text:
Will Arnett Defects from Up All Night for CBS's Greg Garcia Comedy Pilot
Maya Rudolph, get outta there!
This may be the final nail in the coffin for Up All Night: After being pursued by CBS for several days, Will Arnett has officially been cast in producer Greg Garcia's untitled comedy pilot for the Eye network. He'll play a newly divorced dude named Jack who finds himself dealing with his own parents' marital woes. Technically, Arnett's casting will have no impact on the fate of Up: If NBC decides to bring the show back next fall, contractually Arnett would have to give up the CBS project. That said, big stars like Arnett rarely bother to do new pilots if they think there's much of a chance their shows will be coming back. As it is, Christina Applegate has already departed Up, as has original creator Emily Spivey. No word yet from NBC about whether it still plans to go through shooting its Up revamp.


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Alec Nyboer has come a long way in one year.
The Hamilton sophomore has gone from a freshman with potential to a state contender.
Nyboer leads the Hawkeyes into the Division 3 state championship meet this weekend. Preliminaries are Friday and finals Saturday at Holland Community Aquatic Center.
"He had a great state meet last year, carried that into a good USA season," Hamilton coach Eric Talsma said.
Nyboer will have the top seed at the Division 3 meet in the 100-yard butterfly.
He won the OK Green Conference championship in the event last week in 53.08 seconds.
Talsma said he is impressed at how much Nyboer has matured in one year.
It started at the Division 3 Midseason Invitational.
"Last year, he DQd after swallowing a bunch of water and stopping his race," Talsma said. "To see that from last year and what he did this year is really good to see."
Nyboer acknowledged that this year's D3 Midseason invite was a turning point for him.
"Last year at this meet I choked on some water," he said. "I have come pretty far the past couple of years. I definitely want to keep improving."
Nyboer's turnaround came from the most difficult meet of the season for him personally as well.
He missed the first few events of the meet, coming straight to the pool from his grandfather's funeral.
"It was really depressing at the funeral. I rushed away from the funeral to come here and swim," he said. "I was close with him. He lived right up the hill from me. I worked on the farm with him."
Talsma wasn't planning on Nyboer competing at all.
"He came from his grandpa's funeral. That is why he wasn't on the medley relay to open the meet," Talsma said. "It couldn't have been an easy day for him."
Nyboer is hoping for more joy in the pool this week.
He also is seeded ninth in the 100 backstroke (56.1).
"My turns are getting better than what they were last year," he said.
The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 5 heading into the meet, which includes No. 10 Holland Christian.
Hamilton is looking to move up to the top four and earn a team trophy.
"We showed there are good things to come," Nyboer said.
Hamilton qualifiers
Aaron Smit � 100 freestyle and relays Matt Oonk � 50/100 freestyle and relays Ryan Underwood � 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, relays Adam Everse � 100 breaststroke, relays Austin Fogerty � 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, relays Alec Nyboer � 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, relays Ryan VanOss � 100/200 freestyle, relays
Hamilton swimmer Alec Nyboer makes big move in 2nd season
Alec Nyboer has come a long way in one year.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
Over the past several years my wife and I went through this strange series of events where we swapped work roles – first she worked remotely for a Minnesota company, from our home in Seattle, and then we moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota and I started working remotely for my company back in Seattle. Our story is a lot like what you read about remote work, but it's different to live it.
We lived on Vashon Island in Puget Sound, near Seattle, for about eight years. The small company my wife works for relocated from there to Minnesota, but she kept her job, working remotely as part of what became a virtual corporation. They were a very small company, but tech-savvy enough that, while not an IT business, remote work seemed like a natural arrangement. I think that shows just how far that idea has come. Like many U.S. families, we video conference with the Grandmas and Grandpas spread around the country, which she effortlessly applied to work, too. Her little company used "cloud" services without really thinking about that idea as anything new or special. It was just a natural fit. They valued her, she valued them, the tech was pretty easy. It was all win.
Fast forward a few years and our family was looking to relocate, too. Her company was not really the destination – we needed mainly to be closer to our extended families. "Closer" today often means flight time and number of connections (a.k.a. airport) more than physical proximity. Our families are spread all over the eastern half of the U.S. so moving to one or the other city was something we considered, but wasn't really the only solution. We have kids, but we are also city people and we both really wanted the culture and amenities of a real city and a good, safe urban environment for our boys. Not too many cities have that combination.
"How the heck did you pick Saint Paul, MN?" is a question I get all the time. It's hard to explain, but take the airport, proximity to East Coast, South and Northwest by one direct flight, the truly outstanding elementary school in our new neighborhood, the old Victorian gridiron neighborhoods of Summit Hill/Macalester/Groveland, a good friend from college, no fear of snow, and toss them all together in a geography salad, and that was our destination.
By freak accident, or fate, it's also not far from my wife's workplace.
We moved and we both kept our jobs, which was amazing. My wife is able to go into the office a few days a week now, though it's a long drive, and I started telecommuting to my job in Seattle from Saint Paul.
Both of us have experienced the usual pros and cons of telecommuting. By now some of these things are well documented, but I think it's hard to see how important those issues are until you experience them firsthand, either as a remote employee or working with a remote employee, and over a long period. It's great, and it's difficult at the same time.
I will say my employer has been really wonderful throughout this process – they are supportive, and they had to go through extra effort to make this happen for me, which they certainly didn't have to do. We had some tentative few-days-a-week sort of telecommuting for a while, but I think I am the first true full time, long distance, different-time-zone sort of remote worker, with all the challenges that come along in that scenario. Because there wasn't really an established environment used to remote work, with habits and technology and processes in place, we've had to work some things out as we go.
In fact every aspect of it, for me, has proven a double-edged sword, and I wanted to spend some time talking about why.
First I have to get one myth out of the way: working in a coffee shop is OK -- if you want to work in an uncomfortable, noisy place where you can't use the phone, the network is dodgy, your screen's too small, coffee costs $4, and there's no privacy. It only sounds romantic. Honestly.
I work from a dedicated space in my house in order to be focused and minimize distractions, and that has worked well. I'd say to even contemplate working from home you need a separate space, with a door you can close. The attic space where I currently work is great in terms of creating a separate work environment in the house. I have a real desk and an IP phone connected straight to the office. The space has some other issues, notably not being a layout where office furnishings, network and power work well, but we are moving to a permanent home a few blocks away, and in purchasing that house the "office space" was one of the main purchase criteria. We should be into the new place in late June.
On the other hand, working alone in a home office has some real social challenges, as I'll talk about more below. It's quiet. Really, really quiet, which can be too much of a good thing.
I have always – so far, anyway – avoided a typical driving commute. Spending hours on the freeway in a car is so awful, for me, I have always orchestrated living and working so as to avoid it, by living close to my office or to transit. Eliminating the commute altogether is obviously a fantastic perk of telecommuting. I am eternally grateful for the hours I've gotten back.
And yet.
Here's the strange thing, which others have talked about too: if you are the type of person for whom remote work will be successful, you probably are the type who has a passion for work, where work isn't just time spent from eight to five. Passion for work is something that creates the discipline to work consistently without explicit direction, and to produce all on your own, regardless of schedule.
Those same traits also make the removal of the commute problematic. Life and work can start to merge together, and it isn't always pretty. Leaving the house, getting in the car/bus/train/ferry and being forced to sit there, even for twenty minutes, is an important psychological boundary between work and life, where you – even subconsciously – leave one and get mentally prepared for the other.
This is something I really struggle with. I have a tendency to obsess about work anyway, and when it's always right here, that can be a real problem. It's particularly bad during the times when work is stressful. Working from home demands that your team evaluate you on your output as much as just your presence, but your perceived presence looks irregular, and that can cut both ways.
There are huge benefits to being out of the daily fray in the office, mostly in terms of productivity on heads-down work. Interruptions are minimal. I used to use the "Pomodoro" technique in the office, working in 20-25 minute sprints, but it was mostly as a survival technique against the onslaught of meetings, and email, and walk-up requests. I find in my new situation that I don't have to do that, because finding solid blocks of time to do real work isn't so much of a problem.
The other refreshing thing is that one important type of work – thought – is OK. I used to be in a cube, in an open office. One challenge was that some parts of my job require me just to think. Think about strategy. Think about how to design against some complex problem. Read books. When you think, you don't necessarily look busy. It's productive time, but you aren't producing a thing someone can point at. So, time to think through problems without some pretense of tapping at the keyboard is really valuable. In the office I used to block time out and walk on a nearby bike path in order to have this time without needing to look "busy." Now I can do this in the house, which is great.
Communication with my team really is a challenge. I have three-times-a-week calls with my team lead, and daily short calls with my team just to check in. It sounds odd, but these are a real requirement just to help offset the lack of hallway conversation that normally takes place in the office. If you are thinking of working remotely, I would advise making the extra effort to schedule time like this, because even though it sounds trivial, it's really important to keep everyone on the same page.
The biggest challenge of all is missing on the rest of the hallway or cube/desk decision-making that can go on. I always had my ear to the ground in the office, and viewed part of my DBA role as trying to steer everyone to the right decisions about data and SQL Server, even when it meant heading something off that I overheard in the next cube. For better or worse, that part of my job isn't possible remotely, and that can be a challenge.
But I'll also lay this right out there: it's lonely. At different times in life we have different social structures to rely on for friendships. There's high school, college, church -- before kids my wife and I used to have dinner with friends or have the occasional party. If you're 40+, with kids, work is a main source of social interaction and friends. There aren't that many other social structures like it. Moving to a new city and essentially breaking that social interaction with my coworkers is tough, and there isn't much to replace it.
Social media (and I'm hooked on it) doesn't fill that void, I'm afraid. It naturally took over more of my free time with this move, but as months go by I realize there's something depressing about it, and I need to limit the time I spend online.
Some things about remote work have helped our family life, but mostly it relates to basics like flexible hours and the time recovered from not spending an hour a day on the road. If you think that working remotely will help with child care expenses, I'd say stop – that's unlikely. It's not possible, for me anyway, to actually care for the kids in any reasonable way and work at the same time. There's no way. I think I could do a poor job with work and a poor job watching them, and that serves nobody well. We have just as many childcare arrangements and expenses as if I drove to work.
But I do love the little perks. Many mornings I get to eat breakfast with the kids and put the oldest one, who is in second grade, on the bus. My wife and I have lunch dates, usually once a week, on a day we both work from home and the kids are at school.
On the other hand, there are times when I have to explicitly stop my wife or my kids and just say, "I really can't do x because I am working. Truly." And it is easier for them, just because I'm in the house, to ask or stop me, "Honey can you stop and …" Having my wife have work-from-home experience too really helps, but this can be a problem (both directions, I am guilty too).
For better or worse, when we really have an issue with the family, which sometimes comes down to just not having enough hours in the day, my wife or I can work in the evening to make up time or meet deadlines, and that is definitely a major benefit. It can, though, aggravate the whole problem of not leaving work at work and being free of it at home.
This is the part all us gadget freaks gravitate to, I think – what tools make work-from-home possible, or make it better. Here the news is also mixed.
First, I. Love. Email. To a fault.
Imagine a medium where multiple people can collaborate on a solution and everyone is informed, where the outcome and the trail of decisions is documented in writing automatically, and the participants can all work on it asynchronously, without being interrupted. In a perfect world, it seems like email would almost do that. (I dislike the phone for all the inverse reasons.)
Working remotely makes it so easy to fall into an email-only mode of communication, and while I love that, it flatly doesn't work well for some types of activity. For one, I find it almost impossible to persuade some individuals to do something through email. To act. I am very sorry to report that that still often requires a phone call or, ack!, a full-on meeting, with a manager, because email simply goes ignored. Among those that like email, email works, but with others, sometimes not. Fortunately my team lead understands this well, and I know I can ask him to set up that meeting or that call when we have to go that route. Email can also foster miscommunication in some circumstances, especially relating to tone and personal interaction. This email thing is clearly a habit I have to be careful about.
What about all those other tools? Tele-presence and all the funnily-named collaboration do-dads like Skype, Trello, Dropbox, Toggl and Producteev and Flow and Remember the Milk and Google Hangouts and Asana?
There is, unfortunately, a sobering reality here. The number and variety of online collaboration tools really has exploded recently with the growth in remote workforce and virtual organizations. But it's been my experience that a company probably has to be young (in attitude, not necessarily age), nimble, small, has to be engaged in ideas about the modern workforce, willing to try new things, and has to deal with few secrets to contemplate using most of these services. Otherwise the obstacles are many: change, security, habit, ignorance, organizational inertia, isolation, policies, firewalls both real and imagined.
If you are in a company that is bigger, a company with security concerns, a company that cannot change course quickly, then it seems likely you might get the right to work from home but not get access to any of these cool new tools.
So, I have to say, in my case I have Lync (barely) for desk or app-sharing, and an IT group that is just now getting the hang of that, but no video, no tele-presence, no novel SaaS online project management whiz-bang anything, funny names or no. And I suspect that the work-from-home crowd may fall into two groups – those with the new tools in small companies or start-ups, and those in established companies like me trying to make it work with just RDP and the phone.
I don't think this is related to my company's commitment to my success working remotely, or to their support of it – it's simply too hard to overcome the organizational inertia, which will be true in many organizations.
But with some good processes and habits, I think the minimal-tools predicament can still work. Process and habit, I believe, are probably 85% of the battle, and while coolio tools might aid that, I don't imagine they are a substitute for it.
I do get jealous of my wife on this front, though, because a small company on a shoestring budget can do more with cloud-based applications like this than a bigger, well-capitalized one. Ironic.
I think of this as an ongoing experiment. I love my job as a DBA – though, to be sure, every job comes with some challenges – and in many ways it's suited to remote work. I am finding it harder than I imagined, mostly because it's such a solitary existence, and because the lines between work and home are so blurred as to be almost erased. I have to keep changing techniques and trying different things to make it work well.
It's become clear that I should not wait for the next "teh aw3some" tool to come around, and instead focus on basics like process, communication, and habit to make the fundamental tools of RDP, phone and airplane work to their fullest.
P.S. I am grateful to SQL community friends Tom LaRock, Mike Walsh, and Aaron Bertrand for part of this remote work adventure.
Edit 23 April: A friend of mine reminded me how important it is to go back into the office and talk with people face to face. I thought I should add, since I didn't make this clear, that I do go back for three days or so every other month. That's vital to this whole arrangement. I try to pack those visits with meetings just so I can talk with people and get reacquainted.
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Hi Merrill,
I have worked remotely full time for over 4 years now, and have moved twice (once to a new state) during that time all with the same employer. Now that my kids are ages 3 and 2, I simply cant imagine driving to work for an hour or two a day, it seems like such a waste of time both productive and family. I liked your article, its pretty much spot on with my experiences, except I work at a very large company where many thousands of people work remotely and we have some great collaboration tools to make it work very well.
Thanks, Tony - I am really grappling with the tools thing. Not sure how to characterize a company that is aggressive about that vs. ... conservative? Fearful? Is it size? Percentage of remote workforce? Industry?
I'm currently in my second work-from-home stint (or, as my mother calls it, scam). One key feature that distinguishes them is the use of Skype throughout the day to communicate with others. Whether just an IM, a call or even a video call, it really does help to bring your co-workers together.
I completely agree with everything else that you've brought up here, and have experienced it myself. Dedicated office space (not just a computer on the dining room table) should be an absolute requirement. And, as you mentioned... with a door.
Regarding isolation - my first stint was without all of the tools, and it was very isolating. Even though I went to the office one day a week, that day turned into a "catch-up-with-everyone" day and was easily the least productive day of the week. It did have one positive impact - it turned my from an introvert into someone a wee bit more social.
Good luck with your new house, and to a long career of working from home!
At times over the past few months I've thought about writing a similar post, but I couldn't find the write words, and I'm still figuring things out so I was hesitant to write anything. I now realized that I will forever be "figuring things out". And, you have articulated many of my thoughts and experiences incredibly well - and pinpointed things I didn't realize (e.g. the benefits/drawbacks of no commute).
Thanks for a great post - will re-visit this one from time to time!
Thanks to Erin for pointing out this post! I've been working from home full-time for a year. What an adventure!
I agree that being able to draw the line between work time and home time is very, very hard. That's where a room with a door becomes necessary. Sometimes, I have to tell myself, "Tonight, I will shut down the laptop, turn off the light, close the door, and not walk in here." It requires discipline, and knowing that the work will still be there tomorrow, and it is OK to tackle it then.
I never thought I would miss the idle chit-chat, the water cooler talk. And I rarely do. I found out that what I miss is being able to say, out loud, "I have this idea. What do you think of it?" and getting immediate feedback. What have I done? I've built a local network that I can call or IM and ask for coffee or lunch. I've also built a work-from-home-posse, other people I know that work from home, that I can WebEx/Google Hangout/Skype/FaceTime when I need human contact. It's been great.
It's been a very big adjustment, but I don't know if I could go back to an 8-5 job in an office. The flexibility in hours and being able to have my own, dedicated space is the best!
Thanks y'all, for the support and the suggestions!


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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Legislature has approved a bill that would allow the state to quickly license hemp growers if the federal government ever lifts a ban on the crop.
Both chambers overwhelmingly passed the measure late Tuesday night, before lawmakers adjourned their 2013 session.
House Floor Leader Rocky Adkins said the measure would position Kentucky to quickly become a top producer of industrial hemp if federal officials change the plant's classification as a controlled substance.
Once a politically taboo idea, growing hemp has become an increasingly popular idea among Kentucky's elected leaders.
Hemp thrived as a crop in Kentucky generations ago but has been banned for decades. Agriculture Commissioner James Comer believes hemp could be an important crop for Kentucky farmers again.


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A full medical case history
and examination is the first prerequisite, including a comprehensive
personal and family history detailing all aspects of previous
health problems and current status. Questions relating to diet,
habits, emotional status, exercise, stress levels and a detailed
listing of symptoms is part of this. A full physical examination
is also required, most notably of all aspects of the circulatory
and respiratory systems.
An electrocardiogram and chest
Xray might be required as well as a number of blood tests.
Exercise tolerance tests may be used to see just how the functioning
of the heart, lungs and circulation responds to activity. A commonly
used procedure, before chelation therapy is started, and of major
importance in establishing a 'before' picture of circulatory efficiency,
is the use of what is known as bidirectional Doppler (sound
wave) examination.
This is a painless, noninvasive
use of sound waves (ultrasonic) which is used to investigate six
major arterial sites which relate to circulation to the brain,
as well as eight sites which relate to circulation to the legs.
The Doppler equipment gives readings which tell the doctor running
the tests three important pieces of information at each site:
2. It checks for any signs of capillary hardening in the brain, often associated with memory
loss and agerelated brain changes.
3. The major arteries are assessed for obstructions to normal flow of blood which could relate to overburdened heart function or deficient circulation to the legs.
This soundwave testing
takes about an hour and all findings are recorded on charts so
that later tests can be compared. This is also an excellent way
for the patient to appreciate visually the degree of current circulatory
Use of thermographically (heat)
sensitive film allows areas of the body which are not receiving
their full circulatory servicing to be photographed as a record
which can be compared with the same region after treatment.
Among other tests, an initial
one is performed (not for people with diabetes) after overnight
fasting (14 hours without food). This test is usually done around
midmorning, the last food (or coffee or sugar) having been
consumed around 9 pm the previous night. The fasting blood test
gives an accurate idea of cholesterol levels as well as other
key markers. Periodic monitoring of blood levels of cholesterol
and other elements (giving evidence of levels of blood fats, carbohydrates,
whether or not there is anaemia, infection, immune system problems,
liver or kidney dysfunction, etc.) is made during the chelation
treatment which can last for some months, with two or three infusions
per week.
Depending upon the condition
of the patient a blood sample may be required before each treatment,
or periodically.
A 24hour sample is required
for assessment of normal urinary output of creatinine, a key guide
as to kidney status. A periodic assessment is made of the creatinine
levels of the urine as the series of chelation treatments progress,
but this does not require collection of 24hour samples.
As with blood testing, the frequency of urine testing during a
series of chelation infusions will vary, depending on the nature
of the problem being treated and the health of the patient.
If there is any evidence that
the kidneys could not be expected to deal efficiently with the
elimination of EDTA during infusion, then the treatment series
would be delayed or stopped until this factor had been dealt with
appropriately. As we will see in a description of important research
by Doctors McDonagh, Rudolph and Cheraskin later in this chapter,
kidney dysfunction is often capable of being normalized by EDTA
chelation therapy
A computerized dietary analysis
(based on the filling in of lengthy questionnaires) of what the
patient eats is often required so that comprehensive dietary and
supplementation advice can be given to the person being chelated,
to complement the treatment.
In addition, saliva, sweat
and faeces may need to be tested for a variety of reasons, including
assessment of what the patient's current metabolic and nutrient
status is, how well foods are being digested and absorbed, etc.
Whether such tests are needed will depend upon the individual
problems being dealt with.
This noninvasive and
inexpensive method is also sometimes used to provide an accurate
indication of heavy metal toxicity as well as to give some idea
of the current mineral status of the body. The findings from this
and the other tests allow the doctor in charge to decide just
what balance of minerals should be added to the basic EDTA infusion
solution in order to obtain the best results.
Once it has been established
that there is a problem which could benefit from EDTA infusion,
a series of treatments are scheduled, either two or three times
per week. Most chelation centres treat patients in a group setting.
A large room with appropriate
seating (usually comfortable recliners) is all that is needed
(not unlike a hairdressing or beauty salon). There are several
advantages to this approach:
2. The costs can be reduced,
since fewer supervisory staff are required if patients are grouped
together in this way.
3. During the 3 1/2 hours of
the infusion the patient can read, doze, chat, watch TV, listen
to a pep talk on diet or exercise from a clinician (this is a
truly 'captive audience').
The infusion itself involves
the insertion into a vein (usually in the hand or forearm, but
sometimes the lower leg) of a needle which is attached to the
container (hung on an adjustable stand), from which is dripfed
around half a litre of fluid over the 3 1/2 hours' duration of
each treatment. This liquid usually contains 2 to 3 grams of EDTA
and whatever additional minerals the doctor has decided will best
help achieve a balanced blood content.
EDTA mixture
Among the other substances
often placed in solution with the EDTA are a complex of B vitamins,
vitamin C, magnesium (extremely useful for cardiovascular health)
and heparin (an anticoagulant, enough of which is sometimes
used just to prevent any clotting at the injection site). Cranton
suggests (Cranton and Frackelton, 1982) that since magnesium is
a natural calcium antagonist and also the ion least likely to
be removed by EDTA (see Chapter 4), and that it is relatively
deficient in many people with cardiovascular and circulatory problems,
it should be supplied with the chelation process. He suggests
that the best way to do this is to use magnesiumEDTA, which
would provide an efficient delivery system and thereby increase
magnesium stores in the body.
When the infusion is being
performed, the arm is kept stable as a rule by being taped to
a padded board which rests on a cushion for comfort. It is usually
quite possible (although it is not encouraged) for the patient
to move around freely during treatment (to visit the toilet, for
example) as long as the mobile infusion is wheeled alongside.
The rate at which the EDTA
solution is dripped into the bloodstream can be varied but usually
it is at a rate of one drop per second.
As a general rule, two, but
sometimes three, treatments are given each week, and a total of
anything from 20 (for relatively mild problems) to 30 infusions
in all comprise one complete series.
On a number of occasions (sometimes
at each visit) blood and urine testing (as well as other tests)
may be carried out to ensure that kidney and other functions are
operating sufficiently well to cope with the EDTA detoxification.
This is obviously more important in elderly patients or anyone
with compromised kidney function. In some instances where a great
deal of circulatory pathology exists, followup series of
chelation infusions might be encouraged, with many people showing
benefits after up to 100 infusions.
The EDTA is eliminated from
the body, 95 per cent via the kidneys and 5 per cent via the bile,
along with the toxic metals and free ionic calcium which it has
locked on to in its transit through the circulatory system.
In hospital settings, EDTA
infusions have in the past been given daily for up to five days,
followed by a twoday rest period for the kidneys. This protocol
is now discouraged by the American medical group with the most
experience of chelation, the American Academy of Medical Preventics.
General toxicity
Walker and Gordon (1982) inform
us that EDTA is far safer than aspirin, digoxin, tetracyclin,
ethyl alcohol or the nicotine from two cigarettes, in equivalent
therapeutic doses. EDTA is used in thousands of food products
(it is in most canned foods) and its toxicity is known to be extremely
In assessing the relative
toxicity of a substance a therapeutic index is established. Firstly,
the amount of the substance which would prove lethal to half the
animals in an experimental setting is discovered by the gruesome
process of increasing their intake until half of them die. This
is the LD50 measurement (LD for lethal dose). When this
amount is divided by the amount required for a therapeutic effect
we end with a number which is the therapeutic index.
The LD50 of EDTA is
2000 milligrams per kilo of body weight, whether taken orally
or intravenously. In comparison aspirin has a toxicity equal to
558 milligrams per kilo of body weight. So in general there is
no need for concern as to general toxicity with
EDTA usage, whether by mouth (see Chapter 9) or directly into the blood.


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Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou Speaks to 500+ Industry Leaders at SEMICON Taiwan Gala Dinner
Semiconductor Industry a Key Engine of Economic Growth in Taiwan
Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou presented to over 500 semiconductor industry leaders and diplomatic representatives from around the world at the SEMI Leadership Gala Dinner organized by SEMI Taiwan. Ma stated that for the past 20 years, the semiconductor industry has been an "economic bellwether for Taiwan, and a global powerhouse that has inspired tremendous pride for Taiwan." The combined efforts of industry and government have built Taiwan into the world's second largest manufacturer of computer and electronics hardware, with over 70 percent share of global markets in semiconductor, optoelectronic, and ICT products.
The output of Taiwan's semiconductor industry is still expected to remain steady at about NT$ 1.62 trillion this year and is expected to reach more than NT$ 2 trillion in 2015. The annual growth of Taiwan semiconductor industry is expected to outstrip the global semiconductor market growth to reach 6 percent this year. In addition to semiconductor industry, the Taiwanese LED manufacturing capacity accounts for 25 percent of the global total.
Taiwan's Investment Climate and Collaboration with the Semiconductor Industry
Ma emphasized that the impressive technologies and supply capacity built up by Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturers over a period of many years makes Taiwan ideal partners for foreign firms. In addition, an important and very tightly knit cooperative partnership has arisen between Taiwan's semiconductor industry and international semiconductor equipment and materials makers. For several years in a row, Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturers have topped the world in the amount of their equipment investments and material purchases.
On the other hand, Ma stated that Taiwan's semiconductor industry has a number of unique competitive advantages: a fully developed supply chain, superior R&D capability, outstanding human resources, and a government that is moving aggressively to create a high-quality investment environment to attract key international semiconductor makers to Taiwan.
Four of the world's five biggest semiconductor equipment makers have set up operations at science parks in Tainan, Hsinchu, and Linkou. Applied Materials of the United States, for example, has established the Tainan Manufacturing Center. Lam Research of the U.S. has an Advanced Global Training Center in Hsinchu. ASML of the Netherlands has an ASML Center of Excellence in Linkou. And Tokyo Electron Limited has an R&D and assembly operation in Hsinchu. Other noteworthy developments include the establishment of an R&D center by IMEC of Belgium, and plans by ASML to develop next-generation exposure equipment technology here in Taiwan.
According to Ma, Taiwan's location makes it an ideal for international corporations to establish their headquarters in Asia Pacific region. As the hub that connects Europe, the U.S., Japan and the emerging Asian markets, Taiwan has high economic and strategic value. Since the cross-strait relations have normalized and trade between the two sides continues to grow, Ma stated that Taiwan is an excellent choice for enterprises to enter into the Chinese market and to further expand their business in the world.
Ma encouraged multinational corporations "to collaborate with local Taiwanese firms, bolstering R&D operations in Taiwan, stepping up technical and training cooperation so that Taiwan can establish itself as a regional R&D center within the Asia Pacific region." SEMICON Taiwan organizers invited Toshiba, Panasonic and Siltronic to Taiwan on purchasing missions, and Ma stated his gratitude to these leading international manufacturers for their support, and called on other manufacturers to invest in Taiwan and source products there.
Green: Another Highlight of SEMICON Taiwan
Ma stated his concern that global warming and the energy crisis are "among the biggest problems facing mankind in the 21st century," which is why governments all over the world are promoting the development of green energy and green manufacturing to reduce carbon emissions. He recognized SEMICON Taiwan this year for adding an LED Taiwan Pavilion, a Green Manufacturing Gallery, and a series of international forums — all focusing on LED and green manufacturing.
Taiwan's government launched a "Dawning Green Energy Industry Program," which provides support for the development of seven green energy industries, including LED lighting and solar power. By the year 2015, Ma expects that the output of Taiwan's green energy industry to reach NT$ 1.15 trillion, making this the latest addition to the list of "trillion dollar industries" in Taiwan.
In recent years, innovative new semiconductor technologies have driven the development of new energy-saving products, such as LED lighting and solar batteries. Ma stated that these breakthroughs demonstrate that semiconductors have tremendous potential for new applications — and that rapidly growing base of middle-class consumers in the world's emerging economies will drive business opportunity for high-quality, low-cost products.
According to Ma, the activities and discussions at SEMICON Taiwan help deepen connections and strengthen cooperation between Taiwan's semiconductor firms and their overseas counterparts — keeping us more aware of future developments and business opportunities in the global marketplace.
September 17, 2012


text:
Balloon launched to honor girl floats to Pa.
Woman finds balloon hundreds of miles away
Balloon launched to honor girl floats to Pa.
Woman finds balloon hundreds of miles away
KINGS MILLS, Ohio —
One of the balloons released Thursday in a memorial to a local girl killed traveled all the way to Pennsylvania.
Students at Columbia Elementary released hundreds of balloons with Valentine's Day messages to 12-year-old Sammy Reagan, who was killed last month in a massive pileup crash on Interstate 275.
Images: Balloons for Sammy Reagan
A woman reported finding one of those balloons later Thursday in Allport, Pa., which is about 400 miles away from Kings Mills, where the balloons were launched.
The woman said she and a co-worker found the balloon in the parking lot of West Branch Area School.
The note on the balloon said, "C U in Heaven, Sammy. Love you, Caroline."
The woman who found the balloon said she has a 12-year-old son.


text:
|According to the
Metropolitan Museum's web site
"This picture was inspired by Church's second trip to South America in the
spring of 1857. Church sketched prolifically throughout his nine weeks travel
in Ecuador, and many extant watercolors and drawings contain elements found
in this work. The picture was publicly unveiled in New York at Lyrique Hall,
756 Broadway, on April 27, 1859. Subsequently moved to the gallery of the
Tenth Street Studio Building, it was lit by gas jets concealed behind silver
reflectors in a darkened chamber. The work caused a sensation, and twelve to
thirteen thousand people paid twenty-five cents apiece to file by it each
month. The picture was also shown in London, where it was greatly admired as
|Church actually
made more money from exhibiting his paintings in this way and from selling
engravings and lithographs of them than from selling the paintings


text:
By Ian Simpson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Transportation Security Administration said Friday it is removing controversial full-body scanners at U.S. airports and replacing them with new scanners that allow greater privacy.
The TSA canceled a contract with Rapiscan, a unit of OSI Systems Inc, on Thursday because the company had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers.
The TSA had faced widespread complaints from travelers that the Rapiscan equipment, using an X-ray technology called backscatter, had shown what looks like a naked image of passengers' bodies to security officers.
David Castelveter, a TSA spokesman, said they would be largely replaced by a scanner made by L-3 Communications Holdings that uses so-called millimeter technology. The radio wave device creates a generic outline that highlights the body area where an anomaly is detected.
The TSA "is in the process of removing all the backscatter units from ... airports where they are deployed and will replace most of them with millimeter wave technology," he said.
The TSA has 174 Rapiscan scanners at about 30 airports.
Peter Kant, a Rapiscan executive vice president, said the scanners would be stored at the company's expense. They would still belong to the TSA and could be used by other U.S. government agencies, he said.
TSA had increasingly relied on the full-body scanners after a Nigerian man allegedly tried to detonate a bomb hidden in his underwear aboard a transatlantic flight in December 2009. The bomb set off a rush to upgrade security to detect explosives underneath clothing.
TSA had given Rapiscan until June 2013 to come up with a software upgrade to prevent the scanner from projecting the naked image. TSA said in statement that it would be unable to meet the deadline.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


text:
Rafael Viñoly Architects was recently selected as the designer of the United States Senate's Edward M. Kennedy Institute. The new institute will be located adjacent to the existing John F. Kennedy Library and will be designed as a compliment to the famed library. The expansive block building is set to host a series of educational programs focused on bringing public awareness to the history and activities of the United States Senate. Still in their early planning stages, the world-renowned architecture firm recently released preliminary details of the construction, which underscored a design set on achieving LEED certification.
The 40,000 square foot Institute will take the form of a stacked box volume with two stories. The first floor will be constructed of white precast concrete with punched window openings, while the second story will reflect a similar but smaller square volume. The plan for a ribbon skylight has been applied to both visually separate the two volumes and extend to the lobby to provide natural light throughout the visitor entryway. The design program will be comprised mainly of classrooms and educational exhibits, in addition to a mock-up of the Senate Chamber. The overall aesthetic of the building and site have been designed to compliment the neighboring JFK Library.
Rafael Viñoly Architects, who have progressively been making a mark in sustainable design, have consciously implemented green design strategies in the plan of the new government institute. Exact details of what is to be employed is still yet to be known, but the team has made it clear they will be designing the institute to meet LEED standards. Construction is expected to begin this fall on the University of Massachusetts Boston campus.


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What are the Downsides and Upsides to Unsubsidized Federal Student Loans?
Mark Kantrowitz
April 23, 2012
As a guidance counselor, I have many families asking me if there's any downside to taking out a federal unsubsidized loan. They need loan money either way and the rates for the private loans are much higher than the government loans. Most advice sites and articles are very general in nature. Can you provide any specifics on what would be the downsides to accepting a federal student loan vs. a private student loan? — Michelle B.
Generally, students should borrow federal first because federal student loans are cheaper, more available and have better repayment terms than private student loans. But there are a few drawbacks to federal education loans.
Downsides to Federal Education Loans
The most significant downsides to federal education loans occur when a borrower defaults on the loans. The federal government has much stronger powers to compel repayment from defaulted borrowers than do private lenders. For example, the federal government can garnish up to 15% of disposable pay without a court order, while private lenders must get a judgment before they can get a wage garnishment order. (Disposable pay is defined as gross wages minus amounts required by law to be withheld.) The federal government can intercept federal and state income tax refunds, while private lenders cannot. The federal government can garnish up to 15% of Social Security disability and retirement benefit payments, while private lenders cannot. Collection charges of up to 25% of each payment are deducted before the rest of the payment is applied to accrued interest and the principal balance of the debt. The federal government can prevent renewal of a professional license. Borrowers who have defaulted on federal education loans can't enlist in the military and are ineligible for FHA and VA mortgages.
Another difference between federal and private student loans is the lack of a statute of limitations on federal education loans. Private student loans, on the other hand, are subject to a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for promissory notes, including those of private student loans, varies from 3 years to 15 years, depending on the state, with 6 years as the most common length of a statute of limitations.
Federal education loans are also not subject to the defense of laches, which argues that a debt is unenforceable because of an unreasonable and harmful delay in demanding payment. Borrowers also have an affirmative obligation to notify the holder of a federal education loan about changes in the borrower's address.
Federal student loans are not subject to a defense of infancy, unlike private student loans. Accordingly, private student loans require a prospective borrower to have reached the age of majority for his or her state of residence. This is age 18 in most states, except for Alabama and Nebraska, where it is age 19, and Indiana, Mississippi, New York and Puerto Rico, where it is age 21.
Federal education loans, except for the PLUS loan, have lower annual and aggregate loan limits than private student loans. But if a borrower has no choice but to borrow from the federal PLUS or private student loan programs, that may be a sign of over-borrowing.
The federal government is exempt from the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), unlike the lenders of private student loans. However, any private collection agencies employed by the federal government to collect defaulted federal education loans are subject to the FDCPA.
Private student loans are subject to better disclosure requirements under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) than federal education loans.
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text:
CHICAGO (AP) — A 2-year-old born without a windpipe now has a new one grown from her own stem cells.
She's the youngest patient in the world to benefit from the experimental treatment.
Hannah Warren had been unable to breathe, eat, drink or swallow on her own since she was born in 2010 in South Korea. Until the operation three weeks ago in Peoria, Ill., she had spent her entire life in a hospital in Seoul. Doctors there told her parents there was no hope and they expected her to die.
Doctors in Illinois announced Tuesday that the little girl is recovering and will likely lead a normal life.


text:
Skip to comments.A Viagra follow-up? Drug used to treat glaucoma actually grows human hair
Posted on 10/26/2012 11:48:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
If you're balding and want your hair to grow back, then here is some good news. A new research report appearing online in The FASEB Journal shows how the FDA-approved glaucoma drug, bimatoprost, causes human hair to regrow. It's been commercially available as a way to lengthen eyelashes, but these data are the first to show that it can actually grow human hair from the scalp.
"We hope this study will lead to the development of a new therapy for balding which should improve the quality of life for many people with hair loss," said Valerie Randall, a researcher involved in the work from the University of Bradford, Bradford, UK. "Further research should increase our understanding of how hair follicles work and thereby allow new therapeutic approaches for many hair growth disorders." To make this discovery, Randall and colleagues conducted three sets of experiments. Two involved human cells and the other involved mice. The tests on human cells involved using hair follicles growing in organ culture as well as those take directly from the human scalp. In both of these experiments, the scientists found that bimatoprost led to hair growth. The third set of experiments involved applying bimatoprost to the skin of bald spots on mice. As was the case with human cells, the drug caused hair to regrow. "This discovery could be the long-awaited follow up to Viagra that middle-aged men have been waiting for," said Gerald Weissmann, MD, editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal. "Given that the drug is already approved for human use and its safety profile is generally understood, this looks like a promising discovery that has been right in front of our eyes the whole time. On to the front of our scalp!" More information: FASEB J doi:10.1096/fj.12-218156 Journal reference: FASEB Journal search and more info website
Who would want a hairy eyeball?
Who would want a hairy eyeball?
Me, for one..........
The stuff is actually reported to grow hair along the entire lower eyelid and upper cheekbone. It is supposed to be applied at night and of course, it can smear and transfer to the cheek.
I asked an esthetician friend about using it for sparse eyebrows and she said: "Not unless you want to end up looking like Einstein."
If there was such a pill to take that would give me hair like Eddie Van Halen had in 1984, I'd be freebasing that stuff right now.
My mom uses one of those eyelash growing gels, and the results are amazing. She looks like she's wearing false eyelashes, but she's not.
Rubbed on the forehead it opens the third eye, and gives it lashes and brows too?
Have you tried it on your head?..........
I am a Professional Photographer and for many of my shoots, I have a Hair and MUA (Make Up Artist) there.
Usually the girls come over with no makeup on at all and let the Artist do the work which also includes False Eye Lashes.
One gal came over and I swear that she already had False Lashes on. She said....Nope it is from Latisse.
Longest thickest "natural" eyelashes that I have seen.
I could use about a gallon of it............
Latisse?....does it come in a spray can?..............
LOL........I almost bought some.............
Just be thankful you weren't one of those early recipients of a hair transplant like the middle eastern looking guy in the infomercial.
So, if I get a cowlick that stands for more than 4 hours, should I call my doctor?
I put a gob of it on my ole bald head and went to bed
it got warm and oozed to my back
now I have a combover between my shoulders
I needed a laugh - but not coffee on my keyboard
This is encouraging! I need something to replace "Zeng Zau's Cure for Baldness." I don't like the issues it causes with my, my, err, well, my Man Parts.
I use the drops for glaucoma in only one eye. I've used them for about 4 months. "Longer and darker eyelashes" is listed as a side effect. I do think mine have grown a little on the eyelids where I use it.
Try a drop or two on your bald spots, if any.........
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Surprise in literature is exactly what you might think. It's when something happens in the story that your reader didn't expect—not one little bit. The surprise often comes at the end of a story, in which case it might be called a 'twist' (I wrote about this in the 'resolution' class). But it might also occur at any point in the story once the reader is familiar with the characters and the setting. At that point—just when your reader is just starting to feel comfortable—a surprising element might be introduced. A surprise at the climax of a story, for example, might determine the direction of all of the falling action.
Here are some familiar examples of surprise in literature and film (can you think of others?):
1. The story of Joseph in Genesis—Surprise! The pharaoh's right-hand man is the brother you sold into slavery!
2. Star Wars—Surprise! Luke, I'm your father!
3. To Kill a Mockingbird—Surprise! Reclusive Boo Radley just came out and saved your brother's life!
4. The Lottery—Surprise! The lottery "winner" gets stoned to death!
5. Oedipus—Surprise! You married your mother!
6. The Sixth Sense—Surprise! The psychologist has been dead all along!
Notice that in some cases, the characters in the story aren't surprised at all—but the audience sure is, and that's the idea.
A great surprise—no matter where it falls in a story—can really make your story memorable. Generally, readers enjoy that moment of revelation, and it often sends them back to the beginning for a second read, to see if there were any clues that they should have picked up on. Which leads me to…
Tip #1: Leave a clue or two. This is tricky, because you don't want to jab your reader in the ribs and wink at her. That's too obvious, and will spoil the surprise. It's just not satisfying to think I saw that coming from a mile away. You want to find a way to subtly plant a clue, a physical object or a bit of foreshadowing, in an early paragraph—something that will cause your reader to smack her forehead and think why didn't I see that coming?
Tip #2: Don't fall into the trap of introducing a surprise for the sole purpose of getting your character out of a jam. If poor Susie is about to lose everything she owns because of debt and bad fortune and that no-good husband who left her, don't end your story with Ed McMahon knocking on the door with champagne and roses. It's taking the easy way out, and you can do better. Tiptoeing carefully here now, and putting on my writer's hat but setting aside my halo for a second—I always feel a little bit cheated when I read a story where the conflict is solved by angelic intervention or miraculous coincidence, or an outright miracle. Yes, I know that angels do indeed intervene and that miracles do indeed happen. But from a purely literary point-of-view--I feel that I've missed out on all of the falling action of a story. In addition, it always makes me feel sorry for people who've found themselves in similar pickles and for whom God has had less spectacular solutions.
Think about this, the next time you're going to write about an angelic intervention or a miracle: Then what happened? Keep going with the story, and show the impact of that event. Shake it up a little.
And don't even get me started on it was only a dream. Three words: Don't. Do. It.
Tip #3 is for those of you who may feel that you don't know how to put surprise into your story. If you've ever had a comment along that lines of I figured out the ending or that might have been a tad predictable, then this is for you. Think about your conflict, and what the usual or expected outcome might be. Lonely single woman? She's going to find a man. Estranged family members? They're going to be reconciled. Someone have a phobia? They'll face that fear and conquer it.
So…have something different happen. You can still have a happy ending—just have a different happy ending. Or as I mentioned above, resolve the conflict before the ending, and keep going. Twist it. And if you feel really twisted, don't give it the happy ending at all.
Homework: Give us some other examples of surprise in literature or film. OR post a question or a comment on something in this lesson. OR link to a story of yours that features a surprise. If you give us a link, PLEASE also talk about your use of surprise in that story.
Not sure if I'll be able to post next week: we're travelling to Kansas City for a party to celebrate the publication of my brother's book (Thin Blue Smoke, available in bookstores in the UK and at amazon.com, or here for a 30% discount)…If I get it written before we leave, I'll leave it with a friend to post for me Sunday evening. Otherwise, you have a week off. Enjoy.
Next week: Suspense


text:
LONDON- A surprised world greeted the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to U.S. President Barack Obama with a mixture of praise and skepticism on Friday.
In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee hailed Obama's
"extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and
cooperation between peoples."
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg referred to Obama's work
for peace and disarmament, saying: "This is a surprising, an exciting
prize. It remains to be seen if he will succeed with reconciliation,
peace and nuclear disarmament."
Afghanistan's Taliban mocked the award, saying it was absurd to give it to Obama when he had ordered 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan this year.
"The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the 'Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians'," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the U.N. International Atomic
Energy Agency -- awarded the prize in 2005 -- said: "I cannot think of
anyone today more deserving of this honor. In less than a year in
office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world
we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a
statement: "The award of the prize to President Obama, leader of the
most significant military power in the world, at the beginning of his
mandate, is a reflection of the hopes he has raised globally with his
vision of a world without nuclear weapons."
In the Middle East, chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said the award could be a good omen for peace in the region.
"We hope that he will be able to achieve peace in the Middle East
and achieve Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders and establish an
independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its
capital," he told Reuters
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told army radio he believed the
award would enhance Obama's ability "to contribute to establishing
regional peace in the Middle East and a settlement between us and the
Palestinians that will bring security, prosperity and growth to all the
peoples of the region."
The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and opposes a peace treaty with Israel, was more skeptical.
"Unless real and deep-rooted change is made in American policy
toward recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people I would think
such a prize would be useless," Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas prime minister in
the Gaza Strip, told reporters after Friday prayers.
Saleh al-Mutlaq, a senior Iraqi Sunni Muslim lawmaker, told Reuters:
"I think he deserves this prize. Obama succeeded to make a real change
in the policy of the United States -- a change from a policy that was
exporting evil to the world to a policy exporting peace and stability
to the world."
In Indonesia, Masdar Mas'udi, deputy head of Indonesia's largest
Muslim organization Nahdatul Ulama, said: "I think it's a good thing. I
think it's appropriate because he is the only American president who
has reached out to us in peace. On the issues of race, religion, skin
color, he has an open attitude."
In Pakistan, Liaqat Baluch, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami,
a conservative religious party, said: "It's a joke. How embarrassing
for those who awarded it to him because he's done nothing for peace.
What change has he brought in Iraq, the Middle East or Afghanistan?"
South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu, awarded the prize himself in
1984, hailed the award as "a magnificent endorsement for the first
African American president in history."
Two other former recipients, Mikhail Gorbachev and Wangari Maathai, were among the first to offer their congratulations.
Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader awarded the prize in 1990, was
quoted by Itar-Tass news agency as saying: "In these hard times people
who are capable of taking responsibility, who have a vision, commitment
and political will should be supported."
Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist who won in 2004, referred to
Obama's mixed heritage of a Kenyan father and American mother, called
it "another very encouraging event for Africa."
From Obama's ancestral village of Kogelo in western Kenya his uncle
Said Obama told Reuters: "It is humbling for us as a family and we
share in Barack's honor. We congratulate him."
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangarai, who had been among the
favorites to win this year, said Obama was an extraordinary example.
"I wish to congratulate President Obama. I think he is a deserving candidate," he told Reuters during a visit to Spain.
Writing by Andrew Dobbie; Editing by Angus MacSwan


text:
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Learn to animate the Disney way. But not before plunging 13 floors and scurrying through our brand new 'Rattraction'.
Absorb the glitz of the silver screen, as an all-star cast of Characters lead you from behind the scenes to centre stage.
Dine like an A-lister with a scene stealing supper or taste a Chef Remy special at eateries fit for Hollywood.
Please note, because of unforeseen circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions or important maintenance work, changes to opening times, attraction closures and parade cancellations are subject to occur without prior notice.


text:
Deep Throat, Antihero
His unmasking makes everybody look a little less noble.
For years the better class of Deep Throat sleuth—discriminating, Campari-sipping sophisticates like James Mann, Nora Ephron, Richard Nixon, Washingtonian magazine, Chase Culeman-Beckman, Ronald Kessler, and yours truly—have been fingering W. Mark Felt, former deputy associate director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as the likely anonymous source described by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in All the President's Men. What the theory lacked in originality it more than made up for in plausibility. One month before the Watergate break-in, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had died. Hoover loyalists at the bureau were frantic that President Richard Nixon would get his mitts on the FBI, which Hoover had kept independent of political control through a variety of nasty methods, including blackmail. The Hooverites' bureaucratic anxieties were well-founded: After the Watergate break-in, Hoover's acting successor, a Nixon loyalist named L. Patrick Gray, routinely passed FBI files about Watergate directly to White House counsel John Dean, who was a party to (but eventually would expose) the White House's illegal coverup. In effect, the White House ended up knowing everything the FBI knew. (That's why it seemed so plausible that, if not Felt, Deep Throat might be Deputy White House Counsel Fred Fielding, a theory that, I regret to say, undermined in recent years my previous rock-solid conviction that it was Felt, or at least some other high-ranking G-man—case closed.) Felt pushed back by helping Woodward and Bernstein discover that high-level White House aides were in up to their necks in Watergate, up to and including Nixon.
The July 2005 Vanity Fair piece fingering Felt as Deep Throat has now been confirmed by Bob Woodward. Why did Felt maintain his silence for so long? Part of the reason, I imagine, is that Felt knew his prosaic, bureaucratic-infighting motive was at least as strong as any moralistic desire to expose the truth about the crooks in the White House. That tarnishes Deep Throat's luster a little. Also, Felt's previous brush with national publicity involved his criminal conviction for bypassing warrants in his investigation of the Weather Underground. Ronald Reagan pardoned him, but it was a deeply painful experience, and Felt thinks the stress contributed to his wife's early death. It would only be logical that he'd avoid the spotlight after that. Possibly, too, he could imagine that the press would note that Deep Throat shared with Nixon an enthusiasm for illegal break-ins.
But the main reason, I think, was that Felt saw his leaks as a betrayal of the FBI. Six years ago, I asked Felt (who at that point was still denying he was Deep Throat) whether, if he were Deep Throat, that would be so terrible. His reply:
It would be terrible. This would completely undermine the reputation that you might have as a loyal, logical employee of the FBI. It just wouldn't fit at all.
But wasn't Deep Throat a hero?
That's not my view at all. It would be contrary to my responsibility as a loyal employee of the FBI to leak information.
Now that we know Felt was Deep Throat, I have a few bones to pick with Woodward and Bernstein. One is that, in All the President's Men, Deep Throat is described as a heavy smoker. But Felt quit smoking in 1943. I suppose Woodstein would call this necessary misdirection. I call it conscious fabrication, however trivial. Also, a November 1973 Woodward and Bernstein Post story sourced anonymously to "White House sources" is described in All the President's Men as being sourced to Deep Throat. Yet Felt was not a "White House source." It's conceivable that Deep Throat was an additional, unacknowledged source on the story, but it's also possible that Woodward and Bernstein were misleading readers about where they got their information. Which was it, gentlemen? Finally, why did Woodward, in a 1979 Playboy interview with J. Anthony Lukas, flatly deny that Deep Throat was anyone inside the "intelligence community"? The FBI, where Felt worked, is most definitely part of the intelligence community. But take a look at this exchange:
Lukas: Do you resent the implication by some critics that your sources on Watergate—among them the fabled Deep Throat—may have been people in the intelligence community?
Woodward: I resent it because it's untrue. As you know, I'm not going to discuss the identity of Deep Throat or any other of my confidential sources who are still alive. But let me just say that this suggestion that we were being used by the intelligence community was of concern to us at the time and afterward. When somebody first wrote the article saying about me, "Wait a minute; this is somebody in an intelligence agency who doesn't like Nixon and is trying to get him out," I took that seriously.
The CIA is an agency with professional covert manipulators who try to alter events by deceiving people and directing them, running them like an intelligence agent. I have revisited this question of disinformation—I'd rather not go into how it was done—but I've satisfied myself and others that that was not the case.
When I first looked at this, I concluded that Woodward was probably thinking of the FBI not as an "intelligence" agency but as a "crime-fighting" agency. On further reflection, though, that didn't seem plausible—the Vietnam-era controversies about the FBI's domestic spying were still fresh in everybody's mind. This made me, for a time, conclude that I'd been wrong to think that Mark Felt was Deep Throat. It never occurred to me that Woodward would actually lie. Why did you lie to Tony Lukas, Bob?
Deep Throat Archive: Feb. 14, 2005: Rehnquist Wasn't Deep Throat
May 13, 2003: Was Fred Fielding Deep Throat? Part 3
May 8, 2003: Was Fred Fielding Deep Throat? Part 2
April 28, 2003: Was Fred Fielding Deep Throat?
June 17, 2002: John Dean Says Deep Throat Was Not a G-Man
May 8, 2002: Yes, Virginia, There Is a Deep Throat
May 2, 2002: Why Did Bob Woodward Lunch With Mark Felt in 1999?
May 1, 2002: Salon and John Dean's Deep Throat Candidate Revealed!
July 28, 2000: Len Garment Kills the Messenger
Oct. 7, 1999: Nixon: I Am Not an Anti-Semite
Aug. 9, 1999: The Final Word on Deep Throat (So Far)
July 29, 1999: Deep Throat: The Game Is Afoot
July 26, 1999: Another Bulletin From the Deep Throat Desk
June 24, 1999 Deep Throat Revealed (One Last Time)


text:
Offense certainly on Emery's mind
Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell -- who is expected to interview later this week in Seattle -- would be the eighth offensive coordinator in the running to succeed Lovie Smith as the Bears' head coach.
Bears general manager Phil Emery has already interviewed six candidates, and he has four more scheduled for this week. Two finalists are expected for second interviews late this week.
The Bears' list (so far)Here are the coaches who have or who are scheduled to interview with Bears:
Ÿ Bruce Arians, Colts offensive coordinator (later this week)
Ÿ Keith Armstrong, Falcons special teams coordinator (Jan. 1)
Ÿ Darrell Bevell, Seahawks offensive coordinator (Thursday)
Ÿ Pete Carmichael, Saints offensive coordinator (Jan. 3)
Ÿ Tom Clements, Packers offensive coordinator (Thursday)
Ÿ Joe DeCamillis, Cowboys special teams coach (Jan. 5)
Ÿ Rick Dennison, Texans offensive coordinator (later this week)
Ÿ Mike McCoy, Broncos offensive coordinator (Jan. 6)
Ÿ Mike Priefer, Vikings special teams coordinator (TBA)
Ÿ Mike Singletary, Vikings assistant linebackers coach (TBA)
Ÿ Mike Sullivan, Bucs offensive coordinator (Jan. 4 )
Ÿ Marc Trestman, Montreal Alouettes head coach (Jan. 7)
Bevell, 43, has been Seattle's offensive coordinator the past two seasons. The Seahawks were ninth in scoring and 17th in total offense this season after ranking 28th in offense in 2011.
Before he joined Pete Carroll in Seattle, Bevell was the Vikings' offensive coordinator from 2006-10. He was hired in Minnesota by head coach Brad Childress, his former offensive coordinator when he was a quarterback at Northern Arizona and Wisconsin.
Bevell has a long history with Childress, an Aurora native and Marmion Military Academy graduate. Childress recruited Bevell to Northern Arizona after bigger schools like BYU lost interest in him when he suffered a broken finger on his throwing hand early in his senior season at Chapparal High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bevell redshirted as a freshman at Northern Arizona and would have been in the competition for the starting job the next season. Instead, he spent the next two years in Cleveland on a Mormon Church mission.
In the interim, Childress moved on to the University of Utah. He offered Bevell a scholarship but was turned down because the quarterback wanted to complete his mission. By the time he did, Childress was at Wisconsin. This time the coach successfully recruited Bevell, who became a three-year starter and led the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 30 years and, the next year, to their first-ever Rose Bowl victory in 1994.
But he went undrafted in 1995 and failed to catch on in the NFL as a free agent.
After several years coaching at the college level, Bevell landed in Green Bay. He was the Packers' quarterbacks coach from 2003-05 after spending the previous three seasons as an offensive assistant. He was succeeded as the Packers' QB coach by Tom Clements, now the team's offensive coordinator -- who is also scheduled to interview with the Bears later this week.
Emery interviewed Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy in Denver on Sunday and Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman, a former offensive coordinator with four NFL teams, on Monday in Chicago.
He has already interviewed Falcons special-teams coach Keith Armstrong, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and Cowboys special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis. Emery is also scheduled to talk with Clements, Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians later this week. Arians was released Monday afternoon from a Baltimore hospital after falling ill Sunday and missing the Colts' 24-9 playoff loss to the Ravens on Sunday.
He is expected to begin interviewing for head-coaching opportunities soon. In addition to the Bears, Arians is also expected to interview with the Eagles, Browns and Chargers.
Late Monday, Emery announced he also plans to interview Vikings assistant linebackers coach and former Bears great Mike Singletary, and Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.
•The Bears signed quarterback Matt Blanchard and wide receiver Terrence Toliver to reserve-future contracts Monday. Only players who were not on any NFL team's 53-man roster at the conclusion of the 2012 season are eligible to sign reserve-future contracts for the 2013 season. Blanchard, a Lake Zurich High School graduate, spent most of the season on the Bears' practice squad.


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Animal shelters join together to raise awareness of homeless petsBy LARISSA MULKERN
Special to the Union Leader
February 10. 2013 10:17PM
A dozen animal shelters in the state have formed a coalition that will use social media and the Internet to raise funds and awareness about the work they do to save homeless pets.
The group, New Hampshire PetSave, at nhpetsave.org, will host a two-day, online fundraiser from March 21 to 22 with a goal of raising $100,000 on behalf of all member shelters, according to PetSave Founder Anita Burroughs. In an interview last week, Burroughs explained the genesis of PetSave.
Burroughs said last week that she was inspired by a Minnesota initiative that raised money for 3,400 charities.
"I said, "Wow, this is great,' and thought this was something we could do together to benefit animals," she said.
The PetSave project was made possible through grants from its largest benefactor, ASPCA, the New Hampshire Federation of Humane Organizations and the Cogswell Benevolent Trust.
The member shelters include the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, Bedford, Conway Area Humane Society, Conway, Cocheco Valley Humane Society, Dover, Concord-Merrimack SPCA, Concord, Humane Society for Greater Nashua, Nashua, Lakes Regional Humane Society, Ossipee, Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter, Manchester, Monadnock Humane Society, Swanzey, New Hampshire Humane Society, Laconia, the New Hampshire SPCA in Stratham, the Salem Animal Rescue League, and the Upper Valley Humane Society, Enfield. Together, these shelters have rescued more than 18,500 cats and dogs in New Hampshire, according to the PetSave website. They provide medical attention and adoption/surrender services and organize low-cost spay/neuter clinics, humane education, ongoing support and training, disaster preparedness education and assist with hoarding and animal cruelty investigations.
Burroughs said the group wants to "shine a flashlight" on the work each does on behalf of homeless animals, and that collaborating through PetSave may provide more opportunities for grants and press coverage.
She said while a time has not been set in stone, the PetSave 48-hour online fundraiser will be promoted at the New Hampshire State House on March 13, when participating members - and one or two pets from those shelters - will join together to publicize the event.
In its first year, PetSave had already raised $17,000 through grants and sponsorships, with the ASPCA as the lead supporter, said Burroughs. "We're just basically an umbrella organization. I'm a volunteer and get no salary, so all the money raised through PetSave goes directly to the shelters," she said.
She said nonprofit groups across the country see the increasing power of social media.
"We want to let new people know about us and what we're doing. I think social media can make a huge difference, and nonprofits that are not utilizing social media will be at a significant disadvantage," she said.
Local shelters such as the Lakes Region Humane Society in Ossipee are already harnessing the power of the Internet through its own YouTube and Facebook pages and online fundraising tools such as helpshelterpets.com, an online animal-themed art and note card store that donates 10 percent of sales to animal shelters of the donor's choice, including LRHS.
More information about PetSave can be found at facebook.com/petsavenh, twitter.com/petsavenh and on Pinterest at pinterest.com/petsave/.


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Charles Mitchell won't be able to hear the crowd noise or announcements when he goes to a University of Kentucky football game this fall, but he will be able to track announcements and read the words to My Old Kentucky Home.
Mitchell, a football season-ticket holder from Lancaster who is deaf, and the university have settled a lawsuit over closed-captioning at Commonwealth Stadium. The parties told U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood on Tuesday they had reached an agreement.
One of Mitchell's attorneys, Laren Knoll of Columbus, Ohio, told The Associated Press that captions for all public address announcements, including play-by-play and player introductions, should be on the scoreboard and ribbon boards, as well as televisions in the concourse areas when the Wildcats kick off on Sept. 8 against Kent State. Knoll said the practice started late last year, but should be fully implemented by the 2012 season.
"It's a good start," Knoll said. "Hopefully, he feels more included this year."
University of Kentucky spokesman DeWayne Peevy said the school added the captioning when it spent $6.5 million to install new scoreboards and ribbon boards at the stadium last year. Peevy did not have a specific cost for adding closed-captioning to the boards.
"We put it all in together," Peevy said.
Mitchell sued in May seeking to force the Southeastern Conference school to put captions for all game announcements on the scoreboards of the stadium under the Americans With Disabilities Act, which bars discrimination against people with disabilities. The suit was similar to cases brought against Ohio State University of the Big 10 Conference and the NFL's Washington Redskins.
The Kentucky lawsuit arose about a year ago after Mitchell sent an email to the University of Kentucky requesting the school provide captioning at Commonwealth Stadium for home football games.
Knoll said the school didn't respond to that request and denied a similar request from individuals who were deaf or hard of hearing.
The final settlement paperwork hasn't been filed with the court, but is due to Hood by March 2. Knoll said along with announcements, the school will put up the lyrics to My Old Kentucky Home, which is traditionally sung at games, and The Star Spangled Banner.
Marc Charmatz, an attorney with the National Association of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md., and one of Mitchell's attorneys, said the university's decision opens more accommodations for the deaf and hard of hearing.
"From a national perspective, having the NFL, Big 10 and SEC ... provide equal access, that's a terrific result," Charmatz said.
In the case of the Redskins, the team added closed-captioning to the scoreboard of Fed-Ex Field shortly after three people sued in 2006.
A federal judge ruled that the team's failure to put the lyrics of songs played in the stadium on the scoreboard, among other omissions, violated the law. A federal appeals court upheld that decision last year.
Ohio State spends about $3,000 per football game and $1,000 to $1,500 for other athletic events on the accommodation. The school captions all public address and play-by-play announcements at the bottom of a large video scoreboard of the football stadium and on television screens in the concourse areas.
The Kentucky lawsuit does not address other sports. Knoll said she's hoping schools will add captioning wherever possible to accommodate deaf fans at all sports.
"After Ohio State did this, we're looking for the ripple effect for people to take on this issue on their own," Knoll said.


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PAHA mismanagement goes to Appropriations Committee
Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley cites Port Arthur Housing Authority as an example of a government-funded agency that is in need of more oversight to prevent wasteful spending in an October report presented to the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
The Republican senator had previously made his assertions about the troubled PAHA in a July 25 letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. In the HUD correspondence, Grassley asked for additional information relating to the Office of the Inspector General June audit, which concludes PAHA mismanaged about $6 million of taxpayer money.
"What (Grassley) is really after is making sure HUD is on top of what's going on at local housing authorities," Grassley media liaison Jill Gerber said. "HUD's limited oversight has proven not to be enough."
In July, Grassley requested information from HUD Secretary Donovan pertaining to PAHA and its related nonprofits including the Port Arthur Affordable Housing Corporation and the Port Arthur Housing Opportunities Corporation. Among the data Grassley asked for was "a copy of the current executive director's employment contract and all financial statements filed by the PAHA, and/or its instrumentality, to HUD, including any statements made about executive director salary and all benefits," "copies of all PAHA financial statements, audits and the management representation letters provided by the auditors," "all legal bills and professional fees paid by PAHA" and "all travel and vehicle usage records for employees at PAHA as well as the PAHA Board members."
According to Grassley, when PAHA received news of the OIG audit findings of gross questionable spending, "Unfortunately, rather than accepting responsibility, the PAHA submitted a combative 16-page response." He said, "PAHA responded to all audit requests through an outside law firm and required that outside lawyers were present when OIG auditors interviewed PAHA staff members. I have raised concerns about similar tactics used by law firms at the Philadelphia Public Housing Authority that cost taxpayers over $35 million."
Donovan has yet to respond to Grassley's request for information.
Grassley's recent message to the Committee on Appropriations urged fellow senators to help ensure the appropriate spending of tax dollars after housing authority scandals across the country have revealed wasted funding and abuse of the public trust in a vacuum of oversight.
"The agency has taken a few positive steps, but progress has been too slow," Grassley said. "The agency seems to get involved in oversight of local housing authorities only after the fact, when the abuse has occurred and local media have documented the problems. For the public benefit, we need to reverse the timeframe."


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Katie LaPotin, Red Alert Politics, December 12, 2012
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's critics are once again attacking him for his largesse.
The most recent attack came from ABC's Barbara Waltersduring an interview for her annual "Most Fascinating People" special, which airs tonight at 9:30pm Eastern time.
In the interview, a clip of which played on ABC's "Good Morning America" today, Walters rudely asks the Republican Governor about how his weight would affect his ability to serve as President should he decide to run and be elected.
"OK, governor, I feel very uncomfortable asking this question when I'm sitting opposite you, but you are a little overweight," Walters told Christie.
"More than a little," Christie responded.
"Why?" Walters brazenly asked.
"If I could figure that out, I'd fix it," Christie said.
"There are people who say you couldn't be president because you're so heavy," Walters continued.
"That's ridiculous. I mean, that's ridiculous," Christie tells her. "I don't know what the basis for that it is."
Walters: "I think they're worried about your health."
Christie: "Well I've done this job pretty well. I think people watched me for the last number of weeks during Hurricane Sandy doing 18-hour days and getting back up the next day and still being just as effective in the job so I don't think that will be a problem."
The loud-mouthed governor, who has been much aligned throughout his political career for his girth, was included in Walters' "Most Fascinating People of 2012″ list for his superb reaction to Superstorm Sandy in late October, which devastated the Garden State and its infamous shoreline.
Christie's approval numbers have surged among Jersey voters in the past seven weeks since the storm. Theaggregate approval rating for the governor is 73 percent, according to Talking Points Memo's PollTracker.
Governor Christie is up for reelection in November, and is currently the heavy favorite (no pun intended) to win. He holds a double-digit lead over popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who is a rising star in the Democratic Party and the candidate believed to have the best chance of making the race competitive next fall.
While New Jersey residents may have a more favorable opinion of their Chief Executive than they did before the hurricane, not everyone in his own political party is currently enamored with him. Many conservatives have tried topin some of the blame for Mitt Romney's loss in last month's presidential election on the New Jersey governor, citing his decision to publicly appear with President Obama while touring areas devastated by the storm and to forgo attending a rally in suburban Philadelphia 72-hours before Election Day as reasons the former Massachusetts Governor came up short.
Americans planning to watch the special in full tonight may have to DVR it. Tonight is also the "12-12-12" Concert at Madison Square Garden to benefit victims of Superstorm Sandy in Christie's home state of New Jersey as well as New York and Connecticut. The concert will be headlined by several local acts, including John Bon Jovi, Billy Joel and Christie's favorite musician, Bruce Springsteen.


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JACKSON, Ohio (AP) — A middle school in Ohio will be forced to permanently remove a portrait of Jesus from its school grounds and pay nearly $100,000 after reaching a settlement Friday with two groups, including the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The settlement requires the Jackson City School District in southern Ohio to pay the ACLU and Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation damages and legal fees totaling $95,000.
The two sides had a tentative agreement months ago that bogged down in more legal filings after the two groups said the school district continued to keep the Jesus portrait, and displayed it on the school lawn during a prayer meeting. Court filings show the portrait was also visible to those entering an art-storage area.
"All of this was unnecessary," said James Hardiman, legal director for ACLU of Ohio. "The law is pretty clear ... the display of this particular kind of religious artifact (in a public school) is unconstitutional."
He said U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley in Columbus accepted the settlement Friday.
Superintendent Phil Howard said in a statement that the district's attorneys believed settling was the "best case scenario" at this point because legal fees were "mounting by the day."
He said the district's insurance will pay the nearly $95,000 and taxpayers will not be liable for the damages and legal fees.


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All night, you could hear the carpet-bombing by the B-52s. It was a long, low rumble, sometimes for minutes. The targets, presumably the Republican Guards, must have been 30 miles away but, each time that ominous, dark sound began, the air pressure changed in the room where I'm staying near the Tigris river. I've put some flowers in a vase near the window and the water in it was gently shaking all night as the vibrations came out of the ground and air. God spare anyone under that, I thought.
"When we have our soldiers at the front," Tariq Aziz, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, had told us hours earlier, "you don't expect us to line them up for you to shoot at, do you?" We had laughed merrily but I didn't laugh now. Surely Saddam Hussein's praetorian guard could not be sitting this out in the desert, tanks abreast, soldiers out in the open? So what were the B-52s aiming at?
From time to time, I poked my head out of the window. Far away to the south-west, there would come a pale, dangerous red glow, sometimes for a second, sometimes for five seconds, a glow that would grow to perhaps a square mile then suddenly evaporate, its penumbra moving back into darkness. The forward US Marines were, so the BBC told the world in the early hours yesterday, only 60 miles from Baghdad. I could believe it.
The long hours of darkness are difficult for Iraqis. They play cards. They sleep when the silence between air raids allows. I'm reading by night a biography of Sir Thomas More that becomes more perilously appropriate to this fearful drama. Only a few hundred yards from my bedroom is a massive statue of President Saddam, right arm upraised in greeting to his ghostly people, left hand smartly at his side, as if on parade. The young Thomas More would have understood its meaning. A tyrant, he wrote, is a man who allows his people no freedom, who is "puffed up by pride, driven by the lust of power, impelled by greed, provoked by thirst for fame".
Yet yesterday morning, 20 miles from Baghdad, ordinary Iraqis, without the presence of the "minders" who dog our heels, spoke of George Bush in just such language. I was standing on what may soon become the Baghdad front line, perhaps 10 miles from the B-52 bombings, 30 miles from the nearest US Marines, and behind me coils of black smoke were towelling into the sky from the burning oil berms. A ferocious storm was blasting sand into our faces, turning the sky a dark, bloody orange, the ground shaking gently as the B-52s came back.
A senior Iraqi business executive wanted to explain how slender was the victory the Americans were claiming. "Throughout history, Iraq has been called Mesopotamia," he said. "This means 'the land between the two rivers'. So unless you are between the two rivers, this means you are not in Iraq. General Franks should know this." Alas for the businessman, the US Marines were, as we spoke, crossing the Euphrates under fire at Nasiriyah yesterday as hundreds of women and children fled their homes between the bridges. But still, by yesterday evening, only 50 or so American tanks had made it to the eastern shore, into "Mesopotamia". It didn't spoil the man's enthusiasm.
"Can you imagine the effect on the Arabs if Iraq gets out of this war intact?" he asked. "It took just five days for all the Arabs to be defeated by Israel in the 1967 war. And already we Iraqis have been fighting the all-powerful Americans for five days and still we have held on to all of our cities and will not surrender. And imagine what would happen if Iraq surrendered. What chance would the Syrian leadership have against the demands of Israel? What chance would the Palestinians have of negotiating a fair deal with the Israelis? The Americans don't care about giving the Palestinians a fair deal. So why should they want to give the Iraqis a fair deal?"
This was no member of the Baath Party speaking. This was a man with degrees from universities in Manchester and Birmingham. A colleague had an even more cogent point to make. "Our soldiers know they will not get a fair deal from the Americans," he said. "It's important that they know this. We may not like our regime. But we fight for our country. The Russians did not like Stalin but they fought under him against the German invaders. We have a long history of fighting the colonial powers, especially you British. You claim you are coming to 'liberate' us. But you don't understand. What is happening now is we are starting a war of liberation against the Americans and the British."
Now the businessman wanted to talk of President Saddam. "We Arabs care about dignity," he said. "Half of Lawrence's 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom' is about Arab dignity. In our lands, populism won over democracy for historical reasons. Saddam has provided societal safety. I am safe providing I do not confront the regime. Saddam may be very severe against political dissidents but he is also very severe on criminals or anyone who is aggressive with us. That includes the Americans."
Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan was more rhetorical yesterday. He talked of the "perfidious aggression and invasion", and demanded that the Arab states use an oil boycott against the US and Britain, that at least they withdraw their ambassadors from their embassies in Washington and London. Some hope.
Mahomed Saleh, the Trade Minister, accused Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the UN, of bowing to US pressure to prevent ships carrying supplies under the oil-for-food programme from landing in Iraq – "We don't need humanitarian assistance," he said – and insisted the Iraqi government was sending 20 trucks loaded with flour to Basra every day. British shellfire, he claimed, had set fire to a warehouse containing flour.
But other stories from the south were worrying the Iraqis yesterday. How, for example, did the 100 Iraqis lying along 10 miles of roadway north of Nasiriyah come to be killed? A French correspondent has described the smell of burnt flesh as he passed them, adding that he could not tell if they were soldiers or civilians. What happened to these dead people, the Iraqis are asking themselves? Almost every war in the Middle East ends in a massacre, a ghastly routine that weighs heavily on everyone's mind.
By dusk last night, the air pressure was changing again as the B-52s returned. In Baghdad, ever mindful of advice, I laid hands on apples and bananas to wolf by my bedroom window. I shall be back to the biography of Thomas More again. But I am possessed of a strange thought. That if the war is still going on when I reach the end of this book, if the bombing and the shelling is continuing when Thomas More has his head chopped off, then it is likely that General Tommy Franks' head will roll too.


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BBEdit (Mac) Install Guide
Statcounter provides customisable hit counters, visitor tracking, web analytics and website stats for BBEdit (Mac).
Single Page
- copy the StatCounter code (command c)
- paste copied code anywhere between tags
- ignore any markup errors
Multiple Pages
- On Preferences/Html sites make sure that your site is registered. If not, add it
- On BBEdit, open the index document of your site
- On your browser, get the StatCounter html code for your account
- copy the StatCounter code (command c)
- Open Search/Find (command-F)
- On the Search window write


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Live Score Addicts (iPad/Android) Free
The big question is then what apps should you download first? We have put together a list of 30s apps that we think are absolutely essential. Some are games, some books, some enable you to watch TV, all are very useful and entertaining.
The app falls into several categories. There are genuine tablet apps- eg those created especially for say the iPad. Then there are those which are made for smartphones which will work on tablets in a slightly different way.
The only problem with the Android tablets is that not every app works on every tablet, so for example while Sky Go happily plays with the Google Nexus 7 it won't work on the Amazon Kindle Fire.
Anyhow most of these apps will work on most of the tablets. And a good percentage are free too – so what are you waiting for?


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Ex-boyfriend arrested in Manchester purse-snatching
December 12. 2012 11:05AM
MANCHESTER - A city man was arrested early Wednesday morning after police say he tried to steal a purse from his former girlfriend and then assaulted her co-worker and her father.
Just after midnight, Robert Asipi, 30, of 525 Calef Road, Apt. 2, was waiting outside the Hanover Street home of his ex-girlfriend, Melinda Diaz, when her co-worker, Jason Comptois, dropped her off after work.
Police said Asipi approached Comptois' vehicle and started to argue with Diaz. Then Asipi grabbed her purse and the two struggled over it, and Diaz became tangled in the strap, according to police.
Asipi managed to take the purse from her, but only had it briefly before Diaz grabbed it back and ran into her parents' house at 582 Hanover St., according to a police news release.
Asipi ran into the house behind her and Comptois, who called 911, followed and tried to remove Asipi from the residence. Lawrence Diaz, Diaz' father, confronted Asipi and told him to get out. Asipi turned on Diaz and assaulted him, police said.
Eventually, Comptois and Mr. Diaz physically removed Asipi from the house and were holding him down when officers arrived.
Asipi is charged with robbery, two counts of simple assault and trespassing.
Asipi could enter no plea to the felony robbery charge at his arraignment Wednesday morning in 9th Circuit Court, Manchester District Division, so a probable cause hearing was set for Jan. 2.
He pleaded innocent to the misdemeanor charges of simple assault and criminal trespass, and trial was set for Feb. 25. Bail was continued at $2,000 cash/surety.


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2 Comments
OK, Gwyneth: You're Officially On Bump Watch!
She said recently that she would love to have another child, and Gwyneth seems like a lady who gets what she wants!
Gwyneth Paltrow, 38, told Ellen DeGeneres recently, "I would love to have another child at some point." And from the looks of these new pics of Gwyneth from last night, she might just be on her way to expanding her family with husband Chris Martin! The mom of Apple, 6, and Moses, 4, is usually SO fit and SO thin, which is why this bulge in her midsection caught our eye!
The always-fashionable Gwyneth stepped out in gorgeous metallic high heels and a tight dress in London last night. The only reason we think she might NOT be pregnant? She and hubby Chris Martin never seem to be together!