text: Eight Reasons to Spank Your KidTracy Moore 2/26/14 11:30amFiled to: motherloadparentingspankingkansas82039EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalinkThere's no place like home — if you're a kid in Kansas. You may have read about a new bill introduced by Rep. Gail Finney, D-Wichita, that "expands" on caregivers' rights regarding spanking, allowing parents to hit their children a defined number of times (bruises and marks and welts, oh my!) and letting any teachers who've been given permission take a swing, too. But what you're not hearing enough about are all those good reasons it should be totally fine to spank a kid. Let's clear those up for once and for all.AdvertisementBut first. CNN reported that this bill specified the following:The legislation specifically would allow for spankings "up to ten forceful applications in succession of a bare, open-hand palm against the clothed buttocks of a child and any such reasonable physical force on the child as may be necessary to hold, restrain or control the child in the course of maintaining authority over the child, acknowledging that redness or bruising may occur on the tender skin of a child as a result."The reason: Kids are waaaay out of line today, and their parents need to be able to hit them enough to get the job done, but without provoking a call from child services. As Finney noted in her statement:AdvertisementThe lack of an unambiguous statutory definition of parental corporal discipline has led to the inconsistent application of administrative child in need of care (CINC) enforcement and criminal charges, allowing some clear instances of child abuse to go un-prosecuted and un-abated and other clear instances of parental corporal discipline to result in administration officials removing children from the home and / or criminal charges against parents.I'm all for making sure clear instances of child abuse are prosecuted, but the solution to make it crystal clear would making hitting children illegal, not defining an absurd, arbitrary number of thwacks that are totally fine, so long as it's only 10 and not 12, which is definitely logically too much.Consider please that even in Kansas, it is already illegal to hit former children, also known as adults. As in most places, they have a law, K.S.A. 21-5413, which states that battery is knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, angry, or insulting manner. So basically, SPANKING AN ADULT ONE TIME (without consent) would be battery. Just once. SponsoredBut 10 times for a kid? Totally cool. Welts optional. Let's call a spade a spade: This bill attempts to legitimize a terrible practice that has long been shown as ineffective. It wrongly reinforces the idea that there is such a thing as a good kind of spanking. It suggests there is a bad, abusive kind that should be illegal, but also a good, loving kind that only causes bruises and welts but must be tolerated because it helps nurture more effective, obedient citizens. It's just a different "style" of parenting, no better, no worse!Yeah, a "different" style that just happens to be legalized assault. Even worse, it indefensibly suggests that there's some kind of logic to hitting that can be measured in actual strikes — 10 you're fine, 11 you're a child abuser? Should we let the domestic abuse shelters in on the secret? As if parents are actually thinking clearly when they spank, and not just making a shitty, bad parenting choice in the heat of the moment because of their own limitations. AdvertisementLuckily, the bill died in committee, but the important thing to note here is that while corporal punishment is banned in schools in 31 states, it's allowed in domestic settings in 49. Let us all look to Delaware, who designated spanking as child abuse in 2012. Make no mistake: There is no such thing as "good hitting" versus "bad hitting." There is no positive outcome from violence toward children. Inflicting pain may curb bad behavior in the short term, but it also teaches violence as an effective means of conflict resolution. The spanker is not an "old-school disciplinarian" who needs protection from false abuse charges, it is a weak-minded person who mistakes compliance for understanding, who never learned impulse control and as such knows no other way to ensure obedience. Spanking is not a well-reasoned, cool-headed strategy serving the big-picture of healthy childrearing, it is a deeply misguided failure of patience, compassion, temper, and good ideas, and it is practiced and protected only by cowards.Said Finney to the Wichita Eagle: "What's happening is there are some children that are very defiant and they're not minding their parents, they're not minding school personnel," Finney said Tuesday."What it (the proposed law) does is it tries to give a definition. … But it does not allow hitting, punching, beating, because that is still considered abuse."*Shrugs* clearly no one has ever come up with any other approaches to discipline that don't involve violence. And yet, for the sake of fairness, I have tried to understand the modern thinking behind pro-spanking. Most of us would agree that children should have consequences for their actions and it's our job to teach them, but the key word is teach, which, in most definitions I'm aware of, doesn't involve physical pain. AdvertisementI found an apparently serious list from 2011 citing eight reasons to spank your kid, and for me, it's jaw-droppingly misguided, and that is my most charitable take. Inspired by some of those rationalizations, if you're a spanker, here, these are your top reasons for justifying violence in the home. See how they hit ya:You Have a Fucked-Up Definition of What Love Is"You have to love your child enough to be tough and do what is necessary," says that list. Sorry, but loving a kid enough to be tough means sticking with enforcing healthy, realistic consequences. You Mistakenly Think Respect Is Earned Through Fear"To be feared (in the sense of reverence) is to be respected," it says. "Your children should be weary of going against your rules. It also teaches them to submit to authority regardless of whether or not they agree."AdvertisementAdvertisementOf all the parenting styles, there is a reason that authoritarian is considered the least effective: It is the KNEEL BEFORE ZOD power trip of parenting that is just ugly. (Which is why studies show that controlling parents have the most delinquent children.)You Have a Crazy Idea About How Consequences Work"Children have the option to obey or face the consequences, and they need to know consequences hurt." Like the Parent-as-Hot-Stove Method?You Think Hitting Will Teach a Child Self-Control"When you are aware of what is on the other side of making a poor decision, it is easier to exercise restraint."AdvertisementAh yes, the marshmallow test of impulse control, except the marshmallow is a belt.You Have a Distorted Understanding of Accountability"Just as your reward your child for the good, you must also acknowledge and address the bad."AdvertisementIt's all ice cream and welts from here on out, kid.You Have a Sad Idea About What It Means to Set Standards"Children need limits to learn how to grow up with restraint. They will never be able to do whatever they want. Teach them to live by the rules set in place."AdvertisementAnd if that doesn't work, get the switch.You Equate Accepting Violence With Strength"Spanking your child properly is not going to damage their self-esteem. Accepting mediocrity and dismissing poor behavior teaches them to indulge in being weak."Only studies show exactly the opposite: Advertisement... the research shows that physical punishment is associated with an increase in delinquency, antisocial behavior, and aggression in children, and a decrease in the quality of the parent-child relationship, mental health, and the child's capacity to internalize socially acceptable behavior. Adults who have been subject to physical punishment as children are more likely to abuse their own child or spouse and to manifest criminal behavior (1).Spanking is a euphemism for hitting. One is not permitted to hit one's spouse or a stranger; these actions are considered domestic violence and/or assault. Nor should one be permitted to hit a smaller and even more vulnerable child. Hitting a child elicits precisely the feelings one does not want to generate in a child: distress, anger, fear, shame, and disgust. Studies show that children who are hit identify with the aggressor and are more likely to become hitters themselves, i.e., bullies and future abusers of their children and spouses. They tend to learn to use violent behavior as a way to deal with disputes.You Were Spanked and You Think You Turned Out Just FineNo you didn't, you're advocating hitting children. You got hit, now you think hitting is OK. That's incredibly sad. AdvertisementAnd the damage to kids who are spanked goes beyond just low self-esteem. As Slate's Katy Waldman notes:If you're not persuaded that this is ethically wrong, consider the practical argument: study after study shows that spanking doesn't work. It only makes kids more aggressive. Bonnie Rochman has a sobering rundown of spanking's ill affects in Time:Children who are spanked may feel depressed and devalued, and their sense of self-worth can suffer. Harsh punishments can wind up backfiring because they can foster lying in children who are desperate to avoid being spanked. Later in life, physical punishment is linked to mental-health problems including depression, anxiety and drug and alcohol use. There's neuroimaging evidence that physical punishment may alter parts of the brain involved in performance on IQ tests and up the likelihood of substance abuse. And there's also early data that spanking could affect areas of the brain involved in emotion and stress regulation.This is a human rights issue — again, this is legalized assault against those we are bound to protect — and currently only 29 countries have abolished all forms of corporal punishment. According to endcorporalpunishment.org: AdvertisementIn previous centuries, special defences existed in legislation in many states to justify corporal punishment of wives, servants, slaves and apprentices. Violence to women remains far too prevalent, but in most states it is no longer defended in legislation. It is paradoxical and an affront to humanity that the smallest and most vulnerable of people should have less protection from assault than adults.Especially from the people who purport to love them.Reply820 repliesLeave a reply


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© Getty Images
19 Women Secretly Confess That (Gasp!) They *LOVE* Adult Films
It's after midnight. The lights are off. It's just you and the laptop. Something — maybe it's Netflix, maybe it's Twitter, maybe it's Instagram — puts a little horny thought in your brain. Normally, you'd fight if off, but you don't have anywhere to be right now — except Pleasure Town. So you head to your favorite porn site and type in a search term or two. You settle on a video, and you let the magic of streaming video wash over you as you slide your hand into your pants.
If you're reading AskMen, you probably read that as a guy, but the truth is, it could have been a woman, too. Because, yes, women love porn too. They might not all love it as much as men do, but as these secrets from Whisper, the secret-sharing app show, when they love it, they really love it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beppu, Ōita
Beppu 別府市 |
City | ||
Top upper left: Downtown Kitahama hot spring area, Top middle: View of Beppu from Jyumonji Hill, Top lower left: Tsurumi Volcano, Top right: Beppu Tower, Bottom left: Main street near Beppu Station, Bottom right: Sunrise in Beppu Bay
Location of Beppu in Ōita Prefecture |
Location in Japan | ||
Coordinates: 33°16′46.3″N 131°30′0.1″E / 33.279528°N 131.500028°ECoordinates: 33°16′46.3″N 131°30′0.1″E / 33.279528°N 131.500028°E | ||
Country | Japan | |
Region | Kyushu | |
Prefecture | Ōita Prefecture | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Hiroshi Hamada | |
Area | ||
• Total | 125.13 km2 (48.31 sq mi) | |
Population (November 2013) | ||
• Total | 122,085 [1] | |
• Density | 976/km2 (2,530/sq mi) | |
Symbols | ||
• Tree | Sweet Osmanthus and Camphor Laurel | |
• Flower | Ōmurasaki (Rhododendron x pulchrum) | |
Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
City hall address | 1-15 Kaminoguchi-chō, Beppu-shi, Ōita-ken 874-8511 |
Website | www |
Beppu (別府市 Beppu-shi?) is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan, at the west end of Beppu Bay. In November 2013 the city had a population of 122,085[1] and a population density of 976 persons per km² (2,530 persons per square mile). The total area is 125.13 km2 (48.31 sq mi). Beppu is famous for its hot springs.
Hot springs[edit]
Beppu is situated between the sea and the mountains. The city was founded on April 1, 1924, and is famous for its onsen (hot springs). It has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu".[2] Six of these are located in the Kannawa district, and two in the more remote[clarification needed] Shibaseki district. Beppu is also divided into eight major hot spring areas known as Beppu Hattō (別府八湯?).
Beppu Hattō hot spring areas[edit]
This article contains embedded lists that may be better presented using prose. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
- Beppu Onsen
- Kankaiji
- Kamegawa
- Shibaseki
- Kannawa
- Myoban
- Horita
- Hamawaki
In addition, Oniyama Jigoku, known as "monster mountain hell" for the large numbers of crocodiles bred and kept on the grounds surrounding this hot spring, is nearby.[3]
Visitor attractions[edit]
Beppu is part of the course of the annual Beppu-Ōita Marathon, which traces a path between Beppu and its neighbouring city of Ōita. The competition has been held every year since 1952 and is classed as an IAAF Silver Label road race.[4]
Shidaka Lake is located 600 metres (1,969 feet) above sea level.[5] Otobaru Waterfall is a local natural attraction, located in the mountain area of Beppu city, 20 minutes' walk from Wonder Rakutenchi, a traditional amusement park.[6] Takasakiyama Monkey Park is located 10 minutes from the centre of Beppu by bus. The park is home to more than 1500 Japanese macaques. [7] Kijima Kogen is a resort which includes an 18-hole golf course and hotel alongside an amusement park. It is located on a plateau en route to Yufuin.[8]
Beppu has not only usual hot springs but some sand and foot baths as well. One famous spot is "Beppu Kaihin Sunayu, Ashiyu", ("Beppu marine beach sand bath and foot bath"). It is 15 minutes by bus from Beppu station, on Route 10.[9]
Beppu Park (別府公園?) is located in the center of the city, a 15-minute walk from Beppu Station.[10] Beppu Fireworks Festival, held in late July, is one of the biggest fireworks displays in Oita. Five thousand fireworks are set off from boats floating on Beppu Bay.[11] Beppu Contemporary Art Festival "Mixed Bathing World" is an art festival held every three years in Beppu.[12]
- Beppu University, a private university first chartered in 1954, also has a campus in Oita City.[13]
- Beppu Mizobe Gakuen College, established in 1986, is a private junior college located in the north of Beppu.
- In 2000, the city subsidized the creation of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, an international university which focuses on international relations, media and culture studies as well as business.
Beppu is home to the Oita Heat Devils basketball team. The team's season was cancelled in 2011 due to the earthquake that struck Japan on March 11.[14]
International relations[edit]
The city of Beppu has sister city relationships with the following locations.[15]
- Atami, Shizuoka, Japan
- Bath, United Kingdom[16][17]
- Beaumont, Texas, United States
- Jeju, South Korea
- Mokpo, South Korea
- Rotorua, New Zealand
- Yantai, China
- ^ a b "Statistics: Population". Beppu City Government website (Japanese). Accessed 7 January 2014.
- ^ Hells (Jigoku), Japan-guide.com Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ Beppu Travel: Hells (Jigoku)
- ^ Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon. ARRS (2009-12-24). Retrieved on 2010-02-08.
- ^ "Lake Shidaka / Lake Shidaka Campsite|Nature / View|Beppu City Tourist Information Website". City.beppu.oita.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "乙原の滝 −大分県旅行.com−". Oitatravel.com. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Beppu Travel: Takasakiyama Monkey Park". Japan-guide.com. 2009-03-14. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Centleisure Kijima Kogen". Kijimakogen.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "別府海浜砂湯・足湯(べっぷかいひんすなゆ・あしゆ)|大分県別府エリアの温泉情報|九州温泉宿予約|温泉ぱらだいす 九州". Onpara.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Beppu Park|Nature / View|Beppu City Tourist Information Website". City.beppu.oita.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Beppu Early Evening Summer Festival|Fireworks|Beppu City Tourist Information Website". City.beppu.oita.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ 混浴温泉世界
- ^ "Beppu-U History". Retrieved 2012-02-01.
- ^ "News | The Official Site of the Oita HeatDevils". Heatdevils.com. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ ""Sister City Introduction" Beppu City Official Web". Retrieved 2010-07-17.
- ^ "Bath's Twinning Associations". The Mayor of Bath. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ "Town Twinning". Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beppu, Oita. |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Beppu. |


text:
Right-Wing Media Fearmonger About Strategic Closing Of Border Patrol Stations
Right-wing media figures are fearmongering over the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) newly announced decision to shut down several Border Patrol stations. In fact, the CBP's decision is a strategic one, aimed at focusing efforts on high-priority areas closer to the border.
Within the next six months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will close nine Border Patrol stations to move forty-one agents closer to the southern and northern borders, media outlets are reporting [1], citing CBP spokesman Bill Brooks. Brooks said that some of stations that will be closed are hundreds of miles from a border and that the decision is part of a strategy [2] to use resources wisely and "increasingly concentrate our resources on the border."
In a statement to Fox News, Brooks likewise said [3], "These deactivations are consistent with the strategic goal of securing America's borders, and our objective of increasing and sustaining the certainty of arrest of those trying to enter our country illegally." He continued:
By redeploying and reallocating resources at or near the border, CBP will maximize the effectiveness of its enforcement mandate and align our investments with our mission.
Nevertheless, right-wing media seized on the announcement to fearmonger about border security. The Drudge Report posted [4] the following headline:
Drudge's headline linked to a FoxNews.com article [3], which has the same headline. However, FoxNews.com's article clearly explains that the CBP is closing the stations to "reassign agents to high-priority areas closer to the border."
Fox News Radio reporter Todd Starnes, in a post to his Twitter feed, wrote [5]: "Obama is shutting down 9 border patrol stations ... and the invasion continues." (Following the June 25 Supreme Court ruling striking down several parts of Arizona's immigration law, Starnes similarly warned [6] of "Mexican Invaders.")
Starnes also wrote [7]: "Obama wants to close 9 border stations ... Maybe he's turning them into voting stations instead?"
- Posted In
- Immigration [8], Immigration Myths [9]
- Network/Outlet
- The Drudge Report [10], Fox News Radio [11]
- Person
- Todd Starnes [12]


text:
Analysis of naltrexone and its metabolite 6-beta-naltrexol in serum with high-performance liquid chromatography
© Heinälä et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012
Received: 3 January 2012
Accepted: 2 August 2012
Published: 15 August 2012
Naltrexone has been proven to be an effective treatment option for the treatment of alcohol dependency. In this article we introduce a reliable and simple method developed for the simultaneous determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Liquid-liquid extraction with butyl acetate from basic solutions (pH 9) was chosen for extraction with nalorphine as an internal standard (IS). Analytes were back-extracted from organic solvent into perchloric acid. The acid extract was chromatographed by HPLC with a reverse-phase ODS-column and electrochemical detector. The mobile phase was a NaH2PO4-solution with acetonitrile as an organic modifier and octanesulphonic acid and tetraethylammonium hydrogen sulphate as ion-pair reagents. The recovery of the extraction method was 48% for naltrexone and 75% for 6-β-naltrexol. The limit of quantification was 5.0 ng/ml for naltrexone and 1.0 ng/ml for 6-β-naltrexol. The analysed concentrations of naltrexone differed from the theoretic concentrations by 0.7 to 2.3% and those of 6-β-naltrexol by 2.6%. The relative standard deviation of within-day assay was from 0.9 to 5.7% for naltrexone and from 0.8 to 4.2% for 6-β-naltrexol; for the between-day assay it was 5.7% and 4.2%, respectively.
Our results indicate that the developed method is suitable for determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum.
Naltrexone 6-β-naltrexol High-performance liquid chromatography AlcoholismFindings
Several methods for therapeutic drug monitoring of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol have been developed over the years. These include gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) [13, 16], high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC) [17, 18], gas chromatography–mass spectro-metry (GC-MS) [19, 20], and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) [21]. Recently Brünen et al. [22] introduced two novel methods, HPLC/UV (high-performance liquid chromatography and UV spectrophotometric detection) and LC-MS/MS (liquid-chromatographic method coupled with tandem mass spectrometry), for the determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol. The methods developed by Brünen et al. [22] have several benefits, such as better automatization and higher sensitivity, as compared to other methods developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in biological fluids.
With therapeutic drug monitoring the treatment outcomes of drugs can be significantly improved. It has been suggested that therapeutic drug monitoring should be a standard protocol while using naltrexone for the treatment of substance abuse [23]. Thus we aimed to develop even more efficient analysis method for determi-nation of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum than has been earlier developed. To achieve this goal we used liquid-liquid extraction and subsequent analysis by HPLC with electroche-mical detection for determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum.
Materials and methods
The naltrexone (Dupont Merck) and 6-β-naltrexol (NIDA) stock solutions were prepared in methanol to give concentrations of 1 mg/ml of free base. These solutions were used to prepare calibration curves covering the range from 0 to 1000 ng/ml. All calibration standards, blanks and quality control samples, were prepared in drug-free cattle serum. All buffers were prepared with deionized water.
Clinical sampling
Samples from 87 (23 women and 64 men) alcoholics (DSM-IV) were taken. The alcoholics were participating in a double blind, placebo-controlled, prospective clinical trial evaluating naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The main inclusion criteria were: age between 18–65, alcohol dependency (DSM-IV and ICD-10). Naltrexone (naltrexone HCl, ReVia®) was taken daily 50 mg orally every morning for a three-month period. The blood sample was collected approximately 2–4 h after the medication consumption. Fasting serum samples were collected by vein puncture at weeks 0, 2, and 8, and allowed to clot, and centrifuged (1000 g, 10 min, at room temperature). All samples were stored at −70°C until analysis.
1 ml of serum was extracted for all standard, quality control, and unknown clinical samples. The pH of the sample was adjusted to pH 9 by 0.5 M Na2HPO4⋅2H2O. The sample was extracted with 5 ml of butyl acetate with nalorphine (1 μg / 100 ml) as the internal standard. After vortex-mixing (30 s), the sample was centrifuged, and the upper butyl acetate layer was transferred to a clean test tube and back-extracted into 150 μl of 0.1 M HClO4. After vortex-mixing (30 s) and centrifugation, the upper butyl acetate phase was thrown out. The acid phase was transferred to the autosampler vial, and 25 μl of the acid phase was injected into the HPLC.
Chromatographic conditions
A Hewlett-Packard 1090 Series II high-performance liquid chromatography with an Esa Coulochem 5100A electrochemical coulometric detector (potentials: Detector 1 + 0.2 V, Detector 2 + 0.5 V) was used. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-potassium dihydrogen phosphate (19 mM) (10:45, v/v) with 1-octanesulphonic acid (5 mM) and tetraethylammonium hydrogen sulphate (5 mM) as ion-pair reagents. Chromatographic sepa-ration was achieved using an ODS Hypersil reverse-phase column (Hewlett Packard) with a length of 125 mm, an i.d. of 4 mm, and a particle size of 5 μm. The mobile phase was pumped at a flow-rate of 1.2 ml/min.
The identification of drugs was based on retention times, which were checked with calibration standards before each run. An internal standard method with linear one-point calibration based on peak heights was used for quantification. Reliability of the method was tested for linearity, accuracy, and within-day and between-day assay precision. The suitability for determination of naltrexone and its major metabolite was tested by analysing serum samples from patients participated in alcoholism treatment with naltrexone.
Results and discussion
The linearity range, mean correlation coefficient (r 2 ), and limit of quantification(LQ) with RSD-value for naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol
Compound | Linearity range (ng/ml) | r2 | LQ (ng/ml) | RSD (%) |
Naltrexone | 5-1000 | 0.9987 | 5 | 5.7 |
6-β-naltrexol | 1-1000 | 0.992 | 1 | 15.4 |
Average concentrations found, accuracy and within-day assay precision for naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol
Compound | Concentration added (ng/ml) | Concentration found (ng/ml) | Accuracy (%) | Precision (%) |
Naltrexone | 5 | 4.97 | 0.7 | 5.7 |
150 | 146.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 | |
6-β-naltrexol | 5 | 4.87 | 2.6 | 4.2 |
150 | 146.1 | 2.6 | 0.8 |
Between-day precision of the assay was determined by analysing the same serum standard 15 times in 30 days. A serum standard, spiked with 100 ng/ml of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol, was stored at −20°C. The average concentrations found were 98.8 and 98.9 ng/ml, and between-day assay precision was 5.7% and 4.2% for naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol, respectively. Small changes in laboratory conditions (room temperature, atmospheric moisture) had no effect on the results. Retention times seemed to increase slightly because of contamination within the chromatographic system. This had, however, no effect on results because the retention times were checked with calibration standards before each determination. Although the extraction recovery was relatively low, the accuracy and the precision were good. The specific stability validation was not performed, but the between-day precision showed that the serum standard samples were stable for 30 days at −20°C. The clinical serum samples were stored at −70°C.
On the basis of validation results, the developed method was found suitable for determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in human serum. The within-day and between-day assay precision was acceptable for all tested concentration levels. The developed method was used for determination of naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol in serum samples from patients participating in naltrexone treatment of alcoholism. Analysed serum samples were collected after two and eight weeks of continuous naltrexone treatment. Concentrations of naltrexone and its major metabolite in serum samples varied greatly between patients. Naltrexone concentrations in serum were 0–70 ng/ml after two weeks and 0–19 ng/ml after eight weeks of continuous naltrexone treatment. 6-β-naltrexol concentrations were 15–136 ng/ml and 3–163 ng/ml after two and eight weeks, respectively. 6-β-naltrexol seemed to be the more reliable compound to monitor because some unidentified compound was found to interfere with the quantification of naltrexone. The laboratory verification demonstrated the tests were accurate in showing the levels of naltrexone and naltrexol in serum samples, but high variability was seen in the results from patients reporting that they were taking naltrexone. The reasons for the variability in practice remain to be determined but could have an influence on the efficacy of the treatment.
High-performance liquid chromatography
Internal standard
Gas chromatography with electron capture detection
High-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
Relative standard deviations.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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Yikes. Katie's giving some serious bitchface here. Maybe she's not used to London traffic since moving back there to live with her boyfriend. Or maybe she's just annoyed that her boyfriend's last name is Rocknroll. God knows we'd be pissed at that. But really, she's probably just annoyed at the photographers because they said something stupid to her.
Kate Winslet out and about in East London.
Okay, sure. Maybe you didn't want your picture taken, but we just want to say you look kinda fierce here, hon. Love the boots.
[Photo Credit: PacificCoastNews]
All On The Line S3E6: Domino Dollhouse Next Post:
IN or OUT: Michelle Rodriguez in Ariella Couture


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Frequent Links
Geovisualization or Geovisualisation, short for Geographic Visualization, refers to a set of tools and techniques supporting geospatial data analysis through the use of interactive visualization.
Like the related fields of scientific visualization[1] and information visualization [2] geovisualization emphasizes knowledge construction over knowledge storage or information transmission.[1] To do this, geovisualization communicates geospatial information in ways that, when combined with human understanding, allow for data exploration and decision-making processes.[1][3][4]
Traditional, static maps have a limited exploratory capability; the graphical representations are inextricably linked to the geographical information beneath. GIS and geovisualization allow for more interactive maps; including the ability to explore different layers of the map, to zoom in or out, and to change the visual appearance of the map, usually on a computer display.[5] Geovisualization represents a set of cartographic technologies and practices that take advantage of the ability of modern microprocessors to render changes to a map in real time, allowing users to adjust the mapped data on the fly.[1]
The term visualization is first mentioned in the cartographic literature at least as early as 1953, in an article by University of Chicago geographer Allen K. Philbrick. New developments in the field of computer science prompted the National Science Foundation to redefine the term in a 1987 report which placed visualization at the convergence of computer graphics, image processing, computer vision, computer-aided design, signal processing, and user interface studies [6] and emphasized both the knowledge creation and hypothesis generation aspects of scientific visualization.[1]
Geovisualization developed as a field of research in the early 1980s, based largely on the work of French graphic theorist Jacques Bertin.[4] Bertin's work on cartographic design and information visualization share with the National Science Foundation report a focus on the potential for the use of "dynamic visual displays as prompts for scientific insight and on the methods through which dynamic visual displays might leverage perceptual cognitive processes to facilitate scientific thinking".[4]
Geovisualization has continued to grow as a subject of practice and research. The International Cartographic Association (ICA) established a Commission on Visualization & Virtual Environments in 1995.
Related Fields
Geovisualization is closely related to other visualization fields, such as scientific visualization[1] and information visualization.[2] Owing to its roots in cartography, geovisualization contributes to these other fields by way of the map metaphor, which "has been widely used to visualize non-geographic information in the domains of information visualization and domain knowledge visualization.[3] It is also related to urban simulation.
Practical Applications
Geovisualization has made inroads in a diverse set of real-world situations calling for the decision-making and knowledge creation processes it can provide. The following list provides a summary of some of these applications as they are discussed in the geovisualization literature.
Wildland fire fighting
Firefighters have been using sandbox environments to rapidly and physically model topography and fire for wildfire incident command strategic planning. The SimTable is a 3D interactive fire simulator, bringing sandtable exercises to life. The SimTable uses advanced computer simulations to model fires in any area, including local neighborhoods, utilizing actual slope, terrain, wind speed/direction, vegetation, and other factors. SimTable Models were used in Arizona's largest fire on record, the Wallow_Fire.[7]
Geovisualizers, working with European foresters, used CommonGIS and Visualization Toolkit (VTK) to visualize a large set of spatio-temporal data related to European forests, allowing the data to be explored by non-experts over the Internet. The report summarizing this effort "uncovers a range of fundamental issues relevant to the broad field of geovisualization and information visualization research".[8]
The research team cited the two major problems as the inability of the geovisualizers to convince the foresters of the efficacy of geovisualization in their work and the foresters' misgivings over the dataset's accessibility to non-experts engaging in "uncontrolled exploration". While the geovisualizers focused on the ability of geovisualization to aid in knowledge construction, the foresters preferred the information-communication role of more traditional forms of cartographic representation.[8]
Geovisualization provides archaeologists with a potential technique for mapping unearthed archaeological environments as well as for accessing and exploring archaeological data in three dimensions.[9]
The implications of geovisualization for archaeology are not limited to advances in archaeological theory and exploration but also include the development of new, collaborative relationships between archaeologists and computer scientists.[10]
Environmental Studies
Geovisualization tools provide multiple stakeholders with the ability to make balanced environmental decisions by taking into account the "the complex interacting factors that should be taken into account when studying environmental changes". Geovisualization users can use a georeferenced model to explore a complex set of environmental data, interrogating a number of scenarios or policy options to determine a best fit.[11]
Urban Planning
Both planners and the general public can use geovisualization to explore real-world environments and model 'what if' scenarios based on spatio-temporal data. While geovisualization in the preceding fields may be divided into two separate domains—the private domain, in which professionals use geovisualization to explore data and generate hypotheses, and the public domain, in which these professionals present their "visual thinking" to the general public[5]—planning relies more heavily than many other fields on collaboration between the general public and professionals.
Planners use geovisualization as a tool for modeling the environmental interests and policy concerns of the general public. Jiang et al.[5] mention two examples, in which "3D photorealistic representations are used to show urban redevelopment [and] dynamic computer simulations are used to show possible pollution diffusion over the next few years." The widespread use of the Internet by the general public has implications for these collaborative planning efforts, leading to increased participation by the public while decreasing the amount of time it takes to debate more controversial planning decisions.[5]
See also
- Animated mapping
- Cartography
- Computer-aided design
- Computer graphics
- Computer vision
- Exploratory data analysis
- Geographic information science
- Geoinformatics
- Image processing
- Signal processing
- ^ a b c d e f MacEachren, A.M. and Kraak, M.J. 1997 Exploratory cartographic visualization: advancing the agenda. Computers & Geosciences, 23(4), pp. 335-343.
- ^ a b Stuart K. Card, Mackinlay, J.D., and Shneidermann, B. 1999. Reading in Information Visualization: Using Vision to Think. San Francisco: Morgan Kaumann Publishers.
- ^ a b Jiang, B., and Li, Z. 2005. Editorial: Geovisualization: Design, Enhanced Visual Tools and Applications. The Cartographic Journal, 42(1), pp. 3-4.
- ^ a b c MacEachren, A.M. 2004. Geovisualization for knowledge construction and decision support. IEEE computer graphics and applications, 24(1), pp.13-17.
- ^ a b c d Jiang, B., Huang, B., and Vasek, V. 2003. Geovisualisation for Planning Support Systems. In Planning Support Systems in Practice, Geertman, S., and Stillwell, J. (Eds.). Berlin: Springer.
- ^ McCormick, B.H., DeFanti, T.A., and Brown, M.D. (Eds.). 1987. Visualization in Scientific Computing. Computer Graphics, 21(6). p. 63.
- ^ http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2149915.shtml?cat=0
- ^ a b Andrienko, G., Andrienko, N., Jankowski, P, Keim, D., Kraak, M.-J., MacEachren, A.M., and Wrobel, S. 2007. Geovisual analytics for spatial decision support: Setting the research agenda. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 21(8), pp. 839-857.
- ^ Watters, M. 2005. Geovisualization: an Example from the Catholme Ceremonial Complex. Archaeological Prospection, 13, pp. 282-290.
- ^ Watters, M. 2005. Review of Exploring Geovisualization , Dykes, J., MacEachren, A.M., and Kraak, M.J. (Eds.). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, 2004. In Archaeological Prospection, 12, pp. 265-266.
- ^ Danada, J., Dias, E., Romao, T., Correia, N., Trabuco, A., Santos, C., Serpa, J., Costa, M., Camara, A. 2005. Mobile Environmental Visualization. The Cartographic Journal, 42(1), pp. 61-68.
Further reading
- Priyanka Mehta and Saumya Pareek.2012.3D Visualization for Geo-referenced Terrain & Soil-subsurface: An innovative approach for visualization of soil subsurface
- Cartwright, W. 1997. New media and their application to the production of map products. Computers & Geosciences, 23(4), pp. 447–456.
- Dykes, J., A. M. MacEachren, and M.-J. Kraak eds. 2005. Exploring Geovisualization. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
- Kraak, M.-J., and A. M. MacEachren. 1999. Visualization for exploration of spatial data (editorial introduction to special issue). International Journal of Geographical Information Science 13 (4):285-287.
- Kraak, M. J., and A. M. MacEachren. 2005. Geovisualization and GIScience. Cartography and Geographic Information Science 32 (2):67-68.
- MacEachren, A. M., and M. J. Kraak. 1997. Exploratory cartographic visualization: Advancing the agenda. Computers & Geosciences 23 (4):335-343
- MacEachren, A. M., and M.-J. Kraak. 2001. Research challenges in geovisualization. Cartography and Geographic Information Science 28 (1):3-12.
- MacEachren, A. M., M. Gahegan, W. Pike, I. Brewer, G. Cai, E. Lengerich, and F. Hardisty. 2004. Geovisualization for knowledge construction and decision-support. IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications 24 (1):13-17.
- Philbrick, A.K. 1953. Toward a unity of cartographical forms and geographical content. Professional Geographer, 5(5), pp. 11–15.
- Taylor, D.R.F. 1994. Geographic Information Systems: the microcomputer and modern cartography. In Geographic Information Systems: The Microcomputer and Modern Cartography, D.R.F. Taylor and A.M. MacEachren (Eds.). Oxford: Pergamon, pp. 333–342.
External links
- International Cartographic Association (ICA), the world body for mapping and GIScience professionals
- ICA Commission on GeoVisualization (since 2007)
- ICA Commission on Visualization and Virtual Environments (1995-2007)
- Geovisualization at the National Cancer Institute
- GeoViz Toolkit -- Open Source Toolkit for Geovizualization
- Penn State GeoVISTA Center
- Avizo Visualization Software -- software framework for geosciences
40x40px | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geovisualization. |


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Hello Bitone Friend!
Lets first take this opportunity to wish you the most rewarding and peaceful New Year 2011.
We know it's been a little while since you've heard directly from us, so here we are again to share with you our latest program news and updates from the Bitone Children's Center Team. Recently, things have been very busy over here, as we've been working really hard to find resources for our current 24 children. Although coupled with many challenges, most of our 2010 goals remain unresolved, by God's grace, and because of your faithful support, this has been one of the most remarkable years of service we have ever witnessed.
Bitone Children and Staff want you to know how deeply grateful we are to you for the role you have played in supporting our children grow in their potentials and productivity while promoting unity and peace through our programs –humanitarian aid (food, shelter, and medical support), education, and artistic training in music and dance. Thank you so much indeed!
I invite you to join me in congratulating several of our children who sat for their final examinations between October and November 2010.
Gloria K. Pichan and Rosco Kayongo sat for their Senior 4 examinations (Uganda National Examinations Board) at Kawempe Royal College. Similarly, Godfrey Sekitto, Steven Kyobe, Joanita Suubi Afochian, Joseph Mayanja, and Sylvia Nansumba sat for their Primary Leaving Examinations (P.L.E) on November 2nd -3rd 2010. Thank you all who supported them with their educational expenses.
Education is continuing to be a challenge. The envisaged education costs for our 24 children for the coming academic term is $3,961.00. Please find the attached detailed itemized fees structure below.
We invite you to continue support these young ones in any way possible to help them ensure academic success. If you would like to sponsor a child for a year (or part of the year), or provide any other forms of education assistance, please consider making a donation. We have made progress in meeting this challenge, but we have not reached that goal.
You may also wish to make your donation to a specific Bitone child of your choice. For details about this option, please contact our Executive Director at email@example.com or Phone: +1 206-841-2304
Unfortunately, due to lack of essential performance needs like sound/amplifying machines, and transportation needs, we have not registered many performances in the last quarter of 2010. However, the children's performance skills continue to grow each day –creating greater confidence and assurance for their future.
The troupe's vision is that by providing artistic training in music and dance, our children's lives can again become meaningful and productive. We aim at providing the next generation of Ugandans to fully participate and assume leadership roles in their communities.
Solar Cookers:
In an attempt to reduce the costs spent on charcoal, Bitone seeks to obtain four (4) solar cookers/ovens for cooking purposes. Every month, Bitone spends about $115.00 on charcoal purchases. Acquiring solar cookers will not only help us cut down expenses that Bitone is incurring on charcoal, but will also address the need to protect our environment through controlling deforestation. Bitone Team has already contacted a Ugandan US-based Ronald L. Mutebi, who is the Executive Director and President of Ugandan American Global Initiatives in charge of solar oven distribution in Uganda. Currently, the cost of a solar cooker/oven is about $300. For more information, please visit http://www.ugandanamericanglobalinitiatives.org/board.html
Today, we truly need your immediate help. Bitone needs to receive a minimum of $30,000 in support of its humanitarian (food, shelter, medical), artistic empowerment, and education support of our 24 children for the year 2011.
Or as God has blessed you last year, and you're able to support the work of Bitone Children's Center with generous donation of $200 or more, Bitone Children would like to thank you by sending you a gif of appreciation... Bitone Music and Dance Documentary, Summer 2010, DVD series.
In case you are interested in offering any kind of help or for any inquiries, kindly contact our Executive Director –Branco Lawrence Sekalegga at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone (206) 841 – 2304.
In Peace and Friendship!
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.


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Rating: 0 stars
Featuring air conditioning, Laguna Apart Hotel offers pet-friendly accommodation in São Lourenço do Sul. Cristal is 42 km from the property. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property. All units feature a TV with satellite channels. Some units have a seating area and/or terrace. There is also a kitchenette in some of the units, equipped with a microwave and toaster. Each unit is fitted with a private bathroom with free toiletries. Free private parking is available at the aparthotel. Laguna Apart Hotel also includes a sun terrace. Les mer
Avg.Rate: BRL 219.00 - 365.00
Rating: 0 stars
Featuring free WiFi throughout the property, Plaza Center Hotel offers accommodation in São Lourenço do Sul, 41 km from Cristal. Free private parking is available on site. Each room at this hotel is air conditioned and comes with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. For your comfort, you will find free toiletries and a hairdryer. There is a 24-hour front desk at the property. Les mer
Avg.Rate: BRL 125.00 - 299.00
Rating: 0 stars
Offering a barbecue and views of the garden, Pousada Nona Amabile is located in São Lourenço do Sul in the Rio Grande do Sul Region, 42 km from Cristal. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar. Free private parking is available on site. A flat-screen TV with satellite channels, as well as a CD player are offered. Certain units have a seating area where you can relax. Pousada Nona Amabile features free WiFi throughout the property. There is a 24-hour front desk at the property. Free use of bicycles is available at this guest house and the area is popular for cycling. Les mer
Rating: 0 stars
Set in São Lourenço do Sul, this holiday home is situated 43 km from Cristal. It provides free private parking. There is a seating area and a kitchen complete with an oven, a toaster and a refrigerator. Towels and bed linen are available in this holiday home. There is a private bathroom with a shower. Les mer


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2 Weather Alerts Wind Advisory issued March 27 at 3:12AM PDT expiring March 28 at 2:00PM PDT in effect for: Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego Wind Advisory issued March 27 at 3:12AM PDT expiring March 27 at 10:00PM PDT in effect for: San Bernardino, San Diego 2 Weather Alerts
'Koala' Editor Running For CSUSM Student Body President Matt Weaver Says He Wants To Be Student Body President At Cal State San Marcos 12:09 AM, Mar 13, 2012 Share Article 'Koala' Editor Running For CSUSM Student Body President pn.jramos Show Caption Hide Caption Previous Next A college student who wants to be the next student body president at CSU San Marcos is facing opposition as details of a particular affiliation emerge. » Sign Up For Breaking News Alerts» Like Us On Facebook» Follow Us On Twitter On Monday, about two dozen students gathered at Campus Village at CSU San Marcos to hear from candidates running for various student offices, including Matt Weaver.There was not much substance to Weaver's speech. He did not talk about any goals or reveal much personal information other than his major and that he is a junior. He did express his desire to be a campus leader.During a question and answer session after all the speeches, student Ari Rivera said she revealed what she calls Weaver's secret."For those of you who don't know, Matt Weaver is editor of 'The Koala,' which is a tabloid on campus that pretty much creates hate through their homophobic, racist and sexist jokes," she said.Last March, 10News did a story about UC San Diego student Carli Thomas after "The Koala" newspaper on that campus published a doctored picture of Thomas with male genitalia shoved in her face.When asked about Weaver running for student body president, student Angelo Ferrer said, "He does not represent Cal State San Marcos and I'd be embarrassed to say someone like that is in a leadership position here at Cal State."10News wanted to speak with Weaver but he left before the forum ended. Rivera is outraged and said Weaver has gone so far as to promise 7 percent more rape jokes in "The Koala" if he is elected president."As a woman, how am I supposed to feel safe being on campus?" said Rivera.Voting began Monday morning and runs until Thursday. Share Article A Share A A A Share Article


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Our trip is booked for the end of June, so I am expecting it to be HOT HOT HOT! I do not really care for the heat, but that's when my sons b-day is! How do you like the pool at RPR? Does it have room for a lot of people? Heat + Busy season = Crowds! Are there areas with shade? Do people claim their loungers at the crack of dawn? I really hate that! Are there activities for 12 and 13 year olds? Last year at Disney, POR's pool activities were really just for the 6 and under crowd. My kids weren't interested. Should we consider a pool hop day over to the hard rock?
Well, I can help with some of your questions... The pool at RPR is beautiful and large. One of the bigger pools in Orlando, I was told. It can accommodate a lot of people. The hot tub is spacious too. Some lounger areas are shaded, but I think most are in the sun. Don't know about people claiming loungers early in the day. We were there in February, and the pool was empty. Don't know about activities for kids your age either. We were in the parks most of the time. But there is a neat water play area your kids should like. The Hard Rock has a great pool too, and the rock n roll vibe might be fun. There is a large pool slide at the Hard Rock that is good for older children and adults. Both pools have outdoor bars with food and beverage service. Hope this helps. RPR is an amazing hotel, one of the best we've stayed at in Orlando. Have a good one!
this last universal trip we didn't pool hop (dec) but we usually go in spring, and the best thing about universal resorts (besides the express line) is the pool hopping.. we think the pool at RPR is one of the bigggest and prettiest in Orlando.. however.. the slide at hard rock is one of the best . now with teens, you might like this pool better, cause WE thought the music at the pool was too loud... we really liked the slide at portofino pool, too.
Thanks everyone! I debating on staying at the HRH, but for 7 days the price difference adds up! Well have to pool hop and check it out though!
If you don't like the sun and the heat, another option is to rent a cabana. They're a little pricey ($200, 25% less for club level guests). But we actually skip the parks for a day because my boys could be in the pool. It's probably actually less expensive than going to the parks. The description from Loew's website is: Private cabanas available for rent. Cabana amenities include a ceiling fan, phone, TV, a refrigerator with water, soda and a fruit bowl. Please call 407-503-3235 for cabana reservations today! I have one reserved for early July. The reservation line made some recommendations on which cabana would be best (they're really just in different locations). Since there is an outdoor pool movie playing that night, we reserved a cabana with a good view of the movie. Also, when we've done this in the past, usually there is bar/food service with menus.
there are lots of games/activities for all ages around the pool at RPH. when you check in, read all the pamphlets in your packet. it will give you times and dates of the pool activities which also includes the dive in movies nights. prizes are awarded to the winners of the games. for adult games, you can win a free beverage.......
We were never pool people till we first stayed at RP. The pool is always a fun place to be around, lots going on.......but not rowdy or anything. Plenty to amuse all ages. Very likely your children will love spending time in it. We stayed in July last year and we never had a problem getting loungers anytime. It was busy but it was fine. Not that may loungers in the shade but you can get the parasols beside you. The staff at the pool moved a couple of towels that someone had laid out on 4 loungers and then disappeared for ages, so they do seem to have the lounger baggers sorted. Only saw that once though. We never pool hop now as we just find the pool at RP suits us down to the ground. The Bula Bar serves amazing food and it`s fantastic to be served at your lounger when you feel like it. I`m sure you and your children will love it
thanks everyone! You've put my mind at ease. We booked 7 nights in late June. We plan on getting the 3park pass to give us admission for all the days we are there. We aren't looking to spend full days at the parks. We want something more relaxing, so that ticket gives us flexibility. While we want to relax, the boys still need entertainment. They will be 12 and 13 on this trip. The pools sound perfect for us and them! We are used to the all inclusives, where the lounge hogging can be a drag! After the excitement wore off from telling them about the trip, DS13 says "you're not going to get us up so early and make us run around all day like you did at Disney last year?" I think this should be a great trip. The boys have never stayed on site before. My DH and I did 10 years ago to celebrate my 30th b-day and we loved it! (portofino)
you will have a nice time at the pool. if you order any food or beverages, make it a running tab. you might think you won't want anything else while lounging there but if you decide to order another drink/soda, running the tab is best. you have a automatic gratuity added on the tab and a service charge. if you run a tab, you only pay that one time when you clear your bill to leave the pool. you can charge the tab back to your room.


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Not everyone is buying, but participation in a Murrieta program that aims to recoup costs of sending paramedics out on fire calls is faring better than expected.
A little more than a year after the program launched, about 25 percent of households have signed up for something Murrieta calls an emergency medical services subscription fee, Fire Chief Matt Shobert said last week.
Thatâs better than anticipated, Shobert said, saying projections pegged first-year signups at 10 percent to 15 percent. So far, the program is generating $300,000 a year for Murrieta, he said.
As a result, Shobert said, there is no longer a threat that one of five fire stations in the community of 106,000 will close.
âThatâs off the radar for now,â he said.
However, the cityâs Fire Department is still running an operating deficit. According to a mid-year fiscal report, the department is on track to spend $12 million through June, with $1 million coming from reserves.
The paramedic fee is similar to whatâs in place in other Southern California cities, including Corona in Riverside County, to supplement traditional fire revenue.
âWe needed to generate a little more revenue because we had cut to the bone,â Shobert said.
The program has two components: a charge for rendering aid and the annual subscription fee.
When firefighters respond to an emergency and administer medical aid, the city bills the person $350, Shobert said. However, if the person is in a household that already pays the subscription fee, the charge is waived.
The subscription is $48 a year. Low-income families pay $24.
Up the road, Corona has a program that generates $1.5 million a year through identical charges, except that low-income families donât pay, said Mike Samuels, emergency medical services battalion chief.
The big difference is participation: more than half of Corona households are enrolled, Samuels said.
Also, Coronaâs program is permanent, while Murrietaâs is set to expire once revenues reach 15 percent higher than pre-recession levels.
As for the purpose, Shobert said itâs all about recovering costs of providing equipment and ongoing training for firefighters cross-trained as paramedics. He said the city ought to have instituted a fee in 2001 when it began sending out paramedics on engines.


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Digital Journal.Com (November 3, 2011): Alzheimer's Foundation of America to Hold Second Annual Video Competition
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is calling on teens to create a short video that creatively expresses their personal stories related to Alzheimer's disease as part of its 2nd annual AFA Teens Video Competition.
The unique competition asks teens to record a two-minute video that gives thoughtful consideration to "a moment in relation to Alzheimer's disease when you learned something about your understanding of the disease, learned something about caregiving, or decided to become a community volunteer/activist."
The competition offers a $500 grand prize and $250 for the runner-up. The annual deadline is December 1. Applicants must be 13 to 19.
As the number of teenagers who experience Alzheimer's disease in their own families or communities continues to grow along with the escalating incidence of brain disorder nationwide, the contest is part of AFA"s efforts through its AFA Teens division to educate and raise awareness among teens, as well as help them deal with the emotional toll of the disease.
"Teens coping with Alzheimer's disease in their families are often closemouthed about the situation, but they can benefit enormously from expressing their feelings. This competition offers a creative outlet for teens to both relay their experiences and help other teens who might be in the same shoes," said Eric J. Hall, AFA's founding president and chief executive officer.
Last year, the contest's grand prize winner, Margaret Yan of Orlando, created a video aimed at, in her words "trying to symbolically capture the hopelessness that a family member or a friend might fell once losing their loved ones to Alzheimer's disease." The winning videos are posted on www.afateens.org.


text: Princess Leia's New Outfit Is Made Almost Entirely Out of Duct TapeKwame Opam7/31/11 5:30pmFiled to: Star WarsPrincess leia costumeDuct TapeTapeCostumeCosplay27EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink This Star Wars costume was specially made by Lindsay Boo Barrasse with five rolls of 15-yard duct tape. And another for the wig. And she pulls it off smashingly. [BuzzFeed]Reply27 repliesLeave a reply


text: In 1972, four years after playing his last game for the team, the legendary Mickey Mantle was sent a letter by then-Vice-President of the New York Yankees, Bob Fishel, and asked to contribute to the Yankee Stadium's forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations. All Mickey had to do was fill in the enclosed survey and share details of his "outstanding experience at Yankee Stadium." Below is the letter, and Mantle's surprising response.Note: Both the letter and response seen below have been verified as true by biographer Jane Leavy, as reported by Snopes.


text: Running Health Tips Prevea Health is proud to be the Official Health Partner of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon since 2000, and also a partner of the Green Bay Running Club. Prevea is heavily involved in the Green Bay running community and our experts have created many resources to help you stay healthy, enjoy training and achieve your running goals. Safety Cold Weather Running Rules of the Road Stay Safe While Running in the Dark Medical An Athlete's Best Recovery Advice Coughing? Wheezing? Shortness of Breath? Exercises to Reduce Knee Soreness Exercising with Asthma Healthy Recovery For Long Training Runs or Post Marathon Heel Spur vs. Plantar Fasciitis How to Treat Calf Pain Ice is Your Friend Importance of Getting a Physical Injury Proof Your Body IT Band Syndrome Kinesio Taping Plantar Fasciitis Preventing Chafing Preventing the Hamstring Strain Runner's Knee / Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Running and Low Back Pain Should I Push through the Pain? Should I Run When I'm Sick? Taking Care of Your Back The Dreaded Side Stitch The Essentials of a Good Night's Sleep What's Your Hip Really Saying? Why is Rest and Recovery Important for Athletes? Exercise Core Strengthening Exercises Core Strengthening with TRX Exercise Strong with Strong Glutes Importance of Cross Training and Yoga iPerform Precision Road vs. Treadmill Running Warm-Up and Stretches Strength Training 101 for Running The Importance of Core Running Getting Ready for Your Training Running Form - Balance Music and Running Running Form - Cadence Running Form - Mid-foot Strike Running Form - Posture Running Posture - Forward Lean Snow and Ice Running 101 Taper – How should we do it? The Importance of Arm Swing Web-based Training Plans What is a tempo run? Which Time of Day is Best for Running: Morning, Afternoon or Night? Your Perfect Pace Nutrition 6 Power Foods to Have During Training Coffee and Running Performance Exercising through the Holidays Five Training Foods to Boost Performance Fuel For Your Body Gel, Bar or Drink - Which One is Best for Me? GU Energy Gel Is GU For You? Proper Hydration Pro's and Con's of Carbo-loading Running on Empty What is GU and do I need it? What Water Should I Drink? Mental Toughness How to Conquer Your Long Run How to Stay Motivated After Your Race How to Stop Negative Thoughts When Running Making a Comeback Mental Training Tips Mind Over Marathon Running: It's a Social Thing Apparel and Accessories Clothing for Hot Weather Running Compression Sleeves and Socks: To Wear or Not to Wear How to Choose the Right Running Socks How to Dry Your Wet Running Shoes Proper Shoe Fitting Race Day Check List Running Shoe Q & A Tips for Purchasing Running Shoes Winter Running Gear


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Nimbu Achar (Lemon Pickle) - Traditional and Sweet
For pickling the lime | ||
Lemon/Lime | 4 Medium, cubed (fresh ripe lemons used, washed and cleaned) | |
Salt | 2 Tablespoon | |
Turmeric powder | 1⁄2 Teaspoon | |
For the sugar syrup | ||
Sugar | 3 Cup (48 tbs) (For 2 cups of cubed lime pieces) | |
Water | 1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs) (As required to just about cover the sugar) | |
Spices for 2 cups of pickled lime | ||
Oil | 2 Tablespoon | |
Red chili powder | 4 Teaspoon (Use as per your taste and preference) | |
Asafoetida | 1⁄2 Teaspoon |
1. Take fresh ripe lemons, wash and rinse them well.
2. Cut each of them into halves and then again cut them further into cubes of equal sizes. (You can discard the seeds)
3. In a bowl, put the cubed pieces of lime/lemon, add salt and turmeric powder. Toss to combine the ingredients very well with the lemon cubes.
4. Store the lemon cubes in an air tight glass or plastic jar for about 30 days. Shake it every 2 to 3 days well.
5. After around 30 days of storage and pickling of the lime cubes, take them out and check for the tenderness.
6. Once tender, prepare the sugar syrup. In a saucepan, take 3 cups of sugar (for 2 cups of pickled lime), add water just enough to cover the sugar.
7. Boil the sugar syrup on high heat, stir occasionally.
8. Reduce the heat to a low temperature and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes till it becomes thick.
9. Once thick, bring the temperature to a medium heat and add the pickled lime and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds. Turn of the heat and let it cool to thicken.
10. Add oil, red chili powder, asafoetida (hing) and mix well. Store in an airtight container for a couple of days until the color changes and the consistency turns thicker.
11. Serve the sweet and sour lemon as a condiment with your Indian dishes.
For 1/2 pound of lime/lemon, add 100 grams of salt and turmeric powder as per your preference.
You need to use 1 and 1/2 times more sugar than the quantity of lime used; say for 1 cup of lime, add 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
An alternate option of preparing the pickle without adding sugar syrup is to mix the sugar, oil and the spices in a bowl and then adding to the pickled lime. Mix well and let it rest till the sugar forms a syrup of itself naturally.
In the video the chef demonstrates pickling of 4 lemons ( about 2 cups of cubed lemon pieces) and then demonstrates preparing the sugar syrup for only 1 cup of pickled lemon. Ingredient list given for 2 cups of pickled lemon.
Recipe Summary
Rate It
Nutrition Rank
Nutrition Facts
Serving size
Calories 226 Calories from Fat 26
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3 g4.5%
Saturated Fat 0.37 g1.9%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 976.5 mg40.7%
Total Carbohydrates 53 g17.6%
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g5.8%
Sugars 50 g
Protein 0.59 g1.2%
Vitamin A 1.4% Vitamin C 26.8%
Calcium 1.3% Iron 1.3%
*Based on a 2000 Calorie diet


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The very same week I got a note from our preschool teachers begging the parents to keep the dreaded Crocs off of children's feet I've discovered that it's still okay to send them to synagogue with Crocs on their head.
Well actually not really Crocs, but a Kroc Kippah, which comes with four sports charms and turns a boring old yarmulke into a conversation piece around the Manischewitz after high holiday services.
Find it at Pop Judaica, along with other stuff that cracks us up. –Liz


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On this Thanksgiving, in addition to being thankful for all the blessings in my life — everything from a Hillary-less White House to my comfortable home, my wonderful children, and my supportive community (just don't talk politics) — I'm also grateful that, almost four hundred years ago, the Pilgrims abandoned communism in favor of private ownership and free enterprise:
The Bookworm Beat 11/23/16 — the "Thanksgiving" illustrated edition
It turns out that on Thanksgiving 2016 we have a lot for things for which to give thanks. Since I headed off on vacation the day after the election, some of these 45 insightful, funny posters may be a bit dated, but all are too good to ignore (especially the first, which is me, in my Blue community).
Grueling day Open Thread
Sorry for the blog silence today. It's been a grueling day, and I haven't had a second to sit down, let alone to think or, God forbid!, write. A trip that I squeezed into to see to doctor, because I was feeling almost scarily off my game for a while there, revealed high(ish) blood pressure, too fast a pulse, and an iron deficiency. The first two are attributable to stress; the third is an open question. Next week the blood tests begin.
I probably just need to shift my diet a little — or it may be a temporary blip since the last few months have been more crazy even than usual. There are a lot of people who look to me to make things right, and I have familial or work obligations I owe (or at least feel I owe) to them. I think I'm going to have to make "NO!!!!" a much bigger part of my vocabulary. It seems to me that the people calling my name need to figure out that, if they ask for less, they'll get what they want and need, but if they ask for too much, one way or another I'll just check out.
Now I have to apologize for griping too, but I'm not going to delete what wrote and I am going to publish. Sometimes I just want a big audience to hear that I'm tired.
Fortunately, aside from ferrying people places and making a couple of dishes for a potluck Thanksgiving gathering, tomorrow should be a lower stress day than usual.
Speaking of tomorrow, I'm sure I'll have time then to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all of you, since all of you are blessings in my life, and I am very grateful that you've made yourself a part of my blog family. However, in case my day gets derailed again, let me be among the first to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Times are tough, but that just reminds us to be more than usually thankful for what we do have. And having griped about the people in my life, let me say that I'm still very glad that they are a part of my life.
Since I'm done in and may not be writing anything tonight, please feel free to share in the comments anything that you find interesting.
Stuck on Stupid: Progressive Facebook edition (Part 2)
It's not a very deep dive to plumb the depths of Leftist intellectual positions on most issues, but it's still a worthwhile exercise to expose the fallacies that they use to try to dominate the debate on pressing issues — with the most pressing issue being whether to admit Syrian refugees. The easiest place for me to find examples of Leftist thought is my Facebook feed. Because I've spent my life in Blue enclaves, almost all of my friends — and they are really nice people in day-to-day interactions — are Progressives. It gives me pleasure to deconstruct some of their more foolish or vicious posters:
I have to admit that these first two posters are my favorite "stupid Progressive Facebook" posts. Because Thanksgiving is coming up, both chide anti-refugee conservatives for forgetting that the first Thanksgiving came about because the indigenous people in North America extended a welcoming hand to European immigrants.
Whenever I've seen one of these posters pop up on my Facebook feed, I've left a polite comment to the effect that we all learned in public school (thanks to Howard Zinn and others) that the Europeans, once having gotten a foothold in North America, promptly turned around and murdered as many Native Americans as possible. If they couldn't murder them, they dispossessed them of their land and otherwise marginalized them. There's certainly a lesson to be learned here but the lesson isn't to welcome refugees, it's to cry out "For God's sake, don't let them in!"
[VIDEO] Ben Shapiro tells the REAL Thanksgiving story
Thanksgivukkah — the perfect storm
A "perfect storm" occurs when circumstances that normally operate independently from each other occur at the same time, with each heightening the other's impact. Starting at sunset tonight, we are about to see the nexus of four circumstances that normally operate independent of each other, especially since two of those circumstances have never before occurred. Two of the four are symbolic events; and the remaining two are entirely real, with possibly cataclysmic outcomes.
I refer, of course, to the fact that Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlap, an event that will not occur again for something between 600 and 70,000 years (depending who's doing the calculations). This holiday nexus overlaps with two real-world occurrences, the first of their kind in America: Obamacare, which threatens to undermine America's still-vaguely-capitalist economy, and Obama's agreement to allow Iran, a totalitarian Islamist state with an apocalyptic religion and visions of world domination, to go ahead with its nuclear program. The real world events are deeply disturbing to those who love America and Israel (the only true democracy in the Middle East), but perhaps Someone is try to send us a sign insofar as they occur in the year of Thanksgivukkah.
Tying these four seemingly disparate strands together requires understanding fully what these strands are. I won't bore you by repeating everything you know about Obamacare and the deal with Iran, since each can be summed up in one or two sentences. Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, however, deserve somewhat more detailed treatments.
Obamacare saw President Obama and his democrat minions use outright fraud to take over the American healthcare and insurance system in such a way as to throw most Americans off the insurance that 85% of them found satisfactory, and to dump them in an exchange that sees them lose their doctors and hospitals, all for significantly more money. It was manifestly meant to be a way-station to socialized medicine (complete with death panels), but the government's ineptitude with regard to the exchanges meant that Obama and Co. tipped their hands as to the fraud before they were ready to do so.
Obama's deal with Iran gives Iran permission to continue its uranium enrichment program to something just short of full weapons potential, and unlocks the money that the mullahs need to maintain their despotic hold over their country and that Iran needs to continue with its nuclear program. Obama did this after years of telling Israel not to strike at Iran's weapons program when it was still possible for Israel to do so, using the fraudulent promise that he would protect Israel from Iran's frequently expressed genocidal intent towards Israel. (And no, the doctrine of mutually assured destruction is not a deterrent for Iran. Iran subscribes to an apocalyptic form of Islam that differs significantly from the Christian view of the apocalypse: unlike Christians, who wait for the apocalypse, Iranian Shiites believe that it is their responsibility to bring it about.)
Put simply, we are looking at two possibly apocalyptic events, one that has the power to downgrade America irrevocably to the status of a poor, socialized nation, and the other that could witness Israel's destruction and decades of turmoil and death in the Middle East. Knowing this can leave anyone feeling lost, hopeless, and abandoned. But I do believe that the concatenation of these events with both Hanukkah and Thanksgiving means something. That all of this occurred now might be a coincidence, or it could be part of something larger — a Divine plan, for those religiously inclined — from which we should draw hope.
For those who think of Hanukkah as a holiday that involves lighting candles, spinning dreidels, and giving gifts (the "Jewish Christmas"), let me take a few minutes to tell you about the miraculous military victory that Hanukkah commemorates, a victory that every Israeli must surely be thinking about today given Obama's Munich-esque deal with Iran.
In 168 B.C.E., Greek soldiers in modern-day Syria (and isn't that symbolic too?) seized the great Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and defiled it by dedicating it to Zeus. Jews passively accepted this desecration for fear of incurring Greek wrath. Human nature, though, is human nature, and you cannot appease a tyrant. Within one year, Antiochus, the Syrian-Greek emperor, declared that observing Jewish ritual was a capital crime. Instead, he said, all Jews must affirmatively worship the Greek gods.
As before, most Jews acquiesced, but they raged inside. The smoldering tinder of Jewish resistance burst into flame when Greek soldiers in the village of Modiin tried to force the Jews to bow to an idol and eat pork. Realizing that where the leader goes, the others will follow, a Greek officer focused his efforts on Mattathias, a High Priest. Mattathias refused to acquiesce to the Greek demands. In fear, another villager offered to violate Jewish law on Mattathias' behalf. Mattathias, rather than being grateful, was outraged. He killed first the appeasing villager and then the Greek officer. Mattathias, his five sons, and a handful of villagers then killed the remaining Greeks.
Outlaws now in Greek-controlled Israel, Mattathias, his sons, and their followers hid in the m0untains and began a guerrilla campaign of resistance against the Greek occupiers. The fight came at a terrible cost. Mattathias and several of his sons died in battle, leaving only one of his sons, Judah Maccabee to carry the fight to its conclusion. As was the case with the American revolutionaries fighting their seemingly quixotic battle against the might of the British Empire (the most successful military in the world at that time), it seemed impossible to believe that the Maccabees (or Hasmoneans) could win — but they did, driving the Greeks from their lands and restoring the Temple to its rightful glory.
When the Maccabees re-claimed the Temple in Jerusalem, they knew it had been defiled by Greek religious practices, including the slaughter of swine on the altar. They believed that they could purify the Temple by burning the ritual oil in the Temple's menorah for eight days and eight nights. The problem was that they had only enough oil left for one day and one night. Nevertheless, the triumphant Maccabees lit the menorah and a great miracle happened there (nes gadol haya sham): the menorah burned for eight days and eight nights. It is this miracle that the Jews celebrate when they light the menorah every night for the eight days of Hanukkah.
The Hanukkah story is a wonderful story of faith, commitment, and bravery. It is also a reminder that tyrannies, even those that appear to have unlimited power, are fundamentally unstable. A committed band of people can come together to topple them.
And as for Thanksgiving, that tale too, deserves to be retold, since Progressives in the past 40 years have watered it down to a story about noble Native Americans rescuing fanatically religious Pilgrims who, having broken bread with the indigenous people, returned the favor by slaughtering them. As Rush Limbaugh tells annually on his radio show and demonstrates in both See, I Told You So and in his best-selling children's book, Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans, that story is bunk. The real story is much more interesting and lays the foundation for America's robust development. Here is my précis of Rush's factually accurate, extremely important telling of American history:
The Pilgrims set sail for American aboard the Mayflower on August 1, 1620. Their reason for leaving the world they knew and striking how for this unknown wilderness was religious freedom. While still aboard the ship, their leader, William Bradford, had them enter into a biblically inspired agreement that came to be known as "The Mayflower Compact." It established just and equal laws for all members of the new community, irrespective of their religious beliefs.
When the Pilgrims landed on the northeast tip of what came to be America, Bradford said that they found themselves in "a cold, barren, desolate wilderness." They were in an isolation that was anything but splendid, one without food or shelter. In that first long, cold winter, says Rush, half the Pilgrims – including Bradford's own wife – died of either starvation, sickness or exposure.
In the spring, the native population came to the Pilgrims' rescue, teaching them how to harvest the land's plant and animal bounty, an act of great kindness and humanity, and one that deserves to be remembered. As Rush says, that is the beginning and the end of most American's understanding of the Thanksgiving story. Chapter two in every child's history book is "and then the Pilgrims eventually killed the Indians." There is much, much more to the story, though.
When the Pilgrims had left England, they had entered into an agreement with their merchant-sponsors in London. That agreement called for the Pilgrims to pool all their resources — their land, their crops, their meat and furs — and to draw from those resources according to their need. Karl Marx would have recognized this: "From each according to his ability; to each according to his need."
Things did not go well. Indeed, William Bradford, who was now the colony's governor, realized that, just as the Pilgrim's first winter proved deadly, so too would this experiment with communism. Bradford later summed up precisely what had happened with this first "commune":
The experience that was had in this commone course and condition, tried sundrie years, and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanitie of that conceite of Platos and other ancients, applauded by some of later times; -that the taking away of propertie, and bringing in communitie into a comone wealth, would make them happy and florishing; as if they were wiser then God. For this comunitie (so farr as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much imployment that would have been to their benefite and comforte. For the yong-men that were most able and fitte for labour and servise did repine that they should spend their time and streingth to worke for other mens wives and children, with out any recompence. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in devission of victails and cloaths, then he that was weake and not able to doe a quarter the other could; this was thought injuestice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalised in labours, and victails, cloaths, etc., with the meaner and yonger sorte, thought it some indignite and disrespect unto them. And for mens wives to be commanded to doe servise for other men, as dresing their meate, washing their cloaths, etc., they deemd it a kind of slaverie, neither could many husbands well brooke it. Upon the poynte all being to have alike, and all to doe alike, they thought them selves in the like condition, and ove as good as another; and so, if it did not cut of those relations that God hath set amongest men, yet it did at least much diminish and take of the mutuall respects that should be preserved amongst them. And would have bene worse if they had been men of another condition. Let pone objecte this is mens corruption, and nothing to the course it selfe. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in his wisdome saw another course fiter for them.
Put in modern English, what Bradford said was this: The ancient writers loved the theory of a commune, assuming that the doctrine of "from each according to his ability and to each according to his need" would result in universal happiness. Put into practice, though, communism bred laziness, jealousy, and discontent. The most deleterious effect was seen on young men — the most important workforce in any agriculture society — who resented deeply having to expend their labor for other men's families without any return on effort. Redistribution of wealth ultimately meant less labor in an agrarian society, with the inevitable and dangerous decrease in the food supply. People work cheerfully, industriously, and productively only if they know there is the possibility that outcome will correlate to effort.
Made wise by experience, Bradford abolished the commune and, instead, assigned to each family a plot of land for which it was solely responsible. The result was predictable. "This had very good success, for it made all hands industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been." Or, as Rush said, "supply-side economics."
Because the Pilgrims had a personal stake in their labor, they worked hard, and produced surplus crops that they traded with the Indians or sold to British merchants. Soon, this small band of wanderers in a far-off outpost of the nascent British Empire had created a profitable, growing, and quite attractive little society.
So, where are we now? We are witnessing two events unfold, both of which have the potential to wreak terrible destruction on healthy, functioning, open democracies. And we have those two events unfolding during the once-in-a-lifetime convergence of holidays that celebrate a military victory over tyranny and an economic victory over socialism. These holidays celebrate defining moments in history. They show that, no matter how dark things appear, people of passion, intelligence, and faith can "repair the world" (hebrew: tikkun olam). A great miracle happened there, in Jerusalem; a great miracle happened there, in the Plymouth colony; and we cannot reject the idea that great miracles can still happen, whether in the Middle East or in America.
We lose under only two circumstances: we are wiped off the face of the earth (something all tyrannies have tried against the Jews, but thankfully without success) or we give up (something that too many disaffected, disheartened conservatives keep threatening to do).
Call it coincidence or call it a sign from a higher power, but the fact remains that, as Israel and her friends in America watch Obama try to include America in the Axis of Evil, and as we Americans watch a concerted effort to socialize the American economy, destroying America's fundamental character and greatness, tonight and tomorrow serve as powerful reminders that, with faith and courage, a small band can destroy a great tyranny and that the socialist experiment can be undone with a return to greatness.
To everyone, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, I wish you a very happy Hanukkah, as we take eight days to remember that miracles do happen and that tyrants are overthrown.
And to everyone, American and non-American alike, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, a day on which we count the myriad blessings in our lives, both big and small, and we remember that, while socialism may temporarily mute the striving, creative, dynamic, productive, energetic parts of human nature, it cannot destroy them.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I have to admit that having Obama for another four years in the White House, having Harry Reid serve as Majority Leader for another two to four years (at least) in the Senate, and having Israel poised on the brink of a major war with another Iranian proxy, doesn't give me that warm, comfy feeling that I'd like for Thanksgiving.
Having said that, there is still so much for which I am thankful, ranging from the micro (my own life) to the macro (the world outside my home).
Starting small, I'm thankful for my family, including both family by blood and by marriage; for my friends in the "real" and the cyber worlds; for my health; for my dog who is a daily delight to me; for my lovely home; ; and for the delightful community in which I live. These people may have gotten the wrong end of the political stick, but they are still fine human beings. I wish for them the blessing of an open mind.
And going big, I'm thankful that America, although a bit wobbly now, is still the land of the free and the home of the brave. I'm thankful that Israel has an Iron Dome system and that she, unlike her enemies, believes that innocent lives are not cannon fodder. I'm thankful that we have the best military in the world, not just because it is well armed, but because it is well staffed, with courageous men and women who willing undergo the rigors of training and service to help defend America.
We know that eight years of President Obama will change this country, but I'm also thankful for a Constitution that may work to prevent the "fundamental transformation" of a country that has been a shining beacon for so long. I haven't given up hope yet and the mere fact that all of you come here means that you haven't either. We still have a lot for which to be thankful, and many reasons for hope.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I think it says something about the American character that the quintessential American holiday is one that sees us gathering with family and friends to give things for the many blessings in our lives. I know that I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. In my personal life, I'm blessed with a loving family, good friends (including all the wonderful friends I've met through my blog), a comfortable home, good health, more than enough food, and activities I enjoy.
On a larger scale, although I find the political scene depressing, good things are happening there too. Conservatives have been shaken from their complacency and are making changes. Andrew Brietbart and two 20 somethings have practically destroyed ACORN, a handful of hackers exposed the great sham of man-made global warming, the activists on the Nobel Prize Committee finally made people realize that the award is a joke, and our President and our Congress, who could have proceeded slowly and with great stealth, were so overcome by hubris that they may finally have overplayed the Leftist hand.
In the political world, we still have many, many travails facing us. Overplayed hand or not, the Democrats can inflict massive amounts of damage both at home and abroad. The fact remains, though, that we, as Americans, are finally understanding what's happening. And just as normally complacent conservatives are on the move, I do believe that the even more complacent apolitical American middle will rise up and reassert those core values that still live in the American soul.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
I am thankful….
Tomorrow, I'll be spending most of the day in transit, and it's unclear to me at this point how much blogging I'll be able to sneak in once I arrive at my ultimate destination. So, before I lose access to my computer, I wanted to put together a list of things that make me thankful.
I'm thankful that I have a loving family, even if we don't always see eye to eye on all things. In an unstable world, a stable nuclear family is one of life's great blessings.
I'm thankful that this same loving family, from youngest to oldest, enjoys good health. As to the oldest in my family (and we're talking octogenarians), I am reasonably certain that I will be able to enjoy their presence in my life for some time to come.
I'm thankful for the endless bounty that America offers: food, shelter, reasonable safety from the extreme threats of the world, economic opportunity (even in down times), and unparalleled freedom. I never take for granted the sheer dumb luck that saw me being born in late 20th century America, and not in some other place, at some other time.
I'm thankful for this blog, which provides an endless outlet for my verbal and political energy.
I'm thankful for my blog readers, who have become a very important community to me, and whose friendship I cherish more than any one of them can imagine.
I'm thankful that I really like my in-laws, since I'll be spending several days in their company. The fact that they're well-informed and, as I am, neocons, means that I'll have a lot of mental stimulation that should be reflected in my blog upon my return.
I'm thankful for Don Quixote's friendship. His entry into my life, and the fact that we ended up being friends, was something I never anticipated, and I am perpetually grateful. I'm also grateful that his wife is a generous and wonderful soul who recognizes that ours is a true platonic friendship, and makes the friendship even stronger by being a cheerful, intelligent and interesting participant in our lunches whenever she is available.
I'm thankful for martial arts, which makes me feel strong and gives me a learning curve when so much else in my life has flat-lined. (I'll never really figure out how to be "the perfect" mother, I know how to be a lawyer, and there's only so good you can get at folding laundry.) Who knew I'd love tackling people and taking them down?
I'm thankful that, no matter how bitter this last election was (and it was very bitter), we are still looking forward to a peaceful handover of power in January 2009. Look back on world history and you will appreciate what an extraordinary accomplishment that his. I wish President Obama a safe and short presidency, that sees him forced to govern to the center, to the great disappointment of his more fervent admirers.
So, if you don't hear from me again before Thursday — Happy Thanksgiving!