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St. Robert to commemorate its namesake in bronze
St. Robert Parish School, 2200 E. Capitol Drive in Shorewood, will continue to celebrate its centennial with a life-sized bronze statue of patron Saint Robert of Newminster.
Bishop Emeritus Richard J. Sklba will bless the statue at a special mass at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1.
The project was initiated and commissioned by St. Robert Pastor Rev. Dennis Dirkx, and made by Shorewood resident and fourth-generation parishioner John A. Balistreri, who is an artist and graphics teacher at Messmer High School and operates a fine art gallery in Door County.
For more information, contact Lisa Lesjak at (414) 332-1164 ext. 302 or email@example.com.
Vets to walk red carpet in Mequon for Honor Flight screening
Over 400 veterans, volunteers, and friends of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight will walk the red carpet Thursday, Nov. 29 as the North Shore Cinema screens the documentary "Honor Flight".
Stars and Stripes Honor Flight is a local chapter of the Honor Flight Network, a nation-wide group of volunteers, organizers, and donors who ensure that World War II veterans are able to visit the Washington D.C. WWII memorial.
Three local veterans featured in the film will be in attendance: 87-year-old Joe Demler of Port Washington; 87-year-old Harvey Kurz of Grafton; and 89-year-old Julian Plaster of Milwaukee.
The fourth local veteran in the film, Orville Lemke of Milwaukee, passed away six weeks after his honor flight.
Veterans will arrive at 5 p.m. and the screening begins at 6 p.m. Honor Flight will run in select Marcus theaters in Wisconsin from Dec. 5-7.» Read Full Article
Brookfield East's Alec James named NOW Football Player of the Year
NOW All-Suburban Football Player of the Year for 2012 after leading his team to a school-record 10 victories and a trip to the third round of the WIAA playoffs.Brookfield East's Alec James has been voted the
James, who also is the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Player of the Year, will play on scholarship next season at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Wauwatosa West's Matt Good was named the NOW Coach of the Year.
You can see the complete team, player bios, a timeline of All-Suburban history and more at the 2012 All-Suburban Football Team page.
Brown Deer, UWM form education collaboration
Brown Deer - The Brown Deer School District and the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin's School of Education are teaming up on education projects that benefit both parties.
The School Board on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding for the current school year that details a partnership with UWM's SOE. There is no financial impact for the district as a result of this collaboration, Superintendent Deb Kerr said.
Both parties agree to work together on the development and implementation of projects that benefit both institutions. Funding could from either UWM or the district, depending on what is being done.
"We are using each other and the expertise and talent to accelerate and evaluate learning," Kerr said.
The district will help the SOE with both funded and unfunded research projects that can help educators from both places. For example, if the Brown Deer School District agrees to let a faculty member who teaches motivation, conduct research at Brown Deer, that faculty member will provide professional development or consultation with Brown Deer faculty at no cost.» Read Full Article
Brown Deer School District drafting letter to legislators detailing state budget needs
Brown Deer - The Brown Deer School Board on Tuesday decided to draft a letter to send to state legislators detailing the district's needs for the next biennial budget.
Brown Deer has faced massive cuts over the last state budget cycle. As talks of the new biennial budget begin, board member Dennis Griffin said this is an opportune time for the board to voice its opinion. Griffin recently attended lobbying meetings focused on the Department of Public Instruction's Fair Funding proposal, a plan DPI says would fix Wisconsin's funding formula and make it fair and equitable. In light of these lobbying efforts, Griffin brought the discussion of lobbying to the board to see what efforts they could make.
The issue is not whether the board supports the Fair Funding proposal, but rather what the district's main needs are in relation to state aid, Griffin said.
"I'm not saying if we should support the funding formula, I'm saying this is a good time to communicate what we need in Brown Deer," he said.
At the top of the list is more state aid. Business Director Emily Koczela said at the very least, Brown Deer needs to make it clear that it cannot withstand any further cuts in aid.» Read Full Article
Brown Deer seeks answers in an effort to improve
Brown Deer - About 100 students leave Brown Deer every year to attend public school outside of the district and the School Board wants to know why.
In an effort to get a better understanding of why parents choose to Open Enroll their students in surrounding public school districts, School Board members will reach out to these families via phone in the coming weeks.
"We can guess all we want, but until we get hard data we won't know what to focus on," board member Kevin Klimek said.
These families will receive a letter in the mail before calls are made, letting residents know what to expect. The letter will be signed by all the board members to show this is a unified effort by the board to better understand families' reasoning, as well as discover ways the district might improve, Board President Gary Williams said.
Klimek said most board members have agreed to make the calls.» Read Full Article
The Nines in Mequon launching Sunday brunch buffet
the Nines at the River Club of Mequon.Ozaukee County is getting a new brunch: The buffet brunch debuts Sunday at
It will have stations with salads, fruit, grilled vegetables and chilled seafood; breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage and a couple of breakfast dishes, such as biscuits and gravy, that change weekly; a carving station with beef tenderloin; and an omelet station.
Brunch is served 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's $18.95, or $10.95 for children 12 and younger.
The Nines is at 12400 N. Ville du Parc Drive.
See the best fog photos on social media
Dense fog clouded Milwaukee and surrounding areas Wednesday morning, and many people took to Twitter, Instagram and other social media services to share photos.
View those photos here.
Man suspected of impersonating photojournalist is arrested, charged
For more than 40 years, Gary Medrow has wielded a telephone the way a check forger wields a pen.
Except instead of faking signatures for financial gain, Medrow has used the phone as a disguise to impersonate people in officialdom - from police officers to accident investigators - to indulge his favorite fetish: persuading complete strangers to carry each other around.
The latest persona adopted by the 68-year-old serial impostor, according to a criminal complaint, is that of a Journal Sentinel photojournalist, calling two female high school athletes to set up photo shoots in which they would hold each other upon their shoulders.
Medrow, of Greenfield, was arrested Friday and charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with two counts each of telephone harassment and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident involving two Cedarburg High School girls.
Authorities in Franklin, Verona, Hartland and Mequon are investigating similar incidents, which involve female athletes who have had their pictures in the newspaper, Cedarburg police Officer Joe Biliskov said.» Read Full Article
Stingy defense gives Homestead football team its fourth state title
It takes heart and a bit more to break a state record 48-game winning streak, to turn back an empire that has won three state championships in a row, to shut out an offensive juggernaut that once scored 76 points on a team this year and which has not been shutout in something close to seven seasons.
The Homestead football squad had those qualities and did all of those things Friday afternoon in the WIAA State D2 championship game, defeating previously Waunakee by a 14-0 score. The title was the fourth for Homestead (12-1) since 1999 (1999, 2006, and 2008), and its first in division 2.
"It's a great day to be a Highlander," shouted defensive coordinator Fritz Rauch to anyone who listen in the late-afternoon sun at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison
And he wouldn't get any arguments from anyone wearing red and white fan gear this afternoon. His unit was on the field much of the second half but still found the will and the way to turn back the powerful Warriors (12-1) three times inside the five-yard line in the second half.
Arguably the most incredible effort was the first one on fourth and a foot situation early in the third quarter, where the interior of the Highlander line caved in the Warriors' offensive front to such an extent that quarterback Will Decorah was essentially tripped by one of his own men and his hand-off to back Tyler Reynolds was ruined resulting in a two-yard loss.» Read Full Article
Homestead shuts out Waunakee, wins D2 title
The Homestead football team did something no team has done in three years -- defeat Waunakee. It happened at the most opportune moment possible, with the Highlanders winning the WIAA Division 2 state title Friday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, 14-0.
Waunakee, which came into the battle with a 48-game winning streak and three consecutive D2 state titles, threatened to score on multiple occasions but never could crack the goal line, getting shut out for the first time since November of 2005.
Perhaps most important sequence came with 28 seconds left in the first half, when Homestead took the ball at its own 25 and scored two plays later. Jay Schneider ran 53 of those yards on first down, and quarterback Jake Laihinen hit freshman Jack Popp for a 22-yard score with 11 seconds to go. The Highlanders thus took a 14-0 lead into the locker room.
The defense made play after play to preserve the lead. On fourth and goal from the 1, Waunakee was turned away for a 2-yard loss on the first drive of the second half. Jacob Mehlhoff intercepted Waunakee quarterback Will Decorah after the Warriors had reached the Homestead 12-yard line on a fourth down play one series later.
Waunakee's next drive reached 1st and goal on the 8 before the Warriors turned the ball over on downs. Lineman Ryan Stendler also intercepted a pass in the first half to squelch a drive.» Read Full Article
Read the social media story of Homestead vs. Waunakee
The Homestead Highlanders won 14-0 against the Waunakee Warriors, ending the Warriors' 48-game win streak, in the Divsion 2 championship game.
Read the social media story of the game here.
Gynecologist sentenced to year in jail in patient sex case
A Whitefish Bay gynecologist was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail and three years of probation for having inappropriate sexual contact and conversation with four patients.
Evan Saunders was found guilty in September of four counts each of fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Ellen Brostrom sentenced Saunders, 48, to four consecutive 90-day jail terms on the disorderly conduct counts. He must report by the day after Thanksgiving and will be allowed 10 hours a week of release time for child care.
Brostrom imposed a nine-month jail term for each sexual assault count but stayed that portion of the sentence in favor of three years of probation.
Among the conditions of the probation are that Saunders not practice medicine or work alone with others in a clinical setting - he surrendered his medical license last month; get sex offender and substance abuse assessments; maintain absolute sobriety; and perform 200 hours of community service.» Read Full Article
Falling kegs lead to surprise carbon monoxide discovery
North Shore Fire Department crews inadvertently discovered elevated levels of carbon monoxide at the Sprecher Brewery in Glendale while tending to an employee injured by several falling kegs.
According to an NSFD news release:
Bayside dispatch received a call at 4:05 p.m. yesterday requesting an ambulance for an employee who had been injured by several falling kegs.
While tending to the employee, a carbon monoxide warning device attached to a medical kit sounded, indicating elevated carbon monoxide levels. Crews on scene retrieved additional meters from the fire engine, finding readings as high as 120 parts per million (ppm) throughout areas of the structure.
The brewery was evacuated and ventilated. No employees complained of symptoms or requested evaluation from NSFD crews.» Read Full Article
Mequon Plan Commission recommends winery proposal
A zoning amendment that would allow approval for a proposed Mequon winery has been endorsed by the city's Plan Commission.
If approved by the Common Council, the zoning change would set the stage for relocating the Chiselled Grape Winery to 14136 N. Port Washington Road, about one-half mile south of Pioneer Road.
Under the zoning change, Chiselled Grape would seek a conditional-use permit for its operation. That would require separate council approval.
The winery, including its tasting room, would use a four-bedroom house and barn at the Mequon location. It would move from its current location at Lakefield and Port Washington roads, about 1.5 miles north of the Mequon site in the Town of Grafton.
Owners Allan Haas and co-owner Harald Tomesch opened Chiselled Grape in 2011 at a former country school, which their business is leasing.» Read Full Article
Sprecher Brewery evacuated for elevated carbon monoxide levels
A workplace injury Wednesday at the Sprecher Brewery in Glendale led to detection of elevated carbon monoxide levels, forcing an evacuation of employees, according to the North Shore Fire Department.
Firefighters and an ambulance crew were called to the brewery at 701 W. Glendale Ave. shortly after 4 p.m. when an employee was struck by several fallen kegs, according to Firefighter/Paramedic Dan Tyk.
While the employee was being treated, Tyk said, a carbon monoxide alarm attached to medical kit carried from the ambulance began to sound and elevated CO levels were detected throughout the building, which was then evacuated.
The exhaust from a forklift being used inside the plant was determined to be the source of the carbon monoxide and the entire structure was ventilated, Tyk said.
The incident highlights the importance of having working carbon monoxide detectors in homes and workplaces, he said.» Read Full Article
Fox Point OKs run-walk organizers' request to use village streets
The Fox Point Village Board on Tuesday approved a request by organizers to use village streets in conjunction with a planned 5K run-walk in support of a child who has a form of leukemia.
Nine-year-old Audrey Parrott, who lives in the area, was recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In an effort to fund a portion of the mounting medical expenses, organizers are planning the run-walk at 9:30 a.m. Sunday near Stormonth Elementary School, 7301 N. Longacre Road.
While organizers were given permission to use village streets, the board did not act on a request to waive fees associated with the usage request. The village does not have an ordinance that speaks to an organization asking to use village streets free of charge.
Firm moving Mequon, Waukesha offices to Third Ward
A firm with separate branches in two suburban locations has moved to a new office in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.
EmPowerHR, a human resources firm, and Laurus Strategies, which does business consulting, have moved from Mequon and Waukesha, respectively, to 10,000 square feet at the Warehouse No. 1 Building, 126 N. Jefferson St., the businesses announced Wednesday.
The move accommodates the current staff of 25 employees, and will allow for expansion.
Pasch commends MATC board for early collective bargaining with faculty
Assistant Assembly Democratic Leader Sandy Pasch (D–Shorewood) Tuesday released a statement supporting the Milwaukee Area Technical College Board's split decision to open collective bargaining negotiations with the union representing faculty some 15 months before the current contract expires.
"I am happy to see that the MATC board has agreed to open contract discussions with their faculty," Pasch said in the statement. "Our communities benefit when everyone has a seat at the table and we work together to find solutions to the complex issues we are facing.
"I trust that the MATC board and faculty will sit down together, roll up their sleeves, look each other in the eye, and negotiate important workplace issues that will not only benefit MATC and its students, but also employers and the wider Milwaukee community."
When he heard about the MATC board's decision, state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) called the board "a bunch of union hacks."
The MATC board by a split vote decided Monday to accept the union's request to open negotiations roughly a year before they normally would begin. The board voted publicly after meeting in a specially scheduled one-hour meeting behind closed doors. Closed door meetings to discuss collective bargaining are allowed under state law.» Read Full Article
Father arrested, apologizes for disorderly conduct after son cut from basketball team
A 37-year-old man upset that his son did not make the school basketball team was arrested for disorderly conduct last week in Glendale.
According to the police report:
The Glendale man was arrested after causing a disturbance at Nicolet High School, 6701 N. Jean Nicolet Road, at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 7.
The man became angry after his son was cut from the basketball team. He went to the school and demanded to see the coach, who was in a meeting, and he was told to make an appointment but instead went to the meeting room and yelled and swore.
He was arrested at his home and apologized for his reaction saying this would be a teaching tool for his son on "how not to go about things."
Shoplifting team suspected in Whitefish Bay jewelry theft
A platinum and diamond ring valued at $5,995 was taken from a Whitefish Bay jewelry store a little after 2 p.m. Nov. 2.
According to the police report:
Police were called just after the theft was discovered at Thiet Jewelers, 513 E. Silver Spring Drive, about 2:15 p.m. Nov. 2.
The suspects are two white couples in their 50s who spread out in the store and distracted a clerk who inadvertently left a display case open.
Two couples, matching the description, had visited another jewelry store in the area.
Outpost Natural Foods plans Mequon store
Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative is planning to open a new store in Mequon at the northeast corner of Mequon Road (Highway 167) and Wauwatosa Road (Highway 181).
The proposed location would primarily serve the City of Mequon and the Town of Thiensville, and is expected to draw owners and shoppers from neighboring communities, including Germantown, Menomonee Falls, Cedarburg and Grafton, the company said in a statement.
The proposal still must be approved by the city's Plan Commission.
Outpost wants to construct a building featuring many of the green and sustainable design characteristics of the existing Outpost stores.
MSI General of Oconomowoc is the company contracted for the design/build and is the firm responsible for all of Outpost's design/build and renovation projects. The 1.89-acre site would include a 16,000-square-foot building and parking for about 70 cars.» Read Full Article
Read the social media story of Level 4 prep football
Area teams took on other contenders for a trip to state and Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Nov. 9 and 10.
Read the social media story of the games, complete with tweets, photos and more.
In Division 1, Arrowhead took on Hudson. In Division 2 action, Homestead attempted to oust Marshfield and Whitefish Bay took on Waunakee.
And in Division 3, Catholic Memorial faced off against Mount Horeb/Barneveld.
Read the Storify story at this link or below. You can also view NOW's photo gallery of Level 4 action.» Read Full Article
Blue Dukes lose overtime thriller to Waunakee
Perhaps Whitefish Bay senior quarterback Grant Menard summed it up best.
"I have no regrets; absolutely no regrets. We gave it our all," he said following a thrilling, yet heartbreaking 35-28 loss to Waunakee on Saturday in a WIAA Level 4 Championship game at Wisconsin Lutheran College Stadium.
Yes, Waunakee is an outstanding team. The Warriors tied the state record with their 48th straight victory.
Homestead football team routs Marshfield, makes it back to state finals
Fritz Rauch is as cerebral and smart as they come in his role of the Homestead football team's defensive coordinator.
But he can be blunt as heck too.
"Luck is for losers," he said following the Highlanders' stunning, near-perfect, 49-8 demolition of Marshfield in the WIAA D2 state semifinals Saturday afternoon in Oshkosh.
"We talk about it all the time: Great personnel, great preparation, great performance. That's how you win games."
His boss, Highlander head coach Dave Keel agreed as the Highlanders (11-1) earned their first trip back to the WIAA state finals this coming Friday at Camp Randall since the D1 title year of 2008.» Read Full Article
Shorewood girls swim team wins seventh WIAA State D2 title
Behind four individual first place finishes, including record-setting efforts from junior Kristin Malone and sophomore Rachel Munson, the Shorewood girls swim team won its seventh WIAA State D2 title Friday night at the Natatorium in Madison.
The Greyhounds, who last won a championship in 2003, scored 255 points as 2011 champ Milton was second with 217 and Grafton third with 193.
Malone set broke a three-year old mark in the 200 free with a clocking of 1:48.83 and then cracked a five-year record in defending her title in the 100 free (50.28).
Senior Ellen Stello won her first individual state title in the 500 free by four seconds with a 4:58.34 effort.
Munson also got into the record-books when she claimed the 100 breaststroke with a clocking of 1:01.37, taking down the year-old mark by close to two seconds.» Read Full Article
Glendale nursing home sold for $6.7 million
Seven Oaks, a 94-bed nursing home in Glendale, has been sold for $6.7 million, according to documents filed with the Milwaukee County Register of Deeds.
The property, at 6263 N. Green Bay Ave., was sold to Glendale NH Property LLC, an investment group affiliated with Chicago-based Aviv REIT Inc., by a local partnership, led by John Sauer.
Indulgence Chocolatiers opens in Shorewood
Indulgence Chocolatiers said its new chocolate boutique is now open at 4525 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood.
The store's hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"Our hope is that chocolate enthusiasts all over the Milwaukee area will view us as a destination where they can learn about and enjoy all of the fine chocolate confections we handcraft in our local kitchen," sid Indulgence owner Julie Waterman.
As a grand opening promotion, Indulgence Chocolatiers is offering a $5 gift card for a future visit to customers who spend $25 or more. The promotion runs until Nov. 17.
Medical offices in Milwaukee, Mequon sold
The Water Tower Medical Commons building, 2350 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee, and the Seton Professional building, 13133 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, are among 14 buildings in six states recently sold by Seavest Healthcare to Duke Realty, according to Xceligent real estate reporting service.
The 162,000-square-foot Water Tower Medical Commons sold for $40.9 million, and the the 72,822-square-foot Seton building sold for $11 million.
Indianapolis-based Duke Realty is one of the nation's largest owners of commercial real estate.
Schneider's run leads Homestead football team into state semifinals
In Homestead football lore, there is the cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow touchdown pass from Derek Watson to David Harkensee to beat Germantown in the greatest regular season game ever in 2003.
In 2007, there was the overtime fourth-down out pass from Casey Barnes to Justin Howard, which Howard took over the goal line to help beat Whitefish Bay on its refurbished stadium's dedication night.
Some Bay fans still insist that Howard never got the ball over.
To that legacy, you can now add "The How in the Name of Red Grange's Century- Old Sneakers Did Jay Schneider Find Room to Slide Down the Sideline?" seven-yard TD scamper with 1:16 remaining Saturday that lifted the Highlanders to a 17-13 WIAA Division 2, Level 3 playoff win over previously unbeaten host Green Bay Southwest.
With the win, the Highlanders (10-1) advance to the WIAA D2 state semifinals next weekend against Marshfield (10-1). It is their first berth in the semifinals since the 2008 D1 state championship season.» Read Full Article
Whitefish Bay football team rallies past East in playoff action, 24-14
Because he got smart in the second half, Whitefish Bay offensive coordinator Jake Wolter won't have to start looking for another job.
And because he was smart enough to give the ball to his all-world back Rashadeem Gray to the tune of 22 times and 170 yards in the second half, the Blue Duke football team is en route to the WIAA State Division 2 semifinals for the first time in its history courtesy of a 24-14 level 3 victory over previously unbeaten Brookfield East Friday night.
"It was kind of funny," said Wolter. "Rah- Rah (Gray's nickname) and I were talking about five or six weeks ago, and I told him that if we lose from here on out and you don't have at least 20 touches and you're not hurt, I'm going to fire myself (laughs)."
"In my my mind, he's the best player in the state and he needs to have the ball."
Gray, who finished with 193 yards on 28 carries that included the game-clinching 59-yard burst for score with 1:45 remaining and who also scored the go-ahead TD on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Grant Menard with 3:53 remaining, appreciated the compliment.» Read Full Article
Brown Deer hires expert for independent review of Haughton encounters
Brown Deer has hired Robert C. Willis, a law enforcement instructor, trainer and consultant, to review the Police Department's numerous interactions with Zina and Radcliffe Haughton, Village Manager Russell Van Gompel announced in a news release today.
Radcliffe killed his estranged wife, Zina, and two other women, and injured four more at the Azana Salon and Spa in Brookfield on Oct. 21 before taking his own life.
The Brown Deer Police Department has since come under scrutiny for failing to arrest Radcliffe after a number of domestic abuse incidents. An Oct. 30 letter signed by 12 Wisconsin lawmakers calls for an external audit of the Brown Deer Police Department's interactions with the Haughtons.
"In the interest of getting an unbiased evaluation of the facts and law enforcement standards relevant to the Village of Brown Deer Police Department's contacts with the Haughtons, we have hired Wisconsin Law Enforcement Instructor Robert C. Willis to conduct an independent review of all contacts with the Haughtons", Van Gompel said in the release. "We have instructed Mr. Willis that he has no restraints on the scope or depth of his review."
Willis has served as a patrol officer, SWAT team member, and in a number of training positions. He is currently a part-time patrol officer in Milwaukee County, is a Deputy Sheriff in Brown County, and works as a full-time instructor and trainer at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Tactical Training Complex.» Read Full Article
Looking for your local polling place?
There you can find information on where to vote in your community, check your provisional ballot status and more.
Click here to visit the Wisconsin Voter Information page.
North Shore voters can visit our North Shore Voting Guide, which has a list of polling places and a post-redistricting guide to congressional, assembly, and senate districts.
2 former Homestead students get 30 days in jail for assault on girl
Port Washington - For what a prosecutor called "cooperative sexual assault," two recent Homestead High School graduates were sentenced Thursday to 30 days of jail and two years of probation for having sex with a 14-year-old girl inside the school last year.
Deangelo Dantzler and Brent Anderson, both 19, pleaded no contest in September to physical abuse of a child as part of plea bargains that amended the original charges of sexual assault of a child.
Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams ordered Dantzler and Anderson to each perform 200 hours of community service during the term of their probation, and allowed them to serve the jail time starting Dec. 21, when they will be on break from college, Anderson at UW-Parkside and Dantzler at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
She declined requests to let the men use work-release time for anything but counseling.
"This is pure punishment," Williams said.» Read Full Article
Scissor-tailed flycatcher draws crowd in Ozaukee County
Autumn is prime time for unusual bird sightings in Wisconsin, with many species winging through the state on a southerly migration.
Sometimes, too, a rare bird shows up that defies the typical travel pattern.
Case in point: A scissor-tailed flycatcher has been observed Wednesday and Thursday at the edge of a farm field in Mequon.
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma and typically found in a handful of southern states. As its name implies, the bird eats insects. It normally flies south in fall and winters in Central America.
But every so often, one makes a foray north.» Read Full Article


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Casting the first stone
We live in a world of instant information and instant communication so it is no surprise that Cardinal Bergoglio's (aka Pope Francis) past has been put before us (accurate, inaccurate, who knows?).It put me in mind of the problem of collective guilt and the responsibility that is thought to fall on all for the sins of some, or selective guilt that falls on one for the sins of others. It is reported that Bergoglio didn't do various things during Argentina's "dirty war"; even that he might have been complicit, etc. Just as most stories in the U.S. media on clerical sexual abuse usually imply that no bishop ever did anything about it, or didn't do it soon enough, or still hasn't done anything, etc. The same broad brush is used, for example, on whether FDR did enough to save European Jews from Hitler's death camps. One frequently cited example is that he failed to bomb Auschwitz to end the atrocities there. A new study reports that the issue was never put before him so he couldn't have decided not to bomb. Here's a review of that book.We live in societies where few of us have real authority to stop the war in Iraq, for example, or right the wrongs done by the 2008 financial crisis. What then is our responsibility for these and/or other moral and political travesties? What is the responsibility of leaders who may not have any more authority, knowledge, or power than the ordinary person to remedy matters?
About the Author
Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, a former editor of Commonweal, writes frequently in these pages and blogs at dotCommonweal.
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Who is responsible for the nutritional problems and risks of famine in the third world due to sharp increases in the cost of basic foods largely due to climate change, due to CO2 increases, due to lifestyle choices in the Western world?It's on my mind whenever I take an airplane, or visit a friend's house with large square footage, or see people who choose to live far out and are constantly driving, or see obvious examples of energy waste. What is my individual responsibility when it seems that, often, I have but little choice?
We live in societies where few of us have real authority to stop the war in Iraq, True. Nor did we have any say in its beginning. (Still wondering what was in the letter from Pope John Paul II to President George W. Bush, carried by Cardinal Pio Laghi in his diplomatic pouch. The editor posted a link to an old Commonweal article about tennis with torturers in Argentina, which I assume mentioned Laghi, but it was for subscribers only. In an old thread here on the blog, a poster said he had tried to get access to the letter through the freedom of information act, but was unable to do so.)
Also, I think it's really easy to say that "other people" aren't doing enough while completely letting oneself off the hook. What are critics of the Latin American bishops' complicity with military regimes doing themselves to combat those regimes (other than criticizing Latin American bishops)?. Have they joined School of the Americas Watch? Are they writing letters to their elected officials about the human rights violations of these regimes? Or donating to charities working to build democratic institutions in these countries?I think it is important and a good thing, to call attention to wrongdoing and injustice, and to hold those in power accountable, but we've got to put our money where our mouth is, too.
Suppose, for the sake of argument, that the new pope did sin on the occasion in question. So what follows? His recent record is pretty darned good. No one I know of has grounds for throwing the first stone.
What one person can do? take a gander how one bartender, Scott Prouty a Boston blue collar, brought the Romney campaign to it's knees and to it's end, by releasing the 47% tape..Prouty taped with no ax to grind and for no personal gain. He just didn't like what he heard.
@MOS: Aren't you being already a bit too apologetic for the new pope's past dalliances with the right-wing fascists in Argentina?Papa Francesco is what he is: a 76 y.o. conservative ideologue. Can any of us say that we're surprised? I recall that Oscar Romero was universally dismissed at his appointment as archbishop as hopeless conservative. Of course, that was before he chose a path to martyrdom - something that the church hierarchs have never really embraced. The stories that Francesco eschews pomp and circumstance [Thomas Reese said on the TV that Bergoglio doesn't seem comfortable with the "red satin" crowd in the curia!] is a certainly a welcome change, and a good start. Give me a pope any day who likes to ride the bus and cook his own meals.Let's see how long that lasts.If the new pope just lives up to his namesake, we'll all be better off. Good luck with shouldering that crumbling edifice of the church.
Ms. Steinfels - good points but would suggest that this period of history in Argentina and the church closely parallels the Spanish Civil War period. Thus, you find priests on both sides (Peronistas and anti-Peronistas) and some advocating and using violence to achieve their political ends. (no matter how sympathetic)Bergoglio's biographer opted for a narrative in which Fr. Bergoglio, as provincial, worked to stabilize the province, worked to focus his Jesuits on gospel values, the poor, etc. and not become involved in armed resistance. (keep in mind - he was ordained in 1969 and fours years later made provincial (think he was roughly 36 yrs. old). yes, as provincial during the *dirty war period* he can be identified with church leadership but, in some ways, he was one step removed from the bishops of Argentina and not part of the episcopal conference. May not excuse his *silence* but it frames it differently)Not sure that you can easily put him into a progressive-conservative construct or government -antigovernment construct. What happens to leaders who strived for a balanced approach; not taking sides; and working to protect the common people?Like the Spanish Civil War, you can find churchmen from both sides involved in atrocities, violence, etc. but you also find pastors who tried to walk a narrow path between the two extremes. Not sure this compares to the Pius XII arguments about complicity with Nazism; silence in the face of the Holocaust; etc.
If we can never question anyone's actions because we ourselves are not perfect, then we're all in serious trouble. We hopefully do the best we can ourselves, and we have the duty to hold others to a standard of decency. Thousands of people, including priests and nuns, were tortured, murdered, disappeared during the Dirty War - there's nothing wrong with asking if the church was negligent in not speaking out against that.
"The future pope told his biographer he had helped to hide potential targets of the junta and I did what I could, given my age and my limited contacts, to plead on behalf of those who had been seized. Adolfo Prez Esquivel, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was among those who leapt to the defense of the new pope.He told the BBC his fellow Argentine had no links to the military dictatorship. There were bishops who were complicit, but not Bergoglio, he said in an interview."more at http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/argentine-church-under-th...
Pope Francis paid his hotel bill today and collected his dirty laundry!http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/15/world/europe/pope-francis.html?hp
Don't any of you philosophers and kibitzers have something to say about the problem of collective guilty except that you believe in it?
There is a Jesuit context also. During 1975 the worldwide Society of Jesus held a ground-breaking general congregation which committed the entire order to work through its institutions and ministries for justice and peace. I don't know whether Fr. Bergoglio was a delegate but as newly appointed provincial superior he was expected and ready to implement these steps. That meant re-tooling the many schools and colleges with their traditional functions. But it also meant avoiding partisan positions, especially in volatile societies such as Argentina. And this brings up another point. That 1975 general congregation was the first in the Society's history that was held for the purpose of reviewing its objectives (rather than for electing a new superior general). And other such meetings have been held periodically for the same purpose. Might the Jesuit example, ironically for an order that was among the most top-down Catholic institutions, provide a useful pattern for the entire church? Wouldn't this be the right time to empower finally the synods of bishops to decide vital matters on their own authority in communion with Peter, and to restore such decision-making powers to local conferences of bishops?
Jesuits profess vows of poverty, chastity, and a special vow of obedience to the Pope. HmmDoes that mean that a Jesuit pope vows obedience to himself? How does he do that? Or is he no longer bound by that special vow?We have no precedence for this. (Inquiring minds want to know because they need a life to stop thinking up questions like this.)
The Jesuits in the 70s were anything but middle of the road in Latin America. This from Wikipedia ... the Jesuits undoubtedly made great sacrifices for their beliefs and immense dedication to the poor and dispossessed. On 20 June 1977 the White Warriors Union death squad threatened to kill all of the 47 Jesuits serving in El Salvador unless they abandoned their work with the poor, and left the country within a month. After consulting with the Jesuit community in El Salvador, Fr. Arrupe replied, "They may end up as martyrs, but my priests are not going to leave because they are with the people." A few months earlier, Jesuit Father Rutilio Grande, a proponent of liberation theology, had been assassinated in El Salvador.
Margaret - my view on collective guilt is that it is reducible to many instances of individual guilt. It is true that when individuals get together, they can put things in motion, or sustain things already in motion, that a solitary individual wouldn't be able to accomplish on her own. But the individuals who put that evil in flight or kept it aloft are the ones who are culpable.Collective guilt, on the one hand, tends to tar some people undeservedly who happen to belong to whichever collective is being accused of sinning. And on the other hand, it tends to let guilty individuals off the hook by allowing them to point to the collective, as though their own participation in the sinful activity was partly or wholly beyond their control.Just my views.
I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around (2) ideas. I would like to be indulging the romance that just perhaps Catholics have dodged a bullet with F1. I'm stuck on:1. How is it going to work for now infallible F1 to have formerly infallible B16 lurking around the Vatican gardens at every turn, looking over his shoulder every time he needs to make a decision that will reflect badly on B16's tenure? Is F1 going to be preparing meals for B16 on a regular basis?2. Is F1 really going to retain now Archbishop Georg Ganswein [affectionately referred to in the Italian press as "Bella Giorgio" - their use of the feminine, not mine] as his papal secretary and head of the papal household?The selection of Ganswein, and the designation of his duties strategically placing him in the new papacy, was made PRIOR to the conclave. Does this mean that B16 decided in advance who would be the papal gatekeeper for the Argentinian Jesuit? Who is really calling the shots in the Vatican? What kind of pope would accept such an arrangement, such a limit on his own prerogatives? Does this mean that B16 will be actually calling the shots from the isolation of his retirement?I would feel a lot more reassured if reports surface after F1 and B16 meet in the next few days that B16 is elated that other arrangements at another monastery or retirement home have been made and that he will not be taking up residence across the Vatican gardens from the Apostolic Palace. [Do you really think that F1 will eschew his new digs in the Palace? Maybe he will take the room just next door to B16 in the monastery? Those poor nuns, now they will never have any peace.]In the past when new popes would speak of their "brother of fond memory" at least they and everyone else were reassured that the predecessor was actually RIP. It's a lot easier to ignore politely what is now entombed: Out of sight, out of mind!
Following Karl Jaspers, Paul Ricoeur speaks of political evils. These ae evils that holders of political office perpetrate in the course of exercising their official functions. Some of these evils establish or perpetrate policies or practices thast unjustly favor or disfavor some of their fellow citizens. These are domestic political evils. analogously, some of these evils are perpetrated against foreign states or their citizens. Responsibility for remedying these domestic or international wrongs falls not only on the guilty officials but also on their fellow citizens who benefit from these wrongdoings "independently of their individual acts or their degree of acquiescence in state politics. Whoever has taken advantage of the benefits of public order must in some way answer for the evils created by the state to which he or she belongs." (Paul Ricoeur, "Memory, History, Forgetting," U. of Chicago Press, 2004, page 475.Apply this conception to evils perpetrated by officials in the course of exercising their offices. Not an easy task, but not an impossible one. I take it that only institutionalized evils are genuine examples of collective guilt. At bottom, only individual are agents. There are no collective agents, though agents may cooperate to increase the impact of their individual actions. E.g., ballplayers palying baseball together.Collective responsibility is something else. If both x and y have responsibility for some institutional evil, it may be that some action of x will make it unnecessary for y to take any remedial action.This is rather rough and cryptic, but I hope that it is intelligible, whether one accepts it or not.
Should we not expect (demand, actually ....) more from those who have more power, access and authority than we do from the average shlupp?
"Responsibility for remedying these domestic or international wrongs falls not only on the guilty officials but also on their fellow citizens who benefit from these wrongdoings independently of their individual acts or their degree of acquiescence in state politics. Whoever has taken advantage of the benefits of public order must in some way answer for the evils created by the state to which he or she belongs. "Bernard - I agree with everything in the second paragraph of your comment. Regarding this quote from Ricoeur which I've pasted here - I'm not so sure.For example: suppose that the war in Iraq is deemed an unjust - that is, sinful - war. It was perpetrated by an identifiable group of elected officials and their appointees. These officials exercised authority over every member of the American public, and every member of the American public benefited in some way from that exercise - as Ricoeur notes, we were all beneficiaries of whatever peace and prosperity there was during that era. But I wouldn't hold every member of the American public responsible for the Iraq War. Many of them, including not a few folks who post and comment here, worked strenuously to not put those officials in place, to not re-elect them, they spoke out publicly against the war, and so on. Those members of the American public can reasonably claim that they did what was in their power to prevent the war from happening. I don't consider them culpable.(Beyond that, there is the matter of the remoteness of the cooperation in an enterprise like the Iraq War).
About stuff like energy waste, or really almost anything, you can make a difference by who you vote for, by changing your own behavior, by making others more aware of the problem. Places like Change.org are all about that.
On collective responsibility (with an eye to the quote from Ricoeur supplied by Bernard Dauenhauer): in the late 90s, Serbia under its president, Slobodan Milosevic, conducted ethnic cleansing in Kosovo to rid it of its Albanian population. In the subsequent NATO effort to end ethnic cleansing, NATO bombed various dual use facilities in Serbia, bridges and electric power stations, for example. Civilian casualties and collatoral damage resulted. At the time, this was justified in part by the fact the Milosevic had been elected as a known nationalist of extreme views whose policies the Serbian people applauded. Were they collectively responsible? And were the NATO attacks thus justified in trying to end the ethnic cleansing in Kosov.The fire bombing of Tokyo and Dresden by the Allies in WWII seems somewhat analogous. Views?
We certainly must demand more from those who have more power etc. But there is no conclusive evidence about Bergoglio's involvement in that whole imbroglio. I remind again that Amnesty International cleared him when the question came up in the 2005 conclave. No doubt there will be many articles and books that are coming with the resulting conspiracy theories and murders. Like the endless conjectures about the Da Vinci Code and the JFK assassination. Further as John XXIII showed so well, a pope cannot control his subordinates. Especially if they are priests. The worry about Ratzinger is well taken. Despite his avowal of "unconditional obedience" he really embarrassed himself when he criticized the historic prayer meeting with other faiths by John Paul II. Francis is already showing Ratzinger up. Perhaps if Ratzinger had to take a bus or cook for himself he might have abdicated sooner. I am sure that Francis will not imprison Benedict XVI the way Boniface VIII imprisoned the former pope. But he might be tempted.
Jim Pauwels, I don't think that we disagree or that there is any problem with what Ricoeur says. Sometiimes it will be the case that some people's only opportunity to work against a political or institutional evil is to vote against those who perpetuate the evil, or to protest against it, or to speak against it with their friends and neighbors etc. Indeed, I think that there are enough institutional evils from which I benefit that i could spend my whole life protesting against them. Thart would make no sense. I ought to look for ways to be as effective as i can while still doing my job, having a good family life, praying, etc. The point is not that we could ever "do enough" so that nothing else would be called for. Since this is our condition, the question of culpability arises only if I refuse to acknowledge that I'm benefiting in ways that I don't deserve to and do not do what I reasonably can to rectify that situation. In short, our task is to be alert for the unwarranted advantages that some institution may provide some of us, e.g. advantages that we white people had from institutionalized racism. We ought to look for ways to work for racial justice. The same goes for other matters, economic, social, class, educational, etc. But again, while not letting ourselves off the hook too readily, we have to be careful about charging others with blatant culpability.Again, all this is rough and lacking in subtlety. But i do think it serves as an indication of a proper way to think about such things. At least I hop so.
Our government of, by and for the people was torturing prisoners until recently when the incumbent president stopped it, not permanently. Currently it is assassinating people around the world, and even though the we are not permitted to know all the details, it is assassinating whoever it wishes in our names. Faced with an outrageous chain of dumb, corrupt and idiotic money scams, our government strove mightily -- and fairly successfully-- to keep bondholders and other holders of exotic investment instruments in the scammming organizations, not to mention their highly valuable executives, whole while letting folks with shattered mortgages go belly-up on their own.Archbishop Bergoglio might find an analysis of the last item interesting. But I would say that, overall, with our recent record, we ought to be buying drapes for our glass house.
Ms. Steinfels - you state: "The fire bombing of Tokyo and Dresden by the Allies in WWII seems somewhat analogous. Views?"Collective Guilt - well, yes, guess that this is a notion of collective guilt but what does that really mean?How about apartheid in South Africa and their Truth and Reconciliation Commission - what we know is that there was collective guilt and that it was named and a course of action was laid out - but, in general, folks were not hauled off to jail.Fire bombings - given the nature of World War II, it is hard to label the fire bombings as collective guilt....both sides did it. What about Hiroshima and Nagaski?In terms of the Argentine Dirty War - the Catholic episcopal conference did later apologize and admit collective guilt. Obviously, that helps but not if you were part of a family whose members disappeared, were killed, or tortured.
Re: Collective GuiltThere are some people who have special gifts in regards to moral life. The classic examples of "collective guilt" for our time will always be Nazi Germany, I should think. But, frankly, how many of us could realistically aspire to the role accepted by Dietrich Bonhoeffer? We are awed, inspired. But do we have that capacity? Would we criticise our sister for not acting thusly? Certainly Bonhoeffer did not. But neither did he consider that inaction was acdceptable (nor,of ocurse, that the role of Chutch in Germany was remotely consistent with the Gospels.)"...and what does the Lord require of you but to seek justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly in the presence of your God." (Micah 6:8) Sounds individual not collective to me. But what does it actually mean? I find useful the modest guidance of Sister Corita Kent, IHM: "Accept an asisgnment. Then you don't have to be responsible for everything." We have to live our lives forward - the arrow of time and all that. I can't speak for any of you, but I find it entirely difficult enough to live my own life, one day at a time, in accord with what I take to be Micah's and Sister Corita's guidance. Worrying about collective guilt in Argentina or over events in world history that occurred before I was born? Mark
May Francis be the one-eyed man in the land of the blind.
Collective guilt. Reminds me that when everyone is guilty, no one is guilty, which is a takeoff of this: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Incredibles
Speaking of collective guilt, there's a more in-depth article about Francis and the dirty war at ABC news .... http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/papal-election-stirs-argen...
Ms. Steinfels - masters thesis from a Vincentian: http://www.academia.edu/607703/JIMMY_A._BELITA_C.M_-_VALUE-DRIVEN_THE_GR... points:- An accurate historical judgment cannot prescind from careful study of the cultural conditioning of the times Yet the consideration of mitigating factors does not exonerate the Church from the obligation to express profound regret for the weaknesses of so many of her sons and daughters (MR 4.2 quoting TMA 35). This same document disclaims for the faithful today a personal responsibility for the sins of those who lived in the past,although we bear the burden of the sins in virtue of our being one with the sinners. - C OLLECTIVE G UILT AND C OLLECTIVE R ESPONSIBILITY The document states a difficult situation: The difficulty that emerges is that of defining past faults,above all, because of the historical judgement which this requires. In events of the past, one must always distinguish the responsibility or fault that can be attributed to members of the Church as believers from that which should be referred to society during the centuries of Christendom or to power structures in which the temporal and spiritual were closely intertwined. An historical hermeneutic is therefore more necessary than ever in order to distinguish correctly between the action of the Church as community of faith and that of society in the times when an osmosis existed between them (MR 1, 4).- Important in Arendts and Jaspers respective positions is the distinction between blame and responsibility. Blame implies intent, whereas responsibility refers to the liability of your position in society. This distinction made a lot of difference in how the Jews were treated in Europe before and during the Great Wars.- For Arendt, the acknowledgement of collective guilt is aplea of personal and political irresponsibility. Similar toeverybodys business is nobodys business, so is the view that when everybody pleads guilty nobody is responsible. One can claim s/he is only a bureaucrat doing what s/he is supposed to do. But then, where is the personal responsibility? Or according to an ideology that s/he is merely an outcome of history or nature, so where is the responsibility? Arendt sees bureaucracy and ideology as obstructions to political responsibility. Political responsibility is a sine qua non for the pursuit of social justice which cannot be merely realized through individual responsibility.-
Claire asked:What is my individual responsibility when it seems that, often, I have but little choice?Denounce them loudly and self-righteously, so that all may know that (I, you, whoever) is toeing the line and holding one's head high. Oh, we happy few...
I think it was inevitable that questions are being raised about our new Pope regarding his actions during dictatorship. it was the first thing that occurred to me when I heard his name announced yesterday. During those years in Latin American countries under military rule, those opposed to the policy of systematic arrests, torture and secret (and not so secret) murders , the options were to speak out and denounce those responsible publicly; create internal human rights organizations to document the crimes of the regime and work with solidarity and human rights groups abroad; find ways to utilize personal or institutional ties to the military and other security forces to try to save lives or get prisoners released; flee the country; work around press censorship and the suppression of political parties and trade unions to create new or alternative sources of information and opposition activity or an armed opposition group. Among the questions those in opposition faced (always at some and in certain periods, grave danger) was how to reconcile the urgent necessity to document and denounce the horrific crimes of the military regimes with the equally urgent necessity to do everything possible to save lives and obtain the release of prisoners. We should not forget that the founders of a human rights commission under Church auspices in El Salvador in the late 1970's were all assassinated by the mid-80's, including Monsenor Romero. Clearly, in Argentina, as in most of the rest of Latin America, there were, shamefully and inexcusably, members of the Church hierarchy who fully supported the military torturers and killers. Some even directly participated in their crimes. All of those who knowingly supported, participated or cooperated with torture and murder ( including officials in the United States) are guilty of terrible crimes and grave sins. May God have mercy on them. But for those who opposed the Latin American dictatorships, and I would count then Fr. Bergoglio among them, and who remained in the country, I'm not sure we have the moral standing to judge the difficult and oftentimes impossible choices forced on by circumstances they neither chose nor anticipated. They deserve our sympathy and our solidarity.
A clarification: I meant to say that some American government officials were complicit in the crimes of the Latin American military dictatorships. I'm not suggesting that US Catholic officials were in any way responsible.
"But for those who opposed the Latin American dictatorships, and I would count then Fr. Bergoglio among them, and who remained in the country, Im not sure we have the moral standing to judge the difficult and oftentimes impossible choices forced on by circumstances they neither chose nor anticipated. They deserve our sympathy and our solidarity."Charles Rohrbacher - well said.
Thanks all for your reflections. Mr. deHaas, I will pursue the link you post. Mr. Rohrbacher, thanks for your information and analysis.This whole issue came to mind because of the speed with which the accusations of complicity came up; some have been answered, but not others. One interesting media view seems to be that a Jesuit provincial is like an episcopal leader. Those who have watched the Jesuits over recent years know that many are not on the same page as the local bishop, in fact, quite the opposite.
Bernard - I am always happy when we are in agreement :-)
At the risk of boring you all to death, let me add a bit to the matter of political evils that I talked about above. There are also political goods, goods brought about by political leaders and the citizens who support them. Consider some elementary things such as police protection, food inspection, air traffic control. Now consider the state budget. It deals with the production of goods and their distribution. As such it distributes benefits and burdens. No particular budget or series of budgets is perfect, but some are better and fairer than others. Citizens have a responsibility to encourage good budgeting practices and those officials who are guided by them.Briefly, there is a "collective responsibility" that all competent citizens have to support good government. Of course, there are arguments about which governmental practices are indeed for the common good and which are not. There are also wide differences in the kinds of support citizens can give to such practices. Some of us have more education, time, health, etc. than others do. But we all should do what we can. One thing that runs counter to support for good government, and i can't present the argument for this here, but I hope it is intuitively recognizable, is the hunt for evidence of culpability in our fellow citizens for failing to give this support. Better to praise and encourage than to look for grounds for blame in such matters.Finally, all political practice belongs to the domain of practical wisdom, a domain that claims no absolute certainty for the "conclusions" it arrives at.Disclosure: I have written some articles about "collective responsibility." They have been found publishable. And also worthy of strong criticism!
I too am grateful for Charles Rohrbacher's informative and careful analysis. Further research and discussion may be indeed be helpful, but life, especially in very difficult circumstances, doesn't necessarily fit into neat boxes labeled "black" and "white."As Margaret Steinfels has pointed out, Father Bergoglio was not a member of the Argentine episcopate in the years of the military dictatorship. He was, for part of the regime's life, the Jesuit provincial, with a six-year term. What role did other provincials of men's and women's communities play during this period? Is there a standard, carefully researched history of the Church's role during the junta's control?I write this as someone who believes that we need not canonize every pope, in life or in death.
line 2: strike the first "be"
Again today the allegations of the journalist Verbitsky are brought up in an op-ed by the novelist Martin Caparros, with no mention that they were never substantiated and that Bergoglio's role was defended, not only by himself, but by others in the human rights community. Unsubstantiated charges, repeated often enough, create the impression that they are true but unadmitted. Look how long the ridiculous canard about President Obama being a Muslim persisted. I think our obligation to truth cuts both ways. We cannot support the endless retelling of unsubstantiated stories, even as we can't whitewash known facts of history that are inconvenient.This report from CBS was more balanced, I thought, although it relied too much on a single source, Rubin, for its information concerning the material that supports a positive view of Bergoglio's actions.http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57574147/jorge-bergoglio-who-is-the-...
Apropos of Rita Ferrone's point: "our obligation to truth cuts both ways. We cannot support the endless retelling of unsubstantiated stories, even as we cant whitewash known facts of history that are inconvenient." And somewhat off-topic...Wednesday evening (day of papal election), we went to see Verdi's Don Carlo. Opera fans will know that the Grand Inquisitor plays a large role, a nefarious one. Verdi's view, that of a 19th century anti-clerical, anti-Emperior, has Phillip of Spain in a nefarious role as well. My impression is that the historiography of the Inquisition has undergone a revisionist examination, and much that we think we "know" about it is not accurate. Watching and listening to the odious Grand Inquisitor (looking like the Walrus-like "river spirit" in "Spirited Away"), I couldn't help but think about the ways in which "old" history is repeated and kept alive, in this case by the beautiful music.
Bernard Dauenhauer: Can you provide any links to your essay(s)? Thanks.
When I read these posts, I think that collective guilt is a political concept developed to apportion reparations. But I think of sin as an individual responsibility; that is, the individual members of a group can sin, but the group itself does not. Individual confession and the story of God sparing Sodom and Gomorrah in Gn 18:16-33 if only 10 good people can be found seem apropos. That said, the group as the single best, though imperfect representative, may be appropriate level to assess reparations for any number of practical reasons.
In this afternoon's press briefing, Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, issued a strong statement defending Father Bergoglio's role during the dictatorship, and pointing out that Bergoglio has several times publicly responded to the charges in the intervening years.I am unable to link to the site, but I am sure that someone with better skills than mine can.
Bruce, FWIW, collective guilt was not developed to apportion reparations. It arose in its modern form as -- in the title of Karl Jaspers' book on the topic -- "The Question of German Guilt." Germany was not, at the time, in a position to pay reparations to anybody. It wasn't even a construct of liberal lawyers. And, although individuals are responsible for their own sins, as Pope Benedict wrote, "No one lives alone. No one sins alone; no one is saved alone."
Do I recall correctly that Cardinal Ratzinger when of the Holy Office criticized the idea of "structural sin"? Seems obvious there is, but what was he after?
The Benedict quote about nobody sinning alone is from Spe Salvi, 47. That is later than the Holy Office Ratzinger. Maybe the difference is having time to reflect on the subject of his three non-papal papal books, Jesus of Nazareth. Such results have been known to happen from reflection.
Re Margaret's 10:56 am this morning:Unfortunately, I don't know whether there are links or how to make them. The following is the best I can do.1. "Responding to Evil;" Southern Journal of Philosophy, Vol.XLV, no.2, 2007.Abstract: In this paper I argue that moral and political evils, even though they are all contingent, as so pervasive and persistent that there is no practical way of responding to them that would lead eventually to the eradication of all of them. Instead, our practical task is to respond to these evils in ways that respect both the basic capabilities and the associated vulnerabilities that are constitutive of each human being. To do this most effectively, one should offer unconditional forgiveness to the perpetrators of evil. The attitude that can best underpin this forgiveness is on of properly understood indefeasible hope, a hope that always insists that each person is of greater worth than whatever he or she does.2. "Unconditional Forgiveness" A Defense" in "Ricoeiur and the Task of Political Philosophy," eds. Greg S. Johnson and Dan Stiver, Lexington Books, 2013.If someone wants to see "Unconditional Forgiveness: A Defense" please send me an email at [email protected] .com and I'll send you the paper as an attachment. Unfortunately, I can't offer the same for "Responding to Evil." I could make a hard copy and mail it to anyone who wants it.A promise. If anyone sends me an email about either of these matters, I will respond only to that email. You will not be subjected to any other stuff from me.Now all of you know how tech-savvy I am.
Thank you.
Ms. S. ==About "structural sin". Laws structure society and direct the actions of officials. Two questions arise immediately. First, do officials have the obligation to implement all laws, even those that are unjust? But this is a different question from: who is responsible for the laws? In a democracy the legislatures are, and individual legislators are responsible for voting for or against them. They are most responsible for those laws, although the people who voted for them are also responsible for giving power to the legislators, depending on why they voted for the legislator. For instance, if Candidate A runs on a platform of helping the poor, and I voter for her, but, without telling us that she is going to push fracking (which I think is immoral), then am I responsible for the fracking law that she manages to get passed? I think not. Mere presence in the face of injustice does not make one responsible for it.But then the question arises: when we become aware of an injustice must we always act to stop it? Again, it all depends.
Not to diminish the gravity of the human rights situation in El Salvador in the 70s/80s, but Charles Rohrbacher is mistaken when he says that the founders of a human rights commission under Church auspices in El Salvador in the late 1970s were all assassinated by the mid-80s, including Monsenor Romero. An assistant at the commission [Socorro Jurdico] disappeared, and two of its lawyers went into exile; one of the two later returned to the country and is currently a member of the constitutional chamber of El Salvadors Supreme Court; the other is currently the executive director of the prestigious Inter-American Institute of Human Rights. Also, while Monsenor Romero recognized the work of Socorro Jurdico and made it part of his office, he was not one of its founders. It is true that doing human rights work in El Salvador in that era was a dangerous proposition. For more information, see (among others) the report of the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador: From Madness to Hope: The 12-year War in El Salvador.http://www.usip.org/publications/truth-commission-el-salvadorhttp://www....
Thanks Gene. Fact-checking always useful!
Thank you Gene for the helpful correction. As always, it is important to be accurate, which in no way diminishes the gravity of the human rights abuses in El Salvador. I should have been more specific -- I was thinking of the Commission for Human Rights, which was a secular human rights organization (denounced as an FMLN front) which I have always understood was founded with the support and encouragement of Monsenor Romero. Marianella Garcia Villas and Herberto Anaya were assasinated respectively in 1983 and 1987. The press secretary Magdalena Henriquez was killed in 1980 and one of the early directors, Ramon Valladores was killed in the early 80's but I don't recall the exact year. My point, which I appreciate you underlined, was to illustrate just how dangerous human rights work was in general and in particular in El Salvador.
A very important article on this topic of political responsibility is Steven Perlstein's piece in today's Washington Post The title is "Is Capitalism Moral?"
Our generation (I'm 71)is being exposed to much. Many of us who have held no positions of authority didnt' have the chance to take official positions in anything public. that does not mean we are not responsible for what happened in our milieu.....maybe the "wisdom of old age" Francis was refering to is to recognize our errors and try to make ammends with a new life of doing what is right. Being repentant does not mean being forgiven.
Gene, I'd be interested in reading your own take on Pope Francis, when you have had time to decide what you want to say.
Gene, good idea from Claire. If you'd like I will put them in a new post.
It seems to me that the figure of Bergoglio is troubling in a way not addressed by generalities about collective guilt. See these three pieces:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/15/pope-francis-argentina-milit...
I think these articles have been trolled through already here and in other posts...something like an echo not a ....
Peggy and Claire:Thank you for the invitation. Truth is that I don't feel I have anything to add. If that changes, I'll write something.
Listeening of the new pope's warm sermon on the woman taken in adultery here in Rome this morning, I could not help wondering if he was not perhaps asking for mercy in people's judgment on his own past.
I wonder zhy Fr Jose de Vera, a very moderate and reasonable man, secretary to the Jesuit general Kolvenbach, spoke in such an extraordinarily negative way about the new pope. Or why Fr Adolf Nicolas, a very warm, kind, and positive man, welcomed the papal election so coldly. I can only presume they know something we don't, yet.
Anybody ever meet a Jesuit who actually approved of another Jesuit, much less liked them?

subset: commoncrawl


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In a historic move, on May 9, President Barack Obama announced his support for full marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. In an interview with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts, President Obama stated that his decision to publically support marriage equality is rooted in his faith. In the days immediately following President Barack Obama's statement in support of marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples, news media outlets scrambled to address the president's use of religious language in explaining how his "evolution" concluded with him choosing to support marriage equality. What we found was stark, but unsurprising.
With President Barack Obama's recent announcement of support for same-sex marriage, GLAAD today is urging both local and national media to highlight the voices of supportive African-American and Latino clergy who feel that all loving couples should be able to marry, regardless of sexual orientation. These beliefs are not tied to party affiliation, and speak to the evolution of people of faith, including clergy, on this issue.
The Talking About series was co-authored by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), in partnership with a board of contributing editors from the Human Rights Campaign, Lake Research Partners, PFLAG's Straight for Equality project, Arizona Together, researcher Margaret Conway, and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN, on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell section).
A three-year study of mainstream news coverage about the intersection of religion and issues affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community1 showed that media outlets overwhelmingly quoted or interviewed sources from Evangelical Christian organizations to speak about LGBT lives, and the messages from those sources were significantly more negative than positive, resulting in a 'religion versus gay' framing.
GLAAD le insta a todos los medios de comunicación a prestar mucha atención al lenguaje que se emplea a la hora de cubrir cualquier noticia (sobre todo las historias de crímenes) que tenga que ver con la comunidad lésbica, gay, bisexual y transgénero (LGBT).


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I'd like to know:
- What's the difference?
- Which one needs akkusativ-object?
I'd like to know:
Same as buy in English. Works for pretty much every situation, from chewing gum to real estate to bribery ;)
Needs an accusative object, e.g.
This leans more towards shopping ("einkaufen gehen" = "to go shopping"). As a noun it is also often used in the context of a corporate purchasing department ("die Einkaufsabteilung", "Sie arbeitet im Einkauf.").
Can be used with an accusative object:
Note that "einkaufen" doesn't need an accusative object:
Another meaning of "einkaufen" can be to pay money to attain a certain status that is usually inherited or achieved through merit, e.g. to acquire an aristocratic title:
Similar to English usage ("to buy up something").
Needs accusative object in most cases:
Is also used in the context of company acquisitions. The company being bought is usually the subject and the passive form is being used:
Usually used in the sense of someone offering money for certain (used) items, e.g. (dental/jewelry) gold ("Goldankauf") or used cars ("Ankauf von Gebrauchtwagen").
Needs an accusative object:


text:
CTV anchor Andrew Johnson thought he was asking colleague Astrid Braunschmidt if she wanted to have a chat when he suggested that they "canoodle" before her weather report.
Canoodle, for the Andrew Johnsons of the world, means "to pet or fondle," or sometimes even "to make love."
"We're not going to be canoodling," a flabbergasted Braunschmidt replied. "What?!"
On Twitter, responding to a follower who noted that "the worst part of the #canoodling slip is that you rejected him lol," Braunschmidt retorted, "well we ARE married to other ppl. Lol."
Lols all around.
[video via Guyism]


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Feast of films
Hava Nagila and other highlights of the Jewish Film Festival
By Tim Pompey 02/28/2013
The Ventura County Jewish Film Festival is returning this year with a brand-new selection of movies that highlight Jewish culture, history and music. For instance, the film Hava Nagila, scheduled to be shown March 9, 7 p.m at the Regency Buenaventura, is a documentary about 150 years of Jewish life with the famous Canter's Deli in Los Angeles as its backdrop.
The song is often a part of Jewish parties, bar mitzvahs and even of a local deli famous for its singing waiters and waitresses. But it also has deep historical roots and sums up the culture that has developed into what we know today as Jewish life.
And that, in a sense, is what the Ventura County Jewish Festival hopes to bring to its local audience. "The film is fun. It's full of wonderful music. It has an extraordinary story, and people are going to love it," said festival chair Bobbi Swerdlin.
Swerdlin, a retired elementary school teacher, helped found the festival 10 years ago after she and her husband attended the Yiddish Film Festival in Ojai with their friends Ivor and Sally Davis. As she recalled, "Afterwards, the four of us were talking in the parking lot and I said, 'If Ojai can do this, why can't we put on our own film festival?' "
Ivor became the initial chair. Sally and Bobbi served on the festival's first committee. It took them a year of hard work, but they succeeded in launching their film series at Temple Beth Torah in March 2003.
Since then, the festival has expanded to local theaters around the county: the Roxy in Camarillo, the Plaza Cinema in Oxnard and the Regency Buenaventura in Ventura.
This year's theme is Celebrating 10 Years! The festival will be showing 10 films in honor of the past decade. Sally Davis, who recently passed away, will be honored. Swerdlin credits her as one of the festival's guiding lights. "She was bright and witty and always had something interesting to say," she noted.
Swerdlin and her committee have high expectations for the films they select. They try to get the best films available that include Jewish content. The films must also be new and not yet released to theaters. "We try to have their premieres here," she said, "and the film must have a compelling story, something we can all learn from."
Swerdlin believes the Jewish community, as well as film lovers from across the county, are hungry for films about Jewish life and culture. "We want to see films with Jewish content, movies that are historical and teach," she said. "We want to help people learn about Jewish culture, history, politics and spirituality."
Festival organizers also hope to break old stereotypes about what might be defined as a Jewish film. "When people think of Jewish movies, they usually think of sad movies, so this film festival shows that Jewish films can also be fun and interesting," she said.
For example, there is the premiere of a documentary called Shalom Ireland, which highlights the vibrant Jewish community that still exists on the big Emerald Isle, or the animated film 55 Socks, based on a poem by Marie Jacobs.
Swerdlin and her committee believe the Jewish Film Festival helps everyone who attends to better understand the diversity of Jewish life. "It's a cultural event," she said, "that brings the Jewish community at large together, and it's also a positive way to let people know who we are."
Jewish Film Festival, through March 17. Tickets are $11 each or $62.50 for a season pass. They are available for purchase online at www.vcjff.org or at the offices of Temple Beth Torah, 7620 Foothill Road, in Ventura. For more information, call 647-4181.
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Two twin sisters synchronize their watches and simultaneously (from the earth frame) depart earth in different directions. Following a predetermined flight plan, each sister accelerates identically to 99.9%c and then returns home at the same time (again in the earth frame). The observers on earth see each twin as having aged identically, as the symmetry of the problem dictates. Each twin however should see the other as having aged... What gives?
The resolution of this apparent paradox introduces no new ideas with respect to the canonical version of the paradox. As you point out, the journey of each twin is symmetric, and so each twin calculates that they will age the same amount by the time they return home.
If, instead of appealing to symmetry, you would like to do the calculation from the perspective of one twin reasoning about the passage of time of the other twin, the reasoning is as follows: During the outgoing phase of the journeys, each twin calculates that less time has elapsed on the other twin's clock than on their own. But during the turnaround, they calculate that the other twin ages rapidly to such an extent that, even accounting for the time dilation for the return journey, their ages will be the same when they meet up back at their starting point.
We can simplify the problem by assuming that the twin sisters leave Earth already at 0.999c and when they return to the earth they are still doing 0.999c. That means the only acceleration takes place when the sisters reverse speed at the halfway point of their journey.
We can all compare watches on two points that everyone is in the same place i.e. when the sisters leave Earth we can all synchronise watches so they read the same, and when the sisters return we can all compare the readings on the watches. The fact the sisters are moving at this moment doesn't matter as long as both the sisters and we are in the same place.
So consider what sister A sees: working forward from the start point, sister A sees sister B moving at 0.9999995c (relativistic addition of 0.999c to 0.999c) so the time dilation is 1,000. So sister A sees sister B aging at 1/1000 of the normal rate. Likewise for sister B.
Now take the end point, at which the sisters are the same age, and follow the sister's trajectories back in time. Again sister A will see sister B aging at 1/1000 of the normal rate, and again likewise for sister B.
If we follow the trajectories forward from the beginning, and backwards from the end, then obviously at some point the trajectories must meet, and this means the sisters must have changed from the initial to the final inertial frame i.e. they must have accelerated to change inertial frames. Lets consider this from sister A's point of view.
During the acceleration sister A feels a force, but considers herself not to be moving. So from her perspective sister B accelerated to change her speed from 0.9999995c to -0.9999995c and even though sister B was aging at 1/1000 of the normal rate, during the acceleration sister B's time catches up with and overtakes sister A's time. During the inbound leg sister A sees sister B aging slowly again, but the age jump during the acceleration makes up the difference. Sister B sees exactly the same, i.e. she sees sister A age during the acceleration.
So that's why the sisters end up the same age. They do indeed see each other aging more slowly, but it's during the acceleration between the outbound and inbound legs that each others time catches up.
I haven't attempted to do the sums because to be honest I've long since forgotten it and I'd have to go away and look it up, but you can probably find it on the web. Contrary to popular belief you don't need general relativity as special relativity is perfectly capable of handling accelerations, as long as you're content to treat acceleration as absolute. My recollection of doing the calculation at college is that it was messy and actually not very illuminating.
John Rennie's answer doesn't sound quite right. This problem can be restated with no acceleration. Suppose we have 4 sisters {A1,A2} and {B1,B2}. Sisters A1 and B1 leave the earth simultaneously and agree to keep traveling on a non accelerated trajectory indefinitely. At the same time (from the earth frame) sisters A2 and B2 start traveling towards earth. Some where in the middle Sister A2 passes A1 and B2 passes B1. Sisters A1 and B1 transmit their current wallclock time to their respective sisters. Here there is no acceleration, hence acceleration can not be part of the problem.
Or what if the universe is closed and they meet at the starting point after a finite time. Again, no acceleration.
A simple explanation appears to be that each twin are the same age after the journey because they traveled paths of equal length through spacetime. In other words their perspective watches measured the same amount of proper time.
In the canonical version of the twin paradox the difference in age of the earth bound twin, and the space-traveling twin can viewed as that the earth bound twin followed an essentially straight line through spacetime, and the space-traveling twin followed a curved path through spacetime. In Minkowski space, unlike Euclidean space, a curved path is shorter than a straight path.
I'd stick to simple for this one: Both twins accelerate and then decelerate equally, while the earth observer stays put with close to zero accumulated acceleration. So Minkowski's very first approach to answering this question -- "who is accelerating?" to paraphrase -- applies nicely. When everyone returns to the same location and velocity and compare clocks, the twins simply find they are the same (low) age, and that everyone on earth aged faster.
Incidentally, don't let discussions of "viewing" each other's ages through telescopes throw you off on this one. With enough data you can place brackets around permissible time deltas that way, but you can't give final answers because you don't know how much of the spatial distance between you may still end up converted into time distance. The shared location, shared frame finale in contrast gives answers that depend only on who spent more time accelerating.
protected by Qmechanic♦ Jan 29 '13 at 15:04
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text:
Sang Yoon Takes a Stand For Anchovies
The chef likens them to "the sixth man coming off the bench. Not a star player, but critical to the success of many dishes."
The chef likens them to "the sixth man coming off the bench. Not a star player, but critical to the success of many dishes."
The two chefs are opening an ambitious space to serve L.A. its daily bread.
Following "Carrot Cake-Gate," Sang Yoon is deciding to lick everyone's wounds with a freebie.
The series will be held on a fire-pit patio at the Lukshon and Father's Office chef's test kitchen.
The condiment controlling chef makes plain that it's not for him, however.
The chef will feature new dishes like the soup and pork belly lettuce cups with crispy pig ear.
Back in the chef's early days, Julia Child was the only food world celebrity.
The parts are familiar, but the usages a little unexpected.
The chef, who used to work at Puck's "avant-garde" Chinese-European hybrid, thinks it set the stage for today's Asian palate in The U.S.
Let's just hope dan dan noodles Sriracha-infused cocktails go over the heads of all those students clogging F.O.'s doorway.
The restaurant is looking for prep cooks and will announce an opening date next week.
The Father's Office chef likes Santouka and Del Taco, but hates the beach and possibly people too.


text:
This strong and durable topcase rack for the Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer gives you a stable place to mount any Rapid-Trap equipped Zega or Zega Pro topcase.
Made entirely of stainless steel and specifically designed for the Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer attachment points, the Topcase rack is the perfect way to attach ZEGA PRO Topcases equipped with the Rapid Trap system to your bike. The Topcase rack can be used on its own or in conjunction with our pannier system.
All mounting hardware is included in the kit, making this rack quick and easy to install on your Triumph.


text:
Boys Backpacks
Send your little boy back to school with cool boys backpacks from Sophias Style! We have boys backpacks for school, boys rolling backpacks, and even a variety of fun toddler boys backpack for little ones that are already looking forward to school.
Bixbee Kids Boys Girls Blue Horizontal Laptop Backpack
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D and N Kids Boys Blue Space Giraffe Zipper Compartment Backpack
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D and N Kids Boys Girls Orange Owl Insulated Lining Lunch Bag
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Cool Boys Backpacks
Sophias Style has fun boys backpacks for school that your little student will love! We have a variety of styles, everything from boys rolling backpacks, boys camo backpack to fun toddler boys backpack. He's sure to love his boys backpack from SophiasStyle.


text:
10 Jun 2013 11:40 AM #1
How I'm getting my ExtJS-based consulting website indexed by Google
How I'm getting my ExtJS-based consulting website indexed by Google: http://dexygen.com/ria/#!/README/SeoForExtjs
12 Jun 2013 7:53 AM #2
Thanks for sharing!Are you a Sencha products veteran who has wondered what it might be like to work at Sencha? If so, please reach out to our human resources manager: email@example.com
28 Jun 2013 8:21 PM #3
Yeah well it's an imperfect solution. It relies an awful on redirecting, or not, based on the user-agent. For instance, if the user agent seems to indicate a bot (and I do this in a very naive way, based on a case insensitive regular expression testing for bot|crawl|spider) if they reach the ajaxified URL, I redirect them to the "static" URL that gets served in the iframe from the ExtJS front-end, but then the static URL needs to be sure the referer wasn't the ajaxified URL, so it does *not* do the re-direct.
A bit of a mess and I haven't gotten it quite right, see attached screen shot where ironically one of the pages Google won't index is the "SeoForExtjs" page . Anyway due to other frustrating issues regarding broken tooltips in 4.2.0 (and many other such careless issues during my 4.5 years working with this framework) and changing CDN urls from 4.2.0 to 4.2.1 I've decided to switch to Twitter Bootstrap *and* I've devised a different, potentially monetize-able way of resolving "escaped fragment" /#!/ ajaxified URLs. Which however still probably won't work so well for ExtJS, because it will return the entire rendered DOM, and the noise (DOM elements) to signal (actual content) will probably be just too much for bots to sift through. So I'm going to focus instead on the vast majority of Ajaxified, non-ExtJS URL's.not_followed.png
1 Jul 2013 10:45 AM #4
Any reason why you can't use divs with SEO text in your actual DOM and then contenEl: it in Ext? Combine that with an XML sitemap and what's missing?
14 Jul 2013 9:55 AM #5
14 Jul 2013 9:58 AM #6
We don't need no stinkin jQuery
Or ExtJS, for that matter: http://codrspace.com/dexygen/we-don-...tinkin-jquery/
14 Jul 2013 9:05 PM #7
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia (aka GMT+10)
- Posts
- 1,093
- Vote Rating
- 56
why note generate a dynamic google site map for the site?Lead Trainer / Sencha Specialist
Community And Learning Systems
Lead Architect
19 Nov 2013 5:11 AM #8
Hi Dawesi,
do you have some guidelines about generate a dynamic google site map for the site and what should be done on site to support it.
In general, extjs web sites doesn't have parameters in url, since all content is from ajax calls.


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Suppose I have a fairly generic question (like about the use of global variables or something like that) but I'm looking for an answer related to PHP, should I include that requirement in the title? I know that it's what tags are for, but maybe it helps visibility and relevance in external engine (google) searches?
What is meta?
- Any Stack Exchange user can ask a question
- The community provides support, votes on ideas, and reports bugs
- Your voice helps shape the way Stack Exchange operates
Just don't pseudo tag the title. Please.
is good, but
is bad.
I only do this when I'm asking the type of question that's liable to get answered by people who haven't actually read the question or the tags.
For example, I asked "Is SQL Server DRI slow?" and actually got a very good answer, but I suspect that if I hadn't added the "SQL Server" part then a bunch of people might have given irrelevant answers for other DBMSes (and the specific DBMS was the issue there). If I had just asked "Is DRI slow?" then the title would have suggested a product-agnostic question; aside from including the product name, there was no way to reword it to be more specific.
On the other hand, I also asked about "Approaches for generic, compile-time safe lazy-load methods", and even though the verbiage does not suggest a specific language, I think it's obvious to any reader that the language matters.
Honestly, it can't hurt to include the product name, but as dmckee says, just don't make it a "pseudo-tag" at the beginning of the question; make your title a coherent sentence that includes the product name in its proper place (i.e. "Is there an XYZ library available for .NET?").
Keep tags in the tags, please.
You don't need the additional visibility. People interested in PHP likely already have that in their interesting tags.
People interested in not seeing PHP questions likely already have that in their ignored tags list.
Neither group will be served by you placing the tag in the title.
If you start to get answers from people who didn't notice the tag, then maybe you should consider editing the title to include the tag (without the brackets).
Still, I hope you won't need to change the title from "How do I Consume a WCF Service using nuSOAP" to "How do I Consume a WCF Service using nuSOAP in PHP".
If PHP is a requirement, you can certainly mention it in the title, but nobody can force you to do so. You can use any title you wish. If people think that it's not sufficiently precise, it will get edited anyway. That being said, some people do overlook tags, so the more precise your question title (and body) is, the better.
Please keep the tag in the title if it's not obvious! (as per dmckee's post) The questions shown in the sidebar in StackExchange sites do not include the tags, and it can be very frustrating to check question one after another just to find out if it applies to your situation.


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In this day and age, the 4th of July really does encompass what Founding Father John Adams wanted. Adams said "the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance....It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."
Today at Headquarters, we had the pleasure of participating in an American tradition and barbecued! Although, there were no fireworks (hopefully next year we can have those) it was still a fun time! Craig Jackson, HR & Facilities Administrator, got the grill going with delicious food! A huge thank you to Craig for grilling for hours and even recruiting his daughter to come help set up! There were hot dogs, sausages, burgers, turkey burgers and veggie burgers (for those Vegetarian's like myself)! We also had beans with bacon, Vegetarian beans, fruit and salad.Yum yum yum!
It was a great way to celebrate the Independence of this beautiful country that we live in! Let's not forget about all of the people who have sacrificed for the freedoms that we have everyday. Sometimes we take our freedoms for granted and yes, it is easy to do. So as you're barbecuing or watching fireworks, remember that this country hasn't always been free. Let's think about those who in 1776 signed the Declaration of Independence and helped create traditions that we still have today! Hold/hang/wear your American Flag gear with pride! Spend some time with your family and enjoy your day off! I personally, will be enjoying my freedom at the beach with another BBQ! I wish everyone a very happy and safe Independence Day!
References: http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/June/20060628141729JMnamdeirF0.745434.html


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For those not fully in the know, there is a major update to "Guild Wars 2" coming on November 16, but what's more, you can currently see hints of what all this will entail in Lion's Arch now! Yes, the city now has posters, new ships, some kind of travel office with nautical charts of the Sea of Sorrows, and an unactivated Asura Gate for you to check out. The posters actually are very fun to read, and thankfully people have actually gone and translated them into English from New Krytan.
Fun times, eh?
To see some more information about this update and to see translations of the posters, check out this link here.


text:
Rental Apartments in Sants - Montjuic, Barcelona
Aspasios.com is one of the best places to find your apartment for rent in Barcelona, Sants - Montjuic. Search our exclusive listings for rental apartments. Find an apartment for rent in Sants - Montjuic Barcelona on Aspasios.com and book online Read more...
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text:
Top Definition
Doxing is a technique of tracing someone or gather information about an individual using sources on the internet. Its name is derived from "Documents" or "Docx". Doxing method is based purely on the ability of the hacker to recognize valuable information about his target and use this information to his benefit. It is also based around the idea that, "The more you know about your target, the easier it will be to find his or her flaws"
Well yeah, he is saying he is doxing me and he talked about one of my youtube channels (he's never talked to me before)
af jtyuprax 29. december 2011
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?


text:
In their first face-to-face meeting since the General Assembly's adjournment in mid-April, Governor Ernie Fletcher and House Speaker Jody Richards described their talks as "cordial," but said only "baby steps" were made.
The Republican Governor and Democratic leaders met for one hour and 45 minutes to re-open negotiations over the state's budget crisis. The House and Senate have passed two different versions of the budget: the Senate's version includes Governor Fletcher's tax reform plan, but the House's does not.
Fletcher says the tax reform plan should be included to help stimulate the economy and fund future budgets, but House leaders say the tax reform issue should be delayed until next January.
If the two chambers can't reach a compromise by June 30, the state government could partially shut down, leaving the state to be run by the Governor's limited spending plan.
Both sides said today's meeting was a good start, but did not signal any significant concessions or progress on reaching a compromise. Fletcher and Richards did, however, both cautiously endorse the idea of a "bare bones" budget that would not include funding for any new projects or bonds to fund tasks like road construction. Both leaders, however, said such an austere budget would not be good for the state in the long run.


text:
This item is found in the following Product Families
Ancor provides Marine Grade products that stand up to punishing marine environments. Every product, from tinned copper wire to insulated connectors …
ANCOR supplies a full line of nylon, insulated, tinned copper terminals for the highest quality electrical systems. ANCOR's Marine Grade™ terminals differ from automotive terminals by being designed for the harsh marine environment.
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