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The purpose of this blog is to explore cross-cultural Saudi/non-Saudi relationships and their broader Arab-Muslim/Western contexts, as well as the background for improving understanding across these cultures.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Ramadan and the Mixed Couple/Family
Ramadan is being celebrated all over the Muslim world--and by Muslims everywhere. What about the mixed Saudi/non-Saudi (whether Muslim or not), or Muslim/non-Muslim couple? What about their children, and their extended families? How do they celebrate Ramadan? Does it depend on which country they are living in? Does it depend on how recently one (or more) is converted to Islam?
I thought that my comment below on Ellen's blog "Steadily Emerging with Grace", on her post "Ramadan for the half Muslims & the plane tickets", might make a good starting point for discussion of these questions in relation to these themes during this month of Ramadan.
But first, a brief review of what the month is about, and some answers to common questions. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and a holy month during which Muslims focus more directly on the teachings of Islam and enacting them through increased prayer, reading of the Quran, and hadith, charity, and visiting family and friends
Most notably to outsiders, seemingly, a part of this month of increased religiosity and spirituality involves fasting. Yet Ramadan is also a time of experiencing the deprivation of the less fortunate, including the poor, and of exercising self-discipline, in terms of physical fasting but also refraining from profanity, lying, backbiting, gossiping, and other all too common negative human behaviours. In this way it serves as a fortification and a reminder of good behaviours for the 11 months to come.
During Ramadan Muslims fast from sun-up to sun-down, according to precise times calculated by Islamic institutions. The day begins before sun-up and fajr prayer, with suhoor, the pre-dawn meal before fasting, and an important one to sustain health and the will to fast. During daylight hours, Muslims take no food, liquids, or substances like tobacco, and do not engage in sex, or similar temptations.
The daily fast is broken--in families, among friends, or in community events--when the sun dips below the horizon, and on a communal signal. Dates (often 3) and water, dates and milk, or dates and laban, are traditional to break the fast. After praying maghreb, the main meal, the iftar, follows.
Iftars vary throughout the Muslim world, but often start with a special soup, then sambousa, followed by a main dish accompanied by bread, salads, and vegetables, and ending with fruit. Evenings are spent in visiting, where tea and cakes are served, watching television or movies at home together, or enjoying communal festivities organized by the municipality, region, or community group. Ramadan is a joyous as well as a reverent time.
Children are not required to fast, nor is it recommended that they do so until after puberty. Many like to fast part of the time to share the experience, and to practise for when they are required to do so.
Travelers, the ill, the elderly, and menstrual, pregnant, and postpartum women are not required to fast either. Days are to be made up later in the year by anyone temporarily prevented from fasting (neither the elderly nor the chronically ill, who are asked to feed the poor instead).
Ramadan ends after 30 days with Eid-Al-Fitr--"The Festival of Breaking the Fast"-- which lasts 3 days.
In answer to Ellen's post invitation to readers/ commentators, "If anyone is reading this, perhaps they could add their own comments about their experiences during their first Ramadan and the challenges that they overcame while doing it", I commented:
"My first Ramadan we (then boyfriend and I) arrived for the final few days (by his design?) of Ramadan after travelling, so fasting wasn't an issue. Since we arrived by surprise at night, we were served the leftovers from the iftar (excellent), and it was a non-issue until mid-morning the next day. Then my sisters-in-law, with my mother-in-law in the background, came to ask if I wanted to fast or not, with MUCH only if you want, it's no problem, we are preparing food for the children anyway, whatever you want, we're used to preparing and serving, etc.
Some how it came up that I was "whatever euphemism you prefer" that day (and for the next few days), and they promptly said, "Oh, don't do it then". Word travelled up to the patriarch, my grandfather-in-law, who went out and bought me a packet of special biscuits, as a sign of his acceptance. The whole incident is one of my fondest memories of interactions with my in-laws, or anyone for that matter.
I did restrict as much as possible so as not to be offensive, and ate with the children, separate from the others. I also helped prepare the iftars, which are wonderful, beginning with the dates and milk, then the special soup, and moving through the full meal. Needless to say, everyone is more animated, and in better humour as the meal progresses.
The evenings of Ramadan after iftar are also wonderful in a Muslim country, and we went out and enjoyed the activities in the downtown, with all the families, young people, fun for the children, sunflower seeds, etc.
Ah, but then we went out with our peers, and since we were not married and the boyfriend was fair game, all the men were nice to me, and the women went ON and ON about whether I was fasting, or NOT, with a great deal of smug superiority, despite my saying repeatedly, "The Quran recommends I don't", and "I would, except that it is not the right time", etc., short of referencing my "condition" directly. One more question and I probably would have, in a loud, confident statement of medical fact. Fortunately boyfriend, and future husband, was spared that bit of cross-cultural, same-gender adventure!
Eid was also wonderful, and I am always glad that my in-laws include me fully in everything but the religious part of any celebration, and make sure I have company and activities when I am not able to be included, for example, when the women visited a marabout*, I stayed at the beach with the men and boys of the family, and my mother-in-law brought me back a small gift--very thoughtful.
BTW I am an Islamophilic Daughter of the Book--NEVER under any pressure to convert."
*A marabout in this case is the tomb of a Muslim holy man, where believers go to pray and have a spiritual experience.
What are your thoughts and experiences of Ramadan? Are you, or have you been, in a mixed couple or family? How do you/did you celebrate Ramadan? Is your experience or practice different depending on where you are living? What do you do when travelling, studying, or working abroad? If you are a non-Muslim, have you thought about fasting or fasted? What was the experience like for you?
How does Ramadan in a non-Muslim country compare to Ramadan in a Muslim country? Do festivities detract from, or enhance, the spiritual and religious meaning of Ramadan? Are Ramadan festivities different in different regions or cities of Saudi?
Enough questions! On to your comments!
15 comments:
caraboska said...
PS When I fasted for the first time, it was an experiment, I figured that I'd find out by doing it what it would mean for me personally. It's become a sort of annual 'get back on track' time. And the longer the fast becomes, the more it is a reminder that we are accountable to God for how we take care of our bodies. If we have few hours a day when we can eat, we cannot put junk down the hatch and expect there will be no consequences. Both not eating and eating can thus become holy acts of worship. And furthermore, this all inclines one to reflect that it is not just at the dinner table that we are accountable to God, but at all times and in all things...
August 24, 2009 12:51 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:42:00 PM
Yoli said...
Gorgeous images and beautiful explanation of the meaning of Ramadan.
August 24, 2009 6:03 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:43:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Caraboska--thank you for contributing to the discussion. If I understood you correctly you are fasting for Ramadan out of interest in the Muslim experience, and yet observe some Christian fasting rules within that in deference to your Christian faith and community. Is that correct? Christian fasting to me means giving up a beloved food for the month of Lent, as Hindus fast sometimes by giving up certain foods. Are you referencing a different type of Christian fast.
Yoli--Thank you very much! I look forward to further comments you may have as others come forward to comment too!
August 24, 2009 8:32 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:43:00 PM
caraboska said...
Chiara, That sounds like Catholic fasting to me. For Protestants, fasting normally means no food or drink for a specified time. Normally it would be for a full 24 hours, similarly to the fast Jews engage in for Yom Kippur. But there are variations, particularly among folks who practice fasting for extended periods of time - even up to a month.
So that there is precedent for a fast of this length in a Protestant context. However, the variants I have come across limit the products that may be consumed (e.g. only water) rather than the times of day when one may take nourishment.
My fasting for Ramadan started with interest in the Muslim experience, trying it and seeing what personal meaning I would find in it, but it's quite a bit more than that now, because I found it meaningful the first time. Otherwise I would no doubt have done it only once = but now, as far as I can tell from my records, it's probably the fifth time.
And yes, when I consider engaging in a given practice, such as fasting during Ramadan, I first of all ask whether the principles of my faith permit me to do so. And then if I find that it is permissible, then I think about whether there are any specific principles that are applicable, especially those that might induce me to modify the typical Islamic practice or give it a different meaning than it would have for a Muslim.
August 24, 2009 10:28 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:44:00 PM
Sarah the Seeker said...
I am a non-Muslim, married to a Muslim for 6 years. We live in the UK. I always got the impression Ramadan was a special and joyful time of year. My husband often meets friends from his home country for iftar and together they create something of the same celebratory atmosphere that they miss from back home. This actually doesn't happen in his home country - people just eat with their families there - but in the west, immigrants who are single or married to non-fasters will meet up in this way to have people to break the fast with.
This year I decided to fast, having become slowly more interested in Islam. It is easier on both of us to do it together. I think it's a fantastic thing to do and I wanted to test myself and see if I can do it!
Re Christian fasting, there is a tradition of fasting in the form of abstaining from food (but not water) for one or more days continuously. I have done this in the past for one day at a time. It is different from Muslim fasting because, assuming you do it for several days, you would not break the fast at the end of each day. This requires preparation in terms of modifying one's diet prior to the fast to ensure that the intestines will be clear of food, since the digestive system will stop. I'm not sure what the Biblical basis for this fasting is, but it might be Jesus' 40 days fasting in the desert? In any case, fasting is not prescribed in detail for Christians so doing it the Muslim way would not seem to be a problem. In a Christian-Muslim marriage the couple could therefore experience Ramadan together to some extent. But there aren't many Christians who would ever choose to fast for 30 consecutive days, whereas it's expected of almost all Muslims!
August 25, 2009 12:24 AM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:45:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Caraboska--thank you for responding and providing further information about Protestant fasting. My nonni (grandparents) would be proud at my unconscious Catholicism! LOL :) I am glad for you that fasting has become a spiritually fulfilling experience.
Sarah the Seeker--Thank you for sharing your experience, and that of your husband. If you don't mind sharing, what country is he from?
It is true that communities outside of Muslim countries seem to make an extra effort to have iftars that will include everyone, provide solidarity and support for fasting, and reproduce the spirit of the month in a Muslim country. We attended an iftar for the local Palestinian community, held in a community centre, at the invitation of a friend who is a leader in the community. It was a wonderful time for local families, students, single working people, etc. I felt most comfortable and welcome.
Thank you also for the tip about Christian fasting, and the ways in which it might facilitate shared fasting for a Christian/Muslim, couple. Your choice would seem to be the most compatible way.
Medically a fluids only regime for 30 days would be difficult to do safely.
August 25, 2009 1:16 AM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:45:00 PM
Sarah the Seeker said...
He's from Algeria.
"Medically a fluids only regime for 30 days would be difficult to do safely."
Yes, I think doing it the Muslim way would be much safer! And should be OK for a Christian, beliefs-wise, as caraboska says. But there are people that do fluids-only fasts for that long!
August 25, 2009 1:55 AM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:46:00 PM
ellen557 said...
Awww sis thanks for referring to my post! ^_^
To answer some questions that I haven't answered before...
Ramadan in a non-Muslim country is sometimes so hard! I think that a lot of the time, you don't really get to experience the excitement that takes place in a Muslim country. That's why M & I went to Sydney last night (Arabic areas), just so we could join in on the feeling, you know?
And speaking re festivities... This can only be from a Qatif perspective, but no I don't think it detracts from the spiritual part, purely because in Qatif all the celebrations are so interwoven with religion. I think some people get more excited about the festivities rather than the religious side but the festivities themselves are all religious.
For the studying thing... M's friends usually invite people around almost every night to break the fast. They also have Qur'an readings many nights. I think this is more so to recreate the Ramadan they remember though, because only the organiser of these gatherings is particularly religious hahah.
Again, thank you so much! And the photos for this post were absolutely beautiful.
August 25, 2009 7:08 AM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:46:00 PM
Susanne said...
I thought the fast partly was to feel what the poor feel, but then I see Muslims are able to eat HUGE meals afterwards. So all day while they are fasting (and I'm sure it's a struggle to have NO water especially in the hotter climates), at least they can think about the yummy meal coming up after sunset. Too bad the poor cannot do this. They have to look forward to another night of going to bed hungry ... or what they will serve at the soup kitchen. :-/
And to me if you refrain from gossip and saying bad words for just one month and then after Ramadan you pick up your old habits what good has a month of fasting done in reality?
I like what someone in a Muslim country wrote on Twitter the other day: "Whats the point of refusing to allow food and drink to touch ur lips meanwhile the gossip, lies and hypocrisy keep your mouth full?"
But it sounds like some people do get much benefit from it so that's good.
Nice post!
August 25, 2009 3:21 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:47:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Sarah the Seeker--thank you for your response. Algeria is on my list of must see countries! I am working on a combo career enhancing research topic/ pleasure trip right now!
Yes, a carefully balanced nutritional diet of fluids to include protein supplements would be important if taking fluids only for any length of time.
BTW if this is your first time to Tara's blog, welcome to Future Husbands and Wives of Saudis! Tara is very generous in welcoming husbands and wives of North Africans LOL :) !
Ellen--You are welcome! And thanks again for the inspiration! I'm glad you shared your further thoughts here, along with continuing to post on your own cross-cultural Ramadan, on your excellent blog.
I agree that Ramadan in a non-Muslim country is a lot harder than in a Muslim one, and a big part of that is the spirit of the Iftar and celebrations in the evening. That is part of why the Muslim Students Association puts on iftars and events. It sounds as though you and M have great solutions too, including reminders of the religious aspect.
I do think the festivities, which are about family, friends, neighbours, and communities, add to the spirituality, even when they are less obviously interwoven with religion.
Thanks for the kind words about this post and the pics.
Would M like to share his impressions of Ramadan in Qatif vs Australia, and with a non-Muslim wife?
August 25, 2009 3:43 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:47:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Susanne--Thank you for your comment and kind words which just appeared!?!
It is true that the fast is in part to feel the deprivations of the unfortunate, but it is recognized as being only a temporary glimpse and a well mitigated one. Part of the special role of charity in this month is to recognize one's abundance and duty to the less fortunate.
Since psychology recognizes that it takes 21 days to change a habit, Ramadan should be a good time to reform some bad habits. However, a return to normal routines often triggers a relapse to old habits. Otherwise Ramadan would be the perfect time to give up caffeine and tobacco for good, as well as the bad moral habits of gossip and back biting (nice twitter quote). At least Ramadan serves as a reminder and an extra chance to practice good behaviours.
There is a fair bit written in the psychiatric literature on Ramadan and mood changes (one American friend says if everyone in her Moroccan city is going to be so cranky and in such road rage, they shouldn't fast) and the problems of the nicotine addicted.
I always think people who have to give up smoking for Ramadan should start decreasing their number of cigarettes/per day a month or 2 before and then use it to quit entirely. Same with caffeine.
Some links on the mental health aspect of Ramadan:
Irritability During the Month of Ramadan [including caffeine and tobacco withdrawal]
Daytime sleepiness during Ramadan intermittent fasting: polysomnographic and quantitative waking EEG study
WPA Bulletin on Depression [and Circadian rhythms--45% of bipolar patients relapse during Ramada]
Cultural Issues in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder
Probably those with chronic serious psychiatric disorders like recurrent depression, manic-depression (bipolar), schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorders should be exempt from Ramadan since changes in sleep pattern alone cause relapse, often into psychosis. Similarly those with eating disorders are at risk of decompensation when food is such a focus and is taken in an unusual pattern (2 meals a day)--although as one Saudi pointed out elsewhere, you could have more than one small meal after breaking the fast, and before suhoor (especially if you are reversing night and day). Still Ramadan is known to trigger and maintain eating disorders, especially in adolescents.
Anyone with any thoughts, esperiences, or observations on the impact of Ramadan on mood, sleep and eating disorders, other mental health disordes including addictions?
August 25, 2009 5:01 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:48:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Anyone with any thoughts, experiences, or observations on the impact of Ramadan on mood, sleep, and eating disorders, or other mental health disorders, including addictions?
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:48:00 PM
Salma said...
Hi Chiara,
This is my second year fasting and it is so much easier than last. One thing that seems weird to some of mine and my hubby's friends is that we don't eat in the mornings. Well, this is combined eating and sleeping experience.
In Toronto we break the fast quite late in the evening, then just go to sleep felling kind of sick and tired from a long day at work. I am careful not to prepare very heavy foods but it's still a challenge to have the energy to do anything else but sleep right after.
Then I find I can't sleep because all I think about is starting over the day again (early), and so we don't even bother to eat in the morning for lack of energy, which in reality would probably give us more energy. But it has become a norm for us.
Speaking to family in Egypt it is hotter there and they don't seem as distracted with time, so I think it is the long work days in Toronto and lack of time to truly reflect...I can't be sure though.
I don't know if I agree or disagree fully that fasting in a Muslim/non-Muslim country is easier/harder...it depends on the people.
A sister was pregnant in Ramadan last year but wasn't showing as yet, thus, she wasn't fasting. While out at the mall she had nausea and ordered a cup of mint tea...no one gave her a hard time or looked at her in a strange way or pointed a finger. I noted this, and I liked it.I would say there are pros and cons.
Sorry for the long response.
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:49:00 PM
- Chiara said...
Salma--thank you for your interesting comment!
I really appreciate your sharing your international experiences, and those of your sister. In my limited experience there is good understanding among Muslims about the requirements to fast or not, and benevolence toward those who are not fasting, or who break the fast for whatever reason. There are also good newspaper articles sharing tips on healthy fasting and blood sugar levels, including the role of protein in foods in maintaining longer released energy levels, light meals, proper sleep etc.
When in Morocco, the shortened work hours seem to help those who are fasting and give help to the women who have to prepare the iftar.
It is probably worth mentioning that women fast while preparing meals for everyone who isn't (small children, elderly, ill, pregnant, post-partum), and are only allowed to taste a dish by putting a small amount on the middle of their tongue.
I was once visiting a family in Morocco, and helping prepare the children's lunch, when one of the men in the family came in a served himself a full glass of cold water and drank it while standing in the fridge door. No one said a word. I believe the assumption was that he had decided he needed it for health reasons, and would make it up later.
In public places in Morocco, the attitude is generally to assume that if you look like a Moroccan or a Muslim you are fasting, and if you don't you aren't. Food and drink are served on open terrasses but it is preferable to eat and drink in private, even if it is a terrasse that is private, for example, facing the ocean, or in a couryard. Alcohol is served to non-Muslims (and insistent Muslims) but the privacy preferences about this are even greater.
Fasting in summer months in hot countries with long days would be particularly difficult, but so is fasting in more temperate climates where the work day is not shortened. I worked with a Pakistani ER physician in Canada who alternated 10 and 14 hr shifts, and yet fasted. We didn't even notice until the issue came up with a Muslim patient.
As you said and illustrated so well, it probably depends on the person and their community. I assume you are Egyptian and your sister is in Egypt?
Thanks again for the interesting, and inspiring (! LOL :) ) comment. I look forward to any comments you may have on other posts old or new.
September 2, 2009 6:11 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:50:00 PM
I am a Christian and single, living in a 95% Catholic country in Europe, fasted for the first time in 2002; this is probably the fifth time now. Normally, the closest thing I get to celebrating with others is chatting on the Internet with other people who are fasting.
My first Ramadan... It was easy because it started in November. Right around my birthday, in fact. And I live pretty far north so the days are short at that time of year. It was an experiment, to bring that 'little bit of the world' to my apartment, since moving or otherwise traveling elsewhere was not an option. And I happened to have a couple of Egyptian e-friends at the time...
I should also point out that in Christianity, there is no concept of ritual purity, so I don't get an exemption for having my period. I happened to get mine right around the beginning of Ramadan. And since it was the first one in nearly a year, my having had chemotherapy which temporarily shut down my ovaries, it lasted almost all the way through Ramadan. But I did fine alhamdulillah :)
Now that I have a housekeeper in once a week, whom I feed an evening meal after she finishes work, it has been a little more complicated to fast, because among Christians, you're supposed to be really discreet if you're fasting, to guard against any kind of spiritual one-upsmanship. But later the subject of fasting came up in conversation, now the cat is out of the bag. But fortunately the fast ends more or less when she gets off work this year :)
Yesterday I had a really nice time. First of all, I put on hijab. Then I went out to a friend's place for dinner. She was surprised by the change in my appearance, but positive. Even asked me how I tie it. She did inquire if I wanted to take it off while there, which if the context had been Muslim would have been more than permissible because the only male present was her cat. But since for Christians, the head covering has more the connotation of a prayer garment, and the idea or goal of 'praying without ceasing' (verbally or otherwise) can translate into covering full-time. Probably most Christians who cover full-time are doing it for that kind of reasons. So I didn't take it off.
But then, yes, evening prayer time came, she left me alone in her room to say prayers. I'd warned her in advance not to offer me anything until 'the right time', she was cool with it. So we had Iftar after prayers were over, and spent the rest of the evening talking.
Another thing: my cats have 'gotten' the schedule pretty quickly and often wake me up for Suhuur. Sometimes a little too early though, which is annoying. But one of them has even been known to fast with me a day or two here or there!
August 24, 2009 12:46 PM
- Sunday, January 17, 2010 9:32:00 PM


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subset: commoncrawl


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I just received my HPWC, and will have it installed next week. They are (supposedly) being shipped out in order based on reservation number...I was P2009 and received my car on 12/30/12, in case you're wondering where along the line yours (theoretically) is.
At quick glance, the HPWC unit itself is about 6.25" wide by 15" high. The cable is substantially thicker than the portable charging cable that the car comes with: The portable charging cable is 9/16" thick...The HPWC cable is 7/8" thick, and is harder and less flexible. The charging stick is virtually the same as on the portable charger.
My HPWC came with a steel mounting back-plate, and a box with some screws, nuts, and a ground wire. That's it. No garden hose-style organizing hook, I guess that is still forthcoming. In the meantime, I will most likely use an actual garden hose organizer hook.
For those of you still waiting for yours, let me know if you have any questions about the unit.
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James Hamby wrote a piece for Military Times published this month entitled "Tricare Help: How will health care reform really affect your Tricare?" ROA has been trying to get the word out for a while that Tricare/Tricare for Life is NOT about to be eliminated.
The Reserve Officers Association has been receiving a lot of calls and e-mails with concerns from retired ROA members that the proposed National Health care plan will deny them TRICARE or TRICARE For Life coverage. Anxiety has been increased by both public debate and viral e-mails that are reinforcing apprehension.
At this moment there are no real concerns about there being a health care crisis. TRICARE is defined as an "acceptable coverage" satisfying certain requirements in the new health bill (H.R.3200) to exclude TRICARE from certain proposed taxes. Additionally, certain members in Congress are advocating on behalf of the military and military retirees. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), ranking member on the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee, has gotten the House bill amended to insure that military families and retirees don't have to "pay to play" and has gotten DoD exempted from certain employer requirements.
"The purpose of this amendment is to shield the men and women of our armed forces from onerous mandates and possible coverage deterioration as a result of this bill's complex new health care governing scheme. Specifically, I believe we must exempt TRICARE from the "pay or play" employer mandate and other benefit mandates that would place an additional burden on this program that serves military personnel and their families," said Rep. Wilson.
The ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), got two amendments accepted by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. The amendments would allow veterans, military personal and their families to retain the choice of keeping their respective TRICARE and Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) health coverage and obtain additional private or public health insurance, and allow the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to continue to have sole authority over the respective health care systems.
"Under the [original] health care plan, veterans would be subject to taxes because the VA health care plan would not have recognized as an acceptable health care plan," shared Rep. Buyer. ROA and The Military Coalition has sent a letter to every member of Congress emphasizing "that the unique identity and role of the military TRICARE and VA health delivery systems – including their non-taxable status – are preserved under any national health plan that Congress may develop".
Some members have voiced apprehension that changes to Medicare will have changes to TRICARE and TRICARE for Life. One version of the bill would base provider fees on the Medicare fee scale plus 5 percent, which could stabilize what TRICARE can pay doctors. ROA is trying to further analyze to see what impact, if any, exists. Further, ROA is seeking dialogue with TRICARE contractors to ascertain their perspective on member concerns. The Association is working with 50 other associations, who will be proactive if problems arise.
The rumors about TRICARE being axed resulted from a Congressional Budget Officer Report. Read the facts about this report and the hoax that followed by clicking here.
Marshall Hanson
Director of Legislation and Naval Services
Reserve Officers Association


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KSP News:
New KSP Tour Manager Hits Maui
KSP World Tour manager Terry McKenna recently travelled to Maui to discuss the upcoming season with KSP President Kristin Boese and several key riders including former and current world champions Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North, 2011 World Champion) and Keahi de Aboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha, 2012 World Champion).
Terry discussed venues and technical aspects of the upcoming season and looked at ways to push this exciting genre of wave riding to the next level.
"I think that this could be one of the fastest movers in the actions sports market" said McKenna.
"The technical aspect of kite control combined with the pure grace of surfing puts this sport in a powerful position," he added.
McKenna will be using his vast collection of global contacts to source new venues for the KSP as the tour enters its third competition season.
"Seeing guys like Airton & Patri riding in Maui really gave me a great first hand look at the cutting edge of the sport, and I was so impressed." said McKenna.
The 2013 KSP Calendar will be launched on Feb 1st and behind the scenes the team is busy looking at new venues and formats for the upcoming season.
A recent poll on facebook asked fans which venues they would like to see the tour head to and Portugal's Guincho Beach came out on top, closely followed by Ponta Preta on Cape Verde and One Eye on Mauritius - a clear indication that both "down the line" power surfing as well as the progressive aerial side of the sport is important to the fraternity.


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Alternative Names
Wet prep
How the Test is Performed
- You lie on your back on the exam table. Your feet are supported by footrests.
- The health care provider gently inserts an instrument (speculum) into the vagina to hold it open so the provider can see inside.
- A sterile, moist cotton swab is gently inserted into the vagina to take a sample of discharge.
- The swab and speculum are removed.
The discharge is sent to a lab. There, it is placed onto a slide. It is then viewed under a microscope and checked for signs of infection.
How to Prepare for the Test
- In the two days before the test, do not use creams or other medicines in the vagina.
- Do not douche. (You should never douche. Douching can cause infection of the vagina or uterus.)
How the Test will Feel
There may be slight discomfort when the speculum is inserted into the vagina.
Why the Test is Performed
The test looks for the cause of vaginal irritation and discharge.
Normal Results
A normal test result means there are no signs of an infection.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean
Abnormal results mean there is an infection. The most common infections are due to one or a combination of the following:
- Bacterial vaginosis -- bacteria that normally live in the vagina overgrow, causing a heavy, white, fishy-smelling discharge and possibly a rash, painful intercourse, or odor after intercourse
Trichomoniasis-- a sexually transmitted disease Vaginal yeast infection
There are no risks with this test.
For information on treatment and prevention, please see the article on
Eckert LO, Lentz GM. Infections of the lower and upper genital tracts: vulva, vagina, cervix, toxic shock syndrome, endometritis, and salpingitis. In: Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, Katz VL. eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Mosby; 2012:chap 23.
Croft AC, Woods GL. Specimen collection and handling for diagnosis of infectious diseases. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henrys Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 63.
Review Date:
Reviewed By:
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.


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Program would recruit students into JSU style teacher training
Program would recruit students into JSU style teacher training
By Tim Lockette
MONTGOMERY — The state board of education has plans to create a teacher-recruitment program that would give would-be educators $5,000-a-year scholarships in exchange for a four-year commitment to teach.
State Superintendent Tommy Bice said those teachers should be trained in a program similar to the teacher-preparation program at Jacksonville State University.
"It would be a clinically-based program in which they spend a lot of time with a master teacher," Bice said. "Jacksonville is already moving in that direction."
At a meeting Tuesday, the Alabama State Board of Education voted to approve a list of budget priorities the school system intends to pursue as the Legislature considers the budget next year.
The board proposed that K-12 spending increase from $3.7 billion this year to $4.1 billion next year, a rise of $416 million, according to the Associated Press.
The budget proposal would allow the state to hire 459 teachers, making up for recent losses More than 1,300 positions were eliminated in recent years, Bice said.
On the board's wish list was a plan to divert $10 million in existing funds to new personnel programs, including a project called Teach for Alabama, which would recruit high school graduates with high test scores into the teaching profession. The would-be teachers would get $5,000 per year in scholarship money, and would commit to four years of teaching in Alabama schools.
The proposal bears a passing resemblance to Teach for America, the nationwide program that recruits high-performing college students into teaching careers — but there are differences.
Teach for America recruits students on college campuses, and often gives them teaching courses after graduation.Bice said Teach for Alabama would bring recruits into a college teacher preparation program that gives students a large amount of in-school time.
Bice said there was no single model for the program he had in mind, but he said Jacksonville State's teacher-preparation program was a good example of the approach the program should take. He said the JSU program gives students classroom experience earlier than the traditional end-of-college internship.
Attempts Thursday to reach the department heads at JSU's College of Education for comment were unsuccessful.
Department spokeswoman Malissa Valdes-Hubert said the money for the new program would largely be drawn from the Alabama Reading Initiative, also known as ARI.
ARI has long been considered one of the state's most successful educational programs. Among other things, ARI offers training in reading instruction to teachers in all subjects — not just the English and reading teachers who have traditionally taught the subject.
In remarks after the board meeting, Bice said the cuts to ARI can be made because the program is has become well established, with teachers in various subjects and grades now able to train other teachers.
Also on the school board's priority list is a request for $5 million for new arts education program in the state's schools. Bice said arts education has almost vanished from schools since No Child Left Behind went into effect, largely because only math and reading are tested under the program.
"So many children find their place in the world through the arts," he said.
Bice said the school board hoped to bring its funding back to pre-recession levels within the next few years. With that increase, he said, there could be room for pay raises for teachers, which he said would cost about $35 million per every percent in pay increase statewide. He noted that teachers have gone for several years without a raise.
"A raise would be a great message that we value the profession of teaching," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Capitol and statewide correspondent Tim Lockette: 256-294-4193. On Twitter @TLockette_Star
This article originally appeared in the Anniston Star.


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The Lafourche Parish Council has been a portrait of dysfunction for years.
The Lafourche Parish Council has been a portrait of dysfunction for years.
Its public and petty clashes among its members and between members and various parish presidents have at times taken precedence over doing the business of the people.
That is unfortunate for a number of reasons.
First and most importantly, the confrontational nature of the council has prevented it in the past from, among other things, passing a budget or approving department heads.
Second, though, the prominent dysfunction of the parish government has severely eroded the trust the people can have in their local institutions.
Council President Lindel Toups summed up the issue nicely: "It makes us look like clowns."
There is some good news. Councilman Aaron Caillouet proposed a resolution encouraging his colleagues to follow Robert's Rules of Order, the widely accepted guide to behavior during public meetings.
Caillouet's measure passed but not without the customary complaints.
"Mr. Caillouet ... when you are going to follow Robert's Rules of Order, I will consider it," said Councilman Daniel Lorraine, violating one of Robert's rules, one that prohibits council members from addressing one another personally during debate.
The idea of imposing a sense of decorum on themselves might seem strange to some of the council members, but it is clearly needed.
Too often, the council becomes mired in personal, bitter argument that detracts from its ability to work with a common purpose.
On at least one recent occasion, the debate turned into a physical confrontation between two councilmen outside the meeting.
It would be naive to think that any body could work on issues of public concern without disagreements or differences of opinion.
There are ways, though, to settle differences and work with each other without the personal attacks that have been so common in Lafourche over the years.
Robert's Rules of Order is an excellent place to start.
"What I do not like about the resolution — it says we 'shall' follow. It could be a request," said Councilman John Arnold.
The councilmen themselves, though, have proven time and again that they simply cannot be trusted to follow accepted forms of decorum. Instead, they need the structure of civil debate as a requirement.
Before long, the council members will get used to speaking civilly about the actual topics at hand rather than launching personal attacks. That is the noble goal, at least.
Editorials represent the opinions of
the newspaper, not of any individual.


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Filmmaker Edwin casts a darkly satirical eye on the uneasy relationship between Muslims and the Chinese in Indonesia in this episodic black comedy.
Pork is a staple of the Chinese diet, but it's forbidden to Muslims, and as a blind pig becomes a recurring motif in this film, it becomes a symbol of the cultural gulf between these two sides of contemporary Indonesia.
Linda (Ladya Cheryll) is a young woman of Chinese heritage whose father is a dentist who lost his sight while trying to turn his eyes round with a scalpel, while her mother converted to Christianity after gaining some small fame as a volleyball player.
Linda's good friend Cahyono (Carlo Genta) has grown so tired of anti-Chinese prejudice that he's taken to telling people he's actually from Japan, while her father still dreams of becoming a Muslim so he can marry a second wife.
As these characters try to make sense of their place in Indonesian society, a gay couple wrestles with unusual fantasies, a badminton player goes on a dumpling-making spree, I Just Called to Say I Love You becomes suddenly unavoidable, and a documentary on the 1998 Jakarta riots is in heavy rotation on state television.
Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly was an official selection at the 2009 BFI London Film Festival; the short (66 minutes) feature was accompanied by a new short subject by Edwin.


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I made this for the christening of our baby boy (I just love special events to start sewing new clothes). I found my inspiration on the net, I didn't need any explanation, just the picture.
I decided to make a two piece outfit because it's easier to change diapers like that. I bought 3 pieces of fabric: jersey, shiny fabric and jacquard fabric.


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OXFORD, Ala. - The Men's and Women's cross country teams completed the 2012 season at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships hosted by Jacksonville State University. Both teams grabbed 12th place finishes with the women scoring 354 points and the men notching 366 points.
Adrian McDaniel led the Flying Tigers with a time of 28:47.58 and was followed by Theodore Nicholson who came across in 29:00.23. Jamill Jackson (30:00.17), Jalon McCutcheon (30:19.11), and Jonathan Owens (30:19.71) all scored points for TSU.
Freshman Oteia Prince led the Tigerbelles in her first OVC Championships with a 49th place finish in a group of 89 runners. Prince broke the tape of the 5K race in a time of 19:09.20. Charita Harris became the second TSU runner to finish and stopped the clock at 21:07.35. Breanna Adams (21:31.17), Michelle Bradley (21:55.30) and Diera Taylor (22:08.86) all collected countable scores.
The Tigerbelles and Flying Tigers transition to the indoor season and will run an exhibition in the Blue and White Meet on Monday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Gentry Center.


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How to play:
- Use your arrow-keys to move the little man forward backward and to jump up.
- The aim is to switch off as many this little yellow (round) lights as you can.
- Each light tuned off is 5 points
- You have 2 minutes.
What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF and held on the last Saturday of March each year.
At 8.30pm in each time zone around the world, households, institutions, businesses and municipalities to asked to turn off their non-essential lights for 1 hour.
The aim: to raise awareness of the need to take action on climate change.


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CRESTVIEW � There will be a change for the Crestview High School football team�s starting quarterback spot Friday night when the Bulldogs host Leon for a 7 p.m. Homecoming game.
CRESTVIEW � There will be a change for the Crestview High School football team�s starting quarterback spot Friday night when the Bulldogs host Leon for a 7 p.m. Homecoming game.
Sophomore Corey Armstrong will get his first varsity start after a strong showing in the fourth quarter against Fort Walton Beach in Crestview's 35-18 loss to the Vikings.
Armstrong hit 15-of-19 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown to earn the starting spot over senior Khalil Foster.
"Corey is going to start," Bulldog coach Tim Hatten said. "He deserves a shot to get in there and get some snaps under his belt. Khalil did a great job at wide receiver and he has done a good job every time he's come in there.
"We also think he (Foster) will be a good middle-of-the-field safety kid (on defense) so we are going to play him some there."
With Foster's move to receiver, the Bulldogs will have a strong quartet at receiver of Foster, Ronnie Baylark, Matt Gillis and Marquis McClain as targets for Armstrong. Emmanuel Reed and Jaylynne Robinson also will continue to have an important role catching the ball out of the backfield.
Hatten said the Bulldog coaching staff also will try to find a way to get Robinson some more carries.
Hatten remains confident that the Bulldogs are a better team than their 1-4 record indicates.
"We've got great skill people and we think we can do some great things on offense with a guy that gets the ball out of his hand quick at quarterback in Corey," Hatten said. "We are a long ways from perfect, but we are a long ways from bad too. The words 'bad football team' would never be uttered with this team.
"We've had some bad breaks and we haven't made plays when we could have made plays. We've had to overcome some poor decisions by me. There's been all kinds of things we've had to overcome and it's all part of growing and maturing as a team under new leadership."
Leon (2-3) is coming off a 35-21 loss to Florida High. If comparison against a similar opponent means anything, the Lions lost to Rickards 42-14. Rickards beat Crestview 32-27,
Leon uses a power running game on offense and will try to stretch the field at times with tall and athletic receivers.
Defensively the Lions run a four-man front and tries to shut down the run.
"They are aggressive," Hatten said. "They like to keep a lot of people in the box to prevent people from running on them. If we execute our plays (on offense) it should be competitive just like it has the last five ball games we play."
Hatten hopes to use this week's game with Leon and next week's game at Pine Forest to fine tune things before hosting Tate in the District 1-7A opener on Oct. 18.
"We will get better and we've got two more games to get better (before district play)," Hatten said. "We've got to wear that scarlet letter with that 1-4 record. But I've been in the game a long time and the prize is you want to make the playoffs.
"You want to make the playoffs and you want to be competitive. I don't care who we play we are going to be competitive because we've got good players. We've just got to make sure we make adjustments based on what we do right or wrong and we are still doing that."
What: Leon at Crestview
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin�s sports editor. Email him at email@example.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.


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Did you see the last MMA match with Kimbo Slice? He got caught with a good punch and that was it. The match was over in 14 seconds.
Kimbo Slice appears to be a very tough fighter and I am sure that he is extremely strong. But anyone can be dropped by a good punch, even someone as tough as him. If he can be dropped, how much more so could I? I am only 5 foot 8 inches tall and 167 pounds. Plus I am 50.
And what if that punch had been to a spot that could have done permanent damage? A single punch can kill. On the street, a punch might stun or knock someone out and he could die hitting his head on the curb. It happens.
My point is that as Karate students, we have to realize that one good punch could drop us. We have to be on guard for this and not underestimate an attacker. Even a lucky punch could drop or injure us. With multiple attackers, the danger increases.
A person who fights a lot might win. But eventually, the odds are that he will be injured or even killed. That is why Karate techniques must only be used as a last resort, not lightly. This applies to the beginner and the most senior instructor alike.
There is another side to this. If we punch someone, they could be severely injured or even die. Even if we think we are holding back, we could do serious damage. Accidents happen. We are responsible for our actions. If there is no way to avoid it, we have to use Karate techniques. Then and only then can we justify the consequences.
I noticed that Mr. Slice seemed to be OK after the match and that he appeared to be a very good sport. I'm glad that he was not injured badly.
I enjoy watching MMA matches with my sons, but I always fear that someone might be killed or permanently disabled one day... I hope this never happens.
Charles C. Goodin
One Good Punch
Did you see the last MMA match with Kimbo Slice? He got caught with a good punch and that was it. The match was over in 14 seconds.
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Sunday, October 12, 2008


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Thu 19th Apr 2012 13:20 UTC
Nokia's results for the first quarter are in... And it's grim. Very grim. We're looking at a net loss of EUR 929 million, an almost complete collapse compared to last year's EUR 344 million profit. It's also almost double the loss analysts expected. Revenue dropped by 29%, too.


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June 2, 3 & 4, 2003
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
June 2, 3 & 4, 2003
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
Only $799 ($979 with 3 hotel nights)
through the conference!
Register Early and SAVE!!!
The fourth TODCON web conference event will take
place June 2 - 4, 2003 at the Excaliber Hotel and
Casino in Las Vegas, NV.
This will be our biggest stateside event ever, with
speakers from all over the world and sessions covering
all of the Studio MX products. If you use Macromedia
tools, THIS is the event to be at.
Your conference ticket includes all conference sessions
and events as well as food and breaks during the day.
And the evenings offer a vast selectin of entertainment
choices. Bring the family (daytime family events will
be posted soon) and make a vacation of it.
Session abstracts have been updated and will be completed
soon. Check out the schedule.
Register Now and take
advantage of our special pricing.


text:
Felony Propane Fame (Feat. Red Cafe) - Wish List [StreetHeat Submitted]
"Music Notes and Dollar Signs (MNDS) presents Felony Propane Fame "Wish List" featuring recording artist Red Cafe of Shake Down Mafia from his upcoming mixtape/short film entitled "Dirty Laundry" out this Fall. Follow both artists @FelonyFame and @RedCafeSD. To book Felony Propane Fame contact Ari Gold @ email@example.com or to book Red Cafe contact Bullet @ firstname.lastname@example.com DIRECTED BY- WILLC & TANA DP- JOHN GALEANO EDITED BY- CHARLIE ZWICK .FOR VIDEO'S CONTACT- firstname.lastname@example.com" [m]
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
The world is changing rapidly with integrated communication and IT technologies. Saudi Arabia is also witnessing a fast growth in adoption and use of new ICT services driven by initiatives like eGovernment, Industrial Cities, Universities amongst others.
This growth in adoption leads to fast developing and complex needs in the ICT space – including IT services and communication technologies – as these rapid changes are redefining the way business is done.
To cope with this rapid technological change, AWAL supports companies in the Kingdom in getting the best out of those new technologies. AWAL is at the forefront of shaping the IT landscape in Saudi Arabia helping organizations from all fields.
AWAL is a customer centric company supporting large business organizations, as well as government institutions to design, build, and manage flexible, scalable, and secure information infrastructure environments in a way so that delivers tangible business outcomes to AWAL's clients. It offers solutions in the areas of Connectivity, System and Infrastructure Integration as well as managed solutions and enables their customers to get maximum return on their IT investment in an efficient and effective manner.Less...
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 11372
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


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Sunday, March 04, 2012
A death in the family
Nghia had been on his way home to collect some paperwork that he needed to open his second mobile phone shop in Hanoi. This is a young guy who had overcome major difficulties in life to become a real 'success story'. And here at Blue Dragon, he was greatly loved. The 100 or so people who packed into our drop-in centre the following Monday were a testament to that.
I was particularly close to Nghia; I was the person who first met him on the streets and helped him get back to his family. Over the years, we had a great friendship and could call on each other for anything. Right at the start of January, Nghia walked into our office wearing a jacket that was far too big for him. When I commented on what a nice jacket it was, he took it off and gave it to me. It fitted perfectly, so he insisted I keep it. Talk about "giving me the shirt off his back." That was typical Nghia. Everyone who knows him has a similar story.
Losing him so suddenly and so unexpectedly has been tough. Really tough. I still find myself wondering if maybe I'm confused; maybe it wasn't him after all. Maybe it's all just been a bad dream.
Through this past week, I have found myself deeply moved by the whole Blue Dragon family - the staff and kids alike. At times when I have had no solace to offer, no strength to share, I have felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see one of my team or one of our older kids, also with tears in their eyes, reaching out to support me. It's not supposed to be like this; I'm supposed to be the strong one leading Blue Dragon through a difficult time.
What a beautiful family I have, that they are strong for me when I am the weak one.
Over the weekend I had to move house, and found myself once again surrounded by my team, ready to pitch in without me even asking. People turned up to carry boxes and lift furniture - I have no idea what I would have done if they hadn't shown up. I don't even know who paid the truck that carried my stuff.
Against the backdrop of my own grief this past week, the extraordinary compassion of those around me has carried me through.
I know I need to be strong again, and I will. But I will never forget those who have helped me through. Thank you to all of you.
4 comments:
My heart goes out to you.
Hi Michael,
I am so sorry about your loss, my deepest sympathies to you and your "family", but I am not suprised by the level of support you have there. You have done an enourmously amazing thing and no wonder there are a lot of hands streached out for you to hold. It is just as you have supported them, they have supported you and you deserve it. I feel very fortunate having known you for when I did, to see the amazing generous person you have become. Keep up the good work.
- Tabitha said...
This is such awful news. I'm so sorry to hear it.
Nghia's story has stayed with me ever since I first read about it here. Whenever I pass a mobile phone shop in Hanoi, I think about how for one person, a little shop like this can represent such an inspring and life-changing achievement.
This is an irredeemably tragic end to that story. My thoughts are with everyone at Blue Dragon.
- Lien said...
I am so sad to hear the news. My sincere sympathy to the family.


text: |The Pentek PO1HE3 Polypropylene High Efficiency Filter Bags (20 Bags/Case) are compatible with a broad range of corrosive fluids including organic solvents, oils, acids, alkalis, microorganisms, and oxidizing agents. They are rated to nominal 1 micron. The PO1HE3 filter bag is made of FDA-compliant materials. The PO1HE3 high efficiency filter bags have a composite construction of microfiber, felt, and spun-bonded materials to hold 3 to 4 times more dirt than standard bags. The Pentek PO1HE3 bag filter has a stainless steel ring sewn in at the top of the filter bag. The filter bag also comes with a handle for fast, easy bag filter changes. There is an initial pressure drop of less than 0.8 psi for the maximum rated flow at 68 degrees Farenheit. Differential pressure of 15 psi indicates the filter bag needs to be changed. It can withstand temperatures up to 200°F. The Pentek PO1HE3 Polypropylene Felt Filter Bags are a Size #3 which means they are 4.1 inches in diameter and 8 inches in length. The bag filter area is 0.5 square feet. The Maximum Temperature of the device is 200°F (bags only) and the Filter Media is Polypropylene. The Ring Material is Stainless Steel and the maximum flow rate is 10 gpm. Maximum flow rates for filter bags are guides only and are dependent on variables such as fluid viscosity, temperature, amount and type of contaminants, type and size of filter bag and micron rating. The maximum rates (gpm water @ 68 deg. F) are normally only achieved under ideal conditions. The Pentek PO1HE3 Filter Bag Alternate Part #'s include Pentek # P01HE3 Filter Bag; Pentek # 255144-03 Filter Bag; and formerly Ametek # 255144 Filter Bag and US Filter # 255144-75 Filter Bag. It can replace Parker XLH Series Filter Bags; 3M 100 Series Filter Bags; and some 3M 500 Series Filter Bags.


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The fiscal cliff deal struck in Congress raises income tax rates for single taxpayers making more than $400,000 and married couples earning above $450,000 — and many of these wealthy taxpayers are small-businesses owners. But by putting an end to the uncertainty over future tax rates, the deal could encourage businesses to invest, expand and hire more workers, experts said.
Still, there are new clouds on the horizon: in a few weeks, Congress is expected to embark on deficit reduction, with spending cuts that could dampen economic activity.
"With some stability, business owners can now make business decisions," said Alan D. Sobel, managing member of Sobel & Co., in Livingston. "What really interferes with making decisions is uncertainty — people become paralyzed and sit on the sidelines. So my sense is that now that there is some element of certainty — at least, as it relates to income taxes — business owners are going to be freed up to be able to make decisions about investments in equipment, investments in people, in opening up new markets."
David Brogan, first vice president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, echoed that sentiment, saying the deal "will create a level of certainty that is necessary for any economic rebound." He said keeping tax rate unchanged for singles earning less than $400,000 and couples earning less than $450,000 will mean a significant number of New Jersey small businesses won't see their taxes go up; President Barack Obama's original proposal — to raise taxes on incomes of more than $200,000 and $250,000, respectively — would have done far more damage in New Jersey, Brogan said.
Brogan said businesses also will be helped by the move by Congress, as part of the fiscal cliff deal, to extend bonus deprecation, which had been set to expire at the end of 2012, for another year. This allows companies to write off 50 percent of the capital investment the first year.
Bob Mathers, director in the tax department at Hunter Group CPA LLC, in Fair Lawn, said the extension of the bonus depreciation rule for one year is a direct boost to business. "We now know what's going to happen for the next 12 months. We know if we need to spend money on equipment, that we can do that and get a direct writeoff without having to spread it out over several years," he said. "When Congress comes back, there will still be a lot of talk about tax reform, but least we do have some certainty for the next 12 months."
Many companies did resolve to move forward with their business plans last year — buying equipment or buildings, and hiring new workers — regardless of what happened in Washington. Some evidence of business confidence can be seen in Small Business Administration loan demand, which was strong in 2012, when New Jersey had its third-best SBA lending year on record, according to Al Titone, state district director for the SBA.
"People just couldn't wait any more," he said. "You can only sit so long on the sidelines and then basically you jump in when you think you've got an opportunity."
Anika Khan, senior economist of Wells Fargo, said the looming cliff led businesses to "defer a lot of their spending activity due to uncertainty." But the deal reached by Congress doesn't restore clarity, she said, and the end of the payroll tax holiday affects all workers, and "is going to cause household to pull back a bit on making some of their spending decisions."
And in a few weeks, there will be budget cuts that will impact the economy, she added. "Until businesses get completely clear about what the economic landscape is going to look like, and what their contribution is going to have to be, they are going to continue to be on the fence."
Pat O'Keefe, director of economic research at CohnReznick, said when Congress takes up federal spending, "the ripple will be significant."
Lawmakers, he said, must address long-term cost increases in Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. "If that curve is not tilted downward or reduced gradually, it becomes highly disruptive," O'Keefe said. "And the rancorous brinksmanship that has characterized fiscal and tax policy for the better part of a decade always runs the risk of a catastrophic event."


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Dr. Boyce: 10 honest, borderline embarrassing thoughts about the life and death of Christopher Dorner
Dr. Boyce: 10 honest, borderline embarrassing thoughts about the life and death of Christopher Dorner
By Dr. Boyce Watkins
Like the rest of the country, I found myself curious about the unfortunate events involving late Christopher Dorner. He was, like myself, an "angry Black man." He also appeared to have a good reason to be angry, since the LAPD is one of the most notoriously racist and abusive police departments in the country. But the way Chris expressed his anger was a bit unconventional, turning him into one of the most wanted human beings in American history.
Here are a set of honest thoughts I had about Dorner as I watched this law-abiding patriot transformed into an alleged danger and menace to society. May he rest in peace, for it appeared that this poor brother had little peace in life:
1) Was the LAPD trying to kill him? First, there was the incident during which a 71-year-old woman found her truck (and herself) riddled with bullets by overzealous LAPD officers who didn't seem to want to give her a chance to surrender. I'm sure that if they'd stopped the old woman and asked her to "come out with your hands up," she wouldn't have given them much resistance. Then, of course, there was the cabin that the LAPD "accidentally" burned down with Dor-ner inside it, despite significant evidence that there was a plan to burn him from the beginning (how can you claim that it was an accident after throwing something called "burners" at the cabin? Aren't burners usually meant to burn something?). My question is: Why were they so quick to go for the kill? The convenient reality here is that dead men don't talk.
2) Nearly conscious Black person can identify with Dorner, including myself: As much as we might want to pretend that we have nothing in common with Dorner, the fact is that most Black Americans know the pain that he experienced: Being fired from your job for no reason, being told that you were "out of line" when you actually tried to do the right thing, watching police do horrible things to the people you love, without you being able to do anything about it. Yes, Dorner was an uncommon man, but he went through a very common set of racist experiences. The fact that he chose to retaliate with violence should NOT be used as an excuse to delegitimize the concerns brought forth in his manifesto.
3) Chris Dorner and Barack Obama represent two Black Americas: As commentator Yvette Carnell stated, "Having one black man on national television as the most powerful human being on the planet, and another as a dangerous fugitive on the same night is a telling way to describe the dual reality for millions of Black people across America." The election of a bi-racial president served as a tremendous source of pride, but this election did nothing to take away the day-to-day struggle that many of us feel while trying to breathe underneath the massive weight of unaddressed, pervasive, institutionalized racism. The Obama family's success has been wonderful for some, but the majority of Black America continues to struggle.
4) The LAPD should be made to answer for Dorner's manifesto: It's not as if anything that Dorner said about the inner workings of the LAPD lacks credibility. Before he died, Chris was detailed and precise in his description of what he saw behind the blue wall. The efforts to kill Dorner before he could talk and to write him off as a deranged lunatic are really meant to distract us from real and meaningful evidence that the LAPD is what it has always been: A corrupt and racist institution, sometimes built upon terrorizing Black people rather than protecting them. Even one of Dorner's fellow officers is speaking out, stating that nearly everything Chris said is absolutely correct. Is the other officer going to be labeled a lunatic too?
5) Dorner didn't appear to be crazy, just obsessive: The media's decision to portray Dorner as a maniac is largely due to our desire to make sense of a situation where someone has killed for reasons we do not understand. In all of his fanaticism, Dorner reminded me of many outstanding people I know: The wide-eyed All-pro linebacker who is determined to stop you from scoring a touchdown at all costs, the overzealous Secret Service Officer who will take a bullet for the president in a second, or the angry 50-year old woman whose husband left her for the 25-year-old babysitter. We've seen this kind of rage before, but we don't always see this kind of rage in the face of a trained killer. For anyone h**l bent on maintaining racist oppression, the only thing scarier than an angry Black man is a highly intelligent angry Black man who is not afraid to use a gun.
6) Killing is only immoral if people don't think it's for the right reasons: Christopher Dorner was trained to kill by the United States government. Nearly every tactic he used to evade and attack police officers would have earned him numerous medals had they been used against soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan (in fact, Dorner had received awards for his military service). So, the idea that someone is crazy because they choose to kill doesn't make sense, given that we have hundreds of thousands of trained killers in our country. The difference with Dorner is that he did not possess a popular cause that gave him popular permission to retaliate against his enemies, and even I would not have suggested that he kill in response to his frustrations. At the same time, the irresponsible actions of Dorner's superiors created a man who had nothing to lose. This was an unfortunate waste of talent, and reminds us that racism hurts all of us.
7) Dorner actually reminds people of what it means to be a soldier: For every rapper who claims to be "gangsta," they should probably realize that they don't know the first thing about what that term really means. As Dorner explains in his manifesto, the LAPD should be most concerned about him because a) he was well-trained, b) he was determined to meet his objectives, and c) he was willing to die. There was a reason Dorner was so readily-admitted into the military and police establishment; it was because he was a perfect fit. Had he committed to socially,acceptable ways of expressing his outrage, he could have been viewed as a great man.
8) The million dollar reward and use of drones to find Dorner tells us something about police elitism: One of the biggest reasons for persistent brutality and disrespect by rogue cops is this belief that an officer's life is more valuable than the rest of us. There is also a false perception that officers are more honest than regular citizens, which makes it difficult to get governments to take brutality claims seriously. Had Dorner killed a bunch of random people who were not police officers (or related to them), the reward wouldn't have been one-tenth of what it was. Had he been wanted for killing a group of Black people, there probably would never have been a reward issued at all and scant resources would have been used to try to capture him. Even though several people knew who killed my best friend Greg Wilkins 17 years ago, police barely looked for his murderer. Police don't usually work for Black people and typically work against us.
9) I would have loved for Dorner to have a chance to tell his story: Of course we all knew that the LAPD wasn't going to bring Dorner in alive. I knew that from the moment they shot up a 71-year-old woman without even giving her an appropriate opportunity to identify herself. Also, bringing Dorner in and convicting him would have forced the LAPD to pay the million dollar reward for "information leading to the arrest and conviction" of Dorner (but, conveniently for the LAPD, dead men don't get convicted). But had Dorner been able to talk, he could have helped blow the roof off of one of the most corrupt police organizations in American history. Many lives would have been saved in the process.
10) Dorner is not the biggest killer in all of this: As much as the media will surely make Dorner out to be the sole bad guy, the reality is that the LAPD has killed more innocent people than Christopher Dorner ever could. So, for the LAPD to talk about Dorner as a crazed killer, the fact is that this would be the pot calling the kettle Black. How many people have been killed or falsely convicted due to LAPD practices? How many grieving families are out there who've been victimized by rogue cops within this organization? How many good cops have had their careers ruined for speaking out about the corruption? Now that Christopher Dorner is dead, the world may never know.
My final question is one that I am not sure how to answer: What if you were a Black police officer who confronted Dorner, and he said, "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm only angry at them for the things that you and I both know that they've been doing to our people." What would you do? Most of us don't quite know the answer to that question, and I am one of them.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and author of the book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.


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Sept. 21, 2006
FULLERTON, Calif. - Senior midfielder Bryan Byrne scored his first goal of the season, as did freshman forward Nick Perera after his free kick from about 30 yards out deflected off the wall and in into the net in the second overtime period to give No. 12 UC Santa Barbara a 2-1 Big West Conference men's soccer victory over Cal State Fullerton Thursday night.
The win lifted UCSB to a 5-2-0 overall mark and a 2-0-0 slate in the Big West, while host Fullerton (3-4-1) dropped its conference opener.
After the Gauchos battled the Titans to a scoreless first half, fortuitous bounces played a role in both goals in regulation. In the 70th minute, Byrne saw a deflection roll down the right sideline. He ran the ball down, dribbled in from a steep angle and beat Fullerton goalkeeper Kevin Puder to the far left post for a 1-0 lead.
The Titans responded with the equalizer with less than six minutes to play when Amir Shafii's short cross caromed around in a crowd in the goal mouth and landed at the feet of Eugene Brooks, who punched the ball past Kyle Reynish for his fourth goal of the season.
Shafii's goal was the first the Gauchos have allowed in a victory this season and fourth overall.
After UCSB was unable to push through in the first overtime period, Perera came up with the game-winner in the 106th minute as the Gauchos improved to 2-1 on the road this season.
Reynish made 6 saves on the night while Puder, making his first start of the season due to an injury, logged 9. Santa Barbara out-shot Fullerton 23-14 and held a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Gauchos return to the pitch this Saturday as their road trip continues with a match up with UC Davis at 4:00 p.m.


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Author Notes: One of the reasons I love the recipes of food52 is because your recipe stories are often as long as, and as interesting as, the recipe itself, the same way they are in my favorite cookbooks by Julia and Dorie. (Did I just put us in the same category as Julia and Dorie?!) I love it when a well-thought-out recipe tweak comes together. I also love happy accidents in the kitchen, those times when I make a mistake, panic, hold my breath and then grin from ear to ear when an "accident" becomes a "tweak." This recipe began its life in the red plaid Better Homes and Gardens cookbook 50 or more years ago and quickly became one of our beloved Thanksgiving traditions. During particularly frazzling preparations one year (kids!), I threw the milk into the mixing bowl and realized that I had forgotten to scald it. Oh, no! The butter turned to shards! For whatever reason, I didn't think I could spare an extra minute to heat the liquids in a saucepan in those pre-microwave days, so I didn't: Butter lumps in this dough, I reasoned, would work as a cheat to rolling/beating cold butter into croissant dough. Not. But it's a mistake I keep making because the recipe works whether or not the milk is scalded, and besides, l have one less utensil to wash if I don't scald the milk. The evaporated milk must be very cold. I grew up in countries where fresh, cold cow's milk was not readily available. I continue to use canned milk here because I like its taste in this recipe. Twelve ounces of whole milk (1 ½ cups) can be substituted for it. The original recipe called for more than 3 cups of flour, 1/3 cup of shortening, one egg and one cup (eight ounces) of milk. Because I substituted 12 ounces of evaporated milk, a full stick of butter and an extra egg yolk, I upped the flour to compensate for the extra liquid and now I don't have to find a way to store (or waste) the unused evaporated milk, an egg yolk and a half-stick of unsalted butter. The dough should contain many lumps of unmelted butter but should not contain lumps of unmoistened flour. While stirring or kneading it, scan it for clumps of unmixed flour. I stopped using all-purpose flour in this recipe when people started noticing the difference in texture between rolls made with King Arthur (softer, fluffier) and other brands (good,but sturdier). Crescent rolls are the tradition here on Thanksgiving, but at other times I make pull-apart rolls by rolling the dough into 2" balls and placing them a finger-width apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. - betteirene —betteirene
Food52 Review: Betteirene has, through happy accident and just plain baking smarts, designed a lovely, no-knead crescent roll that puffs beautifully in the oven, emerging golden with a terrific, mildly yeasty flavor. The bottoms of the rolls brown quickly, so double up on the baking sheets if yours aren't the heavy-gauge kind. – Kristen —The Editors
Makes: 16-32, depending on size
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
2¼ teaspoon (1 packet) active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm (105-110 degrees) tap water
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg plus one egg yolk
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably King Arthur brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt or 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 egg white
- Chill evaporated milk in refrigerator for at least one hour.
- In a small bowl, combine yeast and water. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Add sugar. Pour in the cold milk and whisk until the butter forms clumps and shards that float on the milk. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk.
- Using a sturdy wooden spoon, stir in two cups of the flour and the yeast mixture until well combined. Add 2 cups additional flour and the salt; stir very well. The dough should be soft and sticky, but if it seems too wet, stir in up to ½ cup more flour. Knead by hand (or stir the dough with the wooden spoon) gently and quickly in the bowl until you are sure that it contains no lumps of dry flour. Do not mistake the lumps of butter or grains of salt for undissolved flour, and do not knead for so long that the heat of your hands melts the butter.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate several hours or overnight. The dough should double in size before shaping it. If it rises before you're ready to bake, gently deflate it, cover and refrigerate again. To get Rich Quick Rolls, allow the dough to rise at warm room temperature about two hours or until doubled in size.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment. Divide the dough into two equal portions to make 16 large rolls, or into four portions to make 32 dainty rolls. On a lightly floured surface, pat a dough portion into 6"-8" circles. Cut the circle into eight wedges using a pizza wheel. Roll each wedge from the wide end to the tip and form a crescent; place 2"-3" apart on prepared baking sheet. (Room temperature dough will be harder to handle than refrigerated dough; if the dough has not been refrigerated, use extra flour to prevent sticking during rolling and shaping.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap or damp linen towels and allow to rise until doubled in size.
- When ready to bake, position racks in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush rolls with the egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Bake, rotating pans halfway through baking time, for 15-20 minutes for large rolls, 10 to 12 minutes for smaller rolls, or until rolls are dark golden and fragrant.
- (If you need only a few rolls, divide the dough and flatten it into discs before the final shaping. Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze. When needed, remove a disc from the freezer, allow to thaw completely, then shape and bake as directed.)
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Dinner Rolls
More Great Recipes:
Bread|Roll|Grains|Milk/Cream|Make Ahead|Serves a Crowd|Vegetarian


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Hair & Make Up by Valerie JC | Wardrobe by Acqua Couture Swimwear
Name: Carissa Rosario
Birthday: June 28
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 115 lbs
Measurements: 32D, 25-36
Ethnicity: Greek/ Puerto Rican
Facebook | Twitter | Website
Where are you from?
Carissa Rosario: I am originally from Boston and am currently living in Los Angeles.
How long have you been modelling?
Carissa Rosario: I started modelling at the age of 10. I modeled on and off until about seven years ago when my modeling career took off and it's now what I do full-time.
How did you get your start in modelling?
Carissa Rosario: When I was 10 years old I was at a park playing and a photographer asked me if I had ever modeled before. He gave me his card and said to have my mother call him, so she did and from there I booked my first modeling job. I was published in a phone book ad.
What would you say are your strengths as a model?
Carissa Rosario: As a model I would say my strengths are my business mentality. In this industry there are careers that go on for a long time and others that fade. In order to keep longevity you have to have the right business mind and stay focused on your craft.
Describe yourself in three words or statements.
Carissa Rosario: Blessed, humble and determined to have success.
What are some of you modeling highlights so far?
Carissa Rosario: Wow – each job I have done is a highlight in my career. One of my most recent highlights was launching my own perfume line Young & Fresh, which I have been working on for a long time. To see it now come to fruition for the world to see is so rewarding. It's very humbling to see the response it has received – it's a feeling I can't describe.
Does your personality match your Zodiac sign?
Carissa Rosario: Most definitely! Cancers are lovers, business savvy, passionate, go-getters, who are tough to crack but once you get through the shell would do anything for the people we love.
What are your best beauty, fitness and nutrition secrets?
Carissa Rosario: Great question. I have a degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Florida State University. One nutritional secret I would tell people is that drinking juice is the best thing you can do for your body. About 95% of the vitamins and enzymes our bodies need are found in the juice of raw fruits and vegetables. It helps with weight loss, overall health and fighting off illness and disease.
How do you keep in such great shape?
Carissa Rosario: I eat very healthy. I drink a lot of juice and make sure I get a proper balance in my diet. I love hiking and doing any type of outdoor activities.
What is the strangest photo-shoot that you've done?
Carissa Rosario: I really haven't had any strange photo shoots, but one shoot that I can say was fun and a little different was a recent shoot in the middle of the desert for a clothing company with live wild animals.
What was your first major modeling assignment?
Carissa Rosario: The first major event that I modeled for was in Europe. I was a spokesmodel for American Dream. I got to tour all over Europe with them. I was at the Cannes Film Festival, Monte Carlo and at races all over Europe. It was very exciting and one of the most memorable times in my modeling career.
Who is your favorite model or celebrity of all time?
Carissa Rosario: Kathy Ireland is a great example of a role model and someone I look up to. She took her modeling career and transitioned into an international brand. I aspire to be like her and to follow her footsteps.
What is your top unfulfilled fantasy?
Carissa Rosario: I'm waiting to land my own TV show. It's something that has been talked about and I am confident it will happen soon.
What do you look for in a guy?
Carissa Rosario: I look for a guy who is a go-getter. There is nothing sexier than a man who strives to be the best he can be. I love a man who treats a woman with respect, love and with passion. I love to laugh and be silly so he has to have a sense of humor as well. I am a family person so a man who is close to his family is definitely a plus.
What gets you in the mood? What are some of your turn-ons?
Carissa Rosario: Confidence, a beautiful smile, and a hot body. A business-minded man also turns me on.
Who are your heroes in real-life?
Carissa Rosario: My mom is my hero. She is a breast cancer survivor, and watching her go through radiation and pain was one of the hardest things I've witnessed. Aly Negron is also one of my heroes. She lost her battle with brain cancer last year at the age of six, and I have named my foundation after her: the Alymo Foundation.
Tell us about any upcoming projects.
Carissa Rosario: I just did a deal with Flex Watches and will have my very own exclusive watch. The great thing about this is that a portion of the proceeds for all watches sold will go to the Alymo Foundation. Also, I am talking with different networks right now about having my own show. I am on tour with Monster Energy as one of their spokes models, so we are getting ready for the 2014 season.
What sort of advice would you give to aspiring models?
Carissa Rosario: I would tell anyone who is trying to break into the business to really study his or her craft. Be the best version of you, because there are going to be a million doors that close before one opens. You have to be ready when that one door opens – sometimes that is your only shot! If you want it, you can have it! Keep God first. Trust, believe and you will achieve.
Do you have any shout outs or last words?
Carissa Rosario: I want to thank all my friends, family and fans for keeping me inspired every day! Without them there would be no me. I am blessed to be living my dream every day. Thank you! #pasmag


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10th Annual CTBUH Awards
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
Read the Symposium Overview
For the second year, the CTBUH has organized a free afternoon Awards Symposium to precede the annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner. Over 600 delegates heard special presentations from representatives of the regional award winning projects: Eight Spruce Street, New York (Americas), Guangzhou International Finance Center, Guangzhou (Asia & Australasia), KfW Westarkade, Frankfurt (Europe), and The Index, Dubai (Middle East & Africa), as well as from the two lifetime achievement award winners: Adrian Smith, and Dr. Akira Wada.
See all the Winners and Finalists
Presentations, Speakers & Videos
Six special presentations were made at the free afternoon symposium, with presentations by representatives of the client and project teams of the four regional winning Best Tall Buildings, and presentations by both of the Lifetime Achievement award winners.


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Is James Dobson Repenting for His 2007 Interview with Newt Gingrich?
James Dobson's slam on Newt Gingrich at the recent behind-closed-doors meeting of evangelical Christian leaders grabbed a lot of attention in the press — almost as much as the group's eventual vote to get behind Rick Santorum. Grace Wyler at Business Insider described Dobson's comments like this:
Influential evangelical leader James Dobson set off the fireworks at this weekend's Christian Right summit, giving a speech that lavished praise on Karen Santorum and asked whether Americans really wanted Callista Gingrich — "a woman who was a man's mistress for eight years" — as their First Lady, according to sources who attended the meeting.
Sources told Business Insider that Dobson's speech was a "startling moment" that left many in the audience — particularly those who support Gingrich — floored. One source described Dobson's tone as "angry," and said it seemed like Dobson was blaming Callista Gingrich for the couples' affair, which began while the former House Speaker was still married to his second wife (this is Callista Gingrich's first marriage).
"It was clear that, to him, the villian in this story is Callista Gingrich," the source said. "And he was announcing it to 170 ministers with huge mailing lists and television ministries."
That's gotta sting. What no one seems to remember — not Wyler or anyone else — is that five years ago, when Gingrich was looking to reenter the political fights but knew he needed to address the adultery issue, it was to James Dobson that Gingrich turned. Gingrich and Dobson had a memorable radio conversation in which Newt admitted his adultery publicly for the first time (you can listen to the audio at the link). Folks like the late Jerry Falwell clamored to commend Gingrich for his confession:
"He has admitted his moral shortcomings to me, as well, in private conversations," Falwell wrote in a weekly newsletter sent Friday to members of the Moral Majority Coalition and The Liberty Alliance. "And he has also told me that he has, in recent years, come to grips with his personal failures and sought God's forgiveness."
CNN's Bill Schneider speculated at the time that this was a signal from Gingrich that he wanted in the presidential race and wanted the whole adultery question neutralized. In contrast to Rudy Giuliani's interview with Larry King admitting his own rather substantive marital problems, Gingrich went to a major — perhaps the major — figure in the TheoCon movement, looking for absolution and a blessing.
And he got it.
But three weeks after that radio broadcast, Dobson made an unsolicited phone call to author and blogger Dan Gilgoff (then at US News), adding another layer to the conversation with Gingrich:
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson appeared to throw cold water on a possible presidential bid by former Sen. Fred Thompson while praising former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also weighing a presidential run, in a phone interview Tuesday.
"Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for," Dobson said of Thompson. "[But] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression," Dobson added, saying that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party's conservative Christian base and win the GOP nomination.
At the time, Fred Thompson was the up-and-coming flavor of the month. Very Serious People asked questions like "Will he get in the race or won't he? Can he save the GOP from the likes of Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain?" A couple of days later, Dobson's spokesperson tried to backpedal a bit on the Gilgoff interview, saying
[Dobson's] words weren't intended to represent either an endorsement of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich or a disparagement of former Sen. Fred Thompson. Dr. Dobson appreciates Sen. Thompson's solid, pro-family voting record and his position that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided.
In his conversation with Mr. Gilgoff, Dr. Dobson was attempting to highlight that to the best of his knowledge, Sen. Thompson hadn't clearly communicated his religious faith, and many evangelical Christians might find this a barrier to supporting him.
Still, the implications were clear. For whatever reason, Dobson was clearly more comfortable supporting Newt Gingrich, a repentant serial adulterer, than Fred Thompson.
That was then, but my how things have changed.
Today, it seems as if Dobson is repenting a bit for his 2007 comments about Gingrich. In that Business Insider piece that I linked to at the top, Wyler goes on to describe a division among the participants:
In the wake of the conference, Christian Right leaders have publicly split into two camps — a bad sign for a coalition whose strength has always come from its solidarity. In one camp, powerful evangelical scions like Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; Family Research Council President Tony Perkins; and Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, have thrown their support behind Santorum. On the other hand, influential California megachurch pastor Jim Garlow, evangelical activist David Lane, and Christian marketing guru George Barna have teamed up to support Gingrich.
So what's changed?
(a) Not much. In 2007, Dobson used Gingrich as a way to undercut Fred Thompson, hoping to energize the TheoCon community to get behind someone more religiously acceptable. He wasn't praising Gingrich as much as slipping a knife into Thompson, to try to build up support for a candidate the TheoCons could really get behind. Not necessarily Gingrich in 2008, mind you, but perhaps someone like Mike Huckabee or Sam Brownback. In 2012, Dobson's found a more acceptable candidate, and is quite willing to use Gingrich again, this time to derail Mitt Romney's campaign.
(b) Everything. In 2007, Dobson allowed Gingrich to use Dobson's radio show as a means to reenter politics, proclaiming himself to be a reformed, repentant, and renewed Christian. Those are words to warm every TheoCon's heart. But in the five years since then, what has Gingrich done to show his faith credentials? What has he done to promote the TheoCon cause? He's done lots of lobbying and consulting, promoting the bank account of Newt and Callista Gingrich, but nothing to get the TheoCons cheering. Neither Dobson nor Gingrich has said much publicly about the other since then (until recently, that is), but there is one little public thing that might be in play. In 2009, Gingrich left the Baptist church and became a Roman Catholic — not something that went down well with many TheoCons. If this was part of Dobson's problem with Gingrich, it's not as simple as saying "TheoCons don't like Catholics." After all, Dobson recently endorsed the very Roman Catholic Rick Santorum. Instead, it may be that Dobson sees Gingrich's conversion to Catholicism as yet another sign that Gingrich views religion as a political tool to be used to manipulate others, not as a way of life for one's self, and yet another indication that the 2007 interview was more calculated than sincere. In other words, Dobson now sees that he got played in 2007, and doesn't like that one bit.
(c) Both of the above. Dobson used Gingrich in 2007 to torpedo Thompson, and wants to do the same now to torpedo Mitt Romney. If Dobson thinks he was played by Gingrich in 2007, that would certainly explain the anger with which Dobson spoke out against Newt and Callista last week. Being able to pay Gingrich back for being fooled by him in 2007 while at the same time trying to boost a "real Christian conservative" like Santorum as the alternative to Romney is icing on the cake.
It's mostly a wild guess, but put me down for (c).
photo of a portion of the John the Baptist window in Glasgow Cathedral h/t to Glasgow Amateur