text:
Paragon acquired 5 players from Finland's arguably second best raiding guild
The leadership of Paragon has been working on the roster changes in the guild for some time now. We have had some players leaving, which means for example that Fragi plays the second main tank nowadays. We have also had a lot of new faces coming into the guild, for instance Paradar, Tombolo, and Daewyn joined shortly after t13 progress.
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Sad to hear that more and more 25 man guilds are dissolving. I guess it's great for Paragon, more to pick from :P
Sad to hear that...I hope paragon wont take two week breaks and disband during that time :(
Interesting article indeed. You got interesting facts here which are pretty offending actually.
1. "Morttu tells us that their main tank went on a few months vacation (which the guild knew about in advance) in the middle of Dragon Soul progress." Myh their MT left after madness was killed and gibbed, but guess Draama was progressing mop already.
2. "Finland's second best raiding guild " Draama was Finland's 3rd best raiding guild right after Exploding Labrats.
3. And finally the reason why Draama disbanded was the fact that their officers made totally stupid decisions -> They blindly took all legendaries in and replaced their reliable coremembers which made em quit(same reason let paragon fail their world firsts). So basicly their coremembers grew tired of their officers and left the guild.
P.S Xeno I heard TNK(The Northern Kingdom) is recruiting skilled members. Also seiska.fi is looking skilled newswriters(you dont need to check your facts there).
Ironi used to sleep over couple of raids during DS progress, forcing Draama officers cancel the raid
PS. Manni you should try to press that fel flame at ragnaros instead of just walking around doing nothing, don't let your long-term fans down in front of big crowd like Assembly :)
Myh left after madness was killed.
This much is true, I've sent a message to Xeno about it so hopefully we can fix this little factual error.
I don't really understand myself why our guildies considered these misinformation bits "offensing", since it didn't really apply to us THAT much. I do, though, understand why they want to correct it, just that the ways of getting their voice heard is very much wrong, since with personal attacks, nothing else will follow but trollwars and bans to the forum.
That said, I do think some of the facts could use some fact checking. Firstly, I'll say that noone probably cares whether Myh left before or after. But for the second point, I have to say something. The fight over 2nd best guild of Exploding Labrats and Draama has been very even in the past, during ulduar and toc EL won pretty unquestionably, but we had our troubles with roster on ICC, and draama won there easily. Also, Draama was better on T11 too, but on t12 and t13 we were VERY even on the progression, with us better on all other bosses but raggy on t12 (yeah others don't count as much, except we beat baleroc first which was pretty hard prenerfs), and t13 we won with slight marginal.
Also, about reason of Draama disbanding, I kind of have gotten the same image as my guildies on it, since we have some of the ex-Draama members in our guild currently, who have pretty much told their opinion about the situation that incurred there.
Other than that, this was my 2 cents about this. Hopefully it's a lot more proper than the previous guild members.
Shiki you should think about applying seiska.fi too (you don't need to check your facts there either). 2 out of 3 facts wrong, damn son not bad at all.
Actually I dont think EL needs 5min of fame as it's most succesfull Finnish guild ever regarding to history, all the way from T1 molten core kills to current day madness of DW world rank 36 (paragon and draama has existed less then half of that) with scratch of raid time any of the higer ranks use. Not to mention how Paragons few ranks are arguable with legit like Anub (remember holy wrath & soulstones), Nefarian (20 druids LOLO?) and now last expansion you lost to chinese due to spiteful exploit of LFR system and recruiting every shitty Finnish player wielding legendary you could (what happened to ensidia when they pissed on cereals of their old players?)
Over and out, EL best Finnish guild ever. Seiska.FI reporters have spoken, this is all fact checked by our professionals and historists.
baragon on baras ja wowatsu
Oh and one more think to Xenophics as she's great reporter, nasty little details can bring spice to posts like this where you just adjust the truths so why didn't you mention the tiny fact that affected Draama's disbanding like Ironis possiblity to go into jail for tax scams? It sure must be shitty to run progressing guild behind bars or what do you think?
I find it funny you're blaming the interviewer for "bad facts" that are clearly laid out by the interviewee :> I'll add to my previous statement that bad writers trying to sound witty are rather amusing, too.
I want to be the very best like no one ever was dam damdam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKofewfeSoY <-- pokemon theme song.
Btw being second best really matters :-----------D
t:kickey mouse
Where is lihaa?
Is Morttu feral dps or tank? I looked for him at the EU-armory, but found only a priest and a hunter by that name.
You're searching with the wrong name, Morttu is the one I use on IRC. Also, currently playing a cat.

subset: commoncrawl


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Democratic presidential candidates on Saturday placed responsibility for inaction on gun violence in the hands of President Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association, in the face of broad national support for some gun control measures.
"If most Americans insist that something be done and it doesn't happen, it means we need fundamental reform," Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said at a presidential forum on gun violence in downtown Des Moines.
The forum comes a week after a pair of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, shook the nation and reignited a debate surrounding gun rights in America. Seventeen candidates were due to speak and answer questions from members of the gun control group Moms Demand Action in the crowd, some of whom teared up while describing the ways gun violence had affected their families.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, in response to a question on how to avoid stigmatizing mental illness when the president has repeatedly highlighted that issue in response to mass shootings, called Trump a liar. Most people with a mental illness are not violent.
"It's just President Trump lying to the American people again, being inauthentic about what the problem is ... trying to distract, and trying not to take responsibility for what is happening in this nation," she said.
California Sen. Kamala Harris also put some of the blame on Trump's shoulders, saying that the president "didn't pull the trigger, but he's tweeting out the ammunition."
"If he said hey, Mitch McConnell, bring that House bill over here, ...it would happen," she said.
U.S. & World
A number of candidates have released gun control policies in the week since the shootings. On Saturday, the Democrats largely agreed on the broad contours of the policy debate, emphasizing the need to close background check loopholes, ban assault weapons and fund research into gun violence. Most of the candidates also called on campaign finance reform as a solution to combat the influence of the NRA on elections.
Warren released a sweeping gun control agenda on Saturday before the event, starting with a trio of actions she vowed to immediately take if elected — including an expansion of background checks accomplished by redefining the federal standard for those "engaged in the business" of gun sales — and continuing with a long list of legislative priorities. Chief among Warren's longer-term gun control goals, she explained in a Medium post about her plan, are the creation of a federal license for any firearm purchase, exponentially higher taxes on guns and ammunition sales, and a one-gun-per-month purchasing limit.
Vice President Joe Biden proposed putting biometric scanners on guns, so that only the owner could use them, and said laws should be changed to allow individuals to sue gun manufacturers for false advertising. And Harris has pledged to pursue executive actions to combat gun violence if Congress doesn't move on legislation within her first 100 days in office, including closing the loophole that allows domestic abusers to buy guns and requiring background checks for customers of any gun dealer that sells more than five guns a year.
Harris also added her voice to the growing number of candidates calling on Walmart to stop selling guns — "I do believe that," she said — but she also pressed strongly for background checks for potential gun buyers. Walmart is one of the biggest retailers of firearms in the United States, and the El Paso shooting occurred at a Walmart store.
"We need background checks. Let's just start with that," she said. "And we need people to be, as I've said, responsible in the way they are selling guns. So it's not about everyone needs to stop selling guns. But we absolutely need to have checks and balances on it."
Harris joined Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro in calling for the big-box store to end its gun sales. Warren, who called a day earlier for Walmart to stop selling guns, told Americans on Saturday to put pressure on the company by taking their business elsewhere.
"It's up to every Walmart customer who worries about the safety of her children, of her neighbors, of her friends, of people across this country to say, 'I've got choices on where I spend my money ... and I'd rather do my banking in line with my values," she said.
A Walmart spokesman has said the company is conducting "a thorough review of our policies" after the shooting.
A trio of more moderate candidates at the forum — Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar —called on gun owners to get involved in the gun control effort.
"If we can ever look at this issue as not a political issue but a public health issue, we know what to do. The majority of gun owners, the majority of NRA members, all of us think universal background checks make a heck of a lot of sense," Bullock said, noting he uses guns and has taken his son hunting.
A 2017 Pew Research Center poll showed a slight majority of NRA members — and more than three-fourths of gun owners polled — support stronger background checks.
Buttigieg, who recently dealt with a fatal police shooting of a black man in his home city, was asked how he'd address the issue of police shootings. He proposed deescalation training, equipping police officers with nonlethal weapons and demanding more accountability so that "officers who do the wrong thing live with justice."
Both Buttigieg and Biden criticized what they described as absolutism on gun rights from Second Amendment proponents.
"Anyone can have a slingshot. No one can have a nuclear weapon... Somewhere between a water balloon and a Predator drone, America gets to draw a line in order to keep ourselves safe," Buttigieg said.
And Biden declared, "no amendment is absolute."
But a number of the candidates expressed optimism that there was momentum in favor of gun reform because of the growing pressure from the public on lawmakers to act.
"There's a tipping point that's been reached. I feel it out there," Klobuchar said.
Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Elana Schor contributed to this report.


text:
As we do every week, let's take a swing around the NFL, looking at a bunch of stories that caught my attention. Of course, this week's edition comes on the heels of a week spent in New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII. And away we geaux!
So, what's been up?
Brotherly love
So many of us joked about how this storyline -- San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh facing off against Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh -- would dominate the week. Before Super Bowl coverage even began, the snarky tweets -- "I wonder if anyone will write a story about the Harbaughs being brothers?" -- were everywhere. Instead of engaging in the snark, however, I spent a week reading and talking about this story, listening to parents Jack and Jackie Harbaugh, wondering what Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean (the Harbaugh boys' brother-in-law) was thinking, and generally soaking it in.
This was a bit of a shocker, honestly, but I didn't get tired of the storyline at all. Because I have a brother. The odds of me coaching against "Jake the Steak" in the Super Bowl are so astronomically low, it's almost unfathomable. And these dudes, Jim and John, did it. It's something every brother dreams up. And when you consider the emotion involved with getting to the pinnacle of your profession and having to beat your brother -- they make movies out of this stuff.
Just hearing the parents tell stories all week -- finishing each other's sentences -- was incredibly heart-warming. That Friday joint news conference featuring the suited-up John and the sweatsuited Jim was more of the same awesomeness. They were openly joking with each other, injecting some unnatural levity into a tense week. Jim even brought his "A" game to interactions with the media, so as not to be out-shone by his brother. All in all, I didn't get tired of it one bit. I wanted more. Then came the reality, though, which explained why we were so obsessed with this drama. It made the Harbaughs so human.
John talked about catching his brother's eye across the field during the Super Bowl. John also said after the game, "The toughest part of all was walking across the field. And if you can imagine, there was a great amount of elation and a great amount of devastation and those two feelings went hand-in-hand at that moment." He called beating his brother, "a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be. ... Anybody out there who has a brother can understand what that is all about." That's why it never got old. Because it pulled us all in. Best storyline of the Super Bowl, by far, and I hope we get it again.
Ugliness begets a glimmer of hope
We all learned a little bit from the Chris Culliver debacle, but it might not be what you think. See, the San Francisco 49ers cornerback revealed himself with some anti-gay comments in a radio interview with noted yahoo Artie Lange, saying, "I don't do the gays, man," and adding, "Can't be with that sweet stuff." Charming. Culliver later walked it back, saying he's not really like that, and that it took seeing his comments in print to realize how hurtful they were. Then, of course, he played a terrible game, getting torched by Ravens receiver Jacoby Jones among others. Fitting.
But here's where I was left hopeful. The reactions of his teammates and others around the NFL were remarkable. People wonder if the NFL could handle a gay teammate, and the brushback sparked by Culliver's ignorance makes me think the answer is yes. Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs immediately chimed in, saying, "We wouldn't have a problem with (a gay teammate). We don't care. Our biggest thing in the locker room is to just have fun and stay loose. We don't really care too much about that." Old sage Randy Moss, the Niners receiver who is never shy about expressing his feelings, said, "We need to be able to move on and accept it." And Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo estimated that just 50 percent of players feel like Culliver ... which is progress.
I mean, it really helps the situation that Culliver was ridiculed for his remarks. And it's fantastic that the 49ers organization -- which is an activist in this arena -- distanced itself from Culliver, too. That gives you an idea of the changing climate. In another era, maybe the blowback wouldn't have been so strong. I also think, as Suggs insinuated, that what players really care about is whether someone can play football or not. Anyway, believe it or not, this Culliver situation made me feel we're not as far from having an openly gay football player as many might think.
Was the Eagles' next DC in New Orleans?
We spent so much time talking about Ray Lewis this week -- and rightfully so, what with his retirement and all. But he wasn't among the Ravens linebackers who shined on the field Sunday. In fact, Lewis played poorly, especially in coverage. Instead, youngsters like Courtney Upshaw (on the edge) and Dannell Ellerbe (next to Lewis) were the ones who stood out. One scout told me that Ellerbe, who had a team-high nine tackles Sunday, was playing better than anyone on that defense.
On NFL Network
"NFL Replay" will re-air the Baltimore Ravens' 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. ET.
The development of Upshaw and Ellerbe is a credit to Ravens linebackers coach Ted Monachino, whose name has been linked to the defensive coordinator opening with the Philadelphia Eagles. It's easy to see why. Despite all of the injuries he's dealt with, Monachino's unit was still stellar. Before the game, I asked Monachino about the rumors. "It's flattering, for sure," he said, before making it clear that his focus was on the Super Bowl. He said he had no sense of whether the Ravens would release him from his contract, though I get the feeling that they would. As for what a team would be getting if they hired him, Monachino said, "You'd see an attacking style. Simple and sound."
Another name possibly linked to the Eagles is that of 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell, whose unit did not look so hot on Sunday. (Of course, teams know not to make broad judgments off of one game.) The former Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator said he "absolutely" aspires to be a coordinator again. "I'm far better than I ever was," Donatell told me. What kind of coach would a team be getting if it hired him? "I always think players and plays, so I'd have to examine the roster. I'm a 3-4 coach, but that doesn't mean you can't have 4-3 principles. I'd say I'm a melting pot of (49ers defensive coordinator) Vic Fangio and (Falcons defensive coordinator) Mike Nolan." Look for one or both of these position coaches to be discussed plenty this week.
Patriots must think about life after Brady
It's a topic nobody wants to discuss in New England. And why would they? However, Tom Brady's future does involve him not being the New England Patriots' quarterback -- eventually. It might happen when he retires. Of course, it also might happen before he's ready to stop playing. Either way, at some point, Brady will no longer be with the Pats. It's a reality that he knows, considering how he came into his own job: knocking off former sure-to-be long-time starter Drew Bledsoe. And Brady has always said he'll play for the Patriots as long as they want him.
Well, Comcast SportsNet New England's Tom Curran posed this question to Patriots owner Robert Kraft on radio row last week: Is Kraft concerned that Brady will be 36 during the 2013 season and is only signed through 2014? Kraft's answer: "I'd love him to be here as long as he's productive and feels he wants to play." OK ... Kraft then said he'd never want Brady to wear another jersey before adding, "Everything is a dual decision." I feel like these comments got a bit lost during a wild Super Bowl week, but they represented an eye-opening admission by Kraft that Brady might not retire as a Patriot. This was also, by the way, the perfect way for Kraft to play it -- or, if he wasn't playing, the perfect way to think. Brady is fallible. At some point, he will be replaced.
It happens to every player, and Brady is well-aware of this reality. Someone younger, cheaper and nearly as good -- if not better -- comes along, and you get moved aside. For the Patriots to maintain their decade-long cruise atop the AFC East standings, they'll have to successfully transition from Brady to whoever is next, in the same way that coach Bill Belichick will eventually have to hand the reins over to someone. (Maybe that's why offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is there.) You can't be emotionally tied to anyone, even someone like Brady. Just as Kraft said, if he's no longer productive, someone else will have to play. All of this underscores one big-time mission for the Patriots: Figuring out whether Ryan Mallett is Brady's future replacement or if they must keep searching. I figure we'll know the answer by the time the 2013 preseason ends, if not sooner.
Working hard ... or hardly working?
A lot of work goes into covering a Super Bowl -- even if it rarely feels like work. I mean, we are talking about football for a living, then watching it live -- it's tough to find anything better than that. Then again, there were obvious times during the week in New Orleans when it definitely wasn't work. Like ... when it was time to eat. Thanks to Emeril's, Root, Cochon Butcher, GW Fins and Jacques-Imo's (among others) for welcoming my stomach to your city. Oh, and then there were the parties. Man, New Orleans does it right, even if so many of the stops my wife (The Banktress) and I made had to be cut short because of impending early wakeup calls.
On Wednesday, we went to the Moves magazine party, hosted by ... Jay Glazer! Good times, with Glazer bringing the big names -- too many to list, in fact. One of the best names, though, was clearly Jennifer Capriati. Who knew the former tennis star had come out of hiding? On Thursday, it was on to EA Sports' annual "Madden Bowl" at the Bud Light Hotel. We got there too late to see athletes playing Madden against regular people, though I heard it was quite entertaining. Capriati, of course, was there, too. So was Big Boi, who performed, although it wasn't quite the same as when he was still running with Andre 3000 as Outkast. On Friday, it was on to the Playboy Party, which allowed me to try Crown Royal's new maple flavor. Unreal. (Good sponsor, guys!)
Most obvious celebrity sighting? Former NFL tight end Jeremy Shockey. You knew he'd be there. And you know it's Super Bowl week when you're leaving a party and see Adrian Peterson walking in. Also on Friday night: "Leather and Laces," which is always one of the best for pure fun. And yes, Hank Baskett and Kendra were on the scene, again. Finally, Saturday night came and we showed up at Patron's Maxim Party ... for just a bit. Man, that 5 a.m. Sunday wakeup call loomed large. But we did stay long enough to see the gaggle of attractive ladies Maxim brought in to hang out at the party. Nice touch, guys. Nice touch. Alas, we were never able to make it to DirecTV's party, so we missed the Justin Timberlake appearance (with a Jay-Z cameo). Next year, maybe. Anyway, the whole week was great, dominated by the food and the ambiance. Where else can you settle in at a restaurant like Jacques-Imo's and see Jeremy Piven sitting at the table across from you?
Saints eyeing more than supporting role
While New Orleans was a fantastic host city, it was a little odd to see so many New Orleans Saints players when none of them were playing in the game. That had to sting a bit. I must say, though, that I thought the Saints players got over their hurt quickly. Several were all over the place this week, appearing on the NFL Network set and doing various media things. Quarterback Drew Brees was around selling stuff. Tight end Jimmy Graham made an appearance on "NFL Total Access," as did defensive end Cameron Jordan. As Saints owner Tom Benson told me, "You look around and see these guys, golly, you gotta be excited."
Benson, by the way, lauded his city's performance as the game's host, and I had to second his favorable opinion. I asked Benson if he thought seeing the Super Bowl in his hometown added to the hunger felt by his players. With a smile, Benson said, "I think it got them excited. I was talking to Jimmy Graham up there, saying, 'Hey, we gotta be on the right stage next time.' " With coach Sean Payton back, a possibly improved defense and significantly fewer outside issues, hopes are high in New Orleans. I asked Benson what most excites him going forward. "Well, you're going to see it," he told me, nodding for emphasis. "You're going to see it. It's going to be good."
Bigger and better things ahead in San Francisco
The 49ers might have lost on Sunday, but I don't think any sort of window is closing. If anything, it's wide open, as my colleague Albert Breer pointed out in a Monday piece looking at the team's future. He highlighted the fact that 17 of the 22 players who started for San Francisco on Sunday are still in their 20s. My thought is, with a second-year quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, the Niners are set for a nice, long run. It's actually about more than that, considering the youth all around.
Breer: Growing pains for Niners
The 49ers are heartbroken after a narrow Super Bowl loss, but Albert Breer says the window of opportunity is just opening. **More ...**
I spoke with 49ers COO Paraag Marathe about this during the week, asking him what he liked about how the Niners were created. "I give all the props to (owner) Jed (York), (general manager) Trent (Baalke) and Jim Harbaugh," Marathe told me before the game. "They put such a really good plan in place, and with a lot of good foundational pieces. It was about ID'ing the coach and knowing exactly the kind of players (Harbaugh) needs to win -- and then Trent finds those players. The most important thing we've done is trying to build this team for the long run, not just Florida (now Miami) Marlins-style. Not, 'Win a World Series, then break it up.' Hopefully, this is the first of a nice run that we'll have."
Marathe said it is nice to have that second-year quarterback. But he added, "We were successful with (former starter) Alex (Smith) and Colin. That's a testament to the system that coach and Trent have built." I wondered if, looking back, Marathe felt like hiring Harbaugh was a risk, considering he'd come from the college ranks and all. Marathe said, "Everything in this business is a risk. But Trent just ID'ed the coach, decided that was who he wanted and went after it hard." Now San Francisco is in position to keep moving forward with that.
S.W.A.T.S. story made for a surreal sideshow
No doubt, the strangest story of Super Bowl week centered on deer antler spray. By now, you know exactly what I'm talking about: Sports Illustrated posted an article that introduced us to a snake-oil salesman named Mitch Ross, who alleged that Ray Lewis ordered deer antler extract from his company, S.W.A.T.S., to heal his injured triceps. Then, when it all got crazy, Ross flew down to New Orleans to stage a bizarre and surreal sidewalk news conference, backing himself into a corner and allowing himself to be grilled by reporters for an hour. It was awkward.
Ross did admit that he had no proof Lewis actually used the spray. He also took issue with Sports Illustrated's article, saying he was "catfished" into doing it, which makes me think he doesn't quite understand what that term means. He strangely refused to answer questions that needed answering, including when he last talked to Lewis. Ross, who showed up wearing no sleeves, lost even more credibility with his lame excuse for getting successfully sued by former St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora.
What did I learn at the end of all of this? That Ross won. Sorry, but he did. He got what he wanted: publicity. And while my inclination is to agree with the many who tweeted at me wondering why we were giving publicity to this publicity hound, I have to ask: What can we do? You can't ignore an accusation that one of the most famous participants in the Super Bowl might have used a performance-enhancing drug. You can't even think about it. You get responses from everyone, you dig, you find out what can be proved, then you dig some more. But it all includes talking, writing and reporting about it. And every time, you mention S.W.A.T.S., Ross and deer antler spray.
As Vobora told me, "He'll take any press, even bad press, to push his name." So, that's what we know. That Ross beat us all. His reputation might have been destroyed, but his product is now likely more famous than Pez. Hey, maybe Ross will even make enough to pay Vobora the $5.4 million he owes him. One can hope.
Alex Smith moving forward with class
Eventually this offseason, Alex Smith will cease to be a member of the 49ers. The former starting quarterback has treated his situation respectfully and with class, which is no surprise. That's why, if the 49ers can't trade him, they'll cut him early and let him pick his team.
It's a credit to Smith's behavior that they'll do that, and that's something teams around the NFL have noticed, by the way. Quarterback-hungry squads like the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs -- and maybe the Philadelphia Eagles -- could be interested.
I was struck this week by how much Smith's teammates are rooting for him. "I know he wants to be the man," Niners running back Frank Gore said. "And for me, I want him to be the man. If he can't be the man here, I want him to go somewhere else and have a successful career. Last year, he had a good year. This year, he was starting off good, then he got hurt. It's been tough for him. But I want him to be successful."
Smith is a guy who has the respect of the locker room.


text:
Del. Donald H. Dwyer Jr. said Thursday that he had been drinking alcohol when a motorboat he was operating collided with another boat in the Magothy River — an accident that left six people with serious injuries.
In a brief news conference outside a Baltimore hospital, the Pasadena Republican said his blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.2 percent after Wednesday's crash. The legal limit is .08, according to state law.
"I deeply regret my actions and ask for your forgiveness," Dwyer said, adding that no one should operate a car or boat while under the influence of alcohol. He said his thoughts are with the others injured in the collision.
Dwyer, 54, another adult and four children were seriously injured in the collision, according to Department of Natural Resources Police and the Anne Arundel Fire Department.
A seventh person suffered less serious injuries, and two others — an adult and a child — refused treatment.
Dwyer was in a wheelchair and wore a neck brace and a cast around his left foot during the news conference outside the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He spoke from prepared statements and answered no questions from reporters before being wheeled back into the hospital by a nurse.
Sgt. Brian Albert, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources Police, said he did not know how Dwyer was aware of his blood alcohol content. Natural Resources investigators collected a blood sample from Dwyer and are waiting for analysis results from a state lab, which could take 30 days, he said.
Pending the analysis, DNR police will determine what charges — if any — will be filed, Albert said.
"We're in no hurry to expedite the investigation," Albert said. "It takes a long time to reconstruct an accident that occurs on the water, we have both vessels and we don't think any of the parties are going anywhere."
None of those hospitalized are suffering from life-threatening injuries, Albert said.
The loud noise of the crash — followed by screams — alerted neighbors in the waterfront community by Long Point, residents said.
"I thought it was a bomb. I never heard anything so loud over here," said Janet Bemkey, who lives with family there.
Her daughter, Lisa Willis, a nurse, was among those who rushed out to help. She saw her neighbor Andrew Wendell getting on his boat and joined him.
Describing the accident scene, Willis said, "The whole front of the boat was gone. It was not there."
Saying that everyone was pulled to safety, she added, "We are calling it 'miracle on the Magothy.'"
She said one of the children was about 30 feet from her boat. "Randy Harbin dove in to save her and brought her back to the boat," Willis said.
The children — some of whom were being pulled on a tube — were scared and crying, and a "couple of the kids were asking if they were dying," she said.
The collision highlights an issue that state officials have sought to combat for years. Last year, DNR police arrested 124 people for operating a watercraft while intoxicated, according to agency statistics. In the last 10 years, the annual arrest count has varied from 75 in 2002 to 237 in 2007.
Last year there were 186 reported boating accidents, involving 156 injuries and 24 fatalities, according to the agency. Alcohol was a factor in 2 percent of all accidents, but in 25 percent of accidents involving a death. Of the 24 boating fatalities last year, alcohol was a factor in six.
Given the popularity of tubing in the Magothy, the crash also revived concerns about boat speeds — though the speed of the motorboats involved in the accident is unknown.
"I think this accident calls attention to rethink some of that," said Paul Spadaro, president of the Magothy River Association. "We should perhaps reconsider assigning separate areas for tubing, separate from boating activity."
There is no weekday speed limit on the part of the Magothy near Cornfield Creek, where the crash is believed to have taken place
Albert said. The limit is 6 knots on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, he said.
Albert said Dwyer had one passenger on the 26-foot Baja closed-bow runabout, identifying him as John Edward Moran IV.
Moran has been a Republican candidate for election previously in Anne Arundel County.
Nine people — four adults and five children — were aboard the motorboats when they collided about 7 p.m., causing one of the boats to sink, said Albert. The boat that sank — the Baja — has since been recovered by a tow vessel. The other boat, an 18.5-foot Bayliner runabout, was seriously damaged but made it to shore, police said.
"The cause of the collision is still under investigation," Albert said. "A number of investigators are on a fact-finding mission."
Three nearby boats responded to pull those injured from the water, taking most to the Gibson Island area, where they were met by emergency responders who had been called to the scene by someone on shore, said Lt. Keith Hamilton, a county fire spokesman.
Dwyer and a 40-year-old man identified as Earl Mitchell were taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Dwyer was listed in fair condition shortly before the news conference, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday. Mitchell was discharged early Thursday.
Albert said the Bayliner was piloted by Randy Harbin, and Mitchell, a neighbor, was the only adult passenger. He declined to name the children but said there were five with them.
Hamilton said Harbin, 51, was taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center with less serious injuries, Hamilton said. Hospital officials said a Mark R. Harbin had been discharged.
Two boys, ages 12 and 7, and a 5-year-old girl were transported — the girl by Maryland State Police helicopter — in serious condition to the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Trauma Center, Hamilton said. A 10-year-old boy was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital's emergency room.
One adult and one child refused treatment at the scene, Hamilton said.
Del. Nic Kipke, a Pasadena Republican, said he got a flood of phone calls and texts after the collision from friends who live in the area, who told him that Dwyer's boat was involved in the accident.
Kipke wished everyone involved a speedy recovery. "Delegate Dwyer and I have gotten to know each other over many years, and my thoughts and prayers are with him and the other families that have been injured," he said.
Dwyer, one of the most conservative members of the state legislature, has been in the House of Delegates since 2003 and is a member of the Judiciary Committee. He is a strong supporter of gun rights. In the last session, Dwyer said his only goal was to block the passage of same-sex marriage.
He was born in Annapolis and graduated from Glen Burnie High School in 1976. He is married with three children.
What the collision and Dwyer's admission that he was drinking will mean for his political career is unclear, said Dan Nataf, director of Center for the Study of Local Issues at Anne Arundel Community College.
Dwyer's district has become increasingly Republican, and a strong candidate might be able to "topple him in the primary," Nataf said. He said some of Dwyer's political positions "seem to be religiously imbued and morally unambiguous," and appeal to voters who have similar beliefs.
"I think it could affect him in that people will scratch their heads and say: 'Is there a Don Dwyer we didn't really know?'" Nataf said.
He said, nevertheless, that "people are very forgiving ... [and] may say, 'It's one time. There is nobody who stood up on certain issues the way [Dwyer] has.'"
Gov. Martin O'Malley declined to comment Thursday on Dwyer's involvement in the collision, but through a spokeswoman said he "is very concerned for those who were involved in the crash and wishes for a speedy recovery."
House Speaker Michael E. Busch was not available for comment.
"Many questions still remain after Delegate Dwyer's statements, but we appreciate the candidness of his remarks and expect that more answers will be forthcoming in the near future," the Republican State Central Committee of Anne Arundel County said in a statement released Thursday night.
Like others, the committee praised those involved in the rescue and expressed concern for the people who were injured.
Baltimore Sun reporters Annie Linskey and Mary Gail Hare contributed to this article.


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You may have heard of a small movie franchise called Star Wars. The character of Yoda was played by a puppet voiced and operated by famous puppeteer and visionary Frank Oz. Yoda was a Jedi master who helped train Luke Skywalker to realize his full Jedi potential. He resided on the Dagobah System, living in a swampy, creature-infested area.
While wise and strong, Yoda has a particularly interesting verbal tic. He rearranges the sentence structure when he speaks, so that often, his sentences begin with an adjective . For example, instead of saying what most in normal parlance would phrase "You must be strong", master Yoda would turn the phrasing and say "Strong, you must be".
While grammatically correct, it nonetheless provides a rich breeding ground for jokes phrased in this particular style. In addition, Yoda mainly gave advice and teachings, so the theme of this meme often centers around the wisdom of Yoda as he would relate it to skills and lessons that would be taught in the modern world.
The meme graphic shows Master Yoda, with his cane, looking pensive. The background is a yellow and green starburst with Yoda at the center.


text:
Motivation Mondays: Happy Thanksgiving #mondaymotivation
"I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual." Henry David Thoreau
Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. Henry Van Dyke
Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. John Milton
What Are You Thankful For? As Thanksgiving Day draws near, it is the simplest things that give me pause and make me thankful for each breath I take. I looked out my living room window yesterday evening and the sky was rich with color. The purple, red and orange/gold hues danced before my eyes and I was swept away to a place of deep joy and gratitude. As we all prepare to enjoy our thanksgiving meals and the coming weekend, let's not forget these important Thanksgiving Tips: Share our Thanksgiving History/Heritage, Give thanks/Be grateful, Practice food safety, and Gather informative, helpful travel tips. Gratitude is key during this season … and patience too. I know that we must express our gratitude year round and not wait for one day to do so, however, the point of this special day is to remind us all of what we value most; love, life, friends, family, health, our home, every action that uplifts humanity, our pets, the power of prayer and God's immutable grace. What do you value most? Add your own list in the comments Stay motivated by all that is good in humanity and share your gratitude!
"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get." Frank A. Clark
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts. Henri Frederic Amiel
Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song. Konrad von Gesner
What Insights help you Stay Motivated? Reading inspiring books and walking in nature help me stay motivated. Both fuel my mind and help me make the necessary shifts that I need … we all need that. Recently, I read three books that were truly inspiring: Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord, Peace and Plenty: Finding Your Path to Financial Serenity by Sarah Ban Breathnach, and Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock. I invite you to expand your reading material and share.
The hazy photos above gave me something to reflect on. Sometimes, we walk around in a daze, not knowing what to do next or how to handle a challenging situation. We see everything as if in a fog, and we forget to appreciate the beauty in all things. I'm motivated by the fact that when we choose to see the beauty and the good during hard times, our burdens are lifted … even if so slightly. I'm glad to share that the fog will/does lift and we must stay committed to living our lives with a heart filled with gratitude. I took the photos, above and below, last night and it was such a joy to not delete any of them.
My recipe of thanks will have …
A vat full of love,
Endless cups of life,
Pounds and ounces of friends,
100 ladles of family,
108 tablespoons of health,
1 teaspoon from home,
Sprinkles from everyone,
Bowls of everything that uplifts humanity,
Carefully fold in scoops of our pets,
Mix in the power of prayer and
Add God's immutable grace…
Stir with gusto and enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving y'all. from me – Elizabeth & Family
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for October and November are:
10/05 – SMILE – World Smile Day
10/12 – DISCOVER – Columbus Day
10/19 – COMMUNITY – UN Day & Make A Difference Day
10/26 – FEAR – Halloween Day
11/02 – LEGACY/REMEMBRANCE – All Souls/All Saints Day (11/1)
11/09 – HONORING VETERANS – Veteran's Day (11/11) &
11/16 – HONORING ALL/OUR CHILDREN – Universal Children's Day/World Children's Day (11/20) & Great American Smokeout Day (11/19)
11/23 – GIVING THANKS – Thanksgiving Day! (11/26)
11/30 – REVISIT KINDNESS – World Kindness Day (11/13)
More Below!
"If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share." W. Clement Stone
Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one's voice. Joseph B. Wirthlin
To give thanks in solitude is enough. Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go. Your prayer knows much more about it than you do. Victor Hugo
How are YOU planning to celebrate Thanksgiving? Are you motivated to try a new dish, exercise, or a new way of celebration? I don't know what plans you have for Thursday but, I hope it includes time spent with loved ones… I wish you peace, good cheer and safety! I will spend mine with family and friends and enjoy a good meal. I hope to catch up on some sleep and maybe watch a movie or two. Here's sending Happy Thanksgiving wishes to everyone! During this joyful season, please think of our troops, the sick, the destitute, our friends and family who are traveling or are away, and any others who are alone during this time of celebration. Send them a heartfelt message of love and goodwill.
Thank You to my readers, to all of you who stop by to comment or just read this blog, to friends and family online and off, to my fellow bloggers, BlogHer and SITSGirls SITstahs, WordPress staffers and happiness engineers, my social media and Facebook groups friends, friends in various communities, and everyone out there. Let us not forget to share our good fortune with others… Let us not forget the children and families who have lost lives and loved ones around the world. Happy Thanksgiving!
Positive Motivation Tip: Giving thanks uplifts both the receiver and the giver. Share your gratitude and thankfulness this season and beyond
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey's free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress' integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
Related Posts
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- Motivation Mondays: GRATITUDE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Forgiveness (mirthandmotivation)
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- Motivation Mondays: Dream (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: CHANGE (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: (mirthandmotivation)
- RIP Zig Ziglar: King of Motivation… (mirthandmotivation)
- Reflections: Be The Change… (mirthandmotivation)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Copyrighted & from my Personal Collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Holly permalink25/11/2015 4:19 pm
What lovely fall photos. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, I hope you spend it with those you cherish most.
30/11/2015 10:19 am
Thank you! Blessings to you and yours <3
Holly permalink25/11/2015 4:19 pm
What lovely fall photos. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, I hope you spend it with those you cherish most.
30/11/2015 10:18 am
Likewise Holly. TY! <3
Patty Leonard Woodland permalink25/11/2015 5:41 pm
It's just me and my husband for Thanksgiving so we are keeping it low key I'm just cooking a chicken. We are having pumpkin pie though….
30/11/2015 10:17 am
Hope you had a beautiful time together! <3
Sargas permalink25/11/2015 6:38 pm
wow great pictures vivid colors. happy thanks giving.
30/11/2015 10:14 am
TY and likewise! <3
Sargas permalink25/11/2015 6:41 pm
Great blog nice guides, Thanks giving is coming so fast. Cant Wait for December.
Jonathan Key permalink25/11/2015 6:59 pm
Happy Thanksgiving! There's so much to be thankful for! I'm thankful for my family, work, and friends.
30/11/2015 10:13 am
Likewise. TY! 🙂
Jacqui Odell permalink25/11/2015 7:10 pm
These pictures are beautiful! I love this time of the year…beautiful and fun to stay with family.
Kendra permalink25/11/2015 7:43 pm
I love your recipe of thanks! I am thankful for my family and being able to be with them over the holidays!
30/11/2015 10:12 am
TY Kendra! <3
Yvonne Bertoldo permalink25/11/2015 8:48 pm
Happy Thanksgiving! We don't celebrate that here in our country but we know it's thanksgiving day when there's a Black Friday Sale. ^^
30/11/2015 10:11 am
Thank you! Likewise! 🙂
phyliciamarie permalink25/11/2015 8:56 pm
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in the Philippines, so I've never experienced the turkey dinner. I do however am thankful for a lot of things, for the gift of family and friends. 🙂
The Wardrobe Stylist permalink25/11/2015 9:14 pm
These are gorgeous pics! Looking at them is inspiring.
25/11/2015 9:31 pm
One of favourite quotes is, "In all things give thanks," and that is what I try to do throughout the year not just at thanksgiving.
30/11/2015 10:08 am
Yes, we must always be in a spirit of thankfulness. <3
Eileen xo permalink25/11/2015 9:41 pm
I love Motivational Mondays, really makes me think of what I am doing and goals for the week
sheraw permalink25/11/2015 10:57 pm
I am thankful for thoughtful bloggers like yourself.
29/11/2015 9:13 pm
I'm thankful for you too! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Karla permalink25/11/2015 10:58 pm
I have always been thankful for the love I receive from my family and friends and this thanksgiving I will spend my time with them.
Nicole permalink26/11/2015 4:21 am
We will never run out of things to be thankful of. 🙂 I am thankful for the motivation this blog gives to its readers. Kudos!
29/11/2015 9:11 pm
Many thank yous too! <3 Happy Thanksgiving!
Dannea permalink26/11/2015 4:38 am
What I'm thankful for right now? Visiting here and seeing all these fall colors and words of wisdom. Truly inspiring and I'm more motivated now to go on traveling. Thank you!
Nicole permalink26/11/2015 5:13 am
"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse". – Henry Van Dyke
I love this quote. I am actually thinking of the difference between the two. All along I thought they are just synonymous to each other. Lol. But great, I learned something new today 🙂
connie creatively renewed permalink27/11/2015 11:37 am
Great affirmations! Words to live by.
Elizabeth Sanders Towns permalink27/11/2015 8:27 pm
There is a lot to consider here. I am grateful at all times, but even much more so at this time of year. Thankfulness opens my heart to sincere gratitude, to humility, to the understanding that I am not above God.
KiaNaturally permalink27/11/2015 8:38 pm
Thanks for the great motivational quotes! I especially like your perspective on how you sometimes need to look past the fog to appreciate the great things in our lives.
I Love Paars by: Lee permalink28/11/2015 2:44 pm
Thanksgiving here in the Philippines ia Christmas. We celebrate it for several months. Not juat on the 25th of December
Jeypi Kyu permalink28/11/2015 2:58 pm
In my country, we do not really celebrate thanksgiving, however, when i worked in the BPO industry, i became aware of this occasion… so every now and then, whenever Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US i would also thanks people around me for all the help they gave to me. having people around you is probably the best thing that i am thankful for. love this post.! thanks for sharing.. 🙂
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An exhibition of rarely seen images of archaeological life from excavations in Abydos, Egypt carried out by the research team at the Institute of Fine Arts (IFA) at New York University will be on view in the Stovall Gallery, located on the 8th floor of the Kimmel Center for University Life at NYU.
The exhibition, entitled Field Season: Records, Wanderings Perspectives, Side Notes, will open January 5 and remain on view through April 15, 2012.
Photographers Greg Maka, Amanda Kirkpatrick, and Gus Gusciora are represented in the exhibition with works selected from the thousands of photographs that have accumulated in the IFA's archives over the past three years. The photographs offer a glimpse into the daily routines that intersect the lives of workers, staff, and members of the research team of one of the largest archaeological projects currently underway in Egypt.
The Kimmel Center is located at 60 Washington SquareSouth in New York. Stovall Gallery (8th floor) hours are: Monday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. A photo ID is required to enter the building. For more information, visit: http://fieldseason.tumblr.com.
New Jersey-based photographer Greg Maka has been documenting the work in Abydos since 2009. He has also dedicated much of his time to other projects in Egypt, from documenting rooftop pigeon fanciers in Cairo to photographing Tahrir Square during the height of the revolution. With an introspective approach he seeks to reveal that which lies beneath the surface of both quotidian life and historical moments in time.
Amanda Kirkpatrick, from Brooklyn, NY, joined the project in 2010. She has traveled widely in the United States, Europe, Central America, and the Middle East. Amanda's approach is best described as non-narrative documentary. The narrative however is retained in the desire to represent experience as a whole, outlined in singular specific moments and points of perspective.
Gus Gusciora is a photographer and short filmmaker based inTelluride, CO. His travels have taken him to Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Central America. His work has appearedin magazines such as National Geographic Traveler, Powder, Bike, and Men's Journal.


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Olin university chapter
This is the wiki-homepage of the Olin College OLPC university chapter. Please edit!
The Olin College OLPC chapter is a student-run volunteer organization that works with Sugar Labs and OLPC. Our group is a mixed group of software and hardware engineer students, as well as people interested in curriculum design and technology-driven education. Our goals include learning and participating in a philanthropic cause as well as developing and exercising engineering and education skills
Our current (what exactly is our hierarchy? elsa fill me in here) yifiy 03:48, 25 September 2009 (UTC)
We have weekly meetings on Friday 3-5pm (Friday Service Time).
Upcoming events
- Friday Oct. 2 - Meeting with CFS and Mission Hill teachers for activity bundle (include link to appropriate page here)
Current big projects
TurtleArt After School Program
We're developing a curriculum to teach various math and engineering concepts using Turtle Art. The program will run spring 2010 with 10 3rd-5th graders from the Needham area Click here to visit the main Turtle Art After School Program page
A robot that can be controlled directly from Turtle Art. Click here to visit the main XOBot page
Repair Center
Click here to visit the main Olin Repair Center page
Cambridge Friends School/Mission Hill Deployment
Click here to visit the main CFS deployment page
Support Gang participation
Ideas for projects
(hey look, I'm so empty. how sad.)
Past projects/events
(we should really link these to something at some point.)
- Gurufest
- Sugar on a stick
- Programming Design Challenge
- Olin/IMSA Intersession deployment at CFS
- Olin Hackathon
- Game Jam
Helpful info
Contact Information
The current Olin OLPC Chapter Pong Person is Elsa Culler. Contact her for general questions.


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San Antonio, TX – The San Antonio Spurs put a plethora of defenders on the baby-faced and quick-shooting Stephen Curry in the third quarter.
Nothing worked.
The young Golden State Warriors, though, had no answer for the hard-charging and experienced Spurs during the latter stages of regulation and Manu Ginobili provided the dagger in double overtime.
Ginobili's go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left lifted the Spurs to a 129-127 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of this Western Conference semifinal.
"It's only the second one I made all day," Ginobili said. "Good timing, though."
The Spurs used an 18-2 run to close regulation and wipe away a 16-point deficit with four-plus minutes left.
"They made a lot of plays down the stretch. We got a little cold on the offensive end. We gave up too many easy transition baskets," Curry said of San Antonio's comeback.
The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Curry showcased his entire repertoire during a dazzling three-minute stretch near the end of the third where he went on a personal 12-0 run that vaulted the Warriors to an 18-point advantage.
Curry had 22 of his 44 points in the third frame.
"In the third quarter, possession after possession I found myself in my playmaking zones. I hit a lot of tough threes in transition. Off our pick-and- roll I got my rhythm going," Curry said of the third.
Four straight points from Curry and his assist in transition to Kent Bazemore, who played just nine minutes and didn't score in the Warriors' first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, lifted Golden State to a 127-126 advantage with 3.9 ticks left in the second overtime.
After some miscommunication defensively on the ensuing sideline out-of-bounds play, Ginobili was left wide open on the left wing. Kawhi Leonard's cross- court overhead pass hit him, and Ginobili drained the triple with 1.2 seconds to play for a 129-127 Spurs lead.
The Argentine had missed his previous seven shots from the floor.
Jarrett Jack's trey at the other end was way off the mark and the Spurs escaped with their 30th straight win over Golden State in San Antonio.
Tony Parker poured in 28 points, Danny Green had 22 and Tim Duncan, who exited with three minutes left in the fourth due to a stomach virus but returned to play a few seconds in each overtime session, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs.
Curry added 11 assists and was 18-of-35 from the field for Golden State, which hasn't defeated the Spurs in the Alamo City since Feb. 14, 1997.
Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes tallied 19 points apiece and Andrew Bogut added 10 points and 15 boards in defeat.
Curry began his personal onslaught with a deep deuce and triple before converting back-to-back layups. After some fancy dribbling with Leonard on him at the top of the arc, Curry nailed another long trey to cap his surge and give Golden State a 90-72 advantage with 37.5 seconds left in the third.
The Warriors led 92-80 after three and 104-88 with 4:31 left in regulation after Jack sunk two free throws before the Spurs began their furious comeback.
Parker, who netted eight points during the 18-2 surge, put in the first six before Leonard stole a Jack pass and raced the other way for a layup. Leonard then hit a trey, and a Parker layup trimmed the gap to 104-101 with 1:18 to go in the stanza.
Carl Landry was whistled for a loose ball foul on a rebound and Boris Diaw made two free throws to whittle the deficit to a point. Jack's step-back jumper at the other end increased the Warriors' cushion to three, but Green was left open along the right wing with 20.8 ticks in the frame and swished the shot to knot the tilt at 106-106.
Curry missed a turnaround jumper with 1.8 seconds on the click to force an extra session.
The Warriors scored the first five points of the first overtime before San Antonio responded with the next seven as a Diaw steal led to a Green layup for a 113-111 Spurs spread with 2:02 to go in the first overtime.
After Curry missed a jumper, he stole a Ginobili pass and got his tough lefty layup to go in transition to tie the score at 113-113.
Leonard put in a short fadeaway in the paint with 1:02 remaining before Jack drove the lane and got his layup to drop with 20.3 seconds on the clock and knot things up at 115-115. Ginobili then missed a jumper at the buzzer.
Earlier, Golden State jumped out to a 28-25 edge after a quarter of play by outscoring its counterparts 12-2 in the paint. Golden State shot 55 percent (22-of-40) in the first half and headed into the locker room with a 53-49 spread.
Game Notes
The Spurs scored 21 points off 21 Golden State turnovers ... Spurs forward Tiago Splitter missed his second straight game due to an ankle injury ... Golden State shot 51 percent (51-of-100) from the floor.


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Ready to keep your garden or home tidy, our unique range of 8x6 Storage Sheds are on hand - Protect your precious items from the elements and prying eyes with a splash of style.
Tiger buildings are constructed with shiplap cladding, which is superior tongue & groove timber board with a flush-fit finish. Each solid plank is 12mm thick with scalloping to help prevent water ingress. A smooth, solid, strong barrier pre-treated to meet our high quality standards.
All Tiger sheds are made with tongue & groove timber boards throughout – no cheap and crumbly OSB board at all (unlike some companies we could mention). Our timber is sustainably sourced. We use slow grown European softwood, cut in our woodmill to a high grade.
Tiger garden buildings come with TigerFelt® as standard. This is a thicker, polyester-backed high-grade mineral felt to provide a reliable, weatherproof barrier with reduced wear and tear. Only premium quality roofing felt will do!
We use slow-grown timber in our framing to provide the sturdy support your shed needs. Sustainably sourced, it's over an inch thick, and rounded for a smoother finish. Slow-grown timber is better quality, and the heavyweight 28x44mm thickness will help the building stand the test of time.
All Tiger buildings come with solid, coated steel fittings for a secure, elegant finish for your peace of mind. Unlike many competitors, all Tiger buildings come with a free door pull as standard.
Beware of imitations which use cheaper styrene plastic windows (which tend to 'mist' over time). All Tiger windowed sheds & summerhouse come with 3mm thick toughened glass as standard. This glazing is more shock and heat resistant than normal shed windows, making your Tiger all the more durable. TigerFlex® models also arrive with the glass pre-fitted, making assembly even easier!
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Your Tiger garden building is simple to put together, using the helpful instructions available, and will look great on a firm & level base constructed from a suitably durable material. We also offer an installation service for all Tiger log cabins.
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Here at Tiger Sheds we offer a large range of secure buildings in many different sizes and styles to fit each and every storage need imaginable. Whether you use your shed as a summer room, a hobby and craft studio, or even just a place to keep tools, if you have a storage problem, we have the answer.
Our years of expertise have helped us identify the most important elements of shed storage and security, allowing us to design the best possible products. Many of our customers ask questions such as "Is it secure enough?", "Will it last?" and "Will it have enough space for everything that I need to store?"; with our products, the answer is always a resounding yes.
Each and every shed we build is made to the highest possible standards using the best materials possible, so you can always know that we have your needs covered, whether you're buying a bin storage shed, a bike shed or even a prefabricated garage.
Most of our products are available in both metal and wooden varieties, so you can be safe in the knowledge that your possessions are well protected from threats such as damage and theft.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm


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Saturday, October 23, 2010
Elective Cesareans as Commentary on a Failed Birth Model
While I have strong opinions about what constitutes safe childbirth, I respect the rights of all women to make their own choices about their births. It appears that in reaction to the strong natural childbirth presence on the internet (where many women get support that they do not get from their doctors, families, or local girlfriends), there are now websites with the purpose of promoting elective cesareans as a viable birth choice.
Many birth advocates (perhaps myself not exempt) are guilty of using fear of cesareans as a springboard. I realize that most of the stuff out there is attempting to dissolve some of the fear that surrounds c-sections, and I don't really have a problem with that. I would prefer for women for whom the benefits of having a c-section clearly outweigh the risks to be able to go into their cesarean birth without fear. As I have said before, I am all for lessening fear in all types of birth. However, what good does it do to attempt to make vaginal birth sound scary in order to make c-sections sound less scary?
The September 2009 opinion piece at Pregnancy Zone, The Benefits of A Cesarean Section Delivery, which one of my friends at an online community recently shared, is one such attempt. The article was bombarded by comments from women who disagreed with the point of view of the author and criticized her approach of using generalized claims without evidence to support them. I think the two sides of this argument are starting out with different basic assumptions that prevent them from effectively communicating with each other.
The author of the article is assuming that the alternative to a cesarean section is the typical medical model hospital birth. On the other hand, most of her opponents are likely working from very different construct of "vaginal birth" (such lack of understanding is quite common in internet mommy wars). I'm not going to argue about whether the claims made in the piece are true, but rather to look at her characterization of vaginal birth and what that says about our maternity care model and birth culture.
In the "No Labor Pain" section she brings up three kinds of pain associated with vaginal birth: contractions, perineal stitches, and hemorrhoids. When discussing contractions, she assumes that all women see birth as a necessary evil to get over with in order to get a baby. She compares being in labor to recovering from surgery. She assumes that "most" women receive episiotomies (and don't have a choice in the matter) and seems to feel that stitches in the abdomen are preferable to stitches in the perineum. Even without episiotomy, there are a lot of women who assume tearing is inevitable. The author also assumes that hemorrhoids are common in vaginal birth. So, in this author's view, a woman who has a vaginal birth not only has "labor pain" but also a painful, messy recovery involving a sensitive area.
The "Dignity and Privacy" section assumes that all women giving birth are dehumanized and violated, mentioning the presence of a multitude of medical strangers doing vaginal exams and being in a "less than flattering position for any number of hours." At best, this birth sounds like pseudo-surgery, and at worst like sexual assault and torture. No wonder women want to be disconnected from this.
What does the fact that there are women who view vaginal hospital birth as less desirable than cesarean surgery say about how our system treats vaginal birth? Has our system really made birth so clinical, unknown, and scary that major abdominal surgery sounds preferable to a normal human process?
If birth is just a clinical baby extraction, it does make sense that women would prefer to do it through their bellies instead of their vaginas. But this doesn't make sense to women who see labor as a rite of passage, a challenge to rise to, or even a joyful experience that doesn't have to be painful. Natural birth advocates know that with the right kind of care, vaginal birth with an intact perineum or with very minimal tearing is very possible and that vaginal birth doesn't have to permanently damage the vagina. For women who understand humanized birth, it is sad to realize that women think vaginal birth has to be demeaning and rape-like. With sensitive, respectful care, when women choose their own labor positions and choose when they have vaginal exams (or not to have them at all), vaginal birth can be dignified, private, and even empowering.
Perhaps the question physicians should be asking themselves is not, Should we perform cesareans at a womans's request? but, What have we done to vaginal birth to cause women to request cesareans?
2 comments:
Another excellent post! I tend to forget that other women who have not had the joyful experience of respectful, loving care during childbirth view vaginal and natural birth from a completely different perspective. I agree that the mommy wars really are about miscommunication most of the time.ReplyDelete
You don't have to think VB is dehumanizing or rape like to prefer the risks and recovery from a surgery to the risks and recovery from a VB. Sure, VB can go well, but when it doesn't, it can be very damaging (NCB or not, it happens). Personally, I would trade a belly scar and ab pain for vaginal pain and possible damage anyway. This doesn't mean we see "modern" VB as horrible, or anything else, just that when looking at all the ways to birth, we prefer one to the other.ReplyDelete
This is because many Moms, including myself, see the actual arrival of our child as the life changing event- the act of becoming a parent, welcoming a new member of the family and enlarging our hearts with another human to love. How the baby gets out/into the family is irrelevant. I dont have to push a baby out my vagina to be a Mom! Focusing on a biological act to make a woman/Mom is also the very antithesis of feminism.
By focusing on VB as a "rite of passage", instead of the actual arrival of the baby (or child, in adoption) you cause a lot of hurt to Moms who didn't VB. This is not necessary, as women have enough to deal with without creating a distinction between Vb and CS, adoption, surrogacy as a way to parent.


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by Angel Flinn
"I will continue to be a vegetarian even if the whole world started to eat meat. This is my protest against the conduct of the world."
Isaac Bashevis Singer – Nobel Prize winning author
We live in a world where the vast majority of people consider it perfectly acceptable to use and kill nonhuman animals for food, clothing, entertainment and other unnecessary purposes. Not only do we enslave, exploit, torture and slaughter animals by the tens of billions every year, we do so in order to provide ourselves with food that is not healthy for us, and other products that we simply do not need. The growing number of vegans who live healthy, fulfilling lives is a testament to this fact.
Not only is this extreme violence against animals sanctioned by the legal structure of society and accepted almost without question by most people, but in some kind of bizarre confusion, it is actually promoted, encouraged, and even celebrated. This is true to such a degree that, when an individual chooses to reject violence against animals, and makes a personal commitment to provide for themselves without participating in this carnage, that individual does so at the risk of being criticized, insulted, ridiculed, and perhaps even accused of committing some sort of offense against society.
Taking into account this cultural context, becoming vegan does require us to step outside of the current paradigm. Becoming vegan means renouncing one's personal stake in the most widespread and socially accepted injustice of our time, and to do this, we have to be willing to see nonhuman slavery for what it is. That kind of honesty requires some candid reflection, and as a result, it's possible that some new vegans will experience a sense of alienation from others, including one's own family and friends, and possibly even society as a whole.
I believe it is this experience that often leads vegans to question their resolve, and in some cases, even go back on their commitment to nonviolence, in favor of greater assimilation within society. Because of the intense social pressure against vegan living, I think it's extremely important that people who are moved by the values of veganism be clear from the outset as to which is more important to them: living according to their own highest ideals, or being easily accepted by a larger social group that does not share those ideals? To a growing number of people, there is no question which matters more, but to many, it can make the difference between maintaining one's commitment and 'falling off the wagon'.
But this does not need to be the case. Rather than seeking acceptance by abandoning the practical application of one's moral principles, there are ways to find the sense of community we all need, by reaching out to other people who share our ideals.
As our collective awareness and understanding about the intrinsic rights of nonhuman animals grows, the vegan community is expanding all over the world. In many urban locations, there are groups who meet for potlucks and social events, especially on occasions such as Thanksgiving, when many are seeking an alternative to traditional gatherings which focus on the consumption of animal parts. Even for those who don't live near a city, the growing popularity of online venues is making it increasingly easy to reach others who have rejected their social conditioning in favor of a kinder, gentler, more peaceful way of life.
My advice to people who are not 100% confident about their commitment to vegan living is to do everything you can to educate yourself about why you are making this change. Read about it, learn about it, and keep reading and learning until you reach the point where the products of animal slavery no longer appeal to you. Once you really understand the reasons for being vegan, there is no social challenge that will make you question your resolve, and no degree of pressure will cause you to be tempted to break your commitment.
If you find that those around you do not understand your way of thinking, and if you feel that you are alone in your perspective, consider the positions of some of the greatest minds in history:
Albert Schweitzer:
"Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
Leonardo da Vinci:
"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men."
Mahatma Gandhi:
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Count Leo Tolstoy:
"As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields."
"The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion."
And remember… You are in good company.
Please read the other parts to this series:


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free radical scavengers
Antioxidants help prevent free radicals from harming healthy cells in the body. They do this by stopping free radicals from being formed. In this way they counteract oxidative stress.
A free radical is an atom or molecule that contains one or more unpaired electrons. These electrons want to bond to atoms or molecules and do so easily. This process harms your body. Many things can cause free radicals. These include radiation, environmental toxins, and tobacco smoke. Your body also makes free radicals when it converts fat to energy.
Antioxidants come in many forms. These include enzymes, vitamins, and minerals.
Coenzyme Q-10
Glutathione peroxidase
Methionine reductase
Superoxide dismutase
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
These are not antioxidants on their own. But they work with oxidative enzymes.
Ginkgo biloba
Grape seed extract
Green tea extract
Antioxidants have been studied to check how they affect cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. There have also been studies of their impact on diseases due to aging. These include macular degeneration.
The results of these studies have been mixed. Some studies have shown an increase in lung cancer among smokers who took beta-carotene. Another study showed that selenium and vitamin E did not decrease the risk of prostate cancer. It also found that men taking vitamin E alone had an increased risk of prostate cancer.
It also isn't known if taking manmade (synthetic) antioxidant supplements has the same effect on the body as eating foods rich in these substances. The Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study looked at supplemental vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. It found that these didn't prevent heart disease or stroke in women ages 45 to 65. But it did decrease the risk in women age 65 and older.
Antioxidants may delay the start of macular degeneration. This is an eye disease. It's a leading cause of blindness in people over age 65. The macula is the part of the retina that allows sharp vision. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids may help the most.
There may be benefits that have not yet been proven through research.
Experts agree that antioxidants from fruits and vegetables reduce the risk for many diseases. They also affect the start of some age-related diseases. But they don't know if antioxidants from supplements have the same effect. Research on this topic has had mixed results.
Antioxidants come in many forms and dosages and are found in whole food diets rich in fruits and vegetables. Read labels and ask your healthcare provider for guidelines.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should talk to their healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
The side effects of antioxidants vary based on the type of antioxidant.
There are no major food or medicine interactions linked with antioxidants.


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Magic Johnson supports son 'in every way'
(CNN) — Magic Johnson loves his kids, no matter whom his kids choose to love.
The 53-year-old basketball legend and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers said as much to TMZ after the celebrity website posted a video of Johnson's son, Earvin Johnson III, out in Los Angeles with his reported boyfriend.
The video depicts 20-year-old Earvin, who goes by E.J., walking along Sunset Boulevard hand-in-hand with an unidentified gentleman. E.J., a New York University student who's one of Johnson's three kids, didn't discuss his sexuality or his companion in the video, whom TMZ refers to as his boyfriend. Instead, he chatted about the Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nevertheless, Magic Johnson told the website that he and his wife Cookie stand behind their son 100 percent.
"Cookie and I love E.J. and support him in every way," he said. "We're very proud of him."
Johnson's remark has reverberated through the sports world and beyond, particularly in light of recent events. Former NFL player Kwame Harris recently confirmed he was gay in an interview with CNN, hoping his acknowledgement would help other athletes be open about their sexuality. That's a tough battle in an era where there aren't any openly gay athletes currently playing in any of the four major male professional sports.
To that end, Johnson's unconditional support of his son is being seen as another opportunity for the legend to promote acceptance, and it turns out he's not alone in that effort. NBA star Kobe Bryant told TMZ that he not only wasn't surprised by Johnson's remarks about E.J., but that he appreciates it his openness.
"Of course Magic is supportive of and loves his son," Bryant said. "Why should anyone be surprised? What I can't tolerate is a lack of tolerance."


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Building Block Examples For Blackboard Learn 9.1
As part of learning how to develop Building Blocks (B2) for Blackboard Learn 9.1 I've put together several example projects. I've posted these examples on my GitHub repository. Hopefully other new Building Block developers will find them helpful.
Blackboard Building Blocks are Java web applications that run in the Blackboard Learn platform. Building Blocks allow schools to extend what Blackboard Learn can do or customize what it currently does. Blackboard provides an extensive API and also a JSP tag library. The downside is that as of
October 2012 July 2013 (!) there is little documentation on how to develop Building Blocks for the Blackboard Learn 9.0 and 9.1 platforms. Much of the documentation available is too old.


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One of my favorites, Casey Abrams, said he thought the show was more like a showcase than a competition. After attending the tour, I agree. Each of the performers, especially Casey who is a jazz musician, fits a particular niche. They really were not competing against each other but presenting themselves as who they are. Scotty or James Durbin or Haley Reinhart might turn out to be the big star from Season 10, but each one of the eleven finishers could have a successful career in music, with a devoted if smaller group of fans.
The voting on Idol is ridiculous and should be changed. Each week Ryan Seacrest would say, "Who will be voted off tonight?" or something like that, but there is no voting against anyone. It's not like they have a phone number to call to drop a contestant. We call to vote FOR someone not against someone. But the votes are rigged since anyone can vote hundreds of times. That's like the old saying about Chicago politics, "Vote early and vote often," but on American Idol it's real.
There ought to be a way to vote someone off, not just on Idol but at the ballot box. None of the Above is an organization dedicated to ". . . giving voters the ballot option to reject all candidates for an office and to call for a new election, with new candidates" for those of us who are disgusted with the choices of candidates that result from polarized primaries.
The City of Oakland tried something different last year. They used Ranked Choice voting for Mayor. That's how Jean Quan won over better known and better funded Don Perata. I can't quite figure out the math in the chart, but I'd like to see something like this used in State and National elections in the future. Then maybe we wouldn't be stuck with having to choose between the "lesser of two evils," because the "evils" of partisan politics would be reduced.
San Ramon's elections haven't been that complicated or that contentious yet. I suspect this year's will be more interesting, but not enough to need Ranked Choice or None of the Above. Like American Idol, each of the candidates will have his or her own groupies who will come out and vote at least once, and those who finish at the bottom will be dropped.


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Oh, the things humans will do to get their grubby hands on gold—a metal mostly prized for its ornamental use, hoarded in bank vaults and jewelry boxes, though we've arbitrarily decided it's worth, uh, its weight in gold.* The deepest gold mine in the world is Mponeng, a 2.5-mile hole in the ground in South Africa. A whole underground city—lightless and lawless—lives inside the mine.
Journalist Matthew Hart, author of Gold: The Race for the World's Most Seductive Metal, recently spoke to NPR about his own visit to the South African gold mine. Here are some of the most
fascinating terrifying facts about the gold mine.
The mine is as deep as 10 Empire State Buildings, and its 236 miles of tunnels are longer than the New York subway.
Every day, 4,000 workers descend into the mine through elevators—or, as they're called in mining parlance, cages. These triple-decked cages fit 120 people at a time, and the first 1.6-mile shaft takes only 6 minutes to descend. A second shaft takes workers deeper down, and the last part is only accessible by foot or vehicle.
The whole, mind-bogglingly huge structure mines a seam of ore only 30 inches wide.
Seriously: the depths humans will do to get to their hands on gold.
The rock is so hot underground that ice has to be pumped down to cool the tunnels.
Because temperatures increase the closer we get to the earth's core, the rock faces in the mine can get as hot as 140º F. "You can imagine what it's like to crawl into a cavity there," Hart said to NPR. "It's like crawling into a pizza oven."
To keep those super-temperatures from becoming deadly, an ice-slurry mixed with salt is pumped down from the surface; huge fans then blow air over the ice, forming a controlled cold-air system within the mine—its own internal weather system. The above-ground ice-making plant goes through 6,000 tons of ice a day. Ultimately, this means that many tunnels can be kept at an almost bearable 85 degrees.
Illegal "ghost" miners live, eat, and even visit prostitutes right in the mines.
At least 10% of the gold in South African mines is stolen. Criminal syndicates help illegal "ghost" miners sneak into the mineshaft, where they then hide out for months at a time, turning ghostly from the lack of sunlight. Security guards also tend to let these ghost miners be: the illegal miners are often armed with AK-47s and beer bottle grenades, and it's all too easy to hear someone coming from far off in the mine. The mine is so big, it's difficult to police anyways.
There's also a whole, well, underground economy where legal miners help out their illegal brethren. Since bread, for example, costs twelve time as much in the illegal economy, packing some extra lunch can get you much more than lunch money.
Gold is so expensive, the mine only needs to extract 0.35 ounces from a ton of rock to be profitable.
Mponeng excavates 6,000 tons of rock per day. You do the math.
The world's loneliest ecosystem was discovered in Mponeng.
The rod-shaped bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator lives alone in the dark, hot waters of Mponeng; it is the sole member of the only single-species ecosystem discovered. All life forms need basic nutrients like carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and, usually, different bacteria pull different nutrients from the environment to form an ecosystem. But D. audaxviator is self-reliant, capable of producing everything itself. Scientists think the bacterium has not seen the surface of the earth in millions of years.
Bacteria that live in remote places like the depths of the Mponeng mine are called extremophiles for their ability to withstand seemingly impossible conditions. When motivated by money—out of greed or basic economic necessity—humans can do the same, it seems. [National Public Radio via Nature]
*Update: This article originally called gold "mostly useless," which was a reference to the fact that most gold is not used at all except for in cases of personal ornamentation or financial investment. Approximately 12% of the world's gold stocks are used in electronics and industry.
Photo of Mponeng via AngloGold