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5 Generation Lineage Family Tree 19¾"x9" with serif typeface
A beautiful custom print for an adult or child displaying 5 generations - 5th generation names get quite small, but are still legible up close.
1. Place an order and specify choice of color.
2. Download and fill out the 5 generation excel template here.
3. Email the completed file to firstname.lastname@example.com. Allow 1-2 weeks for the artwork to be created. We will send you a digital proof to make sure everything looks right. Upon approval, we'll print and ship it!
The family tree design is printed on high quality matte paper with archival inks. The final print is not matted or framed. (IKEA carries a 20"x9" frame that fits perfectly without the matte.)
For one print, the price is as listed. For additional siblings (where parents and ancestry stay the same), subsequent prints are $35 each.
Also available in different color palettes and custom sizes. Contact us for custom orders.


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First day of same-sex marriage in Mass.
First day of same-sex marriage in Mass.
Lesbian partners Susan Shepherd (center) and Marcia Hams (right) celebrated with the crowd outside Cambridge City Hall after they became the first same-sex couple to register for a marriage license in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004.
Hillary Goodridge wiped a tear away during a press conference with Mayor Thomas Menino after she and her partner Julie Goodridge (right), along with other couples, applied for marriage licenses.
Annie Goodridge, 8, laid down flowers for her parents, Hillary Goodridge and Julie Goodridge.
Michael Horgan (left) and Ed Balmelli kissed after they became the third same-sex couple in the city to receive an application for a marriage license at City Hall in Boston.
Scott Gortikov (left) embraced his partner Ross Ozer after applying for their marriage license at Boston City Hall.
While waiting to apply for their marriage license at Boston City Hall, Christian Schlesinger (left) and Russ Irwin held their eight-month-old daughter, Nina Porter, as friend of the family Buster Coen, 8, caresses the baby.
Janet Deegan (left) and Constance Cervone displayed their newly granted marriage liscense.
Janet Stathos (left) and Loretta Cardinale, who had been together for 24 years, walked out of City Hall into a cheering crowd after filling out their marriage license application.
Angela Giudice walked out of Boston City Hall while holding up her marriage license to her partner Nia-Sue Mitchum (right, walking behind her).
Marcia Kadish (left) and Tanya McCloskey are giddy as they give their paperwork one last review before rushing upstairs to be the first couple to be married in Cambridge.
Kadish (left) and McCloskey spontaneously displayed their exuberance at having just been pronounced wife and wife by City Clerk D. Margaret Drury in Cambridge.
Outside Cambridge City Hall, Jean McGuire (right) beamed at her soon-to-be bride, Barbara Herbert, as they enjoyed a coffee at their favorite coffeehouse before their wedding.
Keith Maynard (left) and Chip McLaughlin exited Cambridge City Hall smiling, with their vows displayed on t-shirts.
Carla Imperial (left) and Megan Jewett sealed their marriage with a kiss on the lawn of Cambridge City Hall.
Don Picard (left) and Robert DeBenedictis rejoiced in the seconds after they were married on the lawn of Cambridge City Hall with their two children, Carmen, 5, and James, 23 months old.
Michael Mullin-Wilde (left) and Larry Mullin-Wilde kissed after getting married in Cambridge.

subset: commoncrawl


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Over the past few months, activity in the wheat market has been subdued, especially when compared with the volatility of its counterparts in the corn and soybean pits. It has traded in a relatively narrow range of 50¢ per bushel. Traders were focusing on the extremely wet spring in the U.S., which delayed both corn and soybean planting. While spring-wheat planting was running well behind the historical norm as well, it comprises only 27% of the total U.S. wheat crop. Winter wheat, which is planted in the fall and makes up the bulk of the U.S. wheat crop, was already nearing harvest during this period.
Although it does not receive as much attention, the spring wheat crop was planted late enough for some areas to miss the planting window altogether. Last year, planting was complete before the end of May. As of the most recent weekly crop progress report, only 92% of the crop was in the ground. On the other hand, prospects for yield have improved. The weekly report showed the good-to-excellent portion of the crop jumped by 6 percentage points from the previous week, to 68%. That compares with 76% last year at this time. Last year's growing season was marred by severe drought, however, and by the end of summer, the final crop rating dropped to 61%. So it's too early to draw any conclusions.
The much bigger issue is the quality of the winter wheat crop. It was a harsh winter for the key winter-wheat states. As the crop emerged from dormancy, the damage was evident. The most recent weekly crop progress report shows the good-to-excellent portion of the crop at a scant 31%. That's down from 54% at this time last year. The harvest has been slowed down by the same wet weather that has affected planting across the U.S. Only 11% of the crop has been harvested, compared with 51% at this time last year and the five-year average of 25%. U.S. production levels for the combined winter- and spring-wheat crops remain vulnerable.


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GAFFNEY, S.C. – Cynallyhia Indriago (Columbia, S.C.) and April Griggs (Bishopville, S.C.) combined for 14 kills, with seven kills apiece to pace the Cobras in their 3-0 loss to Limestone on Saturday afternoon in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
The Saints knocked off the Cobras with scores of 25-24, 25-10 and 25-18.
Katie McElveen (Hartsville, S.C.) added six more kills for the Cobras, with Indriago leading the defensive efforts with 12 digs. Molly Bookhart (Orangeburg, S.C.) had 22 assists and seven digs in the match and Mindy Morris added 10 more digs for the Cobras.
The Cobras return to the court on Tuesday night when they host Mount Olive College at 7:00 p.m. at Coker's Timberlake-Lawton Gymnasium.


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Diamonds are forever,' and nothing solidifies the Impala's permanent place in automotive history like a 1961 Impala Convertible. When Al Cortez set out to make his mark on the pages of lowrider history, in his mind there was no other logical choice than a '61. "When it comes to building a lowrider, nothing represents that more than an Impala. Out of all the Impalas, a '61 stands out from all the rest. It had a major impact in American muscle car history. It gave birth to the Super Sport and was the start of the big engines, like the 409, making it a true American icon. So when the idea of making 'Game Killa' came to mind, I knew it had to be a six-one," says Al with a grin. Al was right, and he had his work cut out for him to not only do justice to the '61 but also to build himself a true diamond in the rough.
While some builders use flake to make their car sparkle, Al had a completely different approach; scattered throughout the car are thousands of real diamonds covering the continental kit, engine bay, under carriage, trunk and side moldings! These aren't your average run of the mill diamonds, either. "The diamonds are laboratory cultured under high pressure and heat. That creates a dazzling clarity not found in your average natural stones," Al explains. "The only difference between cultured diamonds and the natural diamonds is that the Game Killa's cultured diamonds are flawless!"
With such an extravagant idea, the rest of the car had to follow suit, and the money didn't stop flowing with the rocks as no expense was spared when it came to the rest of the build. "Jessie Marquez, owner of Custom Lowz, was selected to build Game Killa. He was willing to take on this project when other builders simply felt that is was impossible. With more than 20 years in the game, Jessie is considered to be one of the most underrated car builders in California. Al's grandiose idea is the culmination of a lifetime of dreaming about building the most unique car possible. "I think we all have all done that one time or another," Al says. "On those days where you and your buddies sit around and fantasize about building the ultimate Lowrider if time and money were not obstacles. That's how I approached it; I was patient and held nothing back when it came to building this car." Al isn't kidding, either, after seven years and about $300,000, Al insists that the build is still not over. "This car is truly one man's dream come true and is a true contender among the top Lowriders in the game," Al says with confidence.
From front to back, it's apparent where that high price figure comes from. "David the Master Engraver was selected for his fine, detailed approach of engraving in this project," the proud owner says. "The engine is hard lined with a 350 motor and a one-of-a-kind custom carburetor filter cover by Seven St. Inc. For a theme, Joe Montano, from Oxnard, created a masterpiece of a mural in the trunk that tells a story of two worlds struggling in a battle between good and evil on judgment day," says Al. From the looks of it, either outcome is a win if the demons and angels resemble those ladies. To top it all off, a Gator-skinned ragtop seals the deal.
This six-one truly is a childhood dream come to life. Now that it's all over, Al has ensured his page in the history book of Lowrider. "This car is from the streets and for the streets, and I'm hoping it will go down in the history books as one of the best," he says. Al sends his special thanks to Jessie Marquez from Custom Lowz, David the Master Engraver, Speedy from High Class, Zenith California Wheels, Joe Montano, Jagster, Seven St. Inc., Jose and Mario Martinez (Lethal Weapon), his Klique Family, Tony from Dream On , Elite C.C., Jeff from Icee Fresh, Tiffany Co. Jewelry and everyone that lives and dies by the switch.
Tech Specs
"Game Killa"
Owner: Al Cortez
Vehicle: 1961 Chevy Impala Convertible
City/State: Oxnard, CA
Club: Klique
Engine: Hard lined 350 Chevy, custom carburetor filter cover by Seven St. Inc. with a custom serpentine system, built by Jessie Marquez of Custom Lowz.
Body/Paint: Jessie Marquez from Custom Lowz gave the car its paint combination with the trunk Mural that was completed by Joe Montano.
Setup: Hard lined, gravity-fed custom Pesco style pumps by AH2, with four-square dumps to cap off the hydraulic setup.
Interior: Jessie Marquez, of Custom Lowz, installed a twin console with switches in the front and back, custom LED floors and door panels.
Wheels: Engraved 13×7 Zenith Wire Wheels.
Tires: 155/80R13.


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Be Dream Hostel
Registration Number G2-2001-08 CT
Barcelona Dream Be hostel is just 15 minutes from Sagrada Familia and Las Ramblas by metro. Originally housed in a primary school, the building has been transformed into a hostel with a unique feel, focusing on creativity, natural light and positivity. You can help us decorate by making a painting, exchange a t-shirts at our "clothes exchange", or just relax in one of our hammocks outside. Our hostel has a big open dining room, a large kitchen and many common rooms. Our dorms are mixed with 2-12 beds with personal lockers for each traveller, air conditioning, heating, mirror, etc. We also offer private twin and double rooms ensuite for those looking for more privacy.
Barcelona Dream invites you to be creative and offers you the perfect place to both relax, and make friends to go out with during the Barcelona night.
Towels included in Twin and Double Rooms
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
- 24 Hour Security
- Air Conditioning
- Bicycle hire
- Bicycle parking
- Common Room
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Games Room
- Internet Access
- Key Card Access
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Rooms
- No Curfew
- Outdoor Terrace
- Taxes not included
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Towels For Hire
- Washing Machine
- Wheelchair Friendly
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hostel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
We have a 24hr cancellation policy. Cancellations must be made by noon the day before your scheduled arrival. Late cancellations and no-shows shall be charged the equivalent of the first night's accommodation.
Since November 2012 there is a tourist tax of 0.75 Eur per person per night, which is not included in our rates. It is payable upon arrival and only applies for the first seven nights of accommodation.
Check-in: After 1PM
Towels included in Twin and Double Rooms
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
To get to us it is very easy. We're just in front of Pep Ventura Metro Station on the Purple Line (L2).
From Pep Venture Metro Station:
Take the Alfonso XIII exit. Walk straight down Alfonso XIII towards the orange dentist sign. We are located opposite the dentist at Alfonso XIII #28 B.
From Barcelona Airport or Sants Station (train and buses):
Catch the Aerobus. The Aerobus takes you into the city centre. Get off at Plaza Universitat and enter the Plaza Universitat Metro station. Catch the purple line in the direction of Badalona and get off at Pep Ventura station. Then follow directions as above.
From Girona Airport or Estacio del Nord (buses):
If you are coming from Girona Airport , you need to take the bus that brings you to the city of Barcelona to the Estacio del Nord. This is a 1 hour and 15 minute-long trip. Once you are in la Estacio del Nord, you will find the red line of the metro (Arc de Triumph Stop). You need to take it to Clot where you change lines. From Clot take the Purple Line in the direction of Badalona and stop at the station called Pep Ventura. Then follow directions as above.
Located Near
We are five minutes' walk from the beach and 20 minutes from Placa Catalunya (Barcelona's main square).


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has subpoenaed the co-chairman of the independent review board that investigated last year's attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, to answer questions about the panel's findings behind closed doors.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said in a statement Friday that he had issued the subpoena to retired veteran diplomat Thomas Pickering to force him to appear at a deposition next week. Pickering, who co-chaired the Benghazi Accountability Review Board with a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chief Mike Mullen, has offered to testify before Issa's committee in public. But Issa said a closed-door meeting is needed first in order for the committee to fully understand how the review board conducted its investigation.
"While I am very much committed to having you testify publicly and appreciate your newfound willingness to do so, I was disappointed that you are attempting to limit the committee's understanding of the Accountability Review Board by refusing to participate in a voluntary transcribed interview prior to testifying publicly," Issa said in a letter to Pickering. "In light of your continuing refusal to appear voluntarily for a transcribed interview, however, I have found it necessary to issue a subpoena to compel your appearance at a deposition."
Issa's letter, which was released by his office, said he would consider lifting the subpoena for next Thursday's deposition if Pickering agreed to show up on his own.
At an event at the Middle East Institute Friday, Pickering said he had just learned of the subpoena and declined immediate comment.
"I've just heard about it and obviously will want to talk to my friends at the State Department and seek legal advice and all the other things that go with it," he said.
Issa complained that prior to a public hearing about Benghazi that he chaired last week, Pickering had refused to speak with him and other members of the committee.
Pickering said Sunday that he had sent a request through the White House to testify at Wednesday's hearing, but, "we were told the majority said I was not welcome at that hearing. I could come at some other time." He made his comment on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Issa is one of several GOP lawmakers who have suggested the Obama administration is trying to cover up the circumstances and aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the Benghazi outpost that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
The review board convened by then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was harshly critical of the State Department, blaming systematic leadership and management failures at senior levels for inadequate security in Benghazi. It made 29 recommendations to improve matters, and the State Department has vowed to implement all of them.
Issa said numerous questions about the review board's report remain unanswered, including its methodology. He noted that the ARB conducted its work in secret and appears not to have recorded or transcribed its interviews with witnesses.


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This book has had a long gestation. The idea was inspired by the chapter title "Do You Make These 100 Common Errors in English?" taken from one of the many books written by the late Herbert V. Prochnow, former president of the First National Bank of Chicago.
I am indebted to Edward Rosenheim, the distinguished editor of this book, for the vision and direction he gave at critical points in the planning and writing. I am grateful to Tracy Weiner, associate director of the University of Chicago Writing Program, for creating the various test sections, which provide invaluable reinforcement and a welcome sense of humor. Barbara Stufflebeem, a freelance editor and former student of Edward Rosenheim's, also made valuable contributions to the manuscript.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Winning piece displayed at Capitol
Congressman Brian Higgins is inviting students to participate in the annual congressional art competition, "An Artistic Discovery." The competition, initiated by Congress in 1982, includes hundreds of thousands of high school students from across the nation. One piece from each Congressional district will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The winning students are each invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Capitol.
"Each year we receive an impressive selection of work, which exemplifies the fantastic talent of local students," Higgins said. "We are proud to take the winning piece to Washington, D.C., to be displayed in our nation's capital and enjoy publicly displaying all of the students' work both in the Larkin Building and through an online gallery."
Deadline:Students must submit their original artwork by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17. Art pieces can be delivered to Higgins' Buffalo office at 726 Larkin St., Suite 601, or the Niagara Falls office at 640 Park Place. Participants in Higgins' district are invited but not required to submit work featuring a Western New York theme.
Public Gallery: All submissions will be on public display in the first floor lobby at the Larkin at Exchange Building at 726 Exchange St., Buffalo, from April 27 through May 5.
Virtual Gallery/Contest: From April 24 through May 1, all submissions will be posted in a virtual gallery on Higgins website with additional viewing opportunities through the Congressman's Facebook page and Twitter feed. The public will be able to vote for their favorite pieces online.
Competition Winners: On May 5, Higgins will host a ceremony and reception for teachers, students and their families where the top winners will be announced. Local leaders in the Western New York art community will help select the winning pieces, and the public will vote for their favorite artwork through the online gallery. The grand prize winner will receive two airline tickets to Washington, D.C., and their artwork will hang in the Capitol Building. Additional prizes will be awarded for first, second and third runner-up, Best in Western New York, and our online competition.
Guidelines:The competition is open to high school students. Each piece must be no larger than 28 inches by 28 inches to the outside dimensions of the frame and no more than 4 inches in depth. A copy of the student release form must be attached to the back of all artwork. For complete art competition guidelines, visit the "Constituent Help Center" on Higgins' website at: www.higgins.house.gov. Feel free to contact Higgins' office at 716-852-3501 with any additional questions.


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DETROIT (AP) — Maxine Powell, who was responsible for developing the charm, grace and style of Motown Records' artists during the Detroit label's 1960s heyday, died Monday at age 98.
Motown Historical Museum CEO Allen Rawls said Powell died of natural causes at a hospital in Southfield, Mich.
She didn't sing or write songs, but those associated with Motown say Powell was as essential to the label's operations as any performer or producer.
She directed the label's Artists Development Department, also known as "Motown's Finishing School." Through it, she emphasized to many artists — including Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Jackson Five and the Supremes — how they should carry themselves, treat people and dress.
Motown founder Berry Gordy said the training school was the only one of its kind offered at any record label.
"She brought something to Motown that no other record company had," Gordy said in a statement Monday. "She was a star in her own right — an original. She will always be remembered for her style and class, and she instilled that into the Motown artists by teaching them how to walk, talk and even think with class."
Powell's passing comes less than two months after she was honored at the museum by Robinson and others.
"She was such an important, integral part of what we were doing here at Motown," Robinson said at the Aug. 26 event held at the famed Hitsville, U.S.A, building.
"It didn't matter who you became during the course of your career — how many hits you had, how well your name was known around the world," he said. "Two days a week when you were back in Detroit you had to go to artists' development. It was mandatory."
Gordy paid tribute to Powell via videotape during the celebration, joking that he still remembered many of Powell's sayings, such as "Do not protrude the buttocks," and "Do not confuse me with your parents — they're stuck with you. I'm not."
Born in Texarkana, Texas, Powell was raised in Chicago, where she began her career as an actress. Powell later moved to Detroit. There, she opened the Maxine Powell Finishing School, where she trained African-American models. One of those models was Gordy's sister, Gwen, who was responsible for bringing Powell to Motown.
Once at Hitsville, she focused on polishing the young artists for their lives in the spotlight.
Some of the training included teaching Marvin Gaye to sing with his eyes open and having others balance books on their heads to improve posture. She also instructed artists on how to properly exit limousines.
Powell said in August that she would "teach until there's no breath left in my body."
"I love all the Motown artists," she said. "This has been a blessing. I thank God for allowing me to be here."
Associated Press writer Jeff Karoub contributed to this report.


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Vancouver Whitecaps FC's 2013 season ticket offer campaign is in full swing, and as it is a very busy time in the sales department, the club have called in some high-profile reinforcements.
Whitecaps FC players Joe Cannon, Brad Knighton, Michael Nanchoff, Omar Salgado, and John Thorrington, as well as Whitecaps FC legends Bob Lenarduzzi and Carl Valentine will be taking and making calls from and to our season ticket holders looking to renew for 2013.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, Whitecaps FC players and legends will be on the phones from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. PT, speaking to our season ticket holders. Valentine will kick things off on Tuesday, while Salgado and Thorrington will be on the phones on Wednesday. Lenarduzzi and Cannon will be on phone duty on Thursday, while Knighton and Nanchoff will connect with season tickets holders on Friday.
Whitecaps FC fans have until next Wednesday, October 3, to take advantage of our special signing bonus of 12 per cent off on 2013 Season Tickets. Don't miss out on this opportunity to secure your seats at BC Place now! Fans can take advantage of this offer and renew or purchase their Season Tickets online at whitecapsfc.com or by phone at 604.669.9283.


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Golf Course Frequently Asked Questions
Bike Rentals and Other Frequently Asked Questions
It's hard to believe the much-awaited annual RBC Heritage golf tournament is here and gone once again! We had a great week, despite it being a bit soggy, hosting lots of events at our Robert Trent Jones golf course and enjoying a variety of media coverage associated with the tournament. Mutt Kuchar ended up taking home the Tartan jacket after a thrilling conclusion to the golf tournament!
On Monday, April 14, we had lots of fun with John Maginnes when he hosted his Maginnes on Tap radio show live from the Jones course. Here he is with Brad Marra of Palmetto Dunes:
On Tuesday, April 15, NFL pro-bowler and golf lover Sterling Sharpe visited the Jones course. Sharpe, who was great with fans, especially the kids, signed autographs and in between the rain headed out on the course for some golf demonstrations.
During the week, we also had record apparel sales. It seems everyone was ready for some new spring duds to wear on the green! The ECCO Golf Van really helped spur the sales with their amazing golf footwear.
We were so excited that Matt Ginella, host of Morning Drive on the Golf Channel, mentioned our Robert Trent Jones golf course as one of the best Hilton Head golf courses to play. Watch the segment on Hilton Head here:
To see more photos from the 2014 RBC Heritage follow our Pinterest board below:
Follow Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort's board RBC Heritage Golf Tournament on Pinterest.
Want to come enjoy Hilton Head Island golf yourself? Book your tee time or your golf getaway online or give us a call at 866-650-4130.


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SAN FERNANDO, Calif. (AP) — A man accused of going on a five-day rampage of serial shootings in the Los Angeles area has made his first court appearance on charges that could lead to the death penalty.
Alexander Hernandez made the brief appearance Wednesday in Superior Court in the San Fernando Valley, where authorities say he carried out most of his crimes.
Arraignment was waived, however, and he was ordered held without bail. The next court date will be Sept. 17.
Hernandez is charged with one count of capital murder, two counts of attempted murder and three counts of animal cruelty.
Authorities say they expect him to be charged with two other killings during the shooting spree.
Three people and two dogs were killed and four people were critically injured. Police have called him a serial killer.


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Let them just eat cake: Modern birthdays are too much for everyone involved
Limos, tiaras, and Build-A-Bears, oh my! It's time to rein in the birthday madness and return to some old-fashioned fun, games, and values.
Our family's initiation to the new era of children's birthday parties began when our first child was 9 months old. I accepted an invitation to a birthday bash at an exclusive club. More than 40 guests attended a catered affair to celebrate an infant's first year on the planet. The entertainment, presumably for the over-2 crowd, included a storyteller, and the evening was capped off with an impressive display of fireworks.
If you have been out of the children's birthday loop for a while, you may be thinking that this is an isolated birthday tale. Think again. Long gone are the days when a simple cake and ice cream event at home with a few friends was the norm. Today we have outsourced theme parties with large guest lists, matching balloons and decorations, rented play equipment delivered by trucks, hired entertainment, and expensive take-home party bags.
What's going on here? How did celebrating the day our precious children were born become a source of pressure and stress and often a display of excess? What has driven families to participate in this birthday trend?
In today's consumer culture, bigger and better is the norm. Birthday parties have become a new profit sector, and companies are capitalizing on parents' willingness to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience every year.
My children, ages 6 and 3, frequently receive invitations to parties at gymnastics facilities, children's museums, indoor playgrounds, skating rinks, and the mall.
I live in the Twin Cities, home of the Mall of America. I can quickly name 10 businesses that cater to kids' birthday parties. Thankfully our young daughters, made-up and dressed in sequined tank tops and boas, no longer can dance and sing like Britney Spears in the window of Club Libby-Lu, which recently closed.
But Build-A-Bear Workshop still offers youngsters an opportunity to stuff, dress, and accessorize a bear. The average cost per guest for these parties is about $35, cake and ice cream not included. The average number of guests is 10. You do the math.
Modern societal pressures have left families more harried than ever before. The number of activities that families are involved in has increased, contributing to the time crunch they feel. An outsourced party is cause for a sigh of relief. No stress, no mess, leave it to the pros.
There are still brave mothers who host their child's party at home. Some of these mothers stay up until midnight for several days, planning and frantically trying to recreate Martha Stewart's "simple and easy" extravaganza.
I am guilty as charged for my child's third birthday. I had a theme, entertainment, and gift bags. I created individualized invitations using paper shapes to form a train engine. An actress friend of mine took the children on an imaginary train trip to Florida, and my musician husband played train songs on the piano. I used four pound cakes to make a train cake. Since I felt required to give a parting gift, I fashioned a hobo's sack with a stick and a bandana filled with bubbles and animal crackers. As I led the hobos out the door, I felt stressed, exhausted, and wondering what compelled me to hold this extravaganza.
After talking with other parents, I discovered that they, too, were experiencing pressure to provide just the right touches at their child's party. A sociologist from the University of Minnesota, Bill Doherty, helped us form a citizen's action group to address the issue we later labeled "out-of-control birthday parties" (birthdayswithoutpressure.com). Our group seeks to increase awareness of this problem and its consequences, and asks parents to act according to their values when it comes to birthday celebrations.
Should Catholics think twice before hiring a birthday limousine to take an 8-year-old and his friends to a water park? Yes, we should! It's time that Christian families examine our values and begin celebrating birthdays consistent with them.
Catholics in the United States are called to work for economic justice in the face of ever-widening income gaps. That gap yawns like a chasm at yet another birthday party where the child opens present after present, barely acknowledging who gave the gift and what they received. A princess ball at the local country club for a 4-year-old mocks concern and love for the poor. Some children have no health insurance, while others are handing out birthday invitations referring guests to local toy store registries.
Our children are overwhelmed by an abundance of toys that have to be stored and managed. And children still envy friends who get lots of loot. I am not the first mother to carry my child out of a party crying because Johnny got a new toy that she or he wants.
God's commandments teach us that envy has no place in the human heart. It is hard for our children to internalize the 10th commandment when they are surrounded by excess.
Children have come to expect the customary Chinese-made toys, pencils, stickers, and those choking-hazard rubber balls in a bag at the end of each party. My children delight in these items for about 10 minutes. Then the junk just clutters the house. I have begun to secretly consign the loose debris to the trash bin. They never notice.
Catholic social teaching is a bedrock of our faith. A home filled with excess toys and a wastebasket full of plastic junk does not demonstrate stewardship and care for the earth. We are called to protect our brothers and sisters living on the planet. Do we wonder how, where, and by whom those cheap toys were made as we assemble a dozen gift bags before the big bash?
We are raising our children to be self-centered little consumers, and we are encouraging the development of a strong sense of entitlement. When your child is a teen, how do you top the princess ball that was held for her at age 4? We are asking our children to reflect on the formation of their Catholic principles in a world of excess. The social justice teachings of our faith are being disastrously undermined.
I sympathize with parents today. We feel pressure to make our children thrilled and happy by throwing parties that meet escalating community standards. Some people may think this is a problem unique to the upper-middle class. A study featured on our website suggests that this is not true. All parents want their children to feel special, particularly on their birthday.
It's time to take birthdays back from a culture of excess that promotes envy and greed. It is hard to buck this birthday trend alone, though. We must band together with packs of parents to confront the party monster. Parents must begin talking to each other and discussing ways to change our birthday culture. Perhaps we can agree to not give gift bags or to encourage alternatives to combat the mounds of gifts a child receives.
Parties for charities are growing in popularity. Humane societies sponsor pet-walking parties that end with cake and ice cream. Feed My Starving Children is an organization where groups of kids can pack food for children in need, while listening to great music, talking, and celebrating. We recently received an invitation requesting food pantry donations in lieu of gifts. Throw a craft party and make teddy bears and cards for children who are critically ill. Children taught to care about others at a young age will continue to help others as they mature.
Parents need to be intentional about the ways they celebrate their child's birthday and the invitations they accept. A friend's 6-year-old daughter recently returned from a makeover party asking, "Do you think I'm sexy?" My daughter is not going to that party!
My children were very young when I had my birthday party epiphany, so I haven't heard much grief from them about restricting their activities. When they do ask for things that we are not comfortable giving, the phrase "This is how we do it in our family" accompanied by an age-appropriate explanation of our family limits and values usually works.
We can help create a world consistent with our Catholic values, one birthday party at a time. Forgive us, Father, for indulging our children in over-the-top birthday parties, for we knew not what we were doing.
The most extreme party I've ever attended or heard about was...
When the mother paid to have the local fire department bring the fire truck to the party.
A first-year party for triplets that included an Elvis impersonator, huge blow-up toys, a clown, and so on. What does a 1-year-old remember?
A limousine picked up seven girls from school, allowing the uninvited students to witness it, and took them to the mall and back to a sleepover.
Ten kids and their parents at Disneyland overnight.
Traveling 200 miles for an "American Girl" party at "her" store.
A couple hired caterers and rented an entire circus troupe, complete with an elephant for riding, for a backyard party for their preschool child's birthday.
Those sweet-16 parties that have been on television (My Super Sweet 16, MTV) and end with the child getting a sports car.
For an 80-year-old woman at a fancy hotel where out-of-towners stayed, lavish appetizers and drinks, seated dinner for around 150, a band, and a fantastic video of the honoree. It was equivalent to a lavish wedding reception.
My biggest concern about over-the-top birthday parties is...
It just feeds the same attitude that has made our sacramental celebrations—from Baptism through weddings—into "events." We've lost our sense of joy in life itself and of God in the everyday and replaced it with the momentary displays of consumerism. "Love equals money" seems to be the message.
Producing spoiled brats.
It makes kids more insular and unaware of poverty around the world.
Environmental waste.
It is all about me, me, me!
My guess would be that most of the costs are going on parents' credit cards. We are a nation that lives beyond our means.
That the expectations are so high that families that don't have a lot of money (including ours) are under a lot of pressure to spend money to make their child feel special.
When I was a child, my birthday was...
Simple. We had our favorite meal, homemade cake, and one special gift.
I had only two or three parties growing up with about 10 friends. These parties were infrequent because we didn't have a lot, but my eight brothers and sisters were a built-in birthday party.
A few neighborhood friends for ice cream and cake. When I was older, we had a sleepover, too.
A home-cooked meal with my siblings. My mother always included a dish of noodles—for long life!
A family affair. I got my favorite food for dinner and no chores for the day!
Christmas Eve. My family always sang (off-key), and I got one extra gift. My mom would apologize for having a birthday so close to Christmas, but I always felt especially blessed to share my day with Jesus. That's still the best birthday gift possible!
A birthday party that most expresses Catholic values would...
Validate a child's importance to the family and provide an opportunity for members to express their love and appreciation for his unique contribution to all present.
Perhaps include saying grace before eating and discussing the saint of the day or the saint of the birthday girl or boy.
Make sure each child in the class is made a part of the festivities.
Involve giving something back in terms of service or donation of resources.
As long as you live a socially conscious life every day, I think the birthday party you choose that doesn't break your budget and celebrates youth and healthy play is all OK.
Be a celebration at home, focusing on the "birth" day—pulling out baby photos.
Since my mom died, I have become aware of how important my birthday must have been to her. Perhaps shifting the attention to include mom would help make birthdays less of selfish feasts.
General Comments
It is not over-the-top to outsource the party. Should we also feel guilty about serving dessert when there are starving children? This author makes moms feel guilty. You just can't win!
It's fine to "make a big fuss," but given the current condition of the global, national, and people's personal finances, we need to re-learn how to do so simply.
I think the big spending party arose out of lack of time for two working parents plus guilt that a parent is not at home.
A child's Baptism day is a more Catholic celebration and worthy of attention, too.
Let's not put religion with birthdays! Let the kids have a good time.
A friend hosted a birthday party where each guest brought $2 instead of a gift—one for the birthday girl and one for charity. Very nice!
We have a wonderful daughter-in-law who feels obliged to throw outrageous parties for our grandchildren. She exhausts herself and the children with what I feel is a misplaced sense of love.
I love birthdays because they celebrate the lives of people I love. I believe they should be celebrated within the family who cares about the individual.
This article appeared in the April 2009 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 74, No. 4).


text:
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text:
At a recent athletics meeting, five old acquaintances: Fred, Greta, Hans,
Iolo and Jan met together for the first time since leaving school, so they
had a lot of news to catch up on.
It seemed they all lived in different towns: Acton, Buswick, Coalford,
Derby and Eccles; and that they all had different jobs which were, in no
particular order: an engineer, a lawyer, a teacher, a doctor and a
To round it off, each one was the winner in just one event at the meeting.
These were: 100 metres, 400 metres, 1500 metres, High Jump and
The following facts were also known:
1. Hans the shopkeeper from Derby won the High Jump.
2. The lawyer was from Eccles and said he was not a runner.
3. Greta was P.E. teacher from Buswick and won the 1500 metres
4. The doctor, who came from Acton, did not win the 100 metres.
5. The person from Derby was not an engineer.
6. Iolo was an engineer from Coalford and did not win the 400 metres.
7. Jan was not a lawyer, but did win the the 400 metres.
8. Fred did not come from Acton and was not a runner.
(a) Which event did the person from Coalford win?
(b) Which town did Jan come from?
(c) What was the name of the lawyer?
(d) Which event did the engineer win?
(e) Which event did Fred win?


text:
Due to its status as net exporter, Denmark currently has no stockholding obligation to the IEA.
Denmark does have an obligation to the European Union based on consumption. Danish authorities require the industry to hold stocks corresponding to 81 days of oil consumption. The private sector covers the entire stockholding obligation through a non-governmental stockholding association established (by the private sector) in 1964, called Foreningen Danske Olieberedskabslagre (FDO). The FDO is financed by oil companies and operates the stockholding on their behalf.
The compulsory stockholding regulations stipulate that any company that produces or imports more than 1 Kt/yr must hold compulsory stocks corresponding to 22.2% of their annual domestic sales. The obligation is divided into two types of oil stocks:
- Emergency Stocks, which are held by the FDO and are stored in underground, reinforced concrete tanks.
- Minimum Stocks, which are held in conventional oil tanks. The FDO also holds a large part of these stocks; the remainder are held by the private sector.
Legislation allows for compulsory product stocks to be held as crude oil up to a maximum of 40% each for the obligations on gasoline and distillates, and up to 50% for fuel oil. Most of the FDO stocks are oil products. This was introduced in order to increase response flexibility and as a partial solution to quality problems arising from FDO stocks not being co-mingled with operational stocks.
Danish regulations stipulate that compulsory stocks must be stored in Denmark or in another EU member state, in accordance with a bilateral agreement. No other type of stocks can be taken into account for fulfilment of the stock obligation. At present, Denmark has bilateral stockholding agreements with Estonia, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Denmark does not allow stocks to be held abroad except through a ticket system. It also stipulates that companies cannot fulfil more than 10% of their obligation through stocks held abroad.
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18 November 2015
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26 February 2014


text:
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug 20, 2012 / 12:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishop Virginio Bressanelli of Neuquen, Argentina has called for the life of 45-year-old Marcelo Diez, who has been in a coma since a 1994 traffic accident, to be spared.
"We are dealing with the mystery of the life of a brother over which no third party can claim ownership or absolute authority," the bishop said in an Aug. 15 statement.
"From a human point of view, it is a life that we must respect, care for and sustain until his condition is reversed, as his parents were hoping, or until his journey comes to a natural end."
Bishop Bressanelli made his statement in response to efforts by local attorney José Gerez, on behalf of Diez's sisters, to have the patient's hydration and nutrition removed.
He noted that although Diez is in a persistent coma, he is in stable physical health.
"He is not connected to anything. He is not terminally ill. He is not receiving any kind of therapy, and therefore he is not receiving extraordinary treatment that is artificially prolonging his life. He does not show signs of experiencing any physical, psychological or spiritual suffering either."
"The reactions can be seen on his face, which lights up when he hears music or appears tired when something fatigues him," he added.
For this reason, "To withdraw the care is receiving today would be to condemn him to an atrocious death. It would constitute euthanasia by omission and the crime of abandonment," the bishop said.
In such cases, the appropriate response is to "renew our capacity to love, humbly give up our desire for omnipotence and do whatever we can for the one who is in need, trusting in the providence of God our Father, who in these cases, is carrying out a plan of love for the good of many," Bishop Bressanelli said.


text:
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|This article describes a concept which could impact a variety of companies, countries or industries. To see what companies and articles reference this concept page, click here.
Influenza, or the flu, is a common infectious disease, which can be deadly to individuals with compromised immune systems (the very young, the very old, and those with conditions such as AIDS or Cancer). However, occasionally particularly virulent strains of influenza break out that can be threatening on a much larger scale -- such as the flu epidemic of 1918 and, more recently, concerns that H5N1 "Bird Flu" or H1N1 "Swine Flu" could mutate into a highly-infectious and deadly virus. A number of pharmaceutical companies make treatments for the flu and benefit from the fear of a flu outbreak.
In April 2009, a novel flu virus, known as "Swine Flu" because it was believed to have originated in pigs, started infecting humans. By April 28th, there were 1,300 confirmed cases of the flu, known by its scientific designation H1N1, in Mexico, and a handful in the U.S. and other parts of the world.
According to preliminary test done by the US Center for Disease Control, Roche Pharmaceuticals (RHHBY)'s Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)'s Relenza are active against H1N1, although many older drugs are not. [1]


text:
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Mireya Bustamante spent most of the day trying in vain to find flour to bake a birthday cake for her 4-year-old son.
Like most Venezuelans, the single, 33-year-old office worker has periodically struggled with such food shortages for years, and, like many in the country, thinks they're getting worse. She blames price and currency controls imposed by the government, though authorities contend unscrupulous business owners are at fault.
"An odyssey that never seems to end" was how Bustamante described the everyday challenge of finding basic foodstuffs.
"What good are the controls if it becomes so difficult to find basic products?" asked the mother of three. "It's the government's fault, not the owners of neighborhood grocery stores."
Venezuelans have long had to shop around to find scarce foods, and lately consumers have had particular trouble finding staples such as chicken, cooking oil, sugar and coffee, as well as toilet paper and some medicines. The shortages are a potential political vulnerability for the government while President Hugo Chavez remains in a Cuban hospital, unheard from more than a month after his fourth cancer-related operation.
Such economic questions about his socialist model are adding to the political uncertainty sparked by Chavez's illness and long absence. However, there have been no signs so far that the political crisis is aggravating the economic one.
Chavez's government has sold cheap, subsidized staples at state-run markets for years to reinforce support among the poor. It says price controls, established in 2003, are essential to protect consumers by countering inflation while government-established exchange rates for foreign currencies are needed to prevent capital flight. Those currencies, chiefly the U.S. dollar, enter the country as payment for Venezuelan oil.
But many economists counter that government mismanagement of the economy through the price and currency controls are in fact making people's lives harder by making it more difficult to find goods. Critics also argue that official accusations of hoarding and price speculation aim to deflect blame for failed policies.
On top of that, many analysts believe heavy government spending on social programs and giveaways ahead of Chavez's Oct. 7 re-election badly depleted the nation's treasury, which further shrank the supply of dollars.
"Since the presidential election in October the government has seriously restricted the amount of dollars it is assigning to the private sector. This has caused the parallel dollar to soar and is leading to shortages," said David Smilde, a University of Georgia sociologist and analyst for the U.S. think tank the Washington Office on Latin America.
The Chavez government has long been at loggerheads with private business leaders over state-set price controls and on Jan. 7 government inspectors began raiding warehouses. The government said Monday that it had recovered 3,088 metric tons of allegedly hoarded food this month.
Over the weekend, National Guard troops entered one market in downtown Caracas and confiscated 20 tons of beef, 15 tons of corn and 4 tons of garlic that allegedly violated price controls.
A central part of the problem has been Venezuela's growing dependence on food imports, which have risen in the nation with the world's largest oil reserves. Domestic production of some food products has declined while inflation has soared, reaching 20 percent last year, the highest in Latin America.
Starting in 2007, Chavez also stepped up nationalizations of industries and expropriations of private property, although it's unclear how those moves have affected food production.
Jorge Roig, who represents Venezuela's largest business chamber, called on the government Monday to free up more dollars, which could be used to buy more imported goods. He said that on average Venezuela is importing between 65 percent and 70 percent of its food each month.
Roig said business leaders in October had warned the state agency responsible for trading U.S. dollars to businesses at the official exchange rate that shortages of food and other products would occur during the first quarter of 2013 if the government didn't release more hard currency.
"The market is undersupplied and it's showing on the shelves," he said.
A monthly scarcity index compiled by Venezuela's Central Bank, relying on spot checks in markets across the nation, reached its highest in four years last month. The index remains below a high hit in 2007, when widespread food shortages were considered a key factor in Chavez's defeat in a referendum on constitutional changes.
Pollster Luis Vicente Leon said the current shortages could again reach levels seen in 2007.
The business chamber said on Tuesday it hopes to work with the government to tackle the problem of food shortages.
"Fedecamaras reiterates its willingness to take joint action with the government, business and labor sector that will allow a reversal of the growing deterioration of production, infrastructure and supplies," the chamber said in a statement.
Recently, several shops and supermarkets in downtown Caracas suffered from a lack of chicken, milk, cooking oil, beef, sugar and coffee. Also scarce was cornmeal, the main ingredient for the country's cherished "arepas," which are corn cakes stuffed with meat, chicken, cheese or other fillings.
As a result, consumers must often hop from market to market in different areas of the city to fill their grocery lists.
Beatriz Romero, a 44-year-old housewife, emerged exasperated from a small grocery store in bustling downtown Caracas holding plastic bags full of canned goods and vegetables.
"I didn't find everything that I needed," said Romero, who said she was looking for rice, cornmeal and sugar. "I'll have to go look for the other products somewhere else."
Associated Press writer Ian James contributed to this report.
Vivian Sequera on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VivianSequera
Christopher Toothaker on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ctoothaker


text:
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text:
Area News Digest
Taken from the news columns of area newspapers.
Sell dies in Nebraska State Penitentiary
COZAD—Dennis Sell, 64, who was serving a life sentence for the deaths of two women, died of natural causes at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln on Nov. 7. Sell killed Judith Dangler of Lexington and Ruby Eby of Overton in 1977, confessing to the death of both women. Dangler disappeared after leaving her daughters at a rural school in February of 1977, and Eby's disappearance was reported seven months later. Clues left behind led to Sell's arrest in the case. According to a spokesman for the Department of Corrections, an autopsy will be performed.—taken from the Tri-City Trib.
6,000-acre planned fire could provide benefits
BROKEN BOW—Landowners north and west of Broken Bow could be part of a win-win situation if they like a proposal from several state and federal agencies to conduct a massive prescribed burn next spring. The landowners could benefit as invasive plants such as cedar trees are eliminated, and native plants and species could benefit as their habitat is restored. Firefighters from across the nation will also benefit from a training opportunity. The proposal involves 6,000 acres with officials wanting to know which landowners are on board by Dec. 1.—taken from the Custer County Chief.
Ogallala schools receive high marks
OGALLALA—The Ogallala Public School District was commended for its "highly qualified and caring staff" by the AdvancED accreditation team, which conducted a three-day Quality Assurance Review recently. The team, comprised of nine professionals, visited with 149 people including 52 students, teachers, support staff, community members and board members, and also toured the facilities and reviewed documents about curriculum, assessments, policies and adherence to standards for a schoolwide as well as a district-wide perspective.—taken from the Keith County News.
Curtis businesses are burglary victims
CURTIS—The Frontier County Sheriffs Office is investigating the burglaries of several businesses that occurred during the early morning hours of Nov. 3 in Curtis. One such incident took place at Martha Jo's restaurant where the back door was pried open, a window broken and the cash register damaged. Also, Beverly's Beauty Salon had the back door pried open and approximately $100 in cash was stolen, and the Nebraska Cowman reported an attempted entry. The sheriff's office also received a report of a stolen vehicle and is currently investigating.—taken from the Frontier County Enterprise.
Upper Powell Canyon Road washes away
ARNOLD—The Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) has stepped in to help the Arnold Township with a costly and continuing problem. Seven miles northeast of Arnold is a section of Upper Powell Canyon Road which is actually now a miniature canyon itself. Nature's elements of heavy rains have washed out a portion of the road, creating a 75-footdeep, 150-foot long drop-off into the existing canyon. Along with repairs, FEMA will be providing funds and pay for hazard mitigation with the township hoping to begin the project within two weeks.—taken from the Arnold Sentinel.
New bank branch to open in Callaway
CALLAWAY—Nebraska State Bank and Trust has entered into an agreement to purchase the Callaway Village Radio property on North Grand Avenue in Callaway, as announced by its president, Stuart Fox. The bank plans to operate a full-service branch in that location with a projected opening date of January 2010. The new branch will feature a drive-through window along with plans to add a drive-through ATM, and giving customers access to internet banking.—taken from the Callaway Courier.
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text:
Deadly Spacemen and Immotals Lrdofbricks and Warhead
I did these two in one go because the orders were similar anyway and Warhead's heroic feat kinda overruled everything else.
"Noone dares interrupt my dinner... and lives."
"Captain, sound the alarm! Get your men moving. Arm them. Take defensive positions. Fire on sight. Terrorkhan, you will follow me."
[successful tactical leadership feat allows for greater movement of Warhead and his guards]
Before leaving his room Warhead grabs the Infinity TechTM suitcase from the chest.
The OTC door is deactivated.
"Get ready, Doc. There will be bloodshed soon."
"Aye aye Captain!"
Some Deadly Spacemen grab weapons from the armory...
...others block the way from the quarters.
One Terrorkhan guards the main corridor.
These headed for the armory but did not quite make it.
Warhead rummages in the Immortal Infinity Case (tm)...
...and produces a minigun!
Everyone goes on reaction fire mode.
Pirates Silverdream
First pirate enters the Hyperion.
And scores the first kill!
Another follows but misses his shot.
The Terrokhan responds by shooting a grenade.
Blue's blaster range is not enough.
Two pirates down.
This one tries to shoot the DSM in the back but the pistol shot could not harm him.
Rodrigo Palo also misses his shot while moar pirates enter.
Briktopians Solvess
Apollyon shoots at the energy cables.
And successfully severs one. It flops around dangerously.
One of the troopers takes adavantage of his weapon's greater range and kills another DSM.
One more dead Deadly Spaceman.
The Terrokhan also shoots his grenade.
But he had some really bad aiming and it explodes harmlessly in the corridor.
I put in some brick build rulers for your so that you can get a better feeling the the Hyperion's dimensions.
Now awaiting orders for turn 2.


text:
Remove roast, save juice. Shred meat and return meat to slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the pepperoncinis, peppers, garlic, soup mix and Worcestershire sauce; pour over meat. Add additional juice if desired. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour or until peppers are tender.
Serve on your favorite sandwich buns and top with provolone cheese.


text:
Release Date: June 25, 2012
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The U.S. Supreme Court has taken the "remarkable" step and upheld the single most controversial provision of the Arizona immigration law, giving law enforcement officials the right to verify immigration status of anyone reasonably suspected to be an unauthorized immigrant, according to Rick T. Su, an expert on immigration law and associate professor at the University at Buffalo Law School.
But while many will likely fear that this ruling will lead to stricter immigration laws, Su says the reality will be different.
"If history is any guide, it is likely that few states will actually carry through with these enforcement mandates," says Su, who has published several articles on the controversial Arizona immigration law and been interviewed on the case numerous times in recent months. "Contrary to common belief, state effort to regulate immigration is hardly unprecedented. Indeed, the last two comprehensive federal immigration reforms in 1986 and 1996 were both preceded by an avalanche of state regulation on immigration.
"What that history shows us is, however, that while states have been quite effective in using their regulatory powers to shape the national debate on immigration and prod for federal reforms, when they are actually in a position to carry through in earnest on the immigration laws that they enact, there is almost never any interest in doing so."
Instead of leading to tighter restrictions on immigration in other states, according to Su, Monday's Supreme Court ruling will reignite the national debate on immigration. The real meaningful changes to immigration, if any, will follow from the Arizona State Law, but will probably be determined more by subsequent Supreme Court rulings than the direction or intention of the Arizona law.
"State immigration laws often leave their most lasting legacy on the federal immigration reforms that follow," Su says. "But aside from the political impact of state laws like Arizona's S.B. 1070, and the recent Supreme Court decision on its constitutionality, it is very unlikely that states will actually put the necessary effort and resources into enforcing the laws that they fight so hard in court to preserve.
"The next round of this immigration controversy will be in the halls of Congress and the national stage."
Su is available for media interviews at 716-834-0865.
Charles Anzalone
News Content Manager
Education, Educational Opportunity Center, Law,
Academies, Honors College, Student Activities
Tel: 716-645-4600


text:
What's up AO!!
Alright this is kind of wierd. I can't remember when it happened or why it did. The only thing I know is that it is very annoying.
Here's the problem.
When ever I reboot my computer I get a message that says. "Component "mswinsck.ocx" or one of it dependencies not correctly registerd: a file is missing or invalid.
Does any one know how to get rid of this. Or can you tell me what to do to fix it. Im sure it's easy but I don't know how.
Any help would greatly be appreciated.


text:
|2005-12-22, 21:19
|Link #1
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 28
kind of noob but...
i know this is kind of noob but why do fansubber's use SSA and vdub over a normal video editing program like adobe premiere or one of those cheapo easy to use video editors?
also what is vob sub? what does it do?
sorry for being noob, just want to learn some more.
|2005-12-23, 01:05
|Link #4
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 28
kind of noob but...
i know this is kind of noob but why do fansubber's use SSA and vdub instead of a normal video editing program like adobe premiere?
also what is vob sub?
sorry for being noob, just want to learn some more.
Last edited by NoSanninWa; 2005-12-23 at 01:42. Reason: Threads merged. We do not like to see threads crossposted in multiple forums. Next time PM a moderator to ask him to move it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|2005-12-23, 03:11
|Link #7
Panda Herder
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: A bombed out building in Beruit.
I'm unaware of premiere's filtering abilities, but avisynth has a large number of filters that can be very useful.
I believe premiere is made more for content creation, which is not something most encoders do normally, unless you want to count adding the subs or a splash screen.
Other opensource apps have abilities that rival or are better then commercially availible ones. I see no reason to pay for it.
|2005-12-23, 03:41
|Link #10
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: somewhere far beyond
Also, from my personal experience, Premiere sucks ass.
And encoders use avisynth as main tool nowadays, nearly no work is done with vdub other than using it as a frontend to access vfw. And if you encode to h.264, vdub isn't used any more either.
As Dryfire already pointed out, Premiere is a nle (nonlinear video editor) which is mostly used to, well, edit video While you can do that with avisynth as well, working with several audio and video tracks at once is probably harder in avisynth than doing it with a nle that has a gui.
"Vobsub" (it's called vsfilter nowadays) is a filter that allows adding subtitles to video streams and "Textsub" is the only filter I know of that supports ass (advanced ssa, needed for sign typesets, karaoke etc) commands.
|2005-12-23, 06:48
|Link #11
Excessively jovial fellow
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ISDB-T
Age: 32
Well, some people use Adobe AfterEffects to create signs, karaoke, logos etc. Premiere is, however, almost never used. At least I haven't ever seen anyone using it.
As for Avisynth, it's probably one of the most powerful video tools ever. It's several times more capable than Premiere is, even though handling multiple tracks means a lot of typing and framecounting, like lamer_de said.
|2005-12-23, 07:20
|Link #12
Love Yourself
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northeast USA
Age: 32
Since SSA and vdub are the traditional (and free) tools of the trade, it's also what people know and learn. The Adobe programs have a pretty steep learning curve to be used effectively and, as was mentioned, they're expensive - we're fansubbers, not warez enthusiasts. From my experience, fansubbers rarely train themselves. If you have a particular resource (fast computer, fast internet, large hard drive space, etc.) and volunteer it, you will be trained for a certain position within a fansub group.
You're being trained by a fansubber of that particular position. That fansubber obviously works with what he knows. If you move to a different position, it'll be the same thing, though you'll be more capable of teaching yourself. However, the resources you'd be using are the same as the other fansubbers. You can't do something radically different, because you're doing one part of a larger process. What you do needs to be compatible with everyone else.
This isn't to say that innovations don't occur within fansubbing. New programs and methods are tested all the time. In order to get the job done, there'll always be the trusted methods, of course, and those are what people learn when they first enter into fansubbing.
But that all probably corresponds to something a bit different than what you specifically asked. The specific reason is that it's not necessary and it's less efficient than what fansubbers currently use, due largely to cost and learning curve factors. As was also mentioned, in certain cases it's less effective in general. The programs were intended for a different purpose (video compilation for Premiere, and effect overlays for After Effects) than simply re-encoding video and overlaying subtitles.
|2005-12-23, 10:17
|Link #13
Right before the big asuki forum hack, this thread span over 20 pages long. Among fansubbers, there are wealth of knowledge on how to make certain effects using SSA/ASS. And with the growing amount of knowledge sharing and program/tool sharing that's occuring on this forum recently (especially for the past a year or so), that knowledgebase in general is expanding exponentially. Of course, vobsub/vsfilter enables us to put those SSA/ASS script on the video.
The knowledge sharing etc has been going on in even greater amount and in greater length on doom9's forum. (And to an extent, on the individual forums of the frequent doom9 users.)
We can't say the same thing about programs like Premier. That's all - we're just not used to it. And when we have tools that works great for us (it may feel klunky at first, but after a while, some people can do some wizardly works using these freewares), there is little or no need for us to turn to commercial programs.
|2005-12-23, 14:40
|Link #16
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 28
well, im just lookin to gain some video editing skills. i wanna be able to do that karaoke stuff and make videos with transitions and whatnot...furthermore i wanna be able to learn about codecs and stuff, and how to end up with a good solid video file.
what should i do?
edit: i also wanna learn how to add music and stuff
|2005-12-23, 15:00
|Link #17
This is what I think - you're trying to do too much at once.
Mastering karaoke stuff takes time. A person can spend more than just a quite a bit of time polishing up such skills. It's fun, but it can also test your patience.
Scene transition and stuff are not something fansubbers create on their own - for that, programs like Premier may outperform the softwares used by fansubbers.
Want to learn about codecs? This requires even more patience. Encoding video's takes time. And for each codec, there are numerous different settings you can play around with.
Video processing is not just about codecs though. Video filtering is completely separate subject. It's the art of how to maximize the compressibility while keeping as much details as possible. And there's also another art of how to diminish the video noise as much as possible without killing the details. And before you can go in to such art, there's the whole process of getting used to knowing what's good video and what's bad video.
Although I said they are "completely different subject(s)" above, video filtering and codec settings do go hand in hand. Of course, this is further complicating this whole challenge.
That's why DOOM9 and the forum goers there share their knowledge so openly to assist others on their endeavors.
What should you do really? Start reading. And when you start getting the hang of what needs to be done, start experimenting. Be ready to spend countless of days on it.
|Thread Tools


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Supported Housing Can Be the Key to Recovery
Read Article on NAMI National Site
By Shannon Peterson
Affordable housing with supportive services can be a foundation for recovery from mental illness. I work for a non-profit agency that provides supportive housing for adults living with mental illness and I'd like to use a graduate of the program, whom I'll call Owen, to illustrate how a housing program can support and promote recovery from mental illness.
Owen had been homeless for several years before coming to our program, when his symptoms of schizophrenia were most severe. He was hospitalized a number of times and eventually placed on conservatorship and into a licensed residential care facility, where he was given daily care and supervision. As he received services and began to learn to manage his symptoms and recovery, he left the facility and moved into one of our shared housing homes.
In the supported housing program, Owen had a private bedroom and shared the common areas with other adults recovering from mental illness. The homes are independent settings with no staff present day-to-day, but there are regular meetings between staff and the residents to provide support and guidance. Residents are expected to engage in structured activity outside the house 20 hours each week or more; these activities can include any combination of work, school, volunteering, clubhouse or Wellness Center participation, appointments, 12-step meetings, religious services, or any activity that helps the individual maintain a schedule and use time productively. During his stay at the house, Owen formed mutually supportive relationships with peers in the house, and soon found employment with his new stability and self-confidence.
After several years at the supportive housing, Owen moved into one of the subsidized apartments, where he paid one-third of his income for rent. The apartments feature on-site support services seven days a week, and Owen dropped in briefly several times a week to discuss his day and often to seek reassurance. Although he had substantially recovered from his illness, he continued to experience mild to moderate paranoia and he found it helpful to "check out" his daily experiences and perceptions with someone he trusted. Owen also formed friendships with other residents in the building and participated in social and recreational activities arranged by the agency.
Eventually, Owen began to seek relationships and activities in the community more often. He started taking classes at a nearby community college, and became involved in a romantic relationship. As he continued to recover, he learned that his application for Section 8 had reached the top of the waiting list, and he decided to move out into a mainstream apartment not far from the from the subsidized and supported apartments.
Owen has now been living independently outside the supportive housing program for seven years, and he continues to develop his skills and improve in different areas of his life. Owen remains in contact with program staff and peers and enthusiastically participates in the annual camp offered for adults with mental illness.
Owen's progress has been assisted at every stage by affordable and appropriate housing with support services. He considers himself lucky to have had access to a variety of settings that met his changing requirements. Owen's story illustrates the benefits of housing for people who battle mental illnesses; it shows the importance of the role of housing in the recovery of the individual. Furthermore, it highlights the need for housing options, including both shared and private living arrangements, with on-site services when needed and completely independent housing when ready. Suitable housing supports recovery!
Shannon Peterson is a NAMI California board member and the NAMI California Consumer Council representative.


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I dyed this silk habotai pink then eco-printed it with local leaves.
One of a kind, special only for you.
It is a straight scarf. You can tie the corners to make it a circle scarf too.
Pictured on a life sized mannequin.
The scarf measures approx. 11" x 60"
My website is in US dollars.
Canadians message me with what you want to order & I will convert it for you and send you a bill in CAD dollars so you avoid extra fee's.
I do ship to other countries, message me with what you want & I can give you a shipping estimate.


text:
Before & After: Sheryl's Rescued Summer Rental Kitchen
Like this entry? Favorite it below!
- Name:
- Sheryl
- Location:
- West Tisbury, MA
- Division:
- United States
- About my kitchen reveal:
- We did a complete gut and remodel of the kitchen. It is in the house we bought this past December 2013. It is the same house we rented 18 years ago when we first moved to Martha's Vineyard. We knew the house and what we wanted to do with it to bring it up to date and rescue it from years of neglectful summer and year-round renters. There was a linoleum floor that was removed and wood flooring installed that was woven into the existing living area floor. All ceiling cans were relocated to correlate with the new design. There is under cabinet lighting and lighting in the upper glass cabinets - all lighting is on dimmers. The cabinets are semi-custom painted wood cabinets by Cabico purchased through French Accent in Tisbury, MA along with the quartz stone countertops. The cabinet hardware: knobs, pulls and handles are all by EMTEK and were purchased online. Kitchen sink purchased from Vintage Tub & Bath. Kitchen sink overhead light from Rejuvenation.
- My best tip for a successful kitchen makeover::
- It will cost MUCH more than you budget for and that's okay if you go into it understanding that! I cut some of the costs by choosing and buying my own plumbing and lighting fixtures and hardware directly, including the large sink and all of the appliances. Always get what you want from the start and be super clear and super organized about it all with your contractor/cabinet designer, etc. - this will eliminate regrets (or unwelcome surprises) later on. Live somewhere else while you are remodeling if you can - we did. I've been through the process of designing and building from nothing to several remodels over the past 15 years - all in my own home (yes - we've moved a little more than most!). I have always designed and chosen details, large and small, from my gut and heart - things I really love at the time.
- My favorite meal to cook in my kitchen::
- I cook anything and everything! The island and general flow of the kitchen allows two and even three people to comfortably work with and around each other with ample prep space and "areas". I love to spread out on the island with my big wooden cutting board and all the veggies from my CSA farm pick up (pictured is last week's pick up all over the kitchen!). Cleaning the veggies in the ample sink with all the space to spread out makes it a joyful process, rather than a chore.


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You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe's digital rights management (DRM).
Format available: PDF
Claude Bouchard, PhD, is executive director of the Pennington
Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 40
years he has researched the role of physical activity on physiology,
metabolism, and health indicators, taking into account genetic
uniqueness. He also has authored or coauthored more than 1,000
scientific publications, and he served as president of the International
Society for the Study of Obesity from 2002 to 2006. He also has served
as president of the Canadian Society for Applied Physiology and has
directed the Physical Activity Sciences Laboratory at Laval University,
Quebec City, Canada, for over 20 years.
Dr. Bouchard has received numerous awards over the years, including the
TOPS award from the North American Association for the Study of Obesity
in 1998 and the Albert Creff Award in Nutrition of the National Academy
of Medicine of France in 1997.
Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD, is a professor and the associate
executive director for Population Science at the Pennington Biomedical
Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He holds the Louisiana Public
Facilities Authority endowed chair in nutrition. His main research
interest is the epidemiology and public health impact of obesity and
physical inactivity, and determining the relationships between physical
activity, physical fitness, obesity, and related disorders such as
metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Dr. Katzmarzyk has published his research findings in more than 190
scholarly journals and books, and he regularly participates in the
scientific meetings of several national and international organizations.
He is currently an editorial board member for the International
Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Journal of Physical Activity and Health,
and Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.
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Having a weird problem in IE only (Chrome and FF are not affected)... when I have an xtype textareafield on a form, and I use loadRecord to display a record onto the form, and the textareafield has a carriage return in the data, the dirtychange event is fubar'd. It causes the onDirtyChangeHandler below to be fired with dirty=true even though no change at all has been made to the data... it was simply loaded onto the form
When there is no CR in the data field, everything works fine. I can't believe that I am the only one who has experienced this issue... is there something I should know about how IE handles textareafields?Code:Ext.define('MyApp.view.ContactEdit', { extend: 'Ext.form.Panel', alias: 'widget.contactedit', frame: false, bodyPadding: 5, closable: false, autoScroll: true, constructor: function(config) { var me = this; me.callParent([Ext.apply({ trackResetOnLoad: true }, config)]); me.getForm().on('dirtychange', me.onDirtyChangeHandler, me); me.saveBtn = me.down('#savebtn'); me.undoBtn = me.down('#undobtn'); }, onDirtyChangeHandler: function(form, dirty) { this.saveBtn.setDisabled(!dirty); this.undoBtn.setDisabled(!dirty); },


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Hero Complex continues to reach across the pond in our countdown to "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which arrives in theaters July 15. Today our Jevon Phillips digs into the Hollywood magic of "Potter" production design.
Academy Award-winning production designer Stuart Craig has been one of the major creative forces behind defining and shaping the distinctive look of the world of "Harry Potter." There have been different fantastic locales, leaps in the technology for computer-generated effects, and quirky characters to constantly adapt as the franchise has rolled along, but Craig takes it all in stride. He likes simplicity, but seems to understand the necessity of having complications.
JP: I was looking at things that you've done like "Gandhi" and "Dangerous Liaisons" …
SC: Yeah, it does go back a ways, doesn't it?
JP: A little. How does the fictional world of "Harry Potter" relate to those very real worlds and situations?
SC: I guess I've done much more fictional stuff. "Gandhi" was exceptional in many ways, and I guess you're right if you're saying that it has a much more documentary style. I think, though, that I'm really more of a theatrical designer than … the other kind, if there is another kind. In other words, I think that images should be designed and I think that the real world is often kind of disappointing. It's all extraneous information. And it's better if you can eliminate — I find myself eliminating a lot of stuff, simplifying things in order to make it more theatrical.
"Gandhi" was so ambitious, and it's very difficult to simplify or tidy up India. Without even trying, it had a documentary feel to it. That's not to say that we didn't try desperately to design certain aspects of it in a pleasing and theatrical way.
JP: You have something real to work from like Gandhi with historical references, but how do you come up with historical references for scenes in fictional worlds — like the memory scenes in "Harry Potter?"
SC: It's a fairly haphazard process … The starting point is always the books, you know. She [J.K. Rowling] describes where he [Dumbledore] keeps the memories in these little glass vials — so that's a given. And then, since the style of Hogwarts has been established as this very antiquated medieval style, and Dumbledore's office is like that, I began to look through books of church architecture, cathedral architecture … and I delved in there for this Gothic look. The reference I found was for a font. So I adapted it.
The memory itself is poured in to a basin and we thought that a highly reflective liquid surface, like mercury, would be most effective.
JP: What substance did you actually use for the memories?
SC: It was a computer-generated, CG effect, as many of these things are. These movies have been done for nine years now. When we began, there was much more done physically — and it's amazing when you look back on the progress of digital effects in the last nine years.
JP: When dealing with CGI, do you suddenly see some things and think 'that would be better computer-generated?' Or do you just design everything as if you will physically have to build it?
SC: A lot of that has to do with physical limitations. Obviously the actors would prefer a physically real set to react to and respond to as directed. The CG effects encourage you to be bigger and more ambitious and scale things up, so what we try to do is build a physical set — which is always limited by the soundstage it's on or the corner of the soundstage you have available — and then the CG extension becomes hugely important. Most of our sets when we began "Harry Potter" were real or were fully realized prototypical sets, and now most of them are part built with a bigger part that's a CG extension and then occasionally and increasingly, some sets are almost totally computer-generated. We just build the floor that actors stand on.
JP: What would you consider to be the downside of that?
SC: If I were a younger designer, I'd probably say that there are none. This is a really exciting world and the world is expanding and the possibilities are expanding. That's true. As a 67-year-old that's been doing this for quite a long time, I still enjoy my wooden pencil and the kind of variation in texture and strength of line that it gives me, and I enjoy the old tricks … I think it's an age-related thing, though. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.
JP: So what, in the "Half-Blood Prince," are you excited to see the reaction to — specific scenes or places?
SC: Well, there's always a new character. And in the case of "The Half-Blood Prince," it's Professor Slughorn — the new potions master. You know, Imelda Staunton was in "Harry Potter 5," and now it's Jim Broadbent in "Harry Potter 6." So, one of the biggest challenges is to create the stage and environment for that new character, and Slughorn is a rather theatrical character who enjoys an eventful social life. He kind of lives in the reflective glory of some of his more famous students and invites them constantly to dinner parties. And he's very into lavish parties…. So creating his house, his classroom, his study … they were the fresh new challenge.
JP: Was there a specific thing that you would've liked to have done for Slughorn that you didn't get a chance to do?
SC: Not particularly. These films are very popular and successful, so therefore there is enough money to do things really well. There are always constraints, and you have to decide where you can best spend your money … I don't believe that there was anything we didn't get to do that we wanted to.
Some of the omissions happen more with trying to condense the novel into a two-hour movie. Now that happens all the time. We have to cut things just because the movie would be too long. I'm thinking, in "Harry Potter 6," of Dumbledore's funeral for example. That's the big event, but it was decided in the end that it couldn't be done for reasons of time and extending the story. Actually, dramatically, it didn't provide any sort of new information — it didn't advance the story or the narrative.
JP: Going back in "Potter" history, has there been something that you were forced to omit that you didn't really want to? I know it's made money, but …
SC: I don't have any deep regrets, no. It's always really more for reasons of time. Certain things are kind of painful, though. You see a movie years later and sort of cringe and think — '… there's that same damn thing.' But certainly in terms of "Harry Potter," that hasn't happened.
JP: The most spectacular set?
SC: Voldemort has hidden a Horcrux … The construction of that cave, the design of that cave and entrance is on the ocean in a cliff face beside the ocean. The most spectacular piece of coastline in these islands is in fact the Cliffs of Moher in the west of Ireland.
So having found the entrance, we thought 'What should the interior be?' Well, stalactites and stalagmites. Yeah, they're exciting and sort of interesting formations, but they're familiar. So we found some material about a cave in Mexico that has huge quartz crystals in it. So we began to look into crystal caves … but [we] also discovered that near Frankfurt in Germany there's a cave with salt crystals in it, so we went off there and it was indeed amazing. It was the cave where Hitler stored all the gold bullion and precious works of art taken from the European countries that he invaded. There were photographs of Eisenhower after the war entering this giant salt mine and discovering all this stuff. But, I'm rambling.
JP: No, no … that's very cool.
SC: The Horcrux is hidden in a hollow in the middle of a lake in this cave, and it's vast. Then came the question about how much do you build physically and how much would be computer-generated extensions. We did go quite large, in two quite large chunks physically — but again, there is a physical limitation governed by the stage that you're in. But it is a massive digital construction.
That and the Slughorn construction were the two most challenging sets.
JP: But would you consider those to be your favorites? Do you have a favorite set?
SC: There's some 60, 70 sets on "Harry Potter" — it usually works out to that number. The young Tom Riddle is in an orphanage, and there's a set I'm quite pleased with there — the exterior and interior of that orphanage. It's not really spectacular in any sense, but sometimes quite modest things can be very successful,
— Jevon Phillips
Photos: Top – Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe. Middle – Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent). Bottom – A young Tom Riddle (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), Mrs. Cole (Amelda Brown) and Dumbledore. Credit: Warner Bros.
Feeling the magic? "Half-Blood" may benefit from Oscars change
Arthur Weasley speaks! "Rowling has a musical brain"
Jessie Cave spills about scaring, smooching Rupert Grint
David Yates reveals where he will split "Deathly Hallows"
Scaring up the Inferi — the visual effects behind the horror
"Half-Blood Prince" screenwriter tells of a "haunting moment"
On the "Half Blood" set: A chat with Jim Broadbent
STILL WANT MORE? All "HARRY POTTER" coverage at Hero Complex
CREDIT: All images courtesy of Warner Bros.


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Quote from: Jabba the Slug on August 12, 2010, 09:49 PMFor a future TVC ANH wave?Just a reminder that Hasbro said in a recent Q&A answer that movie themed waves are dead as of Spring 2011. There will be no "ANH wave" and even the "TPM" themed wave may be getting shuffled...
For a future TVC ANH wave?
Likewise cool is Aayla Secura's figure... She'll have ball-jointed hips I see.
Are they supposed to card that awesome ANH Luke from the battlepack?
been far too long since the last cantina offerings
Per the Q&A and other place the following have all been confirmed:OTHan Solo (Bespin)Dr EvazanPonda BabaBom VimdinWedge AntillesWeequay Skiff MasterPTAurra SingBastilla ShanNom AnorBarriss OffeePlus we have via the sheet at C5...Aayla Secura
Page created in 0.055 seconds with 17 queries.


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Some conservative commentators are accusing the Obama administration of inviting "hate groups" into the White House by holding a meeting with a coalition of secularist and atheist groups.Officials from the Justice and Health and Human Services departments met Friday with representatives of the Secular Coalition for America, an umbrella group that includes American Atheists and the Council for Secular Humanism. The coalition called it "the first time in history a presidential administration has met for a policy briefing with the American nontheist community."
Now that is some change for your ass. Finally a president who really does value all opinions and beliefs, who isn't afraid to hear a contrary point of view and isn't so arrogant in his own beliefs so as to foist them on others. Cheers to the Obama administration for this. The right wingnuts are freaking out, they would just as soon burn those atheists at the stake, ya know?
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, said the meeting provided a "definitive answer" about the administration's stance towards religion.
"People of faith, especially Christians, have good reason to wonder exactly where their interests lie with the Obama administration," Donohue said in a statement. "Now we have the definitive answer. In an unprecedented move, leaders of a presidential administration are hosting some of the biggest anti-religious zealots in the nation."
And your point is? You have to wonder what they are so afraid of, if they are so right in their beliefs, don't they have God in their corner? What fascinates me about the religious right is how all the different branches of Christianity and Catholicism have joined forces, even though they differ so much on beliefs that are "fundamental" to them. But somehow they seem to vote as a block and have become susceptible to the brain washing of the right, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the whole gang. They often vote against their own self interest, swept up in the propoganda and mind numbing lies and twisted reality.
So for the first time ever, these groups who are interested in separation of church and state and the rights of "non-believers" are being listened to, it has to feel pretty good for them since I imagine their battle has been a tough one.
But Dr. Ed Buckner, head of American Atheists, praised the Obama administration for including non-believers in the political dialogue, something he said was missing from previous administrations.
"Over 13 percent of the population is considered 'non-religious,' and this includes millions of atheists, freethinkers, humanists, rationalists, and other citizens," Buckner said. "We are committed to the separation of church and state and to equality for non-believers in the political arena. Religious speakers must not continue to be given special privileges.
In the previous administration, the military made several moves to try to institutionalize religion among the troops. People are being harassed and pressured to participate in christian services. A lot of work has to be done to repair our country and make it open to all religions and non-believers. That was the reason my ancestors came to America, to be able to practice their religion without interference, they understood the problem of governments getting mixed up in religion.