text:
Militant in your Atheism that is...For those of you who consider yourselves "militant Atheists" I want to better understand two things:
1. What is Militant Atheism from your point of view...what really does it mean. Please explain in detail. Define it for us.
2. Why is it necessary. Why not just be an Atheist? Why do you consider it any different than the extreme points of view held by religious fanatics. Why isn't it enough to simply say, "I am an Atheist"
I'm asking this question honestly because I want to learn. I am an Atheist but not for very long. My mind is still poisoned by religion. I want to further my knowledge on the subject and help those others like me who are just starting to see the fog lift. Hope it will be an educational discussion. Thanks.
Views: 1519
Damn right
Because Richard Dawkins said -
go forth and be strident -
and everybody went forth and strode -
and they saw that it was good.
NUTPOO good
** Who's militant? Only parody will do against fundies -- but you gotta know their cant
Any atheist who speaks out in favor of a god-free culture is immediately assailed by fundies. Might as well wear a target -- there are those who are patient and as rational as possible with xian inverted snobbery -- their holy nihilism. Why do that? Fudies are impervious to reason. But, they don't like having a nose tweak -- Three Stooges Style.
Very recently a delegation of catholics attended the investiture of a pope. It was a disgusting spectacle for which Jefferson, Madison, or Franklin would have held only the deepest scorn -- representatives of a free people, in a secular state, kowtowing to a foreign god-proxy whose immoral beliefs do harm across the planet. --- So-- it was time for a nose tweak to all catholic fundies who crawl through the guts of Yahoo!
** Theater of the absurd plays to vast audience of pious dupes
US delegation -- kowtowing to a potentate, ultra-right politico, morally obtuse, pseudo-god-proxy, and CEO of World Wide Ponzi Scheme Spa. (Rome) -- your actions reflect poorly on a secular state and an Open Society.
One which stands for no xian obscurantism or false humanitarianism of the Vatican driven by the death impulse to hate women, devote itself to a gospel of overpopulation, and encourage spread of disease, especially AIDS.
Blessed are the poor -- especially those African AIDS babies. Killing homosexuals, however -- you go Uganda. Everybody gets a useless prayer -- so keep those mites coming in widows.
Atheism, like anything else is a very personal thing. Some people want to shout from the rooftops, some want to be assholes about it, and some would just as soon go about their daily lives without making a fuss. That's the great thing. Everyone gets to do whatever the hell they want. Be your own person, and decide for yourself!
Personally I am very verbal about not believing in a sky daddy, when a believer begins to preach to me! But also feel compelled to speak when a believer of any sort, deems it moral to infringe on the rights and freedom of others. Which just so happens to be every time I learn of a recent crime against humanity (daily),by some religious nut, does give me pause.
Region did not fix me, it damn near broke me. So I would like to help break it's hold on the moral structure of the society, if only for one person, that person can teach another. The sooner we out grow religion the better off we will be. We have to live in the present day, following these dogma's can only produce conflict! With our self, and with others, the real important stuff happens after we stop living like we have an eternity to experience life, and realize that this planet, our only home, is not being looked after by god, and many of the people making decisions sure act like there is a deity cleaning up after it's silly "creation", making sure it's habitable for the future of human kind.
If we look back at the stupidly of human kind, especially when it comes to belief, we find generations of Christians waiting for the world to end, via Revelations. They have no reason to care about a temporary home, now do they?
The only good religion is a historic one!
I consider myself a militant anti-supernaturalist. I find all forms of superstition and 'woo' offensive and object whenever such bullshit is interjected in any sort of tone suggesting it be taken seriously. I find that the human psyche is all too easily infected by superstition and feel people need to be 'shocked' a little to realize when they are spewing utter rubbish.
One on one, few people will share any earnest expressions of superstition - but in groups where such views seem to be going unopposed, people tend to build off of the bullshit of others to go off on nonsensical rants about spiritual healing, the worthlessness of modern medicine, etc, etc. A few sharp words of opposition usually stops such malarkey from cascading.
Just today I encountered a FB post about how the 'original Model T' was not only 'designed to run on hemp gasoline' but was also 'made of hemp'. Although not a supernatural claim, it is just the sort of bullshit that people jump on without doing any fact checking. Toss in a few facts, with citations, and people aren't as enthusiastic to share such rubbish.
Oh come on Heather you know that hemp will save the world.
But don't despair we got rid of one piece of woo, it's been definitively proven that we didn't need 2001-style monoliths to become intelligent, just semi-poisonous mushrooms.
(OK let me run off and wash out my mouth with soap.)


text:
The weather outside has been anything but frightful, and for some it might be hard to kick off the holiday season with sunny days hovering near 60 degrees. If you still can't believe December is just around the bend, the Colorado Children's Theatre has something to put you in a holiday mood.
The group's third annual holiday show, "Make a Joyful Noise," will feature holiday and seasonal tunes that are sure to put even the biggest Scrooge into a Winter Wonderland sort of mood.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Canyon Courier, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This gorgeous bridesmaid dress from True Bride is perfect for any bride searching for that vintage look for her maids. Featuring elegant embellishments on the pleated waistline and tulle cap sleeves, the M742 design is beautifully feminine in appearance. The 'v neck' slopes gradually from the shoulders and is echoed on the back of the piece along with a zip and button details.
For further enquiries regarding our range of available colours, or for information on how to book an appointment at our 'Boutique for Bridesmaids', please email: email@example.com
Returns Procedure.
Products must be returned in a saleable condition, meaning that they must be unused and their original packaging with garment tags and embellishments still attached and intact.
We reserve the right to consider the condition of any product that you wish to return and make any deductions if there are indications that the product, its tags or embellishments have been removed, broken or tampered with.
Christian Alexander is not liable for damage caused after the time of purchase. Each item is quality checked and in perfect condition before leaving the store.
Online Refunds: For online purchases you have 14 working days to return your product(s) in saleable condition and receive a full refund. Your refund for the product with be credited on the credit/debit card or on the same original method of payment used at the time of purchase.
In-store Refunds: For in-store purchases you have 7 working days to return your product(s) in saleable condition and receive a full refund. Your refund for the product with be credited on the credit/debit card or on the same original method of payment used at the time of purchase.
Exchanges: You have 28 working days to return your product(s) online and in-store in a saleable condition to receive store credit.
Goods that Can't Be Returned: Bespoke Products (eg an item on our website that you specifically request to be altered in a certain way to suit your own requirements - such as a made-to-measure Multi-way dress or other items of clothing, such as Bridesmaid dresses altered to fit you of differing dimensions to those shown on our website) are treated in the same way as Bespoke Products. This is in accordance with the guidelines for tailor made items set out by the Consumer Contracts Regulation of 2014. Further information can be found on the Which? Consumer Rights website.
Once you have placed an order for either a Customised product or a Bespoke product (e.g. made-to-measure Multi-way, or other clothing alterations) the order may not be cancelled since work may have been started on building these items.
If you do not agree with these terms, then please refrain from using our site.
Shipping: Please complete the return form provided and ship to the following returns address; Christian Alexander, 117a High Street, Norton, Stockton-On-Tees, TS20 1AA.
Thank you for shopping with us!
UK STANDARD DELIVERY - Your order will arrive at your delivery address within 3-5 working days of placing your order. You'll receive a dispatch email to confirm your parcel is on its way.
During sale periods standard delivery orders may take up to 7 working days to reach you.
You'll receive an order tracking number when your order has left us so you can keep an eye on your parcel's journey.
UK FIRST CLASS DELIVERY – Your order will arrive within 1-3 working days of placing your order. You will receive a dispatch email to confirm your parcel is on its way.
You'll receive an order tracking number when your order has left us so you can keep an eye on your parcel's journey.
UK SPECIAL DELIVERY - Order before 1pm for next day delivery, or, if you are shopping at the weekend, order by 10am on Friday to get it on Saturday. Please note, orders made on the weekend must be made by 10am on Saturday to arrive before 1pm Monday. If you are ordering on a bank holiday please allow an extra day for your delivery.
Please note that we will always aim to deliver your order the very next day. If you place an order after 1pm, this may take an additional day to be dispatched. Whilst we will endeavour to fulfil all next day deliveries within the expected timeframe, there may be occasions where courier failures or unexpected events, such as extreme weather conditions or IT system failures, mean that this is not possible and we are therefore unable to guarantee next-day delivery times. We will always work hard to keep any issues to a minimum and will proactively remove the service or adjust the cut-off times to minimise any disruption to you. In the event of any issues arising we will contact you with further details of delays whenever possible.
You'll receive an order tracking number when your order has left us so you can keep an eye on your parcel's journey. Your order can be delivered between 8am and 6pm, plus we'll send you an email from our carrier letting you know when your delivery will be arriving.
ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL International shipping to Europe costs £13.25 and is charged on a flat rate basis, regardless of the weight of your order and items purchased. You can expect to receive your goods within 10 working days of placing your order. Countries outside of Europe will incur a £19.25 shipping cost, regardless of the weight of your order and items purchased.
All orders are shipped from the UK. Any import duties and taxes are charged once the parcel has reached the destination country and these charges must be paid by the recipient of the parcel. Unfortunately, we have no control over these charges as customs policies vary from country to country. If you have any questions related to customs charges you are advised to contact your local customs office.
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Thank you, Team CA.
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text:
Lady Antebellum Announce Final Leg of Own the Night 2012 World Tour
Unfortunately, the saying "all good things comes to an end" does include Lady Antebellum's wildly popular headlining Own the Night 2012 World Tour. The award-winning trio has announced the dates for the final leg of the tour, which wraps in Australia this October.
The members of the reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year express their excitement in returning to the land down under. "We've been anxiously waiting to announce that we're going back to Australia," says Lady A's Dave Haywood in a statement. "We were over there a little bit over a year ago with Keith Urban, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of our performing career."
Selling more than 850,000 tickets during the first leg of their tour, the success of their latest headlining outing has mirrored the critical and commercial success of their third studio album of the same name. 'Own the Night' has sold more than one million copies, and won the Country Album of the Year trophy at this year's Grammy Awards ceremony.
Lady Antebellum can be found on the country charts with 'Wanting You More,' the current album's fourth single. Though the trio is currently hard at work on their follow up project, the release may not be as immediate as fans may hope.
"We're going to take our time with this one," leading lady Hillary Scott tells Billboard. "Because ['Own the Night'], as proud as we are of it, we all feel like we rushed it a little bit. So we're going to just settle in and write and write and write. We may try to go in [to the studio] at some point this year, just to try some things, but honestly it's hard to tell. We're going to really wait until we're ready."
Tickets for the Australian shows go on sale on June 15 at 9AM CT, but pre-sale tickets are available beginning June 12. Visit the band's official website for more details.
Lady Antebellum Australian Own the Night 2012 World Tour Dates:
9/25 – Melbourne
9/28 – Brisbane
10/1 – Sydney


text:
After Sexual Assault Accusations, Underwear Company Andrew Christian Suspends Gay Porn Star Topher DiMaggio
After five men came forward to accuse gay porn star Topher DiMaggio of various degrees of sexual assault, the underwear company Andrew Christian, where he works as a model, said it has suspended him.
The founder of the company, Andrew Christian, took to his personal Twitter account to address DiMaggio and the allegations against him, which includes rape.
"Andrew Christian does not condone sexual abuse or any other type of abuse or mistreatment to members of our community. We are taking allegations made by the victims very seriously," he tweeted. "Accordingly, Topher is on indefinite suspension while we look into the matter...
"...Late last year Andrew Christian started Project LOVE to help support various worthy charities in the LGBTQ community," Christian added. "Andrew Christian is committed to creating a safe welcoming environment for our LGBTQ family."
Christian's response came after five men spoke out and alleged DiMaggio of sexual assault. The first to do so was gay porn actor Tegan Zayne, who told his story on Twitter last month, writing that the alleged incident happened before the two shot a scene together two years ago.
Just this week, YouTube personality Bryan Hawn told Instinct DiMaggio also assaulted him. The other men who accused DiMaggio have remained anonymous. The fifth man to accuse him spoke with gay porn news website Str8UpGayPorn (extremely NSFW) this week and said the alleged incident took place at a Pride event in Seattle in 2014. The event was hosted by DiMaggio and sponsored by Andrew Christian.
Str8UpGayPorn pointed out in that interview that Andrew Christian had yet to comment on the allegations against DiMaggio, who modeled for the company and was featured on its website. The site also noted two of the alleged sexual assault incidents took place at events sponsored by the company.
A rep for Andrew Christian also gave a statement directly to Str8UpGayPorn (again, NSFW), saying, "We are taking this issue VERY seriously and Topher is on indefinite suspension while we look into the matter."
A link to DiMaggio's profile on Andrew Christian's website no longer works.
DiMaggio denied Zayne's allegations shortly after Zayne shared his story on Twitter. Although DiMaggio said he strongly denies the allegations made by some of the other men, he has since deleted those tweets. DiMaggio has yet to address the allegations made earlier this week.


text:
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Sir my name is amit Kumar I'm an engineer on ship. My Facebook I'd is as amit bhardwaj...
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Sir my name is amit Kumar I'm an engineer on ship. My Facebook I'd is as amit bhardwaj now I lost my access to number and g mail I'd but I want to recover my Facebook I'd I can show you everything whatever you want to ask please help me and recover my I'd please *It's a humble request *It's my new gmail I'd ******@***.com
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text:
PORTLAND, Maine -- Southwest Airlines Co. says it will fly to Baltimore-Washington International Airport when it begins service next spring out of Portland, Maine.
The airline says it will initially offer nonstop flights each day between Portland International Jetport and Baltimore-Washington when it starts flying out of Portland on April 14. There'll be three flights going each way on weekdays, and two each on weekend days. All flights will be on 143-seat Boeing 737s.
The airline's arrival in Maine has been anticipated since it bought AirTran Airways last year.
Southwest has been transitioning its AirTran cities to Southwest and eliminating AirTran service where the two carriers duplicate service.


text:
SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Law Office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC Announces Investigation of Steinway Musical In
SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Law Office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC Announces Investigation of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc.
BALA CYNWYD, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC announces that it is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. ("Steinway" or the "Company") (NYS: LVB) relating to the proposed acquisition by an affiliate of Kohlberg & Company ("Kohlberg").
Click here to learn more about the investigation http://brodsky-smith.com/608-lvb-steinway-musical-instruments-inc.html, or call: 877-534-2690. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Under the terms of the transaction, Steinway shareholders will receive only $35.00 in cash for each share of Steinway stock they own. The investigation concerns possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by the Board of Directors of Steinway for not acting in the Company's shareholders' best interests in connection with the sale process. The transaction may undervalue Steinway as the price being paid appears below multiples of comparable transactions.
If you own shares of Steinway stock and wish to discuss the legal ramifications of the proposed transaction, or have any questions, you may e-mail or call the law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Jason L. Brodsky, Esquire or Evan J. Smith, Esquire at Brodsky & Smith, LLC, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 602, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com, by visiting http://brodsky-smith.com/608-lvb-steinway-musical-instruments-inc.html, or calling toll free 877-LEGAL-90.
Brodsky & Smith, LLC is a litigation law firm with extensive expertise representing shareholders throughout the nation in securities and case action lawsuits. The attorneys at Brodsky & Smith have been appointed by numerous courts throughout the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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The article SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Law Office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC Announces Investigation of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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text:
There are at least 15 new Cissette dolls and a few "male Cissettes" (how can there be a male Cissette?) I will show only a few in this post but you can click HERE to go to the MA 2012 collection of all new dolls.
Here is Cissette as the Pan Am Stewardess Ltd Edition 200 pcs
She retails for $139.95 and will not be available until July 2012. There is also a 16" Alex dressed as a Pan Am stewardess.
Queen Elizabeth Ltd Edition 175 pcs 10" Doll from the Fashion Collection. $179.95 This is a lot of fashion for a 10" doll to wear.


text:
Censorship and Libel at USC
A university shows tolerance for Muslim student radicals – but not for their critics.
Editor's note: In September 2009, David Horowitz was invited by the University of Southern California College Republicans to come on campus and protest an Islamic Hadith calling for the genocide of the Jews that appeared on an official USC website. His speech was attacked in advance by Students for Justice in Palestine and the USC Progressive Alliance, who made up quotes and attributed them to Horowitz in order to paint him as an Islamophobe and a racist. Undeterred by this slander, Horowitz spoke on the USC campus on November 4 to a packed house.
On December 3, the USC Vice President of Student Affairs, Michael Jackson, published "an open letter to the USC community" in the Daily Trojan, the USC campus newspaper, attacking the College Republicans for bringing Horowitz to campus. Jackson claimed that Horowitz's presence "led members of our community, our Muslim students, to feel threatened, unsafe, and betrayed." This letter was also sent to every official USC student, faculty, and staff email address and was published as an ad in the Daily Trojan.
Horowitz wrote a response to Jackson's letter and submitted it as an ad to the Daily Trojan, which Jackson controls and which initially rejected it. The David Horowitz Freedom Center responded by notifying USC officials of its intent to pursue relief under California's Unruh Act, which requires student papers to observe rules of basic fairness. After reflection, the Trojan agreed to print Horowitz's response and it ran in Tuesday's edition of the paper. It appears below. Tomorrow, FrontPage will run the speech Horowitz gave at USC, which aroused the ire of the campus left.
An Open Letter to the USC Community: Response to VP Student Affairs Michael L. Jackson:
Vice President Jackson's "Open Letter to the USC Community" denigrating student leaders of College Republicans for inviting me to speak is ill-informed and provides unfortunate support for campus hate speech, specifically for the attacks on Jewish students that have become increasingly prevalent on college campuses these days. I was invited to USC to speak about this problem and specifically about an incitement to kill Jews posted on an official USC website and attributed to the prophet Mohammed. The incitement was originally posted by the USC Muslim Student Union. It was removed last spring by Provost Nicias, who called it "disgusting," over protests from the Muslim Student Union. It was recently restored to a USC website by another campus group. When this re-posting came to my attention, I contacted USC students and said I would like to come to campus to address this and related issues. This led to my invitation from College Republicans.
My speech and my hosts were attacked, however, before I even appeared at USC. We were subjected to a series of vicious slanders which should have no place on a university campus. A flyer put out by the USC Progressive Alliance maliciously and falsely claimed that College Republicans hate Muslims and then invented an entire quote attributed to me claiming that Muslim believers are "soulless beasts." I have never said or written anything that could be construed this way, nor do I believe it. In the millions of words I have published I have never used the phrase "soulless beast" to describe anyone, let alone pious Muslims.
Nor was this the only attack on us. The president of Students for Justice in Palestine sent out a campus email making a series of false claims about what I have written in the past, including the malicious lie that I said that African Americans should be grateful for slavery. A version of this slander endorsed by half a dozen recognized USC student groups and five USC professors was published in the Daily Trojan, which is under Michael Jackson's jurisdiction and which refused to print my rebuttal.
In his "Open Letter" Vice President Jackson not only ignores these assaults on campus tolerance but singles out the victims of these attacks for disapprobation. He justifies this moral blindness by claiming that I described the USC Muslim Student Union as "a terrorist organization with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas." I never made such a statement – not before my speech nor during the course of it.
What I did point out in my speech was the USC Muslim Student Union's decision to post the alleged saying of the prophet Mohammed that in order for the Day of Judgment to come, Muslims must "fight the Jews and kill them," and its defense of the posting after Provost Nicias ordered its removal.
It is true that on other occasions I have said that the national Muslim Students Association is part of the Muslim Brotherhood network with ties to Hamas. I have also said that the national Muslim Students Association sponsors anti-gay, anti-woman and anti-Semitic speakers on many campuses, and is behind an event on every anniversary of the creation of the state Israel that calls for its destruction – a genocidal incitement. These claims are documented here in this Investigative Project report on the Muslim Student Association. In any case, they should be a legitimate part of any dialogue on a university campus concerned with the current conflict between radical elements in Islam and the democracies of the West. The fact that a vice president in charge of student affairs should want to de-legitimize and thereby suppress these opinions in the name of "tolerance" is positively Orwellian and does not speak well for the intellectual climate at this great university.
David Horowitz


text:
Wooohoooooo! My first amazon affiliate commission - ok, it's not gonna pay the bills, but it's always nice =)
Receiving such "You've made an affiliate commission" and "You've been paid" always brings a smile to my face as it tells me that all my hard work to build an online business has paid off, and I've served yet another happy customer….and it always make me look forward and guess when the next affiliate commission will happen =D
What about yourself?
If you're a student, stay at home mum (SAHM), working full time or part time, or retired: you must build an online business on the side. Please don't quit your job yet, build it on the side until it's profitable enough to replace your salary, then you have more options.
It's not a luxury but truly a necessity for your future.
I've built multiple businesses (and lost multiple too) and I can tell you frankly that building a business on the internet is the cheapest/most cost-effective way to business. There are thousands of people who do so sharing on topics that they're passionate about (like how NigelChua.com shares on passive income and online business, which is my passion…for years now).
I know I am making some money online (see my income reports), and I know my financial future is getting better and better. But it is not easy, and takes a lot of time to learn and apply but I am building my passive income internet businesses that will work for me day in, day out; serving readers and customers profitably and delivering value 24/7.
To learn how I to make money online, join my mailing list and visit my resources page to see all the tools I use actively to build money making online businesses.
Once you hang around here for some time, you'd see that I don't well with hype or bullshit. I can smell that typically a mile a way, and I hate that shit too.
I've been working on myself and on NigelChua.com for years, since 2006, and only in late 2019 I started to focus on intuitive and loving leadership, entreprenership and personal development.
Here are some areas that I work on a consistent, ongoing basis.
Priorities I Care About
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I've been a premium member of Wealthy Affiliate since 2015 and there are a number of pros to be with them, which you can read at my Wealthy Affiliate review here.
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...and more importantly, why I still stay with Solo Build It (SBI) till today and use them exclusively for all my SEO, traffic and e-lead generation.


text:
Thank you very much for watching this episode on The Extra Mile!
Build Vlog of the Simrig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A02TMWJ7rCY&index=2&list=PLN5xudsHt49tnd_6RRTefnDXFbxO9w5oy
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, or if you have an idea for a game that I could cover. I am always open for suggestions and welcome your input!
Find out more about Assetto Corsa here: www.assettocorsa.net/
PC Specs:
Windows 10 64-bit on Kingston Predator SSD, Asus X99 Sabertooth, Intel Core i7 6800k @ 3.93GHz, 16,0 GB G.Skill DDR4 @ 3333 MHz, Gigabyte GX1080 Extreme Gaming with 8gb of vram, Soundblaster Z, Oculus Rift CV1
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4 Buttkickers in chassis mode, controlled by Sim Commander 4
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Outro song: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/tenderness
Music credits go to @Bensound (http://www.bensound.com)
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FINAL episode in the old home: Just a loud car on a pretty road...
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After three months in business, the Aspen Grill in the Lakepoint Center is continuing to go strong.
The restaurant is in the space that formerly housed the Wine Bar on Evergreen Lake. Now it is a bar and restaurant that serves "contemporary comfort bistro fare," said co-owner Joseph Newman. Newman, Ken Kerver and Evergreen resident John Watson are the owners.
Newman says his motivation to own the restaurant was simply one thing: Evergreen Lake.
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I have some questions for textured shape fusion. Hope someone kind would answer.
After shapefusion David saves the mesh in an obj and png and mtl files. I am wondering
1) how the size of the obj and png files may be reduced without losing the association? and
2) how the obj file can be edited with the png file still apply after the edits.
It seems to me that the PNG file still contains some overlapping of textures and could be cleaned with less information (yet still matches the model).
I am not sure if David could handle this alone. If a third software is required, which one is recommended?
Thanks for the kind response!


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By Michaela Gibson Morris/NEMS Daily Journal
You know the drill. The flu vaccine is one of your best weapons against the virus.
"The smartest course is to get the vaccination before it shows up," said Saltillo family physician Dr. Marcus Ueltschey. "It takes about two weeks to get maximum immunity."
The flu season is cranking up. The Mississippi State Department has already confirmed cases of influenza. The Centers for Disease Control currently rates flu activity in Mississippi as sporadic.
Historically, flu season peaks in Mississippi between late December and February, but the flu can strike almost anytime. The severity of the flu varies widely from year to year, but thousands of people die from complications of the disease every year in the United States.
"The unpredictability of it makes it that much more urgent for people to get the flu shot early," said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, Mississippi state epidemiologist. "Just because last year was light, doesn't mean this year will be light. … People don't need to be complacent."
There's a huge variety of places to get the flu vaccine, including county health departments, clinics and pharmacies
"The venues for getting flu shots have exploded," Ueltschey said. "That has really helped. It's just more convenient."
The annual NMMC Live Well Health Fair will once again offer free flu shots from noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Tupelo Furniture Market Building V. Each year, NMMC gives out thousands of flu shots for free with the assistance of health department nurses.
"We've got a good supply," said Liz Dawson, director of the North Mississippi Medical Center community health department, which organizes the event.
The flu shot is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months, but it is especially important for certain groups who are particularly at risk for complications of the flu or take care of those at high risk:
• Pregnant women.
• Seniors over 65.
• People with chronic conditions that compromise their immune and respiratory systems like diabetes, asthma and HIV.
• People living in nursing homes.
• Parents of infants, caregivers for infants and the elderly and health care workers.
How it works
The flu vaccine is adjusted every year to cover the three strains of flu most likely to be in circulation. This year's vaccine features two type A viruses – an H1N1 "swine flu" strain and an H3N2 strain, and a strain of the B virus that was identified in 2010 in Wisconsin.
"The shot uses proteins from the flu virus to generate immunity to the different strains," Dobbs said. "It can't give you the flu."
The nasal vaccine uses a weakened version of the virus and is recommended only for people ages 2 to 49 who aren't pregnant or don't have respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD.
"Children and young adults seem to get a better immune response from the nasal vaccine," Dobbs said, which is available for those 18 and under through the health department.
Because the flu vaccine manufacturing process uses eggs, people with severe egg allergies shouldn't receive the vaccine.
"If it's a mild allergy, they can receive a shot under more supervision," Ueltschey said.
Live Well health fair
This year, Live Well turns 16 and has played a significant role in improving the health of Tupelo and the region.
"It was the start of a culture change," said Dawson, who is the co-chairwoman of the Healthy Tupelo Task Force, which spearheaded many of the projects highlighted in Tupelo's selection for the BlueCross BlueShield Healthiest Hometown award this summer.
Every year, between 6,000 and 7,000 people come out to take advantage of the resources the Live Well Health Fair pulls together.
"It's like a community festival," Dawson said.
Along with the flu shots, 50 community agencies and hospital departments will have health information. Excel by 5, Health Help, the Healthy Tupelo Task Force and NEWMS are among the new agencies presenting this year.
As a healthy treat – and something to look forward to after a flu shot – kids will be able to run HealthWorks! Rail Yard obstacle course from 4 to 7 p.m.
There will also be free and low-cost health screenings. PSA blood tests will be available for $20. Lipid panel and blood sugar tests will be available for $5.
"That's a deal," Dawson said.
Bone density tests will be available for those who have not previously been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
If you get the flu
The flu is usually marked by a sudden onset of fever, muscle aches and respiratory symptoms, Ueltschey said. A cold, by contrast, is usually more gradual.
Anti-viral medications like Tamiflu and Relenza can shorten the duration and moderate the symptoms if given early enough.
After checking in with your doctor, the best course of action is to stay home from work and school, get plenty of rest and fluids.
WHEN: Noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 13
WHERE: Tupelo Furniture Market, Building V, Coley Road
WHAT'S BEING OFFERED: Flu shots, health screenings, information.
EXTRA: HealthWorks! activities from 4 to 7 p.m.
INFO: Call (800) 843-3375
COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS: Vaccines for adults are $25. Vaccines for children 18 and younger are $10. The nasal vaccine is also
available for kids 2 and up who meet the guidelines.
CLINICS: Flu shots are widely available from health care providers. North Mississippi Medical Clinics are offering the shots for $25.
PHARMACIES: Most pharmacies now offer flu shots on demand.


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You see the second Death Star under construction during Return of the Jedi, but you don't actually see it being constructed. There's no extended footage of imperial workers swinging space hammers, popping galactic rivets or doubling their efforts.
The image above, though, by Stephen Chang, shows how you might actually go about building something so big space smugglers would think it's a moon.
Chang, who works at game developers Lucasarts, did that pic and those below for the Force Unleashed games, which take place between the two film trilogies.
You can see more of his great art at Chang's personal site.
To see the larger pics in all their glory (or so you can save them as wallpaper), right-click on them below and select "open in new tab".


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BlogHer Food Extravaganza, San Francisco!
What a whirlwind that past weekend has been! Just got back from an incredible weekend in San Francisco for the BlogHer Food Conference. Talk about foodies everywhere, it was awesome.
I feel like I say this all the time, but the food blogging community is truly one of a kind. They are the most genuine and kindest people. Really. It was great to be surrounded by the bloggers we all look up to…The beautiful Ree, The Pioneer Woman, gorgeous Jaden from Steamy Kitchen, the incredible White on Rice Couple, Helen from Tartelette, Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes and so many more.
I really enjoyed listening to the sessions but I must say my favorite part of the trip is chatting/networking with my fellow blogging friends. It's so great to put faces to names we see all the time on Twitter/Facebook. Love my buddies I stayed with….Shanna, Marla and Amanda. My trip wouldn't have been the same without them!
We all had different experiences this past weekend, but here's a glimpse at how I spent it 🙂 All 62 pictues, sheesh Jen!
Day one was crazy! Check in, breakfast and chit chat filled the room.
My first session was with the White On Rice Couple. I LOVE hearing their discussions on photography. What talented beautiful people they are.
Fun cookbook library to browse through.
photo via Italian Dish
Me and Lori from Recipe Girl. LOVE you Lori!!
The conference was held at the Intercontinetal. After the morning session, we bolted out to lunch.
We went to "Out The Door" at the mall. REALLY good 🙂
Love this picture of Lori and Amanda. Love these ladies!
Some of our menu items.
photo via Amanda
….and more 🙂
A bit of a rewind here. Thursday night we were off to a few fun events starting off at Ghiradelli Square to meet the Deen Brothers.
This was the cutest little pink shop, too cute not to take a picture of 🙂
This is where we met the "bro's"
Here they are chatting with Kristen from Dine and Dish
All lined up for cookbook signing and pics.
photo via Amanda
Had to do it 🙂
photo via Amanda
After the Deen Brothers, we went to the Underwriter's Laboratory Event. We did a little Iron Chef competition.
photo via Amanda
Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod and I 🙂
Maggy and Amanda, love these ladies!
Here we are at the la Petite Soiree Party Friday night, it was a blast!
Saturday morning, Amanda and I knew we were going to sight see around San Fran…or I should say bakery hop!
First stop was Dynamo Donuts that was featured on Food Network's The Best thing I ever ate. Talk about heaven sent. They were incredible!
This maple bacon donut is their famous one. It was really good.
This was my favorite….the caramelized banana stuffed one. Delish!
This pumpkin chocolate chip was a close tie for second with that maple bacon 🙂
We ate….a lot of donuts. Luckily just a couple bites of each 🙂
Next stop was Fisherman's Wharf. LOVE it here. Lots happening in this area.
Pier 39 was such a treat. Gorgeous!
How cute are the sea lions? I could watch them all day!
Boudin Bakery/Cafe was so cool. Take a look at the Alligator sourdough? Love it!
These ones hanging from the ceiling were adorable. I need this in my house!
Lunch time! Amanda and I got a little soup bowl w salad. How good does my crab and corn chowder look?
Tartine Bakery was next on our list. Beautiful very classic desserts. This was the Tres Leche cake.
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart and a shortbread cookie. We truly only had a few bites!
Next we went searching for Bi-Rite Creamery but first stumbled across the market. How gorgeous are these flowers?
Love these colors!
Found it across the street 🙂
Gaby and Maria were talking about this salted caramel ice cream and I knew I had to have it. Was absolutely worth the wait!
Later Saturday night we met up with everyone for the closing party that The Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen and Simply Recipes threw. This was such a fun night. Great food, great company. It couldn't have been better.
My buddy Amanda and I. Love her!
Fun appetizers 🙂
More bacon goodness!
The photo booth at the party was so much fun! Here are my So Cal ladies! Amanda and Lori at the top, Marla, me and Kathy at the bottom. LOVE my sistas!
…and one more 🙂
Love this one too! Think we had way too much fun w the photo booth! Lol!
Soooo happy I got to see Angie of Bakerella Saturday night. Wish we were in the same town, I just love her!
On our way to the airport. Had a blast rooming with you Amanda! Until we meet again…..better be soon!
This is my favorite. Amanda, me and Marla on the right, my fellow OC buddy. Love her to pieces too 🙂
Loved every minute of BlogHer Food! So glad I was able to go 🙂
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52 Responses | Comments RSS
Looks like such a blast, Jenny! My husband and I ate at Boudin's when we were there last year…it's divine!
Jenny, this a great post! I loved revisiting the jam-packed weekend through your eyes. And, I totally agree – It was wonderful to interact with we all have looked up to for so many years.
[…] from Picky Palate […]
Jenny, as a food blogger who did not (sniffle!!) get to go to San Fran, I just LOVED seeing it through your eyes – what a great post! And your donut pictures – oh, my goodness. Spectacular. Thank you!!
Enjoyed your posting and pics from the BlogHerFood Conference in SF. I am new to foodblogging so this was very inspiring for me to learn about. I am a member of Blogher on-line. I follow you on Twitter and enjoy your posts.
The Souper
So fun to read your recap! It was a great time and the weather in San Francisco could not have been better.
GREAT re-cap LOVE these photos! Thanks for the visual tour around SF. So happy I was able to join you on most of this trip. Next year I would love to tour around the city with you 🙂 You are such an amazing friend and I love you to pieces too 🙂 xxoo
Great post! It was so nice meeting you. I really enjoyed talking to you. As a newbie, I really appreciated how open and friendly you were. Thank you!
This looks like a blast! I am so upset I couldn't attend next year. I know we will meet one day soon though. Awesome recap!
Boudin's is my favorite! I grew up in SF and now live in the South. Seeing these pictures took me down memory lane! My mom and I used to grab lunch at Boudin's when I was a little girl. Looks like you had a fabulous time!
Jenny this post is AMAZING!! How did you do this so fast??1 You are incredible, girl!! Can't wait to see you again!! 🙂 xoxo
Looks like fun and making me want to go to San Francisco.
Looks like a fun trip! I would have been in bread heaven!
It looks like you not only had beautiful weather but an amazing time!! Loved seeing all the tweets from BlogHer!!
what an amazing post of photos from such an amazing trip! i <3 <3 <3 hanging out with you, jenny! you are a big ball of awesomeness and light! i'm already missing the love fest that is blogherfood! can't wait until our next luncheon!
Aw, so wish I could have been there, looks like such great fun! Next year, FOR SURE!
Oh Jenny – I already knew I wanted to be there but now I am really sad I was not there- it looks amazing and I am so glad you had such a great time!
Great recap! I only got to meet a couple of the bloggers above, hopefully next time I can chat with everyone!
[…] run over to Picky Palate and check out Jenny's recap of the event. Beautiful […]
[…] Picky Palate […]
LOVE you post – especially the photos. So nice to meet you again – we met at Ultimate Recipe Showdown a few years back. So nice to discover your blog. I'll def be back!
It looks like you had a blast! Your photos are gorgeous…thanks for sharing your experience with us! 🙂
[…] BlogHer Food Extravaganza (Picky Palate) […]
I was so bummed to miss this event but you really bring it to life with your photos – thanks for sharing. I really love seeing the sea lions at Pier 39 – I grew up in the Bay Area and we'd go see them every December after a trip to The Nutcracker, brings back great memories.
Wow, wow, wow! What a great round up. What a beautiful posse! See you in LA soon, I hope!
Jenny, what a great time you must have had! Great people, amazing food, blogging, photography, and all in the best city ever… MINE! I was born and raised in San Francisco, so I might be a little biased hehe. I just moved to San Diego and I'm having withdrawls. Glad you had such a great time with Amanda and the rest of the blogging ladies I enjoy reading and following. Maybe next time, I'll make it there. Here's hoping!
Jenny, thanks so much for sharing – looks like a fabulous time and wow, that food!!!! Yum!
Love the recap of your weekend in San Fran…the pictures are beautiful! I first visited San Fran 2 years ago and went to several places you did this weekend, Boudin bakery, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf! I'm actually heading back there this weekend to run the Nike Women's half marathon and can't wait to try some new places…that donut shopping sounds incredible!
What a great recap. So many wonderful memories! Thanks for sharing, Jenny 🙂
I just love your photos, what a great re-cap, I'm sad I couldn't be there this year, but hopefully next year!
What a lovely recap, Jenny! It looks and sounds like you had a fabulous time!
You beautifully captured the weekend in San Francisco. Those donuts look to die for. It was great to meet you!
it was so great to finally meet you, face to face! it was such a fun weekend. what a fantastic post! don't ya just love that HP photo booth? x
It really was a great weekend and I was so glad to finally meet you in person! It looks as though you hit farm more places around SF than I did – I'm going to have to fix that next time.
I love your blow by blow of the city! I am tagging along next year!!! xx
Loved reading your recap (and that maple bacon doughnut, OMG). Looks like it was a lot of fun!
Jenny, I loved your beautiful photo recap! You were such a busy bee in S.F.! It was nice to see so many of my favorite food-bloggers having such a great time. Those Dean boys are pretty cute, too. 😉 Thanks for sharing.
Deen brothers?? swoooon
Loved this!! Makes me wanna visit SF all over again!
Question: How'd you guys get around?
What a terrific write-up Jenny, so great to see you at BlogHer Food!
[…] even trendy in some locales, like the ice cream served up by Michael Symon himself, and like the maple bacon doughnuts Jenny wrote about at Picky Palate. I thought a bacon brittle had serious […]
Aaaaah!! I can't believe I missed this! Jenny the pics are great, you girls look like you had a blast!! I love all the food pics too, oh man, am I hungry now!! Boudin bread is amazing, I loved it there. The sea lions are adorable!
Jenny, Those are some really really gorgeous pictures!..Wish we had met at the conference! Lovely recap!
[…] Food '10 Fab Frugal Food: And our Number 1 Highlight from BlogHer Food: The Revelation Picky Palate: BlogHer Food Extravaganza! OMG Yummy: OMG! BlogHer Food OMG Yummy: How did Bubbe Bake It – The Prequel Dine and Dish: […]
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Styled with a sleek stainless steel case and cool grey dial, this tan strap watch is a versatile men's timepiece for everyday wear. Embrace distinctive Danish design by Skagen.
Elegant Danish watches inspired by the beauty of Skagen, Denmark.
- Brand
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When I saw the graphic on the right in one of the latest copies of Library Journal, I thought about the Movers on the Map graphic from the March issue. It's not exactly a scientific survey since Movers & Shakers do not create Star Libraries and vice versa; and the selection of Movers & Shakers is purely a human process while the Star Libraries are a calculated outcome. But I was curious to see how the two maps looked next to each other.
From a cursory glance of the top counts, it would appear New York and Ohio are the places that enjoy the greatest number of M&S people as well as Star Libraries. Kansas, Colorado, Illinois, and Massachusetts also enjoy a high number with a closer ratio than other states. After that,
It would be a bit presumptive to look at these states and say, "What is it that they are doing that other states are not?" I think it has the seeds for further inquiry, though, as there really could be something that allows the libraries to get the numbers they gather to be labeled as 'star libraries' and attract some of the most forward thinking people in the profession.
The easy counter to this premise is the 'star library' award only goes to those libraries that choose to participate and that as a voluntary nomination it means that not all libraries are represented. As to the Movers & Shakers, it requires the filing of nominations plus the judgment of the staff of Library Journal and other advisory members. In both instances, they are not true measures of the libraries in the field and the talent that exists within the profession.
Well, if someone gets more curious than I am, then I look forward to your results of a closer examination.
Now, I couldn't help it, but when I was reading the latest issue online, I noticed something that seemed a bit off. It's a page from the Placements & Salaries Survey, but something seems off to me about it from just a glance. Can you tell what it is from here? If not, click on the picture to see my marked up version in Flickr.


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Burton Albion Courses
Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT) is a registered charity and an award winning organisation.
BACT deliver programmes across five main themes: Participation, Social Inclusion, Disability, Education and Health. Having such a variety of themed programmes enable BACT to be an influential partner in all aspects of the local community and also allow us to have a wider impact both regionally and nationally.
The BACT website will ensure that everyone across Burton and the surrounding areas will be able to access all of our services and have a better understanding of what our longer term aims and objetives are.


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A Guide to the James Robinson Bailey Papers, 1898-1942
Biographical Note
Bailey, a native of Houston, was educated at Dean Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy and entered the University of Texas in 1889 where he lived in B. Hall. He received his B.A. degree in 1891 and went then to Munich, Germany, where he received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1897. Later he worked in London and Aachen before returning to the University of Texas where he remained for the rest of his life. He became a full professor in 1911 and preferred his academic life to the lucrative jobs that were offered to him by private companies and institutions.
Scope and Contents
Papers contain correspondence concerning both the chemical research by Bailey, University of Texas professor of chemistry, dealing primarily with petroleum, and his relationship with other chemists and laboratories and with his students. Included are transcripts of articles, speech, the report of a referee of an article, and notices, as well as biographical material and bibliographies prepared for the University of Texas.
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted access.
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
James Robinson Bailey Papers, 1898-1942, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Detailed Description of the Papers


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BOONE � Barring an upset Saturday in Boone, former North Gaston High standout Justin Clark will remain the answer to a trivia question.
He wishes he wasn�t.
But until Clark�s alma mater, Western Carolina, beats Appalachian State again, he�ll remain the last Catamounts quarterback to lead his school to victory in the �Old Mountain Jug� rivalry.
And since Saturday�s meeting is the last scheduled matchup between the longtime rivals, there�s a real chance Clark�s legacy could last a mighty long time.
As most who follow college football know, the winds of realignment that gripped virtually every conference nationwide have blown into this state.
In the ACC, it means original member Maryland will no longer play Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State or Wake Forest once it joins the Big Ten Conference and Notre Dame is a part-time ACC football member.
East Carolina is in its final season in Conference USA as it will finally join a major Bowl Championship Series conference � the American Athletic Conference (formerly Big East) � next season.
And in the Southern Conference, Appalachian State is leaving the league (and Football Championship Subdivision classification) for the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference.
It means Appalachian State and Western Carolina could meet again � both schools seem confident their series will be renewed at some point � but it won�t be the annual home-and-home series that it has been since the rivalry began in 1932.
Appalachian State has dominated the series. Not only do the Mountaineers lead 58-18-1 in overall meetings, but they have won 26 of the last 28 meetings, losing only in 1998 and 2004 since the 1985 season.
But local alumni on both sides of the rivalry hope the schools will do whatever they can to keep the series alive � if for no other reason than it�s the longest rivalry for each school.
�I don�t know how to feel about the idea it might end, to be honest,� said Clark, a 2002 North Gaston High graduate who played for the Catamounts from 2003 to 2006. �It�s always been a big rivalry for Western. It might not be that big to Appalachian State, but I do think it�s an important game for the fans and the communities and the Western part of the state.�
Clark, now an assistant football coach at Atlanta, Ga., Northview High, is one of several former local standouts to have played in the rivalry.
Among those who have played at Western Carolina have been Johnny Wike (Mount Holly Class of 1953), Jim Biggerstaff (Belmont 1954), Dale Hollifield (Kings Mountain 1960), Don Powers (Lincolnton 1963), Chuck Dellinger (Cherryville 1974), Scott Cloninger (Lincolnton 1975), Cookie Gary (Ashbrook 1976), Kenny Pauley (Shelby 1990), Cranston Johnson (Ashbrook 1995), Pablo Abraham (East Lincoln 1998), Thomas Pruett (Cherryville 1998), Adam Donaldson (South Point 1999), Toren Gordon (North Gaston 1999), Randy Thompson (North Gaston 1999), Ricky Rainey (Ashbrook 2000), Morrio Clark (Burns 2002), Meko Watson (North Gaston 2003) in addition to current players Quevalas Murray (Shelby 2009), Richard Sigmon (East Gaston 2011), Darius Ramsey (Burns 2012) and London Richardson (Burns 2012).
Among those who have played at Appalachian State have been Doug Mauldin (Belmont 1955), Pat Murphy (Kings Mountain 1965), Wes Beam (West Lincoln 1968), Arnold Floyd (Hunter Huss 1977), Chuck Gordon (Kings Mountain 1978), Joe Spikes (Crest 1986), Mark Mayo (East Lincoln 1986), Derek Fewell (Ashbrook 1988), Lance Ware (Shelby 1992), Gerard Hardy (South Point 1993), Darrel Wilson (Hunter Huss 1995), Rocky Hunt (Hunter Huss 1996), Jimmy Freeman (Crest 1997), Eric Rockhold (Shelby 1999), Monte Smith (Crest 2002), Julian Rauch (Ashbrook 2003), Josh Jackson (Forestview 2005), Lanston Tanyi (Shelby 2008) and Demery Brewer (Lincolnton 2008) in addition to current players Drew Stewart (North Gaston 2009), Jamie Collmar (Forestview 2012) and Manning Burton (Shelby 2013).
Wilson, now an assistant coach at his alma mater of Huss, echoes the sentiments of many from the area who played in the game.
�They�ve got to find a way to keep that going,� said Wilson, who played for Appalachian State from 1995 to 1998. �Who will be our rival team now? To me, it should be like the non-conference opener or the end-of-the-season game like it is this season.�
The impetus for Appalachian State�s move to NCAA Division I came after the Mountaineers won back-to-back-to-back national championships from 2005 to 2007 � or right after the Catamounts� last win.
�Ever since we won that game, App went on that run,� said Rainey, now a MMA fighter who played linebacker for the Catamounts from 2002 to 2004. �So maybe we helped inspire them.�
Rauch, who played on each of the Mountaineers� national title teams, says the 2004 loss did provide motivation for his school.
�You know, as a freshman I don�t know that I knew the significance of the rivalry,� said Rauch, now a kicker for the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League. �Coming off that loss, I think we all knew how significant it was to beat them and to keep the �Old Mountain Jug.��
Dale Hollifield, whose donation of $50,000 was the lead gift and earned naming rights for Western Carolina�s $225,000 Dale and Diane Hollifield Locker Room at Whitmire Stadium, thinks a Catamounts� win on Saturday might ensure the continuation of the rivalry.
�We�re happy as Western fans because they're down this year,� said Hollifield, a three-year letterwinner at Western Carolina whose sons Ryan and Andy played at Appalachian State in the early 1990s. �Maybe we can beat them, get the �Jug� and they�ll want to play to get it back.�
You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22
More comments on the potential end of the Appalachian State-Western Carolina rivalry:
�I think now might be the time for Western to look at a major Division I conference. I know we haven�t had the success that Appalachian has had, but we�re state schools with large fan bases.�
� Justin Clark, a quarterback at Western Carolina from 2003 to 2006
�It was a good rivalry but it�s not been that much the last few years. I�d hate to see it go away because the schools, the fan bases and alumni bases are so similar. Really, it�s such a natural rivalry.�
� Chuck Dellinger, an offensive lineman at Western Carolina from 1974 to 1978
�It�s going to be different, you know, not playing for �The Jug.� We�ll just have to make new rivalries in the new conference.�
� Cleveland Browns receiver Armanti Edwards, who led Appalachian State to the 2006 and 2007 national titles and was a two-time Walter Payton Award winner as the nation�s top FCS player.
�It was a game couldn�t lose. It was for pride, recruiting and everything. After losing in 1998, that next year, we probably prepared 10 times harder than before because we didn�t want that feeling again.�
� Rocky Hunt, a two-time All-Southern Conference defensive lineman at Appalachian State during his career from 1996 to 1999.
�I just think with all the tradition, it would be sad to see it come to an end. Not having the game would be awkward for Catamounts fans. And I�m sure it�ll be awkward for the App fans too. The rumors of them going up have been out there for awhile, but it would definitely hurt if the rivalry goes away.�
� Cranston Johnson, a one-time All-Conference defensive back at Western Carolina during his career from 1995 to 1998.
�I hope it doesn�t end. I hope they can keep playing. It doesn�t make sense to stop that rivalry.�
� Doug Mauldin, a running back at Appalachian State from 1957 to 1958
�It�s a rivalry that�s gone back forever. Even though it�s been a lopsided rivalry lately, it�s still a big rivalry.�
� Ricky Rainey, a linebacker at Western Carolina from 2002 to 2004
�For us, winning �The Jug� was expected. For them, it made their season. But it�s why rivalry games are fun.�
� Julian Rauch, a kicker at Appalachian State from 2004 to 2007
�You know, in high school, when teams leave a conference and move to different classifications, you still try to play your rivals. I think that�s what should happen here. There�s too good a history to not continue the rivalry. There�s just so many alumni in the region to not keep it going.�
� Shelby head coach Lance Ware, an offensive lineman at Appalachian State from 1993 to 1996


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The much-maligned cruise ship that was damaged in rough waters earlier this year appears to be sailing near some of the stormiest sections of Hermine Sunday evening.
Several vacationers posted videos and photos to social media showing rolling seas and steely gray skies from aboard the Anthem of the Seas on Sunday afternoon.
"Ready to get away from Hermine #seasick #stuck in cabin," Louise Hardag tweeted.
The Bermuda-bound cruise ship left Bayonne, New Jersey, on Friday and was reported a few hundred miles off the East Coast Sunday night, southeast of Cape Cod, according to ship tracking site Cruisemapper. At least one other cruise ship was also in the area.
Robert McHugh of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, posted a video of pounding waves on social media. He's traveling with dozens of family members for a wedding in Bermuda. He said a majority of his relatives were getting motion sickness.
"The seas were churning up a little bit," McHugh said in a Skype interview. "There were a lot of people who weren't feeling well."
The motion of unsettled sea was rough enough that passengers had to hold onto handrails as they navigated the ship.
"When you're walking down the hallway, the ship is lifting up and dropping down," McHugh said.
Royal Carribbean, which owns and operates the ship, said in a statement that the boat is safely sailing to Bermuda in winds of about 40 mph — the minimum wind speed threshold for a tropical storm — and was more than 140 miles from the center of the storm.
"Earlier today, our captain informed guests that we had experienced higher winds and gusts for a 2-3 hour period," the cruise liner said. "We'll continue to share weather information with our guests throughout their trip."
In an unfortunate twist of fate, passengers Deena Abbate and Steve Matyasovsky were onboard the same ship in February when it encountered a raging tempest. They received a refund and a credit towards their next trip, which happened to be this weekend's cruise during Hermine.
"I guess it is pretty funny that here we are again," Abbate said.
"We booked this a long time ago, and who knew," Matyasovsky said.
While Hermine was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm after it made landfall in Florida, forecasters expected it to strengthen as it went out to sea Sunday night, and it could turn back into a hurricane.
Sunday's storm appears to be the latest in a string of incidents involving the ship this year.
In June, an 8-year-old boy drowned while in one of the Anthem's pools, and in February, it sailed into another Atlantic storm that tossed passengers and furniture about the vessel. Passengers described that voyage as "a cruise from hell."


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Rocket Fuel in our Food
A LITTLE ROCKET FUEL WITH YOUR SALAD?I spent two decades living in Southern California, during which time I married, fathered a child, got divorced, and became a single parent. I finally left the Golden State in 1989, taking my young son with me because I was concerned about his health. It wasn't just the smog, although that was bad enough around our house in the San Fernando Valley, where chronic inversions turned the sky over the San Gabriel Mountains the color of dried blood. My son had been born with myriad allergies, and had experienced a terrifying reaction to the DPT vaccine (screaming fits suggestive of being tortured).
Then came the medfly. It was 1988, and I can still recall the sight of the State agricultural commissioner going on TV and dramatically drinking a glass of malathion to reassure a panicky public that, despite the conspicuous presence of a skull and crossbones on all malathion containers (the pesticide was readily available at most garden centers), it was really quite harmless. Of course, we only had the man's word on that, as well as on what was really in his glass, but it was a classic case of the "as-seen-on-TV" school of credibility.
What had prompted this extraordinary demonstration was the discovery of a single medfly in the Port of Long Beach, some 20 miles south of Los Angeles. The big citrus producers had few, if any, commercial groves south of Ventura County, which was two mountain ranges north of Los Angeles. No matter. The medfly was capable of destroying entire groves of citrus, which would cost state growers untold millions. Governor George Deukmejian declared a state of emergency. The Air National Guard was called out to begin spraying with malathion, despite howls of protest from the 11million inhabitants of Los Angeles. Within a matter of weeks, as the panic in Sacramento spread south along the Central Valley, scores of choppers swarmed the skies over southern California, coming out at night like bats, to saturation-spray the entire urban area. It soon became apparent that malathion could take the paint off your car, but we were assured it was harmless to humans.
At the time I was recently divorced, and my son's mother and I had separate households a few miles apart. We would trade phone calls, warning, "They're coming!" "Move your car, they're headed your way!" And then a nervous, "They're here!" Our son was acting up by then, having increasingly bad attacks of asthma, and developing behavioral problems. By age four, to make matters worse, he'd been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD).
decided we'd had enough. It was agreed I would pack up, take the boy, and head
for Florida, where my parents lived.
An introduction to rocket fuel
Florida, however, proved to be anything but a safe haven. Within a few years of our move, a medfly turned up in the Port of Miami. Florida's response, while it didn't include drinking pesticide on TV, was if anything even more draconian. Florida, like California, is the turf of large agribusiness concerns, especially citrus growers. Like their West Coast counterparts before them, they flew into a panic. This, of course, led to the now no-longer-unprecedented decision to mount a pre-emptive strike. The state legislature quickly passed a new law, written (as since has become common practice) by the affected industry. The Florida law required that all citrus trees within 1,800 feet of an infected tree (the evident roving range of the average medfly) be destroyed. In the years since, the flies have continued to creep northward, and commercial groves and private yard trees alike have fallen before them. Lawsuits, protests, and petitions have done nothing to slow this preemptive juggernaut.
Not long after my move to Florida, my thyroid gland ceased functioning. I learned later that my ex-wife, as well as my brother Ed, both of whom had lived in California in those years, had also suffered hypothyroid disease. Doctors still don't know the cause, although-as we'd eventually learn-they have some suspects. In my case they blamed an unknown virus.
It wasn't until years later that we found that malathion wasn't the only toxic chemical to which we'd been exposed during our time in California. On December 16, 2003, The Wall Street Journal published an article by investigative reporter Peter Waldman on the history of California's experience with a chemical called perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel dating back to the first solid-fuel rockets of World War II. Perchlorates are actually a group of salts-ammonium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, cobalt perchlorate, and a score of others. They were developed mainly as oxidizer components for propellants and other explosive materials (including flares and fireworks) in the 1940s, emerging into a full-bore industry during the Cold War buildup of the 1950s. They have more recently turned up in such diverse products as automobile airbags and certain fertilizers, particularly those produced in Chile.
Despite repeated efforts by California water managers and regulators to stop the dumping of rocket fuel and related toxic chemicals into the state's groundwater and wastewater systems, defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Aerojet General pumped and dumped millions of gallons of these chemicals into unlined pits or holding ponds, or injected them deep into the ground. They did this with impunity, considering themselves answerable only to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), whose view on the subject, according to Waldman, was that "its job is national security, not environmental safety." That view seems to persist today, as reflected in the recent push by DOD to attain wide-ranging exemption from environmental regulation and restriction.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a very different view than DOD,
although no one in either organization denies that perchlorates are highly
toxic. No one from DOD has volunteered to drink a glassful of the stuff, to my
knowledge. Nineteen recent studies tracked by the Washington-based
Environmental Working Group (EWG) between 1997 and 2002 have associated
perchlorates with thyroid damage ranging from metabolic and hormone disruption
to cancer in adults, and with impaired neurological and bone development in
fetuses. They have linked the chemical to reduced IQs, mental retardation, loss
of hearing or speech, deficits in motor skills, and (surprise, surprise)
learning disorders and ADD in children. Studies in rats have found tumors
developing at extremely early stages. And these studies only focus on the
apparent effects of perchlorates in water. EPA scientists now believe that the
levels of this chemical to which Californians and others are being exposed are
far too high. And they wonder what happens when huge quantities of this water
pass through the roots of irrigated vegetable crops and end up concentrating in
someone's salad.
Who worries about missile fuel in our food, when there's a missile crisis in our back yard?
Perchlorates were first developed by a group of aeronautics engineers at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, led by a Hungarian immigrant professor named Theodore von Karman. He and a group of colleagues from the university founded Aerojet, which pioneered "jet-assisted" takeoff rockets that enabled the new generation of military jets to take off from the decks of aircraft carriers. They also developed the Minuteman missile. The developers dubbed perchlorates "powdered oxygen" for their rapid and intense combustibility.
As it happens, these chemicals break down over time, and require replacement-hence the large-scale dumping over the decades. Aerojet was first warned to stop dumping as early as 1949, at its Azusa manufacturing plant east of Pasadena, by Los Angeles County engineers who even then were aware of the likely dangers to groundwater. Aerojet ignored those warnings and many others that followed, and received no sanctions. At one point, to further facilitate its perchlorates disposal, the company hooked itself up to a public sewer line.
In 1951, Aerojet moved north to Sacramento and the suburb of Rancho Cordova. According to Peter Waldman, the company's unlined holding ponds and pits leached up to 1,000 gallons of liquid waste and 300 pounds of ammonium perchlorate into the local aquifer every day. Today, a number of families there are suffering from cancer and other ailments alleged to be attributable to perchlorates. With Southern California left eating Aerojet's dust, other authorities took up the pursuit. In 1952, the California Central Valley Regional Water Pollution Control Board issued a resolution specifically intended to block further dumping of perchlorates into local groundwater or the nearby American River. Nothing changed. Aerojet's defense was that, according to guidelines issued by the DOD, its unlined holding ponds and pits were quite adequate methods of disposal.
By 1957, an underground toxic plume had spread across several square miles east of Sacramento. According to a national task force and The Wall Street Journal, the plume ranged in perchlorates concentration from 3.5 to 5 parts per billion (ppb). Surely, scientists began to hypothesize, this had to be bad for you. That year, a study at Harvard University found that perchlorates passed through the placenta of guinea pigs and affected the development of the thyroid and its hormones that regulate growth and development.
Aerojet continued its stonewalling, even refusing to disclose exactly what
chemicals it was using. In 1962, the board tried again, passing a resolution
prohibiting Aerojet from disposing of anything "deleterious to human, animal,
plant, or aquatic life."
At this point, national security once again assumed priority-in the form of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Nothing I have seen in the accounts of that time suggests that anyone saw any irony in the possibility that American missiles might be poisoning the American people in order to protect them from a theoretical attack by missiles from another country.
And so, again, nothing changed. Over the ensuing decades, thousands of tons of these toxic chemicals were deposited into open ditches, canals, holding ponds, and pits. Only in 1985 did perchlorates finally become a "drinking water problem," when they were detected by the EPA in wells serving 42,000 households in the vicinity of Aerojet's original plant in Azusa, back in Southern California.
In 1992, the EPA turned to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta for help. CDC declared that "the effects of low level perchlorate ingestion need to be described as soon as possible." So the EPA went back to the 1952 Harvard study linking the chemicals to thyroid damage, and issued its first health assessment, recommending an "initial reference dose" of no more than 4 ppb in drinking water. In response, DOD insisted that the reference dose should be 42,000 ppb. The dispute remains unresolved, although DOD has since shifted its estimate of acceptable levels sharply downward. While EPA holds firmly to its recommended level of 4 ppb, the people who brought us Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome now tell us that 200 ppb is safe.
The Unlucky Employees of Lucky Farms
The concept of bioaccumulation has become chillingly familiar to those who have followed the stories of PCBs, mercury, and other contaminants that may be found in low levels in insects or algae, but that concentrate as they rise through the food chain. The same kind of concentration can occur as polluted ground water is consumed by irrigated plants.
The first clues that perchlorates were accumulating in
vegetables emerged around October 1996, when a commercial grocers' farm, Lucky
Farms of San Bernardino, California, began handing a release form to its
employees-"todos los empleados"-which it required them to sign. The disclaimer
stated, in English and Spanish:
I have been informed of the dangers if I drink
irrigation water from the sprinklers, valves, or faucets that are marked red.
This water may cause cancer or birth defects. I know that I am only to drink
water from the orange coolers. And drink only from the water specified as
"good" water, which is the faucet located by the shop.
Each of the predominately Mexican farm workers was requested to sign that form (see above), presumably to protect Lucky Farms from bad luck in the form of lost labor due to illness, or in the form of lawsuits. Someone at the farm had been savvy enough to become suspicious of the water supply there and had had some water tested. Apparently, there was a growing awareness in the Redlands area of San Bernardino County that there was something wrong with the water. Maybe it was not mere coincidence that Lockheed Martin had operated missile testing facilities in that area for many years, using a large amount of rocket fuel. The facilities had been long since closed, but they'd left a stain of perchlorates in the ground.
On December 19, 1997, a test report was delivered to farm manager Robert Liso of Lucky Farms by Weck Laboratories of Industry, California. The preliminary report indicated that Weck had tested a "vegetable" (later reported as lettuce) and found 110 micrograms (mcg) of perchlorate in the sample. While perchlorates were (and are still) an unregulated commodity, and this was not an astronomical quantity, it was well in excess of EPA's recommended level for a lettuce leaf. It was the first indication that perchlorates had migrated from the water supply to the food chain.
Then, on February 9, 1998, Weck delivered a bombshell.
A second study, analyzing four lettuce samples, revealed the presence of
massive amounts of perchlorates:
Leafy vegetable no. 401635: 3,260 mcg
Leafy vegetable no. 401636: 6,590 mcg
Leafy vegetable no. 401637: 6,900 mcg
Leafy vegetable no. 401638:
3,210 mcg
But none of this information reached the public. Both Weck Laboratories and Lucky Farms refused to comment on these findings when I called for clarification. Unless decimal points migrated along with the perchlorates, these were highly alarming numbers. According to Kevin Mayer of the EPA's San Francisco office, if water were the only source of perchlorate intake (which evidently it is not), the EPA's 4 ppb standard would translate to about 1 microgram per liter, or 2.1 micrograms per day for a 150-pound (70 kilogram) person drinking 2 liters of water a day. One of the Weck samples, it seemed, would deliver several thousand times that amount.
A flurry of behind-the-scenes legal activity quickly followed. By May 7, 1998, Lockheed Martin had engaged the services of the Los Angeles law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to represent it in a secret settlement agreement with Lucky Farms. Evidently intimidated by the defense contractor's heavy guns being brought to bear, Lucky Farms backed off making any threat of a lawsuit. Lockheed Martin, in turn, generously offered to pay for the cost of Weck Laboratories' testing-an offer that was apparently accepted, because no further action was taken. Instead, Lucky Farms continued to require signed releases from its employees (see documents, page 16) and continued with business as usual, at least until 1999. Lettuce continued to be shipped to markets throughout the country.
In 1999, the EPA swung ponderously into action, ordering a study by its National Environmental Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia. The new study found that perchlorate accumulated in leaves by factors of 100 or more times the agency's recommended levels. The researchers also found that lettuce leaves were capable of absorbing and storing up to 95 percent of the perchlorates in the water supply. This meant that even small levels of perchlorate in the water could concentrate into extremely high levels in the lettuce leaves.
the EPA discounted this study due to the fact that the water used in the study
had excessive amounts of perchlorates in it and was presumably not
representative of typical California irrigation water, though these doses
weren't anywhere near the concentrations of those found in the Rancho Cordova
and Azusa plumes. Even more curiously, EPA also concluded that "foods do not
contribute to" perchlorate accumulation in the human body-an assertion that
appears to be directly contradicted by the 1952 Harvard study and the 19
studies that followed.
Shades of Silkwood
By 2002, sources of perchlorates in irrigation water were being traced to the Colorado River, which was found to be seriously contaminated from Las Vegas to the Mexican border. This was especially troublesome news, since Colorado River water was the sole source of irrigation water for the entire Coachella and Imperial Valley regions, which produce 90 percent of America's lettuce. On July 14, 2001, The Sacramento Bee reported that 20 million people in California, Arizona, and Nevada had some level of perchlorates in their drinking water, averaging between 5 and 10 ppb. According to The Wall Street Journal, scientists have traced perchlorates found in the Los Angeles water supply 400 miles up the Colorado River to Lake Mead, above Hoover Dam. From there, according to the Journal's Waldman, they tracked the plume 10 miles west up a desert riverbed called the Las Vegas Wash, to a giant ammonium perchlorate plant in Henderson, Nevada, owned and operated by Oklahoma City-based Kerr-McGee Corporation. The Las Vegas Wash is the main drain leading into Lake Mead, the primary source of water for Las Vegas and the lower Colorado River.
Kerr-McGee is the company that was featured in the movie Silkwood, based on the story of Karen Silkwood, a chemical technician at the company who claimed that her employer was exposing its unwitting employees to plutonium radiation. Silkwood was killed in an unwitnessed one-car crash while gathering evidence implicating the company. This time, rather than trying to hide its involvement and providing the plot for another movie, Kerr-McGee has sued the Pentagon for reimbursement of cleanup costs. Its plant is now closed but continues to leak 900 pounds of perchlorate a day into the Las Vegas Wash.
Other lawsuits have been filed as well, including a class action suit by the residents of Rancho Cordova, where Aerojet operated with impunity all those years. Many residents there have developed thyroid and other cancers. These suits, against Lockheed Martin and others, have gone nowhere, except to the extent that the State of California agreed to pay the cost of a suit by a Rancho Cordova water company that, according to The Sacramento Bee, "accuses pollution enforcers of having willfully allowed Aerojet Corp. to contaminate the ground water with rocket fuel." So, Aerojet continues to escape unscathed, while the people who tried for decades to stop it from perchlorate dumping end up taking the hit.
In April 1999 the EPA convened an "eco-summit" of representatives from the Air Force (the prime perchlorates consumer, other than NASA), a coalition of perchlorate manufacturers and users called the Perchlorate Study Group, and members of five Indian tribes whose livelihoods are based on produce farming along the lower Colorado River. The DOD promised a grant of $650,000, or less than one-fourth the cost of a single cruise missile, according to The Los Angeles Times, for a so-called "real world" study that would test a variety of crops through the auspices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Then, after consultations with the Food and Drug Administration, the project was indefinitely postponed.
Instead, the Air Force, according to records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by The Riverside (CA) Press-Enterprise, obtained a $500,000 grant from DOD earmarked for two studies: perchlorates in crops, and perchlorates in wild plants and animals. Yet the first study, it seems, was never done-or if it was, the findings were never disclosed. Other documents, obtained by the Environmental Working Group, indicate that the Air Force did in fact conduct a second study of greenhouse-grown lettuce. In October 2002, at an industry-sponsored perchlorate conference in Ontario, California (not far from Aerojet's original plant in Azusa), EWG questioned Air Force spokesman David Mattie about the second lettuce study and was told that the study had in fact been completed, but "someone walked away with the data."
When prodded for the results under the Freedom of Information Act, the Air Force then claimed that any findings are "fully exempt from disclosure until the formally sponsored EPA peer review is complete."
In the spring of 2003, the lettuce finally hit the fan. On April 2, California's U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein accused the Defense Department of "dragging its feet in the cleanup of rocket fuel from old military facilities, which state officials say has contaminated hundreds of wells in California." On April 27, reporters David Danelski and Douglas Beeman of The Riverside Press-Enterprise released the results of a study commissioned by the newspaper of 18 winter lettuce samples and one mustard greens sample harvested in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, both irrigated by the Colorado River. All 19 samples tested were found to be contaminated with perchlorates. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture insisted that the levels found by The Press-Enterprise were too low to pose a health risk, but nevertheless expressed concern that other crops might also be contaminated.
The day after the Press-Enterprise story, the EWG released its own study of 22 samples of lettuce purchased at Northern California supermarkets. EWG had found four to be contaminated with perchlorates. This study received more national attention than the Press-Enterprise one, possibly because some of the EWG findings, based on tests conducted at Texas Tech University, showed levels of contamination "as much as 20 times as high as the amount California considers safe for drinking water."
In the meantime, renewed attention was focused on the EPA, which while talking tough about recommended levels, has yet to make any firm decision pending a peer review by the National Academy of Sciences. EPA said it needed to see the review before it could issue any regulations, reports, or guidelines on the subject of perchlorates.
So what has become of that review? EPA has been less than forthcoming on this subject. Sometime in the weeks since the most recent revelations of the presence of perchlorates in the U.S. food supply, the White House issued a gag order to the EPA prohibiting its researchers or scientists from discussing perchlorates with the press. Interestingly, during the unfolding of these events, EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman resigned. Calls requesting information on this matter have gone unanswered, but Whitman's home state of New Jersey is one of many states threatened by the discovery of perchlorates in its water. Furthermore, New Jersey-"The Garden State"-is one of the country's biggest sources both of vegetable produce and of perchlorate manufacturing.
California Congresswoman Lois Capps, in quick response to the two lettuce studies, wrote to the White House-together with 57 other members of the House of Representatives-demanding explanation and rescinding of the reported EPA gag order, noting that "perchlorate is known or suspected to be a contaminant in hundreds of locations in 43 states. It has been confirmed in more than 100 drinking water sources in 19 states including Texas, California, Arizona, Nebraska, Iowa, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts.... It is highly disturbing to think that the agency charged with protecting our environmental health and safety could be barred from discussing an increasingly prevalent and potentially dangerous chemical contaminant like perchlorate. Americans deserve to get information from the scientists who work on their behalf. President Bush should see to it that this 'gag order' is lifted immediately." The White House did not respond.
Meanwhile, while the EPA has since shown a willingness to talk with World Watch about the issue and openly acknowledges the gravity of the situation, it has still not established any firm safety standards for perchlorates, which remain completely unregulated at both the state and Federal levels. At a time when the secretary of defense often seems to hold as much sway as the Congress, which makes the laws, the Pentagon doesn't want standards. So far, Kerr-McGee is the only defense contractor to have voluntarily embarked on cleaning up its mess, which in its case was inherited from an old Navy lab at the same site.
The DOD's stonewalling harks back half a century to its 1950s positions about matters of munitions and pollution: the Army, Navy, and Air Force are in the business of national security, not environmental protection. The military hasn't yet come around to the radical idea that when it comes to national security-or even global security, for that matter-protecting our food and water may be the first line of defense.
Gene Ayres is a writer based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The perchlorate story brings together three all-too-familiar themes of the modern military-industrial saga:
First, there's the technological hubris that so often surrounds a major new invention. Immediate beneficiaries become so focused on the invention's primary intended use that they overlook the secondary, often slower-acting and less visible, effects on health or the environment. The dramatic Cold War takeoff of the rocket industry, with little thought to its eventual, insidious effects on the health of millions of people, parallels the histories of many other lucrative technologies-from thalidomide to DDT to breast implants-that have been rushed into use. Not coincidentally, the fiery power of rockets, and the apparent lack of thought about what longer-term effects might follow, was replicated on a grand scale in the "shock and awe" with which the U.S. launched its rocket-raining war on Iraq.
Second, there's the secrecy and denial-and attempted coverup-that repeatedly accompanies the rise or perpetuation of highly risky but lucrative industries. Think of the decades-long coverup of the health effects of tobacco smoke, or the chemical industry effort to destroy the credibility of Rachel Carson after the publication of her book Silent Spring, or the Cheney-Bush administration's collusion with fossil-fuel industries to distract public attention from the dangers of climate change, which far exceed those of terrorism but pose an unwanted challenge to those industries. In the case of perchlorates, it's likely that a large part of the coverup has yet to be exposed. But already, there's a telling pattern-in the Air Force's dog-ate-my-homework story that someone stole its study results; in the refusals of Lucky Farms or Weck Labs to speak; in the Department of Agriculture's unexplained cancellation of a perchlorate study for other irrigated crops (what about our tomatoes, chard, and grapes?); and most of all, in the White House gag order that has made both the EPA and the Pentagon clam up. We talked with a top official of EPA's San Francisco office, who said his agency had worked long and hard to determine its recommended level of 4 ppb, and was prepared to make those recommendations final, when "someone" stepped in and requested that the data be turned over to the National Academy of Science for review. And there, so far, it has remained.
Third, and perhaps most dangerous of all, there is the familiar presumption-once unthinkable but now pervasive-that scientific findings are not matters of public knowledge but proprietary industrial or government information that the holders need disclose only if it is to their financial or political advantage to do so. While the rocket-fuel contamination is mainly an American problem (it's mainly Americans who make and shoot off rockets), the water that flows through our lettuce-and through the Earth's hydrological cycle-is a global commons. The knowledge of what happens to it is an essential part of the global public domain. So, why are all the unanswered questions about perchlorates being treated like a national security secret? The need to keep our water clean is common sense, not rocket science.


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