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In Skyrim we will have the pleasure of being able to talk to people without time stopping. When you want to talk to a person you just walk right up to them and press the required button and then start chatting - a menu of things you can ask pops up and if you're tired of having them talking to you, you can just walk away (rude)
As far as I've gathered, reading books (which has a page-turning animation BTW) doesn't stop time either and maybe not even popping through your inventory, although I am not sure about that. I definitely know that time stops as you go through your favorites doing combat, which makes sense. Of course there is always the [esc] menu.


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Health and Wellbeing
Abigail Aiken • Elizabeth Armstrong • João Biehl • Jeanne Brooks-Gunn • Anne C. Case • Janet M. Currie • Sir Angus Deaton • Margaret Frye • Noreen Goldman • Bryan Grenfell • Sara F. McLanahan • C. Jessica E. Metcalf • Elizabeth Levy Paluck • Marta Tienda • James Trussell • Tom S. Vogl
Elizabeth Armstrong is working on a book manuscript, tentatively titled, How We Begin: The Origins of Fetal Personhood. The book explores the evolution of the belief that the fetus is a person in medicine, law, and popular culture. Armstrong is also interested in cultural attitudes and beliefs about risk during pregnancy and childbirth and policies related to maternity care in the United States. She is conducting research on medical professional attitudes towards home birth in the U.S. and on popular practices around childbirth. She has also investigated popular cultural practices regarding the placenta and is currently analyzing medical and scientific texts on placental form and function.
Elizabeth Armstrong anticipates continuing to work on reproduction from cultural and policy perspectives. She is beginning several smaller-scale research projects into various aspects of maternity care in the U.S. One of these is a history of policies and practices around pain relief during childbirth in the 20th century. Another investigates how negative birth experiences are framed in comparative perspective, whether as a form of PTSD in the U.S., as violence against women in Latin America, or as patient abuse in the U.K.
João Biehl's main research centers on medical anthropology, the social studies of science and religion, global health, subjectivity, ethnography, and social and critical theory (with a regional focus on Latin America and Brazil). His present research explores the social impact of large-scale treatment programs in resource-poor settings and the role of the judiciary in administering public health in Brazil.
João Biehl is currently writing The Valley of Lamentation, a historical ethnography of the Mucker War, a religious war that shattered German-Brazilian communities in the 19th century. He is also working on a book titled, Anthropology of Becoming, and is collaborating on a book project on Oikographia, which foregrounds the house as a key site of empirical and conceptual analysis.
João Biehl's present ethnographic research explores the social impact of large-scale treatment programs in resource-poor settings, the role of the judiciary in administering public health, and the emergence of the category of patient-citizen-consumers in Brazil. Biehl is also coordinating a research and teaching partnership between Princeton University and the University of São Paulo centered on medical anthropology, global health, and the social markers of difference, and is co-coordinating a collaborative network on Race and Citizenship in the Americas.
In the past two years, Anne Case's research has focused on changing patterns of morbidity and mortality in midlife in the U.S., with a focus (to date) on white non-Hispanics in middle age. In academic year 2016-17, she plans to examine many of the questions that this research has brought to the fore. These will include differences in health and mortality between working class and wealthier Americans, differences between races and ethnicities, between men and women, between the U.S. and other OECD countries, and between age groups, to try to better understand the underlying causes of the reversal of mortality decline and of morbidity decline that is found among whites in middle-age in U.S.
Anne Case and co-author Angus Deaton, published a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Working Paper titled, "Suicide, Age, and Wellbeing: An Empirical Investigation." Together they found that suicide rates, life evaluation, and measures of affect are all plausible measures of the mental health and wellbeing of populations. Yet in the settings they examined, correlations between suicide and measured wellbeing are at best inconsistent. Differences in suicides between men and women, between Hispanics, blacks, and whites, between age groups for men, between countries or U.S. states, between calendar years, and between days of the week, do not match differences in life evaluation. By contrast, reports of physical pain are strongly predictive of suicide in many contexts. The prevalence of pain is increasing among middle-aged Americans, and is accompanied by a substantial increase in suicides and deaths from drug and alcohol poisoning. Their measure of pain is now highest in middle age—when life evaluation and positive affect are at a minimum. In the absence of the pain epidemic, suicide and life evaluation are likely unrelated, leaving unresolved whether either one is a useful overall measure of population wellbeing.
Anne Case and Angus Deaton's paper, "Rising Morbidity and Mortality in Midlife among White Non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st Century," published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, documents a marked increase in the all-cause mortality of middle-aged white, non-Hispanic men and women in the United States between 1999 and 2013. This change reversed decades of progress in mortality and was unique to the United States; no other rich country saw a similar turnaround. The midlife mortality reversal was confined to white non-Hispanics; black non-Hispanics and Hispanics at midlife, and those aged 65 and above in every racial and ethnic group, continued to see mortality rates fall. This increase for whites was largely accounted for by increasing death rates from drug and alcohol poisonings, suicide, and chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis. Although all education groups saw increases in mortality from suicide and poisonings, and an overall increase in external cause mortality, those with less education saw the most marked increases. Rising midlife mortality rates of white non-Hispanics were paralleled by increases in midlife morbidity. Self-reported declines in health, mental health, and ability to conduct activities of daily living, and increases in chronic pain and inability to work, as well as clinically measured deteriorations in liver function, all point to growing distress in this population. The authors comment on potential economic causes and consequences of this deterioration.
Janet Currie's work continues to follow several threads. First, she is concerned with investigating the fetal origins hypothesis, and examining the long-term impacts of health shocks in utero. Second, the evaluation (and sometimes unintended consequences) of programs or initiatives aimed at improving child health. Third, work on pollution and health, generally investigating the effect of low-level exposures. Fourth, the organization of medical care and what determines small-area (and even within hospital) differences in the ways that similar patients are treated.
In"Is there a Link Between Foreclosure and Health?" published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Janet Currie and Erdal Tekin (Georgia State University) investigate the relationship between foreclosures and hospital visits using data on all foreclosures and all hospital and emergency room visits from four states that were among the hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. Together they found that living in a neighborhood with a spike in foreclosures is associated with significant increases in urgent unscheduled visits, including increases in visits for preventable conditions. The estimated relationships cannot be accounted for by increasing unemployment, declines in housing prices, migration, or by people switching from out-patient providers to hospitals.
Angus Deaton enthusiastically reviewed, "On Tyrannical Experts and Expert Tyrants," for the Review of Austrian Economics in July 2015. He described William Easterly's Tyranny of Experts as a paean to freedom, democracy, and the rights of the poor. It rightly damns the "technological illusion" that development is an engineering problem, not a political problem that cannot be solved by experts, particularly not by outside experts. Deaton went on to say that "it is too optimistic to believe that rights and democracy by themselves will guarantee growth and prosperity, and the argument that rights and democracy are both necessary and sufficient for population health is largely wishful thinking."
Margaret Frye's research focuses on a fundamental problem at the intersection of demography and cultural sociology: how does culture influence the plans and choices of individuals, producing the patterned behavior that one observes? She examines how socially structured standards of morality influence life course decision-making in contexts undergoing rapid cultural change. At each milestone on the transition to adulthood–continuing in school, starting a serious relationship, and having sex– her work demonstrates that individuals shape and reshape their life trajectories in accordance with these moral frames. Frye's empirical research has primarily been based in Malawi, where she has looked at the influence of culture on educational choices, romantic experiences, and, most recently, men's evaluations of women's sexual desirability.
In a manuscript entitled, "Ideals as Anchors for Relationship Experiences," published in American Sociological Review, Margaret Frye along with Jenny Trinitapoli (Pennsylvania State University) conducted research on young-adult sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa which typically conceptualizes sex as an individual-level risk behavior. They introduced a new approach that connects the conditions surrounding the initiation of sex with subsequent relationship wellbeing, examines relationships as sequences of interdependent events, and indexes relationship experiences to individually held ideals. New card-sort data from southern Malawi capture young women's relationship experiences and their ideals in a sequential framework. Using optimal matching, they measured the distance between ideal and experienced relationship sequences to (1) assess the associations between ideological congruence and perceived relationship well-being, (2) compare this ideal-based approach to other experience-based alternatives, and (3) identify individual- and couple-level correlates of congruence between ideals and experiences in the romantic realm. Their research showed that congruence between ideals and experiences conveys relationship wellbeing along four dimensions: expressions of love and support, robust communication habits, perceived biological safety, and perceived relationship stability. They further showed that congruence is patterned by socioeconomic status and supported by shared ideals within romantic dyads. They argue that conceiving of ideals as anchors for how sexual experiences are manifest advances current understandings of romantic relationships, and suggest that this approach has applications for other domains of life.
Noreen Goldman, in collaboration with Andrea Graham (Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) who has conducted assays of immune markers derived from frozen specimens in the Taiwan survey, has just begun to explore linkages between immune senescence, inflammation and the health and survival of older adults. Together with Dan Notterman (Princeton University, Molecular Biology Department), she will be using genetic information to explore determinants of depression and cognitive function of older adults in this survey.
In a separate project, Noreen Goldman has been examining the health of Mexicans both in the U.S. and in Mexico. Recent papers evaluate whether the survival advantage of Mexican Americans (relative to whites) is likely to endure in coming decades, whether there is evidence that less healthy Mexican immigrants in the U.S. are more likely to return to Mexico than their healthier counterparts, and whether older Mexicans whose children reside in the U.S. experience less social support and poorer health than those whose children remain in Mexico.
Bryan Grenfell co-authored a paper with Huaiyu Tian (Beijing Normal University), Sen Zhoub (Tsinghua University), Lu Dong (Beijing Normal University), Thomas P. Van Boeckel (Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) et al. entitled, "Avian Influenza H5N1 Viral and Bird Migration Networks in Asia," which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This paper reports that the spatial spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 and its long-term persistence in Asia have resulted in avian influenza panzootics and enormous economic losses in the poultry sector. However, an understanding of the regional long-distance transmission and seasonal patterns of the virus is still lacking. In this study, the authors present a phylogeographic approach to reconstruct the viral migration network. They show that within each wild fowl migratory flyway, the timing of H5N1 outbreaks and viral migrations are closely associated, but little viral transmission was observed between the flyways. The bird migration network is shown to better reflect the observed viral gene sequence data than other networks and contributes to seasonal H5N1 epidemics in local regions and its large-scale transmission along flyways. These findings have potentially far-reaching consequences, improving their understanding of how bird migration drives the periodic reemergence of H5N1 in Asia.
Bryan Grenfell along with Takahashi, S. (Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) and C. Jessica Metcalf, Ferrari, M. J. (Pennsylvania State University), Truelove, S. A. (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) et al. continue to analyze vaccination strategies for measles and rubella in Africa and other endemic countries. The major application this year was a novel assessment of the potential consequences of the West African Ebola epidemic on vaccination rates and epidemic potential of measles, published in Science, in a paper entitled, "Reduced Vaccination and the Risk of Measles and Other Childhood Infections post-Ebola." This article states that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has caused substantial morbidity and mortality. The outbreak has also disrupted health care services, including childhood vaccinations, creating a second public health crisis. They project that after six to 18 months of disruptions, a large connected cluster of children unvaccinated for measles would accumulate across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. This pool of susceptibility increases the expected size of a regional measles outbreak from 127,000 to 227,000 cases after 18 months, resulting in 2000 to 16,000 additional deaths (comparable to the numbers of Ebola deaths reported thus far). There is a clear path to avoiding outbreaks of childhood vaccine-preventable diseases once the threat of Ebola begins to recede: an aggressive regional vaccination campaign aimed at age groups left unprotected because of health care disruptions.
Bryan Grenfell has generated the first major model of the spatiotemporal dynamics and control of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in China, on the eve of vaccine deployment. Grenfell has generated a major study on the dynamics of morbilivirus infections of cetaceans, in the face of a major epidemic. Other work this year explored the dynamics of malaria, chikungunya virus and other infections.
Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to humanity. Bryan Grenfell has published the first major study of the global distribution of antibiotic use in the meat and dairy industries, as well as a detailed review of the impact of coinfection on resistance.
In "Variation in Child Body Mass Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Maternal Nativity Status in the United States and England," published in Maternal and Child Health, Sara McLanahan, Melissa Martinson (University of Washington) and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn (Columbia University) conducted a cross-national comparison of children's body mass patterns by race/ethnicity and mothers' nativity status. The study was the first to examine race/ethnic and maternal nativity differences in BMI trajectories in both countries. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and England's Millennium Cohort Study, the researchers documented significant race/ethnic differences in initial BMI and BMI trajectories among children in both countries, with all non-white groups having significantly steeper BMI growth trajectories than whites. Nativity differences in BMI trajectories varied by race/ethnic group and were only statistically significantly higher for children of foreign-born blacks in England.
C. Jessica Metcalf's research over the past two years has centered on the within-host demography of pathogens, or pathogen population growth, spread, and clearance within our bodies, shapes their ecology and evolution, driving outcomes of public health relevance such as the emergence of drug resistance. She has worked to articulate the core issues in a range of perspective papers, and via empirical work. The cross-scale dynamics of infectious disease drives its impact on human health, yet empirical studies tend to either focus on the within-host aspect, or the between-host aspect (transmission). She has also developed methods to bridge this gap. Both within-host and between-host dynamics will contribute to defining landscapes of immunity, a continuing focus of her work, and one that she has tackled in contexts of immediate public health relevance, such as in the wake of the Ebola outbreak. Overall her research blends basic ecological research and important applications. The underlying synthesis of demography and disease dynamics, across scales ranging from within host to across and between countries is a distinguishing feature of her work.
Over the next two years C. Jessica Metcalf will continue to focus on quantifying disease in motion as a core question in public health, and one that is often predicated on human migration and movement. She is leveraging novel data streams such as mobile phone call data records to capture both the patterns of seasonal human aggregation and its effects on transmission for directly transmitted pathogens (measles, rubella), but also patterns of local introduction for a broader range of infections (measles to malaria) for a range of countries and contexts. Patterns of re-introduction, in particular, are of increasing relevance in a public health landscape where disease elimination and eradication remain a central concern. Climatic drivers may shape both human movement and also pathogen ecology. Metcalf is also collaborating with researchers at NOAA/GFDL to describe climate influences on human movement at a range of scales, and to titrate the relative importance of these direct and indirect effects for a range of pathogens. This will open the way to longer term predictions of the outcome of climate change on human movement and the burden of infectious disease.
Two basic ideas motivate Elizabeth Paluck's research. The first idea is that social psychological theory offers potentially useful tools for changing society in constructive ways. The second idea is that studying attempts to change society is one of the most fruitful ways to develop and assess social psychological theory. Much of Paluck's work has focused on prejudice and conflict reduction, using large-scale field experiments to test theoretically driven interventions.
Despite a surge in policy and research attention to conflict and bullying among adolescents, Elizabeth Paluck finds little evidence to suggest that current interventions reduce school conflict. Using a large-scale field experiment in Changing Climates of Conflict: A Social Network Experiment in 56 Schools Paluck shows that it is possible to reduce conflict with a student-driven intervention. By encouraging a small set of students to take a public stance against typical forms of conflict at their school, Paluck's intervention reduced overall levels of conflict by an estimated 30%. Network analyses reveal that certain kinds of students (called "social referents") have an outsized influence over social norms and behavior at the school. The study demonstrates the power of peer influence for changing climates of conflict, and suggests which students to involve in those efforts.
In their study titled, "Birthing, Nativity and Maternal Depression: Australia and the United States" published in International Migration Review. Melissa Martinson (University of Washington) and Marta Tienda analyzes two birth cohort surveys, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, to examine variation in maternal depression by nativity, duration of residence, age at migration, and English pro?ciency in Australia and the U.S. Both countries have long immigrant traditions and a common language. The results demonstrate that U.S. immigrant mothers are signi?cantly less depressed than native-born mothers, but maternal depression does not differ by nativity in Australia. Moreover, the association between duration of residence and maternal depression is not linear: Recent arrivals and long-term residents exhibit the highest depression levels. Lack of English pro?ciency exacerbates maternal depression in Australia, but protects against depression in the U.S. Differences in immigration regimes and welfare systems likely contribute to the differing salience of nativity for maternal depression.
Abigail Aiken and James Trussell's report "Recent Advances in Contraception", in the F100Prime Reports, focused on intrauterine contraceptives (IUC), contraceptive implants, and emergency contraceptives. Together, they reviewed recent advances in contraceptive development and discussed progress in policies to improve access to the most effective methods. They report on the shift in practice towards routinely providing IUCs and implants to young and nulliparous women, prompted in part by the reduced diameter of the insertion tube for the Mirena IUC and the development of a smaller IUC called Skyla. Additionally, they describe the new SCu300A intrauterine ball and the development of an implant called Nexplanon, which comes with a preloaded inserter. They also discuss the efficacy of ulipristal acetate versus levonorgestrel for emergency contraception, especially for women who weigh more than 75 kg. Finally, in light of the increasing interest in providing IUCs and implants to women in the immediate postpartum and post abortion periods, they consider the rationale for this change in practice and review the progress that has been made so far in the U.S.
The commentary, "Immediate Postpartum Provision of Highly Effective Reversible Contraception" by Abigail Aiken, Catherine Aiken (University of Cambridge, UK), James Trussell, and Katherine Guthrie (Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Partnership, Hull, UK) was published in An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. This commentary notes that unintended pregnancies are associated with a higher risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, particularly when they occur within a short time interval from a previous birth. Early access to highly effective reversible intrauterine contraceptives (IUCs) and contraceptive implants in the postpartum period has been demonstrated to help women prevent unintended and rapid-repeat pregnancies. The authors discuss several compelling reasons for the immediate postpartum provision of such methods to women who desire them.
Intrauterine contraceptives (both copper intrauterine devices and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems) and implants are in the highest tier of contraceptive effectiveness because they require no active adherence on the part of the user. The provision of these methods in hospital following delivery is particularly attractive because it is convenient for women who may be highly motivated to prevent another pregnancy, and is logistically optimal in that health professionals trained in placement could be readily available. Despite previous concerns, the immediate postpartum placement of IUCs and implants is also extremely safe. There is no increased risk of pain, bleeding, infection, or uterine perforation for IUCs placed immediately (within 10 minutes of placental delivery), compared with delayed placement (weeks later).
The safety of immediate post-delivery placement of IUCs and implants is reflected in the World Health Organization Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (WHO MEC), which provides evidence-based guidance regarding medical eligibility for specific contraceptive methods. This guidance is used by specialists in sexual and reproductive health worldwide to ensure that women are not exposed to inappropriate risk, while at the same time are not denied access to methods that are medically appropriate. It has been adapted for use in several countries, including the UK and the U.S.
In light of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing the worldwide maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters by 2015, and the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to reduce unintended pregnancy among EU member states, policies promoting the widespread availability of immediate postpartum IUCs and implants represent an important step towards improving women's reproductive health worldwide.
The Health Grand Challenge funded by the Woodrow Wilson School has awarded Tom Vogl a Seed Grant for the 2015-2016 proposal, "Pollution, Early-Life Health, and Child Development in Developing Countries." This proposal seeks to launch a research agenda that examines environmental influences on early-life health and child development in developing countries. Funding from an HGC small seed grant will enable the completion of the agenda's first study, on the health consequences of air pollution from the harvesting of sugarcane, an important global energy source. Three new studies will examine the effects of agricultural air pollution, urban water pollution, and slum conditions on child health and development.
Much of the proposed research focuses on Brazil, so a key component of the proposal is its funding of undergraduate summer field research abroad. On campus, undergraduate and graduate students will have opportunities to collaborate on the proposed research, and findings will be incorporated into a range of interdisciplinary teaching activities. Beyond this educational use, the findings of the proposed research will have important implications for policymakers in developing countries seeking to balance population health with energy sustainability, agricultural livelihood, and rapid urbanization.

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, April 22, 2011
Good Friday on the Little Spokane
The deer, their coats matted and brown,
will not stay.
They risk the road instead.
The turkey turns his back,
is deliberate,
spreads his feathers.
The river pushes past,
smug with forward motion.
Its grasses press down,
stay low,
feign indifference.
The meadow
is heavy
with still water,
winter's unwanted remains.
She assents.
She contains.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
An explanation
I will go again
to be
among the broken
who see
a fault as happy
a blemish as necessary
brings murky
Monday, April 18, 2011
A thousand small hurts
tenderly tied with ribbon
of sharp rusty wire
alone in the dark
unopened and indignant
plot quiet revenge
This prompt is loosely based on one or more of this week's prompts at Big Tent Poetry.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Status Update
When spring comes
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
For Colleen
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
It's not true that April enrages me.
I reserve my violent emotions for March,
that drunken bastard who stays too long,
and spews sloppy snow all over my shoes,
and slushes himself all over my lawn.
No, by the time April arrives,
I am done.
I am spent.
I'm too tired to shake my fist at an April sky.
March has worn me down,
softened me up,
so that by the time April comes round,
All he has to do is show me some tulips,
And just like that--
This was written in response to Big Tent Poetry's prompt that asked us to start a poem with "It's not true that..."
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I dreamed
I was nothing
but solid stone
in the middle of the river's constant flow
I stayed put
through flooding, draining
snowing, raining,
rushing, lapping
sediment and clarity--
was all the same to me
I was the perfect answer
to perpetual motion
I was still
But the dream did not last
long enough
for me to know
what it was I felt
and whether it was enough
to observe
but not witness
to be carved
so slowly
as to never


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So, the snow has arrived. This called for sequestering of the body-in-denial under a comfy duvet; iPad and Netflix, hummus, blue corn chips, and a glass of wine. All thirteen episodes of Jessica Jones. That helped.
Also, I published ad hoc*, which is now available for download. Add some stars to the holiday season!


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While he didn't want to hold back important information, neither did he wish to unduly upset the nervous woman any further.
Regis was constrained to hold back for ten years his System of Philosophy; and when it did appear, in 1690, the name of Descartes was absent from the title-page.
The whole gang would end up jumping him and he would beat up each and every one, always careful to hold back enough so as not to kill anyone.
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Even eighty acres couldn't hold back the population growth in this area.
Although Cadorna believed that he could hold back the Austrian attack, he had no intention of omitting any precautions.
After the encounter at Vyazma, where Kutuzov had been unable to hold back his troops in their anxiety to overwhelm and cut off the enemy and so on, the farther movement of the fleeing French, and of the Russians who pursued them, continued as far as Krasnoe without a battle.
There is a spring in my step and a note on my lips, until I realize the awful truth of my situation and am forced to hold back my tears.
Princess Mary, frowning in her effort to hold back her tears, sat beside Natasha, and heard for the first time the story of those last days of her brother's and Natasha's love.


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Home » General Information » Technology Listings
Mouse Monoclonal
Recombinant human JAML
Junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) are a family of glycoproteins important in the control of vascular permeability and leukocyte transmigration across endothelial-cell surfaces. JAMs play a vital role in epithelial inflammation by regulating leukocyte transmigration and barrier function. Emory researchers have created several mAbs that bind differently to JAML with partial to complete inhibition of JAML ligands.


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I have often said I blog one status update or most recently, 140 characters at a time. Not huge on sharing feelings, but I do have an opinion. Strong dislike for manipulation, I don't play games. I am what I am. Faith, Family and Friends: this is where my heart is. The good, the bad and the ugly, it has all happened in spite of me.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Less AND More
This year is different. Is it that I am maturing or because the number 40 is looming closer by the day? Regardless, I have been thinking about the impending year for quite some time. 2012. Year 39. It's a big year, no doubt.
I am going to leave the obvious off of this list: be a better child of God, wife, mom etc, as I must dedicate my resolve to those goals daily.
I often say "Less is More" and I hope that rings true for the upcoming year...
Stuff. I am mid-purge and I am not done. May I never be done.
Food. Why am I eating? I am a cellulite hoarder and my thighs need an intervention.
Procrastination. This is a tough one. It enables me and I rely heavily upon it. It defines me and I welcome it. THIS is a sick relationship.
However, while less is good, there are areas that need improvement: So, please Sir, I want some MORE.
Personal Motivation. I have been lacking in this aspect of my life as long as I can remember. Easily inspired by another's cause, my own is rarely even recognized.
Accountability. I have plans already in motion: exercise and menu planning, this one gives me hope!
Activity. The older I get, the younger 40 seems. What if....what if I could make 40 look good? I don't think it's a pipe dream. I'm always going to be "big boned" (who created that label, seriously?) and I am not looking for the fountain of youth by any means, but aging gracefully certainly does have it's appeal! Time to get off of my keister and DO more, challenge myself, experience life and create memories.
I know I should feel COMPLETELY overwhelmed right now. I'm talking *curl up in the fetal position rocking back and forth, sucking my thumb* overwhelmed. However, I don't and I am so excited! I cannot wait to see what this year brings: wishing you all the "good" (hold the bad and the ugly please) in 2012...
6 comments:
Awesome! You are so powerful and you don't even realize how much. Tap into that and you will accomplish everything on this list! Love you,dear friend!!! xoReplyDelete
i'm with erin...you don't even know your own power when you speak/write/think outloud. be better than you were last year and you'll rock it baby! i'm heading into year 39 too and i am determined to be the best i have ever been...and, yes, i'll say that jan 1, 2013 too!ReplyDelete
Your honesty is key & so inspiring. Erin's words are empowering, tap into that which is within you! Looking forward with great anticipation. Happy New year!ReplyDelete
Thank-you friends for your comments!ReplyDelete
yes! less stuff! I am always mid-purge lately..it is so FUN..I had no idea all these years how great it felt to downsize...You are going to have a rocking year! You are strong and gorgeous and it IS exciting to just write stuff down and aim for it! Love you friend! Must somehow fit in a coffee/double date. :) darcReplyDelete
We will must get together upon your return Darci, can't stop thinking of you as you go meet your babies across the world, love and prayers!!!ReplyDelete


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James H. "Jim" Mitchell, 68, of South Roxana, passed away at 8:13 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, at his residence with his loving family by his side.
He was born on May 4, 1946, in Alton, the son of the late Henry and Mayme (Hassmann) Mitchell.
He married the former Genia Roberts on Aug. 19, 2006, in Wood River and she survives.
Other survivors include two daughters and a son-in-law, Renee and Hardy Woodward of Rosewood Heights and Kay Squires of South Roxana; one son and daughter-in-law, James and Ashley Mitchell of South Roxana; two stepdaughters and their husbands, Pam and Larry Price of Southern Illinois, and Peggy and Terry Edwards of Southern Illinois; five grandchildren, Jennie Woodward, Sammie Squires, Savannah Squires, Cohen Mitchell and Brayden Mitchell; five stepgrandchildren, Eric Price, Josh Price, Tyler Price, Cheyenne Edwards and David Edwards; a sister-in-law, Ellen Mitchell of Farina, Ill.; a niece, Stephanie Mitchell of Farina, Ill.; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Stoney and Alberta Stonecipher of Bethalto; and several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
Jim was formerly employed at St. Louis Auto Auction as a manager in the mechanic shop. He enjoyed dirt track racing, fishing and camping. Jim was member of the First General Baptist Church in Wood River, where he served as a deacon. He was a veteran of the United States Navy. He loved his family and dearly loved his best friends, Larry and Anita Smith, and their family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, John.
In celebration of his life, visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, at Pitchford Funeral Home in Wood River. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, at the funeral home. The Rev. T.L. Montgomery will officiate. Burial will follow at Bethalto United Methodist Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family or to the First General Baptist Church in Wood River and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Online guestbook available at www.pitchfordfuneralhome.com.


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HIPAA compliance in the cloud: cover your bases
Are there any HIPAA certified hosting providers out there? The short answer is - No.
Since there is no certifying body for HIPAA the best you can do is to to make sure that your hosting provider did his homework: conducted independent HIPAA audit, employee training etc.
In short, the provider has covered his and your respective behinds from potential litigation in case there will be data breach.
Yes, the chances for the safeguarding of your data are higher - after all there is a document stating that all 54 HIPAA citations and 136 audited components have been examined by a Certified HIPAA Practitioner...
Five Questions to Ask Your HIPAA Hosting Provider


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"My girls never quit," he said. "They played as hard as they could to the very end. They played with all their hearts at 70-nothing, 80-nothing and 100-nothing. I was really proud of them. That's what I told them after the game."
This is a true story. In fact, the high school girls basketball team at Dallas Academy has never won a game in the last four seasons of Coach Civello's career at this school, which is famous for its work with students who have learning disabilities.
Can you imagine being in their position?
Picture it...you've only been playing basketball for maybe two years. And here you are at a game against an incredible team. As you play, it hits you that your team hasn't scored one point. Then you look at the scoreboard and realize your opponent has already scored 60 points. 60-0. The crowd is cheering like crazy because you're playing at the other teams' home court. Then you realize that every time you get the ball... two seconds later, the other team has it already down at the other end of the court in the hoop.
It seems like a sad story, until you realize that these girls kept a smile on their face until the end of the game. And not only that, but they played with all of their hearts. I don't know about you, but it would be heartbreaking and humiliating for me. I probably would've wanted to give up at 40-0. Yet, here are these girls, in high school, who have the courage and the selflessness and the humility to be able to play the game with their whole heart and smile when they see the score of 100-0.
To read more or to watch the news footage, click HERE
I hope this inspires you as much as it does me... Tara K.


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Friday, September 30, 2011
Blog Post 6
The Network Student By: Wendy Drexler
I personally feel that an online class can be affective for students, but I also think it can only allow students to gain knowledge is they are provided with great instructions, sources, and even a textbook for backup. I feel that Wendy Drexler's ideas are great, but I also think that this method should also provide alternate sources of learning for students as well. It is great allowing children to search the web personally to find sources and pages relevant to the topic being discussed but I also think that some guidance and rules one on one should be provided.
I feel that providing guidelines, rules, or instructions may help those children who like myself would sit down in front of the computer and say to themselves, "Great, where do I begin?" Allowing the children to communication together combining their thoughts and ideas is great but I think should be modified and corrected when they are straying off topic. Having instruction personally from a teacher can create a sense of comfort and also make a child feel as if they can engage and dig deeper into the information they may find. I think using the internet creates great options and adventures for children to explore but I also feel it could be maybe be too wide of a range of information and could possibly overwhelm some children.
Teachers do allow support in using this system. They still encourage each child when they achieve their goals. I personally feel I am not prepared or ready to be a teacher of networked students. I would be unsure of how to really connect to each child on a personal level to encourage or praise their talents, interests, and achievements.
Wendy Drexler's Blog, After reading more about her I now strongly admire her desires and passions for wanting to help children K-12 succeed by using online tools. I feel that she has properly planned everything out very well. By incorporating standard curriculum, providing choices for the students, and restricting certain websites to ensure the safety of her students.
I think it is great how Wendy states her awareness of possible issues that will occur. By stating this it shows that she can be open to changes and finding ways to fix and better her ideas! With more instruction and learning on how to use this tool I think I may possibly be able to succeed in teaching while using this.
A 7th grader's Personal Learning Environment or PLN
She has practiced in her 7th grade science class how to use these tools. Every morning in class she can view what needs to be done or has the option to do what she desires to work on. Although this allows freedom and creative learning I feel it might also hold a child back from engaging in social skills.
Although this PLE is great for providing anything and everything you might need by just the click of a mouse, I felt a downfall when she sent her paper to be reviewed by another student through email. I feel that by doing this activity in person face to face it allows a child and even an adult to connect and learn how to deal with fixing mistakes in a social communicating way. I think it is a great idea but I also feel using classroom basics can create just as much interest in a child's learning if the educator is willing to go the extra mile and spice up his/her teaching styles!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blog Post 5
Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?
I really enjoyed reading Dr. McLeod's blog post. Although There are many points I strongly agree with him on, there are also points to disagree with as well. I understand his sarcasm and humor being expressed while stating "Don't teach your kids to read and write online." I feel that it is very important for our children to be able to read and write using both pen and paper and online tools. I think both share equal importance. By using the web to learn to read there many fun learning tools which might attract a child's interest in a different light. I feel that books and social networking/ online tools both have evils and bad things, the difference is that it is much easier for a child to access these evils through the internet verses a book. With this being said we must stress, inform, and teach the importance of safety precautions that we must take while exploring and using the internet. Scott McLeod is an associate professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He is the founder of CASTLE which stands for The Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. He is a man who is a leader in the technological world that we live in today and expresses his interests in doing his work focusing on children K-12.
The iSchool Initiative
Travis Allen is a brilliant young man. His school is experiencing many problems, our public education system needs help and he feels that he may have a solution to fix this problem. By creating the iSchool, the future of American Education parents, teachers, and schools will save money. By doing away with all textbooks, paper, copy machines in a school and using one handheld device to access all information needed. The iTouch provides Apps for all of the tools we use in the classroom now such as, formulas, calculators, graphing calculators, all textbook information the list goes on and on. Travis is saying that our iPhones, iTouch, and iPads provide the same information as textbooks and it is all combined into one small handheld device. This device allows and provides communication with teachers, students, and parents.
This idea of schooling can provide instant access for teachers to their class anywhere at anytime they personally want. There are ways to make the device in which a child uses to do their school work on to limit and personalize website suitable for only educational purposes. After watching this video of course it is an awesome idea which will save everyone a great amount of money, but realistically from personal experience of having technical problems with my computer it is a fact that being able to use textbooks/ pen and paper are always great backup plans. Also, I think it may enable a child to express feelings and emotions by always being on a cell phone or internet device. Having children interact with each other physically and verbally in a classroom environment I feel creates basic social skills that every child should possess. By only using a handheld device it could limit children to only interact with a manmade device verses a human just like them. Seeing Travis as a 17 year old student then hearing him at age 20 share his successes and progress to the iSchool was inspiring. I think he is a positive role model in the eyes of creating a dream and following it.
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
In the beginning I was a bit confused, then it all started to make sense. I thought it was amazing how everyone was viewed from home or where ever they personally chose to be and all doing the same task. This video showed that we can stay in sync with each other visually and orally from different locations by using technology. I found it very inspiring and opened my mind to another level of creating and incorporating technology.
Teaching in the 21st Century
I think Kevin Roberts feels that teaching in the 21st century should be more than the basics. That it should be taken to another level and bring in new tools. The reality of it all is that present day and our future we are available to information everywhere. We should teach our youth how to use different sources to learn and gather information instead of just using textbooks. We naturally as adults turn to the internet to seek answers or advice. We should find out and teach our youth the proper way to research information and use technology in more ways other than just asking for tips, answers, or seeking advice. I personally agree with these positions, I think incorporating technology into learning is very important. I also feel that we must remember and use the basic tools as well.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Blog Post 4
After reading this post regarding first grade readers making their own read-along audiobook I felt like it was a great idea! Reading is a skill that everyone uses in their everyday life, enforcing the importance at this age is crucial. Taking the time to record a child can in my opinion increasing learning on many different levels. I think the booklet was a fantastic idea, while listening it allows the students to follow along and not only hear the words but visually learn them as well. In my podcast I think I will incorporate a special sound at the end of each main point to allow those who may have lost their place and give them a chance to catch up and begin the new section with everyone at the same time. Reading her personal thoughts on the children's experiences was awesome, it gave me a chance to hear positive results and feedback from using this tool in the classroom. After listening to "Dinosaurs After Dark", I feel that children have fun recording their selves which encourages them to read with expression and emotion!
The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom
After viewing this video I realized that podcasting can allow kids to use many of the following tools and skills; following directions, using emotion, and staying focused. I think podcasting is a great tool in the fact that it can be listened to anytime and anywhere for however many times you need to at your own personal pace and time. I realized since I was born technology has been a huge part of our world we are living in. Adding podcasting can help students and teachers in their classrooms. In my podcast I think I will use vodcast, by using a video it can create a better experience for the viewers and understand the material in a different form. Before watching this I did not think about if a student is ill and cannot go to school, this tool can allow the child to stay caught up in their schoolwork and not fall far behind. I feel that podcast can help express creativity and allow students to explore learning in a fun, organized way. I enjoyed hearing the reflections from the students on how they personally feel about using podcast. Receiving feedback from a principals viewpoint was also very helpful, it allowed me to see that students, parents, and teachers all benefit in a positive way from podcast!
The Education Podcast Network
This site really helped me grasp a full understanding of what the podcast network is about and what it has to offer. I realize now that podcast allows a child to create, learn, listen, and be confident while reading aloud. This tool can put all of the skills in which a teacher is trying to provide and instill in his/her students all together in one fun way of learning! When doing my podcast I will explore many other educators podcasts to get examples and open my mind to new thoughts and ideas. I will also incorporate in my podcast my own personal thoughts, feelings, and passions.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog Post 3
It's Not About Technology By Kelly Hines:
In this article Kelly Hines focused on the fact of our future, how many people feel that technology is the main essential learning tool. She expresses her feelings that it is an important tool but not the most important tool for educational purposes in a classroom. She explains simple characteristics that educators must possess in order to maintain growth to new learners.
As educators, we must never stop learning. Being in sync with the latest trends, topics, and technology is essential for growth and success in a classroom. Going beyond verbally teaching and allowing a hand on feel to create assurance that each child is fully grasping each lesson being taught. Understanding the new technological tools used to teach can create a whole new world of success for students. If you do not properly understand the purpose of a tool you cannot provide your students with the proper amount of success available.
Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher? By Karl Fisch
Karl Fisch created a list stating that there are certain standards to uphold as an educator and realizing that technology is one of them. Understanding that it has been around for a long time and is only growing day by day is a tool we must accept and participate in using. Providing staff with the proper knowledge of how important it truly is can be essential. As educators we must be willing to make an effort and try new things, technology is one of them!
Social Media Count By Gary Hayes
Gary Hayes provides the growing statics of the world of technology. He shows how throughout the year more and more devices are added and created. As a future educator seeing the stats of 107 trillion emails sent during the year 2010 was mind blowing. I feel that this is an essential tool for educators to communicate with their colleagues, State of Education, students, and parents. Seeing the results from the amount of time spent on a computer made me realize the importance of incorporating and understanding the tools technology has to offer in my future classroom.
A Vision of Students Today By Michael Wesch
"If theses walls could talk" was a quote that opened the video, I feel a classroom has so much experience, and holds so much information. I think the walls sometimes wish they could talk, same is said for students. As educators we must listen to what students say. Making a change in the curriculum to educate your students, applying the lesson to help their everyday life could create a huge environment of success in education. Getting students interested and involved and relating the lesson to their lives is key. Realizing that our students need the tools of technology to better their future and applying them is something educators must realize.
C4T Summary 1
In blog post 1 my teacher, John Mikulski gave information on five online tools that many educators are unaware of that can help them succeed in many areas in their classrooms. He shared his personal experience with each of the five online tools and why he felt they are such a great asset to a classroom. He provided in his blog information about Edmodo, BoostCam, Etherpad, Crocodoc, and WallWisher. All of these tools he gave a great explanation and provided proper information to allow the viewer of his post to have the best understanding of each online tool.
In blog post 1 my comment that I left for John Mikulski I shared with him first information of who I am, and that I am currently taking EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I expressed to him how much I enjoyed reading his blog. I shared with him my thoughts of what comes to my mind when the words "online collaboration" is said. I explained to him how I put each tool to use navigating through each personally to gain a full understanding and personal experience of each of the five tools. I gave input on how I feel each of the tools could benefit students and parents in a classroom.
In blog post 2 my teacher, John Mikulski provided tips for how to make a great school year. He provided ten ways in which he felt could allow someone to have a great school year. He shared personal experiences and background knowledge of each of the tips. Mr. Mikulski is a very firm believer in using technology as a tool for success. Using a blog and twitter he feels it can create a positive form of communication between students, colleagues, classmates and parents. He expresses that trying new things can and volunteering can open your eyes and mind to a new level and create growth in your classroom.
In blog post 2 my comment that I left for John Mikulski I expressed my gratitude for him sharing his tips for a successful school year. I will incorporate many of his ideas in my future classroom, some of which being using a blog or a twitter account to communicate with students, classmates, colleagues, and parents. I shared with him my background of never using a blog or twitter account until now being enrolled in EDM310.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Blog Post 2
Video #1
Did you know
I found this video to be extremely interesting. It showed the importance of being able to think outside of the box and look at a things in a different perspective. While watching this video I felt shocked and very unaware by some of the facts said about China. Being informed of how much technology is being used and progressing and how little information I actually know and use about technology made many questions arise in my mind. It was mind blowing to me when the fact was stated regarding 31 billion searches on google every month. This fact really hit home to me in how much the world we live in revolves around technology. The thought that the number of text messages received and sent daily over passes the population of the planet gave me chills. Due to technology our world has increased tremendously.
Video #2
Mr. Winkles Wakes
My first thoughts on this video was thinking about our society, yes there are many elder citizens who are not as informed or up to date with technology, but I being only twenty-one years old am in many ways just as technological challenged as a man who has been sleeping for 100 years. I also feel comfort in a classroom, it is the same format of sitting in a desk area quietly, with pen and paper, open ears and minds in an organized setting. Where as new machines and medicines are presented and tested in hospitals everyday. In order for technology to succeed and advance we must use it and test it out. Same rules apply in a classroom, you must use the material in which you learned to succeed and grow. We cannot be close minded to technology or scared to try new things!
Video #3
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
When I sat down to watch this video I first prepared myself because of the length, I quickly found myself not concerned with the time in the slightest bit. I was beyond interested and eager to listen to Ken Robinson speak. Creativity is in everyone and has no limit or guidelines to follow. Creativity and education are both huge parts of our lives. Children, education, and creativity all share equal importance and should be taught with equal importance. Creativity in a classroom allows a child to gain and express personal interest in certain topics.
When Ken Robinson stated that being wrong should not be a fear, I completely agree. We allow mistakes to be in a negative light the older we get when really the mistakes we make are what creates character. After watching this video I sat and thought of many artist like Shakesphere, if he were told to stop creating what would have happened? As educators we should not stop the creative flow of a child at any age. I was extremely interested when he stated dance should be just as important as math. I have never thought about it in the way he explained it until now. Our bodies are just as important as our minds, expressing and being in tune with our bodies is just as important as solving a math equation. Helping a child express their personal creative talents is what being an educator is about. Allowing the child to find their interests, and not categorizing them into certain groups keeping them contained in a way to not be able to create or find their passions.
Video #4
Cecelia Gault Interviews Sir Ken Robinson
While watching this video I had to pause it several times because my mind kept thinking in detail to many of Ken Robinson's responses. I also feel that all curriculum should be held at an equal importance level. Creativity is in everyone, everywhere and has the ability to be grow and learn to be more creative.
Video #5
Vicki Davis: Harness your students Digital Smarts
Vicki Davis involves technology in every form to her students which I think is awesome. Allowing kids all ages to learn in ways beyond pen and paper is very important I think. With technology new terms are everywhere making students want to learn the meaning when a new word comes about. Technology allows students all around the world to communicate and share information in which they have researched and learned. Not only are students experiencing things but they are learning as well.
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Sept. 1, 2010
Siena entered its season opener at Syracuse Wednesday evening with three freshmen starting on the back line and without Jannis Opalka, one of the team's best defenders. Concern quickly turned to confidence as freshman center back Falko Friedrichs scored his first of two goals just five minutes into the game. He scored again just before halftime and the Saints poured it on, defeating Syracuse 5-1 in a non-conference game.
Friedrichs, who missed most of preseason due to injury, added to his scoring by anchoring a stingy Siena defense that allowed five shots on goal and only one quality scoring chance.
"Falko was outstanding today," head coach Gareth Elliott said. "It was a great job by the back four and Phil Chabot, but really it was the whole team. We were able to hold them off and then make the most of our chances going forward."
The Saints (1-0) cashed in alright. They scored on five of their 12 shots and earned the program's best result since November 1, 2008 (defeated Marist 6-1 on Senior Day). The win also marked the program's first ever against Syracuse (had been 0-8 all-time).
Both of Friedrichs' goals came off headers. The first was a corner kick sent in by freshman James Beeston and Friedrichs rose up and beat the keeper to the ball. On the second goal, he deflected the ball in from Joey Tavernese's throw in.
Syracuse (0-1) cut the deficit in half when Brett Jankouskas scored (49') in the opening minutes of the second half.
Siena responded by unleashing another three goals before the night was done. Tavernese made it 3-1 in the 54th minute with a classy goal.
"It was the goal of the match," Elliott said.
Sophomore Sean Sullivan played a ball down the sideline for Emery Welshman. He collected it and sent it across to Tavernese who finished it in the side netting, leaving no chance for the keeper.
Welshman scored the final two goals, giving him a five-point night. Friedrichs had four points on two goals, Tavernese had three points on two goals and one assist, Beeston had two assists and Nick Viaggio had one.
"It was a brilliant team performance," Elliott said. "The team worked hard for each other."
The Saints return to action on Tuesday when they play Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Conn.


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Taxi pooling could save passengers money after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications completes an amendment to taxi regulations next year.
Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯), director-general of the Department of Railways and Highways, yesterday said that the ministry was working on the principles governing how different taxi-pool rates will be calculated — including how each passenger should be charged when there are two, three or four passengers in a cab — in the amendment.
The amendment could also require that cabs offering carpool services identify themselves with special signs.
"The taxi driver would also be required to inform passengers at a taxi-pool stop of the expected waiting time before passengers consider going alone," Chen said. "The rate would also be different if there is only one passenger in the taxi."
Aside from regulations governing relations between passengers and taxi drivers, Chen said the amendment would also touch on taxi services, including the size of taxi fleets.
The department said during a ministerial meeting last week that it was scheduled to complete all the necessary amendments by July 31.
The department also said that there are currently 88,000 taxis operating across Taiwan. Though high, this represented a 22 percent drop over the past decade amid shrinking demand for the service.
Factors such as mass rapid transit systems have caused the supply of taxi services to exceed demand, it said.
While the taxi vacancy rate, which refers to how much time taxis spend driving around without passengers, has dropped from 80 percent in 2008 to 65 percent this year, it is still higher than what the ministry considers a "reasonable vacancy rate," which is between 50 percent and 55 percent.
The department said disputes on taxi-pool fares and safety concerns were two factors that tended to discourage passengers from choosing taxi-pool services.


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About IRTS
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Mohd. Jamshed
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New Year Message from Member Traffic, Railway Board
Dear Friends
Happy New Year, and warmest greetings! As we step in 2018, it is time to reflect upon the achievements of 2017 and chalk out a growth plan for year 2018.
The year 2017 will be known for 3Rs for Indian Railways- Regain, Revival and Reversal.
In freight segment, we are able to achieve a growth of around 4.5% in loading in 2017 as compared to 2016. Revival in the freight traffic to regain the market share is quite evident in the loading performance for Apr-Dec 2017 when we are able to achieve 39 MT incremental loading as compared to corresponding period of 2016-17.
In freight segment, our strategy has been to make it easy to do business with Railways,rationalize and reform tariff, expanding freight basket by including non-bulk items, adopting new delivery models such as Ro-Ro, dwarf containers, regular interaction (SAMVAAD) with customers, long term contracts and a number of other freight incentives.
In passenger segment also, we are able to achieve a positive growth of around 1% in number of passengers and 5% in passenger earning in Apr-Dc 2017 as compared to corresponding period of 2016-17 without increasing the fares. After a few years of negative trend, the growth in passenger traffic has been regained in 2017.
In passenger segment, our focus has been on customer centric initiatives like ease of booking tickets, meeting demand through more and better train services, perceptible improvement in catering services, real time response to passenger's need with the help social media, improved tourism services, Swatch Rail campaigns and better safety & security.
The year 2017 will also be known for unprecedented investments in infrastructure to remove bottlenecks and to augment capacities. etc.The actual Plan Expenditure as increased from Rs 58,000 Crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1,11,660 Crore in 2016-17. An expenditure of Rs 1,31,000 is planned in 2017-18. Once these infrastructure are in place, we would have adequate capacities to substantially reduce journey andtransit times and provide faster, reliable and cost effective services.
The works for Dedicated Freight Corridors are in full swing. Freight operations onthe Indian Railways are set to witness a paradigm shift with the stage-wise completion of its two dedicated freight corridors, the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) and the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC), over the next four years, beginning 2018
Year 2017 will also be remembered for renewed emphasis on Non Fare Revenue(NFR) to augmentrevenue sources for Indian Railways. Indian Railways have taken a number of innovative steps to augment its revenue through non fare sources such as policy for Rail Display Network (RDN) over 2,000 Railway stations, Out of Home (OOH) to exploit advertising potential at railway assets, advertising on trains, ATMs at stations, Content on demand (CoD), App based cab services at stations etc.
The success of 2017 brings more challenges for 2018. The journey of reformsand transformartioon shall continue in 2018 with more vigour and energy underthe ledership of Hon'ble MR.The IRTS officers, being responsible for freight and passenger business of Indian Railways will have to play a key role in the transformative journey of Indian Railways. You are the harbingers of the changes that this organisation is undergoing. Please always keep in mind thewelfare and interest of the customers as a solemn duty towrds our country. Regular interactions with customers, empathising attitude, active listening to them, apprciating their needs and proactive approachare keys to success inthis customer driven world.
I am sure that with your zeal, dedication, commitment, knowledge and efforts youwill continue to do the organization and the country proud.
\ Once again, I wish you and your family the very best for a Happy and successful 2018!
Best Wishes
Mohd. Jamshed.


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Crystal art objects are totally new and unique products that we prepare using the Crystal Painting Technique.
The finest Swarovski crystals enhance jewelry items and souvenirs; your gifts for family and friends flash like diamonds. Even the most ordinary items take on a new value and meaning when adorned with that special flare of crystals that other items lack.
We ensure that all pieces are made from the highest quality raw materials, which we obtain from the best sources so as to meet the premier standards of Crystal products. These objects are hand-decorated with genuine Swarovski crystals by our team of artisans, who are particularly skilled in this intricate form of art.
The Crystal Painting Technique was developed in conjunction with Swarovski, an Austrian company that is most famous for it´s brilliant crystals since 1892.
All Crystal products come in their own special packaging and with its original certificate of authenticity. Our designers constantly generate new art creations and a very limited production series under the Crystal Art signature.
Experience the magic of Crystal products in your own home or office. Also, find out more about our production capabilities and the possibilities of working together with us as a retailer of our exclusive Crystal products.


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Our inside dog, Oscar, was a tiger-striped Dachshund/Terrier mix. He was a sweet, gentle pup, and we would leave him to roam the house while we were not there, as opposed to being crated or put into the laundry room. And we went several years without incident.
I was sick one spring day during middle school, and my dad stayed home from work to take me to the doctor. We were gone for a couple of hours, and when we returned we discovered a trail of canary yellow feathers down the main hallway. The only animal with yellow feathers in the house was my brother's parakeet, Sunny. Was. As we made our way to my brother's room, we found the small birdcage face down on the floor, minus the bird.
Oscar had managed to knock over the table on which the birdcage sat, and the rest was history. After half an hour of searching the house with no luck in finding Sunny, we opted to go to the source. My dad [the cop] interrogated Oscar about Sunny's whereabouts, but all Oscar did was lick his chops as a smug response to his shameful deed. I felt absolutely terrible for my poor brother and his ill-fated, featherless birdie that was most likely inside of my dog's stomach.
We had cleared the crime scene evidence by the time my brother returned home from school, and my dad and I decided that we would talk to him together. My dad took the lead, "Brien…it appears that Oscar…had a Sunny Delight." Well done, Dad. Two days later, our suspicions were confirmed in the front yard. Amazingly, Oscar hadn't even chewed up the parakeet – he had actually swallowed her whole, as evidenced by her being in one undigested piece when her journey to the great beyond finally ended.


text: On Nov 20, 7:12 pm, a... at pythoncraft.com (Aahz) wrote: > Comparing Go to another computer language -- do you recognize it? No, it predates my entry into the computer biz. > > http://www.cowlark.com/2009-11-15-go/ > -- > Aahz (a... at pythoncraft.com) <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/ > > "Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. > Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by > definition, not smart enough to debug it." --Brian W. Kernighan


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Went to the restaurant today for all you can eat for $21.99. it's a small place and only a few people working. Apparently that's not enough to serve less than a full house. After ordering, the food took forever to come out. The server was...More
1 - 10 of 20 reviews
Went to the restaurant today for all you can eat for $21.99. it's a small place and only a few people working. Apparently that's not enough to serve less than a full house. After ordering, the food took forever to come out. The server was...More
This is one of the many choices on Dundas between Bay and University. Décor: Nothing special, smallish place. Service: Fairly prompt, but not very warm. Food: As an all you can eat joint, similar to the rest, the food is really not great quality, but...More
The food is freshly prepared and the servings are generous and good value for money although they are very fond of deep fried options. It is a small location with few tables and no one is encouraged to linger. The service does leave a little...More
Had the all you can eat here. One of the staff members (old lady) was very rude and bumped into people seemed uninterested and I guess had trouble smiling. Service took about an hour for most items so if you're in a hurry don't choose...More
We passed by Sushi & Bento on the way to the St Patrick subway station on Dundas to catch the Rogers Cup (ATP tennis) at the Aviva Center. After spending a tiring 6 hours watching the tennis matches, we decided to pick up takeout on...More
Sushi & Bento is a Japanese place on the south side of Dundas just a block or two east of University. I dropped by on a Saturday just at noon. I was the first customer but in the time I was there it started to...More
Don't even bother to go there. The staff barely understand english, the attention is miserable and the food its not even good. All of their rolls fall apart, the rice was warm and they forgot about our order. I wanted to go out for a...More
I ate here once last year for a dinner all you can eat, and their salmon sashimi is bad, very bad. I never smell something from a salmon, but i did smell something from their salmon at this place.
We went to this place for the ACYE lunch buffet for $12.99. It was definitel a good value/deal. The specialty rolls were the best, like Green Dragon and Spicy Dynamite. The avacado was fresh and the rolls were made big and professional. Not sure why...More
I really wasn't that impressed by this sushi shop. It took the server about 15 minutes to just offer us a menu from when we sat down, and they didn't even offer, we had to get up and ask them because they were just ignoring...More
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text: IKIDANE NIPPON is a website packed with experience-based information for those interested in traveling to and around Japan. We differ from other websites focused on Japan, as we offer authentic information, acquired through first-hand experience by local travel writers and photographers about Japanese culture and cuisine, festivals and seasonal events, as well as Japan's exceptional hospitality (omotenashi). With a unique aesthetic, IKIDANE NIPPON presents essential information as well as the latest updates about anything and everything related to Japan. We look forward to accompanying you on your travels and ensuring you have a fantastic stay in Japan.


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maYes, there really still is knitting going on here at Slate Range Camp, there just hasn't been much blogging about it! I promise an all-knitting update today.
Circle Vest
Languishing... I need to spin about four more ounces of my silvery-green, then overdye it with turmeric, then re-commence knitting. Whew, it has made me tired just thinking about it! But, I am finding that one of the joys of making yarn by hand is that I get to savor a project from start to finish, including the various steps along the way that make it truly unique. As you will see in one of the photos below, I do already have the perfect closure for this vest, which should be getting more attention as I am starting to have more energy.
Diamond Patch Sweater
A returnee to the list, this WIP hasn't seen any attention since last fall, when I stashed it away, knowing I wouldn't get a summer top done in time to wear with the early arrival of wet weather. I have been listening to Margene's philosophy of "Grow or Go", and realized that I don't mind if I find a compelling reason to move on (in this case, the need for warm things to wear), but don't always come back to a project. Diamond only needed three triangles and four diamonds... oh, and neck ribbing and sleeves... I made one of the triangles yesterday, and did a diamond almost twice, but am faced with a problem. My knitting tension has loosened up even further it seems... maybe during my slacker-health phase. I dropped down a needle size from the Addi Turbo 4s I was using to a circular 3, and got the correct row gauge on the second attempt, but now that the diamond is almost done, it looks like the row gauge is just a tad bit larger than all the diamonds I already have connected... I quit in disgust last night, but can't face completely abandoning this project, so will try finishing and measuring. And also consider whether I want to go up a size and finish the rest of the diamonds knitting English-style rather than Continental... any advice would be greatly welcomed!
February Lady Sweater
She continues to grow... I want the length to hit just about the widest point at my hips, so need to add four more inches or so in length, then start on the sleeves.
The buttonholes are in, but no buttons sewed on... I could just go ahead and do that, eh. I wanted to photograph the sweater on a hanger, so I used this lovely shawl pin I got from Romi recently... a cute and shapely sheepie in copper!
You will notice that these two photos show different shades of green... Stephanie and I have been discussing how to get accurate color for blog photos and my challenge has consistently been the low levels of light in my antique house... I have overhanging porches and narrow windows and try different methods to get more light into a photo but still get true color. The green with the close-up of the pin is more accurate.
Baby Yeti
I kinda snuck this one in... I have been spending time with a baby who is a friend of our family and decided to make her a sweater that we have had on display at the LYS.... a Berroco pattern called Baby Yeti, made from GGH Esprit. I finished up quickly, and ended up with a pile of five fluffy pieces.
Sewing is definitely my least favorite part of knitting projects, but I forced myself to sit down and stitch Sunday night, so that I would finally have a FO to show off!
Buster is modeling the completed baby sweater, although I think I will vary the pattern by adding a button and a heavy loop to close it at the top. Buster was my youngest son's favorite stuffie... he saw Buster in a local shop window when he was six, and asked for extra chores to do so that he could earn enough to buy Buster. The blue wool around Buster's neck was DYS's one and only knitting attempt, a scarf made on Waldorf-style homemade wooden needles over a winter of knitting effort..... I have had to keep and treasure such a display of commitment in one so young.
Black Sand Haori Vest
This project from Compassionate Knitting has been on my Ravelry queue for the past few months, with the idea of making a winter outer vest... I had even purchased the yarn, Cascade Eco, before it was all gone, when Allison taught a beginning sweater class back in July. I started in on Saturday because I realized at Knit Night last Thursday that I desperately needed a stockinette project so that I wouldn't make so many mistakes when knitting and talking or listening at the same time:)
I started on the central piece, and it has grown very quickly! The vest will have side panels as well, and I am planning to employ my dressmaking skills by adding pockets into the seams where the side panels join the front, and lining the vest as well. I feel ready for a new challenge, and have started looking at other designs for jackets with the idea that making a fabric lining will add to the quality, structure and durability of my finished product... it certainly has turned out to be the case for knitted purses.


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I stopped into a local coffee roaster today to buy a couple of pounds of freshly roasted beans in anticipation of my new coffee pot! That's right, because my valentine knows the way to my heart isn't via chocolate, but through a great cup of joe. I hope to actually learn some more about coffee, too. I felt slightly inferior when I was asked which one of their 7 dark roasts I wanted to try. I thought there was only one dark roast: dark!
Don't worry, I'll be making latte art in no time!


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December 23, 2008
WILLIAM M. GREENE AND KAREN M. GREENE, PLAINTIFFS,v.INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEFENDANT.
DECISION and ORDER
Presently before the Court is a motion by the United States of America seeking to dismiss Plaintiffs' Complaint (Dkt. No. 13) and Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for preliminary injunctive relief, filed on May 30, 2008 (Dkt. No. 10). Also before the Court is Plaintiffs' "Application for Leave to Bring an Interlocutory Appeal of the Court's July 11, 2008 Order . . ." (Dkt. No. 24), which the Court is construing as Objections to the July 11, 2008 Order of Magistrate Judge David R. Homer (Dkt. No. 23), as directed by the Mandate of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Dkt. No. 29).
I. Background
On March 12, 2008, Plaintiffs filed the instant Complaint styled as a qui tam action and sought preliminary injunctive relief. Dkt. No. 1; Amended Complaint (Dkt. No. 6). Plaintiffs' prolix Complaint asks the Court to order the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") to cease and desist from any collection activities against them, including releasing all notices of liens and levies, suspending all audit activity and administrative, civil and criminal proceedings against them. Am. Compl. at ¶ 15. Plaintiffs contend that the IRS is obstructing justice and violating their constitutional rights of freedom of association and religion by attempting to collect federal income taxes on their salaries, wages and compensation through the issuance of notices of levies on their banks and employers. Id.
The Court sealed the Complaint for sixty days and denied the preliminary injunctive relief. Dkt. No. 3. Plaintiffs served the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York ("USAO") with a copy of the Complaint on March 17, 2008. On May 9, 2008, Plaintiffs filed a motion to amend three pages of the Complaint and again seeking preliminary injunctive relief. Dkt. No. 4. On May 16, 2008, the Court granted the motion to amend and denied the motion for preliminary injunctive relief, finding that Plaintiffs had "not established a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim." Dkt. No. 5. On May 30, 2008, Plaintiffs filed an amended Motion for preliminary injunctive relief. Dkt. No. 10.
On June 2, 2008, Lisa Bellamy filed a notice of appearance on behalf of the IRS, and on June 9, 2008, the United States filed the present Motion to Dismiss. Notice of appearance (Dkt. No. 9); Motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 13). In response, Plaintiffs filed a "Motion for refusal of notice of appearance and to strike all pleadings of the [USAO] in the name of the United States because the United States is not a defendant in the captioned case." Dkt. No. 14 ("Motion to strike"). On July 11, 2008, Magistrate Judge Homer issued an order denying Plaintiffs' Motion to strike, concluding that the United States was not a plaintiff in this action because it had never sought to intervene and that the IRS' representation by attorneys for the United States was proper because the IRS is an agency of the United States. Dkt. No. 23. Plaintiffs then brought an application for leave to bring an interlocutory appeal of the July 11 Order, which Judge Homer denied. Motion (Dkt. No. 24); Order (Dkt. No. 25). Plaintiffs appealed the July 11 Order and the Order denying interlocutory appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Dkt. No. 26. As noted above, the Court of Appeals directed that this Court construe Plaintiffs' Motion for leave to bring interlocutory appeal as Objections to the July 11 Order. Mandate (Dkt. No. 29).
II. Discussion
The Government has raised several alternative grounds for dismissal and denial of Plaintiffs' Motion and Objections. The Government asserts that the Court has no jurisdiction pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), that the Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), that dismissal is proper pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(2)(A), and that Judge Homer correctly concluded that the United States was not a plaintiff in this action because it had never sought to intervene and that the IRS' representation by attorneys for the United States was proper because the IRS is an agency of the United States. Each ground will be separately discussed.
A. 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(2)(A)
The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act permit private parties to bring suits on behalf of the United States to enforce the Act's prohibitions against the submission of false claims to the Government. 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(1). If a qui tam action has been brought, the United States must be given the opportunity to intervene and take control of the action. 31 U.S.C. § 3720(b)(2) (providing the government with 60 days to review the complaint under seal to determine whether to intervene before the defendants are served). However, even where the Government decides not to intervene, it may still move to dismiss the suit. See United States Department of Defense v. CACI Int'l Inc., 953 F.Supp. 74, 77 (S.D.N.Y. 1995); see also Hughes Aircraft Co. v. United States ex rel. Schumer, 520 U.S. 939, 943 n. 2 (1997) (suggesting that the government need not intervene in order to move to dismiss the action); Riley v. St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, No. 97-20948, 2001 WL 568727, at *3 (5th Cir. May 25, 2001) (stating that "the government retains the unilateral power to dismiss an action" (citing Searcy v. Philips Electronics N. Am. Corp., 117 F.3d 154, 160 (5th Cir. 1997)).
Among the other alternative grounds for dismissal, the United States has moved to dismiss this action pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(2)(A), which provides that the government may dismiss a qui tam action over the objections of the plaintiffs if they have been informed of the filing of the motion and the Court has held a hearing on the motion. The Court may determine that a hearing is not necessary if the complaint fails to state a False Claims Act claim and a hearing would not benefit the Court in reaching a decision. See United States v. Fiske, 968 F. Supp. 1347, 1355-56 (E.D. Ark. 1997). "While the Second Circuit has yet to establish a standard to be applied when evaluating the Government's Motion to Dismiss a qui tam action pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3703(c)(2)(A), it has, however stated that 'the court, need not, in order to dismiss, determine that the government's decision is reasonable.'" United States ex rel Pentagon Technologies Int'l Ltd. v. United States, No. 00 CIV 6167 (DAB), 2001 WL 770940, at *7 (S.D.N.Y. July 10, 2001) (quoting United States ex rel. Stevens v. Vt. Agency of Natural Res., 162 F.3d 195, 201 (2d Cir. 1998), rev'd on other grounds, 529 U.S. 765 (2000)). In addition, although not required by the Act, the Court permitted Plaintiffs to formally oppose the Government's Motion to dismiss. This Court's consideration of the arguments raised in the Plaintiffs' opposition has provided them with an opportunity to be heard on the Government's Motion.
The government asserts that this case should be dismissed because the government can not sue itself since the United States and its agency, the IRS are one, and the sovereign cannot be sued under the provisions of 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a). The Court finds, as discussed in more detail below, that this theory, along with the others, warrants dismissal of the case.
B. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1)
1. Legal Standard
A federal court's subject matter jurisdiction in each case is of primary importance since "[i]t is a fundamental precept that federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction." Owen Equipment & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365, 374 (1978). Under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a court must grant a motion to dismiss when that court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). "'The party invoking federal jurisdiction bears the burden of establishing' that jurisdiction exists." Sharkey v. Quarantillo, 541 F.3d 75, 82-83 (2d Cir. 2008) (quoting Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 561 (1992)). In reviewing a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the court "must accept as true all material ...
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text:
(Jessica Eslinger, cute men's league hockey groupie)
Come here and call me 'Uncle Vinny"
Are you from Tenessee? Cause you're the only Ten I See
Its my bachelor party...you're supposed to kiss me. Bitch.
What, you want me to buy you a drink or something?
My wife just died. She'd like this place...she'd like you.
Real...fake...real...fake. Look how they bounce...I'll go with real.
I can tell you work out--let me crack your back.
You're like one of those "Sex In The City" California sluts, aren't you?
I like 'em thick
My girlfriend is nothing like you--thats why I need you so much!
I've dated all kind of girls, even ones like you.
I promise I'll never cheat on you...again.
I have a really small penis--you'd be surprised.
You're hot but smart, and I don't want to work that hard
I need your help planning my friend's bachelor party and I want it to be real dirty. You're boyfriend is still coming, right?
How can it be wrong if it feels so right?


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So, remember, I am here in Volissos – a small remote village, on a Greek island, spending my time staring out at the sea, picking flowers, eating olives, reading books, dipping my fingers into honey, and making dolmades!!! And I've just admitted that I'm about to fall in love with a Greek Adam Sandler. It's … Continue reading
Category Archives: Greece
A Little Place That I Love In Greece
After my birthday weekend in Budapest (*note: I ate my birthday dinner alone at the bar of an Italian restaurant), and a month of busy work, I wanted to find a nice quiet place to live for a couple of weeks. And after looking at apartments from all over Europe, I finally found the perfect one. The apartment … Continue reading


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The First Amendment is getting a battering these days, from all sides of the political spectrum.
On one side, we have a president and his followers taking on the news media by branding them as "fake news' — not to be trusted, not to be believed.
On college campuses, the opposition to conservative speakers or to anyone who might disagree with progressive political orthodoxy has finally sparked a counter movement, even at liberal bastions such as UC Berkeley.
So it was not all that surprising, but dismaying, to hear United States senators interrogate a female law professor nominated by President Trump to serve as an appeals court judge. Their questions zeroed in on her religious faith and how that could impede her ability to serve impartially as a judge.
The professor, Amy Coney Barrett, who teaches at Notre Dame University, first had to face questions over her Catholic faith from Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Mazie Irono, D-Hawaii, about whether she considered herself an "orthodox Catholic" and how that might affect her decisions if confirmed to serve on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeal.
But the questioning veered off the rails when Sen. Dianne Feinstein lectured Barrett, "Dogma and law are two different things," said the California Democrat. "And I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that's of concern."
Feinstein afterward denied she has any bias against Catholics.
But the "concern" coming from the left is two fold:
• It's over Trump's nominees to federal courts — urgent because Democrats changed the Senate rules in 2013 to a simple majority to ensure confirmation of the president's nominees. That means Democrats have little recourse to stop Trump's picks.
• And it's over the conservative bent of these nominees — and especially over the issue of abortion rights.
What disturbed liberal Democrats was both Barrett's past employment history — she clerked for the conservative late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia — and a 1998 essay she co-authored about how Catholic judges deal with capital punishment cases in light of the church's opposition to the death penalty. Barrett and her co-author concluded that there could be times when a judge would have to recuse herself, but that "judges cannot — nor should they try to — align our legal system with the Church's moral teaching whenever the two diverge."
Barrett told a Republican senator that she stands behind the core proposition of the article that it is never permissible for a judge to "follow their personal convictions in the decision of a case, rather than what the law requires. That article emphasized that point repeatedly."
In other words, she has a well thought out response to the inference that as a practicing Catholic she can't be trusted to do the right thing. Hardly a religious fanatic.
Students of political history might remember this trope about Catholics being so controlled by Rome to render them unable to be upstanding Americans or public servants has come around before. It was used as an argument against Catholic immigrants in the 19th and early 20th century. It came up again in the 1960 presidential campaign against John. F. Kennedy, who opponents whispered would be prone to taking orders from the pope.
Feinstein's comments upset Notre Dame's president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, who wrote a letter this past weekend to the senator and the Judiciary Committee, calling the questioning "chilling." And they got the attention of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who said the challenge to Barrett was a painful reminder of a time when "anti-Catholic bigotry did distort our laws and civil order."
And it's also a painful reminder that the divisions in our country continue to supercede our partisan leaders' understanding of religious freedom.


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This was an elimination match to crown the first WWN Champion.
This was just a wonderfully executed match that was compelling and fun from beginning to end. The key was that every wrestler was presented well, and each elimination organically came about. That made the whole match seem more important.
Parrow needed a million shots and had to be quintupled teamed for minutes before he went down. The Thatch Man getting eliminated early on was a good thing due to his very long Evolve title run. Jon Davis' WWN redemption push was continued here nicely as he survived the first two eliminations before it took three guys to finish him off.
From there, the match became about the Catch Point explosion. Yehi and Hot Sauce initially teamed up against Riddle. Hot Sauce determined that enough damage had been done that he no longer needed Yehi. A surprise fruit roll-up finished off the latter.
The match concluded with Hot Sauce trying to defeat Riddle. Hot Sauce clearly had a chip on his shoulder and was looking to prove something to the fans and himself. Riddle is more talented though and survived it all. He survived long enough in fact to submit Hot Sauce.
These giant multi-person elimination matches have a small margin of error, but this was one of the better ones produced on the indies in quite some time. Despite this match clearly from the onset being set up as a coronation for Matt Riddle and despite the odd/illogical path the booking took to get to this match, there was no question that the right person one and that the final product was fun as fuck. Check this out. (****)


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Sunday, January 17, 2010
Here I am, halfway through January on my deployment to Iraq. We've got our combat patch ceremony coming up in a few days. It is hard to believe we've been gone this long already. The past week or so has been slow, the guys need to get back outside the wire. They all look bored. They are getting some good rest though, and it will help them in the next few weeks when the schedule gets hectic again. We have been lucky so far. To be honest I can't wait to get out in sector again to check up on the school projects going on in the area. Those missions are almost always the best. The new guys have been a great addition to the team, they've added a little bit more life to the party and have done well to blend in with the rest of the platoon. Everyone is still missing home, guys have started to make plans for leave. I'm not sure if I'll be taking it, doesn't feel right to leave my guys out here. I miss home but right now, this is where I need to be. I'm not bored, there's plenty for me and the guys to work on. It gets monotonous, but training has to be like muscle memory. So we'll keep training, we'll keep doing what we do. I'll see you soon enough.
Posted by Bulldog at 17:40 1 comment:
No More Excuses
Today, after some serious introspection I have come to a decision. I'm tired of making excuses, tired of slacking off. Its time to get in shape. Its time for me to man up and live the way I should be living. In my profession it is mandatory for me to be in the best physical and mental state that I can be, if not for my own sake than for the sake of those I lead into battle each day. I can't go on living the way I have been. I've gotten myself into this hole and there's one way to dig out, and thats to dig deep inside and do it the right way. All the sweat, all the stress that it takes I'm doing it this time. No more messing around. Today, I weighed in at 182 pounds, about 14% body fat. I'm not as quick as I used to be, I can't lift as much as I used to, I've got high blood pressure, and I'm definitely not happy with where I'm at physically. Its time for a change. Whatever it takes, I'm gonna make it happen. Its time to be the man I need to be.
Posted by Bulldog at 17:31 2 comments:
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