text:
This will be a long one, so let me summarize the key points right up front:
* One of the documents contained in the New York Times files on the Fr. Lawrence Murphy case is a memo in Italian summarizing a meeting that was held at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about Fr. Murphy.
* This memo has not had a professional English translation until now.
* The new translation is a smoking gun in that it reveals how badly the New York Times and others have botched the story.
* Then-Cardinal Ratzinger was not present at the meeting. It was run by the Secretary of the CDF, then-Archbishop Bertone.
* Cardinal Ratzinger's name never comes up, making it impossible to determine anything regarding his involvement in this case.
* In the meeting Bertone points out the difficulties in proceeding with canonical trial for Fr. Murphy, but he does not forbid one.
* The chief difficulty, according to Bertone, is gathering the needed proof against Murphy given the passage of time (not Murphy's advanced age or ill-health, neither of which is mentioned at all).
* Bertone is appalled at how long this case has been allowed to linger and by the fact that Murphy apparently still has the ability to celebrate Mass for the deaf community in Milwaukee. He insists that this be rectified.
* He also insists that Fr. Murphy be made to reflect on the gravity of his crimes and to furnish proof of his repentance.
* If he fails to do so, Murphy can have additional penalties inflicted on him, including "dismissal from the clerical state" (i.e., laicization, "defrocking").
* The CDF is thus not opposed to defrocking Murphy.
* A note on the same meeting by Bishop Sklba states that Bertone also said that a new canonical process can be initiated against Murphy if he violates directives not to have contact with the Milwaukee deaf community.
* In audio interview referencing the same meeting Archbishop Weakland also characterizes the CDF's response as a "suggestion," says that he doesn't think Cardinal Ratzinger was personally involved with these types of cases at this point, says that everyone—including Weakland himself—moved slowly, and says that trying to initiate a canonical case to defrock a priest was something unusual at the time.
One can still criticize the way the CDF handled the case, but the memo does not reveal a portrait of Bertone—much less Ratzinger—as unwilling to take action against Fr. Murphy. A current trial is not prohibited, and even if one is not held, Murphy is not off the hook. He must be prohibited from contact with the community he has harmed, if he fails to provide proof of his repentance he is at risk of being defrocked, and if he breaks the new rules a further canonical process against him could begin.
Now the long form . . .
The other day while composing the first post regarding Cardinal Ratzinger's (non-)involvement in the Lawrence Murphy paedophilia case I was frustrated by the fact that one of the key documents was available only in Italian and with a really, really lame machine translation done back in 1998.
The document was a memo summarizing a meeting on May 30, 1998 at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith between Archbishop Bertone, the secretary of the CDF and thus the man responsible for its day-to-day operations, and the American bishops involved in the Murphy case.
I figured I'd do the best with it I could, but there were likely additional facts in the document that would emerge in future discussion, once the matter was out on the blogosphere.
Boy, was that right!
This is the smoking gun memo for the case. It reveals just how completely wrong the New York Times and the mainstream media have gotten this story.
I owe a Ten Gallon Cowboy Hat Tip to translator Lori Pieper (BIO) (BLOG) for THIS PROFESSIONALLY DONE TRANSLATION. (HER COMMENTARY.)
Just as the New York Times and other media outlets never contacted key figure Fr. Thomas Brundage before running the story, it appears that they also never got a professional translation of the document, with the result that important facts were left out entirely—or ended up being misrepresented in the press to convey the opposite impression.
So much for the MSM's "layers of fact checkers." They couldn't even have their correspondent in Italy (I assume that person can translate Italian to English?) do a translation of an obviously key document (a meeting held at the Vatican regarding the very case they're investigating? Sheesh!).
But thanks to the blogosphere and its Army of Davids, we now have a translation. (All emphases, both bold and italics, in the original.)
So what does it say?
Summary of a meeting between the Superiors of the CDF and Their Excellencies the Prelates involved in the case of Lawrence C. Murphy, a priest accused of solicitation in Confession (Prot. No. 111/96).
As the title reveals, the reason that the CDF was involved in this case is that it involved a priest accused of sexual solicitation in the confessional—not because it involved paedophilia. At the time, the CDF did not have a mandate to cover paedophilia (those were normally handled by the local bishop or, if appealed to Rome, by a different Vatican court—the Roman Rota). But the CDF did (and does) have a mandate to deal with cases involving priests who commit sexual solicitation in the confessional.
The meeting took place on Saturday, May 30, 1998 in the office of the CDF. Present for the CDF were: His Excellency, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary, who presided over the meeting, the Rev. Father Gianfranco Girotti, Undersecretary. Don Antonio Manna of the Disciplinary Office, Don Michael Jackels (translator) and Fr. Antonio Ramos. Present were Their Excellencies the prelates who had requested the meeting: His Excellency, Rembert Weakland, Archbishop of Milwaukee (USA), his Auxiliary, His Excellency, Richard Sklba and His Excellency, Raphael Fliss, Bishop of Superior (USA).
Note who is not in attendance: Cardinal Ratzinger. It is possible that Bertone was acting on Ratzinger's instructions in this meeting, but it is also possible that he was acting independently. We just don't know. Ratzinger's name never even comes up in this document.
Also note that the CDF has a Disciplinary Office, which is represented at the meeting by Don Antonio Manna. This is not the only case the CDF has to work on.
As the meeting starts, Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland begins with a summary of the case:
1. His Excellency Archbishop Weakland briefly set forth the previous facts of the case, bringing out the following points: 1°) there have turned out to be many victims of the abuses by Fr. Murphy, all of them deaf; 2°) in 1974, there was an intervention in Fr. Murphy's case, but nothing had been recorded in the archdiocesan archives (it appears that there was a civil lawsuit, which ended without any penalty being imposed on the accused and the intervention consisted of sending the said priest to another diocese, i.e. Superior); 3°) the deaf community is now experiencing great indignation because of this case and refuses any pastoral solution; 4°) because of the long period of time that has passed since the events took place, it is no longer possible to begin a civil lawsuit in the state of Wisconsin; 5°) Fr. Murphy has no sense of remorse and does not seem to realize the gravity of what he has done. In addition, 6°) there is the danger of great scandal if the case is publicized by the press. According to the testimonies that have been collected, Fr. Murphy's misdeeds had their origins in Confession.
Point 2 is startling, shocking even. For there not to be diocesan records concerning the 1974 "intervention" (that is, the action undertaken by the diocese) under Weakland's predecessor Archbishop William Cousins reveals an instance of appalling incompetence at best.
Point 3 is the primary motivator for Weakland taking canonical action against Murphy. The deaf community will not find other solutions acceptable at this point.
Actually, there is more to it than this. Though the memo speaks of the deaf community as a united whole, in a recent audio interview with the BBC Weakland states that there was a sharp division in the Milwaukee deaf community over this case, with the younger members—who had been abused—indignant and the older members—who saw Murphy as someone helping them—taking his side.
It might be more accurate, then, to say that certain elements of the local deaf community would not accept anything other than a trial at this point.
Point 4 is another reason for canonical action. Because the Wisconsin statute of limitations has expired, the deaf community cannot begin an action against Murphy in civil court. If there is to be a judicial action taken against him, it must be in Church court.
Note that the idea of keeping the case secret is not on the table. The matter is public, and the civil authorities already knew (see point 2, above). It appears that if a civil lawsuit were still possible, nobody in the room would object to it.
Point 5 is the assessment that Fr. Thomas Brundage (see link above) and others involved in the case came to, though Murphy claimed the contrary in his January 1998 letter, in which he said that he had repented of his past transgressions. Nevertheless, as we will see, it is the assumption that he is not properly repentant that the meeting will proceed on.
Point 6 reflects the natural desire to avoid scandal. But be careful here. In ecclesiastical-speak, "scandal" does not just mean controversy. It means "to cause (others) to stumble" in their faith or morals (Greek, skandalizein, "to cause to stumble," "to trip"), such as alienating people from Christ and his Church through the actions of sinful ministers—something any bishop would and should want to avoid.
Note that Weakland wants to pursue canonical action against Murphy to provide justice for abused members of the deaf community and heal the rift Fr. Murphy has created. And at the same time he wants to avoid the scandal and alienation that sensationalistic press coverage would generate.
It is one thing to try to avoid taking action in order to minimize press coverage. It is another to want to take action while minimizing scandal. It's hard to fault Weakland for wanting to take the latter path.
One note on Weakland's last point: The memo states that Fr. Murphy's crimes "had their origin in Confession." In the audio interview, Weakland clarifies that he's not saying that they physically took place in the confessional but that they were in some way connected to the confessional. (Perhaps, e.g., he used his knowledge from the confessional to identify potential abuse victims.) This may relate directly to one of the difficulties that Archbishop Bertone points out.
Now that Weakland has had his say, Bertone of the CDF has his:
2. His Excellency the Secretary of the CDF—stressing both the long period of time that has now passed (more than 35 years!) from when the events took place, which constitutes the true problem even on the canonical side, and the fact that there has been no report of other crimes perpetrated or scandals created by Murphy during these years in Superior—maintains that there is insufficient information to instruct a canonical process. Nevertheless, he stresses, it is unacceptable for him [Murphy] to be able to go and celebrate the Eucharist in the deaf community in Milwaukee; it will be necessary, therefore, to impede him, having recourse also to some penal remedies. For precautionary reasons, he can be ordered to celebrate the Eucharist only in the diocese of Superior, especially since this is agreed to both by his Ordinary, i.e. the Archbishop of Milwaukee, and the Ordinary of the place where he resides. But such a provision must be communicated to him in writing. [1]
Note the element of exasperation at how long this has been allowed to linger (that exclamation point after "35 years" is there in the Italian). Because of this, Bertone feels that there is not enough information to properly inform a canonical process against Murphy. As a secondary point, he notes that there have been no new allegations against Murphy, but even though the statute of limitations has already been waived in terms of Church law, the gobsmacking lack of documentation and amount of time that this case has been left to linger creates significant hurdles for prosecuting this case.
That does not mean inaction at this point. On the contrary, Bertone now turns to measures that should be taken against Murphy even in the absence of an ecclesiastical trial.
He is indignant that Murphy has the ability to celebrate Mass for the deaf community in Milwaukee.
There is some confusion about precisely what Murphy did and was allowed to do in this matter. One source, from Feb 1997, suggests that Weakland and Sklba of Milwaukee have directed Murphy not to have contact with deaf people but that there is "some indication from the diocese of Superior" that he has done so by saying Mass and helping with retreats for the deaf.
Murphy's own letter, from January 1998, indicates that his ministry was never restricted by Weakland's predecessor, Cousins, and that thus he has on occasion said Mass at parishes in the diocese of Superior and helped at retreats for the deaf. He also states that he has complied with every directive of Cousins and now Weakland.
From the documentation I've been able to review, it is not clear just what the facts are. It may be there, but I haven't seen proof that Murphy was saying Mass for the deaf in the Milwaukee archdiocese (or for the deaf in the diocese of Superior). It strikes me as unlikely that Murphy would say he had complied with all of Weakland's directives if he knew that Weakland could produce a document showing him to be in violation. So perhaps Weakland only communicated the directive orally. Or perhaps there was miscommunication. Or perhaps the source quoted in the Feb. 1997 document was under the mistaken impression that such directives had been communicated when they hadn't been.
In any event, Bertone is acting on the premise that Murphy still legally has the ability to celebrate the Mass for the deaf community in Milwaukee, and he is indignant and determined to end that.
The language he uses—for anyone familiar with the ultra-polite, ultra-diplomatic way that Catholic bishops speak to and about each other—is dramatic.
First, he says that is is "unacceptable" that Murphy has the ability to go and say Mass for the Milwaukee deaf community. In the language of bishops, saying this is "unacceptable" translates into normal speech as, "Why haven't you taken care of this already, you fools? How can you possibly allow this criminal to continue to have contact with the very community he has harmed? You don't need a trial to stop him from doing that. Use your authority as bishops!"
Thus he says it will be "necessary" (charged term) to "impede" (charged term) Murphy, including having recourse to the infliction of "penal remedies" (charged term).
BTW, Bertone may have been even more blunt about all this in person. What we are dealing with is the exquisitely politely-drafted memo version.
"For precautionary reasons" (i.e., to protect the Milwaukee deaf community from further scandalization—or even abuse—by Murphy), the two bishops can take immediate action. Together Weakland (the ordinary or episcopal "boss" to whom Murphy reports) and Fliss (the ordinary or episcopal "boss" of the place where Murphy lives) can order him not to celebrate Mass except in the Diocese of Superior, thus preventing him from doing so for the deaf community in Milwaukee.
This order "must" (charged term) be communicated to him in writing so that there can be no mistake about it. No "he said; he said." (Perhaps this is an indication that prior directives to Murphy—if any—had been oral in nature.)
You don't need a trial for this, guys. Do it!
Don't let yourselves be hung up by a trial, because there are some hurdles there . . .
3. In regard to the possibility of a canonical process for the crime of solicitation in Confession, His Excellency the Secretary draws attention to some problems that it presents: 1°) first of all the difficulty of proving such a crime, the interpretation of which will have to be made in stricto sensu [in the strict sense]; 2°) the difficulty that deaf people have in furnishing proof and testimonies without aggravating matters, keeping in mind both the limits inherent in their disability and the distance of the events in time. Nevertheless, he stresses, it will be necessary to make Murphy reflect seriously on the grave nature of the evil he has done and on the fact that he will have to give proofs of reformation. 3°) He mentions finally the broad right of [self]-defense that exists in the U.S. and the difficulties that would be put forward by the lawyers in this direction.
Point 1 is Bertone's real concern here: "the difficulty of proving such a crime." Notice that, despite the fact that Murphy had sent a letter pleading ill-health as a reason not to proceed. Bertone's concern is with the difficulty of using a trial under these circumstances, not with Murphy's health. The latter may well have been one motivating factor in the CDF's recommendations, but it doesn't appear in the minutes of this meeting.
And so Bertone points out several difficulties with the proposition of going to trial.
Here we arrive at a place where the previous, machine translation, is positively misleading. Contrary to Andrew Sullivan and reader Carolyn Disco, who are dependent on the machine translation, Cardinal Bertone does not speak of increasing scandal or the need for secrecy. What Cardinal Bertone refers to is the need to prove that the crime has been committed "in the strict sense" (not proving it "in strict secrecy") and that this will be difficult without "aggravating matters" (not "increasing the scandal").
The first difficulty Archbishop Bertone mentions (dealt with in the latter part of point 1) is that the law applied to Murphy will have to be interpreted in the strict sense.
This refers to a point in canon law that may not be obvious. According to canon 18 of the Code of Canon Law,
Can. 18 Laws which establish a penalty, restrict the free exercise of rights, or contain an exception from the law are subject to strict interpretation.
The purpose of this canon (among other things) is to prevent innocent people from having penalties inflicted on them based on loosey-goosey readings of the law. If you're going to be hit with a penalty, it should be unambiguous that you violated the law. (Note that this applies not just to priests, but to anybody who could be hit with a penalty. It's related to the "innocent until proven guilty" ethic.)
Thus penal laws applied to Murphy will have to be interpreted in the strict sense. That means that you will have to prove that his actions clearly violated the letter of the law, not debatably violated it, not violating its spirit or intent, but clear violation of the letter of the law itself.
This opens up potential challenges that Murphy's advocate could make in the case.
For example, remember how in the audio interview Weakland cautioned that the crimes may not have been in the confessional itself but only had some connection with it or "had their origin" in it, the way the memo states? Perhaps Weakland has a weak case against the guy in terms of proving a connection with the confessional. Murphy's canonical advocate could certainly argue fallibility of memory after this many years.
We know how defense attorneys are (and you have to let the guy have a defense attorney or there is not even a pretense of justice): "Is Victim A really sure that Murphy said this to him in confession and not outside of it? How can he be sure after so many years? How does he know that Murphy's abuse of him wasn't based on attraction he felt independently and not based on what was said to him in confession? It's one thing when these kinds of things are fresh in memory, but after 35 years?"
Remember: If Weakland wants to run this case under the auspices of the CDF then it needs to be tried on what the CDF has competency over at this time, which is abuse of the sacrament of confession. If Weakland wants to run it as a paedophilia case then the normal dicastery to contact would be the Roman Rota, not the CDF.
So Weakland may have made a mistake not only by waiting so long to deal with the case but also by picking a dicastery that doesn't have the right jurisdiction given the evidence he can provide.
Also related, though not specifically mentioned here, is that like any priest accused of misconduct in the confessional, Murphy is hampered in making his own defense by the fact that he can never (under pain of automatic excommunication) violate the seal of confession. According to the Code of Canon Law,
Can. 983 §1. The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.
"For any reason" includes your own defense in a Church trial. Even to prove your own innocence, you can't break the seal.
That makes hearing these kinds of cases harder, since one of the parties is significantly impeded from being able to tell his side of the story.
In point 2, Bertone brings out another difficulty in proceeding with the case, namely, "the difficulty that deaf people have in furnishing proof and testimonies without aggravating matters."
I have to say that I don't know what Bertone is referring to here. The memo tries to clarify by referencing "the limits inherent in their disability and the distance of the events in time."
Perhaps Bertone is thinking that, given the utter lack of documentation from the 1970s, that it would aggravate matters for the deaf community by forcing members of it to undergo deposition via an interpreter in ways that could rip open old wounds about painful experiences a long time ago.
This could be particularly true if, as Weakland says in the audio interview, the local deaf community was divided, with one generation taking Murphy's side and another opposing him.
Or perhaps he thinks that deaf people somehow have difficulty communicating matters with precision due to the nature of sign language (in which case he doesn't—or at least didn't—have much awareness of how American Sign Language works; it can be just as precise as spoken languages). Or perhaps he is thinking that some deaf people have difficulty communicating because their parents do not arrange for their children to have a good education in sign language and proper exposure to the deaf community (though that would not seem to be the case in a school for the deaf).
He does seem to be thinking of the fact that, for both the hearing and the deaf, our memories aren't always as reliable as we would want concerning long-ago events, including—and perhaps especially—traumatic events.
Whatever the case here—and it may simply be bad memo drafting since we don't have Bertone's own words—he thinks that it will be difficult to get the needed proof for a trial.
Despite this, and in the same point, Bertone stresses that it will be "necessary" (charged word) "to make Murphy reflect seriously on the grave nature of the evil he has done and on the fact that he will have to give proofs of reformation."
So Murphy is not to be let off the hook if a trial doesn't proceed. He's going to have to reflect on the gravity of his sins and provide proof that he has repented.
In point 3 Bertone cites a third difficulty for a trial, which is "the broad right of [self]-defense that exists in the U.S. and the difficulties that would be put forward by the lawyers" acting on Murphy's behalf.
The memo doesn't say, but it is possible Bertone is thinking not just of Murphy's canonical advocate in the Church trial but of civil lawyers getting involved and trying to interfere with ecclesiastical proceedings. Indeed, that may be what he is thinking since under the Church's internal law, priests in America don't have any broader right of self-defense than priests in other countries (though American priests might seek to exercise their canonical rights more aggressively).
So, while he doesn't exclude the possibility of a trial of Murphy, Bertone notes various difficulties that one would face, while simultaneously insisting that actions must be taken against Murphy.
Weakland then agrees to such actions . . .
4. His Excellency Archbishop Weakland commits himself to try to obtain from Father Murphy—whom he compares to a "difficult" child—a declaration of repentance; all three psychologists who have examined him consider him a "typical" pedophile, who therefore "considers himself a victim." In this regard, the Under-Secretary [of the CDF] Father Gianfranco Girotti, stresses that the said priest will have to give clear signs of repentance, "otherwise we will have to have recourse to a trial." His Excellency the Secretary [i.e. Bertone] proposes imposing on him a period of spiritual retreat together with a salutary admonition in order to be able to understand whether he really is repentant or not, otherwise, he would expose himself to the risk of having more rigorous measures imposed on him, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state. He then advises entrusting him to a priest as his spiritual director, with meetings every one or two months.
Here we have arrived at another point where the original machine translation is badly misleading. It is incredibly garbled. Among other things, it makes it appear that three psychologists would need (in the future) to evaluate him and determine if he is a typical paedophile. In fact, as the above translation makes clear, three psychologists have examined him and found him to be a typical paedophile.
Worse, the machine translation leaves out altogether Bertone's proposal of "imposing on him a period of spiritual retreat together with a salutary admonition in order to be able to understand whether he really is repentant or not, otherwise, he would expose himself to the risk of having more rigorous measures imposed on him, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state" (emphasis in original). Dismissal from the clerical state is laicization or "defrocking," so defrocking Murphy is explicitly on the table in this meeting. Yet the machine translation leaves it out entirely.
So, far from opposing a trial, on grounds of age or health or anything else, the undersecretary of the CDF indicates that "we will have to have recourse to a trial" if Murphy doesn't furnish "clear signs of repentance."
Bertone goes farther, saying that Murphy needs to be sent on retreat with the warning that if he doesn't come back seriously repentant that he will risk exposing himself to "more rigorous measures [being] imposed on him," including "dismissal from the clerical state." He also wants a spiritual director to keep tabs on Murphy.
5. His Excellency the Secretary finally sums up the two central points of the line to be followed in regard to the priest, in a word: 1°) the territorial restriction of the celebration of the Eucharist and 2°) the admonition to induce him to show remorse.
So, whether there is a trial or not, two points are definitely to be followed: Keep Murphy from celebrating Mass for the Milwaukee deaf community and take steps to provoke repentance, with the warnings above about what will happen if he's not properly repentant, age and anything else notwithstanding.
Weakland then get the last effective word:
Before the conclusion of the meeting, Archbishop Weakland thought it important to restate that it will be difficult to make the deaf community understand the slight extent of these provisions.
And that's the end of the meeting.
We also have another, briefer account of the meeting in the form of notes that were taken on it by Bishop Richard J. Sklba [RJS in the notes], who was one of the attendees. He writes:
Lawrence Murphy
On May 30, 1998 I joined Archbishop Weakland and Bishop Fliss in meeting with Archbishop Bertone and staff regarding the case. It became clear that the Congregation was not encouraging us to proceed with any formal dismissal on the basis of 24 years of apparent good conduct and the precept impeding exercise of orders currently in effect. We were also cautioned about the difficulty of the question of the Confessional, both in terms of the strict canonical definition of the crime as well as the time lapse between obtaining the information and acting thereon. Archbishop Bertone noted that disobedience of any precept forbidding contact with community members could form the basis for another canonical process.
So Sklba's understanding was also that the CDF was "not encouraging us to proceed" but also not forbidding.
An interesting note that wasn't captured in the official memo summarizing the meeting is Sklba's last sentence: "Archbishop Bertone noted that disobedience of any precept forbidding contact with community members could form the basis for another canonical process."
So even if there would be difficulties prosecuting a case this old, if Murphy violates the soon-to-be-imposed requirements not to have contact with the deaf community, he can be nailed for that.
In the audio interview, Weakland also offers a very brief account of the CDF meeting, which he also characterizes as resulting in a "request" to handle the case with restrictions rather than a trial (at the 3:55 mark). Weakland also states (4:40) that he doesn't think Cardinal Ratzinger was personally involved in this kind of case at this point (i.e., before the CDF was given the mandate to handle them) and that everyone—Weakland himself included—was acting slowly. Weakland states that he probably should have acted ten years earlier (5:10). He also states, very interestingly, that at the time U.S. bishops weren't really thinking about canonical cases to get priests defrocked (5:15), that what he was trying to do was something unusual for the time—perhaps explaining the difficulty he encountered trying to do it.


text:
It's time for the real Philadelphia Eagles to stand up.
The uber-talented Eagles looked like world-beaters in Week Two when they scored a 24-23 victory over a Baltimore team that could be the class of the AFC. It wasn't really that close. Philly outgained the Ravens, 486-325.
Then the Eagles went to Arizona and laid a giant egg, losing 27-6. They continue their rugged early-season schedule tonight when they host the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants.
Unemployed QB Vince Young wasn't wrong last summer when he called the Eagles a "dream team."
Their defense has elite edge rushers in Jason Babin and Trent Cole, who has the third-most sacks in the league over the past six years. The linebacking corps is anchored by two-time Pro Bowler DeMeco Ryans, signed as a free agent from Houston. The cornerback tandem of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is among the most talented in the league.
On offense, quarterback Michael Vick has elite weapons in all-purpose back LeSean McCoy and in receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.
The Eagles were fourth in the NFL in yards gained last year and eighth best in yards allowed. This year they rank fifth on both offense and defense.
Yet all those assets came undone last year, as the Eagles finished with a minus-14 turnover differential, third worst in the league. The Eagles won the turnover battle in only three games last year and haven't won it yet this season.
Vick was reborn with Andy Reid in 2010, throwing 21 TD passes and just six interceptions. A career 53.8 percent passer in Atlanta, he hit 62.6 percent that season.
Vick regressed last year, throwing 14 interceptions. Through three games this year, he already has nine turnovers, and he's completing 55.2 percent of his passes. He's missing open receivers. He's breaking the pocket too soon at times.
Now the complicating factor: Last year, Vick was pressured on 39.8 percent of his dropbacks, third most in the league, according to Sports Illustrated. This year he already has been sacked nine times. The Eagles lost left tackle Jason Peters for the season in May and lost center Jason Kelce for the season two weeks ago. Ex-Bill Demetress Bell opened training camp with the first unit then lost the left tackle job to King Dunlap. Dunlap pulled a hamstring in Week Two. Bell gave up a slew of pressures in Arizona and with Dunlap still out, now must face Jason Pierre-Paul tonight.
Reid has svengali Howard Mudd coaching the offensive line. Mudd needs to patch it together if the Eagles' whole is going to be greater than the sum of their impressive parts.
Men in Pink
Sign of the Apocalypse: The Cowboys are opening a Victoria's Secret store in the main concourse at Cowboys Stadium at 4 p.m. Monday, in time for the game against the Bears. You can be assured Ralph Wilson lost his lunch when he heard of it. Buy me some peanuts, Crackerjack and push-up bras.
Men in Black
The Jaguars' home game today against Cincinnati will be the last in which teal will serve as Jacksonville's primary jersey color. The Jags will wear black jerseys for home games starting next week. The team wore black as an alternate jersey in 2009.
Owner Shad Khan said in a statement: "After this Sunday's game, we will wear black as our primary jersey and teal will be reserved for special occasions as our alternate jersey. Teal will continue to be a part of our uniform and our logo, but on the field, our identity will grow in black jerseys."
RIP Keating
Tom Keating, who played for two seasons with the Bills and then had a distinguished career at defensive tackle with the Oakland Raiders, died earlier this month of prostate cancer in Denver. Keating, who was 69, starred at the University of Michigan and was drafted by the Bills 34th overall, in the fifth round of the 1964 AFL draft. (Buffalo took Carl Eller in the first round and Paul Warfield in the fourth, but both signed with the NFL.) Keating saw spot duty as a reserve for the Bills, but Buffalo was loaded at defensive tackle with starters Tom Sestak and Jim Dunaway.
Five games into the '65 season, with both starting wide receivers out for the year, Coach Lou Saban was desperate for offense. He acquired receiver Bo Roberson from the Raiders for a player to be named later. It turned out to be Keating. With Keating joining Ben Davidson, Dan Birdwell and Ike Lassiter on the defensive line, Oakland was No. 1 in the AFL in defense in '66 and '67. Keating, who lined up in a four-point stance with both hands on the ground, wound up playing six seasons with the Raiders and 11 seasons overall. His good friend, the handlebar-moustached Davidson, died in July at age 72.
McMahon's dementia
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, 53, is suffering from early stage dementia. He told a Chicago TV station this week he'd play baseball if he had his career to do over.
In an interview with Fox affiliate WFLD-TV, aired Wednesday, the 53-year-old McMahon says he knows where he's going when in an airport. But when he meets people, "I'm asking two minutes later, 'Who was that?'
"When my friends call and leave me a message ... I'll read it and delete it before I respond and then I forget who called and left me a message," McMahon told WFLD. McMahon said he does not know if his condition is getting worse. "Other than just sitting in the house, I'm on the road doing these different events and charities, helping my buddies out," McMahon said. "When I'm home, I'm usually sitting in the back of my room just watching TV in the dark and when I come out it's to the kitchen to get something to eat."
Onside kicks.
Kansas City suffered a big loss last week when center Rodney Hudson was lost for the year with a broken leg. He was playing well.
. Big Chargers left tackle Jared Gaither has been out since July with a bad back, his chronic problem since 2009. He started practicing this week and might get plugged into the Chargers' lineup today. They can use him. San Diego has been playing undrafted rookie Michael Harris at LT and he has given up heavy pressure.
. Washington's London Fletcher and Tampa's Ronde Barber both make their 227th consecutive starts today when the 'Skins face the Bucs. Barber on whose streak is more impressive: "I have to say doing it from his spot. I don't know how he's doing it. I saw him in the preseason right before the game. Neither one of us were playing but we had a little conversation about it. I gave him props then. Doing it as a middle linebacker 15 straight years is way more impressive than me. I've taken some hits in my day, but not nearly the type of pounding that he has over his career."
. Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie is making quick work of Al Davis draft picks. McKenzie this week cut 2011 third-round pick Joe Barksdale, a tackle who didn't fit the new zone blocking scheme. He previously cut 2011 third-rounder DeMarcus Van Dyke and 2011 fourth-rounder Chimdi Chewka. He traded tackle Bruce Campbell, a fourth-round reach in 2010, and receiver Louis Murphy, a fourth-rounder in 2009.
. Place-kickers have converted 92.4 percent of their field-goal attempts, a record through three weeks.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cruising to Bankruptcy?by Todd De Haven | August 13, 2008
In these tough economic times, using your credit to pay for a cruise could be a big mistake. Sage financial advice from our CruiseMates readers.
CruiseMates' Reader Recommendations One financially responsible member commented that he hadn't been on a cruise for the past eight years because his financial circumstances hadn't allowed it. Happily, his situation has improved and he is once again planning a cruise.
A smart Cruisemates contributor said he uses his cruise line's credit card to book all of his cruises. Then when he receives his monthly credit card bill, he pays in full to avoid interest charges. A variation of this would be to save for an impending cruise and once you have the money in the bank, select your cruise and charge the down payment to your cruise line credit card; then when the statement comes, pay it immediately. Next, charge the final bill to your cruise line credit card and pay that bill in full immediately. This way you could quickly earn perks and benefits similar to those frequent fliers use to build up their air miles.
Remember that onboard charges can really slam your budget. It can be traumatic for a person with a restricted vacation or leisure time budget to save for two or three years for their first cruise, only to discover prior to disembarking that their onboard account has approached what they paid for their cruise. And it's so unnecessary.
If you have never cruised, be sure to keep daily track of your onboard expenses, something you can often do from your in-room TV. If you didn't know how much items like sodas, juices and alcohol are costing you, you will find out soon enough when you are presented with a "sign and sail" charge slip to sign. Another danger spot is the casino, since many cruise ships allow guests to play on credit up to a generous daily limit until the very last day of the cruise. Keep track daily of any expenses there as well, for gambling expenses can build up quickly.
Persons with even one cruise under their belts can and should use their last cruise's on-board expense record as a guide, making sure to build in cost increases, especially if it has been a few years since their previous cruise. The CruiseMates message boards are full of ideas on how to save money onboard and in port. Take advantage of free meals to avoid expensive restaurants in foreign lands. Purchase a drink package for your cabin, which comes with a bottle of spirits and mixers for one price, rather than paying for drinks by the glass. Some cruisers even set up their onboard account with a limited amount of credit, which requires the cruise line to notify the guests before they go over the limit.
Any way you slice it, cruising expenses usually go far beyond just the price of the cruise. And remember that the cost of traveling to and from your cruise often makes up a significant part of your total cruise budget. Consider avoiding a significant airline expense (especially if the entire family is cruising) by selecting a cruise from a port within driving distance. Even a night's hotel/motel expense each way and the cost of gasoline may be far less than airfare.
Keeping Your Cruises Affordable Americans think of vacations as a necessity, not a luxury. We take far less time off work than most other industrialized nations. Some European countries let employees take as much as six weeks of paid vacation. Financially strapped Americans may cut back on their precious vacations but they certainly don't plan on giving them up. Cruise lines are doing everything they can to attract passengers, including keeping cruise fares as low as possible in the face of rising energy costs. Most of us know how to practice responsible financial behavior, but there will always be some people who have a hard time seeing the consequences of bad financial decisions.
Pick your cruises wisely, add in all of the ancillary expenses, and budget your onboard costs before you set sail. You might be amazed to find that cruises remain one of the most cost effective vacation options available.
Return to Part 1 >> Cruising to Bankruptcy?
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The amount Terrebonne Parish residents pay for water is likely to increase no matter the fate of the May 4 tax proposition.
The amount Terrebonne Parish residents pay for water is likely to increase no matter the fate of the May 4 tax proposition.
A 40-year contract with Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District ends next year, and now voters are faced with deciding whether to pay 2.11 mills of property tax for inclusion in the district or see their water bills go up.
Bayou Lafourche provides 80 percent of the parish's drinking supply, and the parish has a bargain price of 3 cents per 1,000 gallons of water compared to neighboring parishes that draw from the bayou.
Parishes that are members of the water district each pay the same property tax of 2.11 mills along with a lesser fee per gallon drawn from the waterway. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of a property's assessed value.
Through Terrebonne's expiring contract with the district, the parish has only paid a per-gallon fee for water though the parish pulls more water than other parishes that pay the fee and the property tax.
If the tax passes, the per-gallon fee and users' water bills will stay about the same, plus residents will pay the property tax other parishes are assessed, said Michael Sobert, Consolidated Waterworks District No. 1 general manager.
If the tax fails, the district's board, which Terrebonne will not be part of, will have final say on how much the per-gallon fee will be when the contract expires.
"We might add in what we don't get from (property tax) and include what everyone else pays," said district board Chairman Hugh Caffery. "They would pay a lot larger water user fee than what the district member pays."
Sobert added the parish's current 3 cents per 1,000 gallons payment would need to be increased to 50 cents to be equitable with the amount other parishes contribute in property tax and user fees.
That would translate to minimum $4 per month increase in water bills, Sobert said.
The average homeowner with a $150,000 home would see an annual increase of $15.83 from the proposed property tax.
Local officials have voiced support of the property tax measure because it will give Terrebonne representation on the district's board and thus a means to stabilize fees for water.
"We are either going to pay it one way without representation, or we pay it the other way with representation. It will come in completely through the water bills," Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said in favor of the proposition.
The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce has also come out in favor of the tax.
"The 2.11 mills required for membership in the district is much less costly than the water bills we could expect to see if the parish does not become a member of (the district)," said Jennifer Armand, chairwoman of the chamber's Board of Directors.
Terrebonne Parish was a very different place when the district and parish reached their agreement in 1974, Sobert noted.
Houma wasn't as big as it is now, and all the development around La. 311 hadn't occurred.
When the parish first started to rely on the bayou, the Schriever treatment facility was built to handle 8 million gallons a day. It now averages about 15 million gallons per day.
"Five to 10 percent of the district's revenue comes from Terrebonne, yet they get 45 percent of the water," Caffery said. "When you look at it that way, the people in the district who are paying property tax are subsidizing water for Terrebonne."
There are those who argue a higher-user fee would be more fair considering businesses pay the lion's share of property taxes. There is also the fact that 40 percent of homeowners pay no property tax though the state's homestead exemption that allows $75,000 of a property's value to be exempt from property taxes.
Sobert said the decision is up to voters, but he noted other benefits the parish would receive from joining Lafourche, Assumption and Ascension parishes in the district.
Businesses that have a heavy reliance on water, such as seafood processors, may think twice before settling in Terrebonne if water rates are increased drastically, Sobert said.
He also noted the parish will likely increase its reliance on Bayou Lafourche in coming years with the current treatment facility having capacity to handle 24 million gallons from the bayou.
The parish's other source of drinking water is the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which is becoming saltier and less of an option with each passing year, Sobert said.
Last year, the parish also borrowed $20 million for a transmission line that would move water originating from Bayou Lafourche to Houma, Sobert said.
"As a member of the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District, you are guaranteed an unlimited amount of fresh water," Sobert said. "Availability is an issue in the future. If things get a little tight in Bayou Lafourche and we are not a member, who gets what?"
As a non-member, Terrebonne has limits to what it can draw per its contract with the district. Those limits have been surpassed but not enforced, Caffery said.
The tax is expected to raise about $1.8 million, which will about double the district's budget.
The district is charged with maintaining and operating water flow of the bayou through a pump station in Donaldsonville that pumps water from the Mississippi River.
The district's employees also maintain the waterway by ensuring proper flow, clearing obstructions and stemming saltwater intrusion.
Caffery said the money will aid in the maintenance of the bayou and accelerate the district's completion of $70 million in projects identified by the district's master plan aimed at increasing the flow of the bayou.
The district has the goal of quadrupling the flow of water in the bayou, which requires significant dredging projects to increase the flow capacity, Caffery noted.
Xerxes Wilson can be reached at 448-76369 or xerxes.


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We Have You Surrounded
By Naomi Klein - March 27th, 2003
As a kid, I had trouble understanding why my parents and siblings lived in Montreal and the rest of my family – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins – were scattered across the United States. On long car trips to visit relatives in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, my parents would tell us about the Vietnam war, and the thousands of US peace activists who, like us, snuck across the border to Canada in the late sixties.
I was told that the Canadian government not only stayed officially neutral during the war, it offered sanctuary for US citizens who refused to fight in a war they believed was wrong. Derided as "draft dodgers" at home, we were welcomed in Canada as conscientious objectors.
My family's decision to emigrate to Canada was made before I was born, but these romantic stories planted an idea in my head when I was far too young to fend it off: I believed that Canada had a relationship with the world that was radically different from that of the United States; that despite cultural similarities and geographic proximity, more humane and less interventionist values guided our dealings. In short, I thought we were sovereign.
Ever since, I have searched for evidence to back up that childhood (some would say childish) belief – with no luck. Until last week, when Canadian foreign policy took its sharpest turn away from the US since the Vietnam War.
As it was in the sixties, Canada's position on this US invasion is filled with hypocrisies. We have 31 soldiers in the Gulf who are serving on exchange alongside US and British troops, as well as three warships in the region. These, Prime Minister Jean Chretien says, are there as part of Canada's support for the old model "war on terror," not the new model war on Iraq, even if the former has been officially re-launched as the latter (we've never been ones to keep up with the fashions). But the remarkable fact remains: after decades of following the US into every major military campaign, Canada is not backing this war. "If you start changing regimes, where do you stop?" Mr. Chretien asked.
Equally remarkable has been Mexican President Vicente Fox's position. Though also couched in caveats, he too has clearly stated "we are against this war."
These mild, cautious, even ambivalent rejections don't seem particularly spectacular set against the political bombast coming from Europe, China and much of the Arab world. And yet Canada and Mexico's decisions may well represent a far greater challenge to a marauding American Empire than all the shouting coming from overseas.
After all, when European and Arab countries take on the US, it's almost expected – but Canada and Mexico? We are more than friends, more than strategic allies. We are satellite states, extensions of the US, its front and back yard, supplying cheap labour (Mexico) and cheap energy (Canada), and of course, unconditional support. We are supposed to be on the same team – Team NAFTA.
And that is what makes the fact that Canada and Mexico are standing up to the US on the war – albeit while trying not to draw too much attention to ourselves – so significant. Empires need colonies to survive, countries that are so economically dependent, so militarily inferior, that independent action is unthinkable.
Solidifying and deepening these fears and dependencies among the US's closest neighbours and largest trading partners has been NAFTA's great achievement. The numbers speak for themselves: 86 per cent of Canada's exports and 88 per cent of Mexico's exports go directly to the US If the US retaliated against us by closing its borders, the economies of Canada and Mexico would crash overnight. With those stakes in mind, John Ibbitson, writing in this paper last week, railed against the audacity of Canadian MPs who dared question the legality of Bush's attack on Iraq. "If you are one of the millions of Canadians whose job depends on the free flow of goods and services with the United States, you should be furious." In other words, let the Europeans have their high-minded ideas about international law – we have just-in-time car parts to deliver.
And yet somehow, despite our extreme economic dependencies, despite our fear of retaliation, a strong majority of Canadians and Mexicans support our governments' opposition to the war. This courage didn't come overnight – we earned it, one Bush administration slight at time.
After September 11, Washington abruptly dropped plans to legalize the status of millions of undocumented Mexicans working without any protections in the US, a blow that seriously damaged Mr. Fox's popularity at home. And rather than Canadianizing the Mexican border, the US has opted instead to Mexicanize the Canadian border. For Canadian citizens born in one of the countries the US considers a threat, entering the US has become an exercise in humiliation, complete with routine photographing and finger printing.
There is another factor leading to the newfound courage: it's easier to risk trade relations when "free trade" policies, after failing to deliver on so many of their promises, are increasingly unpopular. Last week, the Washington Post reported that while Mexico's trade volume has nearly tripled since since NAFTA was signed, poverty has surged drastically, with 19 million more Mexicans living in poverty than twenty years ago.
Now that Mexico and Canada have decided to declare their independence on Iraq, something remarkable is happening: nothing. No retaliation, not even a backlash – just an expression of "disappointment" from the US ambassador to Canada. Maybe they're too busy French-bashing to even notice.
And this is the real significance of the Canadian and Mexican positions. All Empires, no matter how mighty, are also weak: awesome power disguises rapacious need, a carefully hidden dependency on the colonized for everything from resources to labour to land for military bases.
As the US's most loyal lackies tentatively stand up to it one by one, we cannot help but notice that we are not just needy but needed. Canada and Mexico may seem expendable on their own, but combined? That's a different story. Together, Mexico and Canada represent 36 per cent of America's export market. We supply the US with 36 per cent of its net energy imports and 26 per cent of its net oil imports. And as much as its leaders like to imagine otherwise, the US is actually not an island. It shares 12,000 kilometers of borderland with Canada and Mexico which it cannot protect without us.
Maybe these numbers were never supposed to be added up. NAFTA was never really a three way partnership: it was more like two bilateral trade deals that were slapped together: one between the US and Canada, the other between the US and Mexico. That is beginning to change as the reality dawns that while the US may act like an island, dependent on no one, it lives in a neighbourhood. Abroad, the US may well be able to sail to military victory but at home, it suddenly finds itself surrounded.
So while Europe warns of the rise of a new age of imperialism, what we are witnessing in North America is, ironically, the opposite: a superpower's surprising vulnerability, as dependent as it is dangerous. It may be able to live without the United Nations, it could probably make do without France. But the US could no more protect its people economically and physically without the help of Mexico and Canada than it could secede from Planet Earth.
The implications of that realization will be far reaching. Because there can be no all-powerful empires without faithful colonies.
This article first appeared in The Globe and Mail.
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text:
It seemed serendipitous that on the same day I saw Oyster Mag's starkly light and yet sun drenched Beauty Daily that I find a matching editorial from Australian Vogue in their December 2004 edition. Don't ask why I have something so old and outdated (it's collage fodder OK?) just enjoy these artfully shot photographs and be thankful I didn't cut it up. What becomes apparent is the contrast of dressed up versus dressed down. Both share a common element of femme fatale figures and the allure of hidden sexuality but I feel Oyster has softened this motif especially since this publication is associated with youth. Whereas Vogue has opted for a high fashion approach, is firmly established and has built its reputation on premium wares and the unattainable. I like both for very different reasons. Oyster's grainy images and experimental approach encapsulate the uncertainty and discovery associated with twenty-something year olds. By contrast Vogue has a more dramatic angle and there is something somewhat self-indulgent about the characterization of their model.
1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13- Oyster Beauty Daily January: 3182 Hair by Ashleigh from Shibui for KMS California. 2, 5, 9, 11, 12- in the mood for love, Australian Vogue, December 2004.
6- Gibson Fox.


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Beans and ham, they go together like country cousins. Pork and beans, as in bacon-spiked baked beans. Navy bean soup with nuggets of ham. And one of my favorites from my grandmother's kitchen: steamed green beans, fresh-picked from her farm's garden, studded with morsels of salty ham.
This dish plays with that dynamic duo, subbing pieces of crackly prosciutto — made so by rendering in a skillet — to pair with the plump green beans. Toasted pine nuts play their flavor off both green beans and the cured ham. Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil bring it all together.
A crisp white wine would be a refreshing companion. Try an Italian white, such as Soave or pinot bianco, or an unoaked California sauvignon blanc.
Tips: Sub the prosciutto with diced baked ham, crisp bacon or slivers of country ham.
Ham and beans pasta
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes
Servings: 6
8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed
1 pound penne pasta
4 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the green beans. Cook until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon; keep warm. Add penne to the boiling water; cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, cook prosciutto slices in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; break into rough pieces.
3. Toss the drained pasta in a large bowl with the green beans, pine nuts and Parmesan; drizzle with olive oil. Divide pasta among six plates; top with prosciutto pieces.
Nutrition information:
Per serving: 458 calories, 32% of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 61 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 278 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.


text:
I finished Don Lee's novel, Wrack & Ruin, not long ago. It's about a sculptor turned brussels-sprouts farmer whose life starts falling apart one weekend when his feckless brother comes to visit.
I enjoyed the book, though I'm no brussels-sprouts farmer, and I only sculpt using Play-Doh, and then usually destroy my creations in fits of artistic pique when my creations fail to live up to the genius of my artistic vision — or my son is done playing, whichever comes first.
But I never thought the book would serve as foreshadowing for the past week.
It all started the week before, when my wife was traveling for a conference, leaving me at home with our two little brussels-sprouts. For three days I hung in there with the cooking and the dishes and the laundry and the carpool and the work and the dog walking and dog feeding and vacuuming.
Then it started, though it took me a while to notice. See, the clothes weren't dry. So on Sunday morning, I cranked it and started it again.
Then I went to open a blind — and the cord broke in my hand.
The chaos remained at bay for the rest of Sunday. My wife made it home safely, I walked the dog, and before dark, we tried to finish hanging our Christmas lights. That went fine, too, until I was up on a ladder and I went to tuck one of the extension cords behind a porch light.
And the porch light came off in my hand. With my left hand I held the light, which was kind of carriage lamp style, and noticed that none the four screws supposedly holding this lamp to the wide of the house were attached.
I then tried to reattach the screws, only to find the two holding the base to the wall wouldn't thread. Since I couldn't very well let the light dangle from its own wiring, I unwired the light, leaving me with a hole and exposed wires.
My smartass friend suggested putting in a nativity scene.
We dried a lot of clothes indoors (hanging them under a ceiling fan works remarkably well), paid a whack of money to get the dryer fixed, and now that the week is winding down, I'm finally heading to the hardware store to get parts to actually re-hang the light.
The cord, however, will have to wait for tomorrow. That's also when I go looking for a book titled Prosperity & Reliable Household Products.


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New strike against gold mines!
The Canadian company McEwen Mining Inc., with headquarters in Toronto and gold deposits in countries such as Argentina and USA, reported last week that a group of unidentified assailants entered the gold mine empty-handed, and left the place with no fewer than 900 kilos of gold concentrate.
Some experts informed that, after processing and refining that amount of gold, the assailants could get nearly 7,000 ounces of this precious metal worth $8 millions.
The company said in the media that the gold mine boasts 24-hour security, and therefore, according to Gerardo Vargas Landeros, Secretary General of the Government of Sinaloa, affirmed that some person within the gold mine – or who worked there previously – must have helped the assailants find the weak points of the deposit and schedules of the working time.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and the facilities remain intact ever since. The activities continued like nothing had happened, but the insurance will not cover the losses. Now the gold mine workers and security is alert in case this incident takes place one more time.
The authorities believe these assailants are the ones who regularly steal oil from a national company with activities nearby. Nonetheless, this is an isolated case in Mexico and it will be soon water under the bridge.
Things are going from bad to worse, but not just affecting this one mine in the west of Mexico. Regardless of the reduced cost of gold mining worldwide – which was reduced 2.7% during 2014 – in Mexico it has increased by 4%, becoming thus the world's second region where gold mining is more expensive. That significantly reduced gold production in Mexico by 1.3%, yet remaining the eight world's producer.
The clients of Emgoldex bear no risks and buy the highest quality investment gold bars in the online store of the company. They create their own gold reserve and gold business which guarantees them financial stability for tomorrow's future!
Share the best opportunity to buy gold in your social networks!
Category: Gold news Publication date: 2015-05-13 14:59
|Gold Fixing | Price History


text:
Find hotels in Chester using the list and search tools below. Search for cheap and discounted hotel and motel rates in or close to Chester, NJ for your personal leisure or group travel. We provide the best Chester, New Jersey motel and hotel rooms. Browse the Chester area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Chester hotels. Booking 5+ Rooms? Find Chester Group Hotel Rates
The Chester center is about 7 miles west of Wick House and 9 miles north of Bridgewater Manor.
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text:
Chris gave me this on Christmas morning -
A whole case of Boones Farm Snow Berry Creek - he even had the kids wrap it!
He gets me and I love it!
My baby's gave me this -
Charlie Browns Christmas book - it is a recordable book, they read the story and now I can listen to them read it to me for years!
They get me and I love it!
My parents gave me this for my Birthday -
It is a leather cuff with a metal plate that is engraved with "LIFE IS GOOD"!
Now my Mom will say "of course you love it you picked it out!" to which I would say "I know but when I said to them "I love this bracelet" they never hesitated, they didn't ask if I was sure they just bought it for me!" So don't ruin the moment Mom!
They get me (not sure they always understand how I work) but they knew it was me and I love it!
Happy New Year with many blessings!


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Cattle-call debate draws 20 Minn. gov hopefuls
This year's super-sized governor's race was on display Wednesday night in Bloomington, as 20 candidates from three political parties shared the same stage and made a pitch to voters.
It was the biggest event yet in a campaign that started last summer. Ten Democrats, six Republicans and four Independence Party hopefuls filled two long banquet tables at the front of a hotel conference room in Bloomington, fielding questions about everything from foreclosures to the state's budget problems and divided government.
The race is wide open, with GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty moving on after two terms.
Minnesota News Council Chairman Tony Carideo opened the debate by joking that the lineup looked like "either a Senate panel or a telethon."
The group was so big that organizers grouped them in four sets, with each set getting different questions.
Candidates didn't get much time at the microphone, but they still managed to have their say on issues ranging from taxes and education to health care and jobs.
They only had a minute to answer most of the questions. Organizers of the debate also used a lightning round to squeeze more topics into the two-hour event. One of those questions was about public funding for a Vikings stadium, and the answers -- while short -- still showed a wide variety of opinions. Here's a sample.
Paul Thissen, DFL: "Yes, if it's not out of the general fund."
John Uldrich, IP: "No."
Tom Rukavina, DFL: "Yes, with user fees."
Bill Hass, GOP: "No, private sector solution only."
Tom Emmer, GOP: "No."
John Marty, DFL: "Not with public money."
Susan Gaertner, DFL: "Not now."
Most candidates stuck to the messages they've been honing over months of campaigning. DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher has often stressed her leadership and consensus building skills. And she stressed that point again when asked about working across the political aisle as governor.
"You need to respect everyone who comes with that election certificate," said Kelliher. "You don't necessarily need to always agree, but respecting each other is important."
There have already been dozens of separate DFL and GOP candidate forums throughout the state, including a few bipartisan gatherings.
But the Bloomington debate also showcased a relatively new field of IP candidates. Businessman and former Republican Tom Horner, who just entered the race last week, showed that his GOP days are over by saying he would look at tax increases as an independent governor.
"Yes, I think we're going to have to raise taxes," said Horner. "And we're going to have to look at taxes like sales tax, good policy taxes, raise the tobacco tax, and also reduce some of the loopholes in the tax system that make it unfair."
Candidates answered several questions about taxes, and some brought up the subject again while addressing other issues.
All of the Republicans are firmly opposed to raising any taxes, while all but two of the other candidates say they'd consider an increase.
GOP candidate Phil Herwig accused those who support a tax increase of being out of their minds.
"These people -- most of them have got jobs that are recession-proof in the Legislature. They don't understand what's going on outside that Capitol door," said Herwig. "We've got to cut taxes. We've got to cut spending, and we've got to stop doing things the way we've been doing them in the past."
The tax debate also prompted one of the few dustups of the evening. One of the DFL candidates, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, scolded Republican State Rep. Tom Emmer for supporting cuts in local government aid. Rybak said those cuts forced cities to raise property taxes.
"You and I both raised taxes. It's just that the Democrats here are telling the truth," said Rybak. "It's time for honesty with what's going on in this state."
Emmer shot back during a later question, when he accused Rybak of name-calling.
"Those that suggest that higher taxes are the answer are the ones that have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to Minnesota families," said Emmer.
All major-party candidates were invited, and all but a handful showed up.
The Democrats included Rybak, former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, state Sens. Tom Bakk and John Marty, state Reps. Tom Rukavina and Paul Thissen, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, former state Sen. Steve Kelley and painter Ole Savior.
The Republicans were Emmer, state Rep. Marty Seifert, state Sen. David Hann, former state Rep. Bill Haas, environmental activist Leslie Davis and businessman Phil Herwig.
Independence Party candidates who participated were publisher Rob Hahn, public relations executive Tom Horner, businessman John Uldrich and frequent candidate Rahn Workcuff.
A couple hundred people attended the forum, sponsored by the News Council and the League of Women Voters Minnesota Education Fund. The event was held during the Minnesota Newspaper Association's annual conference.
Precinct caucuses which take place next Tuesday will start the process of electing delegates to endorse candidates at state party conventions this spring.
But it appears that the DFL and IP nominees won't be decided until the state primary election later in the year, since few of the candidates in those parties have agreed to abide by the party endorsement process.


text:
Monday, February 23, 2009
5 comments:
- Namowal said...
I gave up on watching them years ago.
I couldn't stand the "We're so wonderful!" vibe and the hoopla about what so and so is wearing.
And when some actors take twenty minutes to thank/flatter everyone I want to throw stuff at the t.v. screen.
That being said, when my studio won an Oscar on a project I worked on*, I got in line to pose for pictures with the statue.
*along with hundreds of other coworkers- my contribution had little to do with the win factor.
- Feb 23, 2009, 8:30:00 PM
- Linda said...
Delightful illo though! You inverted the top one for after hours?
- Feb 23, 2009, 10:17:00 PM
I wondered if it's like the 30s when people were so broke they just loved watching the glam stars for escape. Fun illo: some of the stars' gowns are already a parody of themselves.
- Feb 24, 2009, 5:29:00 AM
- Sally said...
I look at Namowal's gorgeous illustrations and fire up Painter but am never happy with the results.
If you go to gofugyourself.com there are always amazingly awful and peculiar outfits on display with very funny commentary.
- Feb 24, 2009, 5:44:00 PM
Wonder what Anita and Whinsey would wear / say at the Oscars....
- Feb 25, 2009, 8:40:00 AM


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She finally said it; "are you willing to commit to a foreigner?" Huh, didn't really think of it this way, and yes, that's what I've been realizing, yet not really accepting. I admire much of them, yet we are different in the core, us and them, our value-system is different, and that's the most important in a relationship. Well, atleast our perception and life view is very different. Maybe its just a difference in characters. If she loves you, shouldn't that be all! But without proper reasons, love doesn't last, good treatment doesn't last, a healthy relationship doesn't last. She loves you because she thinks you love her, and she loves your way of loving her. Not good enough reasons.
I admired the search of the roots and the mix of cultures, but there's no connection with those roots. Its a search to find and discover, but not to connect and to carry. That's how I handle other cultures, discover and observe, but not to connect and integrate. So neither of us will carry the other's culture and roots and live with them.
Can't help but have this internal sarcasm when she refers to God. Sometimes I speak out, "leave God out of it please."
Yes, their pragmatism, taking life easily with no red-lines and no taboos, and lack of His control might be of the reasons for their achievements. The strengh of faith, strength of my principles, and strengh of my values are becoming in question -but maybe they ought to be. They should be questioned yes, but in a different context.
We have nothing in common, we certainly don't match. We have turned out to be two extremes. Even if I think positively that we can work on this, or work around it to make this relationship work, I'm having one or two issues which are haunting me.
My mind tells me this relationship is a forced one, put together by two who artifically put theirselves together. I don't think our love is real, even hers which seems so strong, she can't share herself with me and I can't with her. I'm afraid that she and I just *want* to be in love. But she is different than me, she sees all the differences, she does not enjoy many of our moments together, yet she is very positive and does not give up. But for how long can she fool herself, people just don't matchup by force, and just being good to each other, respectful, tender and emotional doesn't build an interesting and good relationship.
My feelings are fading and we don't seem to enjoy each other. I don't enjoy being with you, and I believe neither do you, and I don't yearn to be with you, and that's a scary feeling to have now.
Along with all that, I'm just simply not what you want, and you're not what I want. I think I know who you are now, not the girl I thought I knew at first. While I thought this might be the compromise I should make, its very hard to compromise in this while being haunted by that.
Even the beauty I saw in your kindness, tenderness and loving character is starting to get distorted with the hard side of your character that I'm seeing. She'll put you at ease, but she'll do as she please.
I just don't see this relationship working out, can't see us as a right couple that can last in a healthy relationship anymore. Better end it now than later.
You should be putting your efforts and investing with another guy, in a different relationship. This one will not give you what you want, will not take you where you want to go.


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Designer T cells emerge as weapons against disease
Attempts to boost the immune system against cancer are beginning to pay off
Steve Gschmeissner/Science Source
Doug Olson had all but lost his 14-year battle with leukemia. Exhausted and weakened by chemotherapy, his body no longer responded to any of the handful of drug treatments he had been given over the years. In 2010, his doctors suggested a different strategy: beefing up the disease-fighting immune cells in his body.
Researchers picked out certain immune cells from Olson's blood, then inserted a virus into the cells. The virus provided new genes that prompt the cells, known as T cells, to attack leukemia cells. When the altered T cells were delivered back into Olson's veins, his immune system became a cancer-seeking weapon.
One month after treatment, Olson was in complete remission. His doctors could find no sign of cancer in his blood or bone marrow. Today, at age 67, he remains cancer-free. Recently retired, Olson says he no longer worries about how long his remission will last; he's taken up sailing and running half-marathons.
Other cancer


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5 Things to Do in Kaikoura with the Family
Kaikoura is one of New Zealand's most spectacular tourist destinations and there is plenty on offer that can entertain the whole family!
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If you live in New Zealand or are including the country in your travel plans then there is one location that will give you the best opportunity to get close to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and some of the country's most spectacular wildlife. Kaikoura is located on the east coast of New Zealand and enjoys a combination of coastal and alpine scenery, making it the perfect base for a large number of activities that people of all ages can enjoy. Here are some of the best things to do in Kaikoura.
Mount Lyford
Less than an hour's drive from Kaikoura, Mount Lyford is an alpine playground for adults and kids alike. Winter in Kaikoura turns this high country farm into a skifield with runs a great learners slope and some more challenging runs for those who are more advanced. Mount Lyford even has a Wild Ride Terrain Park for those who are looking are really looking to push themselves. This park has rails, pipes and kicks which are great for getting air and doing some impressive tricks.
Animal Wildlife
Kaikoura is home to a wide variety of animal wildlife, particularly an extensive range of marine wildlife. A 2 kilometre deep canyon stretches along the ocean floor offshore in Kaikoura and this is responsible for a food chain that has animals setting up residence in this coastal area. Kaikoura is particularly famous for the whales that inhabit the area. Giant sperm whales are year round residents of Kaikoura and can often be seen close to the shore. Kaikoura is the perfect home for these sea giants because the canyon creates a rare system of sea currents. These currents sustain a rich marine food chain at which Sperm Whales are at the top of. The area also sees seabirds, dolphins, seals and 7 other species of whales.
Night Sky Tours
A unique experience in the area is Kaikoura Night Sky. They offer guided tours of the Southern Hemisphere sky in New Zealand. These tours incorporate practical knowledge, science, Maori knowledge and stories to take visitors on a journey from horizon to horizon. Powerful telescopes offer views of Star Clusters, the Moon, Planets and much more – far more than the natural eye can see. This is great if you are looking for something a bit different and it's as educational as it is fascinating and beautiful.
Ocean Activities
As well as a number of fantastic tourist activities there are also many things that you can do for free around the area. The coastal location of Kaikoura makes it perfect for a number of ocean activities that can be fun for all ages. Keen recreational divers will never be short of things to do in Kaikoura because there is an abundance of Crayfish and Paua all along the coast. Visitors can also throw a line in and fish for their dinner or catch a wave on some of the country's best surf breaks. Kids will also enjoy combing the rockpools for a huge variety of interesting creatures
The combination of alpine and coastal scenery is not only beautiful but it also makes for some fantastic hiking spots if tramping is your thing. There are plenty of paths that wind through the native bush and cross some of the area's rivers. Whether you are looking to challenge yourself or take a tramp for a couple of hours there is a tramp to suit. There is also the option to go on guided walks, where an experienced guide will be able to help you negotiate the walks and point out some of the spectacular features of Kaikoura.
Whatever your plans, make sure they include Kaikoura. Find out more about this uniquely beautiful tourist hotspot on the Whale Watch Kaikoura website.


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HAIFA, Israel, May 21 (UPI) -- An Israeli army patrol vehicle was damaged from gunfire fired across the border from Syria, the army said.
It is the third instance of cross-border fire from Syria this week.
No soldiers were injured in the incident, which occurred after midnight Monday as soldiers patrolled the border fence near Tel Fares in the central Golan Heights.
The army responded firing a precision Tammuz missile toward the source of fire, Haaretz reported. The missile is able to strike targets up to 15.5 miles away using an electro-optic sensor.
"They fired on our patrol. Whether they knew it was us or not, I don't know, but it's the third time in a row this has happened, at the same place and time. The fire was directed at us," an Israeli defense source told The Jerusalem Post.
In an unrelated incident, Israel's Channel 10 and 2 showed images Monday night of an Israeli army jeep in Syria that the Assad regime claimed is proof that Israel is aiding rebels there.
Israeli military officials noted that the jeep shown in the footage is one that has been out of commission for more than a decade and once belonged to the South Lebanon Army. Israel pulled out of south Lebanon in May 2000.


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Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks: Twelfth Night
Beverly | Website
This event occurred in the past.
Map | Find Parking
Take in this 75-minute abridged production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night that will be performed at parks throughout the city. A specially equipped truck carries a stage to each park, along with a company of professional actors to perform this music-infused romantic comedy.


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Ministerial Formation
It is the whole person who ministers, so the whole person is the proper subject of formation.United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, p. 33/ 2005
In their document on lay ecclesial ministry formation, the Bishops of the United States point out that ministry formation is more than simply learning what the Church teaches. Through ministerial formation, the person grows not only in knowledge, but in faith, discipleship, personhood and skills. The four pillars of formation cited by the Bishops: Human development, spiritual growth, intellectual knowledge and pastoral skills are vital and form the framework for the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program. This multi-faced approach lies behind the long-term success of the program and the skills of our 750 graduates.
Participants engage their hearts, minds, hands and spirits through the following:
- Academic coursework provides an overview of Catholic doctrine, scripture and pastoral studies
- Mentoring with an experienced mentor fosters reflection, discernment, integration and the ability to articulate learning
- Theological Reflection connects lived experience with scripture, tradition and theology
- Field Education hands-on field work in a supervised setting develops skills and broadens experience
- Project in Ministry combines theory and practice in service to the mission of the Church
- Yearly Retreat encourages spiritual, personal and practical growth
- Advisors challenge, guide and support at every step of the program
- A Community of Faith and Learning the Athenaeum community fosters collegiality, prayer, discernment, discipleship and life-long friendships


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Okay, even Demos looked a tiny bit concerned when I ordered something with a (v) as a vegetarian option. Enter a side of Chorizo, just to meet the meat content. It is breakfast afterall, so hence the need for something substantial..and meaty.
Open Weekends for Breakfast and Lunch and Tuesday to Sunday Dinners.


text: Put the custom-built Deep Hunting Engine to work for you. It hunts across every endpoint in your network and continuously conducts automated statistical and behavioral analytics — at a rate of 8 million queries/second — on the data collected. Our technology can surface malicious operations without you writing a single rule.


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Bars: 16yr Old From Philly Flows For 10 Minutes Straight On Batcave Radio!
"Freeway Ricky Ross (the real one) best friend Jimmy DaSaint brings 16 year old Rap sensation Young Savage on Batcave Radio" - Batcave Radio
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Project Description
Unique advantages make Kangaroo Luxe the ultimate cargo bike for you and your family. Seats that can be put to resting position, the patented three-point steering system and detailed focus on safety and comfort made it win the prize as best cargo bike in test. Read the review here.
Kangaroo Luxe is from the outset developed for transportation of children. The cabin is spacious and flexible, so there is plenty of room for two children up to 135 cm tall. It is easy for children to enter and exit the cabin due to the low entry point – which saves the adult from many lifts. A prop stand offers added stability.
A safety belt holds the children securely fastened around the hip. The seats are easy to adjust so that the child face either the adult or look forward. Seats can also be set to lying position making a nap more comfortable. Are you bringing one child only, then one seat can be placed in the middle to get the balance just right. See more about seat solutions under 'accessories'
The hood offers protection when the sun is out and the side-windows can open. A sunroof makes it easy see and talk to each other during the trip.
Kangaroo Luxe offers unique road-holding qualities. The patented three-point steering system ensures rigidity and good stability. The steering dampner has six settings to suit individual requirements. And furthermore the Kangaroo Luxe also has torsion suspension which smoothes out any bump and minimizes rolling drag.
- The cabin is made of impact resistant material and has rounded edges.
- The strong alu bars provide added protection over the children's heads.
- The Kangaroo Luxe is fitted with reflectors on the front and along the hood so that the bike is clearly seen also in the dark. It is prepared for lights.
- Disc brakes on the front wheels as standard ensure safe braking whatever the weather.
- The frame construction is light yet strong and made of torsionally rigid aluminium.
The handlebar is multi-adjustable to suit different drivers. The same goes for the saddle, which is equipped with a quick release making it easy to find the best position. The Kangaroo Luxe has a visible number plate at the front corresponding to the frame number to prevent theft.
Behind the seats, there is plenty of room for luggage etc. and the weight is allocated with stability in mind. A zip fastening at the back provides convenient access to the luggage, and an additional external mesh pocket allows for swift and easy storage.
and comes with hydraulic disc brakes on front wheels as standard, puncture resistant Schwalbe tires and 7 gear shimano nexus. The hood is included. Seats and other accessories should be specified when ordering a Kangaroo, see 'accessories'.
The hood comes in red, black and grey. The frame comes in black, red, silver, white and blue. These colors can be combined as you like. E-solution is also an option. It is recommended if you ride with a heavy load, need to go far or often.
Find your dealer here
Design: Leif Hagerup & Lars Malmborg
|Color combinations
|Hood: Red, black and silver. Frame: Black, red, blue, silver and white
|Frame construction
|Aluminium 6061
|Cabin base
|Impact-resistant polyethylene (PE), UV stabilised
|Nylon, shower-proof fabric
|Steering system
|Patented 3-point steering system to ensure stable, dynamic road-holding properties
|Steering dampner
|6 settings
|Front wheel suspension
|Stand-alone torsion bar suspension on the front wheels
|Front wheels
|20×1.75 with mono-suspended hub, double-based aluminum rim and hydraulic disc brakes as standard
|Rear wheels
|26×1,75 with internal gear and foot brake as standard
|Net weight
|38 kg. Hood and seats: 6 kg
|Load capacity
|100 kg, excl. driver
|Wheel track spacing
|86 cm
|Length: 218 cm, width: 90 cm, height: 120 cm
|Cabin dimensions
|Length: 95 cm, width: 70 cm, elbow width: 77 cm, height from cabin seat to hood: 77 cm