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Water SA
versión On-line ISSN 1816-7950
versión impresa ISSN 0378-4738
Water SA vol.35 no.3 Pretoria abr. 2009
Oestrogenic activity in drinking waters from a rural area in the Waterberg District, Limpopo Province, South Africa
NH Aneck-HahnI, *; MS BornmanI; C de JagerI, II
IAndrology, Department of Urology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
IIEnvironmental Health, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
In South Africa, limited data are available regarding possible oestrogenic activity in the aquatic systems and especially drinking water. Water in the rural areas is often contaminated with a complex mixture of toxic compounds originating from nearby industries, agriculture and households. In these rural areas the only access to drinking water is boreholes, natural springs and rivers. Thus human exposure to environmental contaminants in drinking water is potentially high. Two rural communities near Mokopane in the Waterberg district of the Limpopo Province were selected in order to screen for oestrogenic activity in drinking water sources in a rural area. Eleven 1 ℓ water samples (Molekane n= 4; Sekuruwe n= 7), were collected in prepared glass bottles and extracted on a SPE C18 cartridge and reconstituted into ethanol. The recombinant yeast oestrogen screen was used to determine the oestrogenic activity in the extracts. 17β-estradiol (E2) was used as a positive control and the results were expressed as estradiol equivalents (EEq). The EEq of the water from both the communities ranged between 0.63 - 2.48 x10-9 g/ℓ. These concentrations are similar to other studies conducted in Korean river waters in rural and city areas and Flemish surface waters. The recombinant yeast screen confirmed oestrogenic activity in the drinking water samples; further investigation is necessary to determine the source of the contamination and association with impaired growth.
Keywords: recombinant yeast screen, oestrogenic activity, water, rural, Limpopo, South Africa
Worldwide, there are a number of reports on the presence of a variety of environmental chemicals with oestrogenic activity in aquatic systems. A number of industrial, agricultural and household chemicals released into the environment are believed to disrupt normal endocrine function in humans and animals (Colborn et al., 1993, Toppari et al., 1996, Jobling and Tyler, 2006). These endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) include a wide range of molecules such as organochlorine pesticides, phthalates, alkylphenols, natural hormones and pharmaceuticals (Safe and Gaido, 1998). Endocrine disruption has been associated with wildlife with observations documenting oestrogenic, androgenic and anti-thyroid actions in fish found in sewage and paper mill effluents; exposure of alligators to agricultural chemicals; and exposure of birds, fish and mammals to complex mixtures of chemicals in North America and Europe (Guillette, 2006). In South Africa the first histological evidence of intersex in feral sharptooth catfish from oestrogen-polluted water was reported by Barnhoorn et al. (2004). These effects in response to ecologically relevant exposure levels have been observed in a number of vertebrate species (Guillette, 2006), for example infertility and behavioural changes in polar bears, beluga whales and laboratory animals (Colborn et al., 1993; Kamrin, 1996; Kilian et al.,2007).
Human health impacts that have been attributed to EDC exposure include, abnormalities in male reproductive health (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2007; De Jager et al., 1999; De Jager et al., 2001; Kamrin, 1996; Kilian et al., 2007; Phillips and Foster, 2008; Toppari et al., 1996); female reproductive health (Kirkhorn and Schenker, 2002; Sharpe and Skakkebaek, 1993); increased incidence of reproductive cancers (Sharpe and Skakkabaek, 1993); immunological effects (WHO, 2002); neurodevelopmental effects (Eskenazi et al., 2006) and thyroid disease (Phillips and Foster, 2008; WHO, 2002). More recently diabetes, obesity and anogenital distance have been identified as new biological endpoints (Phillips and Foster, 2008).
Currently only limited data are available on the levels of oestrogenic contamination in aquatic systems in South Africa. A pilot study to determine the presence of specific chemicals (p-nonylphenol (p-NP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides) known to have oestrogenic activity was performed on water samples from particular South African rivers and dams during the summer of 1998/99. The results indicated that there was oestrogenic contamination in a number of areas. A study done in November 2001 in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve reported oestrogenic activity between 0.31 and 2.1 ng/ℓ in various surface and groundwater sites (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2008). A more comprehensive study done in the Reserve over a 2-year period indicated that the oestrogenic activity had increased with cytotoxicity (69%) being reported in the YES assay and oestrogenic activity between 0.16 and 1.92 ng/ℓ. The more sensitive ER-Calux assay confirmed the oestrogenic activity between 0.32 and 16.0 ng/ℓ (Bornman et al., 2007). This is a disturbing finding, in the light of the limited water resources in South Africa, as many humans and animals are dependent on these sources for their drinking water (De Jager et al., 2000; Bornman et al., 2007).
In South Africa the environments in rural and urbanised areas are often contaminated with a complex mixture of toxic compounds originating from industries, agriculture and private households (Aneck-Hahn, 2003). Many of these pollutants end up in surface waters, such as dams, rivers and eventually the ocean. Toxic contaminants may disturb the biological condition of aquatic ecosystems and be harmful for humans exposed through food or drinking water. In the rural areas the main sources of the communities' water for drinking and household purposes are local boreholes, natural springs and rivers.
Most chemical analytical methods are expensive and are not sufficient to identify all the environmental chemicals and to predict a combination of toxicity and bioavailability. A more appropriate strategy is to screen samples, using short-term, relatively inexpensive bioassays for indications of toxic effects and then to prioritise them for chemical analyses or more intensive studies (Aneck-Hahn, 2003). Many studies have focused on compounds that are oestrogen-receptor agonists including organochlorine pesticides, phthalates, alkylphenols, some natural hormones and some pharmaceuticals (Safe and Gaido, 1998). A number of assays have been developed to detect oestrogenic activity of chemicals, the Estrogen Screen (E-screen) (Soto et al., 1995), the Yeast Oestrogen Screen (YES-screen) (Routledge and Sumpter, 1996), the Estrogen Receptor mediated chemical activated luciferase gene expression (ER-Calux) (Legler et al., 1999) and the MCF-7-p-Vit-tk-Luc-Neo (MVLN) transgenic human cell line assay (Pons et al., 1990). These assays are also useful for detecting oestrogenic activity of complex environmental matrices such as effluents of wastewater treatment plants, or other industries or of surface waters (Desbrow et al., 1998; Witters et al., 2001; Van Den Belt et al., 2004). In vitro assays have advantages in terms of rapidity and low cost, saving on the use of animals (Phillips and Harrison, 1999).
The present study was an extension of a project initiated by the Department of Food and Hospitality Management of the Tshwane University of Technology (formerly Technikon Pretoria) on the nutritional status and dietary intake of children to determine whether poor diets increased the prevalence of stunting. The 2 rural villages Molekane and Sekuruwe in the Limpopo Province (formerly Northern Province) were selected because the people in these communities are poor, the unemployment rate is high and the lack of services and infrastructure could have an impact on chronic malnutrition among young children. The stunting rates among children in the Limpopo Province rural areas have been calculated to be 34% (Theron, 2000). The results of the study indicated that the nutritional diet, however, was not the cause of the stunted growth. This finding led to the hypothesis that the health status of the children was related to rapid urbanisation and informal settlements on the outskirts of cities where there is a risk of exposure to chemical contaminants that may impair growth. This study was conducted to determine whether the drinking-water sources in these areas contain oestrogenic contaminants.
Materials and methods
Study area
The Limpopo Province covers approximately one tenth of the total surface area of South Africa (Fig. 1). It comprises an area of 116 824 km2, only 14% of which is arable land (Meintjes et al., 1995). Molekane is a rural community in the Waterberg district of the Limpopo Province. It is located 27 km north of Mokopane (Potgietersrus) and has approximately 800 households. Sekuruwe also situated in the Waterberg district, is 32 km north of Mokopane, 10 km from Molekane and has approximately 500 households. These two rural villages were selected because of the increasing prevalence of stunted growth in the children (Theron, 2000; Theron et al., 2007).
These 2 communities depend mostly on groundwater. Piped water is only available to 17% of the population, whereas 40% of the population rely on public taps and at least 11% of the population rely on dams, rivers, streams and springs for their water supply (Theron, 2000). There is no running water in the houses but those living nearby fetch it from the main line at communal taps or borehole pumps, using any available container, from plastic buckets to metal oil drums, and carry it back home. A few people own their own boreholes, from which they sell water to the community when the public water sources dry up. The most common toilet available is a pit latrine (Theron, 2000). There are no municipal waste-removal containers for refuse collection and household refuse is dumped alongside the road, burned or buried.
A peri-urban region near Pretoria had been selected as a control site for this study. Unfortunately this area could not be used as a control site as the levels of oestrogenic activity in the area were similar to those obtained in this study (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2008).
Sample collection
In November 2001 the University of Pretoria project team collected the water samples from the 2 communities, Molekane (n=4) and Sekuruwe (n=7), on the same day in a once-off sampling exercise. Samples of surface water and groundwater pumped from boreholes were collected with a stainless steel cup and placed into 1 ℓ glass Schott Suprax bottles (Cat. No. 21 802 54 56) that had been pre-washed with ethanol (Cat. No. 27,0741, Sigma-Aldrich) and covered with tin foil. The samples were placed on ice and taken back to the laboratory on the same day and kept at 4˚C until extracted. There was no contamination or contact with the plastic lid of the bottles.
These samples were representative of the water sources available for consumption by the residents in the communities, their livestock and for other domestic use (Table I). Molekane 1 (Mol 1) was tap water supplied to the local soccer club from the nearby platinum mine. This water was also collected in and stored in plastic drums by the local community residents. Molekane 2 (Mol 2) was water collected from a personal household borehole, which is subsequently stored in a plastic drum. Molekane 3 (Mol 3) was also collected from a personal household borehole, but in a different area of the community. Molekane 4 (Mol 4) was a spring in the dry riverbed at the entrance to the community. This spring is used by both humans and animals as a water source for drinking and other domestic needs.
Sekuruwe 1 (Sek 1) was water from the nearby town, Mokopane, which was delivered by truck and pumped into and stored in a large plastic tank. Sekuruwe 2 (Sek 2) was collected from a household that had a personal borehole. There are 3 natural springs (Sek 3, 4 and 8) situated on the outskirts of the village. These springs are used by the residents of Sekuruwe and animals as a water source for drinking and other domestic needs. Specifically, Sek 8 is a spring that is situated to the west of the community across the tarred road with no houses or animal pens in close proximity. Water is collected from this spring in cans or drums and transported on a donkey cart to the community. Sekuruwe 5 (Sek 5) was water from a plastic drum that was standing outside a house; this water had been collected from the public borehole supplying the village. There was a public water pump situated in front of the local general store (Sek 6; Disei Shop) at the entrance to the informal settlement. This site was selected as it served as one of the major community water-collection points.
Sample preparation
Water extraction procedure
All glassware for sample storage, filtration and extraction of water samples was washed in chromic acid and rinsed once in methanol (Cat No. 34860, Riedel-de Haën) and twice in ethanol (Cat.No. 27,0741, Sigma-Aldrich). For extraction and enrichment of potential oestrogen-like compounds a solid phase extraction (SPE) was performed. A volume of 1 ℓ was passed in 2 subsequent steps, through a glass wool filter (Cat. No. 000904, Macherey-Nagel), through a 0.45 µm, 47 mm sterile filter (Cat. No. E04WG047S1, Osmonics, MicronSep) to remove particulates. The samples were extracted onto a preconditioned Chromabond C18 ec, SPE cartridge (Cat. No. 730 014, Macherey-Nagel), at a flow rate of 10 mℓ/min (Routledge et al., 1998). Control water (Renalcare® water prior to autoclaving (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2005)) was included to assess possible oestrogenic contamination from the SPE cartridge. The samples were then eluted from the cartridge with 3.5 mℓ methanol into sterile glass tubes (Cat No. 13099, Pierce, amber reacti-vialsTM, 5 mℓ). The methanol was then evaporated under a gentle nitrogen stream (Beresford, 1999) using a Pierce, Reacti-Vap and a Reacti-Therm heating and stirring module. The sample residue was reconstituted with 1mℓ ethanol and placed into sterile amber glass bottles (Cat. No.154515, Chromatography research supplies, 4mℓ), and stored at -20°C prior to analysis.
Recombinant yeast screen bioassay (RCBA)
The Recombinant Yeast Screen Bioassay (RCBA) (including details of medium components) previously described by Routledge and Sumpter (1996), was used to test water for oestrogenic activity. In this system, yeast cells transfected with the human oestrogen receptor-α (ER-α) gene, together with expression plasmids, containing oestrogen responsive elements and the lac-Z reporter gene encoding the enzyme β-galactosidase, were incubated in a medium containing 17β-estradiol and the chromogenic substrate, chlorophenol red-β-d-galactopyranoside (CPRG). Active ligands, which bind to the receptor, induce β-galactosidase (β-gal) expression and these cause the CPRG (yellow) to change into a red product that can be measured by absorbance.
The assay was carried out by the Andrology Laboratory at the University of Pretoria according to the standard assay procedure found in Routledge and Sumpter (1996) with modifications to the method described in Aneck-Hahn et al. (2005). In this assay 17 β-estradiol (E2) was used as the calibration standard. The E2 standard curve was fitted ( sigmoidal function, variable slope) using Graphpad Prism (version 2.01), which calculated the minimum, maximum, slope, EC50 value and 95% confidence limits. The oestrogenic activity was reported as the 50% (EC50) effect concentration using non-linear regression with a sigmoid curve fitting. The detection limit of each test plate (ranging between 0.6 and 2.7 ng/ℓ) was calculated as absorbance elicited by the solvent control (blank) plus three times the standard deviation.
The dose-response curves for the extracted samples and the E2 (standard) curves were used to calculate the estradiol equivalent (EEq) values of the samples. Based on the dose-response curves for E2 and the test sample, the EE of each sample was calculated using the EC50 value (absorbance) of the sample. The concentration was then adjusted using the appropriate dilution factor.
No oestrogenic activity was measured in the extraction control samples, thus contamination of the cartridges during the extraction process can be excluded. Yeast growth was checked at an absorbance of 620nm. Compared to the reference, none of the samples showed a decrease in cell density, therefore no cytotoxicity was present. The sample was considered positive for oestrogenic activity when three or more consecutive observations were above the detection limit of the assay. The oestrogenic activity (EEqs) of the samples is based on the EC50 value of the dose response curves obtained for 17β-estradiol (E2) and the test sample.
All the samples from Molekane had oestrogenic activity. Surface water from the mine tap, Mol 1 had the lowest oestrogenic activity (0.68 x 10-9 g/ℓ EEq) while the samples from the groundwater sources were all above 1ng/ ℓ EEq. The spring in the dry river bed, Mol 4 (2.29 x 10-9 g/ℓ EEq), had the highest oestrogenic activity (Table I).
Two of the samples (Sek 1; Sek 8) showed no oestrogenic activity as the EC50 absorbance for both samples was below the calculated detection limit of the assay, even before the dilution factor was considered. The rest of the samples had EEqs ranging between 0.63 x 10-9 and 2.48 x 10-9g/ ℓ (Table I). The main spring to the south of the community (Sek 3) had the highest EEq (2.48 x 10-9 g/ℓ) and the borehole (Sek 2) had the lowest EEqs (0.83 x 10-9 g/ℓ). Water that had been collected from a public borehole pump in a plastic drum (Sek 5) also had an EEq of 1.90 x 10-9 g/ ℓ, while a sample from a personal borehole (Sek 2) situated in the garden and close to the house had an EEq of 2.15 x 10-9g/ℓ.
This once-off sampling study indicated that there was oestrogenic activity in all except 2 samples (Sek 1 and Sek 8). The reason for this could be that Sek 1 was treated water suitable for drinking from the nearby town, Mokopane. While Sek 8 was groundwater from a spring situated a distance away from the community, where water is collected in containers (metal and plastic) and taken back to the community on a donkey cart. No animals graze in the area and there is no other agricultural activity in the vicinity of the spring, limiting possible oestrogenic contamination.
The Molekane community lies adjacent to the platinum mine which has a slimes dam and the water is used to irrigate a nearby soccer field, but is also used by the community for drinking purposes. The pollution from the mine may be the source of the oestrogenic activity (EEq: 0.68 x 10-9 g/ℓ) found in this sample (Mol 1), the low activity could be due to an anti-oestrogenic response. Metals are capable of binding to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and then block the binding of 17β-estradiol to this domain (Darbre, 2006). When attached to estradiol, metal ions (palladium and platinum) have been found to increase the relative binding affinity of ligand to receptors of MCF-7 cells (Darbre, 2006; Jackson et al., 2001). Metallo-oestrogens may also give rise to oestrogen-agonistic responses in cells (Darbre, 2006).
Of concern are the EEq-values of the remainder of the Molekane and Sekuruwe samples which ranged between 0.68 x 10-9 and 2.29 x 10-9 g/ℓ and 0.63 x 10-9 to 2.48 x 10-9 g/ℓ respectively. These are not surface water samples but groundwater samples indicating a high level of oestrogenic pollution of the groundwater system in the area in and bordering the communities. These equivalents were slightly lower than those found in a study determining oestrogenic activity (EEq: 10-9 -10-8 M) in river water samples from different provinces in South Africa, using a reporter gene assay (ER-Calux) (De Jager et al., 2002). It is to be expected as the YES assay is not as sensitive as the ER Calux which contains both ERα and ERβ (Bornman et al., 2007; Leusch, 2008). However, the oestrogenic activity was in the same range (0.31 to 2.1 ng/ℓ) as those in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve sampled at the same time of the year using the YES assay (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2008) and other South African studies (Table 2). The other 3 springs (Mol 4, Sek 3 and 4) are all close to the informal settlements, suggesting that the source of oestrogenic contamination could be from the settlements themselves. The oestrogenic activity in the study also corresponds with a number of international studies summarised in Table 2.
EDCs are used in certain polycarbonate and the epoxy resin linings of food and beverage containers (Palanza et al., 2008), Krishnan et al. (1993) found that Bisphenol-A had leached from plastic flasks during autoclaving and Aneck-Hahn et al. (2005) found that sterile bottled water after autoclaving also exhibited oestrogenic activity. In rural communities water is often stored in any available container. Plastic containers such as the one used in Mol 2 and old oil drums could be possible sources of oestrogenic contamination. There is no municipal waste- removal service available, refuse is dumped, burned or buried. Basic services are lacking and the most common toilet available is a pit latrine. It is known that the presence of oestrogenic compounds in sewage represents one of the best examples of linkage between effects and exposure to EDCs (Damstra et al., 2002; Sarmah et al., 2006). Leachates from municipal solid waste landfills can also severely contaminate groundwater and surface waters with EDCs; this includes compounds from plastics like Bisphenol A, nonylphenol and other products (Zhang et al., 2009). Therefore there is a likelihood that the source of the oestrogenic activity in the groundwater could be due to contamination as a result of infiltration of domestic effluents and raw sewage. It is unlikely that agricultural runoff would contribute much, as there is very little farming activity in the region, other than a small amount of subsistence farming.
Published information on fish studies (Metcalfe et al., 2001; Seki et al., 2005; Young et al., 2002) shows that exposure to average long-term EEq concentrations in excess of 1 ng/ℓ, if bioavailable, are likely to cause ovotestis and other oestrogen-induced intersexual abnormalities (e.g. Vitellogenin induction) in some fish (Matthiessen et al., 2006). This has also been observed in South Africa in Rietvlei Nature Reserve (Barnhoorn et al., 2004; Bornman et al., 2007). Van Wyk et al. (2005) found that exposing male Oreochromas mossambicus to estrogen for 3 d caused plasma vitellogenin (Vtg) to increase. Using the in vitro Xenopus laevis liver culture Vtg bioassay estrogenic activity was detected in different types of water in the Western Cape and Windhoek, Namibia (Van Wyk et al., 2005).
Measuring human exposure to EDCs (e.g., alkylphenols, phthalate esters and bisphenol-A) is difficult because the data are still sparse. There is, however, considerable concern because these compounds are so ubiquitous in the modern environment. Not only were some nonylphenol ethoxylates found in water in New Jersey, USA (Toppari et al., 1996), but more importantly also in South African drinking water (<0.005 to 0.05 mg/ℓ; EEqs: 10-9-10-8 M) (De Jager et al., 2002).
Other rural communities in South Africa may already suffer from health effects caused by exposure to chemicals like DDT, used for malaria vector control (Aneck-Hahn et al., 2007). Water is a potential source for human exposure to EDCs, although it is probably not a major exposure pathway. In developing countries, where drinking water is not generally treated it may be contaminated with industrial and naturally occurring chemicals. It must therefore be taken into account that the community might be exposed to EDCs through diet (in these communities a relatively high soybean intake), the environment (air and water pollution), domestic products (household cleaning products) and occupation. The routes of exposure of the poverty-stricken rural communities will be similar, as even the drinking water was found to be oestrogenic. In fact these communities seem to be at higher risk due to the fact that they lack proper water services in the area. Together with other sources of exposure, the potential for health risks needs further investigation.
To our knowledge, and despite the limitations of the study, this is the first report on oestrogenic potential in drinking water in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The origin and identity of the oestrogenic compounds are as yet unknown. It may well be argued that EDC exposure may at least in part contribute to the high incidence of stunted growth in the study population. These preliminary findings indicate a need for further study of these water sources to identify the chemicals responsible for the contamination of and oestrogenic activity in drinking water.
The authors wish to acknowledge Professor J Sumpter, Department of Biological Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, London, for the generous donation of the yeast stock culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for the Recombinant Yeast Oestrogen Bioassay (RCBA); Prof. F Comhaire, head of the WHO collaborating Andrology Unit, University Hospital Gent and, founder and spokesman EMR Gent for their technical assistance; the National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding the project; and Dr IEJ Barnhoorn for her invaluable assistance in the laboratory.
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Received 27 February 2007; accepted in revised form 4 February 2009.
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About the Book
About Suzuki Roshi
Shunryu Suzuki Lecture
Shunryu Suzuki lecture home page
Here is the verbatim, unedited, version of this lecture, carefully checked against a recently made archival copy of the original recording, a result of the work done at the SFZC by Bill Redican and others for the Shunryu Suzuki Lecture Archives Project or whatever it's called - under the sage leadership of Dean of Buddhist Studies, Michael Wenger.
There are two versions of this lecture - the verbatim and a minimally edited version. - DC
Go to the minimally edited version of this lecture
This is one of the last lectures that Shunryu Suzuki gave.
Footnotes may only appear in the edited versions. I just discovered that these formatted notes do not show when I download the files from MS Word to Front Page. They will be included in these light edited versions because they're inserted as text within the body of the lecture and not as formatted footnotes at the end. - DC
Shunryū Suzuki-rōshi
When—when wind stops, flowers fall.
When a bird sings, mountain become more calm.
That is a kind of Zen poem. My translation is not so good. [He recites the poem in Japanese, saying each line twice.]
Kaze yande hana mae otsu.
Kaze [Tori] naitei yama sarani yūnari.
Kaze yande: When wind stops, but still flower falls. No—there is no wind. If there is no wind, flower should stay, but flower—after, you know, there is no wind, still flower falls. If a bird sings, it is not calm. But if you hear a bird sing in the remoted mountain, you feel the calmness of the mountain more. Kaze—Tori naitei yama sarani yūnari.
This is again—this poem again refers to the feeling of "there is" and "there is not." There is, and sometimes there is not. And there is not, sometimes there is [laughs]. When a flower falls, why flower falls is because there is wind. But when there is no wind, flowers still fall. And when you see a flower fall, you feel the wind, more than wind is up [?]. When a bird sings, you feel the calmness of the mountain more than you—more than when you did not hear any sound. That is true. Isn't—isn't that true?
That is real feeling of "there is" and "there is not." That is actual feeling. But usually we are involved in the idea of "there is" or "there is not." "There is not" means there is no wind. "There is not" means there is no wind. "There is no sound" means, you know, you don't hear anything—that is, there is no sound. But actually, when you hear sound you do not feel of actual feeling of no sound. It is paradoxical, you may say, but that is much more true than your, you know, usual understanding of "there is" or "there is not." Much more true. Kaze yande hana mae otsu. Kaze [Tori] naitei yama sarani yūnari. You cannot, you know—this is—you cannot say this is just poem. This is actual reality.
When you, you know, have various things you eat, you become more hungry [laughs]. That is also true. "There is," for us, there is not. "There is not," for us, actually means there is. When there—there is not much food, whatever you eat you will be satisfied with what you eat. Actually, you know, you feel satisfaction of the things you have, when there is not so much. "There is not" is for us "there is," and "there is" for us "there is not much" [laughs] often.
That is very true for us. When that is very true for us, our thinking mind goes [in] another direction. That is why our practice is always confused [laughs]. On one hand, you know, your—your feeling is very realistic and actual; on the other hand, your feeling is just logical. And it is ignoring actual feeling you have in our everyday life. No one knows which it is true. Both is true. There is something we should think about, right here.
Ummon one day asked our students: "I don't ask about—I don't ask about fifteen days before. But how about fifteen days ahead?" That was his question. I don't ask you what has happened, you know, what has happened, actually, fifteen days before, or what has been—what has happened for fifteen days, but I am asking you what will happen from now? That was Ummon's question. No one could answer for that—for that question.
So Ummon said: "Every day is good day" [laughs]. That was his answer. Every day is a good day. Fifteen days, you know, it has been good days—we have had good days for fifteen days, and we will have good days from now on. Every day is good day. That was Ummon's answer.
And that—what he means is—"Every day good day" means every day—actual—his life of every day include "is not"—include both "there is" and "there is not." And he is satisfied with the idea of "there is" and the idea of "there is not." "There is something" is good; "there is no—nothing" is also good. But "there is," at the same time, does not mean there is noth- [partial word]—actually there is something. But even though there is nothing for him, that is "there is." Even though "there is," you know, for him that is—"there is not" sometime.
Anyway, every day is good day for him. "There is" or "there is not," he doesn't care. "There is"—good. "There is" is good. And "there is not"—also good. Every day is good day. When you, you know, understand exactly what is "there is" and what is "there is not," then you have complete freedom from everything, and you can appreciate things in its true sense.
When there is no wind, still something—some flower like camellia falls. In the deep mountain, when you hear a bird, then you feel, all of a sudden, you feel, "Oh, how quiet mountain it is." Every day is a good day. Whatever happen to him, it is not just happening of something, or it is not just nothing happened. "Nothing happened," you say, but many things is happening. When something happens, you feel nothing. The feeling of nothing is happening in the great universe, including sun and the moon and bright stars you see in Tassajara valley. That you see many stars—actually when you see many stars, you will feel the vast emptiness of the sky. You are not just watching stars, but you are—you are feeling, actually, you feel the vastness of the sky.
In short, if you are always involved in the life of "there is" or "there is not," or enough or not enough, good or bad, right or wrong, you don't feel anything in its true sense. But when your mind is very calm, calm enough to see things which you do not actually see, when your mind is calmness, even though you see many things, you see—you can appreciate the vastness of the being covered by something you see. Then you can appreciate things as it is. That is Ummon's "Every day is good day." "Every day is good day."
I put more emphasis on intellectual, you know, interpretation of our—intellectual interpretation of our framework of Buddhist teaching, but more important thing is to have real feeling of practice.
Every day we practice zazen. In—in summer, morning zazen is good, very good, but evening zazen is also good. It is little bit hot, but after, you know, sitting, when you feel cool wind from outside, you may feel indescribable, you know, feeling of practice. Night zazen in this time of the year is supposed to be very hot because it is hot. But actual feeling you have in zazen in such a warm days—hot days—you have indescribable good feeling, which you cannot appreciate in spring or autumn. Coolness of the—feeling of the coolness is something more than you think about. Even though you know how good evening zazen is, but each time you sit you will feel, "Oh, good." [Laughs.] Every time you sit, your feeling will be refreshed because, I think, because it is hot. "It is hot" is not "it is hot," actually.
In monastery we do not have so good food [laughs] usually, and at Tassajara, as food is pretty strong and good, but not so, you know, not so tasty or it is very plain, I think of [?]. If you chew it—when you chew it—when you eat, you will feel real taste of the vegetables. If you cook by sugar and with many—too much spices [laughs], you cannot appreciate real taste of the food.
If the way of accepting things is simple, you can appreciate the things more. So we say:
Jiki ni oite tō naru mono wa,
hō ni oitemo mata tō nari.
Jiki—jiki is food.
If you—if you can appreciate food,
you can appreciate dharma.
Jiki ni oite tō naru. Tō—do you know? Tō means "absolute." Jiki ni oite tō naru mono wa.
If you appreciate the real value of the absolute in food, you can appreciate dharma food: Jiki ni oite tō naru mono wa, hō ni oitemo mata tō nari. When your practice come to this stage, you are said to be a good monk or a good student [laughs]. We say:
Chōjō wa chōhosshin;
tanjō wa tanhosshin.
Someone like Chuck is—is long buddha [laughs]. Someone like me is short buddha. Chōjo wa chōhosshin, tanjo wa tanhosshin. Short or long, good or bad, we say, we can appreciate things as it is, and we appreciate the value of each being [thing?]. That is something what I referred to in last—last lecture.
But so far, at Tassajara, we have been discussing, we have had discussion after discussion [laughs]: discussing about, you know, food, or rules, or many things—position. But why we did so is we cannot ignore idea of good and bad, long and short, but more and more as our students grew up, we can—we must be able to appreciate things as they are. Bamboo is good, pine tree is good, oak tree is good, grass is good, darkness at night is good [laughs], frog is good. Everything should be good. That is "Every day is good day." And nothing is good—bare field [?] is good. Dark vast sky is good. That is, you know, our actual feeling we should reach [teach?].
Maybe next have question and answer if you have—for fifteen minutes or so. Do you have some question? [Asides; laughter.] No question?
Student A (Dan Welch?): Rōshi, sometimes it seems easy to accept your words. But you often tell us that words are pointing at the moon [?]. How [3-4 words].
Suzuki-rōshi: What I say—
Student A: Sometimes it seems that we can accept quite easily what you say. But maybe you don't live that long [?].
Suzuki-rōshi: Uh-huh. Yeah. Maybe so. [Laughs, laughter.]
Student A: But seriously, I don't know what to say—
Suzuki-rōshi: That is why I could [laughs, laughter]. Yeah—because I say so, you accept it. When you say so, you die [?], you know. It means that if you really, you know, if you really have that kind of feeling, you know, it is al- [partial word: "always"?]— what I say is always true. But because—actual practice—your actual practice is not always in—in that way. Maybe it takes time, you know, to understand what I am saying.
But if my talk is end up in a kind of discussion, it doesn't make sense. We can have discussion any time—but—discussion is good, but discussion will not solve the problem completely. What I am talking right now is something you cannot reach by your mind, thinking mind, but something—it is something you can feel through practice—through real practice.
What is real practice and what is not? The point is, when you forget—when you can forget yourself, then you have real practice. When your mind is always occupied by your small thinking mind or emotional mind or feeling or concepts, you cannot have real practice. Do you have some question—some more question? Hai.
Student B: [1-2 words] situation [2-3 words]. Today I was working [3-4 words], and a big fly was landing on my face. A fly. Sometimes I brushed it off. And today I got angry [3-4 words]. And so I [12-16 words] ... so I didn't feel bad. It was a good day, but it wasn't [4-6 words]. In that kind of situation, maybe you have—give me some advice on what I could [10-14 words] sometimes [4-6 words] at other times [4-6 words]. Sometimes if I [4-6 words] it turns warm—very hot.
Suzuki-rōshi: When you are not patient, you know, when you become impatient, as you feel [reply from student; laughs], you don't feel so good. No—not always so. When you become impatient [laughs], of course you may make face. How about, you know, painting? Drawing—make some drawing of your impatient face on a paper, you know, when you have time. [Laughs, laughter.] [Student probably makes a face or draws one. SR is reacting to something with laughter.] Pretty good. May be very good Zen—Zen picture—Zen painting—if you—if you do it—if you are able to do it. And if you cannot do it, maybe Dan [Welch?] will do it [laughs]. Pretty good—not so bad.
But that you—you do not like your impatient face, that was not so good. If you are patient enough, you know, to work in the garden, then why don't you do more—little bit more patient—a little bit. It is too soon to say this is good or bad. This is "My practice is good or bad." You cannot say so easily because your practice will continue, you know.
Student C: Getting upset with yourself—getting annoyed with yourself—[1-2 words] if anything happens—
Suzuki-rōshi: Dualistic.
Student C: Its true it's dualistic, but if I face it I [2-3 words].
Suzuki-rōshi: Yeah, and because you say "dualistic," that is not so, actually. When it is happening it is not so. After you, yeah, think about it, you feel dualistic.
Student C: [1-2 sentences unclear.]
Suzuki-rōshi: After. Yeah, that is not so good [laughs]. That is not so good. Your practice should continue and develop, you know, moment after moment. Your firewood does not become ash. Ash is ash, and firewood is firewood. And that you—hot—that you work in the garden, even though there are many flies, even though sun is strong, that is your practice at that time, and that practice actually extended to the practice of this evening: our practice of shikantaza. That is why you have good feeling when you appear in zendō with white tabi, with people, and recite, you know, sūtra and make bow. You see? Your practice is going on and on and on.
Student C: When I started in the garden [?] this spring I thought—if—if—if my understanding—I think I understand what you're saying. However, for some reason my mind is blank about what the … of what happened. Sometimes it—sometimes I feel bad about what happened. But because I feel bad about what happened, I may be tongue-tied [?] and [1 word]—not to do bad, whatever that is.
Suzuki-rōshi: That is, you know, another practice, you know. To reflect on what you do is quite different practice [than] you had before in—in the garden. Refreshed practice. There is—of course there is some connection, but you are not actually continuing same practice. Same practice but, you know, renewed practice. Not same—not same but not different, we say. So you should understand in that way.
You should think about it, but you shouldn't stick to it. Why you shouldn't stick to it is it is renewed practice already, and that you feel bad is good. Who feels bad about it? Not your small mind, which was disturbed by flies, but it is by big mind—big mind thinks that was not good. So you have your practice at that time, you know: practice of big mind. When you are annoyed by, you know, by flies, that was small-minded practice, but … [Sentence not finished. Tape turned over.]
We say, if you fell down by [on] the ground, you will stand up, you know, by the ground. Do you understand? If you fell—if you, you know, lose your practice because of the annoyance you have with flies, you will stand up [by the] same annoyance. Because when you say "I was annoyed by flies and that was not good practice," then already you stand—stood up, because you have big mind already. Do you understand?
So it is okay, even [laughs] you don't have to be concerned about it so much—about your bad practice so much. But to—to be concerned about it is good, because it is a practice of big mind. So [loud mike noise] those who—you cannot say this has [6-8 words unclear]. If you fell on the ground you will stand up by the same old ground. If you say "My practice is not good," [5-6 words], you are not standing already like this. So that—because of this, you know, same old problem, you can stand up.
So if you enlighten with delusion—about delusion, you are enlightened person, you know. If you are deluded as your enlightened mind, that is delusion. Do you understand? If you say "My practice was not good," then that is enlightenment. It is not problem of what you did is good or bad, but problem of actual practice you have right now—actual mind you have right now. If the actual mind you have right now is big mind, that is enlightenment. Okay? You—you don't have to [be] concerned about what you did before, but you have to [laughs] because you have to stand up. But when you think that was wrong, that is already cleared up. You could cut off the delusion you have. You have not delusion any more. You are not deluded any more. Ahhh. Does it make sense? Okay? Hai.
Student D: If you're being bitten—
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm?
Student D: If you're being bitten, say, by a fly or whatever it is, and you smack that fly you just think that—you don't think about it—the fly is on the ground dead [laughter]. [2 words] the way you are.
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm?
Student D: Don't think about it. Go right on with whatever you're doing. You don't inflict upon it the anguish of something [?]. [4-5 words.]
Suzuki-rōshi: Different?
Student D: You don't think about it any way at all.
Suzuki-rōshi: You will think—you will feel [in] some way, you know. It is not possible not to feel—not to have any feeling about it. But what kind of feeling you have is the point.
Student D: Well, when I—when I did this I didn't—[3-4 words]—whatever it was just died, and afterwards I thought, well maybe it just died that way [1-2 words] [laughter, comments by other students].
Suzuki-rōshi: Is it true with almost everyone? Do you agree [laughs] with his way [?]?
Student E: Let's kill Alan. [Laughter.]
Suzuki-rōshi: Huh?
Student F: Suzuki-rōshi, what if we smack him and then stomp on him? [Laughter.]
Suzuki-rōshi: What kind of reaction do you have? [Laughter.]
Student F: Like a blade of grass to become a buddha.
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm?
Student F: Grass—blade of grass to become a buddha.
Suzuki-rōshi: Ohh. [Laughs.] Even though, you know, at last— This is famous statement of Dōgen: Even though you do not like grass, grass will grow quite easily. Even though you like flower, life will—flower will fall [laughs]. That is actual reality. Even though it is so, if—if some—you are stinged by—by mosquito or horse—horsefly, you know, you will do this [gesturing?] [laughs]. You will do this, maybe. But when you are involved in very serious practice, you wouldn't, you know. Even though mosquito comes, you will be sitting, and until you—you may have many mosquitoes, you know, like small [1-2 words] [laughs]—big [1-2 words]. They, you know, they will [3-4 words] sting us, but not only sting, but also they suck blood, you know, from us. More and more they will become like small, you know, fruits or something [laughs, laughter]. They cannot fly any more [laughs, laughter—maybe gesturing]. But you will still—you will be still sitting. And then you have to be careful when you—you stand up, not—not to step on mosquitoes [laughs].
So you feel calm to [1 word]. "Oh, he came." And as soon as he came with his legs [1 word] and his—what do you call it—his pipe or something [laughs, laughter]—needle [laughs]—
Student: Straw.
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm?
Student: Straw.
Suzuki-rōshi: Straw. [Laughs, laughter.] —you—you feel his straw, you know, coming. Straw. Mouth. Straw. First, you know, legs; next straw; and straw, you know, [laughs] come in and come out like this [probably gestures], and while they are continue this for several moments, they stop and start to suck, until they become like this [probably gestures]. And they cannot fly because they are so heavy.
So you don't—when your practice is completely involved in bad [?]—big mind, you don't care. But, you know, but usually, for an instance, when a bug or big horsefly come [slaps self], I will—I will do [?] like this. But what I feel is different. But whatever feeling I have, if something has happened already, you know, you cannot do anything. Even though it was bad—it is not okay, but [laughs] we cannot do anything about it, so you have to think on it [?]—you have—you were—how do you say?—you have to make reflection.
How you feel is the point. If you feel bad, that is good. And it is not always possible—it is not impossible not to feel good or bad if you—unless you make some excuse. But to—to make some excuse is very small mind. So don't make any excuse. Don't try to make any excuse [for] what you have done. If it is wrong, "I am sorry." If it is good, then you will say "maybe so," but you shouldn't feel completely satisfied with your practice. You should go on and on. Hai.
Student G: What about if you know it's wrong and you do it anyway?
Suzuki-rōshi: Huh?
Student G: What about if you know it's wrong and you do it anyway?
Suzuki-rōshi: When you do it anyway?
Student G: Yeah. You did so in a way that you know it in a minute [?].
Suzuki-rōshi: Uh-huh.
Student G: But you—
Suzuki-rōshi: You did it anyway.
Student G: —you do it anyway.
Suzuki-rōshi: Uh-huh. Do you mean you did it because you have to—had to?
Student G: I don't live in [1-2 words.]
Suzuki-rōshi: Anyway, it is very—very difficult to understand exactly. Without thinking, do you mean? Anyway—
Student G: No, with thinking.
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm?
Student G: —with thinking.
Suzuki-rōshi: With thinking—
Student G: Yes.
Suzuki-rōshi: —and not completely. "Anyway, I will do it." That is not so serious. That is, I don't think, serious if—not serious now. In your practice, yeah, we shouldn't do things just anyway, you know. "Okay, I will do it anyway." Sometime it is good, you know. Without giving responsibility of doing to some—somebody, taking resp— [partial word]—the responsibility of doing to—for yourself. "I will do it anyway," you know. You don't have to say this way or that way. If it is bad, "that is my, you know, fault"; if it is good, you know, "because you helped me, I did it." "But anyway I did it." This kind of "anyway" is very good [?]. "But I don't know what we should do. Anyway I will do it"—that is not so good [?]. But when you—you are in some situation where you should do something, you know, then you will do it anyway. "Whether it is good or bad, someone must do it. So anyway I will do it." That is also "anyway." "I don't know what will happen to—to us, but anyway I will go and find out." That is also "anyway." There must be many "anyways." [Laughs, laughter.]
As you are mostly young, so I think you—your practice should not be old man's practice. You should be confront with problem—problems you have, you know, for you.
Do you have some questions, some more question? One more please. Hai.
Student H: [6-10 sentences unclear.]
Suzuki-rōshi: Hmm. Actually, you know, that is not—cannot be, you know, serious question [laughs]. You know, you know, the answer already, perhaps, but you don't know what to do. That is why you ask me, isn't that so? You know, you know.
Student H: Well, I know—I know that I [1-2 sentences unclear], but I [rest of sentence unclear].
Suzuki-rōshi: I—I maybe—I have some good answer? [Laughs, laughter.] No, I am sorry I haven't [laughs]. I don't have so good answer for that. But my answer will be, you know, if it's good chance for you to have that kind of problem. You know, because of that kind of problem, we can practice our way. It is good to have some problem. If it, you know—this—this is too much to say, but if we are cats or dog we have no problem, so we don't have to practice [laughs] [1 word]. We are happy in our problem. So that is not problem just for you. Everyone has same problems, actually. So as—as long as you are—you live in this land of Shākyamuni Buddha you have that problem—or [living in the] human world, you have that problem.
In Buddhist traditionally [?], land of—this world is Nansenbushū,
the south side of the Mount Sumeru. On the opposite side there is Hokkuroshū, where there is no problem [laughs]. There is enough water to drink, and no cold and similar things, and enough juice [?] and various foods you enjoy; there is no problem. People [live] long time—people do not die. If you are born in that kind of place, you know, you have more pleasure, and we have no Buddhism or no practice. That is very, you know— But it suggest some truth.
So your question is based on the idea of understanding of our life. "If our life is full of happiness and joy, that is good life; if our life is full of suffering and problem, that is not good life." That is a very superficial understanding of life. And most people—people's view of life is based on that kind of idea of good or bad, which is not deep enough, which is not real enough.
So when you have that kind of problem, you should think of, you know, why you have—when you have problem [?], you know, when you are able to think about it. When you are angry you cannot think, of course. But when you are not—when your mind is calm, you should think about the foundation of your—of your view of life—understanding of life. And it is good to listen to some teaching like Buddhism. We do not talk about sin, but we talk about suffering and problem of life. And it is not possible to leave—to get out of suffering and to, you know, to have life of no problem, according to our understanding of—of human life.
Thank you very much.
Source: City Center transcript by Barry Eisenberg. Entered onto disk by Jose Escobar, 1997. Checked against tape by Bill Redican, 9/25/00. Miyagawa Keishi-san kindly provided assistance with the translation of Japanese terms, particularly the verses on Pages 1 and 3–4.
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Thursday, October 01, 2020
Palestinian-Israeli Survey: Only a small majority of Israelis and Palestinians support a two-state solution
- August 25, 2016
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The majority of Israelis and Palestinians still support a two-state solution, despite a decline in the number of those supporting it. This Monday, for the 1st time in a decade, a Joint Poll surveying Palestinians and Israelis was released. This poll has been published by The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) in Jerusalem and The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) in Ramallah, in partnership with and support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and with funding from the European Union (EU). The poll surveyed one thousand Palestinians and one thousand Israelis. It focused on the public views on a permanent peace agreement, ability to trust and compromise with the other side, and mistrust and fear of the other. The results suggest that only a small majority of Palestinians (51%) and Israelis (59%; 53% of Jewish israelis and 87% of Arab Israelis) support a two-state solution. A quarter of Israeli and 35% of Palestinians support a one-state solution. And at the question who should broker a peace agreement. If posed with multinational negotiations, both Israelis (28%) and Palestinians (22%) would prefer support from an Arab forum The poll also revealed that when presented with a peace agreement package based on previous negotiations, only 39% of Palestinians and 46% of Israelis (39% of Israeli Jews and 90% of Israeli Arabs) said they support such a deal. The package included a de-militarized Palestinian state, Israeli withdrawal to the Green Line (pre-June 1967 lines) with equal territorial exchange as relevant, a family unification in Israel of 100,000 Palestinian refugees, West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. The issues over which neither side are willing to compromise include the status of Jerusalem, holy places, sovereignty, borders, and refugees. Professor Tamar Hermann, the academic director of IDI, told a press conference at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, that this poll also reveals that, « in a way, these two society are mirrors of each other ». There is little trust between Palestinians and Israelis. Some 89% of Palestinians feel Israeli Jews are untrustworthy, while 68% of Israelis Jews expressed similar sentiments. Further, 50% of Israeli Jews, 61% of Israeli Arabs and 70% of Palestinians agree, "Nothing can be done that's good for both sides; whatever is good for one side is bad for the other side."
This poll also suggested that Israeli Jews misunderstand their own side. Only 30,5% thought that the majority of Jewish Israelis support the two-state solution, when in fact 53% of the Israeli Jews are in favor of the two-state solution.
The findings do not indicate that we have reached a point of no return
This poll concludes that there are clear misunderstandings on both sides. Findings show that hard line perspectives are founded on misperceptions. In contrast, accurate perceptions about the views of the other side are positively correlated with greater willingness to compromise. For Professor Tamar Hermann, despite the recent violence and the mistrust "The findings do not indicate that we have reached a point of no return". Her Palestinian counterpart Doctor Khalil Shikaki, the director of the PCPSR, agreed tha, "The findings are certainly not encouraging, but by no means are they discouraging. They leave room for us as researchers to see if we can bring these two publics closer together in terms of reaching a permanent agreement through various incentives."
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Explosive Gun Control Documentary 'Disarmed' by Anthony Gucciardi Released For Free Online
Explosive Gun Control Documentary 'Disarmed' by Anthony Gucciardi Released For Free Online
Anthony Gucciardi
May 1, 2013
The explosive gun control documentary Disarmed: A History of Gun Control, which examines the true statistics behind firearm use and gun control legislation, has released for free online.
Disarmed breaks down research that amounts to hundreds of pages and dozens of hours into a high energy blast of information that is catered towards both hardened firearm activists and gun control advocates alike. As the statistics and data come together, the key points in the film are backed by reality that goes beyond the media manipulation and emotional hype surrounding the entire issue of gun control and gun freedom
The film, available for free on Youtube in full, features intense discussions with highly influential and knowledgeable individuals like Mike Adams of NaturalNews, Texas Representative Steven Toth, Representative Joe Carr, and many others.
You'll discover hard-hitting information, such as the real numbers behind firearm deaths verses what the media would like you to believe, how 'gun free zones' are actually fueling crime, how mass shooting 'epidemics' actually tie into gun control zoning, how to protect yourself from looming gun bans, how to beat back insane legislation that is attempting to trample the Second Amendment, self-defense tips, and much more.
Disarmed is designed to be the ultimate 'reality check' to share with anyone and everyone who still clings to the purported effectiveness of gun free zones and gun control legislation. As Mike Adams puts it:
"Disarmed is totally hard hitting, it is a 31 minute red pill for those who still cling to the concept of gun free zones and mass disarmament." – Mike Adams of NaturalNews
In addition, Disarmed is created in such a way that it details the blatant failures behind attempts by control freak politicians to seize weapons through complete and utter gun bans. Politicians that are physically protected via firearm-wielding security forces or actually carry their own hand gun for self-defense purposes
Though the film has the production quality and information content of a major documentary film that you would expect to find on television or even in theaters, the ability to release the film online for free is thanks to the participation of the extremely talented Michael Shane Media in helping me to create the film in a very short time period for the Infowars Operation Paul Revere Contest.


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Confederate Motorcycles has taken 13 of its P120 Fighter motorcycles and given them the black-out treatment. Hoping to draw the ire of old ladies around the United States, the P120 Fighter looks even more sinister in black than its bare-metal counterpart. If you want one of these special edition "Black Flag" P120 Fighters you better hurry up though, only nine bikes are left on the reserve. Check the photo goodness after the jump.
Source: Confederate


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Jonathan Robert Papelbon (pronounced /ˈpæpəlbɒn/; born November 23, 1980 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed.
He was the Red Sox closer during most of 2006. In early September, Papelbon injured his shoulder. When the Red Sox were eliminated from playoff contention, he was shut down for the rest of the season to rest. Papelbon was being groomed to be part of the Red Sox starting rotation, but because of his shoulder problems, was later moved back to the bullpen before the start of the season and remained the team's closer. On August 21, 2007, Papelbon had his 30th save of the season making him the first Boston pitcher to ever have two 30-save seasons. As of July 1, 2009, Papelbon holds the record of most saves by a Red Sox pitcher, beating Bob Stanley's previous record of 132 saves.
Papelbon was a three-time All-City honoree while playing in high school for Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, FL. Early in his senior year, he committed to play college baseball for Mississippi State.


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In January 2007 Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone. Summer 2007 he announced its release date and "sweet" web apps to go with it. In Fall 2007 he introduced the iPod touch and iTunes Store app. Spring 2008 brought iOS 2 (then iPhone OS 2.0) and the App Store. Summer 2008 saw iPhone 3G and MobileMe. Fall 2008 was iPod touch 2. Spring 2009 was iOS 3. Summer 2009 was iPhone 3GS. Fall 2009 was iPod touch 3. January 2010, iPad. Spring 2010, iOS 4. Summer 2010, iPhone 4. Fall 2010, iPod touch 4 and Apple TV 2. Spring 2011, iPad and…
Nothing. Maybe.
For four years iOS software and hardware has been gaining momentum at an ever-increasing pace, from a single app-less iPhone in 2007 to iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV and a host of supporting software and services. The original iPhone was a true revolution, instantly obsoleting the Palm, Microsoft, RIM, and Symbian devices of the day in concept if not in function. They never saw it coming, denied it was happening, and then failed to frame anything close to a coherent response. And while they were spinning, Apple hit them again with the App Store. And again with the iPad.
Windows Phone has rebooted but is still in early days and has struggled to provide timely updates. Even with HP's deep pockets and huge reach Palm has been slow to get new devices out the door. BlackBerry is counting on a tablet to bridge the gap between their phones of the past and superphones of the future. With the Verizon iPhone in the US and white iPhone 4 slated for spring, Apple could easily skate another 3 months in that competitive landscape.
But not in a competitive landscape that includes Android.
Originally shown off as a BlackBerry or Windows Mobile Standard competitor, Android rapidly changed focus post-iPhone and came straight at Apple. While the G1 was clearly unfinished they began to hit their stride with Droid. Half way through iPhone 3GS' product cycle, Nexus One actually took the lead in some areas. An inspirational device, it was way ahead of previous Android phones and showed where the platform was going for the next year. iPhone 4 was Apple's answer.
According to rumors, however, Apple may not preview iOS 5 this spring and may not introduce an iPhone 5 this summer. If that proves to be true then Apple's momentum, their ever-increasing pace will have slowed.
And Android just keeps coming. While Nexus S turned out to be more summation of the past year than indicator of the next, spring has sprung seemingly a dozen more with dual core, LTE, and 3D. Whether any of these new Android features are particularly compelling or not, they're still new features, new phones, news.
Come June AT&T and other carrier contracts will be up and for the first time in 4 years there won't be a new iPhone to drive renewal. For the first time people who just want a new iPhone, the way they've been accustomed to getting each year's new fashion, won't have one waiting for them. Existing owners accustomed to a software refresh, a breath of new air into their older devices, won't be getting a major new version of iOS. Developers won't have had several months with new APIs and won't have a slew of new apps ready to take advantage of them.
Whether or not finishing Mac OS X Lion has caused a delay in iOS 5 the way iOS has caused delays for Mac OS X in the past, whether or not a delay in IOS 5 has caused a delay in iPhone 5, whether or not there are issues with components or engineering, or absolutely nothing but Apple's will to schedule it so, for the first time since 2007 we're facing… a break in Apple's pace.
Come June there'll be no lineups, no race to iTunes' update button.


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We found out Saturday that Redskins tackle Trent Williams would miss the Pro Bowl after being involved in a Honolulu nightclub brawl, his roster spot going to Matt Kalil. (Aside: how did Kalil drop whatever he was going, get to Hawaii, and get ready to play so quickly? I think each conference has someone on call in case a Pro Bowler gets into a club fight.) We knew Williams was tased and hit with a bottle. We didn't know just how little effect it had on the man who calls himself "Silverback."
Let's go to Pro Bowl bar fight correspondent Adam Schefter:
[Williams] was Tasered in the back and cracked over the head with a champagne bottle during the melee yet still did not fall to the ground, sources say.
"It was like he was Jason on Friday the 13th — man just wouldn't go down," one source said of the 6-foot-5, 318-pound Williams.
Well, that's a terrifying situation. You tase the guy, and nothing. You brain him with a magnum of Dom, nothing. That's the point where you run.
The perpetrator didn't run very long. Michael Miske Jr. was arrested Saturday night and charged with second degree assault. Miske owns M Nightlife, the club where the brawl went down, and also runs a pest control business on the side. He's the only one arrested so far, but five others are being investigated in the assault. Williams will not face charges.
Williams received seven stitches to his scalp, and took two separate concussion tests. He passed both, but the league thought it best to keep him out of the Pro Bowl anyway. Meaning the NFL has never been as proactive on brain trauma as it was for a guy who got hit with a champagne bottle at a club.


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Organizational structure
With the implementation of the new organisational and salary structure in 2010, the NCS Mission has been further strengthened. Further, the new organizational structure is allowing the NCS to compete with other reputable organizations in the recruitment and retention of qualified and experienced professional staff. This will enable us to much more deliberately focus on achieving quality public safety results through the Offender Risk Management Correctional Strategy.
The new organisational structure will also allow the NCS to provide effective correctional services in a fiscally responsible manner through three levels of management: National, Regional, and Institutional operations.
National Headquarter Management level:
Provides support to the Commissioner General and the Executive Committee and delivers services to all NCS operations such as: correctional operations; international protocol; public and parliamentary relations; human resource and financial management; performance assurance; legal support; health services and planning and research.
Regional Command Management Headquarters
Provides management and administrative support to National Headquarters by monitoring the delivery of programmes and services; developing regional policies; developing plans and programmes for performance measurement; providing human resources and financial management support; providing logistical support; managing health services to offenders and providing information to local media, the public and stakeholders. The regions are also responsible for providing direction and supervision over local operations.
Institutional Management level
Besides the NCS Training College, the NCS manages 13 institutions for both men and women. Of the 13 institutions, 2 are Open Farms, 3 are maximum security facilities, while the rest are medium and minimum security facilities. The NCS also administers post-sentence supervision of offenders who have been released on parole and monitors those offenders who have been sentenced to Community Service. This service comprises presently of court based Community Service Order offices in 2 regions; namely, The North Eastern and North Western regions.


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EXCLUSIVE: The highly regarded executive will operate alongside Graham Taylor and the core independent financing and packaging team.
D'Souza most recently worked with Kevin Iwashina at Preferred Content.
"She's a young star," said Taylor. "Our business continues to grow. We are putting together 30-plus movies a year and generate a range of must-have titles from wide release to critically acclaimed fare."
WME Global recently brokered the US sale of Machete Kills to Open Road for mid-seven figures in one of the biggest US acquisitions of the year-to-date.


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Latest Neurology News
FRIDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- In a new finding sure to be shared with some skeptical parents, it seems that the brains of video game enthusiasts make better and faster use of visual input.
"Gamers see the world differently," study author Greg Appelbaum, an assistant professor of psychiatry in the Duke University School of Medicine, said in a Duke news release. "They are able to extract more information from a visual scene."
The study included 125 college students who were either intensive video game players or nongamers. The participants took a visual memory test that flashed a circle of eight letters for one-tenth of a second. After a delay of between 13 milliseconds and 2.5 seconds, an arrow appeared and pointed to one spot where a specific letter had been. The participants had to try to recall the letter.
The gamers consistently outperformed the nongamers in recalling the letter, according to the study in the June issue of the journal Attention, Perception and Psychophysics.
The researchers said two possible reasons exist for the gamers' better recall: They may see more immediately, and they may be better at making correct decisions from available information.
Further investigation is needed to determine if gamers' brains have become trained to perform differently on visual tasks, compared to nongamers, the study authors said.
-- Robert Preidt
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