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Don't get me wrong, there were some great games and some intriguing upsets, but with the Saints not playing, interest was going to be down regardless. Add to that one of the most remarkable weekends in college football history, and the NFL couldn't help but suffer by comparison.
Here's guessing the league will recover (an excess of $5.3 billion in revenue can do that to you [source: Forbes]).
Here's a quick look at a Saint-less Week 4.
Lions 37, Bears 27: For three quarters I kept hearing the announcers marvel over how the Lions couldn't score points. I thought to myself, "That's odd, don't the Bears have a good defense?" Apparently not. Chicago gave up 34 fourth-quarter points in the kind of epic collapse Bob Stoops would have been proud of. Detroit ended the month of September still in control of its own playoff destiny, and I don't think that has happened since the Clinton administration.
Browns 27, Ravens 13: The Browns owned the Ravens early and often in a game that demonstrated, once and for all, that Steve McNair is old. And I mean Wilford Brimley old. I half-expected him to hobble off the field and try to sell me some Quacker Oats. And what's the deal with the Baltimore defense? Flailing about wildly whilst watching the other team score is not an effective way of mounting a defense (though Cincinnati would have you believe differently).
Falcons 26, Texans 16: So the Falcons sign some decent competition for Joey Heisman and then he plays like a world-beater. It really shouldn't have to come to that, but Atlanta was downright dumb for not making a similar move earlier. Of course Heisman's efforts were aided by the fact that the entire Houston roster seems enamored with the idea of appearing as extras on Grey's Anatomy, but I won't hold that against him (too much).
Cowboys 35, Rams 7: This just in: Dallas is good again. And it only took them 11 years. Way to go guys! I think this game would have been a perfect opportunity for a forfeit. Seriously. Why did St. Louis even play this game? They could have spared themselves the embarrassment by simply giving up before the game even commenced. Oh sure, a few narrow-minded commentators might have called them spineless turkey-clowns, but at least they wouldn't have suffered another embarrassing loss.
Raiders 35, Dolphins 17: Five touchdowns for Daunte Culpepper. That is the sort of stat line that every Miami fan feared they might see this weekend, and their fears were confirmed as Culpepper proceeded to give all of South Florida a gigantic purple nurple. And then he added a swirly for good measure. Miami has become the ultimate NFL whipping boy, which given the state of the Rams, Falcons and Saints, is a most impressive feat indeed.
Bills 17, Jets 14: A 0-0 halftime display of complete offensive ineptitude gave way to a battle of wills between two teams determined to out-mistake each other. Give credit to Buffalo for fighting through their injuries and finding a way to beat a team with more talent than them, but don't make too much of this win either: The Jets have shown as much fortitude this season as a sack of feathers.
Packers 23, Vikings 16: One of these days, Brett Favre will confirm for all of us that he is, in fact, still human. Until that point, the Cheeseheads continue to roll and Favre continues to set records. Still, how sad are things in the NFC when Green Bay is on track for homefield advantage in the playoffs? It's been a weird year.
Cardinals 21, Steelers 14: The revenge bowl, Cardinals coaches Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm have had this game circled for months now, and it showed in an Arizona upset. The Steelers, who had been dominant to this point, against Arizona instead looked completely inept and pathetic ... in other words, they looked like the Dolphins. By the way, who dusted off Kurt Warner? He's partying (and playing) like it's 1999 (his Super Bowl MVP season).
Buccaneers 20, Panthers 7: That loss in Tampa Bay isn't looking so bad now, is it Saints fans? Of course, New Orleans could lose to Carolina this weekend and the point would be moot, but still, the Buccaneers are looking good. They've done a good job of blending veterans and youngsters on that defense, and Jeff Garcia is being efficient with the ball on offense. Surprisingly, Tampa Bay looks like a Super Bowl contender.
Seahawks 23, 49ers 3: I've seen worse offensive performances (the epic Bills-Jets first half comes to mind), but San Francisco is taking the concept of offense and turning it into something twisted and evil. That offense scares me, and it ain't getting better with Trent Dilfer in there. Credit the Seahawks with re-establishing the pecking order in the NFC West.
Colts 38, Broncos 20: The mental edge the Colts have over Denver is absolutely huge. I can't remember the last time the Broncos played the Colts and didn't get blown out. Obviously, having Peyton Manning instead of neophyte Jay Cutler is a big advantage to have, but the Broncos always seem to collectively wet themselves at the sheer mention of a Manning's name. Heck, they even lost to Eli two years ago. Like I said, mental edge: huge.
Chiefs 30, Chargers 16: I would have given the Chiefs zero chance in this one prior to the season, but San Diego is pressing right now (which is journalist-speak for "playing like poo") and the Chiefs have actually been okay. Dwayne Bowe is making a big impact for an offense that desperately needs a big-play threat and the defense is getting better every week. The Chargers should memorize the following equation: LT+carries=wins.
Giants 16, Eagles 3: A common phrase used among sports reporters to describe ridiculous statistics is to refer to said numbers as being "Playstation numbers." I don't know what these goobers are talking about, as I think 12 sacks is a pretty modest total for video game football, but maybe that's just me. How about we just say the Giants' sack total in this game was "ridonculous" and leave it at that.


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When I consider the plight of the homosexual, from the very beginning of his (or her) journey, at the very moment he discovers that his sexual attraction is not to the opposite sex but to his own, and that plain and simple he is not like others, to the consequent inner conflict that inevitably follows (which for many involves attempts to deny this realization and "be straight"), to that final moment of coming to accept his situation as seemingly unalterable, and finally — for many in this point in history — to that defining moment where he declares, both to himself and to the world, that his situation is not something he struggles with but rather who he is, that his lifestyle as a gay man is just as acceptable and normal as those of his "straight" counterparts, and because of this, he has every right as an American citizen to be treated equally as a gay man; when I consider all of this, then I must conclude that last Friday was for many a moment not only of profound historic but also profound personal significance. Read the full post »
On the Week Anniversary of the Supreme Court Ruling on Gay Marriage
Posted by dpatrickcollins on July 3, 2015
The Alternate Time Machine Part 2
The scientist and inventor of the alternate time machine, which had the unique ability to travel not through the fabric of actual time but to traverse all possible worlds, was not satisfied with his first journey.
In it he had found a world in which God had both been discovered through scientific means and disproved just as quickly. For God would not be found in His own creation any more than a woodworker would be found in the wood, or a computer programmer would be found in the program.
And who was to say that the world he occupied was not one big computer program, played out on a large scale? If it were, would God be found in it? No, he could not. Unless He Himself had built into the master program from the very beginning the means for man to find Him.
The scientist pondered, but in a little while lost confidence in such thoughts, for after all, there was simply no evidence for such a being called God. He turned to his new invention once again and calibrated it to explore yet another possible world.
In the next world, he found himself in a small study. A man with long bushy hair sat hunched over his desk with a small oil lantern casting light upon its surface. A parchment lay before him, and he wrote upon it with much concentration. He too was a scientist, but as our scientist was to find out, one of a different order entirely. For this world was of a different order entirely.
It was a world in which the laws of science were regularly violated. That is to say: It was a world in which miracles took place, and they took place with great frequency. A large object moving at great speed would suddenly stop. The sun, instead of setting, would stand motionless. An object, for no apparent reason, would suddenly float in midair. Even the scientific laboratory of this world could not escape such observations. This world was rich with the miraculous, certainly the best evidence for a supernatural agent at work, of God at work in His own Creation.
And our scientist who was a stranger to this world, drawing nearer to the man at the desk and peering over his shoulder, observed his colleague was writing on this very subject. On the parchment, in ink still wet, it read:
The world in which we live is a strange world indeed. Things occur without seeming any explanation. We observe in one moment apparent uniformity and regularity, almost as though things conform to or are governed by a set of laws dictated by a Creator. But in the next moment, we observe just the opposite, contradicting the hope for any such uniformity and regularity. It is a puzzle of the deepest mystery, as scientists throughout the generations have observed. And as they have also concluded, the only reasonable explanation for these exceptions are, simply put, the world is without explanation.
In this undeniable fact, we must face the hopeless reality that we are truly alone. For we are rational beings, but we find ourselves in an irrational world. And that, at the most fundamental level. Our minds expect to see logic and consistency in the world around us, but we only find it in ourselves. Above all, we crave a world that can be both explored and understood. But exploration is folly, for there is nothing to be understood. If there be anything beyond what we see with our own eyes, as some suggest, it is most certainly not a Mind like our own.
And this alone is perhaps the most damning evidence against the case for God."
The words stuck in our scientist's head like a ten-car pile-up on a foggy stretch of highway. He and his colleague from another world had arrived at the same conclusion, but for exactly opposite reasons. This would require more thought, and perhaps the exploration of another world.
And with that, he silently stole away, boarded his invention, and returned to his own world.
Posted by dpatrickcollins on April 6, 2014
The Alternate Time Machine
There once was a scientist who during his research, having stumbled upon a fortuitous discovery, managed to invent a time machine. But this time machine was no ordinary time machine (if a time machine could be called ordinary). Instead of allowing one to travel through the fabric of actual history, it allowed its recipient to traverse, as the Philosopher would say, all possible worlds.
On the morning of the invention's completion, the man sat pondering his next move. What possible world would he explore? His thoughts turned to God and all the reasons he did not believe in Him. "By far, the reason I do not believe is that after centuries of doing Science, we have yet to find in this world any shred of evidence for a supernatural agent," he said contentedly. And then he knew what he would do. He calibrated his new machine to a possible world in which evidence for a supernatural agent would be found.
Arguably, there was more than one such possible world. In the first world, he found himself in a room full of scientists, who appeared to be arguing among themselves. They were taking turns peering through a telescope of sorts, and after each individual did, a noticeable reaction would come upon his or her face, and more dialogue would ensue.
After some time, the scientist gathered what the source of the commotion was all about. The scientists in the room had discovered, in one location of the galaxy, a large eyeball staring right back at them. Some said this clearly was evidence of God; others said it was not. But even the doubter had to admit: Finding an eyeball in the middle of space was indeed an odd thing.
News reports of this went all over the world. Had humanity finally found undeniable evidence for God? After all, what was more undeniable than His eyeball? And what would be next? Would mankind find his mouth in another part of the universe, or his is hand and leg? And if this were undeniable proof, what would that mean for mankind? For every individual?
The scientific community's best minds were put on the task of answering once and for all what this all meant, while the world waited in anticipation.
Finally, a press conference was held, and broadcast to all corners of the world. And the spokesman for science, a somewhat nerdy but amiable gentleman with a pleasant demeanor, explained in calm reassuring tones that citizens of the world had nothing to fear. That this phenomenon, though somewhat odd, was really like any other phenomenon in the universe. And had we seen a sunset, or the birth of a child, or even love, for the first time, it would seem no less remarkable or strange. And that science, a discipline that determines the natural causes of all things, would not fail to get down to the bottom of this, whether now or in the distant future. Of this he was sure.
Above all, the spokesman added, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses, it certainly did not suggest something divine. That scientifically speaking, God the Creator, if there were such a thing, would not appear as part of his own creation, any more than a wood-worker would be found in the wood, or a computer programmer in the program. No, of this we can all be certain: He would be compelled, by His very nature, to reveal Himself in other ways: Through his own Creation, in the world around us and to our very thoughts, according to the way He had uniquely made us to relate to Him. And perhaps most effectively, by becoming one of us.
Posted by dpatrickcollins on March 8, 2014
10 things that Christians believe that aren't true (part 6)
This is the sixth installment of things overheard or beliefs commonly held about the Christian life that, upon further reflection, are not as true as they first seem.
Feel free to leave your own thoughts!
Breakthrough Should Be a One-Time Event
Before I introduce this topic, I must first share a little about my spiritual background. I was raised Catholic, but for the better part of my Christian life, I have been a part of churches that would be classified as non-denominational charismatic and even "faith-based."
When we talk about breakthrough, we are talking about it in the broadest sense. Breakthrough is the act of experiencing freedom or fruit or power in an area of our lives where such freedom or fruit or power did not previously exist. For example, if we turn to the Gospels, we find many people experiencing breakthrough as a result of Jesus' ministry. They were healed physically, and they were delivered from demons. As scripture says, Jesus went about the countryside healing all who were oppressed of the devil.
Posted by dpatrickcollins on October 6, 2013
10 things that Christians believe that aren't true (part 5)
This is the fifth installment of things overheard or beliefs commonly held about the Christian life that, upon further reflection, are not as true as they first seem. Feel free to leave your own thoughts!
We should not dwell on the past
A ministry that I love recently posted the following quote on Facebook: "We do not go forward by looking backward. We are not called to fix an old life but find a new life."
Despite my affinity for this ministry, I find this sentiment puzzling. It seems to imply that what each of us has experienced leading up to the present moment has no bearing at all on who we are today or on our growth in the Christian life. And further, that the true spiritual life is one in which we make a concerted effort not to acknowledge it.
But even the simplest events in our lives suggest this is not true, and following this course of action is a bad idea. Take for example, a recent event involving my son. Read the full post »
Posted by dpatrickcollins on September 28, 2013
10 things that Christians believe that aren't true (part 4)
Faith is spelled R-I-S-K
I am in the process of going into business for myself again, and it has brought to mind the first time I did so.
At that time, I was of the belief that God rewarded risk. I had heard from the pulpit that faith is spelled R-I-S-K on more than one occasion, and was persuaded to believe that God was not only most pleased when we engaged in risky activity in His name, but also that He was just waiting for us to step out beyond our own comfort, resource and abilities so that He could show His greatness. God could not resist the one who put himself or herself in an impossible situation by faith, trusting in Him to come to the rescue.
So in the fifth year of my business, struggling to make ends meet, I chose to purchase a house that I could not afford. Read the full post »
Posted by dpatrickcollins on September 22, 2013
A Review of American Fascists 2
As I mentioned in my previous post, we are taking a momentary departure from our present discussion to review the book: American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges. Rather than a broad assessment of the work, we will be taking a rifle-point precision approach to specific points raised, beginning with . . .
The first chapter of AF opens with a quote from Karl Popper which states: "Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed."
It is unclear whether Popper had Christianity in mind when he penned those words, but it is clear that Hedges did, given its placement in AF. Hedges proceeds in fact to expound upon what he finds intolerant about the Christian religion.
But before we proceed, let's address the argument Popper puts forth, and in doing so discuss what it means to be tolerant, and its merit as a virtue to be embraced. I would like to start by telling two stories. Or, actually, one story with two endings. Read the full post »
Posted by dpatrickcollins on September 7, 2013
A Review of American Fascists 1
We are taking a momentary departure from our present discussion to review the book: American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges.
This topic has come about as a direct result of an event close to home: My daughter being assigned the book for college reading. The course? Humanities. Not political science. Not world religions, either (it will be clear that the book is a an examination of, and no-holds barred attack upon, the Christian faith). Nope, just humanities.
Of course, humanities lends itself to, and has always allowed for, broad selection of reading material. Humanities professors use their own discretion in selecting reading material for these classes, and I cannot say that I blame them. But I find it both interesting and not surprising that the reading list for this course is pretty exclusively anti-Christian and left-wing with really no attempt to provide opposing viewpoints. As my own daughter has said, humanities courses seems to be "an excuse for professors to take their own personal views and force it upon their students." Read the full post »
Posted by dpatrickcollins on September 7, 2013
10 things Christians believe that aren't true (part 3)
This is the third installment of things overheard or beliefs commonly held about the Christian life that upon further reflection are not as true as they first seem. Feel free to leave your own thoughts!
- Being a Christian is about obeying the Bible.When I was younger, a man older than me professed to know what God requires of his servants. He said Jesus' true followers did what the Bible said to do. He proceeded to tell me what it taught and also that I must obey it as he instructed if I wished to be a true disciple of Jesus.His basic premise — that we as believers are to obey the Bible — sounded reasonable, even self-evident — so much that I felt compelled to radically change my life and do so. So from that day forward, I took it upon myself to obey the Bible.
Problem was: I could not do it. Read the full post »
Posted by dpatrickcollins on September 5, 2013
10 things Christians believe that aren't true (part 2)
This second installment continues my thoughts on things often said, or commonly-thought, about the Christian life that sound true but after reflection are not as true as they first seem. Feel free to leave your own thoughts also!
- Faith is thinking positive thoughts about God.There are many diverse views in the church body concerning what faith is, but a common one I run across is this one. Namely, that when the Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God, or it is by faith we obtain answers to our prayers, that the thing we envision ourselves doing is concentrating real hard on God's positive attributes, or even Biblical promises, and this act is what faith is all about.
There is of course nothing wrong with — and even everything right with — meditating on God's divine attributes and on Biblical promises. It is one way for us to come to a greater knowledge of God. It is just not, in itself, faith. Nor for that matter is any effort we put forth.
Posted by dpatrickcollins on August 28, 2013

subset: commoncrawl


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The way Samantha Hughes was playing inside, Marshalltown girls' basketball coach Stacy O'Hare wanted to get her the ball as much as possible Tuesday in the Bobcats' home opener at the Roundhouse.
Unfortunately, Hughes' career-high 20 points went for naught as the rest of the Marshalltown lineup struggled from long range and forced too many outside shots in a loss to Des Moines Hoover.
The Bobcats stayed close through three quarters but Mikayla Larson was too tough down the stretch as Hoover outscored MHS 32-18 in the second half and went on to win 53-36 at the Roundhouse.
Article Photos
Marshalltown sophomore Tabby Steffensen (30) drives to the hoop for her only field goal against Des Moines Hoover on Tuesday during the Bobcats' 53-36 loss at the Roundhouse.
Marshalltown junior Samantha Hughes, center splits two Des Moines Hoover defenders Tuesday during the Bobcats' home opener at the Roundhouse. Hughes had a game-high 20 points but the Bobcats lost 53-36.
"Our shot selection was pretty poor really," said O'Hare. "We want the kids to feel comfortable shooting the 3, but it needs to be in the flow of the offense."
Hughes' 20 points came on eight field goals and 3-of-4 from the line. But no other Bobcat had more than Emily Rebik's five points. Marshalltown made just six other shots from the floor and connected on just 7-of-13 from the line in the game. Hoover, on the other hand, was 17-of-22 from the charity stripe.
"We weren't attacking," O'Hare said in regards to the free throw difference. "We were content on shooting from the outside. We need to drive the ball to the bucket and make them move. We let their defense stand too much. We need to know when to shoot and when to drive and we just took way too many 3-pointers tonight."
Fact Box
Des Moines Hoover 53, Marshalltown 36
At Marshalltown
DM HOOVER (1-1) - Nyachristmas Puok 0 0-2 0, Brianna Hale 0 2-2 2, Artorria Jung 2 4-5 8, Lauren Provost 4 1-1 11, Malaysia Duncan 2 5-6 11, Mikayla Larson 7 5-6 19, Emily Hestbech 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 16 17-22 53.
MHS (1-1) - Karli McClure 0 1-2 1, Amanda Hughes 1 0-0 2, Ellyn Boland 0 1-2 1, Sam Hughes 8 3-4 20, Tabby Steffensen 1 0-0 2, Molly Major 1 0-0 2, Emily Rebik 2 1-2 5, Rachel Blagg 1 0-0 2, Kali Banks 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 14 7-13 36.
3-Point Goals-DMH 4 (Provost 2, Duncan 2), MHS 1 (S.Hughes). Total fouls-DMH 13, MHS 19. Fouled out-none.
Marshalltown (1-1) led 9-8 after one quarter but the Huskies led 21-18 at halftime.
The second half was when Larson decided to take over the game, though. The senior all-CIML guard scored three of Hoover's first four buckets in the third quarter and pushed the Husky lead to 11 and then put the game away in the fourth quarter with nine more points. Fifteen of Larson's 19 points came in the final two quarters.
"She is our senior leader, first-team all conference player," said Hoover coach Jason Karaidos. "We go like she goes. We play a lot better when she is on.
"We tried to force them to guard her on the dribble and when she is scoring, that is tough to do."
The main difference between Larson's effort and Hughes' effort was that the visiting Huskies (1-1) gave Larson some help.
"We have to have more balance than that," O'Hare said. "Sam was tremendous. She can play inside or outside. We had a height advantage in there with her. They weren't going to stop her in there. She was either going to get fouled or she was going to score. I thought we did an OK job of getting it to her, but we didn't get it to her enough."
Lauren Provost and Malaysia Duncan each buried two shots from long range and both finished with 11 points. Artorria Jung also scored eight points.
"We tried to go into a zone. That didn't work out real well," O'Hare said. "They spread us out in the man-to-man and we didn't have very good help position. It ended up being one-on-one with (Larson)."
The Bobcats will look to regroup when they take on Des Moines Roosevelt on Friday at the Roundhouse. The Riders though are led by 6-foot-2 center Meredith Burkhall, who is averaging 17 points per game in the team's first three games.
The MHS-Roosevelt game Friday tips off at 6:15 p.m. ... Roosevelt comes into the game 0-3 after suffering losses to preseason ranked Dowling Catholic as well as Ames and Waukee. ... A big difference in Tuesday's game was the free-throw line. Hoover came into the game shooting around 80 percent from the foul line in the early part of the season. "It is something we are doing well," Karaidos said. "If we get into the lane we know we are going to take contact and we have to finish at the line. And we were able to do that tonight." ... Hoover only beat Marshalltown by two last season in Des Moines.


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Every summer, in every corner of America, a child's seasonal schoolless bliss is dashed. And it's heartbreaking.
They're rushed, screaming, into emergency rooms with bloodied, burnt hands, faces, legs.
The reoccurring injuries and the negligence that led to them has helped make New Jersey perhaps the most stringent (warranted or not) of all on regulating summertime boomers.
Without a permit, it is illegal to sell, possess or use virtually anything regarded as fireworks in the Garden State. Permits generally go to shows - like 4th of July celebrations - performed by pro pyrotechnicians.
A Pennsylvania law allows the sale of many types of fireworks only to out-of-staters. That feeds a ready-made market across the Delaware and seems to throw a wrench into the Garden State's intended safety machinations.
The Pennsylvania law effectively allows fireworks businesses to keep contributing tax ratables at home while keeping many potential mishaps off Commonwealth soil.
Unfair as that may seem, several fireworks vendors and showmen outside New Jersey say the state would have much more to gain by loosening the tightest restrictions and maintaining what they refer to as reasonable ones.
Give business and consumers a chance?
William Weimer, vice president of Phantom Fireworks, said consumers overall are more educated, and fireworks products safer, than ever before. His Youngstown, Ohio-based company operates 52 permanent showrooms in 12 states including Pennsylvania, and more than 1,200 temporary sales sites.
Given needed restrictions and continued safety education, Weimer argued, New Jersey can open markets in-state and provide much-needed fuel to local economies.
"New Jersey residents, legitimately or illegitimately, drive to other states to buy fireworks," he said. "Then they drive back to New Jersey and use them. Who gets the tax revenue?"
It doesn't just happen here, though, he said. Weimer cited the same instance in places across the country, in which residents cross state lines, feeding the urge to make something go "boom" for the Fourth, New Year's Eve and other occasions.
Legalizing fireworks sales and use to an extent, Weimer said, can help alleviate that and the impact of a still-floundering economy.
"Today, you have tremendous economic issues all over the country," he stressed. "The economic issues facing New Jersey versus those in Ohio? They're pretty similar.
"If you can increase the tax base, get more businesses, that would be positive," Weimer concluded.
But in any case, he added, customers must be responsible, and they must be taught how to be so. After all, Weimer points out, fireworks are something you have to light to set off, and that's always something to be respected.
To that end, Phantom Fireworks conducts safety classes in 14 markets, Weimer said. The company also prints safety pamphlets in English and Spanish.
Weimer pinpoints, among other tips, having water (perhaps fire extinguishers) available when using fireworks, and ensuring dry brush and debris are not a threat.
Much-improved product safety is at the other end of the equation, Weimer said. He points to a degree of progress made by the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory (AFSL), a non-profit founded in 1989 by some in the fireworks industry.
Among other activities, the AFSL develops voluntary safety standards, tests ready-to-ship fireworks to those standards and helps manufacturers make their products safer.
"There has been a radical change in the quality of consumer fireworks in the last 15 years," Weimer said, regarding standards imposed by the AFSL, the CPSC and other, even international, organizations.
The bigger picture
According to CPSC estimates, the number of fireworks-related injuries in the U.S. rose and fell several times between 1996 and 2009.
There were 7,300 estimated injuries in 1996. The number peaked in 2000 at 11,000 injuries. It declined to 7,000 in 2008 before rising again to 8,800 in 2009.
During the same period, injuries per 100,000 people also fluctuated, beginning in 1996 at 2.7 and ending with 2.9 in 2009. The peak was 3.9 in the year 2000.
The CPSC also estimates that last year in the U.S., 8,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries, but more than half of the injuries were to victims under age 20.
Those numbers don't seem to show a drastic change, at least in the raw number of injuries. But Phantom Fireworks contends that "at least 43.9 percent of the fireworks-related injuries reported by the CPSC have nothing to do with legal consumer fireworks sold in licensed facilities like the Phantom Fireworks showrooms."
The claim could not immediately be verified. But the fluctuations also don't suggest that laws more lax than New Jersey's have increased injuries.
New Jersey is among a few states that basically ban fireworks altogether.
Forty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, meanwhile, allow what are classified as "consumer fireworks" - shells and mortars, multiple tube devices, Roman candles, rockets, sparklers and firecrackers with no more than 50 mg of powder. Under CPSC definitions, consumer fireworks also include "novelty items," like snakes, airplanes, ground spinners, helicopters, fountains and party poppers.
Five states allow only sparklers and/or other novelty items.
A happy medium?
John Kemps, president of Celebration Fireworks Inc. in Kutztown, Pa., doesn't have an inherent business-related gripe with existing Jersey law.
His professional fireworks display company serves clients including, among others, municipalities, casinos, and organizers of fairs and private parties. Kemps said he does lots of business in his own state and in New Jersey.
But he's not against the concept of allowing individuals to buy and sell fireworks, so long as officials pay close attention to safety.
"Fireworks are dangerous, and they should probably be left to the professionals," he said.
"We pay lots and lots of money for insurance in this business," he later added, of the major liabilities involved.
"Consumer fireworks are not quite as powerful as (those used by) professionals," Kemps allowed, "but they are approximate.
"They're a fire hazard, but so is gasoline, kerosene and lots of other things consumers handle."
Kemps is open about the possibilities, should New Jersey or other states make changes to their laws. They could involve training and permits, he said.
Both training and possible requirements use could include having a fire extinguisher on site. After all, Kemps said, local fire companies must be on standby even for professional shows.
A Pennsylvania pyrotechnician who asked to be identified only by his first name, Anthony, also advocates regulated fireworks use. He understands non-professionals can use legal implements responsibly, even as he sees fireworks perhaps in a slightly different light.
"As a pyrotechnician, for me fireworks are an art form," Anthony said. "I'm kind of a painter, and the sky is my canvass."
On restrictions, he referred in part to the limitations of his own state, adding people should also abide by common sense guidelines.
For one, don't drink while setting off fireworks, he said. Minors should be accompanied by adults (who aren't drinking, no matter the holiday).
"Fireworks - with safety guidelines and supervision - are fun," he added.
The simple assertion complements Weimer's own, and the main reason the Phantom Fireworks officer thinks Jersey should relax its own restrictions - "Americans love fireworks. And that love crosses ages, ethnicities, nationalities and other boundaries."


text:
A self described "Blue State Democrat", yes, an American, writes the following article for Al-Jazeera: Genocide in New Orleans
The word "Eugenics" comes to mind. Or those old 1930s experiments on Negro syphilis patients -- African-American men who were allowed to die of this horrible yet curable disease so that government officials could "study" them.
Is what happened in New Orleans the wave of the future in America as well as in such far-away places as Darfur and Iraq -- where genocide is not only feasible but is actually happening?
Iranian TV, IRAN
<<Video of Iranian Pundit: Katrina Response Indicative of Racism>>
Via MEMRI, 00:03:45, Sept. 4
"There are some interesting and heart-wrenching stories about this race, which they call 'Negro.'"
Katrina: U.S. super power status shattered
Katrina showed U.S. could be turned into "war zone"
"The mismanagement and the mishandling of the acute psychological problems brought about by Hurricane Katrina clearly showed that others can, at any given time, create a devastated war-zone in any part of the U.S.", said Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, the official spokesman of the IRGC, a top official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
DEMOCRAT PARTY LEADERSHIP AND LEFTISTS SEEK TO POLITICALLY EXPLOIT KATRINA SUFFERING: the abu-gharibing of Katrina, from Astute Blogger;
After 10 days of often uncertain responses to the Bush administration's management of Hurricane Katrina, Democratic leaders unleashed a burst of attacks on the White House on Wednesday, ... From Democratic leaders on the floor of Congress, to a speech by the Democratic National Committee chairman at a meeting of the National Baptist Convention in Miami, to four morning television interviews by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrats offered what was shaping up as the most concerted attack that they had mounted on the White House in the five years of the Bush presidency.
Speaking of aiding and abetting our enemies, the Chinese get a free pass from the left on everything;
China, or more accurately it's Chinese Communist Party dictatorship and the environment it cultivates, is a Moral Adversary.
Skin of Executed Prisoners Harvested for Cosmetics Exports
A Chinese cosmetics company is using skin harvested from the corpses of executed convicts to develop beauty products for sale in Europe, an investigation by the Guardian has discovered.
Agents for the firm have told would-be customers it is developing collagen for lip and wrinkle treatments from skin taken from prisoners after they have been shot. The agents say some of the company's products have been exported to the UK, and that the use of skin from condemned convicts is "traditional" and nothing to "make such a big fuss about".
hat tip: Tom P
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler via Blue State Conservative
The left glorifying the worst abuser of human rights, the prop master and financier of the most
heinous muslim government Sudan,
yes Evil China Secretly FUNDS Massive Slaughter and Slavery in Sudan
China lover to Iran, North Korea, Pakistan.........oh where to begin?
UPDATE: September 14, 9:15
Meanwhile, IRAN IS PLANNING TO TAKE OVER IRAQ , more on Iran's strategy here.
Add to this cauldron of impending doom, Ex-Hostages Demand CIA Release Its Report on Iranian President. Demanding that the CIA turn over a classified report that they say wrongly cleared Iran's new president of his role in interrogating them during the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran that began on November 4,1979. More here
Colonel Roeder was livid last month when he read in the Washington Post that a classified CIA assessment concluded that Mr. Ahmadinejad did not play a major role in the hostage crisis, particularly since he said the report was leaked as the State Department's Iran desk officer had just started interviews with the former hostages.
"I am upset with the CIA that they leaked a classified document calling me a liar," he said. "If someone is going to tell me I'm wrong and I know I'm not, I would bet my life on it, I should at least have access to the data that led them to that conclusion."


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The Northshore Duplicate Bridge Club, which meets for play at 24670 Esquinance St. in Big Branch, recently celebrated the 100th birthday of one of its esteemed members, Dr. Charles Richard "Dick" Walters.
Walters said he believes bridge is a great benefit to the elderly, both mentally and socially. He said that for approximately 30 years he has enjoyed hobbies including golfing, fishing, bridge playing and sailboat racing. After he reached an age where most of those hobbies became too physically demanding, he simply played more bridge.
Walters currently plays bridge two days a week at the Northshore Duplicate Bridge Club, and three days a week at the Christwood Retirement Community, where he has enjoyed living for the last 11 years.
After living the first part of his life in Atlanta and, later, Savannah, Ga., he and his family moved to New Orleans in 1929. In 1936 he graduated from Tulane University with the scholastic honors of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha, and earned a bachelor of science and doctor of medicine degrees.
He became a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery after six years as a surgeon. Then he served his country in World War II for four years as a surgeon in the Army Air Corps, and had become a lieutenant colonel by the time he was discharged.
After the war he came back to New Orleans, where he started practicing medicine in 1946. While he was very busy building a successful career, he still found time to volunteer many hours at Tulane, where among his many accomplishments, he became a professor of clinical surgery. He also was president of the Surgical Association of Louisiana, and charter member of the New Orleans Surgical Society.
Cristi Nelson, president of the Northshore Duplicate Bridge Club, said that everyone in the club enjoys Walters so much. She thinks it is because he is such a perfect example of a true Southern gentleman.
She said that recently he was due to come to the club for bridge, and his ride did not show up, so he just drove his own car to the club.
"That's right," Nelson said. "He does still have a valid driver's license, and he does still drive just for short distances."
Carol Guillory lives in the Lacombe area. To reach her, send e-mail to email@example.com or call her at 985.882.2573 or 504.234.9708. All submissions become the property of The Times-Picayune and will not be returned; submissions may be edited and published or otherwise reused in any medium.


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Ricky Martin opened Monday night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars" with a performance of his 2014 World Cup song, "Vida." It was a fitting addition for Latin Night, also dubbed the sexiest night of the year.
Martin, who doubled as a guest judge tonight, made clear from the start what he expected from the contestants: "passion, focus and engagement."
For the first time this season, the stars were required to learn two new dances, an individual routine and a group dance.
Danica McKellar, who broke a rib last week during rehearsals, and pro partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy were the first to be revealed as safe. ("Take that, broken rib," host Tom Bergeron said after the announcement.)
James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd were in jeopardy, while Amy Purdy and Derek Hough learned they were safe. Purdy and Hough were the first couple to perform Monday night.
Amy Purdy and Derek Hough
"This week is so different from anything we've done," Hough told Purdy as they prepared for their routine. "It's the rumba, the dance of love."
Purdy revealed that portraying love on the dance floor was especially difficult because she was struggling in her personal life. The paralympic snowboarder said this past year has been tough for her and her boyfriend due to their busy schedules.
Hough used some humor to distract Purdy and redirect her attention to the competition.
"Derek is my support system right now," Purdy said.
Hough and Purdy danced the rumba to "Light My Fire." This was their weakest performance to date. It was romantic, but the duo seemed less connected than they have in recent weeks. Maybe Purdy's personal conflict got the best of her. She made a noticeable misstep in the routine.
"Great content," judge Len Goodman told the pair. "I loved the mix. First out, first class."
"It was sensuous, but it had a lovely sense of courtship," Bruno Tonioli said.
"To me, you're Wonder Woman," Carrie Ann Inaba told Purdy. She complimented Purdy on her athleticism, but noted that that her foot came off the ground.
Inaba also told Purdy that she has a strong chance of winning the competition and that, if that were to happen, it should be because she was held to the same standards as the other contestants.
"I go by what my heart is feeling," Martin said. "You were passionate, you were connected, you were a lot of things."
Total Score:9, 9, 9, 9 = 36
James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd
"This week, we have samba," Murgatroyd said to Maslow in rehearsals. "So we're close?" Maslow asked. "We're more than close, there's a lot of hip action," Murgatroyd replied. Maslow asked if that would work with the judges. As we'd come to see, it was their costumes, not their dance moves that were risque. Murgatroyd performed in what looked like lingerie.
For the first time this season, Maslow finally admitted what the rumor mill has long speculated: the couple's chemistry goes beyond the dance floor. Maslow said he would not deny he and Murgatroyd liked each other, but he also said they were trying to keep it "platonic."
Maslow and Murgatroyd danced the samba to Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina." Murgatroyd was successful in her attempt to incorporate some modern moves into their routine. Maslow did not appear as comfortable as he has in recent weeks. The dance could have been stronger had he added some more hip action.
"That was filthy, that was dirty and I liked it," Tonioli said.
"Peta and James, your chemistry is beyond sick," Inaba said. "Peta, you worked that rumba."
"Tonight, you were unexpected," Martin said. "It was like the gift that keeps on going."
"Your foot action wasn't all that great all the time," Goodman said. "But, full of energy, full of fun, you gave it your all."
Total Score: 9, 9, 8, 9 = 35
Danica McKellar and Val Chmerkovskiy
"This is a great opportunity for us to challenge the best," Chmerkovskiy told McKellar during rehearsals. He was referring to Meryl Davis, the leading female contestant in the show who is partnered with his older brother Maksim. In a week where Val Chmerkovskiy hoped to outshine the competition, McKellar broke a rib.
"I really wanna stay in the competition, I don't know where the balance is," McKellar said through tears in the pre-recorded rehearsal footage.
"I don't know what to do," Chmerkovskiy said after learning of McKellar's injury. The former child star powered on and delivered a strong performance, despite the risk of further injuring herself.
Their salsa had the opposite result of Murgatroyd and Maslow. Chmerkovskiy and McKellar were too modern. There was not enough salsa in their routine, which the judges would note. Still, McKellar hit all the points in the hip-hop influenced choreography.
Inaba said, "The injury stifled the movement."
"Mad respect, because someone else would have said, 'This is too painful,' " Martin told McKellar. "You need to be here."
"There were two parts that were salsa, but that was it," Goodman said. He also pointed out that McKellar lost her footing at one point in the routine. "Overall, you're injured, it's difficult," he added.
"You went for a good concept: ghetto fabulous," Tonioli said. But he added, it was hard to get the full extent of the movements with an injured rib.
Total Score: 8, 9, 8, 8 = 33
Candace Cameron Bure and Mark Ballas learn they are safe. Charlie White and Sharna Burgess are in danger of being eliminated. Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are also safe.
(It's revealed Purdy hurt her back. More to come.)
NeNe Leakes and Tony Dovolani
"I feel like everyone left is Olympians and with experience, and we're just the little ones over here," Leakes told Dovolani in rehearsals.
Leakes said for this week's performance, she would channel her alter ego.
"In the Argentine tango, we're going to have NeNe and Nay Nay," the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star said.
When it came time to perform, Leakes was stiff, as she has been in weeks past. Tonight, during some of the technical footwork that Dovolani choreographed, it looked as if Leakes was counting the steps in her head.
"I think, before even the music started, you were getting into character," Martin said. "You were floating on stage. I loved it."
"The footwork and the leg action could have been better," Goodman said.
"You have to work on those hooks," Tonioli said. "They have to be sharper."
Inaba agreed with Goodman and Tonioli that the technique and movement needed to be crisper.
Total Score: 8, 8, 7, 8 = 31
Charlie White and Sharna Burgess
"I just need to bring the intensity you brought to the tango," White said. "I want to see 10s across the board."
The Olympic ice dancer asked Burgess to help him deliver a strong performance. White said he was ready to get all 10s for this routine.
White and Burgess delivered an electrifying pasa doble. The routine had a few kicks and tricks, but was undeserving of a single 10, much more than the four White hoped for. White failed to commit to some of his movements, which the judges also noted.
"Listen, to get a 10, you have to do something special, and to me, this wasn't special," Goodman said.
"You have flair, you have power," Tonioli said. "But you lost balance."
"Charlie, I think what you need to do to get a 10 is to have a little bit more of an ending," Inaba added. "I want to see a little more sharpness."
"I see what they are saying, but I was living the moment and I was flying with you guys," Martin said. Martin gave the couple a 10.
Total Score: 9, 10, 8, 9 = 36
Candace Cameron Bure and Mark Ballas
In rehearsals, Ballas said that he had never encountered a problem such as Bure's. The former "Full House" star has struggled to let go in her performances each week. She's strong during practices, but when it comes time to perform, she shuts down. The judges continue to criticize her for getting into her own head and not bringing enough to the dances. In an effort to remedy the situation and, more importantly, to advance in the competition, Ballas booked an appointment with a sports psychologist to help Bure make sense of her anxiety.
Through the visit, Bure learned she has "perfectionistic tendencies," which are supposedly common in child stars. The psychologist advised Bure to accept her imperfections to avoid being eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars."
The visit paid off. Ballas choreographed a technical Argentine tango heavy in leg tricks, lifts and kicks to "1977" by Ana Tijoux. Bure looked her most comfortable. Her lines were clean and sharp.
"That's Argentine tango," Tonioli said.
"I'm so happy," Inaba told Bure. "The confidence was there, the lines were there."
"Your lines were amazing," Martin also said. "It was clean, it was superb."
"That was hot and it was right on," Goodman said. "Well done."
Total Score: 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Meryl Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
During rehearsals, Davis said the salsa was a little more sexual of a dance than she's used to.
"I highly doubt that Meryl doesn't know how to get down and dirty," Chmerkovskiy said. "We just need a switch."
Chmerkovskiy and Davis proved why they've dominated the competition. Even while joined by four pro back-up dancers, Davis still stood out. She delivered the choreography seamlessly — to the point that she could have been mistaken for the pro. She landed the salsa steps and delivered some strong hip action.
"Meryl, you blow me away," Inaba said. "You were so in your element and I had no idea."
"I love what you guys are doing, it gets better and better," Martin said.
"I found it a little too hectic," Goodman said.
"You can go down and dirty, but then again, with Maks, who wouldn't," Tonioli said. He complimented Davis for "holding her own" while dancing alongside five other professionals.
Total Score: 10, 10, 9, 10 = 39
The second hour of the show included group routines. White and Davis were the team captains.
Leakes and Dovolani, Maslow and Murgatroyd and White and Burgess.
Each of these couples were in jeopardy of being eliminated. They danced to Ricky Martin's hit "La Copa de mi Vida" ("Cup of Life.")
Their performance provided plenty of opportunity for Leakes to shine. Her footwork was much cleaner in this routine than it was in her Argentine tango earlier in the night.
"You were together, it was tight, it was a lot of fun," Goodman said. "Well done to all of you."
"The energy was incredible," Tonioli added.
Inaba delivered the toughest critique. She said the group dance was all about synchronization and the team fell short at times. Inaba said Maslow and White, in particular, did not perform like the "bookends" they were supposed to. They were each doing their own thing, she criticized.
Total Score: 8, 10, 8, 9 = 35
Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, McKellar and Val Chmerkovskiy, Bure and Ballas and Purdy and Hough.
Because Purdy was taken to the hospital to have her back looked at, this team was judged on the footage from their dress rehearsal. They danced a Latin freestyle to "Livin' La Vida Loca" by guest judge Martin.
Though viewers saw the pre-recorded rehearsal footage, the remaining couples on Team Loca still danced live for the judges.
"That was insane," Inaba said. She told Team Loca that she's never seen a cleaner group performance.
"How can you put so many styles together in such a small time?" Martin asked. "Congratulations, you guys were outstanding."
"What I saw on that screen was fantastic," Goodman said.
"That was slick, spectacular," Tonioli said.
Total Score: 10, 10, 9, 10 = 39
Leakes, who was described as one of "the most surprising and entertaining contestants," was eliminated from the competition with her pro partner Dovolani.
Leakes said she respected Dovolani, with whom she had "a great connection."
"I gained a friend," Dovolani said of his opinionated partner. "All friendships go through troubled times, which we did, but we came out on top."


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Reception in honor of Soule' Rodrigue
Friday, December 27, 2013 12:24 AM
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Mary Brooks Soule' Rodrigue, Soule' Rodrigue and Robert Rodrigue at a reception in honor of Soule' Rodrigue. Thursday, December 26, 2013. (Josh Brasted Photo)
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- Cocktails and good cheer at a party held for Mary Elizabeth Soule Rodrigue January 27, 2014, 10:44 AM


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Out today in North America, and the first five pages are here for you to look at.
Published in Work
WARREN ELLIS is a graphic novelist and author of the NYT best-selling novel GUN MACHINE. His graphic novel GLOBAL FREQUENCY is being developed for television by Jerry Bruckheimer and FOX. He is the writer of the graphic novel RED, adapted into the film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His next book is NORMAL from FSG.


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Kuroko1; Don't let these guys get to you, they can smell a newbie.
if you are so talented why aren't you competing for the WC
I'm not talented, I've just got the luck that some chess teachers said to me to play strong OTB tournaments to progress (and not 'study 100 000 games' or other stupid things).
I would like to quote my comment which I gave on this referred article.
"How did the old masters like Alekhine and Lasker produce such great tactical games? And how did the greats like Capablanca, Botvinnik and Fischer played great positional chess? They didn't had databases and access to millions of games."
Totally agree with that (in fact they already had some sort of database, but not millions of games - just some WC games and a few top 'master' games).
They, of course, had books and magazines. Books were published for all of the major tournaments and there were and are thousands more books available. Fischer could read some Russian and he got the Russian chess magazines and was always studying them, thats how he was able to beat the Russians because he knew as much as they do just from reading their magazines.
I dont know. I looked at it for a few minutes, noticed mainly that the c file and c6 in particluar looked like the most interesting feature of whites game.
Maybe Na4 to try to open the file up?
Also white's f1 rook is worthless but I dont see a good way to bring it in the game quickly, unless exchanges start happeneing along the c file.
I wish I knew the answer to the thread in general of fast games vs slow games. The best argument for slow games is that is obviously how players like Morphy, lasker, and Capablanca mastered the game.
Are there any world class GM's who claim that "system 1" is how they got to where they are?
Modern educationalist theory? :) Do you mean Silman or Heisman has a degree in education?
No , they are best selling authors. Like Steel, King, Koontz, Grisham, etc. They give the people what they want and are very popular.
Botvinnik, an all-time GM, founded the Russian school of chess and his pupils include Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik.
I don't know about Heisman. But, Silman is a very good author, few days ago, I enjoyed reading his "The Amateur's Mind". His "Endgame Course" is great too. But, he doesn't know the correct training methods. The zillion positions pattern recognition thing is just rubbish (at least for me).
So, you give up so easily? Should I post the answer?
My answer doesnt count?
But yeah, post both answers, both to the position and to the correct training methods!
Both answers are correct, I think hicetnunc hinted at the resolution, but he didn't elaborate on it.
If you are learning something new, you will have to go over it slowly in the beginning; you will have to grasp the basics at least. Take for instance in the KIA. White plays on the queenside and black plays on the king side (for the purposes of this example assume this is correct).
It is impossible to understand this in abstract, you have to see many examples of how this works out. How Black's buried bishop is an asset.
So initially you might take an hour or couple of hours studying an opening, the ensuing middlegame, and the resulting endgame.
But then going over a couple of hundred master games will reveal to you where your attention needs to be focused, the weak squares, the standard maneuvers, the typical endgames. It gives you a birds-eye-view of the terrain, which is itself advantageous. IT as if you have a map of the map.
So to start off with you need to know what you are looking at. Blindly looking at random games may benefit you certainly in some way, but an organised focused effort will be even more rewarding.
Here is a link that might be of interest to some:
There are approximately 33000 active >2000 FIDE players, 101 000 active >1000 players. 2000 is the top 30% of all OTB (fide) tournament players. Without the players who played < 50 games, 2000 is probably the average rating of all OTB fide tournament players.
Top 0.2 % is >2600.
I am older...once a quickly improving teenager asked me a similiar question. I pointed out the I no longer care about improving...I really do not. I just want to have fun playing. i am happy being a 1600-1700 player. Why is this bad?
It is 50-50 for me. A chess player that has not reached top 100 in the world by the age of 21 should always just accept the rating that he has. Nothing wrong at all with a 1700 OTB, I would be very happy with that.
But the comment 'I no longer care about improving.' I hope this refers to rating and not the understanding of the chess position.
I am in the same rating range and I agree with you. The reason is that most of the tournaments still offerring prices for under 1800 and/or under 1700 rated players. It is enough for me to win my section not the tournament. So just play and enjoy!
why? what do you care if I just enjoy playing?
Your a very patient, and astute reader. You took the time to read the entire thread of ; "What You Don't Know About Magnus Carlsen's Endorsements". And you summed it up perfectly. The OP is a 70 yr young man in Ireland,--The 1899Club. Call him for a game; he'll enjoy it also. That's is if all these animals didn't scare him away.
'All chess players' including the ones who don't have a FIDE rating. That puts you in the top 0.2% by my rough calculations. (It depends on how you determine the number of non-rated chess players!)
This is an interesting topic for those of us who are working to improve, but didactic views of non-titled players (myself included, where I'm daft enough to make them known!) are - by definition - worthless.
i am happy being a 1600-1700 player. Why is this bad?
That sounds a very enlightened and mature attitude.
The only thing I would add (as an older player!) is that there are always ways to improve what we do, and life-long learning is good for the mind.
I would not recommend a chronological age to stop looking for improvement, although clearly biological age is going to be a factor.
The biggest problem with age is not cognitive decline but loss of the correct attitudes for learning and the cost of un-learning bad habits - both in time and ego (ie: the blank slate effect that children benefit from is lost).
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Midweek Poll: How Do You Use Your Tablet?
There are lots of different tablets out there; some 10″, some 7″, and some in between. Luckily, the number of Android apps that are tablet compatible and optimized are growing every day which is awesome because we have some rad devices at our fingertips. Also, I'm way excited to hear about this next generation Nexus 7 tablet, hopefully at Google… Read more


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This deal has ended.
Originally $100, Linens n' Things has the George Foreman Grill and Griddle on sale for $69.99. Enter 20% off single item coupon code 26620000008 and lower it further, to only $55.99. The grill features the patented fat dripping system, and comes with dishwasher-safe griddle plates. Shipping is $10.99, in-store pick up is free, and sales tax is charged in most states.No longer available


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Kate Wawro,a junior at Westhill High School, wrote this essay for the June 7 Voices page.
By Kate Wawro
Contributing writer
Lately, every time I turn on the news some expert is talking up a storm about how much bullying is going on in high schools. The expert talks about the reasons and statistics, and then there's a sob story about someone being bullied. The question that comes up is whether or not teens see bullying as an issue in their schools.
I can't speak for every teen, but my opinion, yes, bullying happens in high school. It's usually not physical bullying (I have yet to hear a real-life story about a teen getting a swirly in the bathroom), but rather verbal or psychological bullying. In high school, words speak a lot louder than actions. What teens say can sometimes be nasty and hurtful.
Verbal bullying isn't always seen as actual bullying. Maybe it's the "mean girl" or the "jerk" in class. We never call the person a bully even if what they are doing, by definition, is bullying. Bullying among teens is more likely called taunting, being a jerk or teasing.
If a girl posts something mean on Facebook about another girl, even if the message is degrading and spiteful, it's typically referred to as "girl drama." If the upperclassmen on the football team make the freshmen cut their hair, it's "hazing." Even in the principal's office, bullying is called harassment.
Usually the victim of bullying (even if it's not called that) is told to toughen up. If a rumor is spread (which is a form a verbal bullying), it's presumed that the victim did something to provoke that rumor. Shunning can sometimes be more harmful to teens' self-esteem than physical bullying, but it's called "shunning" and not bullying.
No matter what we call it, bullying happens in high school. If you are being bullied, picked on, hazed, teased, shunned or anything else that makes you feel badly, tell a teacher or parent what's going on.


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The year is 1967. American troops are making their way through the jungle of the Cu Chi District of Vietnam. The opposing Viet Cong have developed an uncanny ability to blend into the surrounding terrain. The jungle is riddled with traps. Snipers appear from nowhere and vanish just as quickly. The key to the Vietnamese strategy turns out to be a vast network of tunnels stretching beneath the jungle. As a group of new recruits arrive at a remote jungle camp, they soon learn that their mission will be anything but routine. A tunnel entrance has been discovered and they must confront the enemy in an attempt to find information that will give them an advantage in an increasingly difficult war. The Vietnamese that inhabit the tunnel are faced with an equally grim task. By resorting to primitive, but ingenious methods of combat, the Vietnamese have proven to be surprisingly effective against the American's superior technology.
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Emkay Cyberjaya apartments and industrial property for sale.
Special Chinese New Year goodies for bookings. Come join our talk on development in Cyberjaya.
Star Central Corporate Park @ Cyberjaya. Autoville Light Industrial Cyberjaya. The Domain 5 Apartments @ Cyberjaya.
Developed by Emkay Group.
– Cyberjaya apartments for sale, Cyberjaya factory for sale, Emkay Group, StarCetral, Autoville Cyberjaya, Domain 5 Cyberjaya


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This deal has ended.
Exclusively for BradsDeals Readers, Overstock has the Large Theater Memory Foam Lounge Bag (think of it as a bean bag chair but with memory foam) for only $149.99 after a $20 discount from Overstock's $169.99 posted price valid through 8/23. This is rated 4.5 of 5 by over 60 buyers. Three colors are available (chocolate, sage, hazelnut). Shipping is $2.95 and there is no sales tax (except IN, UT).No longer available


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HILLSBOROUGH — A fast-moving fire destroyed a single-family house in Hillsborough early this morning, leaving little more than a skeleton of burned wood beams and piles of ash, according to fire and police officials.
No one was injured in the blaze at 44 Wesley Road; the family evacuated safely when the fire was spotted, police said.
Neighbors said a family of five lived in the home. They also said two dogs in the basement could not be saved.
The township's volunteer fire department was dispatched to the blaze at 2:17 a.m., according to the Hillsborough Fire Department's website.
It "quickly turned into a fully involved fire as first units were arriving," according to the website.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, police said.
Photographs taken at the scene show bright orange flames engulfing the home, shooting through the windows, up through its roof and around the walls. By the time the fire was put out, only the home's two-car garage remained.
Four neighboring houses also were damaged, the fire department said. Tim Lash, who lives next door, said the siding on his home was completely melted away from the intensity of the flames.
Hillsborough's three fire companies responded, as did those from Montgomery, Neshanic in Branchburg, Finderne and Manville.
The Hillsborough Fire Department, which reported 16 fires in June and 15 in May, has already logged eight so far this month.


text: Eye on the World: Jamaica written by Terence Murphy | Posted on October 2nd, 2012 PausePlayPlayPrev|Next A Jamaican breakfast of ackee and codfish. Half Moon Resort, Jamaica. A historical church from the nearby town of Falmouth. A river-rafting experience is, in our opinion, a must-do. Rafting on the Martha Brae River is a uniquely Jamaican activity. An oceanside cottage at Half Moon Resort. Accommodations at Half Moon range from luxury rooms to 4-bedroom private cottages. Pictured here is an oceanside cottage. Oceanfront villa accommodations. Architecture and decor at Half Moon is unique to the area. Outdoor dining at the iconic Sea Grape Terrace. Plenty of beach space at Half Moon Resort means as much peace as your clients need. The entrance to Il Giardino Italian restaurant. Enjoy an afternoon beachside or play out on the water. Half Moon features its own stables, and offers horseback rides along the beach. The main entrance is magnificent. No filters, no layers. Just natural beauty. The patio adjacent to the Sea Grape Terrace. One of several oceanside bars. The beach at Half Moon.


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I don't like gamey meat either, so maybe that is it. I was raised eating venison, elk, bear and boar-- and I didn't like it then either. Most nights when that was on the menu and I was old enough to do it, I would eat leftovers from another night or make myself a sandwich. I was kind of hoping that maybe it was just the three brands I'd tried, I didn't like. Oh well =/ I will just limit beef in our diets and stick to what I can stomach.
Thanks for all of your replies =)


text: Here's my trusty Nokia E71 fully working in used condition. Comes with box and all original accessories, get free satnav on it via Nokia, It is unlocked and de branded. I have just bought a new phone so this is going spare. I'm asking for £60 which is the going rate on ebay etc. I will post or you can collect (from Leeds 9) Postage is £7 Recorded just call me on 07851322850 for more info.


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- 18 & over
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Metta World Peace presents "I Wanna Be Heard" Comedy Tour with Cristela Alonzo, Tom Papa, Ryan Sickler, Jerrod Carmichael, Ian Edwards and hosted by Ron Artest (Special Event)
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- Ticket Price: $20.00
- Door Time: 6:00 PM
- Show Type: Stand Up
- Showroom: Main Room
18 & over
Two items minimum
Line-ups subject to change
Special Event
Performing Artists (Click on Artist for Reviews and Previews)
Ron Artest
Born Ronald William Artest Jr. on Nov. 13, 1979, in Queensbridge, New York, Artest is the father of four children. He was signed to a five-year contract by the LA Lakers as a free agent on July 8, 2009 and has been playing professional basketball in the NBA since 1999. He was selected to the 2005-06 NBA's All-Defensive Team, was voted by the media as 2003-04 NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, and was the only man with 271 steals in his first two seasons in the NBA, breaking Michael Jordan's record. He won his first NBA World Championship with the LA Lakers in June, 2010.
Artest played high school basketball at La Salle Academy and college basketball at St. John's University from 1997-1999, majoring in mathematics. He gained fame playing in some of New York City's high profile summer basketball tournaments at Nike Pro City, Hoops in the Sun at Orchard Beach, Bronx, NY and Dyckman Park at Washington Heights. He earned himself nicknames such as Tru Warier and The New World Order, a name he received from Randy Cruz. Artest was named a McDonald's All-American as well as the Co-Player of the Year in New York City and the State of New York as a high school senior at La Salle Academy. He teamed with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom on the same AAU team as a teenager.
Artest was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the 16th pick of the 1999 NBA Draft. In his career he has also played for the Indiana Pacers, Saramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and now the Los Angeles Lakers. Artest won his first World Championship ring on June 17th, 2010, after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.
Artest has remained an active contributor in his hometown and in the cities of organizations for which he has played, working simultaneously in global regions that require urgent humanitarian aid. He formed a nonprofit in August 2007, entitled "Xcel Universtity," to officially organize and streamline his charitable contributions and community endeavors under one umbrella.
Artest joined a contingent of representatives from the NBA Players Association and the Feed the Children program on a goodwill mission to Africa in July 2007, helping to distribute more than one million meals to impoverished areas in Nairobi as part of the NBPA's "Feeding One Million" campaign. He reunited with the Feed the Children program for a mission to Central America in August 2007, delivering rations and supplies to deprived areas throughout Honduras. Artest paid for the costs of setting up an HIV testing clinic for Project Contact Africa in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, and in 2008 made another donation to pay for HIV testing supplies and the salaries of lab technicians for the year.
Artest became a spokesman in the PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) A.B.C. (Animal Birth Control) campaign in 2007, which is ongoing today. He sponsored a spay and neutering program of Pit Bulls at the Sacramento chapter of the SPCA, personally covering all costs for each pet owner, and is a celebrity supporter of Best Friends Animal Society. In the fall of 2008, Ron launched "The Artest Math Masters" program at Felix Cook Jr. Elementary School in partnership with the Houston Independent School District, which rewarded students who maintained high grades in Mathematics during the 2008-2009 school year.
In fall 2010, Artest decided to raffle off his 2010 NBA World Championship Ring, with the proceeds going to his nonprofit, Xcel University. The online ring raffle, which concluded on December 25, 2010, raised $651,006. Funds raised through the ring raffle were earmarked to be donated to nonprofits that provide mental health therapists and services to those who wouldn't be able to otherwise afford them.
Artest has visited dozens of community centers, schools and libraries in low income areas of numerous cities throughout his career, speaking to kids about the virtues of education and a life devoid of violence and drugs, and on the importance of getting a college education. He has played in several Wheelchair Charities, Inc. Basketball Classics in New York City, which raises funding to assist paraplegic, quadriplegic and amputee patients. He sponsors summer basketball tournaments in the Queensbridge Projects in New York City; sends kids from Queensbridge to summer camps; and pays tuition for kids from Queensbridge who show academic promise to attend private schools.
Cristela Alonzo
Cristela Alonzo is the cocreator, coexecutive producer and star of the ABC sitcom, "Cristela," an achievement which caps a whirlwind year. Cristela rose to fame in the world of standup and has since topped multiple comedy power player lists including "Variety's Top 10 Comics to Watch," "Top 10 Comedy Acts to Watch in 2014" by LA Weekly, Cosmo Latina's "8 Women You Should be Following on Twitter," Time Out's "Comics to Watch," Cosmo's "13 Female Comedians to Watch For in 2014," and "One of the 50 Comedians You Should and WILL Know" by Vulture.com.
Cristela recently made a deal with Comedy Central to release her debut CD, "Some of the Hits," this fall. "The Half Hour," her first half hour special in Boston, premiered in June 2013 on Comedy Central to rave reviews. Cristela has also made appearances on "The View," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Conan," Gabriel Iglesias' "Stand Up Revolution," Showtime's "Legally Brown," "Last Comic Standing" and "Live at Gotham." In addition, she performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.
One of the most popular standup comedians in the college market, she showcased at the NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) national convention in Charlotte, NC, and was the most requested act of the convention. In the past three years, she has performed for almost 300 colleges.
Originally from San Juan, Texas—Cristela is based in Los Angeles, and when not on the road, can be found performing at various area clubs, including her home club The Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach.
"CRISTELA" on ABC: http://abc.go.com/shows/cristela
For more information, go to www.cristelaalonzo.com
Jerrod Carmichael
Jerrod Carmichael is an LA based standup and performer originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was featured last year in Variety as being one of the top ten comics to watch, as well as being one of the New Faces at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. He recurred on Fox's The Goodwin Games and can be seen in Universal's upcoming feature Townies. Jerrod is currently working on an untitled comedy pilot for NBC that he wrote and will star in and produce.
Jerrod is a regular around some of LA's favorite standup shows, including Meltdown, The Improv, Laugh Factory and many alternative rooms.
Ryan Sickler
If the adage is true — that tragedy plus time equals comedy — then Ryan Sickler has paid his dues on the left side of the equation. Born in Baltimore, Ryan lost his father when he was 16. After that, he bounced from one relative to another. And while his early years might have seemed rocky, that tumultuous childhood gave him both fodder for material and armor against the relentless onslaught that is life as a standup comic.
His television appearances include The Pete Holmes Show, Comedy Central's Tosh.O, Live At Gotham, Cutman and The Late Late Show.
Beyond standup, Ryan Sickler is an engaging storyteller. You can catch him every Tuesday (Toozdee) on his podcast, The CrabFeast. Inspired by his hometown, the show celebrates the things Ryan loves most — storytelling, family, friends and laughter.
Jay Phillips
Jay Phillips
Straight out of our nations capitol, Jay Phillips is one of the funniest comedians in the country. Known for his intelligent humor and presence on stage, his story telling has been compared to the greats of past and present. His quick wit and likable personality landed him a spot on one of Baltimore's more successful radio morning shows. That success led him to being named Baltimore's Comedian of the year, after winning the award in Washington DC the year prior. Crafting his skill on the road performing at clubs and colleges in every state in the country gained Jay a wide variety of fans.
After moving to Los Angeles Jays' career continued gaining momentum quickly becoming a strong presence on television with standing ovation performances on shows such as: HBO s' Def Comedy Jam, The Late Late Show, Jimmy Kimmell Live and Starz 1st Amendment. Also with the opportunity to study with some of Hollywoods top acting coaches, Jay Phillips acting career blossomed as well landing him major national commercials, films and television shows.
Variety magazine labeled Jay Phillips as one of the 10 Comics To Watch as a result of his break out year when 3 films that Jay co-starred in came out number one in the box office back to back to back. His leading role opposite Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, opposite Tina Fey in Baby mama and role in the movie Prom Night solidified him as one of the rising stars in the industry.
Now in the prime of his career, Jay balances roles on many television sitcoms and dramas, while still producing some of the funniest cutting edge stand up comedy in the business.
Tom Papa
Tom is a veteran stand up comedian whose clean but cutting comedy has earned the respect of both his peers and the public alike. He has recorded several specials for Comedy Central the most recent of which 'Tom Papa Live in New York City' was directed by Rob Zombie. As a frequent guest on television, Papa has made numerous appearances on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "Late Show with David Letterman."
Tom is also the host of the hit Sirius/XM show 'Come to Papa' that airs on channel 99. Some of Tom's guests have included Mel Brooks, Ray Romano, Carl Reiner and Jerry Seinfeld.
Tom starred alongside Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in "Behind the Candelabra" which aired on HBO. He also starred opposite Matt Damon in the Steven Soderbergh film, "The Informant," and stars opposite Paul Giamatti in the animated feature, "The Haunted World of El Super Beasto," as the voice of El Super Beasto. He additionally had a voiceover role in the DreamWorks animated feature "Bee Movie" and also was a writer on the project. Among his other big screen credits are the films "Analyze That" opposite Robert DeNiro, and "Comedian."
Tom splits his time between Los Angeles and New York with his wife and family.
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ALLENDALE - Kamika Henry, administrator of New Options alternative high school in Allendale, expects about 10 students to take tests this year to earn a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). The tests they take will be significantly different -- and challenging -- than those taken by students last year.
Students who did not qualify for a diploma by mid- November last year must start over in the new program. To earn a GED, students used to take five tests – writing, social studies, science, interpreting literature and arts, and mathematics. Now they will take four tests – literature, math, science and social studies, with writing incorporated into the other four. All testing is now done on computer – no pen and paper.
Formerly, students could take the tests individually, but Allendale Superintendent Dan Jonker said students must now pass all tests at the same time. "It's a little more stringent."
Henry said, "From what we can tell, the test is going to be quite a bit more rigorous. I do feel it's going to be more challenging." The new tests will reflect Common Core math and reading standards. Curriculum producers say the tests will place more focus on critical thinking and reasoning. The exam has switched from mostly multiple choice to more short essay questions and one longer essay.
The new tests are designed to be more closely aligned to college and career-readiness standards and actually include a "college readiness" score. The hope is that preparation for the new GED will decrease the number of adult college students who must take remedial classes.
The cost of testing went from about $60 to $120, but students do not pay to take the tests at New Options.
Testing centers are located in Grand Rapids and Wyoming. Contact the public schools' community education office for information.


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Caliente, indeed. Modern Family star Sofia Vergara graces the cover of his month's Vanity Fair issue in Spain and while we can all agree that she looks ultra hot, some critics are up in arms because the Sofia is smoking a cigarette on the cover.
To be honest, I don't see what the big deal is as the smoking is just a part of her sultry cover girl image for the mag but some say that it's irresponsible branding on Sofia's part. While it might be shocking for us in the U.S., it's less of a big deal in Europe, where the mag is being sold. Tell us, what do you think? Is Sofia's smoking cover a yay or nay for you?
Photo via Vanity Fair


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My husband and I started this together a few months ago. We've both seen good results, but I think it's benefited him more than me. I've had a bit of an uncomfortable gut since a little before starting this and it hasn't gone away. I do wonder whether it's gluten-related, but haven't been able to cut it out for much more than a week at a time to test. (A blood test for coeliac recently came back negative.) The trouble is that he's the cook, and although he sees and extols the benefits of this way of eating, he doesn't believe gluten and grains have much to do with it: he thinks it's all about carbs. So he thinks nothing of buying sausages with breadcrumbs in, or adding a little flour to thicken a sauce.
And when we have guests round, as we will on Sunday, he uses that as an excuse to cook all the pasta and fancy pastries that he's been denying himself. I feel rather undermined by this, not only because it's another setback in trying to discover whether my gut problems are gluten-related but because I talk about how good eating lots of meat and vegetables is to my friends, but when they come to visit we feed them pasta and pastries. Hardly a good advertisement.
I'm not a very assertive person and have already tried to persuade him to avoid the flour, without success. So what, if anything, should I do about it?


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aw... no VC games.
Today we get
Via Press.nintendoNINTENDO DOWNLOAD: STAY MOTIVATED IN MAY WITH MARVELOUS NEW GAME DOWNLOADS
May 3, 2010 What's your motivation? It all depends on which of this week's downloadable games you choose to play. In Zombie Panic in Wonderland for the WiiWare service, the goal is survival. In both Sokomania and 1001 Crystal Mazes Collection for the Nintendo DSiWare service, you're driven by a need to arrange objects in their proper places. With seven new titles added to the ever-growing library of downloadable games from Nintendo, players can be motivated and mesmerized in more ways than ever.
Also this week, the "Big Name Games" section of the WarioWare: D.I.Y. series continues to offer new downloadable microgames created by the industry's most talented designers. The latest addition comes from Todd Lewis of 5TH Cell, developer of the award-winning Scribblenauts. New "Big Name Games" will be added every Monday through July 26, all available to download for zero Nintendo DSi Points to anyone with broadband Internet access and a copy of either WarioWare: D.I.Y. for the Nintendo DS family of systems or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase software for the WiiWare service. Visit the Nintendo Channel on your Wii system today to learn more about these games and to watch a video of ace designer Todd Lewis working on his original microgame, Fly Home!
Zombie Panic in Wonderland
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: A sudden wave of zombies is attacking Wonderland. To save your friends from the spell of the "amorous zombies," you'll have to solve the mystery of the "scented dwarves" in time and put an end to the evil power hidden in the castle in the northern city. Game features include cut scenes, music with lyrics, seven playable characters, hidden levels, final bosses, multiple weapons, nonstop zombie attacks, explosions, demolitions and fire.
Kung Fu Funk: Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting!
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Kung Fu Funk is an off-the-wall 1970s kung fu movie-themed party game. Challenge up to three of your friends to see who has what it takes to become the ultimate kung fu master. There are many trials to overcome in three zany game modes. True to any kung fu movie, you start by learning the Zen arts - a chilled out stage to get you familiar with the controls. Once your skills are fully waxed, enter the kung fu training movie montage, which consists of insane mini-games. Once your skills are honed, enter the ultimate battle as the instructor in your own disco kung fu dojo.
aw... no VC games.
Wii Games: Mario Glaxay 1&2, Smash Bros Brawl, Mario Kart wii, wii sports, wii play, Wii Party, Force Unleashed 1, Godzilla Unleashed, indiana jones:SoK Wii, Metriod:Trilogy, TMNT:Smash-Up, CoD:Reflex&black ops,NSMBwii, Link's zapper training,goldeneye,tomb raider anniversary,metroid otherM.
^ x2! theres dozens of good old games that could be on there oh well ill keep waiting!


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Wanted: Suspects for Aggravated Assault/Shooting in the 25th District [VIDEO]
The Philadelphia Police Department's East Detectives Division is looking to identify two suspects for a shooting in Packer Park.
The incident occurred on October 9, 2013, on the 2800 block of North Fair Hill Street while the complainant, a 62 year-old male, was working on a drain spout when two unknown males were exchanging gun fire when one of the rounds struck the complainant in his right forearm. Surveillance video was recovered from the area depicting one of the shooters at Reese and Somerset Streets. After the shooting the second shooter may have fled in an ash gray Chevy Impala.
- Suspect Description:
Suspect #1: Hispanic male, late 20 years-of-age, 5'8″, stocky build, bushy hair, beard, wearing a burgundy hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
Suspect #2: Male, unknown race. May have fled the area in an ash gray Chevy Impala.
- To view the surveillance video: Visit The Philadelphia Police YouTube Channel or visit http://phillypolice.com/news
- If you see these suspects do not approach them, contact 911 immediately.
- To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847.
- Use this electronic form to submit a tip anonymously.
If you have any information about this crime or these suspects, please contact:
East Detectives Division
Det. MacClain #8094
Det. Miles #8060


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I gave birth to a baby boy five weeks ago. Things are going great with him. The problem is that my partner doesn't really seem to be enjoying the experience at all. She seems irritable when I'm busy with the baby and annoyed whenever I give him to her. After taking two weeks off, she's back working as late as ever. And then on weekends she always says she's tired and needs to sleep, which I must say I find kind of annoying since I'm up all the time nursing. I don't know if she's jealous of my connection with the baby or what, but she's really a downer. To complicate matters more, she does have a history of depression, though that was a long time ago when she was still dating men. How can I help her have a better time? I'm really loving being a mom, but I miss my girlfriend! – down by proxy
Dear down by proxy,
Though hormones sometimes take the rap for postpartum emo issues, the truth is that the life-wracking shock of new parenthood can send anyone reeling, whether or not their connection to the experience is biological. In fact, there's a lot of research suggesting that social and support issues are just as likely as hormones to be at play when a person gets depressed postpartum. A recent study reiterated this by publicizing what many people have discovered firsthand: Dads get PPD too. And if dads can get it:well, it ain't about what sex you are.
One study reported that lesbian mothers were actually more likely to experience PPD than hetero ones. The theory was that lack of support from family and society at large might be to blame. There's obviously a huge range both personally and culturally, so it's hard to say whether that might be part of what's going on here. It's also hard to say from the info you've given us what your partner's relationship to the reproductive experience is herself. Does she see herself as a person who might want to birth a child someday, or is that not her bag? What is clear is that your partner's in a new role. She may have imagined herself there for a long time, or feel completely thrown for a loop. She may have lots of models and lots of support, but she may not feel like she can measure up. Or she may have few models and feel unsure of how to get her footing. All these issues might be playing into what she's feeling bad about. Or she may be just plain bummed out that her home has been invaded by an alien and her partner's been usurped in the process. Jealousy is hugely common for partners, regardless of gender. Sometimes they just feel left out and respond by retreating rather than trying to find a way in.
So while it's totally normal for any parent to feel completely groundless at this stage in the game, that doesn't mean ignoring the problem will help it disappear. You've already started to express the seeds of resentment about her pulling away and leaving you with the bulk of the baby responsibility. Whatever your agreement about the day-to-day baby grind, having a partner who's emotionally uninvolved is not healthy. And it's probably a sign that if she's not depressed already, she's on her way there. People who have a history with depression are more vulnerable to a flare-up in the months after a baby's born. Her depression may have been tied to her sexual identity somehow, which may or may not make it relevant here, but it's not something to brush aside.
If you think you can do it from a place of understanding, try telling her that you want to talk about what's going on. It's been shown that partners are key in recognizing and finding help when it comes to postpartum depression. Another idea is to have a close friend whom you trust do the discussing. You know your partner and your relationship best, so you can decide how to address the challenges. Very often talking to other people who are in or have recently been in the same situation can be a huge relief. If you don't feel there are likeminded people nearby, consider going online. The important thing is that she feels supported. Acknowledging that things aren't okay – but that if you take action, they eventually will be – is a huge step.
Have a question? Email email@example.com
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The Fracture of Good Order: Christian Antiliberalism and the Challenge to American Politics
The relationship between Christianity and a liberal political order increasingly preoccupies academics. Liberal political theorists worry about the role of religion in public life, and have invented ingenious theories to try and justify limitations on that role. (Curiously enough, these theories began to proliferate when the Religious Right became a significant force in American politics.) Conservatives, on the other hand, call for a larger religious presence in public life, and tend to see political religion not as a threat to the health of democracy, but as a source of vitality for a polity sorely lacking in civic awareness and commitment.
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