection of classic and contemporary thinkersCatharine Macaulay, whose work on education counters Rousseau's notion that there are essential differences between the sexes and that these differences are complementary; Hannah Arendt, whose "Crisis in Education" critiques the impact of pragmatism and progressivism oReed, Ronald F. is the author of 'Philosophical Documents in Education ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780205553846 and ISBN 0205553842.[read more]
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News: Check out our RAIDERS LATEST NEWS section for latest news, videos, interviews, etc
Well, Greg had his hernia surgery last week and came through it ok....and now it's my turn today. Elbow surgery for me though. It's my right arm, and I'm right handed, so it might take me a little time before I can spend much time on the computer. Probably a couple of weeks before the next podcast. Wish me luck! I'm sitting in the waiting room in the surgery clinic, getting a little nervous waiting for them to call my name.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm starting a new thread because I think it was appropriate. We have an R.I.P. thread, but didn't have a "get well" thread....so now we do.Raider Greg just had surgery today, to repair the three hernias (3 HERNIAS ?!!!) he sustained at a fire last month. Boy Greg, you must have been doing some serious work at that fire! Or you're just getting old and falling apart like me. Anyway, hope you're resting comfortably and are well medicated. The Boneline messages on Herrera will be waiting for you when you're ready. Oh wait a minute.....it's my turn next week. I go in for elbow surgery next Friday! OUCH!
Quote from: houston raider on February 19, 2012, 01:14:19 AMget well RIGHT AWAY Greg!:O)THANKS STEVE...... JUST GOT HOME TODAY AND FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN KICKED IN THE GUT BY A MULE....... THANKS FOR THE WELL WISHES BRO.....
get well RIGHT AWAY Greg!:O)


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This module covers citing sources, plagiarism, and copyright.
When you have completed this module of EMPOWER, you will be able to:
- recognize different parts of a citation
- describe when to cite sources used in your work
- list ways to avoid plagiarism
- understand the reasons for copyright
Original EMPOWER material ©2007-2008 is a tutorial developed by Wichita State University Libraries. EMPOWER incorporates material from inflite, a tutorial developed by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis ©2003, and Searchpath, a tutorial developed by Western Michigan University, ©2001-2002, both of which are based on material from TILT, a tutorial developed by the Digital Information Literacy Office for the University of Texas System Digital Library, ©1998-2002. This material may be reproduced, distributed, or incorporated only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the EMPOWER Creative Commons License.


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Hindi Poem: कुछ मुकम्मल सा....
Labels: Hindi Poems
My literary blog to keep track of my creative mood swings with poems n short stories, book reviews n humorous prose, travelogues n photography, reflections n translations, both in English n Hindi.
I'm a peace-loving married Indian male on the right side of '50 with college-going children, and presently employed under government. Educationally I've a master's degree in History, and another in Computer Application. Besides, I've a post graduate diploma in Management. My published works are:- (1)"In Harness", ISBN 81-8157-183-5, a poetry collections and (2) "The Remix of Orchid", ISBN 978-81-7525-729-0, a short story collections with a foreword by Mr. Ruskin Bond, (3) "Virasat", ISBN 978-81-7525-982-9, again a short story collection but in Hindi, (4) "Ek Saal Baad," ISBN 978-81-906496-8-1, my second Story Collection in Hindi.
Labels: Hindi Poems
Labels: Translation, Virasat
Labels: Hindi stories, Virasat


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There are nights that define your life and I imagine that when you die, when the film of your life passes before your eyes, there will be skillfully edited highlights from these times and you may be leaving your body and going into the light but you'll be pleasantly entertained during your journey, like an in flight movie starring you and the best of you (gratuitous Foo Fighters reference – and my fave FF song).
I came an hour early to Disney hall to watch Bob Mould and Dave Grohl rehearse, mostly to see the guys with their guitars. I sat almost alone in the Frank Gehry designed fantasia of a concert hall, and watched these magnificent gentlemen of alternative rock pace across the stage, fabulously rare and expensive and famous instruments slung low as they could go on their straps, seamlessly leaping from song to song, filling the air with the buzz of guitars and then Dave's drumming. I felt like a princess and I felt like a pitchfork.com contest winner and the backstage sticker proclaiming me an 'artist' burned a hole in the back pocket of my leather jeans. It felt odd to have rocked so hard, played so fast that it was blistering my skin while I sunk low into the plush seats of the auditorium. There's no pit in the orchestra pit for the LA Philharmonic, or rather, they sit in the pit. I unlawfully sat on top of the back of my seat because I could not be contained by its contours and comfort. Bob and Dave blasted through so many beloved songs, whizzing by so fast you could barely believe it, and the boom and glow of the orange amps was like a citrusy, audio/visual potpourri and the anticipation in the air of the night to honor Bob, truly the most important figure in indie rock, and so influential to so many, especially all who had gathered to honor him, was so palpable I could taste it and hear it and feel it.
I moved down to the front row and took many blurry Hipstamatic photos of Britt Daniels, of one of the best bands ever, Spoon. I love Spoon to the point of an almost religious fanaticism. The minimalism of their sound, combined with the maximalism (I know that is not a word but I will make it one as I love Spoon so much) of Britt's emotive vocals and tight, brilliantly architectural songwriting makes each and every one of Spoon's songs an entire universe in just under three minutes. I have to say my favorite might be "Japanese Cigarette Case", which might make me take up smoking so I could have one. I fucking love Spoon.
I hung out a bit with Craig Finn and Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady, whose thunderous rendition of "a good idea" floored me. It is one of my personal favorite songs that never gets a skip on the itunes shuffle, that must always be listened to when it is served up by my little digital constant companion, maybe even two or three times in a row. Craig sings like a man possessed, and I loved watching him from the side of the stage, because I could tell that these were songs that he had been singing for years, just like me. These songs of Bobs are in our blood. They are imprinted in our DNA, my cells coursing through my body with tiny chain formations of A Good Idea and Changes. Craig sang them from a well of deep dark depth and longing that I know intimately, and these songs are not just songs, not just a collection of notes and impressive guitar flourishes, rather they are the musical structures that build the bridges between you and me making us – US. Talking 'bout my generation. Craig and Tad also told me that they have a tattoo gun on their tour bus, and that they routinely tattoo each other on the road. I must get one of these tattoos.
No Age were adorable and young and bounced all over the stage alongside Bob and it was awesome to see these kids who seemingly were born around the time that Copper Blue was released playing with the Man Himself. What I loved about all the artists were that they were a tiny microcosm of what happens and who happens in music today, and that's a lovely thing to see. Now we are in the days where we learn about songs from itunes Genius, but when a show like this is lovingly curated by an artist like Bob Mould, the genius is human, as it should have been in the first place.
Ryan Adams' guitar tech came out with a Buck Owens guitar, with the double pickguard, something that wouldn't be out of place at The Country Music Hall of Fame or in the hands of Jack White in the fantastic documentary "this might get loud" and I coveted the thing to the point where the tips of my fingers were burning to touch the fretboard, but Ryan didn't end up playing it during the show, opting for a beautifully voluptuous dreadnought with rasta colors across the front. Ryan Adams has a sonorous, soulful, classic country crooner voice, and the effort from his heart I can hear in some notes makes me think and feel "I love him" – such is the power of a great singer – and Bob's songs sounded glorious and warm and heartbreaking coming from him. Heartbreak a stranger indeed. This was just Ryan alone on the stage, which I always love, which is fairly rare for me to witness, as I have only seen him live with The Cardinals, his killer, cracking backing band and have only been treated to the bare bones versions of Come Pick Me Up he does when he tours with them to fuel my acoustic, unplugged fire. Ryan Adams is a wonder and a marvel and the urgency and wear and honesty in his voice absolutely sends me. I asked him backstage if he remembered the painting he gave me, made of supermarket stickers on a dry erase board. He laughed and said, "Yes I remember that very well…." We laughed and I got really super nervous and starstruck and had to go into my dressing room I was sharing with Grant-lee.
Grant and I had dinner with Matt Pinfield, and Matt and I were talking so hard about the Afghan Whigs and Greg Dulli that I actually broke into a sweat and I continued sweating until I performed "Your Favorite Thing" with Grant and Jon and Jason and then later joined everyone on stage for "See a little Light". Of course I took liberties and sang way more than the chorus, but Bob loved it. But i will tell you the best part – just after the jangly, eternally optimistic opening riff of the song and before the start of the first verse, bob turned and looked at me with a gentle kind of gratitude, and I've never seen this intensely handsome man look more handsome, and he moved toward me and kissed my cheek and smiled and smiled and then stepped to the mike and began the song, and I stood there just kissed and it was the best rock and roll kiss of all time and my heart leapt and my spirit rose and it was a TIME STANDS STILL moment that will be the climax of the film that passes before my eyes at my death.