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In the News
Original journalism from the Center's OpenSecrets Blog
Lawmakers Who Took Sweetheart Loans Also Benefited From Countrywide Campaign Cash
July 5, 2012 | Six lawmakers that received special loan deals from troubled mortgage dealer Countrywide were also the beneficiaries of more than $105,000 in collective campaign contributions from the subprime giant.
Outside Groups Flood California 26th to Aid Democrat
June 4, 2012 | Outside groups have funneled more than $1 million into California's highly contested 26th congressional district, where a vote is set to take place Tuesday -- making it one of the costliest House races in the country thus far. National Democrats have had their eye on this newly drawn district, where no incumbent is running. Four Democrats are on the ballot, but Assemblywoman Julia Brownley has risen above the fray, due in no small part to House Majority PAC.
California Republican Elton Gallegly Becomes Latest House Member to Retire
January 9, 2012 | Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has become the latest incumbent member of the U.S. House of Representatives to set his sights on the exit. This weekend, Gallegly announced his plans to retire at the end of his current term rather than seek reelection in a district that would pit him against House Armed Services Committee Chair Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.).
Third Quarter Campaign Finance Reports Show Money Race Is On
October 16, 2009 | An initial Center for Responsive Politics analysis has found that sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives raised $48.2 million from July 1 through Sept. 30, 2009, based on the 336 reports we have in. The mean amount these lawmakers raised was $143,640, and the median amount was $126,680.
Defense Contractor Charged With Kickbacks Helped Fund Murtha's Campaigns
July 7, 2009 | Richard Ianieri, the defense contractor charged today with accepting $200,000 in kickbacks from a subcontractor, was the president of a company that gave more money to Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.) than any other lawmaker--including the years after Ianieri left Coherent Systems International and Argon ST bought it.
Tracking Your Representatives' Health Care Cash
June 25, 2009 | Here's a cool tool that brings together data from various parts of OpenSecrets.org to show how much money each current lawmaker has raised from various health-related industries and the health sector overall since 1989 (including President Obama's haul).
Embattled Lobbying Firm PMA Targeted Members of Defense Committees
February 12, 2009 | The close ties between Rep. John Murtha and a Washington lobbying firm raided by the FBI have put the powerful Pennsylvania Democrat under greater scrutiny. The lobbyists at PMA Group have been Murtha's fifth most generous campaign donor over time, but he is just one of 284 members of the 111th Congress who have collected money from the firm, which specializes in securing federal earmarks for its clients. In total, PMA Group's employees and its political action committee have given current members of Congress $3.4 million since 1989.
Money and Votes Aligned in Congress's Last Debate Over Bank Regulation
September 23, 2008 | The last time Congress seriously debated how to regulate the financial industry, the result was legislation that allowed the nation's largest banks to get even larger and take risks that had been prohibited since the Great Depression. A look back at that debate, which was over the 1999 Financial Services Modernization Act, reveals that campaign contributions may have influenced the votes of politicians who, a decade later, are now grappling with the implosion of the giant banks they helped to foster.
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center.


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My family and I have been volunteering at the Billiar/Davis Sanctuary for several months. We have known Dr. Billiar in a professional capacity for two years. We have also had the honor and privilege of providing foster care for an endangered ape. As you know after one year of age, they can no longer be kept in a private residence. Lucky little ape, he now lives the life of Riley at Sue and Brian's house.
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Krissy Evans is a good girl. She always has been. Until...
A Summer Love
- by theflowercrownsgirl
- Rating:
- Published: 7 May 2014
- Updated: 13 Jun 2014
- Status: In Progress
This story is going to have a sequel! Lilly is forced to go to a summer camp, at first she hates it. Her cabin is right next to a group of annoying football jocks. Meet Jayce, will he change Lilly's perspective on how she sees him? Or when her boyfriend Jake cheat on her while she's away at camp?
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Firefighters to Come Out Against Streetcar Proposal
The job of getting that controversial streetcar built downtown is about to get a lot harder for VIA Metro Transit and for elected officials who are pushing the controversial plan.
The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, probably the single most influential organization in the city, later today will come out against the streetcar, and will demand that a public election be held to decide on the fate of the project if VIA persists on attempting to build it over clear taxpayer opposition.
"At $400 million for just 5.9 miles of track, it is easy to see how misguided spending priorities are jeopardizing the basic city services the community expects," the SAPFFA says in a statement.
Most of VIA's efforts lately have been focused not on building the streetcar, but in fending off a steady stream of efforts to kill it. VIA just got a ruling that streetcar opponents have to put up a huge bond to fight the plan, only to have a LULAC member appeal that ruling. VIA also recently trumpeted a ruling that the City of San Antonio's $30 million contribution to the project is not subject to a public vote when a ruling came down that City Council has to vote at least twice more to approve the funding, and those votes can trigger a pubic referendum.
There is also an effort to get a measure on the ballot in November to change the City Charter to require a public vote to tear up city owned streets to build 'any railed transportation system.'
But the SAPFFA opposition may very well be the hardest battle for VIA to overcome. Firefighters time and time again are recognized as the most popular not only municipal employees, but class of employees period. Not as political as police, firefighters are seen as 'heroes,' selflessly savings lives and protecting the city.
And that goes to the heart of the SAPFFA opposition.
"The SAPFFA further recognizes the reality that long term costs for this project will have a profound impact on the city budget and we find it troublesome that the city is attempting to pay for streetcar and other special projects by cutting our citizens' public safety budget," the organization says. "Unfortunately, the community has not been given the right to vote on the spending of their tax dollars on streetcar and we find this unacceptable as citizens of San Antonio."


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1994 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (10/3/2009)
Last bottle of a variable half-case picked up at auction. Thankfully this bottle on form.
Some age showing at the rim, but pretty healthy colour for it's age. It's somewhat peppery, even sawdust-like on the nose with a faint whiff of truffle. Not much in the way of primary fruit now.
Quite rich-textured on the palate, with peppery fruit that's more full than the nose suggested. The finish lacks a little length due to a drying finish, but there is some residual flavour of good complexity.
Overall a good bottle and interesting wine, and though an ideal candidate for cellaring, there is more variability than you'd want and it's difficult to imagine there's an obvious and accepted 'peak', just different stages in the wine's life (even more so than with other cellaring wines).
postscript: Gigondas doesn't have a huge reputation as a cellar prospect, but this estate produces very much a cellaring style Gigondas. That said, with accusations of Brett on the loose in their wines and a potentially unbalanced style, it's not IMO a clear-cut cellaring classic. A cellar-builder for a gambler perhaps.


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G.L. Johnson, former vice chair of the AGTS Board of Directors (BOD) and pastor emeritus at People's Church, Fresno, Calif., went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 29. Johnson served as vice chair of the AGTS BOD at the time of President Byron D. Klaus' inaugurated in 1999.
For more information visit http://www.peopleschurch.org/home/pastor-johnson.
Thursday, June 30, 2011 10:35 AM


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Results 1 to 4 of 4
10th April 2013 12:04 PM #1
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Posts
- 11
PCOS, Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes
I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome 2 years ago. I went through a lot of diet program and excersise and here I am, 23 weeks pregnant!
My biggest concern now is that I have failed 2 units of my Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. My midwife said that I have elevated sugar on the 3rd and 4th hour of the said test. I was advised to see an endocrinologist right away because I can have a Gestational Diabetes.
I am just concern: Was it triggered by my PCOS? Aside from Gestational Diabetes what other complications the PCOS can trigger during my pregnancy?
I will be seeing an endocrinologist this week and honestly I am not sure what to expect.
Thanks for reading!
17th April 2013 01:42 PM #2
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
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- Marrickville, Sydney, Australia
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- 170
Hi CharmedLiza05
Congratulations on your pregnancy particularly given you achieved it despite PCOS! In regards to a possible link between your PCOS and gestational diabetes while we obviously can't know for certain that your PCOS is the cause women with PCOS do appear to have higher rates of gestational diabetes.
They can also experience high rates of miscarriage, preeclampsia and premature birth. There are also some increased risks for babies born to women with PCOS including a higher risk of spending time in a neonatal intensive care unit (some of this of course related to premature birth.
Researchers are studying whether the diabetes medicine metformin can prevent or reduce the chances of having problems while pregnant. All indications look good so far but, there have only been a few studies of metformin use in pregnant women, too few to confirm its safety. If you are thinking of taking metformin, talk to your doctor about its safety.
If Gestation diabetes is confirmed (and I hope it isn't), you may find the following article useful: What is Gestational Diabetes?
I hope this helps!
18th April 2013 11:15 AM #3
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- Apr 2013
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My doctors said to take care of what I eat and have a healthy lifestyle first. We will monitor my sugar level regularly. I am praying that this will resolve the issue.
Thanks so much for the kind reply Mumof2IVFmiracles! I am actually researching a lot about GDM nowadays.
20th April 2013 07:25 AM #4
Have you seen a dietician or a diabetic educator? Both can provide extra information on how to manage gestational diabetes. Often detecting that you have raised blood sugars in pregnancy can lead to lots of health lifestyle changes that benefit both you and your baby. It is great that you are doing a lot of research this will certainly help your understanding of gestational diabetes and the options open to you.


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Rent Practicing Persuasive Written and Oral Advocacy 1st edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by David W. Miller. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.
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:: Intro to the Study of Society
Summer 2013
@Kapiolani CC
|Credit Hours:
Neghin Modavi
(808) 734-9184 (Ph)
(808) 734-9151 (Fax)
|Instructional Mode:
|07/08/2013 - 08/15/2013
|Course Prerequisites:
Qualification for ENG 100; qualification for
MATH 24 or higher.
|Course Description:
|SOC 100 is an introduction to the scientific discipline of sociology. It will focus on key concepts, main theoretical perspectives, and research findings used by sociologists to explain the social world and social interaction. The course examines the fundamental components and institutions that make up the structure of human societies as well as the basic processes and direction of social change.
This SOC 100 class section (CRN 35031) is conducted on the Internet.
For additional information, please contact the instructor via email (email@example.com). Please check your MyUH portal account regularly for announcements about class cancellations, UH system announcements, and/or email.
|Books may be purchased at the Kapiolani CC bookstore or ordered online at http://www.bookstore.hawaii.edu/uhkcc/home.aspx. If you do not have access to the Internet or unable to travel to the bookstore, you may also order by phone at 1-800-UHBOOKS
|Technical Requirements:
|Students must have access to a computer with Internet connection.
Students taking an online course should always contact their instructor after registration or prior to the first day of class to get detailed information regarding the course. The Internet allows students to take a course at home using a personal computer. Depending on the online course, students may be required to log in at a specific day and time or at anytime.
It is also required that you obtain a UH Email account. Please go to the following URL for more information: http://www.hawaii.edu/askus/563
For more information about Laulima please go to:
|Additional Notes:
|For additional information please contact the instructor via email (email@example.com) using your MYUH hawaii.edu email address
|Tuesday, May 7, 2013 13:02:00


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Results 1 to 12 of 42
Thread: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
Life as an Offensive Coordinator
I do feel a little badly for Cam getting shitcanned during the holidays. I was reminded he has kids in school here. Even when you have money in the bank, losing your job life turns upside down for the entire family. I guess it's a bit like life in the military -- stress and moving a lot -- only with more money.
Harbaugh mentioned Cam has had a long run here, and that's something I had not thought of. Five seasons is a long time for an NFL offensive coordinator.
I suspect that this is true because our tendency to scapegoat these guys brings them down well before the fickle finger of fate reaches the head coach, GM, owner, or players. The "Pawn" metaphor may be apt when it comes to offensive coordinator.
So here is the list of NFL teams, their current OCs, and their year hired.
AFC Buffalo Bills Curtis Modkins 2010 Miami Dolphins Mike Sherman* 2012 New England Patriots Josh McDaniels* 2012 New York Jets Tony Sparano 2012 Baltimore Ravens Jim Caldwell* 2012 Cincinnati Bengals Jay Gruden 2011 Cleveland Browns Brad Childress* 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Todd Haley* 2012 Houston Texans Rick Dennison 2010 Indianapolis Colts Bruce Arians 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars Bob Bratkowski 2012 Tennessee Titans Chris Palmer* 2011 Denver Broncos Mike McCoy 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Bill Muir 2011 Oakland Raiders Al Saunders 2011 San Diego Chargers Hal Hunter 2012 NFC Dallas Cowboys Bill Callahan* 2012 New York Giants Kevin Gilbride* 2006 Philadelphia Eagles Marty Mornhinweg* 2006 Washington Redskins Kyle Shanahan 2010 Chicago Bears Mike Tice* 2012 Detroit Lions Scott Linehan* 2009 Green Bay Packers Tom Clements 2012 Minnesota Vikings Bill Musgrave 2011 Atlanta Falcons Dirk Koetter 2012 Carolina Panthers Rob Chudzinski 2011 New Orleans Saints Pete Carmichael, Jr. 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Sullivan 2012 Arizona Cardinals Mike Miller 2011 San Francisco 49ers Greg Roman 2011 St. Louis Rams Brian Schottenheimer 2012 Seattle Seahawks Darrell Bevell 2011
One, the short tenures, as I mentioned. Cam had been the longest-tenured OC in the AFC, and only the Giants and Eagles had had OC's in place longer than the Ravens had kept Cam.
Second, I'm sure there are a bunch of names here who elicit the same comment from a bunch of us: "who?' We put so much scrutiny on our coordinator, and spent so much time wishing we had another one that it may be kind of surprising that there are not more marquee names on this list -- guys whom you'd expect put Cam to shame.
It suggests to me that maybe too much is expected of the OC -- which relates directly back to the high turnover rate.
In baseball if a batter makes an out two out of three times he steps to the plate, he's considered a great hitter. The expected success rate for an offensive coordinator is much higher I'd say.
(This is starting to sound like an apology for Cam. It's not. Or at least I didn't start out meaning to go down that path. I only meant to compare him to other OC's in the league, and I was a bit surprised what I found on the surface. Although, I've always said that the quality of players account for 80-90% of success or failure, and coaching and luck account for the small minority. So I should not be too surprised by an uninspiring list.)
The last thing I'll note relates to the asterisks. Did you catch what these refer to? I've marked the former head coaches who are now OC's. A third of them, if I'm counting right.
I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but Caldwell continues a string of OC's for the Ravens who've been Head Coaches. Caldwell for the Colts (and Wake Forest). Cam for the Dolphins (And IU). Neusheisel was at Colorado and Washington (but never in the NFL, if you still want to count him). Billick was his own OC. Before that it was Fassell who had been the Giants HC.
Then you get to Cavanaugh, finally, who did not have any head coaching experience. (Who knew, BTW, that Cavanaugh is currently the QB coach for Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow? Adds up, right?)
Before that it was Marchibroda who was his own OC (Kirk Frenentz, now the Iowa HC, was his Assistant HC/Offense.)
I've always claimed it was a bad idea to hire "offensive geniuses" as your head coach -- it's a people/organizational/motivation job, not an X's and O's job. The former head coaches here, and their failures as head coaches, attest to that. Billick was an exception because I do think he was a PR/motivator more than an Xs and Os guy.
The one positive thing I'll say about the ex-head coaches listed here is that the Peter Principle may apply -- they did so well as OC's earlier in their careers that they were promoted to their level of incompetence, exposed, quickly fired, and then settled back down to life as an offensive coordinator.
Hopefully Caldwell can be that successful, last five years here like Cam, and happily endure all the hate that we are about to heap on him.
Welcome to Baltimore Jim. Bring your hard hat and earplugs.
Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
Sparano was also a HC.Never get in a fight with a pig; you both get muddy, and the pig likes it...
Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
I also don't agree with the timing, they should of let him go earlier, or in the offseason. An established franchise should never have to resort to this kind of firing this late in a playoff run season.::Flacco Superstar::
12-11-2012, 04:43 PM #4Veteran Poster
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Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
It isn't just the OC getting scapegoated that leads to this kind of turnover. It is that HC's turn over and they bring their own guys. Plus there is the fact many OCs leave to become HC's. There is simply a lot of shuffling that goes on, more than there are coaches being run out of the league (for supposed poor performance).
It would be good to try to separate out OC changes that are made by teams that have had a relatively stable HC. Or even OC's that get canned and take a demotion with their new team (vs. another OC job).
Plus I don't really think name recognition or even (distant) past accomplishments really count for much these days. Some of the up-and-comers, the whippersnappers, look very talented, and I suspect part of the reason is that they have not been tainted by habits learned back when the game was different. And by different I mean like 3 years ago or more.
These young OCs come in fresh, look at the rule changes and the trends of the league and what is succeeding and they emulate and maybe slightly adapt that stuff. A grey-haired career OC, especially a stubborn one who had a lot of success years and years ago, would need to ditch a lot of the "work" or "knowledge" he had banked in the past just to keep modern, and human nature makes this hard to do.
Last edited by Haloti92; 12-11-2012 at 04:58 PM.
Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
I'm not saying it wasn't time for a change. It was. But Coordinators are just constant gripes for fans who love to complain. They are very easy targets.
12-11-2012, 04:58 PM #6Regular 1st Stringer
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Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
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Re: Life as an Offensive CoordinatorWorld Domination 3 Points at a Time!
Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
I'll agree that it's bad to hire an "offensive genius", because if he were really a genius, he wouldn't be available.
Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator(Who knew, BTW, that Cavanaugh is currently the QB coach for Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow? Adds up, right?)
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Re: Life as an Offensive Coordinator
cavanaugh is still int he NFL???


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The Band Perry sign on as 'The Voice' advisers
Listen to The Band Perry on iHeartRadio
The Band Perry is headed to "The Voice." The country trio has signed on for the NBC reality series, and will serve as coach Blake Shelton's advisers during the show's "Battle Rounds."
Kimberly, Reid, and Neil Perry are excited about taking part in the show, saying in a statement that Blake "didn't have to ask" them twice. The sibling singers explain that "after 15 years of receiving plenty of 'constructive criticism,'" they're glad they're now getting the chance to "pay it forward." They add that they're hoping they're able to help Team Blake members as much as their mentors have helped them.
The Band Perry is the second country stars to serve as advisers for the show's upcoming season. Miranda Lambert, who worked with Blake for the series' second season, is returning to assist coach Shakira this time around. Season six of "The Voice" will launch on NBC on February 24th.
Photo Credit Getty Images


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Washington : Government Printing Office
|Public Law 89-445
|Indians. Apache Tribe. Lands in trust.
|Sec. 2
|25 U. S. C. 70a.
Page 1062
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all of the right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a tract of land situated in sections 27 and 28, township 13 south, range 12 east, New Mexico principal meridian, and improvements thereon, formerly used for Indian administrative purposes, are hereby declared to be held by the United States in trust for the Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico, subject to valid existing rights, and subject to the right of the United States to use any of said land and improvements for governmental purposes for the benefit of the Indians. The land is within the Mescalero Reservation and is commonly known as small holding claim numbered 485, United States Land Office serial numbered Las Cruces 07366, containing approximately 99.84 acres. It is identified on supplemental plats of survey of sections 27 and 28, township 13 south, range 12 east, New Mexico principal meridian, New Mexico, accepted April 30, 1936, as "Private Claim 485".
The Indian Claims Commission is directed to determine in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of the Act of August 13, 1946 (60 Stat. 1050), the extent to which the value of the title conveyed by this Act should or should not be set off against any claim against the United States determined by the Commission.
Approved, June 9, 1966.


text:
Now might be a great time to talk about the afterlife.
After four years of spirited conversation, news and adventures from Cambridge, England, to little Barack Obama's school in Indonesia, Faith & Reason and its accompanying reader-led Faith & Reason Forum are shutting down.
USA TODAY is celebrating 30 years with a massive redesign of all publishing platforms.
First, the important thing that's not changing: I still cover religion -- the best beat on the print/Web/smartphones/tablets-you know-what-I-mean. Many great stories lie ahead.
However, how and where you find my work -- and top wire stories and the best of Gannett's religion correspondents such as Bob Smietana at The Tennessean -- will change.
Several digital subject-area pages, including the online religion page, will vanish as stories are mainstreamed into News. If you read on a smartphone or tablet, you won't notice any change. But if you read religion coverage at USATODAY.com on your laptop, these stories will be running in News, Nation and Politics, just as they already do in print.
So this is not good-bye. It's more of a change-of-address notice.
You can find my stories with a Google alert on my byline (don't forget that pesky Lynn in the middle) or as my friend on Facebook. My new Twitter handle is @CLGrossman. You can also e-mail me at cgrossman@usatoday with your ideas and thoughts.
Don't I sound chipper? Well, sure, I'm a little sad. This has been exhausting, glorious fun !
Readers by the thousands chimed in on controversial posts here. Remember Sarah Palin's invention of "death panels" or the atheist "Woodstock" -- the Reason Rally on the National Mall?
And so many posted at the Faith & Reason Forum it became the most successful forum at USATODAY.com by a mile.
Many of you became sources for stories. Some of you have been with me since early 2008 when I wrote the Idea Club, the question-of-the-week blog that led to Faith & Reason's launch in November 2008.
Still, USA TODAY is about today -- and tomorrow.
Our redesign will offer you the best of the past with the look of the future. It's exciting to be a part of the changes.
Finally, I've ended almost every post with a question to draw you in. Here's one more: Will you please stay in touch?
The American Atheists group that posted billboards mocking Mormon and Christian beliefs to greet Democratic National Convention-goers in Charlotte next week have waved the white flag.
The signs slap at the mainline Protestant Christian faith of President Obama, the Mormon faith of GOP candidate Mitt Romney and their running mates' Catholicism.
Now, however, the billboards are down after an onslaught of threats, according to CNN's Belief Blog.
Amanda Knief, American Atheists' managing director, said in a statement quoted by CNN:
No subject, no idea should be above scrutiny -- and this includes religion in all forms. ... We are saddened that by choosing to express our rights as atheists through questioning the religious beliefs of the men who want to be our president that our fellow citizens have responded with vitriol, threats and hate speech...
One sign calls God "sadistic" and Jesus "useless" as a savior (his image is shown as toast, literally) and conclude that atheism, by contrast, is "simply reasonable."
The other derides the Mormon concept of God as a "space alien" and notes that Mormons offer a proxy baptism to dead relatives.
Vitriol, evidently, can be directed only against believers.
You can see the full signs at Belief Blog. I don't feel comfortable turning F&R into a billboard for the atheists -- or anyone else.
After Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and head of the U.S. bishops, gives the closing prayer for the Republican National Convention in Tampa this week, he'll head to Charlotte for a repeat performance for the Democrats.
And today, another religious figure was named to a speaking slot at the DNC: Sister Simone Campbell, head of a group of nuns and sisters known as NETWORK, according to an Obama campaign staffer who declined to be named because information was not yet public.
Back when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was fighting the Obama health overhaul drive, the Affordable Care Act, on abortion and contraception, NETWORK, a Washington-based social justice advocacy group, and other Catholic women religious came out in favor of it.
This summer, while the Catholic bishops orchestrated a national campaign to fight a mandate that birth control be included in insurance plans without exemptions for faith-based schools, hospitals and charities, NETWORK was also out on the public relations trail. Campbell led the nine-state Nuns on the Bus tour to focus attention on Catholic social teachings to care for the poor.
According to The Washington Post, Campbell said she agrees with bishops on abortion and artificial contraception. But, she told a church audience in Charlotte,
... reclaiming the full spectrum of life issues to include hunger, homelessness, racism, immigration, capital punishment, war and more. "I am pro-life, all of life."
Last week, when Dolan's office announced he accepted the RNC invite, spokesman Joseph Zwilling was careful to note this was absolutely not an endorsement in shepherd's clothing. He also noted Dolan's offer to close out the Democrats' meeting with a blessing as well.
This, despite Dolan pounding the Obama administration relentlessly for the past six months on what the Catholic Church and many conservative evangelicals see as offenses to religious liberty.
Today, Zwilling announced Dolan has accepted an invitation from the DNC, noting ...
It was made clear to the Democratic Convention organizers, as it was to the Republicans, that the Cardinal was coming solely as a pastor, only to pray, not to endorse any party, platform, or candidate ...
Yesterday, Dolan was in the news asking both President Obama and Mitt Romney to sign a civility pledge to stay off personalities (bye-bye birther and dog-on-car wisecracks) to campaign on their policy proposals.
DO YOU THINK... bipartisan blessings make a difference to convention delegates or voters? Should they?
The deeply traditionalist Catholic Knights of Columbus want GOP contender Mitt Romney, President Obama and their running mates to all sign a civility pledge. Handing out the invite: Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. bishops, who will give the closing prayer for the RNC and has offered/pushed the DNC to invite him as well, says the goal is...
so that the upcoming campaign will remain focused on the critical issues facing our nation, and not on personal attacks.
The pledge says:
We, the undersigned citizens of the United States of America, respectfully request that candidates, the media and other advocates and commentators involved in the public policy arena employ a more civil tone in public discourse on political and social issues, focusing on policies rather than on individual personalities.
For our part, we pledge to make these principles our own.
The Knights say America wants this because, polls show...
78 percent of the American people are frustrated with the tone in politics today, and that 66 percent believe that candidates spend more time attacking their opponents than discussing the issues.
Clearly, this pledge would nix birther wisecracks and dog-on-car allusions.
But given that the election is all about which ticket you trust to deliver what you care about, the candidates' veracity and their character under fire are very much a matter of personality, not policy.
To a great extent, the candidate IS the issue. Can you trust this person to deliver on their idea and ideals?
But civility is a tough road to hoe these days.
Just ask evangelical activist/pr strategist and Romney supporter Mark DeMoss. He helped lead an interfaith group that sent 585 letters to every governor and member of Congress, asking them to agree to respectful discourse and behavior.
The only signatures came from Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn.; Rep. Frank Wolfe, R-Va.; and Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C.
According to Laurie Goodstein at the New York Times, DeMoss shut down the Civility Project in January after spending two years and $30,000 in expenses and finding his inbox tattooed with hostile emails full of "just unbelievable language" from fellow conservatives.
DeMoss told her:
This political divide has become so sharp that everything is black and white, and too many conservatives can see no redeeming value in any liberal or Democrat. That would probably be true about some liberals going the other direction, but I didn't hear from them.
Another question, raised by David Gibson's analysis of the Knights' efforts is whether the group considers Democrats' policies as inherently uncivil.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson...
has blasted Obama and (Vice President Joseph) Biden, who is Catholic, for their support for abortion rights. Just last week in the conservative journal National Review, Anderson penned a blistering critique of Obama for what he said was the president's decision "to make unrestricted access to abortion a key component of his campaign."
More importantly, Gibson notes:
The Knights of Columbus can deploy huge sums for -- or against -- causes they support or oppose.
CatholicVote, by the way, once branded Gibson as a shill for the Obama White House so there's a lot of pushing and shoving on the civility front.
DO YOU THINK ... pointing out that the opposition is lying in an ad is not civil -- as long as you don't call him or her an unprincipled snake?
Since the word went out into the land that the top U.S. Catholic Cardinal will give the closing prayer for the RNC meeting in Tampa, Catholic experts have plenty to say.
Chiefly, liberals blast it as an endorsement in shepherd's clothing while conservatives cheer.
David Gibson at Religion News Service checked in with America magazine, the Jesuit weekly, which editorialized,
Cardinal Dolan's appearance in Tampa will damage the church's ability to be a moral and legitimate voice for voiceless, as those who view the Catholic Church as being a shill for the GOP have just a bit more evidence to prove their case.
Then, Gibson looked to Thomas Peters, who writes for CatholicVote.org, which has endorsed Romney and his Catholic running mate, Paul Ryan. Peters says:
I now predict that if Mitt Romney wins the White House in 2012 there will be a very healthy relationship between a Romney administration and the U.S. Bishops, led by a close working relationship between Cardinal Dolan and President Romney.
ORIGINAL POST: The Republican National Convention next week will close with a prayer by top Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Is this a GOP signal: Heads-up Catholics, we're your party? Not if the Democrats invite Dolan, too.
Dolan will not endorse the Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan ticket or specifically bless the platform that takes a very Catholic pro-life stance on banning abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest.
His spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, was quite clear in a press release Thursday saying:
... the Cardinal was coming only to pray not to endorse, and that he would be willing to accept a similar offer from the Democratic Party as well. That same sentiment was conveyed to the Democratic National Committee.
What are the chances of an invite from the DNC?
Hard to say given that the U.S.C.C.B. has spent the last six months pounding the Obama administration for what it sees as offenses against religious liberty, particularly the mandate for employers to provide birth control coverage in their health insurance plans with no exemption for many faith-based institutions.
The Catholic web site Busted Halo looked at the Catholic vote and concluded it's still up for grabs. It cites a Pew Forum poll on Catholic attitudes toward religious freedom, social issues that finds...
most Catholics, 64%, have at least heard of the bishops' complaints against the Obama administration. Among those who know of the concerns, 56% generally agree.
However, their story says,
...Obama holds a wide lead over Romney when Catholics are asked which individual more closely mirrors their social issue concerns, 50-36% (though the numbers flip for weekly church-going Catholics). When asked whom they will vote for in November, Catholic voters have tended to express support for Obama over Romney, with the margin this month of 51-42%.
DO YOU THINK ... a convention blessing will translate to a bump in votes?
What does a candidate's faith tell you about that person? And why does it matter?
President Obama and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney answer those e-mailed questions for Rev. Francis Wade, interim dean of the Washington National Cathedral, that great church on a city hill where the nation has mourned for and prayed with national leaders for nearly a century.
In the newest issue of the quarterly magazine, Cathedral Age, both candidates say their faith in God sustains and guides them, that faith has a role to play in the American public square, and that service to others -- motivated by faith -- is one of the great contributions of religious groups to the life of the nation.
Despite numerous times that Obama has spoken of his committed Christian faith, some Americans still doubt his religion or, incorrectly, view him as a Muslim. Obama's answer to that is frank:
I have a job to do as president, and that does not involve convincing folks that my faith in Jesus is legitimate and real. Faith can express itself in people in many ways, and I think it is important that we not make faith alone a barometer of a person's worth, value, or character.
And Romney, a former bishop in his Mormon church, used the questions to reiterate his Christian faith in Jesus -- just in case any conservative evangelicals are still thrown off by the very different understanding of the Trinity that Mormons hold.
Romney says that more important than a religious label is whether someone seeking office,
"... shares these American values: the equality of human kind, the obligation to serve one another, and a steadfast commitment to liberty. They are not unique to any one denomination."
Neither men take faith as a trivial personal matter, "like collecting stamps or riding bikes," says Wade.
For our nation to pretend that the beliefs of our president are a matter of indifference is an absurdity that ill serves us.
Neither do they confine their understanding of religious orthodoxy to those who "agree with me," he says.
Wade writes in an introductory essay:
Long-standing issues of contraception, abortion, sexuality, re-distribution of wealth, stewardship of the environment, and health care, as well as public and private debt, combine to produce a nearly perfect storm of fear, judgment, and negativity.
And we appear all to willing, Wade writes, to set ourselves up as "the jury on judgment day"
The candidates' answers are variations on the same themes.
Favorite Scriptures? Isaiah 40:31 and Psalm 46 for Obama; Matthew 25:35-36 for Romney, who has yet to cite the Book of Mormon directly in this campaign.
And both agree, the commitment to love and to serve transcends denominations and that is faith's gift to public life.
Faith motivates people to do incredibly compassionate and good work that helps our nation thrive.
Words and symbols of faith "should be welcome in public spaces."
However, each does veer a tad to potentially controversial areas.
Romney says "Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our Constitution rests." (Take that to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.)
Romney also says:
Clearly, the boundaries between church and state must be respected, but there is a large space in which faith-based organizations can do good for the community in which they serve. In recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning.
And Obama, after touting the accomplishments of his Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership, and linkups with non-profits and private sector groups to see best practices for service, mentions working with faith communities to fight human trafficking and care for survivors.
Hmmm. The Catholic Church is still riled because the Obama administration, backed by the courts, cut off funding to a Catholic group with a long history of working with trafficking survivors because the Church would not provide access or information on abortion or contraception to victims.
DO YOU THINK ... it matters for a candidate to take religion seriously?
So Broadway came to Salt Lake City Friday night when followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints threw an early 85th birthday bash for their president, Thomas Monson.
Mormons believe the leader of the faith is a "modern prophet who receives revelation directly from God," writes Brian Passey, who reports for The Spectrum in St. George, Utah. Passey attended the tuneful concert for Monson Friday night at the LDS Conference Center.
He says Monson, known for his "jovial nature" and love of Broadway sounds, was serenaded with songs from Cats, Annie, Phantom of the Opera, Brigadoon and Les Miserables and praised with tributes from celebrities.
After Memories, former NFL quarterback Steve Young told Monson,
The memories that you share with us show us what happiness is.
Monson will not actually turn 85 until Tuesday, but nearly 21,000 Latter-Day Saints came to the party. According to Passey:
Monson's birthday program followed the course of his life, from childhood to his days of worldwide service for the church. Monson became an apostle for the church at the abnormally young age of 36 and was instrumental in helping the church grow in communist eastern Europe during the Cold War years.
Prior to becoming president of the church in 2008, Monson had served as a counselor to three previous presidents since 1985 and in the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 1963, Passey writes..
Hundreds of yellow roses decorated the massive auditorium, symbolizing one of Monson's favorite quotes by author James Barrie: "God gave us memories that we might have June roses in the December of our lives."
Some Wisconsin Catholics are praying both Catholic vice presidential candidates will have a religious epiphany. They want GOP Rep. Paul Ryan to change his mind and heart about his deep-cuts budget and Vice President Biden to turn against abortion rights.
Two Franciscans, Rhett Engelking, a layman, and the Rev. Michael Crosby have launched a website Pray for Paul's Change of Heart with a special Rosary prayer to St. Paul -- the most famous of converts who once condemned Christ until he saw the light on the road to Damascas.
While praising the congressman's sincere faith, they say they want Ryan to have that road-to-Damascus moment and see the light that the Ryan budget goes against Catholic Church teaching on the poor.
Their press release Thursday highlights the U.S. Catholic bishops's stance that the deep budget slashes fail to meet Catholic moral criteria to protect the poor and promoted common good.
This has notably not worked with Ryan. The "Nuns on the Bus" nine-state tour this summer paused at his office to talk up the vision of a just and compassionate budget. Ryan didn't meet them there but later had a "cordial" private conversation with the leader of the tour. Sister Simone Campbell, director of a Catholic advocacy group, Network, told The Daily Beast,
We agreed to disagree. Actually, we both agreed that we care passionately about the future of this country. So we did find some common ground.
Ryan, however, is not the only contender to be the Catholic vice president. The Franciscan duo also calls for prayers for Biden that he will shift to oppose abortion and protect "the born and preborn." They back up their plea with links to the U.S. bishops.
DO YOU THINK... you prayers could influence the federal budget?
Evangelist Billy Graham, whose doctor calls him "remarkably healthy" for age 93, checked out of an Asheville, N.C., hospital Tuesday after two days of treatment for bronchitis.
He returned to his home in Montreat, N.C., after checking into Mission Hospital Saturday evening with a fever. According to a press release from his long-time spokesman, A. Larry Ross, Graham's pulmonologist, Dr. Daniel Fertel, said
"Mr. Graham had a quick recovery and responded very well to his treatment. Catching these types of pulmonary infections early is crucial for a fast recovery, as was the case for Mr. Graham. Despite this illness he remains remarkably healthy for a 93-year-old man."
Graham was in good spirits and, Ross says, he praised the hospital staff, while admiting, "It is never easy going to the hospital."
He also thanked all who sent him prayers and letters, saying
Such an outpouring of love and support is always a blessing but was especially appreciated during my hospitalization.
Once back to his mountaintop log cabin, Graham is expected to resume physical therapy and carry on with his ministry and writing projects.
Hey, President Obama and contender Mitt Romney, the American Atheists want your attention. They're unveiling a new in-your-face-to-the-faithful billboard campaign, timed to the national presidential nominating conventions.
Today's press conference revealed signs that call God "sadistic" and Jesus "useless" as a savior (his image is show as toast, literally) and conclude that Atheism, by contrast, is "simply reasonable."
Presumably, Catholics such as Vice President Biden and Romney's running mate choice Paul Ryan, are covered in this hit on Christians such as Obama, a mainline Protestant.
But evidently the American Atheists don't consider Mormons to be Christians, since they prepared a separate billboard attack on their faith. It derides their idea of God as a "space alien" and notes that Mormons offer a proxy baptism to dead relatives -- a practice the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges has gotten out of hand with some believers inappropriately baptizing Holocaust victims and others not related to their own families.
But GOP delegates won't see the attack on their faith on their way to nominate Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in Tampa. Spokeswoman Teresa MacBain says no one in Tampa would rent them billboard space. So watch for both texts in Charlotte, N.C., where the Democrats will gather in September.
American Atheists is the group that created and produced the Reason Rally in March on the National Mall -- an event president David Silverman billed as a fun gathering starring raging atheists such as Richard Dawkins.
But Silverman's idea of "fun" may not align with that of the faithful his group loves to jab. As he said then,
We're not the softies. We are proud to be the Marines of free thought, proud to be the edge of the sword.
The same group flew a banner over New York City on the Fourth of July proclaiming, "Atheism is patriotic."
Now, MacBain says, the billboards are aimed at mocking the "silliness" of religion. In an email before today's press conference, she wrote that questioning the religious views of men who want to lead the free world is essential because,
If a person believes stupid things, then we have every right to question his or her judgment, and that directly impacts how the non-religious voter votes.
More demands -- like non-religious people to be appointed to the Cabinet and the Supreme Court -- are at their website.
Interestingly, for all the increasing public presence of unbelievers -- billboards, rallies, conventions, etc. -- the attention has not boosted their percentage of the U.S. population significantly in the last decade.
Most people who say they have no religious identity also call themselves spiritual but not religious, and many give the entire topic a big "so what" shrug.
But the billboards planned for Charlotte, N.C., may not be well received. In 2010, when free thinkers posted an edited version of the line from the Pledge of Allegiance without the phrase "under God," vandals added it with spray paint.
DO YOU THINK ... the billboards will convert anyone away from religion? Is it "simply reasonable" to mock belief?
Cathy Lynn Grossman is too fidgety to meditate. But talking about visions and values, faith and ethics lights her up. Join in at Faith & Reason. More about Cathy.
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text: Shelly Gaynor is the grand-daughter of Golden Age hero the WHIP. She's revived the old family business and is turning her experiences as an urban crime-fighter into a best- selling book. But when Shelly answers an ad to join the aging crimebuster Vigilante and his new team of Seven Soldiers in the hunt for an ancient monster haunting the deserts of the southwest, her super-hero dream becomes a terror-trip into the heart of an undying nightmare.


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Dr. Zorba Paster: Move your muscles and ward off diabetes
If you're worried about getting diabetes, I have good news for you. Recent research shows there is a new treatment that lowers your risk by 50 percent.
It's not a pill. It's not a vitamin. It's not one of those fix-it-all gadgets you see on late-night TV infomercials.
It won't cost you a dime. It's simple to start but hard to stay with. Can you guess what it is?
It's exercise – specifically weightlifting and aerobics.
This watershed study shows that a key step in stemming the diabetes epidemic is to put down the newspaper (after you finish reading WNY Refresh!), get up from the computer, turn off the TV and use your body.
This research, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at 32,000 men who did not have diabetes when the study started. Every two years, the guys had a physical with their doctor, at which time they were asked about their exercise habits. All had their blood sugars tested to see if they were developing diabetes.
When the numbers were crunched, researchers showed that men who exercised 2½ hours a week were much less likely to become diabetics.
If they lifted weights, their risk dropped by a third. If they did aerobics, it dropped by half.
Astounding results. If I invented a pill that did this, I would make a gazillion dollars.
This is good news for those of you who lift. Weightlifting has been the poor cousin of aerobic exercise, often poo-pooed as being unhealthy. This research shows it's good for your health, too.
Another study on exercise published in the same journal showed that diabetics who exercised the same 2½ hours a week had a 40 percent reduction in premature death. This study went one step further in defining exercise – it included gardening, dancing, vacuuming and mopping.
I can just see it now – health clubs that feature aerobic mopping and vacuuming. Hmmm – that might be a class I'd skip.
But seriously, it does mean that household chores also count in your exercise plan.
My spin: It's time we wake up and smell the coffee. The fountain of youth that Ponce de Leon was searching for is right in front of us – it's moving our muscles.
Dr. Zorba Paster is a family physician, professor, author and broadcast journalist. He hosts a radio call-in show at 3 p.m. Saturdays on WBFO-FM 88.7.


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SoccerTimesfront page
List of Americans Abroad
Dempsey goal sends U.S. past Panama and into Gold Cup final.
Americans dominate Jamaica and earn Gold Cup rematch with Panama in semifinals.
U.S. advances to Gold Cup quarters, but win over Guadaloupe lacks finish.
Americans can't come back from slow start, fall to Panama in Gold Cup.
U.S. opens Gold Cup with convincing 2-0 win over Canada.
Spain sends U.S. off to Gold Cup with bad beating.
Next up for the U.S. will be a contest June 4 with Spain in Foxborough, Mass.
U.S. earns respectable 1-1 draw with Argentina though effort lacked.
U.S. displays little in unexciting 0-0 draw with Colombia before small crowd.
After twice relinquishing leads, U.S. settles for 2-2 draw with Poland.
Facing one deficit too many, U.S. exits World Cup 2-1 to Ghana.
Donovan carries U.S. to victory over Algeria, Round of 16.
Stirring U.S. comeback produces draw; Americans denied win when Edu winner is waved off.
England keeper's blunder allows U.S. to pick up valuable Group C point.
Revitalized after break, Americans rally to overcome Turkey 2-1 in tune-up.
Davies, Adu are absent from World Cup preliminary roster.
Netherlands overmatches anemic U.S. 2-1 in Amsterdam friendly.
U.S. gets favorable draw, opens 2010 World Cup with England.
U.S. ends 2009 on low note, dropping decision to Denmark.
Americans don't show much attack in 1-0 loss to Slovakia.
Bornstein's late header gives U.S. draw with Costa Rica, first in group.
U.S. clinches sixth straight World Cup berth behind Casey, Donovan.
By Robert Wagman
(Sunday, June 26, 2011) -- Mexico easily overcame a two-goal deficit to capture the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship by outpacing and overrunning the United States men 4-2 last night in front of a sold-out Rose Bowl crowd of 92,420.
The key moment in the match came in the fourth minute when U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo was hit across the ankle by teammate Jermaine Jones. He gamely tried to go on, but had to come off in the 11th minute. With few options available, Bob Bradley had to insert Jonathan Bornstein on the left side of defense and move Eric Lichaj to the right, a position where he plays in Europe.
The simple fact of the matter was every Mexican attacker was faster and quicker than any American defender. Often beaten to the ball as well as by runs off the ball, the U.S. defense was a shambles for much of the game.
The American got off to a dream start. In the eighth minute, midfielder Freddy Adu, the best U.S. player over the first hour, whipped a corner kick which Michael Bradley let skim off his head into the net for a 1-0 lead. Twelve minutes later, somewhat against the run of play, striker Landon Donovan and midfielder Clint Dempsey exchanged great passes and Donovan went around goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera to make it 2-0.
From that point on, it was all Mexico. Its pace and skill constantly bedeviled the American defense and its pace and physical play gave it control of the midfield which resulted in few opportunities for the U.S. forwards.
"I think (Mexico has) some very good attacking players and I think that we do too," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "I think sometimes a final becomes a real test of both teams going after each other. That was the way we chose to play this game, knowing that it would still require good reactions defensively to deal with those situations. In there, there are some plays where our reactions don't end up being as good and sometimes there are some plays where at the end you give credit."
Mexico coach Jose Manuel De La Torre made a key early substitution, pulling Carlos Salcido and inserting Jorge Torres Nilo into the midfield in the 28th minute, and immediately Mexico settled down and was back into the game.
Mexico has one of the best young attacks in the world and it was on full display last night. Two of its four goals were scored not by headliners Javier Hernandez or Giovani dos Santos, but by Pablo Barrera of England's West Ham United. Dos Santos did score a highlight-reel goal to end the Mexican scoring.
In the end, the Mexicans were simply too fast and too skilled for what amounted to a patched-together U.S. defense. The consistent pressure and lightning-quick attacks were simply too much for the Americans to handle and the better team emerged as Gold Cup champion.
"We started the game pretty well and then made the most of two chances," Donovan said. "We had a little letdown and let them back into the game, and they got a little bit of a sloppy goal to tie the game. And then we didn't come out well in the second half.
"You have to give Mexico a lot of credit. They are difficult team to play against and they have a bunch of guys that can make special plays."
Goalkeeper Tim Howard - 4: The U.S. needed from Howard one of his best games and instead he delivered an average one. His defense was not much help, but he should have prevented at least two of Mexico's goals.
Defender Eric Lichaj - 3: Was just overrun all night. He did not have the pace to stop attacks down the wing and failed to clear balls he should have. He was never a threat offensively.
Defender Carlos Bocanegra - 5: Essentially was asked to cover the entire right side of defense for much of the match. Given the speed he was facing, that was too big a task. He was often pulled out of position and not able to respond where needed.
Defender Clarence Goodson - 4: Had a lot of trouble with Javier Hernandez throughout the night. He gave up some easy chances and was lucky they did not result in more Mexican goals.
Defender Steve Cherundolo - no raiting: Went out early with an injury caused by a teammate. While he was in, he made the play that resulted in the corner kick, leading to the first U.S. goal.
Midfielder Jermaine Jones - 5: An inconsistent performance. Put in a lot of effort, but had trouble with Mexico's pace in the middle. Except for Adu, he was the only U.S. player up to the level of physical play. Was still running after 90 minutes.
Midfielder Freddy Adu - 6.5: Great corner kick, leading to first U.S. goal, involved in the second American tally and one of the few players who stood up to Mexico's physical game. He visibly tired from the pounding he took in the second half. Put himself squarely back in the national-team picture.
Midfielder Clint Dempsey - 5: Great pass on the second U.S. goal and a fine effort over the first 45 minutes, but he was beaten up physically and in the end his very long club season seemed to catch up with him.
Midfielder Michael Bradley - 5.5: He had a very uneven match. At times, he made great plays at both ends, as with the first U.S. goal, but then failed to deliver in key moments.
Forward Alejandro Bedoya - 4: Had a few good moments early on the wing, but was ineffective when he came into the middle and was never really in the match offensively..
Forward Landon Donovan - 5: Was great at moments, but he faded as the match progressed. Was asked to play on top, where he was repeatedly harassed by physical defenders. Again, he showed he is better out of the midfield.
Defender Jonathan Bornstein (11th minute for Cherundolo) - 2: Was never in the match. Was constantly beaten down his side and was often out of the picture at key moments. Being thrown in after not playing for a month was simply too much to ask.
Forward Juan Agudelo (63rd minute for Bedoya) - 3: He has to be able to play more physically. The first three times he touched the balls, he was roughly shouldered off and things did not improve much thereafter.
Midfielder Sacha Kljestan (86th minute for Adu) - 6. In a short appearance, he made several outstanding plays that went for naught.
SoccerTimes U.S. Player of the Match: Freddy Adu.
Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter.


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Midnapur Overview
You can reach Midnapur from Gurgaon by road in about using a cab upon driving using a cab.
Midnapur is the district headquarters of Paschim Medinipur district of the Indian state of Paschimbanga. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River (variously known as Kasai and Cossye). This area had taken a pioneering role in India's freedom struggle. a large number of freedom fighters who had bravely faced the gallows are the sons of the soil of midnapore. In order to free their motherland of the yokes of bondage, they had willingly sacrificed themselves in the freedom pyre. If you are looking for car rental Midnapur let us know and we will be happy to provide you with best budgeted deals for . Book cabs in Midnapur


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On March 20 the Vatican released a summary of the findings and recommendations of its offical visitation to Ireland. The investigation recognized serious shortcomings in the handling of accusations of sexual abuse of minors but found that today Ireland's bishops, clergy and lay faithful are doing an "excellent" job creating safe environments for children. The investigators found that Irish bishops need to update their child protection guidelines, establish "more consistent admission criteria" for seminarians and formulate policies on how best to deal with clergy and religious "falsely accused" of abuse or convicted of abuse. The investigators also warned of a "fairly widespread" tendency among priests, religious and laity to hold unspecified unorthodox views.
This article also appeared in print, under the headline "Sex Abuse and Orthodoxy," in the April 9, 2012 issue.


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Miley Cyrus sends cryptic Tweet to her dad
Listen to Miley Cyrus on iHeartRadio | Listen to Billy Ray Cyrus on iHeartRadio
(Yahoo!) - On Monday night Miley sent out a tweet to her dad that delivered an ominous-sounding message, that has since been deleted.
"@billyraycyrus since you won't reply to my texts i'm giving you one hour to tell the truth or ill tell it for you" [SEE DELETED TWEET HERE]
Attached to the tweet was a photo of Miley with an attractive woman who has been identified as stage actress Dylis Croman. She and Billy Ray starred together in a revival of Chicago that ran on Broadway last winter. Some have speculated that Miley tweeted the photo because Dylis and Billy Ray had an affair, but that's only speculation. Nothing has been confirmed by any of the involved parties' camps, which we attempted to contact and did not receive a reply from at posting time.
The photo that Miley tweeted was shot backstage during Chicago's Broadway run, and was actually first tweeted back on Nov. 19 by "Miley Cyrus News."
We're not sure if Billy Ray replied privately or if Miley realized that public humiliation might not be the best route to travel, but less than five minutes later the tweet was deleted and Miley fired off another tweet.
Wtf? My twitter was just actin all types of cray!— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) June 25, 2013
While Miley may try to blame the tweet aimed at her dad on a technical glitch, those who have been following her social media antics know this isn't the first time that she's publicly went after her father. Nearly two weeks ago, after her mom Tish's plans to divorce Billy Ray were made public, she tweeted, "Since your texts and email obviously aren't working would you like to talk like this?" Once again, Billy Ray didn't reply publicly.
Billy Ray and Tish had planned to divorce once before. Three years ago, he start the proceedings claiming that Miley's fame had made life too difficult for the family, but a year later, he called it off, saying, "Things are the best they've ever been." Now apparently — at least according to Miley's Twitter account — things have changed.
Photo Credit Getty Images


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Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
Staypineapple at Hotel Rose
50 Southwest Morrison Street, Portland, OR
0.3 mi from
Clean, cozy (excellent bed!), accommodating staff, and free coffee in the lobby. No complaints!
All was good The blankets were a little confusing..
We stayed two nights for a fun weekend trip. The beds were super comfortable and the location was great! Our favorite part was the bikes they have available for you to take out to explore the city!! We had a blast and would highly recommend this hotel!
Room was comfortable and clean, restaurant was good, and location was extremely convenient to exploring downtown Portland. There is NO soundproofing in this hotel, so bring earplugs (or get some from the front desk). You will hear street noise, river noise, train noise, and TONS of noise from other guests.
Loved the duvets. With there was a hot tub. Also, lots of homeless people camped very close to hotel made area less than great for walking around at night.
Good location with included bike rentals. There wasn't AC in the room.
Great location, staff super friendly. Parking wasn't expensive but unexpected cost.
It happened to be 100 degrees that day in Portland and my air conditioning in the room went out. They immediately came to my room and while facilities management couldn't fix it they moved me very quickly to new room and one with a better view. I arrived in Portland at 9 am ( I know check in time is 4 pm) but I travel often and it's generally never a problem to get a room by noon. They told me they would call me when a room was ready. I called at 1:30 pm to see what the eta of my room would be. The front desk woman at that time was short and seemed put out when she said "it's ready". Don't offer a call back service if you aren't going to follow through.
Very fun and unique place. Great staff. Free bicycles and shuttle services for guests. Complimentary tea and coffee in your room. Located near several bars and restaurants. Will be back. One of the door guys was a little rude. He was short in his responses and seemed bothered by simple questions. Not really a big deal though. Didn't take away at all from my great experience at the hotel. Maybe he was just having a bad day .
Great staff. Clean. Outdated heating system. Was stuck on all night in one of our rooms. No air conditioning. Old bed linens. Frayed sheets.
Hotel Rose is what it is: a recently renovated motel. It's clean and comfortable, and staff are friendly. But to call it a four-star hotel is a real stretch, in terms of amenities and service. Compared to other downtown luxury hotels, this is a big step down at the same price. The bathroom is tiny, with outdated fixtures and mold stains. The provided toiletries are cheesy Tommy Bahama brand with an intense pina colada scent that I was a bit embarrassed to smell like all day. The bed only comes with a comforter, strangely folded on top of a bare fitted sheet, so you have to make your own bed. The king bed comes with two of these, each covering half the bed. Just weird. When I asked the front desk for room service to give me a top sheet, I was told I could find one in the closet and to make the bed myself.
Fun location right on the river. Clean, modern hotel with helpful and friendly staff. The great location means that you will hear the noise (sometimes very loud) of an festivities happening on the river.
Great staff. Great rooms
Friendliness and accomodation by the staff and overall luxury of facility not applicable
great room, excellent restaurant
Room was beautiful, bell staff was extremely great and cheerful! Front desk staff seemed to have an attitude and weren't overly welcoming or friendly, wished the lighting in the bathroom was better, didn't like the setup of the sink/vanity/mirrors. Not functional for putting on makeup or if 2 people wanted to use the mirrors at the same time. Also a tub would have been nice.
First time to Portland and The Nines had it all, location, convenience, style, etc. i booked off Kyak and couldn't be more pleased. I expect to be back multiple times next year.
There is no pool at this hotel. It's a good hotel but I certainly wouldn't categorize it as a 5 star. You'd expect better room equipments and facilities. I haven't ever seen a 5 star hotel with no pool. Also parking is very expensive. $47/night is very expensive especially for weekend and holiday stays. I recommend to park at street.
The view was beautiful. Very nice employees.
We were able to walk or catch the trolley and go anywhere we wanted. It is quite central so we could see lots of attractions Great place
The location on the water front is potentially nice. (1) Took well over 1 hour to check in at 2;30PM -- no rooms available! (2) Noisy. Lots of ambient street noise
very walkable, close to theater and parks, walk to the river, I like a firmer bed but no one else in the party had bed issues
they brought a mini-fridge on request. lots of plugs for charging. Nice location, close to waterfront park and quieter than mid town locations.
Location is great, facility is amazing, and staff was exceptional! Bed was a little firm but still got a good nights rest.
The resturNt downstairs was very good and the rooms are clean... Small but clean. The shower was kind of cheesy. It's great if it's just a crash pad. The Staff and valet service were all very nice The smaller rooms, shower felt cheap with crappy water pressure.
I loved the front desk staff and the valet staff. Upon checking in, the front desk staff was extremely helpful with tips on activities in the area and food and restaurant choices. They didn't sound rehearsed with their suggestions. They really seemed enthusiastic about their choices which made us enthusiastic about trying them out. The valet staff was extremely friendly and helpful as well. We left some items in our car that they had parked for us and they offered to retrieve them for us while we waited in the lobby. They greeted us every time we walked in and out the door and just seemed happy to be working there and not just working for tips. The customer service was greatly appreciated! The main negative comment I have is that their elevator is rickety and loud. I guess because we checked in at night, we got stuck with the room next to the elevator and you really can hear it every time it goes up and down. Luckily, we were just so exhausted from our daytime activities, we didn't have the energy to complain. Also, the housekeeping staff was a little intimidating. At around 4pm, we went back to our hotel room to freshen up and noticed that our room had still not been made. No big deal. We saw the housekeeping staff in the hallway and decided to tell them they can skip our room, but we wanted an extra towel and a new garbage bag. When we asked them, the staff member demanded my hotel room number in a harsh tone and when I told her, she then shouted to her co worker in another language some verbiage while pointing at us. They had a conversation, that sounded like an argument to me, for a few minutes while we were standing there waiting for the OK to skip our room and give us a towel. Mind you, they were standing right next to the towel cart conversing in their language while I was standing there confused.
Nice location, lots of the city is walkable from here. The lobby is beautiful and the front desk staff made us feel very welcome. Once you get out of the lobby, the floors felt a bit dingy like they needed new carpets. The decor in the hallways felt a bit dated. Nothing particularly bad but just didn't feel quite polished. For the price I expected better.
Windows open - - a great feature these days if you lIke a little fresh air. Wonderful staff and convenient enough location. A bit pricey, especially the valet parking.
The restaurant and friendly staff. In downtown Portland, but a bit far from certain attractions.
Location close to stores and downtown area Room was small. Bathroom was small. Bed was extremely loud and squeaky. Walls were thin
Located close to downtown shopping and Keller Auditorium. Staff puts customers first. In house restaurant is fantastic. Excellent wait staff and food is great. Great outdoor patio with gas fire pits. Rooms not big, but very nice. Valet parking adds $35 per night. Would stay there again. $35 valet parking not mentioned in booking.
It was gorgeous and hip. Didn't quite live up to that hype.
I checked into Hotel Moderna after a very long day of traveling and checking out of another hotel because if wasn't clean or at all what I was looking for. The guy behind the front desk, after hearing of my travel troubles, offered me free drinks in the hotel restaurant to make my day better. He also gave me a map of the city and marked his favorite places to hang out in sharpie. The front desk staff went above and beyond to accommodate me, which is exactly what I needed after the day I had.
Always enjoy the staff, the contemporary atmosphere, the location, and the garden with fire pits. This is my favorite place to stay in Portland for a reasonable price (the nines is great but expensive, and the loft is great but more for an airport stay). The valet parking was pretty good and free for my Prius (they had a special for "green" cars) and really helped to steal my stay (the nines did not offer anything like that). If there was email@example.com I had a problem with, it was that once waited for 15 minutes for my car and when I asked about it, the valet had forgotten about it. He immediately remedied the situation and had the car in 90 seconds, but it would have been nice to have gotten it when it was first asked for. A small oversight, and overall does not take from my five star rating for this property.
The location and comfort made our trip an enjoyable first visit. Restaurant and accessibility from the interstate made it a stress free arrival, check in, check out... I don't know that we will stay at Modera for the price paid, again. Not a knock it is a gorgeous and friendly hotel. Great for a first visit.
Valet parking $38. No other real options.
The location is great (close to all the downtown spots). The staff are well-trained and express interest/care. The hotel is dated. The look can be charming. But I don't think that chipped paint, old and over-exposed grout, faded/worn carpets, tough mattresses are part of the decor. Maybe other rooms in the hotel have been updated, but my room was not. I also faced a very load street/area so I would recommend asking for an updated room (if they have any), and for a room in a quiet location.
Hotel is very old but extremely well kept, it has a kind of regal feel whenever you walk in. Very good service and the location is the best. Just two things: The love seat and chairs in my room looked a little old, not in bad shape or anything, just old. The bathroom light was a little dim.
Location and staff were great. Flowers were a little pass their time and bathroom needed a little work. Lightning in the bathroom was poor and a magnificent mirror would have been helpful .
The lobby alone makes this place worth it. Top notch all around.
Location in the heart of Portland. Great lobby. Staff unhelpful. Reservation was cancelled when it shouldn't have been. Small beds and rooms. Bathrooms just okay. expensive for what you get.
Location was great and allowed us to walk to nearly everything we wanted to do. Lobby bar was amongst the best I've ever been to. Parking was not explained very well, and expensive. The valets ignored us for over 10 min before we drove off and parked in the garage that was less than a block away. Turned out to be the same garage the valet uses, and has a tunnel connected to the hotel. Room was dark due to only having one small window in the corner.
Great location, lovely hotel. I really just wanted to get some sleep. There was a lot of street noise, even in the middle of the night. Who knew Portland was so loud?
Convenient location, short two blocks from the MAX light-rail. Incredibly luxurious room, decent (not spectacular but OK) free internet (could get more speed for more money). Need room key to activate the elevator - an added level of security. Room was a bit dark, could definitely use more lighting or more powerful light bulbs.
Everything. Especially the bartender. He is so knowledgeable about scotch, etc. He's wonderful. He the reason we stay there every holiday season. I forget his name but he's been there forever.
Excellent location near great bars pubs and restaurants
Very comfortable bed and staff was quite friendly. Great lobby and building with a ton of character, historic architecture, marble, and classic woodwork. (If you want a sleek, modern, generic place that looks the same as a hotel in any other city, this is not the hotel for you.) My room (1212) was quite small, especially the bathroom. Because I wanted a single large bed and the hotel was pretty full, I think maybe I had that oddball room that most older hotels have that are squeezed into a non-regular space. In this case, it also happened to be near housekeeping, which was noisy in the morning with carts being banged around. The room was fine but smaller than one might expect. The bathroom was ok for me but would have been an issue for someone who spends more time getting ready. There was not even enough room to stand squarely in front of the tiny sink because a bookcase/shelving unit was put on the wall right in the area in front of sink. I had to shave at an odd angle, off to the side of the sink.
Easy walking to shopping in downtown and the Pearl district. Close to food carts and beer gardens. 1 block from the Max train.
From the moment we checked in and throughout our stay the staff went above and beyond to ensure that our every need was met. Incredible customer service and amenities.
The coffee was out before 5:00AM...excellent for an early riser. Running maps were sweet. Complimentary adult bevs in the living room...how relaxing!
They could do themselves a lot of favors by improving their bedding, especially the pillows. We both had a lousy night's sleep.
Friendly staff; fun, funky decor; nicely situated downtown; and one of the best workout facilities I've seen for a hotel this size (a few elliptical machines, weights, cable machines, pull up bar, etc.). The parking is expensive, and works out to be a hidden cost: $26 per day, or $41 if you leave your car overnight.
The hotel was excellent, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed our stay. The room was large and comfortable, with very nice toiletries provided in the spacious bathroom. The location is perfect, down the street from food trucks, great restaurants, and only a short walk to great tax-free shopping. We will definitely consider staying here again. Our room had a slight odor of dogs / animals. This should be somewhat expected in a pet-friendly hotel, and is only really noticeable once you walk in the room. All-in-all, this was a minor gripe and will not deter us from staying here again.
We loved this hotel. Luxurious bed, gorgeous decor and details, accommodating staff and reasonable rates- we will be back!! $42 for overnight parking was silly overpriced.
The quirky decor and the friendliness of the staff. Everything was fine. No complaints.
The receptioni staff were excellent. They upgraded our room after we told them of our vacation from hell just a month earlier. The location was perfect for us. It is close to the business area, the college and some of Portland best food. Loved it and would stay again.
Very comfortable room in lovingly restored late nineteenth century building, with excellent restaurant attached. Extremely good value for money.
The staff and location were excellent. Room furniture was too large fore size of room.
Bed was comfortable. Room was clean. Location was excellent. Valet service an absolute disaster. Front desk unable to give good rec's on what to do and where to eat.
Very comfortable room, old luxury style, very friendly staff No view, single elevator
Great location. Bar was awesome! Have a "bee's knees"! Because I used the door knocker that said I didn't need sheets and towels changed, no one ever came to my room to take the garbage or give us more TP, etc. thankfully there was an extra roll in the room. And one of the valet guys was rude to my uber driver when she came to pick us up. It was uncalled for.
The location is great, and the service is spectacular!
Good renovation of an old hotel. No pool.
Beautiful building, excellent location near the Pearl District. Loads of cool shops, restaurants, and breweries nearby. Hotel lent us bikes! Pricey but not out of line for area hotels.
Great hotel,centrally located,free public transport close to several good quality restuarants noisey air conditioning
Couldn't be more helpful, great location and great price for luxury stay
Have stayed there before and the Hotel is lovely. Bit of a remodel going on, but it's not intrusive. Service is attentive and Portland-friendly. The parking charge of $36 overnight is usurious; we had to park two cars and when asked if they would comp one of them due to our circumstances, they refused. This will cause me to stay someplace else next time.
People at Kimpton hotels are amazing across the board but we found the team at The Vintage to be especially kind and caring. From the front desk staff to the bartenders we had great conversations with each person we met and that made it feel so welcoming. We'll definitely be going back.
Room, hotel, staff, service, awesomeness Single ply toilet paper
The bed was very comfortable and the room was clean and spacious. The staff was courteous and helpful. The fitness center was disappointing in size and equipment available. It reminded me of fitness centers in 2 & 3 star hotels. On line it said there was a coffee/shop and bakery at the hotel and there were none. Online it also implies there was a spa but there was not. The front desk clerk said they could call someone off site to come to our room. One tiny window in the room. Paid approx $350 a night. Way too expensive for what it was.
Liked the style of the hotel lobby and rooms. Actual size of the room was tiny and way overpriced.
Wish we would have known they were doing construction on the lobby. It was noisy so they should have given us something extra for the trouble
centerally located with a daily beer hour where you can grab free beer Rooms are some of the smallest that I've stayed at with very thin walls. Expect to hear your neighbors using the bathroom...
Classy place and Beer happy hour were amazing. Room size was a little small.
The staff gives you a lot of their time, professional and helpful, and most are friendly. The room was beautifully appointed, very comfortable for one person, and I was happily upgraded to a street view of the Starlight Parade. Unfortunately the ground floor was undergoing renovations, which had I known I would have booked elsewhere.
Friendly Bartending Staff at Imperial.
They upgraded my room when my original room wasn't ready on check in, and they sent a complimentary bottle of champagne to my room because it was my 21st birthday! Hotel was quite expensive for the size of the rooms
Very clean and tastefully appointed. A great place to decompress. Nothing
Absolutely the best location. Easy to travel to any part of portland, 5 minute walk from Powell's City of Books. Really nice staff, really nice valet, decent gym, decent facilities. Room is clean and cozy. Not a great view but it doesn't really matter since you can access the parts of the city with a great view within 10-15 minutes. Valet is a bit pricey. No view from our window, but it didn't bother me much.
The location is great. You're close to plenty of great restaurants, museums and late night spots. The staff is very friendly and professional. The rooms are comfortable and include nice touches like USB ports on the lamps and recycling bins. And you get free beer every night. The rooms are a bit small, so you might want to upgrade to the larger rooms when you book. No closet space.
Great location, friendly and courteous staff Bed had recessed holes and sloped down from foot to head. No included breakfast. Parking options limited. Included internet service is very slow.
The location. Also it was clean. But not worth the price. They did the bait and switch when we got there. I paid for a deluxe room with a view and they gave me a standard room claiming they ran out of deluxe rooms. also forgot my request for additional towels and a blanket and when I asked for it at the desk they delivered the blanket but no towels...
The downtown area with its abundance of drug addicted folks is really a downer. Westin has this wonderful hotel on the edge of some serious scurge. I lived in NYC, I'm not so soft, but it might keep me from going back. The hotel is lovely, all the same.
Comfortable rooms, staff was excellent. Would be nice to have a pool
The staff is very friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They have excellent advice on fun excursions. I also liked the bathroom had a separate bathtub and the spacious shower had a rainfall shower head The bed was not as comfortable as other Westin beds, The mattress and sheets needs replacing. The towels in the bathroom were also old and rough.
The location was the best & staff were very attentive and helpful. Our room was very nice and the bed was extremely comfortable. Most of the hotels, including the Westin are on busy streets so sometimes the noise factor can be a problem but inside the hotel we had very little noise on our floor.
Great central "home base" location for a portland vacation. Almost everything we wanted to see or do was walkable from here. The room had a great view, room was clean, staff was friendly, and they had a phenomenal gym that is open 24 hours! Would definitely stay here again on my next visit. Nothing!
everything STAFF WAS GREAT Its all good
The hotel was great. Location was easy, the room was beautiful, and the staff were friendly. The french press in the room was a perfect touch and the corner view was perfect. Check in and out was incredibly quick and easy. Really a great staff. The walls were paper thin! Twice we had a grumpy neighbor come and bang on our adjacent door telling us to quiet down. first time we were enjoying some wine and we did get in a bit late, so understandable. The second night we were simply watching a movie at 8pm. Ridiculous thing to deal with considering how much we payed to stay there. In the mornings when they woke up I could hear them arguing over itineraries and even zipping up their luggage. Careful those walls are THIN!! This was the executive king room.
The location of the Heathman is in the heart of downtown Portland and close to everything. The amenities are plenty and the dinner restaurant room service is excellent. We stayed in the Oregon Symphony suite and the decor is amazing with plenty of extras. In room French press coffee is a great touch. Customer service is excellent and the staff is sure to make your stay memorable. The late night food service menu could stand to have more choices.
Loved the attention to detail and the French Press coffee in the room. My husband did not like the fitness room. Too small and only one option for weights.
Staff attentive to requests and very personable! Everything was super clean.
Although room was located on the 6th floor, the continuous noise from a generator on the ground floor was so loud it ruined our sleep and stay
Big room, nice tv, very comfortable beds, good friendly service Bathroom was a bit on the small side. All of the food and other assortments were VERY overpriced. Maid also came in without announcing herself. Sheets had some crumbs on them when we came in.
Wonderful room and better service.
View of the Willamatte River, bridges and marina were quite nice. Right next to river walk for access to downtown. Good coffee and tea bar in the mornings. Staff were attentive and pleasant. Dog friendly. Location was distant from downtown district and restaurants. No closet in our room or space to put away our clothing.
The staff was amazingly helpful and made us feel special. We used the bikes and found the service wonderful
Quiet, comfortable centrally located hotel with friendly helpful staff and a nice convivial atmosphere
Beds were very comfortable. Staff was very attentive. Easy walking to places. Very clean. Great stay over all. Toilet stopped up twice but staff were right on it when notified.
restaurant was great. Room was clean and comfortable.
View, cleanliness, roominess, service Bed hurt my back (not normal), loud jacuzzi, TV channel surfing was a bit awkward.
Great location. Can't beat it. Quality was great. Staff was great and extremely helpful (except doorman). Would definitely recommend. Doorman were terrible. Never opened the door once for us. Three of them just stood there and watched my wife and I open the door ourselves. I have no problem opening doors, but whats the point of having three doorman if they don't do anything. Minor detail. Just thought it was funny. Not a hard job.
The hotel grounds are beautiful, the location is great, and the jacuzzi in my room was HEAVEN. Great stay. I'll be back!
Location was great. Restaurant located downstairs is convenient and good also has a full bar stock, I was able to order a beer and walk it up my room. Hotel staff very attentive. Need room card to have elevator cars access your floor which is safe. Can't really say what o didn't like, spent most of my time out of hotel. I did pay $6 for coconut water at the lobby market, a bit pricey o would say. I didn't have a car rental but valet is $35.
Boyfriend and I visited Portland for the weekend. The hotel was very presentable, in a great location (5 minute walk to most restaurants we went to) and a short drive to everywhere else. The hotel was clean, room and bed was comfortable and staff was friendly! We were in a corner room on the 9th floor, so the room was in a weird shape, not necessarily bad, but just to note. There was a bright hallway light that shone through under the door - had to cover it with pillows. There was no view, our one window literally opened up to a wall.
Loved the location to see and do things in Portland. Easy to walk to shopping, restaurants, riverfront.
Location, price, customer service No pool or hot tub, small lobby
Staff answered questions about directions Blake
The location was fantastic. The staff was friendly. The rooms were very clean and well furnished.
Nice service, good looking hotel for the money. Clean and spacious. Nice bar. Good location. We had a particularly bad room. bottom floor, next to housekeeping, handicap accessible. Parking seemed a little outrageous--we parked down the street
We were in th middle of things downtown and could walk to iconic Portland places.
Get 24 hour room service
We originally weren't planning on staying in a hotel in our short visit to Portland but I'm glad we did. Courtyard was such a great steal! The Location was great, walking distance to just about everything. The price wasn't even bad considering we booked last minute. The hotel was super clean and had a very luxurious feel to it! We really didn't stay long enough to find anything we didn't like so I assume that's a good thing overall!
Easy check in, friendly staff, central location. A little loud, even though I asked for a quiet room.
Great location. Comfortable bed. Quiet. Clean. Pretty shabby. Tiny tiny room. Weird space. Seems like a very old property that needs to be updated.
Loved the quality of customer service, food, and location. I didn't like paying $5.00 for a travel size bottle of hairspray?
excellent customer service. very accommodating. Extremely loud - the room above us and the people next door were very loud.
No exercise facility on premis. No in room water. Breakfast is no available before 6:30 am.
The beds were very comfortable, clean space, (small) but functional bathroom. The gym was *great*, large and definitely had everything I needed to lift weights and do cardio, including a small room with mirrors. It's also very centrally located, and easy to bus to and from, which is one of the best aspects of the hotel. I definitely didn't realize there was no complimentary breakfast, and they gave us two full beds instead of a single queen (which is what we reserved).
The young lady at the front desk was excellent. First I go to the wrong Hilton which is across the street she checks me in anyway. Then my wife and I come down the look around your city. And there she is at the front desk. She gives us great directions and great suggestions. Blonde with glasses. Loved it all
I was almost finished checking in when I was told that there would be a $25 early check-in fee.
Great location Great staff Clean Overpriced valet parking Self parking across the street Rooms similar to cheaper budget hotels outside of downtown
Tuesday night, December 20, the elevators were so noisy I was deprived of my sleep. Hilton should check the elevators There was construction going on so lobby level elevators were roped off for the evening so guests had to walk up two flights of stairs to gain access to the elevators. It appeared the construction crew was cognizant of cleaning up and they kept the worksite swept. However, on the 20th floor the glass table near the elevator looked as though it hadn't been dusted in several days. There was enough dust to write ones name on the glass! On a positive note, the employees at the front desk were very helpful at check in.
Hotel is always wonderful. Due to snow and ice storm I had to cancel. The hotel was fine with it. It was within their 24 hours. Unfortunately, the company I used on kayak stated I would have needed to cancel on the same date that I reserved!!!!! Are you kidding me? Don't reserve through them. They do not care what terms the hotel has.
the staff was lovely and very helpful. No fans in the bathroom, views were weak, sauna and steam room was in the other building, which I found annoying.
Great location. It's was nice and clean. The staff are friends The room we stayed at is a standard king room. It's tiny. It think it meant for one traveler. My husband and I feel so cramped in it. No free Wifi in the room, only in the lobby.
The location of this hotel is very convenient for downtown activities and proximity to suggested things to do in Portland. The lobby and bar area are very nice. The work-out gym is also very good. While the Hilton is very convenient, there are some problems with this hotel compared to other hotels in this class. While free parking is not included, there is pay-to-park available from the hotel, but the hotel charges twice as much as the parking garage that is just around the corner(price gouging is not okay.) When I tried to ask staff about the private parking garage, they did everything they could to talk me out of it. Don't pay the excessive Hilton parking charge. I am finding that most hotels these days provide free internet in the rooms and in the lobby. I travel and stay at world-class hotels at least twice a month. So I broke down and paid for the premium internet access at the Hilton. It was far from premium. Not the slowest I have ever seen, but close to it. Also, at this level of hotel, I would expect all the rooms to have charging facilities for electronic devices. Sad to say, but the technical comfort of the room was anything but hi-tech!!


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