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Tropical Storm Isaac Intermediate Advisory Number 23a
Nws National Hurricane Center Miami Fl
800 Pm Edt Sun Aug 26 2012
Summary Of 800 Pm Edt...0000 Utc...Information
Location...24.1n 82.6w
About 60 Mi...100 Km Sw Of Key West Florida
About 530 Mi...850 Km Se Of The Mouth Of The Mississippi River
Maximum Sustained Winds...65 Mph...100 Km/H
Present Movement...Wnw Or 290 Degrees At 15 Mph...24 Km/H
Minimum Central Pressure...991 Mb...29.26 Inches
Watches And Warnings
Changes With This Advisory...
Summary Of Watches And Warnings In Effect...
A Hurricane Warning Is In Effect For...
* East Of Morgan City Louisiana To Destin Florida...Including
Metropolitan New Orleans...Lake Pontchartrain...And Lake Maurepas
A Hurricane Watch Is In Effect For...
* East Of Destin To Indian Pass Florida
A Tropical Storm Warning Is In Effect For...
* The Florida Peninsula From Sebastian Inlet Southward On The East
Coast And From Tarpon Springs Southward On The West Coast.
* Florida Keys...Including The Dry Tortugas And Florida Bay
* Lake Okeechobee
* East Of Destin Florida To The Suwannee River
A Hurricane Warning Means That Hurricane Conditions Are Expected
Somewhere Within The Warning Area. A Warning Is Typically Issued
36 Hours Before The Anticipated First Occurrence Of
Tropical-Storm-Force Winds...Conditions That Make Outside
Preparations Difficult Or Dangerous. Preparations To Protect Life
And Property Should Be Rushed To Completion.
A Hurricane Watch Means That Hurricane Conditions Are Possible
Within The Watch Area. A Watch Is Typically Issued 48 Hours
Before The Anticipated First Occurrence Of Tropical-Storm-Force
Winds...Conditions That Make Outside Preparations Difficult Or
A Tropical Storm Warning Means That Tropical Storm Conditions Are
Expected Somewhere Within The Warning Area Within 36 Hours.
For Storm Information Specific To Your Area...Including Possible
Inland Watches And Warnings...Please Monitor Products Issued By
Your Local National Weather Service Forecast Office.
Discussion And 48-Hour Outlook
At 800 Pm Edt...0000 Utc...The Center Of Tropical Storm Isaac Was
Located Near Latitude 24.1 North...Longitude 82.6 West.
Isaac Is Moving Toward The West-Northwest Near 15 Mph...24 Km/H...And A Gradual Turn Toward The Northwest With A Decrease In Forward Speed Is Expected Over The Next 48 Hours.
On The Forecast Track...The Center Is Expected To Move Away From The Florida Keys Tonight...Move Over The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico On Monday...And Approach The Northern Gulf Coast On Tuesday.
Maximum Sustained Winds Are Near 65 Mph...100 Km/H...With Higher
Some Strengthening Is Forecast During The Next 48 Hours...And Isaac Is Expected To Become A Hurricane In A Day Or Two.
Tropical Storm Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 205 Miles...335 Km From The Center.
The Estimated Minimum Central Pressure Based On Noaa Hurricane
Hunter Data Is 991 Mb...29.26 Inches.
Hazards Affecting Land
Rainfall...Total Rainfall Accumulations Of 4 To 7 Inches...With
Maximum Amounts Of 10 Inches...Are Possible Across The Florida
Keys And The Southern Half Of The Florida Peninsula. Total
Rainfall Amounts Of 5 To 10 Inches...With Maximum Amounts Of 15
Inches...Are Possible Along The Eastern And Central Gulf Coast.
Wind...Tropical Storm Conditions Are Occurring Over Portions Of
Southern Florida And The Florida Keys...And Should Spread Northward Along The Florida West Coast In The Tropical Storm Warning Area.
Tropical Storm Conditions Are Expected To Reach The Northern Gulf
Coast In The Warning Area By Late Monday...With Hurricane
Conditions Expected On Tuesday.
Storm Surge...The Combination Of A Storm Surge And The Tide Will
Cause Normally Dry Areas Near The Coast To Be Flooded By Rising
Waters. The Water Could Reach The Following Depths Above Ground If The Peak Surge Occurs At The Time Of High Tide...
NOTE: WTVY-TV coastal residents please read
* Northern Gulf Coast Within The Hurricane Warning Area...6 To 12 Ft
* Remainder Of The Florida Panhandle And Apalachee Bay...4 To 7 Ft
* Florida West Coast South Of Apalachee Bay...2 To 4 Ft
* Southeast Florida Coast And The Florida Keys...1 To 3 Ft
* Central And Western Cuba...1 To 3 Ft
* Northwestern Bahamas...1 To 3 Ft
The Deepest Water Will Occur Along The Immediate Coast In Areas Of Onshore Flow. Surge-Related Flooding Depends On The Relative Timing Of The Surge And The Tidal Cycle...And Can Vary Greatly Over Short Distances. For Information Specific To Your Area...Please See
Products Issued By Your Local Weather Service Office. Near The
Coast...The Surge Will Be Accompanied By Large And Dangerous Waves.
Tornadoes...Isolated Tornadoes Are Possible Over Central And
Southern Florida Though Tonight.
Surf...Dangerous Surf And Rip Current Conditions Will Continue To
Affect The Northwestern Bahamas...Central Cuba...The Florida
Peninsula And The Florida Keys During The Next Day Or So. Please
Consult Products From Your Local Weather Office For More
Next Advisory
Next Complete Advisory...1100 Pm Edt.
Forecaster Brown/Blake
Tropical Storm Isaac Discussion Number 23
Nws National Hurricane Center Miami Fl
500 Pm Edt Sun Aug 26 2012
Although Satellite And Radar Images Have Suggested That The Tropical Cyclone Was Becoming A Little Better Organized...An Air Force Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Investigating Isaac This Afternoon Have Found That There Has Been No Strengthening Of The Storm.
Flight-Level And Sfmr-Observed Winds Support An Intensity Of 50 Kt.
There Is Still A Well-Established Upper-Level Outflow Pattern Over
The System...And Vertical Shear Should Remain Fairly Light For The
Next Couple Of Days.
Intensification Still Seems Likely As Isaac Moves Over The Eastern Gulf...And Possibly Over The Higher Heat Content Of The Loop Current. The Official Intensity Foreast Is Close To The Latest Lgem Guidance...And Not Much Different From The Previous Nhc Forecast.
Isaac Has Moved A Little To The Left Of Previous Projections And
Center Fixes Yield A 6- To 12-Hour Averaged Motion Of 295/15.
The Track Forecast Continues To Be Challenging. The Dynamical Models Show The Tropical Storm/Hurricane Gradually Turning To The Right And Heading For A Break In The Subtropical Ridge.
However...There Are Substantial Differences Among The Most Reliable Models As To Where Isaac Might Cross The Northern Gulf Coast.
The U.K. Met. Office And Ecmwf Models Are About 300 N Mi To The East Of The Gfs At Landfall. It Should Be Noted That Nearly All Of The Gfs Ensmeble Members Are East Of The Gfs Control Track. Because Of The Wide Model Spread...There Continues To Be Greater Than Usual Track Forecast Uncertainty.
Throughout The Period...It Is Important Not To Focus On The Exact
Forecast Track Due To Forecast Uncertainties And The Fact That
Significant Hazards Extend Well Away From The Center.
The Official Forecast Track And Wind Radii Necessitate The Issuance
Of A Hurricane Warning For The Northern Gulf Coast At This Time.
Forecast Positions And Max Winds
Init 26/2100z 24.2n 82.3w 50 Kt 60 Mph
12h 27/0600z 25.1n 83.9w 55 Kt 65 Mph
24h 27/1800z 26.3n 85.9w 60 Kt 70 Mph
36h 28/0600z 27.7n 87.6w 70 Kt 80 Mph
48h 28/1800z 28.9n 88.5w 80 Kt 90 Mph
72h 29/1800z 30.7n 89.5w 85 Kt 100 Mph...Inland
96h 30/1800z 32.5n 90.0w 30 Kt 35 Mph...Inland
120h 31/1800z 34.5n 90.0w 20 Kt 25 Mph...Inland
Forecaster Pasch
Oscar's remarks follow...
Let me clarify the watches and warnings for the Florida panhandle counties and coastline.
is in effect for Okaloosa county WESTWARD to Louisiana...
(this includes Destin and the coast to the WEST toward Louisiana)
is in effect for the Florida panhandle coast for south Walton and coastal Bay and coastal Gulf counties
is in effect for the coast EAST of Destin through Apalachicola and for all of the Apalachee Bay area. INCLUDED are the counties of Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Calhoun and Liberty.
(For now, Jackson and Gadsden counties are NOT in the tropical storm warning area).
Now, comments on the forecast track of Isaac -
Isaac has indeed moved more westward today, and this helps put more credence into Isaac's future forecast path.
(UPDATE - the new 8pm edt Aug 26 Isaac update shows this basically westward motion is continuing for now)
I think this primarily westward movement we saw today (and is still occurring) bodes well for the forecast landfall area late Tuesday for either:
1) the Louisiana / Mississippi area (the National Hurricane Center's official landfall area; or
2) south of New Orleans along the southeast Louisiana coast then slowly westward along the Louisiana coast.
(NOTE: This is an even further westward placement for the landfall since this morning's initial westward shift)
The two main concerns for the WTVY-TV area are:
1) storm surges and coastal flooding;
2) excessive rains and stream flooding.
The current landfall area of near the Ms/La border STILL HAS SIGNIFICANT implications for areas to the east, all the way through Mobile, Pensacola, Destin, Panama City, Apalachicola into the Apalachee Bay area (Carrabelle, St. George Island, Alligator Point).
These coastal areas face storm surges of 6 to 12 feet (from Destin westward) and 4-7 feet east of Destin.
These water levels are in addition to normal high and low tides..by the way, over the next few mornings, high tides are occurring around 6 to 10 am local time. This would be the time storm surges would have the most effect.
For now (with the La/Ms path) the heaviest rains will be consistently along and south of I-10 in the Florida panhandle.
Inland areas such as south central and southeast Alabama as well as southwestern Georgia could have excessive rains, but more of a sporadic nature (off and on torrential downpours).
BE AWARE of old, large trees near where you live. The age of these trees with the dry weather earlier this summer may have weakened them..THEN the above average rainfalls this month may have loosened their root structure.
High winds (even only gusty winds to 30 - 40 mph) may be enough to topple such trees. Over the next several days, take note during the day of all such trees near your house to see if you notice any change in appearance, such as if there's more of a lean to them.
EXPECT POWER OUTAGES..hopefully they will be of a short term, isolated nature..regardless, don't be surprised if you lose power at some point through midweek, especially closer to the coast.
A TORNADO THREAT will exist beginning late Monday through at least part of Wednesday, but it's too early to be more specific on this, except the tornado threat will be higher in the Florida panhandle.
MORE ON ISAAC's PATH...
If Isaac take the route to southeastern Louisiana then moves slowly west along the Louisiana coast, this would reduce many of our weather related concerns after Tuesday night.
We should know if the few holdout weather models (which try to take Isaac more northward to the Alabama / Florida border) will change their forecast after ingesting the new data showing Isaac took a more westward motion for most of the day today. A potential landfall say near Gulf Shores would change everything for the worse for all of us in the WTVY-TV area.
AGAIN, the Alabama / Florida landfall area is NOT the forecast path for Isaac. The trend for the last 24 to 48 hours has consistently been to either the La / Ms border area or to the Louisiana coast then westward.
I'll have another update later tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.


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If you are not familiar with the Lagacé family, then you must be asking yourself…
What is that crazy canuck talking about?
All the Lagacés are descendants of André Mignier dit La Gâchette, a French soldier sent by King Louis XIV to protect the Nouvelle-France against the Iroquois.
No… I'm not André Mignier, I'm King Louis XIV
He was carrying a musket and a musket has a gâchette… a trigger in English… so his nickname was La Gâchette…
A soldier of the régiment Carignan Salières with his musket
Why they did not called the Trigger… Go figure.
Of course André Mignier was not alone to protect la Nouvelle-France… He was part of the régiment Carignan Salières.
After peace was restored in la Nouvelle-France, André stayed here and married une du Fille du Roy. Her name was Jacquette Michel. Jacquette in English is nightgown sort of…
They lived happily ever after and they left numerous descendants.
André Mignier died in Rivière-Ouelle a village in Québec.
Click on the image
Source : http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14531579
One branch of the Lagacé family almost never saw the light of day.
One of André's descendants, my ancestor Antoine Nicolas Lagacé dit Mignier, had 10 children with his wife Marie-Josephte Corbin dit Lacroix, but only two survived: Antoine and Angèle.
Click to have a better view
Angèle Lagacé married Joseph Chouinard and Antoine married Ursule Cordeau dit Deslauriers.
Antoine and Ursule had six children. Three boys and three girls:
Click to have a better view
Stanislas is my great-great-grandfather while his brother Pierre Lagacé is the one who married Marcelline David.
Pierre and Marcelline are the parents of Idola or Idala Lagacé… Lagasse, Alyce LaGasse's ancestor…
I do hope Alyce is still alive and well because I am doing all this for her.
Merry Christmas to all specially to my dear friends James in Memphis and Jim in Manitoba and also all the Lagasse… LaGasse… Lagace… in the U.S.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The second-annual live nativity at Starkdale Presbyterian Church is scheduled for Dec. 16 with six presentations repeated every half-hour starting at 5 p.m. and the final one beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The live nativity is an indoor/outdoor production about the birth of Jesus, followed by an opportunity to pet animals, meet the actors and enjoy refreshments in the fellowship hall.
"Last year's weather during the live nativity performances only seemed to add to the spirit of the event for audience members, who huddled around the manger to observe, reflect and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas," said Cindy Sagrilla, event co-organizer.
"For many folks, the live nativity at Starkdale kicks off the Christmas season. Our hope is that this becomes a family tradition," Sagrilla said. "Folks come to see the animals. They come to hear the angelic choir and the special angel, Olivia Chanoski, as she performs 'Mary Did You Know.' A solo by Keith Murdock also will be performed this year," she said.
"They come to see friends and family act or sing in the performance. They come for refreshments. They come to celebrate the season, to celebrate the birth of our Savior and for fellowship," Sagrilla added.
The church estimates that nearly 250 spectators attended last year. In light of that, a shuttle van will be available to accommodate even more guests this year. Parking will be made available at the top of Riesbeck's grocery store directly behind the Wintersville McDonald's.
Outreach Commission Chair Jane Gambos said, "The live nativity is one of the church's ways of sharing the gift of Jesus Christ. It is our gift to the community at large - free of charge."
"Our future is to remain ever faithful in our mission: ' to glorify God and share His love for all humanity by proclaiming and celebrating salvation through Christ's life, death and resurrection; growing in discipleship through the teachings of the Bible; and serving the needs of all people,'" Gambos said.
Starkdale Presbyterian Church is located at 4600 Sunset Blvd., Steubenville. For information about the production or other Starkdale activities, contact the church office at (740) 264-5309 or visit the website at www.starkdale.org.
Pictured at left are some scenes from the 2011 first-time live nativity event.


text:
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text:
The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown has discharged an estimated 100,000 gallons of untreated wastewater over the last two days.
The release was reported to the DNR Wednesday morning, but began Monday afternoon when a pump in the wastewater treatment plant failed. Wastewater flowed from the plant to an unnamed tributary of the Skunk River and then to the Mississippi River. The unnamed creek is mostly on the ammunition plant's land.
Plant operators repaired the pump and stopped the flow about 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The plant is located 10 miles west of Burlington and manufactures munitions.
The DNR will issue a notice of violation for failure to report the discharge within 12 hours.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
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The 5 Most Mind-Blowing Predictions Ever Made in Pop Songs
Most of us imagine that the creative process as it relates to songwriting probably goes something like this: take drugs, hallucinate, and then write down what you see. Strangely, that's also how a lot of history's most famous "prophets" came upon the predictions that eventually made them famous. So it should come as no surprise that, from time to time, the two fields meet in a rocktastic explosion of guitars, drums, and telling people about stuff before it happens.
Here are five songs that eerily predicted the future, in mind-boggling detail ...
#5. Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Was to Be Released on 9/11, Features Songs That Sound Like 9/11
Via Annarbor.com
Even though it was ranked among Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums of all time, Wilco's career-defining album almost didn't see the light of day. And, surprisingly, it had nothing to do with the fact that it predicted one of the biggest national tragedies ever in two different songs. Check out these terrifying lines and try picturing them as something other than a reference to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. First, from the song "Jesus, Etc.":
"Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs ...
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking"
And now, from "War on War":
"Moving forward through the flaming doors ...
You have to lose
You have to learn how to die if you want to be alive"
The lyrics in "Jesus, Etc." -- with descriptions of quaking skyscrapers and whining voices -- are obvious allusions to the terrible images we saw on the news for the months following the terrorist attacks. "War on War" then, is about the aftermath and the rebuilding of New York City. Of course, the title is also an apt description of the disenchantment many Americans felt about the wars that followed.
Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Excited at the prospect of a justifiable platform for their sarcastic political comments.
However, not only was all of it recorded well in advance, but if it were not for some legendary record label dickery, it would have been released on the exact day of the tragedy it accidentally documented.
A couple of other nifty notes about this album: 1) It features another song called "Ashes of American Flags" and 2) The cover art bears a passing resemblance to a couple of tall buildings. So there's that. Reviews of Yankee Foxtrot Hotel call the album "telepathic" and "mysterious," because calling it "sonic witchcraft" is too on the nose.
Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
But the all-seeing Eye of Varglanos still gets digital rights.
#4. Nicki Minaj Predicts a Fatal Shooting a Year in Advance
Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Nicki Minaj may be best known for portraying an Ecstasy-overloaded Barbie doll with multiple personalities and an ass that swallowed Lil' Kim's career, but did you know she also has clairvoyant abilities behind those insane, dead eyes? Check out these Nostradamabars:
"Why'd you have to leave in July?
On a peaceful and serene summer night ...
Why the doctors could not stop the bleeding ...
Now you see you not bullet proof ...
I could've told you about my intuition ...
Why'd you have to go so soon?"
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Then she cast a levitation spell and flew away, giggling.
When that track, called "We Miss You," showed up online, it was almost immediately following the news that Nicki Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, had been shot to death. Clearly it was written in response to the tragedy -- for starters, her cousin was gunned down on July 4 ("Why'd you have to leave in July?"), in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. Although we're not sure any night in Brooklyn counts as serene, unless Minaj was just mispronouncing "siren."
So big deal, a lot of rappers write about losing loved ones due to gang violence, even the ones who grew up in Malibu. But in fact, Minaj recorded the song almost a year earlier, and had even shopped it around to artists like Mariah Carey and Keyshia Cole to see if they'd be interested in recording it instead. And knowing that, the other details thrown in are downright creepy -- she says paramedics rushed him to the hospital, but he unfortunately bled out ("Why the doctors could not stop the bleeding?") from his multiple gunshot wounds.
Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
"The doctor's Social Security number is ..."
Adding a little extra spookiness, Minaj actually mentions her own prescience in a verse, lamenting how she should have warned the subject of her song about his impending death.
Now, some believe this wasn't a prediction at all, but a ritual sacrifice to the Dark Lord of Hip-Hop to ensure that Minaj received a slice of fame. These logical people believe that her cousin gave his life, retroactively, in exchange for the success of "Super Bass." Nothing in the preceding three sentences was a joke.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty
Thank you, Satan!
#3. Andrew McMahon Records an Album About Getting Cancer, Gets Cancer
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Jesus Christ, do any of these albums predict good things? Nobody wrote a song about finding a stray puppy, only to have one later show up at his door and become his best friend forever?
Fine. Whatever.
After breaking away from Something Corporate -- a band that made Good Charlotte seem downright dangerous by comparison -- lead singer Andrew McMahon decided he wanted to write something a little more personal. So, under the name Jack's Mannequin, he recorded Everything in Transit, an album about a man returning home to his native Los Angeles and settling into the groove of everyday life after being on tour for the last several years. It's possible that it's autobiographical.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
His last album was about a piano player who sometimes has a weird discharge from his butthole.
But amid an album so upbeat that it sounds like the Beach Boys mid-coitus, it might be difficult to see the subtler, more sinister story being told. Buckle up, happy face:
"She thinks I'm much too thin, she asks me if I'm sick."
"I'm far too unstable to settle, I doubt that the doctors are wrong."
"I'll wait for the ambulance to come pick us up off the floor. What did you possibly expect under this condition?"
"Come quick, I am losing feeling."
"It's unclear, but this may be my last song."
"Someone get this man to a hospital!"
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
"No, seriously, there's a list of allergies tattooed on my neck."
You probably don't need us to tell you what's coming. Two months before Everything in Transit was scheduled for release, Andrew McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). And here's a fun coincidence: The day he was diagnosed with cancer was the same day he finished mastering the last song on the album. So all of those sad words above that are very obviously about a very sick man were written before McMahon had any idea he had cancer. In fact, it was nothing more than a few instances of losing his voice that initially sent McMahon to the doctor, who could tell that something was amiss just from the state of McMahon's complexion.
Though he never actually sings the word "cancer," the album is absolutely littered with references to hospitals and doctor's visits -- the first track even opens with a distant siren -- as well as frequent suggestions that the narrator needs to take some time away from his career, something that constant chemotherapy treatments and lengthy hospital stays could certainly cause.
Adding another layer of eerie frosting to this coincidence cake is this little tidbit about the origins of the band name. Jack's Mannequin is named for one of the first songs McMahon wrote during his hiatus from Something Corporate called "Dear Jack." The "Jack" in that title -- and the person who inspired the song -- was the younger brother of one of McMahon's friends. And he happened to be battling leukemia.
McMahon acknowledges the eeriness of these coincidences, noting that "if you listen to the record, there are all these odd little premonitions worked into it." Yeah, "odd" is one word to describe it. McMahon tiptoes around the fact that his own songwriting practically diagnosed him with cancer before doctors did, but we're pretty sure he still thinks he has those psychic abilities, judging from the title of his next album: Candy Blow Jobs in a Gold-Plated Mansion Rocket.


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Currently I have 3000 life, a sword that can inflict 100+ damage and shield that takes 70+ damage.
Despite having those, its really tough to kill Bog Giant and the life left in me after the fight makes it impossible to take on Moss Golem. I have completed the game, that is I freed the worker and got myself imprisoned, but I cant kill these two.
I am in my 8th rebirth. Am I playing really poor or is the difficulty apt to my stats?
And what do you think is best equipment, sword and shield or dual or heavy? I think heavy sucks. I have 700 damage weapon but I cant defend/dodge with it when fighting with these 2 big guys.
What do you guys say?
Currently I have 3000 life, a sword that can inflict 100+ damage and shield that takes 70+ damage.
If defeating these guys is pretty important to you, spend the extra 40 or 50 k (depending on how far in you are) on a large health regen potion. This makes the first battle easier and puts the focus on the second (it stops after the first battle and doesn't give time in the second).
For the vile blade 45k isn't really asking much. I would suggest dual-wielding for this battle, considering shields are rendered obsolete due to the bog giant/moss Golem's high level of block breakage. In addition to that, make sure your ring has a health or at least shield attack, because these guys hit hard no matter how good you are at dodging or parrying.
You cn restart at rebirth 1 in the options.
This will help you to raise your stats. I think I had much better stats the first time I restarted at rebirth1 but cannot remember for sure.
I'm a rebirth 11 with a 300+ damage sword and the same type of shield, and I can defeat them both, yet I can defeat the god king so you're fine, just keep upgrading your sword.
I forgot about him until I did a lot of other stuff like treasure maps. I had the infinity blade with a 300 shock attack, (try maps/clashmobs for this). He was fairly easy.
Also, I suggest you get a high level healing + high level magic (so you can rapid heal). Then just try to get a high level movement for a lot of dodging (or shield if its to inconvenient) and just go ahead and try to break and hit.
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Charles Fabrikant '68
Leading By Example
In April 2010, emergency services company Seacor Response supervised 12,000 people in the cleanup effort after a BP offshore oil rig exploded and oil began gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. "The mobilization of resources—both aviation and marine—was on a scale that certainly no one had seen since the Exxon [Valdez] spill," says Charles Fabrikant '68, executive chairman of Seacor Holdings, the parent company of Seacor Response.
Fabrikant helped found Seacor Holdings in 1989, and, for more than two decades, he has worked to strengthen the company. Fabrikant draws from his experience in environmental law and in business to direct Seacor's additional branches, which include commodity trading, harbor and offshore towing services, and aviation and marine transportation.
Fabrikant's depth of knowledge brought a crucial perspective in the wake of the BP accident, and while Seacor Response tackled the logistics of cleaning up oil in the Gulf, he applied lessons learned from the event to his company as a whole. "The BP spill was a wake-up call to a lot of corporations about how there should be some formality in risk assessment—and it shouldn't just be for financial risk, but any kind of risk," he says. With that in mind, Fabrikant took particular care in reviewing Seacor's contracts and subcontracts to ensure the company considered every vulnerability.
"The environmental law business taught me everything from contracts to antitrust to securities regulation to tax law," says Fabrikant. He pauses before adding with a chuckle, "My general counsel probably hates that I'm perfectly prepared to challenge him on any legal point."


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City murder remains unsolved six years later
January 22, 2013
STEUBENVILLE — Kelly Schoonover cried while she listened to family members talk about her son....
@RioBob.....How can you possibly blame the police? The family themself believe that people saw the murder and won't come forward. This is moral failure, not the failure of the police. What is with this town?!
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
I am so sorry that noone has yet to come forward. Truly tragic case for his entire family. I hope one day that someone decides to speak up, end the silence and provide justice for his beautiful family. Love and prayers to all of you to find Justice.
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
No matter what behavior anyone indulges in does not give a human being the right to kill another!!!!!
3 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Once AGAIN! Steubenville Police FAIL!
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What illegal behavior was young Schoonover involved in? Gee, maybe that was a factor in his demise.
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Let me first say, I don't remember most of these things. They are stories told to me by my mother. Still, it happened, even if I don't remember it, so I might as well write it down and start at the beginning.
When my mother was pregnant with me, she always said I would come when it started to freeze. Since her due date was at the end of November, beginning of December, it was a very real possibility. Due to the circumstances she was admitted into the hospital in Delft earlier than usual.
When my father went there on the evening of 1 December 1987, he had to scrape his windows because of the frost. It was after visiting hours and my mother was in labor. She threw my Dad out of the room and he ended up watching some kind of honeymoon show. She also threw out a male nurse. Afterwards, she said he was just trying to be nice, asking her if she needed anything. Her answer: "yes, you out of here!"
At 23.40 I was born, healthy as can be. My Dad tried to contact his parents and my mother's parents to no avail. Also a lot of other people he wanted to call were unreachable. Ah, such is life…
When I was still very small, probably no more than nine months old, I had to have an immunization shot. Not nice! I cried afterwards and my mother soothed me. It was fine until my father came home from work. The moment he stepped inside I started to cry and I wouldn't stop until he held me. And every time he tried to put me down, or even pass me to my mother, I started to cry again. He held me for hours. Poor man, to this day, he complains about the pain in his arm and shoulder…
Forgotten Tea
My grandfather on my mother's side was very active with the local Voorschotense soccer club. At home games, he provided the tea that the players got in the half-time break.
One day, we were visiting and my parents and I, not yet two years old, had gone with my grandfather to the soccer club. When half-time came, the two teams left the ball on the field. I was delighted by the opportunity to play with it and set out across the field. My grandfather went after me. In all the commotion, something which had never happened before: my grandfather forgot to make tea!
Sometime in the same period as the previous memory, we were on another visit to my maternal grandfather. He kept chickens and peacocks (among other animals) in his garden. It was spring and the chickens had chicks.
I was fascinated by them and while I was alone in the garden, I unlatched the door of the chicken coop. But the chicks were fine where they were and stayed put. Undaunted, I grabbed a hand of feed and threw it down. Of course the chickens came out now and spread out through the garden to chase the hands of feed I kept throwing around. I was delighted and my grandfather laughed himself silly (in comparison to the time another one of his grandchildren freed his prize peacocks and one of them escaped never to be seen again).
Smelly Business
Before I was potty-trained, my parents and I were visiting my paternal grandparents. My parents had put me down for a nap in one of the upstairs guestrooms.
When it remained quiet for a suspiciously long time, my mother came upstairs to check in on me. While everyone had been downstairs, I had somehow managed to unfasten my full diaper and was busy plastering the walls with my poo. My grandparents, especially my grandmother, were not amused.
Stinging Nettles
One memory I do have of my own, instead of being just a story my mother told me, happened not long after we moved from Delft to Voorschoten 1990. The garden was a bit wild and there were a lot of stinging nettles. In my mind they are very tall, but seeing as I was very little, that's probably a matter of perception. I am sure though that they were taller than I was.
I was playing with at least two other children, perhaps my cousins, I am not sure. The ball we were playing with ended up in the stinging nettle forest and I was 'elected' to go and get it, as I was the youngest. I did go after it and brought it back, but the nettles hurt a lot and I cried. That's all I remember.
Disappearance Act
I must've been around three years old, I guess, when my mother went shopping with her friend M.T. They took me with them. My mother and I were inside the shop and M.T. was browsing through a rack with clothes at the entrance of the store.
To this day, it remains a mystery how I could've left the shop unseen, but getting outside I did. In fact, I wandered down the street and across a bridge, to come across a shoe shop, where I stopped to look at the shoes on display in the window. While I was standing there, a nice lady asked me where my mother was, to which I pointed in the general direction and said: "there." When she asked me what I was doing all alone, I answered something along the lines of "shopping." It was then that my mother found me. She must've had such a fright!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sentimental September: Memories 0-4 years old
Labels: Mulder, Sentimental September
3 comments:
You are so good to have written down those early memories! And fortunate to have been told some of the stories!ReplyDelete
I don't have many stories of my early years....but your story about the poo did ring a bell. I think I did the same thing....only I was a toddler....not in diapers....lolReplyDelete
Wonderful stories! I am told I disappeared on my parents once while shopping as well - must be something all little ones do at some point! :-)ReplyDelete
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Cost Estimators
Also called: Cost Estimator, Estimator, Estimator Project Manager, Project Manager
In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.
In the Air Force: Cost Analysis
In the Army: Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ALandT) Contracting NCO
In the Coast Guard: CWO - Civil Engineer Corps; LDO - Civil Engineer Corps; SC - Civil Engineer Corps
In the Marine Corps: Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ALandT) Contracting NCO; Combat Engineer; Contingency Contract Specialist
In the Navy: CWO - Civil Engineer Corps; Construction Planner and Estimator Specialist; LDO - Civil Engineer Corps; SC - Civil Engineer Corps
What they do:Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
On the job, you would:
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
Math and Science
Engineering and Technology
Arts and Humanities
Basic Skills
Problem Solving
People and Technology Systems
Ideas and Logic
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about cost estimators.


text:
Fix $n$ and let $H_1$ and $H_2$ be two hypersurfaces in ${\bf A}^n$ (not necessarily smooth or irreducible, but we'll assume reduced). If the complements $U_i = {\bf A}^n \setminus H_i$ are isomorphic as schemes, does this imply that the $H_i$ are isomorphic?
From asking other people, the answer is yes via Euler characteristic arguments when the $H_i$ are smooth, but I have in mind singular examples.
As for the ground field, the polynomials I have in mind are defined over ${\bf Z}$, so choose whatever field you like. Probably I'd prefer an answer for the complex numbers though.


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"Catholic McCarthyism" and the CCHD
Conservative opposition to the bishops' signature anti-poverty initiative, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, has been denounced by bishops and defenders of the church's social justice mission for years. But a new report released today by the progressive lobby Faith in Public Life does a comprehensive job of tallying the efforts of rightwing groups to hamstring the CCHD's mission through what it calls a "Catholic McCarthyism" that relies on guilt by association.
The report points to the emergence of the old neo-Donatism that ignores Catholic teaching on cooperation with evil in favor of a purist approach -- which often dovetails nicely with the right's more libertarian economic views.
The report is here in full -- it's 24 pages but is very readable with lots of solid research and quotable quotes. My Religion News Service story is here, and provides the Reader's Digest (does that still exist?) version.
What seems most significant to me is that this isn't just a blast from the Religious Left against the Religious Right. Rather, the FPL report has been endorsed by dozens of leading Catholic officials and activisits -- many of whom will be recognizable to Commonweal readers -- but also by two former heads of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston and Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane.
As Fiorenza says in the report, the Catholic Church has always worked with groups that it may not agree with completely, but as long as the church wasn't directly supporting or endorsing that group's objectionable goal, there wasn't a problem. He fears that is changing, to the detriment of the church and the country:
"At a time when poverty is growing and people are hurting we should not withdraw from our commitment to helping the poor. Catholic identity is far broader than opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. Catholic identity is a commitment to living the Gospel as Jesus proclaimed it, and this must include a commitment to those in poverty."
When I spoke to Fiorenza, he was just heading off to the bishops' closed-door meeting in San Diego -- the first since the election of Pope Francis -- and he was hopeful that Francis' priority on identifying the church with the poor would make an impression of some of the bishops who have bought into the criticisms of the CCHD.
"I'm confident that if Pope Francis knew about the CCHD program he would say, 'God bless the American bishops!' for doing what they can to help the poor," Fiorenza told me.
I wonder if this report and the public support it has drawn from so many Catholic leaders may be a sign of the "Francis Effect" on the wider church.
I recommend reading the FPL report as well as Francis' daily homilies. It seems he doesn't go a day without preaching about social justice. Gay marriage and our favorite American topics, not so much.
About the Author
David Gibson is a national reporter for Religion News Service and author of The Coming Catholic Church (HarperOne) and The Rule of Benedict (HarperOne). He blogs at dotCommonweal.
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Not one active US bishop. That speaks volumes. Next week the Fortnight for Freedom, Part Two, begins. I don't see the change in the papacy as having a significant impact on the US bishops' decisions. In fact, if Pope Francis is in favor of more collegial structures, that, it seems to me, will only strengthen the US bishops' present course.
The report is very informative. Back in the 1970s, when CCHD faced accusations of funding pro-abortion projects, the US bishops -- under the leadership of a well-known "progressive" Cardinal-- came up with this compromise: if the primary purpose of an organization's program was opposed to Catholic teaching, it could not receive CCHD funds — even for a project within the organization that was in line with church teaching. However, if the primary purpose of a program was in line with church teaching, it could receive Campaign funds. Very reasonable. So if a group is primarily about helping immigrants but supports a coalition happens to support rights for gay and lesbian immigrants -- then it is OK for CCHD funds
The well known progressive Cardinal behind this compromise - none other than John Cardinal Krol. I grew up in Cardinal Krol's Archdiocese. I was his crosier bearer once when he visited my parish. I remember Cardinal Krol pretty well. So yeah, I'm being ironic with the "progressive" moniker.
My impression is that Krol's reasonable compromise would be rejected as an abandonment of the faith in most chanceries today, even those that defend CCHD and allow its annual collection. It hammers home for me how things have changed. In today's US bishops' conference Krol would be a radical.
I hope this report helps. Only 9 US bishops signed the report in defense of CCHD -- every single one of them is retired (and sadly one is recently deceased. The report is actually dedicated to Bishop Joe Sullivan). Only one non-retired Catholic bishop signed -- Bishop Kevin Dowling of South Africa -- the guy who got called to the carpet by the Vatican for having the temerity to say it may be OK to use condoms to prevent HIV infection in Africa. (done right Krolian of him to have such impure, compromising thoughts!)
I hope when Pope Francis says he wants a less self-referential Church, part of his agenda will be to move away from the current purist, isolationist attitudes of far too many US bishops.
Whoops -- meant to write "downright Krolian of him..."
This guilt by association is extremely disturbing. Someone recently complained on our Cardinal's blog in NYC that the head of Girl Scouts USA should never have received the Elizabeth Seton award. The reason being that representatives of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts attended a global conference aimed at reducing pregnancy-related deaths, a conference which included among its speakers some pro-choice advocates.
Never mind that Girl Scouts USA is a separate organization from WAGGGs, the fact that it is a member (along with every Girl Scout/Girl Guide organization in the world) of an organization that among its myrid activites, attended a conference where abortion was included in the topics (and not condemned) is enough to castigate Girl Scouts USA as somehow immoral.
I'm glad these extremists are being called out for what they are. I think they are bitter, angry people whose main passion in life is condeming others who don't think and act like them in every way. It's a disgrace.
I hope this report gets some attention.
In 2010, the US bishops undertook a "Review and Renewal" of CCHD. This was in response to criticisms of CCHD of the sort discussed in this new report. (It was also in the wake of the ACORN scandal, which was bad for CCHD and good for its enemies.) As part of its review / reform process, The bishops made "10 Commitments for CCHD's future." Among the principles of these 10 Commitments was:
Develop more specific ethical guidance to help the Bishops carry out CCHD's policy of prohibiting funding to groups which are part of coalitions which act in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching (p.2). [Emphasis mine]
Several of the case studies in this report are of organizations who were defunded (or whose grant renewals were denied) for belonging to coalitions which act in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching.
I am not defending the denials of these grants - in fact, I tend to agree with the report's lines of argument about coalition-building - but I'm pointing out that these case studies seem to be instances of CCHD and the local bishop following this guideline. Perhaps the guideline should be changed or qualified. Only the USCCB can do that. Singling out individual bishops for sharp criticism may not be the best way to make that happen.
Bad enough, Jim, that you constantly defend the bishops. But you try to explain that you are not. I guess you want your cake and eat it to. ....
Meanwhile, Francis is looking more like John XXIII every day. He told some women religious that they can answer the CDFs questions and get on with their lives. http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-francis-downplays-threat-vatican-scrutiny-religious-orders
So the guys in the Curia who still want to play inquisition go on while Francis preaches for the poor and downtrodden. Don't worry about the US bishops. Once they realize that Francis is not Innocent III they will come into their own. Maybe even Dolan will stop playing politics.
I like Francis' "We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."
"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."
"Doing good" the Pope explained, is not a matter of faith: "It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because He has made us in His image and likeness. And He does good, always."
Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/22/pope_at_mass:_culture_of_enco...
of the Vatican Radio website
One of the bad legacies from the Obamacare debates was the bishops' emphasis on the fungibility of money - if we give you money to do something we approve of, it will free up money you already have that you will then use to do things we don't approve of. - so we won't work with you at all.
Francis' homily has a different feel to it.
Mr. Mazzela -- thanks for the link to the NCR article.
It also mentions that Pope Francis confirmed the existence of what has been, quite unfortunate and unfairly, the gay lobby in the Vatican.
I really wish Pope Francis had not used the term "gay lobby" to identify something so malicious and evil. If only there was a real "gay lobby" in the Vatican -- people advocating for greater inclusion of LGBT in the Church.
What the media has taken to calling the "gay lobby" is really just a bunch of evil blackmailers and self-hating, closeted clerics. It is a terrible injustice to our LGBT brothers and sisters to use that phrase.
This exaggerated purest theology where guilt by assoication has become the morally upright thing to do was penned and promoted by JP II in his culture of death, culture of life philosophy. Any whisper of development (e.g, responsible reform) has been denounced as anti-life, anti-Catholic, anti-faithful and the diabolical anti-word. It has caused a profound division in the RCC. It resulted in an embrace of intransigence and moral superiority where the truth has already been proclaimed, is universal and unchanging. Every sexual ethical teaching has been locked into an hermetically sealed coffin for all of eternity. There can be no dialogue to a better understanding of the truth. Any program for the poor is resisited if an organization has any program that is in tension with a Church teaching. To work with and provide funds for such an organization is essentially considered "materially cooperating with evil".
The Church is at war with the world in particular Western secular society. You are either for us or against us, either in the culture of death or in the culture of life, an assenter or a dissenter, a faithful or unfaithful Catholic. This guilt by association and divisive philosophy is Catholic MaCarthyism.
Let's open every door and window of the Church so that the Holy Spirit can blow freely and guide us in humility, generosity and justice quickened by love. Let's pray that this report finds acceptance and is implemented.
Did the report address/apologize/explain, or simply ignore, the ACORN debacle that Jim mentions? I didn't see it in the report, but I sort of got tired of reading about "Catholic McCarthyism" from a group complaining about being judged by the company they keep. But, hey, that's just me.
Mr. Proska-
To answer your question ACORN is not mentioned.
ACORN actually had a long history of doing great work and CCHD should be proud of its support during ACORN's halcyon days. ACORN clearly suffered real failings by some of its leadership and the group did not handle it well. CCHD stopped funding it as it should have. CCHD, even with all the protections possible, will probably give money to a group or two which will turn out to be a mistake. That does not mean this important work should be curtailed. These words from Pope Francis come to mind:
"When the Church loses this apostolic courage, she becomes a stalled Church, a tidy Church. A Church that is nice to look at, but that is without fertility, because she has lost the courage to go to the outskirts, where there are many people who are victims of idolatry, worldliness, and weak thoughts of so many things."
"You might say 'But Father, we might make mistakes.' I might respond, 'Well, what of it? Onward, if you make a mistake, you get up and go forward; that is the way.' Those who do not walk to avoid mistakes, make a the more serious mistake."
Mr. Marth—
Thanks for your honesty. I understand that the report was prepared by a self-proclaimed liberal organization, so there is no pretense of it being fair and balanced, but don't you think the report would be more credible if it acknowledged the CHD's past failures, apologized for them, and clearly explained how they've been cured?
Excellent clarification of the characteristics of a destructively focused group of people. "Gay" just does not approach what's going on there.
The criticisms of ACORN were around performance and governance, not guilt by association. Different issues, not relevant to what's happening to the groups in the report.
ACORN is frequently used as a straw man to undermine support of any activist group.
From page 3 of the report
" In a 2011 memo, the two bishops who chair the CCHD subcommittee at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington wrote that American Life League officials "simply do not agree with CCHD's mission and how we apply our guidelines and requirements." The memo, which was sent to every bishop in the country, went on to note that grant awards are based on the judgment of local bishops and the vetting process of each diocese,not the repeated accusations of those with clear ideological and ecclesial agendas."
(American Life League is the interest group spearheading the attack against CCHD).
As I noted above about CCHD's opponents constant invocation of ACORN: It has nothing to do with Catholic teaching. These people simply do not like the work of the groups CCHD funds. And it is their right to dislike that work, and it is their right not to contribute to CCHD. It is also their right to suggest CCHD adopt different priorities. But it is NOT their right, and it is completely dishonest and sinful of them to engage in character assassisnation by falsing accusing individuals and organizations of promting abortion or violating Catholic teaching.
John, you are pointing to a real problem: if one is in favor of collegiality in general, but sees that in a particular instance (US bishops, in this case) it will give power to people who will not make the decisions that one would wish, then what? Does the need for a collegial structure trump the need for more emphasis on social justice?
Bad enough, Jim, that you constantly defend the bishops.
Bill, if you read the report as being an attack on the bishops, you've seriously misread the report. The authors go to great lengths to align themselves with the bishops as a whole, as overall the bishops consistently have been supportive of the CCHD and its mission. (A somewhat wry smile crossed my face when I noted that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious is a signatory to this report that is so supportive of the US bishops.)
The point of my comment was to contribute to the conversation. The report points to the American Life League and its influence with some individual bishops as the reason that funding has been discontinued. I'm pointing out that there may be another contributing factor - the USCCB's own guidelines.
The guideline in question, regarding coalition membership, is worthy of some consideration, in my opinion. The authors of the report make a good case that it's important and good, for a number of reasons, for the church to work with allies who may not agree with the church in every respect. But to some extent, I also see the other side of the coalition membership argument. It might (or might not) be problematic for church funds to go to a member of a coalition that works to subvert church teaching.
The guideline, as I quoted it in my previous comment, almost certainly is too broad - it needs to incorporate the reasoning put forth in the report:
- The distinction between remote vs. proximate cooperation with evil
- The good fruits of collaborating with non-Catholic social service organizations
- The distinction between a particular program which does not contravene church teaching, and other programs sponsored by the same partner or coaltion that does contravene church teaching
Overall, my view is that the report is important, and says some things that need to be said. It's deplorable that the American Life League is targeting CCHD grants in this way, and it's good that sunlight is being shone on the situation.
The USCCB website has a 2011 memo to all bshops from the two bishops responsible for CCHD.
Despite significant progress, some things don't change. The American Life League continues to attack CCHD and the USCCB. Judie Brown, Michael Hichborn and the American Life League (ALL) continue to recycle allegations that CCHD funds many organizations that are in conflict with Catholic teaching. In the past, they have also unfairly attacked CCHD and USCCB leadership. CHD staff has met repeatedly with representatives of the American Life League to explain CCHD's mission, requirements and processes. They simply do not agree with CCHD's mission and how we apply our guidelines and requirements.
The report on the 2010 revisions to grant policy mention that the CCHD had consulted several theologians. As was evident in the Obamacare debate, different theologians can arrive at different conclusions when they apply moral principles to specific situations. Perhaps they need to involve a wider range of theologians so they are clear as to when they are free to make prudential decisions.
9. Ethical Guidance for CCHD
No group that advocates or acts in opposition to fundamental Catholic social and moral teaching is eligible for or will receive CCHD funding. Any CCHD funded group that subsequently and knowingly takes positions that contradict Catholic teaching in these areas (advocacy of abortion, same sex marriage, euthanasia, racism as well as use of the death penalty, punitive measures toward immigrants) will be cut off from any CCHD funding as soon as this violation of CCHD requirements is documented. CCHD will seek professional assistance in the ongoing review of the grant-making process to ensure that CCHD is doing all it can to screen for compliance with this fundamental requirement and other CCHD guidelines and restrictions regarding Catholic ethical foundations.
CCHD funds cannot go to groups that knowingly participate in coalitions that have as part of their organizational purpose or coalition agenda, positions or actions that contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching.
The CCHD Work Group has consulted with several moral theologians and leaders in Catholic grant making and charitable giving on ways to improve CCHD"s current practices and procedures. The Work Group sought assistance for CCHD on ethical dimensions of CCHD funding related to coalition and other relationships involving CCHD-funded groups, particularly what engagement is useful and permitted in seeking to advance CCHD"s mission and what is not because it may involve issues of cooperation and genuine scandal.
CCHD will establish regular and ongoing consulting relationships with one or more moral theologians with expertise on issues of cooperation and related matters to advise the Bishops CCHD Subcommittee, national staff, diocesan bishops and CCHD diocesan directors, as well as funded groups, on the appropriate application of traditional moral principles of cooperation and collaboration.
They also mention in that report that all grants are subject to the approval of the local bishop.. That may account for for some of the hard-to-understand decisions reported in the case Studies.
The problem may not be entirely with the national CCHD.
"No group that advocates or acts in opposition to fundamental Catholic social and moral teaching is eligible for or will receive CCHD funding."
Thanks, John Hayes.
This, ISTM, pretty well closes off any possible collaboration with any group that in any way differs in principle or act from Church teaching. How could the statement be more absolute? I think it's a bad principle. Yes, there are immediate and remote differences and they should be what determine decisions about joint effort. (I bet Pope Francis the Rule Breaker drives these people up the wall.)
They also mention in that report that all grants are subject to the approval of the local bishop.. That may account for for some of the hard-to-understand decisions reported in the case Studies. The problem may not be entirely with the national CCHD.
Right. The USCCB site on CCHD includes a document on 'what has changed / what hasn't changed' from that 2010 review. It indicates that the local bishop's approval has always been part of the grant process. American Life League and its allies seem to be cannily exploiting that requirement.
I don't see a realistic, practical way to prevent the American Life League from pursuing its vendetta. Perhaps this points to the importance of grant applicants "working" the process to the extent possible, e.g. by cultivating a positive relationship with the local bishop. Of course, that is easier said than done. But it can't hurt, for example, to invite the bishop to visit an agency for a media event or a fund-raising event - such things frequently are a chance for a bishop and a local diocese to garner some positive publicity by showcasing concern for the poor (Nobody - except, apparently, the American Life League - is opposed to helping the poor.)
Certainly, some of the comments from local bishops and their spokespersons documented in the report are worrisome. I'm speculating that a personal relationship may help those bishops to see it from the applicant's point of view.
Ann, I hink the start of the problem is actually in the next paragraph:
CCHD funds cannot go to groups that knowingly participate in coalitions that have as part of their organizational purpose or coalition agenda, positions or actions that contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching.
Which was apparently the justification for taking away the grant of the group in the first Case Study. They were not doing anything objectionable themselves but wouldn't resign their memberships in two statewide coalitions which had recently decided to oppose a state constitutional amendment forbidding same-sex marriage, which the state's Catholic bishops were promoting.
That reminds me of post-war France where the communists and socialists often tried to build a coalition for an upcoming election but would always discover at the last minute some philosophical point on which they did not agree - and then the coalition would fall apart.
Saul Alinsky's genius was in realizing that to organize people to achieve a particular goal you didn't need to find people who agreed with you on everything you believed in - you only needed to find people who wanted that particular goal to be realized, even if it was for a very different reason from yours.
I think the unfounded worry in the CCHD grant standards is that if you work with others to achieve a particular goal, people will believe you approve of everything else that other group does. The worry about scandal overwhelms all the good that might otherwise be accomplished.
Ann, I hink the start of the problem is actually in the next paragraph:
CCHD funds cannot go to groups that knowingly participate in coalitions that have as part of their organizational purpose or coalition agenda, positions or actions that contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching.
Which was apparently the justification for taking away the grant of the group in the first Case Study. They were not doing anything objectionable themselves but wouldn't resign their memberships in two statewide coalitions which had recently decided to oppose a state constitutional amendment forbidding same-sex marriage, which the state's Catholic bishops were promoting.
That reminds me of post-war France where the communists and socialists often tried to build a coalition for an upcoming election but would always discover at the last minute some philosophical point on which they did not agree - and then the coalition would fall apart.
Saul Alinsky's genius was in realizing that to organize people to achieve a particular goal you didn't need to find people who agreed with you on everything you believed in - you only needed to find people who wanted that particular goal to be realized, even if it was for a very different reason from yours.
I think the unfounded worry in the CCHD grant standards is that if you work with others to achieve a particular goal, people will believe you approve of everything else that other group does. The worry about scandal overwhelms all the good that might otherwise be accomplished.
Consider this question:
If the CCHD grant standards were universal, then would not funds for any joint venture that the RCC elects to participate in with other Christian Churhes (e.g, to jointly fund the care for the poor and disadvantaged) not be permitted simply because other Chrisian Churches have teachings that are in tension with the teachings of the RCC (e.g, divorce and remarriage, terminating a pregnancy to save the life of the mother)?
MIchael - there is a council of pastors in our local town which includes the Roman Catholic pastors as well as pastors from other denominations. Among the things the council does is provide funding for a joint service to provide affordable housing to homeless families. It's a wonderful initiative, and has made a difference in a lot of lives and in the community. It's certainly true that this "coalition" includes pastors of churches that disagree with Catholic teaching on certain hot-button issues - for example, the pastor of one of the local Episcopal churches is a member. And for that matter, any Protestant denomination presumably would disagree with a number of Catholic fundamental teachings, such as the authority of the Bishop of Rome.
I guess all of this is to say, "Good point" :-)
The report on the revisions in policy is a curious document. It is all about control, ownership of every bit of policy, with tight regulations to make sure everyone follows the party line, laid out in triumphant detail. Yet in the end its creators can't seem to let go of the rhetoric of the old Catholic Campaign for Human Development, with its stress on empowering the poor to shape a better future for themselves. How you reach such a goal with these protocols is a good question.
The best one can hope for, I think, is that the document will meet with the fate of most strategic agendas, and be filed away and forgotten as better ideas come forward.
Jim -- thanks for your kind words and mentioning the concrete example in your local town. This goes to demonstrate that there is much inconsistency and contradiction within the RCC concerning both teachings and practices. The latest example of the CCHD is an exaggeration of a principle undermining the virtues of prudence and charity.
There is a parallel world discussion of this same topic going on over at Father Z.
Here's one commentor who wonders why the CCHD wants to empower poor people rather than just giving them things.
A number of years ago the Diocese did take up the collection. Reviewing the published list of recipients, there were several issues. There were a few possibly questionable names on the list, but what stuck out was that every contribution (most of them, $25,000) was to "enable" or "support" or, heaven forbid, "empower" the various organizations. Nobody was "buying" a new food service truck or "building" homeless shelters or "doing" anything.
There seems to be a general uneasiness about anything having to do with community organizing - as if it were the U.S. version of marxist-version liberation theology. Here's a different person:
one underlying assumption in the article is that a "social justice campaign" that specializes in "grassroots community organizing" is appropriate and effective for realizing the "Church's efforts to help the poor." I, on the other hand, am highly suspect of the terms "social justice" and "community organizing" since I equate those terms with values that are contrary to Christian charity and organizations that would persecute the Church.
Someone else pointed out that Joe McCarthy was a "a faithful Catholic and a very good man"
Read more comments: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/06/cwn-liberal-group-sees-mccarthyism-in-cri...
Why would some people object to empowerment? Because once empowered the newly enfranchisedd will join the political party of the other side, that's why, usually the Democratic one. Mustn't increase those Democratic roles!
There are a quite a lot of CCHD funded groups in my work universe. I have to laugh at critics' characterization of CCHD as being some funder on the radical edge supporting fringe activist groups. CCHD is completely mainstream as are all of the groups I know of that get money from it.
The money, by the way, does go to groups that really need and value it. Most of the places I worked, which were small nonpofits, were considered too big for CCHD funding. The groups that did get funded, really, really apprceciated a $50,000 grant; a grant in that amount would have a sizable impact on their work.
From the comment at Fr. Z's blog that John Hayes highlighted:
one underlying assumption in the article is that a "social justice campaign" that specializes in "grassroots community organizing" is appropriate and effective for realizing the "Church's efforts to help the poor."
Terms like "community organizing" and "empowerment" are relatively vague words that don't really describe actual, concrete activities (like buying a food truck or building a homeless shelter). Had that been the commenter's point, I might have been inclined to think it's a valid point, and would have responded that we would hope that CCHD investigates and perhaps audits its grantees to ensure that the recipient isn't a fraudulent entity hiding behind not-for-profit jargon. But then the commenter decreed that anything smacking of social justice is anti-Catholic, and lost me.
When Fr. Neuhaus was alive, he was among the prominent Catholic conservatives calling for the reform or abolition of the CCHD. He was right about quite a few things but wrong about this. Articles in the same vein appeared from time to time at First Things after his death. Eventually they elicited this response, which is excellent. Headline: In Defense of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The article includes a link to the problematic article to which it responds; looking at the comments below that article, one sees quite a few attitudes that are similar to the one that John Hayes highlights here.
Is there a list anywhere of dioceses that do not participate in the CCHD collections? I don't believe I've seen a collection in my diocese (Burlington, VT) for some years, so I have given separately to CCHD, usually with a note that, given their enemies, they must be doing something right.
Someone should tell them what Pope Francis has been saying about building bridges.
From his remarks to the staff of La Civilita Catolica, 6/14, VIS:
But your main task isn't to build walls but bridges. It is to establish a dialogue with all persons, even those who don't share the Christian faith but "who cultivate outstanding qualities of the human spirit" and even with "those who oppress the Church and harass her in manifold ways. … Through dialogue it is always possible to get closer to the truth, which is a gift of God, and to enrich one another." Pope Francis reiterated that dialogue means "being convinced that the other has something good to say, making room for their point of view, their opinion, their proposals, without falling, of course, into relativism. For dialogue [to exist] it is necessary to lower the defences and open the doors."
Now, admittedly, funding isn't the same thing as dialogue, but what bridges are being built here, of any nature? I see bridges being torn down, and more isolation resulting. None of this "we will meet you doing good" as the Pope urged in his now famous comments about how Christ died for all, even atheists. The policy here means, rather, that we will shun you if you don't completely agree with us.
Mary Douglas, the anthropologist, said that "dirt" is matter out of place. It seems to me that wrong moral opinions can be considered as moral pollution, so when someone holds bad/dirty moral opinions we are strongly inclined to ostracize him fromt our tribe lest we become infected.
It seems to me that this sort of simplistic thinking is what has happened with the bishops and the liberals, specifically the Democratic Party's leadership. Obama and other liberals who hold bad/dirty opinions about abortion are seen as automatically contaminating the country's morals and, therefore, are to be avoided. That they also do great good doesn't matter. Dirt pollutes, and those people are dirty.
I recommend looking at this presentation by ALL of why the Massachusetts Senior Action Council (where I live) shouln't have received a $25,000 grant from CCHD
ALL' s objection to the group doesn't mention anything the Senior Group does itself, but only that it is a member of three coalitions.
ALL provides distorted descriptions of what the coalitions do - for instance, MASS-CARE, which advocates for a state single-payer health care system, is described as a "coalition that advocates for birth control and "reproductive health care"
According to ALL, this is the problem with the grant to the Senior Action Council:
The Problem:
• Member of MASS-CARE – a coalition that advocates for birth control and "reproductive health care."
• Member of Community Works – a coalition of 33 groups which raises funds for pro-abortion and pro-homosexual organizations.
• Member of pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, Marxist Jobs With Justice
It's interesting to see the twisting paths ALL goes through to characterize those goups as they do
Pope Francis had better be a strong man who can articulate and enforce his positions within this church. First he needs to clean house in the Curia and also send a clear, unambiguous message about the kind of men who he will name bishops. And he had better be very, very patient because what will undoubtedly be a cabal of his enemies has become quite entrenched during the last two pontificates.
I find it ironic that this "report" was created by an organization with ties to Planned Parenthood: http://prolifecorner.com/cchd-supporters-busted-in-league-with-planned-p...
But aside from that (as if that isn't enough in and of itself to completely discredit the report in total), the "report" if sull of glaring inaccuracies and omissions. For instance, the Land Stewardship Project and Companeros were not cut off from CCHD funding because of their membership in coalitions that had OTHER members that promoted same-sex marriage, but because they refused to leave coalitions that had themselves taken official positions supporting same-sex marriage.
Additionally, the "report" freely explained our charges regarding the Gamaliel Foundation's relationship with FIRM, but ended with the fact that we accused Gamaliel of lying about its relationship, failing to mention WHY we at American Life League leveled those charges to begin with. I'll fill in the missing detailsfor you ... After Gamaliel told CCHD that they "severed all ties with FIRM in 2010", we found documents on Gamaliel's OWN website proving that it was on FIRM's executive committee in 2011. We also found a set of FIRM's own meeting minutes showing that Gamaliel was nominated for FIRM's executive committee for 2012. Telling CCHD that it "severed all ties with FIRM in 2010" while housing documents on its own website proving otherwise seems to constitute a lie to me. You can see the evidence here for yourself. I'd LOVE an explanation for this, but hey ... why let facts get in the way of a good lie? http://reformcchdnow.com/wp-content/uploads/VOICE-Buffalo.pdf
Michael Hichborn writes: "I find it ironic that this "report" was created by an organization with ties to Planned Parenthood"
Mr. Hichborn, the only basis for your claim that I see in the article you linked is the bare statement "Public Life CEO Rev. Jennifer Butler was a panelist at a 2008 Planned Parenthood discussion of how pro-choice clergy could "make social change in support of reproductive justice in communities across the country,"
Even if you had documented that Rev. Butler had spoken at a Planned Parenthood meeting 5 years ago, and what she said, would that be sufficient to identify Faith in Public Life as a "pro-abortion group"?
However, you tell your readers:
The report issued by Faith In Public Life titled "Be Not Afraid" is simply a tool of the abortion lobby to encourage Catholic funding for pro-abortion groups.
Please email your own Bishop and the director of the Catholic Campaign For Human Development ( Ralph McCloud [email protected] ) and ask them not to be fooled by a report issued by a pro-abortion group that is in league with the nation's number one killer of babies – Planned Parenthood.
Surely you must see that kind of guilt by association raises the same issues questioned in the "America" article you selectively quoted in your article
How should CCHD grantees be held accountable for the decisions and statements of other organizations they may belong to as part of grassroots coalitions, especially when controversial statements may not be approved by all coalition members or may comment on an issue removed from the coalition's stated purpose? And ultimately how far does the thread of responsibility extend before a group can essentially maintain no allies in the secular world? This is not an academic problem.
In recent years some groups have lost CCHD funding because individual board members as private citizens expressed opinions that were contrary to Catholic teaching....
Aaron Dorfman is the Executive Director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. While Dorfman agrees that CCHD should not be funding activities that directly violate church teaching, he worries, according to the Faith in Public Life report, that legitimate principles have morphed into rigid positions that leave little room for partnerships. He told FPL that coalition work among groups that disagreed on some issues was vital to achieving tangible public-policy victories on living wages, better schools and improved access to public transportation.
Dorfman said the climate today is much less hospitable because of pressure groups that influence some in the Catholic hierarchy to back away from these strategic alliances. "These trends are creating a culture of fear and making it increasingly difficult for community organizers and community groups to be part of broad-based coalitions that augment their power," he said. "People can't partner with other groups that can help them win higher wages for poor people and other goals that are consistent with Catholic teaching. It's a real problem that's gotten worse in recent years."
Mark Proska said: "I sort of got tired of reading about "Catholic McCarthyism" from a group complaining about being judged by the company they keep. - See more at: http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/catholic-mccarthyism-and-cchd#comments"
The last time I looked the Jesus we purport to be following was not worried about the company he was keeping. Of course, if he were part of today's US Catholic Church, things might be different.


text:
I want to create a simple logo, but I have no skills or experience in graphic design. Although I'm familiar with GIMP, I'm not sure how to get started. A text-logo would suffice, but it should be individual and not too ugly. Any advice?
I'm tempted to close this as "not a real question", but I'll try to humor you since you're only 10.
If you have no graphic design skills, then the obvious thing to do is just to hire a professional to design the logo for you. Otherwise, you'll have to accept that the logo you design will most-likely be terrible.
If there were a simple way (simple enough to be explained in a few short paragraphs anyway) to teach a complete novice to become a good designer overnight, then there'd really be no need for professional graphic designers, graphic design text books, or graphic design schools/courses.
That said, if you have very low expectations and don't care about how plain or generic the logo looks, then a simple way to make a "non-ugly" logo is to just use a simple logotype, i.e.:
That's a simple, generic, non-ugly logo that anyone can create. It won't stand out much, and it won't convey much about your brand, but at least it won't be ugly.
I like to browse around at LogoPond to get inspiration and ideas. Once you figure out what you want, you can search for tutorials to figure out how to do it using the software of your choice. For a logo I would recommend a vector editing program like Inkscape instead of a raster one like GIMP.
Some tips (from experience, and also echoing the answers of others here...)
If the question is: how can I get a logo that is "individual and not too ugly", without the DIY aspect being so important, my advice is hire a graphic designer who you can spend time with face-to-face and with whom you can figure out what you want together. At the end, you can play around with the finished design to see how it is put together.
I've thought of hiring a graphic designer to critique my own creations, but have never got around to doing it.
The basic rule is
If you can convert it to monochrome (black and white - no gray tone) and it still looks good, you will have created a potential good (at least not ugly) logo.
To get something to start with, and you want symbolic rather than text, you can search for some keywords that describes what you want at an ICON search page like http://findicons.com or http://www.iconfinder.com . Then find an image that you like to start with and play around with that in Gimp or something.
If you are going to use it as a computer icon, you might also want to make sure it looks OK in 16x16 pixel. This is not easy!
An example of a well known logo is the film studio 20th Century FOX. They have a quite advanced logo, that even has animation when on film. But it still looks good (and recognizable) in monochrome!
As it appears on their web site:
Simple monochrome version:
The answer is the same to any question that goes "How do I do X without any experience in X" = read, research, practice, trial and error, get help, ask advice, etc.
There are several things you need to design a logo. A message, a choice of font and imagery - You need to make sure that these three things are tight.
You need to fully understand the message you want to put across with the design and I'd also recommend researching fonts for the correct one to support your message and also use a website like Brandsoftheworld to perhaps look at similar companies to look at the imagery they used in their logo
Buddy. You are young and probably have no idea what most the people on here are saying. So let me see if I can help you out a little.
Some super easy cheapo logos i've designed all practically do the same thing. The name of the thing you are trying to logo in BOLD all capital letters. then if there is a slogan or alternate text, put that at the bottom in a smaller font and not in bold and in a lighter color.
make sure everything is close together and all aligned to one side. make sure the top line is darker in color than the bottom. this works for most logos that aren't supposed to look too fancy. it could probably work for yours.
Designer's note: (gosh guys I know the kerning and spacing is WAY off and this is horrible -- no message, color, mark, etc-- but this is demonstration purposes only. i'd never hand this off to a client unless i gave them a gun to shoot me with after. vomit)
Let's face it. You don't need a high level logo that will take months to figure out. If you want to make a plain text logo in Gimp and get away with it.. this is quick and dirty solution, my friend.
First piece of advice: Use Inkscape to build your logo, not GIMP. It's free and open-source, just like GIMP, but it'll give you a much better end product with logos. The reason is that GIMP is made for editing photos, paintings, and the like, so it works with pixels. Inkscape works all in vectors. Think of vectors as something like pieces of rubber that you've cut with scissors into shapes -- you can stretch them as large as you want and they'll still keep their shape. Pixels start to become very obvious as you increase the size.
Stick with clean lines -- in my early days, I made the mistake of getting too fancy. All my favourite logos now are quite un-fancy and would still look good if I copied them with a crappy, old-fashioned photocopier. That's because they're simple shapes with little or no gradients. And NOOOO photos or special effects unless (1) the situation really cried out for it and (2) I was certain my logo would always be used in a high-quality environment, like colour printing, PDFs, or large website banners.
Lastly (and definitely most importantly), pick up a great book about graphic design -- something like The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. Her books are enjoyable, easy to follow, and give you an excellent introduction to the craft of visual communication.
protected by Darth_Vader♦ Aug 29 '14 at 12:25
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