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From 'Fear and Loathing' to Comfort and Healing
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A report by Health Policy Solutions.
By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon
WOODY CREEK — The health clinic started in the famous Woody Creek Tavern near Aspen where gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson held court and sometimes packed his pistol.
"Hunter shot me in the tavern once," says Gaylord Guenin, 77, Woody Creek's sage, resident historian, writer, former bartender and current football pool manager. "We were arguing over who ruined the Tavern."
That was years before any patrons wanted their vitals checked at the bar.
"Hunter unfortunately never took part in the clinic as far as I know," Guenin says. "I have a feeling he would have supported it. Hunter came down on the side of justice in almost everything.
"That's one of the nice things about this clinic. It's all-inclusive. It doesn't make any difference who you are and what you have. You can have a lot and you can have nothing. It doesn't matter. You're welcome here."
Tavern medicine
Aspen, of course, is the ultimate land of the haves where Hollywood glitterati mix with titans of industry in spiffy Victorians and trophy castles that hug the ridges of Red Mountain or aptly named Castle Creek Canyon. But, there are many have-nots in the Roaring Fork River Valley as well. (Click here to read Solutions's earlier coverage: Posh Aspen provides dismal health coverage.)
Beyond the groves of aspen and pine trees, in pockets along the river, trailer parks hide below ostentatious mountain homes. They are full of the workers, firefighters and aging hippies who make the local economy function. Many do not have health insurance and simply go without care until they get sick.
Enter Peg O'Brien, a physical therapist, who lives in Woody Creek's trailer park, which in the last few years has proudly evolved into its own subdivision.
"She's our Florence Nightingale," Guenin says with a raspy laugh. (Despite O'Brien's gentle advice to give up smoking, Guenin resumed his evening habit when the economy tanked.)
O'Brien has lived in the area for over 20 years and moved to the trailer park in 2004. There she met many older men who had moved to Aspen in the '60s or '70s. Some were ski bums. Others moved there to change the world. They stayed. They aged. And, some developed health problems.
"Many may not be connected to their families back east. They may not have insurance. Most don't. Most of the residents are self-employed or work different part-time jobs and are not covered by insurance through work. Or others are facing the decision of dropping their health insurance because they can't afford it. With that comes anxiety," said O'Brien.
"The other thing I saw, along with health needs, was a lack of affordability and access to health care. It was too intimidating, so they avoided it."
As a kindness to her neighbors, O'Brien began doing informal health checks in the Tavern, which is a short stroll from the trailer park. The local guys tend to show up there for lunch. Like the turkey vultures who hang out on the fence outside the bar, the wise-cracking locals line up on their bar stools at around 11 a.m.
Back in 2006, one of them asked O'Brien if he should bother to quit smoking. She knew a lecture wouldn't work.
"I was trying to have a really open mind, so I said, 'Let's see if smoking agrees with you,'" O'Brien said.
She met him at the bar, pulled out a blood pressure cuff and an oximeter, a machine that measures oxygen saturation levels. The results showed that quitting smoking would indeed boost his health.
"Of course then, everybody wanted theirs done too," she said.
With that first informal exam, a new concept was born: tavern medicine. Instead of a conservative doctor's bag, O'Brien carries a colorful Grateful Dead tote bag.
She soon found that many of the men hadn't seen a doctor in decades. One was using nicotine gum to give up smoking. But he was popping the gum like Chiclets.
"His blood pressure was through the roof. All he had to do was cut that. He just didn't know. Everybody at the bar soon learned that you can really chew too much of that nicotine gum."
Proud, aging ski bums discovered they needed health care
Peg became like Joel Fleischman, the town doctor on "Northern Exposure," the quirky 1990s TV show about small-town Alaska.
From the Woody Creek Post Office to her front door late at night, O'Brien fielded questions big and small. Some women confided about domestic abuse. Other residents had less serious questions.
"People were asking me on the street about their elbow or their back," O'Brien recalled.
"It's pretty fun and really effective because you're right there," O'Brien said. "I've had 25 years of experience in conventional health care working with primary care providers, home health and in outpatient settings."
But she discovered a powerful need for people to get care where they feel most comfortable, in their neighborhood.
The residents of the Woody Creek Mobile Home Association had been renters for years. When the association converted to a subdivision, a local nonprofit, The Manuas Fund, partnered with the Community Banks of Colorado and the Home Owner Association Board to make sure that every resident was able to buy and stay in their property. Then, economic disaster hit and some residents were struggling to pay bills and afford health care.
"They're proud and independent. They didn't accept help in the past. Now, with age and needs really becoming critical, they're starting to open up more, especially with a local person they trust."
By 2007, O'Brien decided to set up a more official clinic. Once a month, she brought her physical therapy exam table and set up shop in the refurbished log cabin that has become Woody Creek's coffee shop and community center. It's right next door to the Tavern. Click here to read Clinic offers care and coffee.)
"I sat for two hours once a month so people would know they were welcome to come with any questions. If they needed physical therapy, we could take care of it right then. If they needed to be referred, I could get them connected."
She gave the advice and simple therapy for free as she was building her private practice, providing physical therapy to Aspenites in their homes. Providing free or low-cost care to the regular folks who live "down-valley" gave O'Brien a balance to her patient load.
She then partnered with Mountain Family Health Centers, the safety net health center in Glenwood Springs, and arranged for cardiovascular screenings.
"About 20 (residents) had never before had their basic cardiovascular blood profile. Most had had almost no health care for decades. They were healthy men and women, mostly men, who came out here as athletes and worked to support their skiing. Now they're in their 50s, 60s and 70s."
After discovering the need, O'Brien began reaching out to partners including the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation, The Manaus Fund and the Thrift Shop of Aspen. Leadership and support has come from George and Patti Stranahan, mountaineers, who founded the Woody Creek Tavern, Flying Dog Brewery and Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey.
The Stranahans, who also were friends and neighbors of Hunter Thompson, created their Carbondale-based nonprofit to promote social entrepreneurship. The Manaus Fund is named for a city in Brazil where the Amazon and Rio Negro rivers flow separately for miles before blending together. The Stranahans wanted to do good by bringing business savvy to the nonprofit world, thus joining two distinct worlds. They donated the space for the community center and have supported the clinic.
'People just live with illness'
As the health needs grew, O'Brien's private practice was also expanding. So, The Manaus Fund and other anonymous donors arranged for a formal director. O'Brien still participates in the clinic every month, but Sarah Kuhn is now program director.
A former Peace Corps worker, Kuhn worked in community health in Cameroon. She has found interesting parallels between Aspen and Africa. In both places, people are concerned about the expense of seeing a doctor.
"That's the same here. It's not accessible to everyone," she said. "You realize that health is such a primary need for people. You take it for granted when you're in good health. But most people would rank it very high in terms or priorities."
Kuhn is beginning to collect data from the clinics so she can better understand the needs in the community. At the August clinic, for instance, all of the 16 patients who were seen that morning filled out a survey. More than half, or 56 percent, said their annual income was less than $35,000 a year. More than a third, nearly 38 percent, had no health insurance. A similar percentage had private insurance while others had Medicare or insurance through the veteran's administration.
Everyone is welcome at the clinic regardless of income. Kuhn is eager to build the number of patients seen.
"I want to reach the people who are really in need. People are starting to know about it, but I want to reach the ones who don't get check-ups, who are not actively seeking health care."
Ironically, among immigrants, outreach workers have found some skepticism because the clinic is free.
"People are asking, 'Why is it free? It must not be licensed doctors.'''
In addition, the community center is about 2 ½ miles off Colorado Highway 82. While that's not far, it may be too distant for low-income people who rely solely on the buses that run up and down the valley from Glenwood Springs to Aspen.
Kuhn is working to build the Woody Creek clinic, then will consider expanding it elsewhere in the valley.
"We're trying to make a big push to connect with other health and human services organizations and collaborate on joint campaigns. Maybe a busload of seniors would come here sometime."
Janeth Niebla, a community organizer for The Manaus Fund, attended the last Woody Creek clinic so she could translate for any Spanish speakers and because she's interested in duplicating the concept in other trailer parks.
Through surveys and outreach efforts in the Roaring Fork Valley, Niebla has found that even visiting a low-income clinic is challenging for some immigrant workers.
"They have to save up to go for an annual checkup. If it costs $200 or $300, it's still something they can't afford."
Plus, time is scarce.
"It's (lack of) insurance. It's money. It's time. Finding the time to do anything is hard."
What she loves about the Woody Creek clinic is its accessibility and the comfort factor.
"People can walk. It's free. It's easy. We'd love to take this to other trailer parks."
Niebla grew up in Glenwood Springs and has witnessed the growth in population of workers from Mexico and Central America.
"What we see is a population of really wealthy people here and a population of low-income people. There are both extremes and not much in the middle.
"People tell us they don't have health insurance. They don't have a lot of benefits. They just live with illness," Niebla said.
Connections critical in accepting care
Sitting on his favorite bar stool at the Woody Creek Tavern, Gaylord Guenin draws NFL team names for the week's football pool as the bartender records his picks on a dry-erase board. He won last week's pool, collects his $300 and quickly hands the young woman a $20 tip.
The tiny tavern is still filled with photos of celebrities and Hunter Thompson memorabilia. Although he killed himself in 2005, Thompson's anti-authoritarian philosophy is still alive and kicking here.
The heyday of the bar was in the early 1980s when it was a real Wild West tavern where locals mixed with ranch hands and Hollywood stars could duck in for a drink without being bothered.
As the popularity of the place grew, Thompson was convinced that it wasn't the same any more. He and Guenin had an ongoing debate over who had caused the demise of the Tavern. Guenin argued that Thompson's attention-seeking books were destroying Woody Creek. Thompson ripped on Guenin for selling Tavern T-shirts.
"We had a sign in the Tavern that said, 'It's not who you are that's important. It's how you conduct yourself.'"
One night, Thompson came in and started screaming at Guenin.
"You've ruined the Tavern," he shouted. "Then, he pulled out a pistol and he shot at me. The amazing thing was I wasn't the least bit concerned. It was hilarious. I might have been in shock or on drugs.
"We were good friends, but he was crazy."
The noisy round turned out to be a blank. Both men survived and so did their friendship.
Today, Guenin has had to cope with the loss of four or five close friends. He lives in Lenado, an old logging encampment several miles in the mountains above Woody Creek. George Stranahan bought all the land and gave several old-timers deeds to cabins they had been renting.
Guenin has never had a job with health insurance. He's on Medicare now and is grateful to O'Brien for helping him navigate the health care system.
"When you go to her, she's a sounding board. Or you have these doctors come in here and you can talk with them."
Peg O'Brien tries to make sure that the "turkey vultures" from the tavern, or her firefighter neighbors or the new immigrants who are cleaning hotel rooms and working in restaurant kitchens all have access to care.
Perhaps she gets her calling from her mother who's a parish nurse in Dubuque, Iowa. Or maybe she's an Aspen transplant with a Midwest ethos. Regardless of her motivation, O'Brien wants to be sure that all people – insured or not – have someone keeping an eye out for them.
She saw one man at the August clinic who had a concerning skin condition on his back.
"It was changing and irregular. He lived alone so he couldn't see it. He hadn't seen a doctor in more than five years," O'Brien said.
She urged him to make an appointment.
"You don't have to be concerned yet, but check it out."
From time to time, O'Brien ran into the man at the Post Office.
"Did you go yet?" she asked.
"Not yet," he replied.
"It takes cajoling and support sometimes," O'Brien said.
Finally after badgering the man a few more times, she got the right answer.
He had finally sought help.
Said O'Brien: "The more we develop these connections, the better health care we'll have."
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Heard a guy the other day: the only people EVER to have free will: Adam & Eve (and Jesus, of course).Since the fall none have true free will due to the distortion since; anyone know an Orthodox approach to this subject?
Our will is impaired due to sin (Ancestral Sin) but it isn't non-existent.
Take a breath, read Ecclesiastes 1:9.
Imo, 'free will' is highly overrated. I mean, look what we do with it.Yes, yes, I know. I apologize profusely.
Quote from: newtoorthodoxy on October 15, 2013, 09:58:05 AMImo, 'free will' is highly overrated. I mean, look what we do with it.Yes, yes, I know. I apologize profusely.It's because of humanity's propensity to death that they commit sin against themselves and the holiness of God.
Quote from: xOrthodox4Christx on October 11, 2013, 03:08:05 PMOur will is impaired due to sin (Ancestral Sin) but it isn't non-existent.Correct. Martin Luther wrote a book called "Bondage of the Will," which asserted that apart from spiritual regeneration man's will is enslaved and cannot be freely exercised. This is obviously contrary to Orthodox doctrine. Man always has free will, but upon Baptism and Chrismation he receives the Holy Spirit and the special graces that empower him to more easily use his volition for good. But good and evil are always choices, and we are always responsible for those choices. We cannot say, "I was bound by sin and couldn't help it." Selam
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The Supreme Court heard oral argument today in a lawsuit challenging Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. That section requires certain states, and jurisdictions within states, to obain "pre-clearance" from the Justice Department or a federal court before making any change in their electoral law or procedures. Justice Kennedy, normally the "swing" vote in these kinds of cases, seemed skeptical (at least in the recorded excerpts I heard) as to whether this infringement on the sovereignty of selected states was justified by the record Congress relied on in 2006 when it extended Section 5 for another 25 years. Kennedy was clear that such a limitation on state sovereignty requires a high burden of proof that the state cannot be trusted to run a non-racist election system.
Unfortunately, Justice Kennedy has a tendency to sound fairly solid at oral argument and then to go "wobbly" when it comes time to write and vote. This seems to be particularly true in cases involving issues of race. If there's a middle ground to be carved out, never bet against Kennedy getting a knife.
Even before the election of Barack Obama, it was clear that southern states (the ones laregly saddled with Section 5) are nothing like they were in 1965, when the Act was passed, when it comes to minority voting rights. The Wasington Post inadvertently drove this point home in a story about the case this morning.
The reporter, Robert Barnes, led of his story this way:
Conservative legal activists who mean to liberate the mostly Southern states that bear the biggest burden under the Voting Rights Act lack support from a key group: The mostly Southern states that bear the biggest burden under the Voting Rights Act.
Noting that none of these states filed a brief supporting the challenge, Barnes suggested (in what purports to be a news piece, not "analysis") that the absence of such briefs means that the states are not burdened by Section 5, and that the constitutional challenge is a trumped up vehicle for conservative legal activism.
But it is at least as plausible to argue that the legal posture of the southern states demonstrates the absence of any need for the states in question (though not necessarily all jurisdictions within those states) to pre-clear their voting procedures. If the states had any interest in engaging in racial discrimination against any group of voters, they likely would have supported a suit that, if successful, will givie them more autonomy.
As I see it, the pre-clearance requirement is understood to be an affront to the states, but the politicians who run the states would rather not alienate minority voters by lending support to a suit trying to change a law that played such a positive transformative role. That same instinct means that there is no longer any need for the pre-clearance mechanism.


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Trimble has introduced its new high-accuracy Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compatible correction service. The Trimble CenterPoint RTX correction service can offer 4 centimeter (1.5 inch) repeatable accuracy and will be available initially through Trimble's Agriculture Division.
CenterPoint RTX is a GPS and GLONASS enabled correction service that covers approximately a 1.8 billion acre swath of central North America, extending from Canada into northern Mexico.
The CenterPoint RTX correction service can deliver a fully-converged position in less than one minute at startup within the five central U.S. corn belt states from Nebraska to Illinois, so farmers can begin work immediately. For the area outside of the five U.S. states, the CenterPoint RTX correction service provides the same 4 centimeter (1.5 inch) repeatable accuracy, but farmers will experience additional convergence time to reach full accuracy. By using Trimble's FastRestart technology, this convergence time can be reduced and full accuracy can be achieved in less than 3 minutes.
The corrections are satellite-delivered directly to the GNSS receiver, so there are no additional hardware costs such as radios, antennas or cellular data plans. The CenterPoint RTX service is compatible with both the Trimble CFX-750 and FmX displays. The service is expected to be available by the end of July.
"The addition of CenterPoint RTX satellite-based corrections demonstrates that Trimble is committed to delivering a broad portfolio of correction options to our customers," said Erik Arvesen, vice president of Trimble's Agriculture Division. "Farmers want to be able to choose their accuracy based on their needs and budget. Adding these premium satellite correction services to WAAS, OmniSTAR HP and XP services, sub-inch accurate Trimble RTK, or network-based Trimble VRS Now Ag, offers our customers an even wider range of accuracy options."


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ACAPULCO, Mexico – A Mexican government spokesman says a missing Federal Police helicopter aiding in storm rescue efforts has crashed and all aboard were found dead.
Spokesman Eduardo Sanchez says the number of victims is still being determined and could be between three and five people, all federal police.
His announcement came as officials said the overall death toll from storms Manuel and Ingrid over the past week rose to 101, not counting the helicopter casualties. Sixty-eight people remain missing in La Pintada, where a landslide buried half of the town.
The helicopter went missing on Thursday as it returned from La Pintada, a remote mountain coffee-growing village northwest of the resort city of Acapulco. Weathers conditions there initially hampered rescue efforts and flights into the area.


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The 606 has a digital coax input and output. The 909 has digital coax in/out and optical in/out.domestic wrote:if you are recording to computer then mc909 has advantage cause it has digital output and you don't need expensive converter. I recomend you to buy it, it is very usefull box, but faders really sux. anyway you can change volume of each part with changing values on each part in mixer or via some computer midi sequencer like cubase, I like to use mc909 with cubase
good luck
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Critical conversations are open-ended, judgment-free discussions where the goal is to learn and explore different perspectives. As described in Catalyst's recent report, Anatomy of Change: How Inclusive Cultures Evolve, candid yet respectful dialogue about our differences (and lots of it) is the foundation for building a more inclusive workplace and achieving concrete change.
During this interactive webinar, MARC (Men Advocating Real Change) members and bloggers shared personal stories about learning from our differences. The discussion was led by Catalyst's Mike Otterman, Program Manager, Men Advocating Real Change Catalyst, and Jeanine Prime, Vice President & Center Leader, Catalyst Research Center for Advancing Leader Effectiveness, alongside Michael Kimmel, SUNY University Distinguished Professor of Sociology at SUNY Stony Brook, and Steven Stall, Business Manager, Operations, Customer Support and Maintenance at Rockwell Automation.
Listen to the recording.


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2013-11-27 / Obituaries
Grace McEvoy, former Massapequa resident and real estate agent
Grace McEvoy, a longtime resident of Massapequa who worked in real estate in the community for many years, died in North Carolina at the age of 86 years old. Mrs. McEvoy was raised in Valley Stream and graduated from Hempstead High School. Her mother died at an early age and Mrs. McEvoy undertook the care and rearing of her four siblings after high school.
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rates did a complete 180, reversing yesterday's improvement, and taking rates back in line with recent highs. That sounds fairly ominous, and in the sense that further weakness would mean new multi-month highs, it is. But less ominous is the fact that rates continue to operate in a narrow range where the only major day to day changes have been seen on the COST side of the equation. There's further explanation in our daily link to "best-execution" rates, but the other side of the equation is the RATE itself. Those have been steady over the past two weeks with 30yr Fixed, Conventional Loans at 3.625%.
(What is A Best-Execution Mortgage Rate?)
Markets are getting back in the habit of drawing a majority of their conclusions about trading levels from the overnight and early morning activity in European markets. To that end, European markets have generally been suggesting higher interest rates for countries like Germany and the US, which benefited greatly from "safe-haven" demand during the more climactic moments of EU financial crisis. Bond markets began the week with their best session in months yesterday thanks to Europe. Now today, following stronger economic data in Europe, all of Monday's fears have been undone, leading investors back toward riskier assets and away from Treasuries and MBS (the mortgage-backed-securities that most directly influence rates). Lower prices in MBS mean higher rates on lenders' rate sheets.
The potential silver lining here is that rates aren't any worse than their previous "worst levels of the year." There are two ways to approach that information. In one way, it builds a sense of defensive support--a sort of ceiling that's yet to be breached. As long as that ceiling continues to hold, it's not entirely unreasonable to hope for opportunities to lock in a rate below that level. In that case, a break above the ceiling would force your hand and you'd have to lock at a loss vs. today's rates.
The other approach is more defensive, and that's to view this revisiting of multi-month highs as a sign that it's only a matter of time before new highs are made. Both approaches are valid and depend on your level of risk tolerance. What we DO know however, is that rates have been trending higher, and we have yet to definitively break that trend despite today's rates merely matching previous highs.
Loan Originator Perspectives
"Rates just cant seem to muster a 2 day rally. Hopefully you were able to lock after the positive reprices we enjoyed yesterday afternoon. If not, rate sheets already reflect the worsened rates so i would float overnight. Seems we have pretty decent support underneath us but if that is broken it could get ugly very quick. As always float at your own risk." -Victor Burek, Open Mortgage.
Today's Best-Execution Rates
Ongoing Lock/Float Considerations
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Observing Ice Sheet/Ocean Interactions in a Greenland Glacial Fjord
Arctic Research Initiative
2009 Funded Project
Mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet rapidly increased over the last decade raising concerns for sea-level rise and for the impact of the excess fresh water on the ocean circulation. The mass loss is primarily due to the acceleration and thinning of outlet glaciers and has been attributed to changes in conditions at their termini, in deep fjords where the ice extends several hundreds of meters below sea-level. The fact that the ocean around Greenland exhibited a 1-2 ºC increase at roughly the same time has prompted numerous scientists to conclude that the ice sheet's changes have been triggered by ocean warming. This new hypothesis, with potentially profound implications for our climate system, is, however, largely unverified because of the chronic lack of measurements from the ice/ocean boundary. Obtaining such measurements is thus crucial to both understanding and modeling the ice sheet and its variability.
Making measurements at the edge of Greenland's outlet glaciers is nontrivial. The deep, long fjords are remote, typically uncharted and choked with sea-ice and deep-reaching icebergs. Traditional ocean-observing methods, designed for more benign environments, are likely to fail in such extreme conditions. Here, we propose to fill a fundamental gap in observing and understanding ice sheet/ocean interactions through a multi-faceted, targeted experiment in one large Greenland glacial fjord. The field measurements will utilize a combination of newly developed or adapted technologies which include:
i) profiling sensors deployed from a ship and a helicopter to map the summer ocean properties in the fjord and near the glacier's edge
ii) bottom moored instruments (to avoid collision with icebergs) to provide long-term information on the ocean properties and circulation in the fjord
iii) specially designed, acoustically tracked floats to reach the ice-choked region at the edge of outlet glacier.
This work takes advantage of a ship of opportunity (an icebreaker with a helicopter) and builds on a pilot program recently conducted by one of the PIs (Straneo). The goals are 1) to obtain new, unprecedented measurements from a crucial region in the Earth's climate system; and 2) to develop and test techniques that will allow such measurements to be made in larger full-blown experiments. It brings together the diverse expertise of three WHOI scientists and seeks to establish WHOI's leadership in the rapidly growing field of ice-sheet/ocean interactions.


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By Diego Ore and Efrain Otero
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez made a theatrical return home on Friday after medical treatment in Cuba, walking and joking in a first public appearance for three weeks that quashed rumors he may have been at death's door.
"So, where's the party?" an ebullient and robust-looking Chavez said after flying in before dawn to the surprise and delight of supporters.
"I'm happy and enthused to be back again," he told beaming ministers after walking unaided down the steps from his plane at the international airport outside Caracas.
The 58-year-old socialist leader has had three cancer operations in Cuba since mid-2011 and returned to Havana ten days ago to receive "hyperbaric oxygenation" - a treatment normally used to alleviate bone decay from radiation therapy.
Speculation had been rife that he may have suffered a recurrence of the disease, and one local journalist had said he was confined to a wheelchair.
Earlier this year, Chavez declared himself "completely cured" and went on to win re-election comfortably in October.
Amid a barrage of rumors fed by the opposition, officials had maintained that his latest visit to Cuba was just a scheduled follow-up to the radiation therapy he underwent in the first half of 2012.
Supporters celebrated the return of a man who has dominated the South American OPEC nation since he first won election in 1998. He wore a blue and white tracksuit and flew with relatives and aides including Vice President Nicolas Maduro.
"YEEESSSS!!!!," tweeted Eva Golinger, an American-Venezuelan lawyer close to the Chavez government.
"Chavez is back and has shown up all the rumor-mongers, necrophiliacs, gossips and ill-thinkers ... Welcome comandante."
Chavez looked relatively well, moving with ease and chatting for 15 minutes on the runway, although he remains puffy-faced as he has been since the radiation treatment.
Chavez's return gives him a week to campaign for Venezuela's December 16 state elections, where his ruling Socialist Party is hoping to use the momentum of the presidential victory to win back some opposition-held governorships.
The opposition, however, is hoping that discontent with grassroots issues like crime, power-cuts and cronyism will enable it to at least hold the seven states it controls out of Venezuela's 23.
Speculation over Chavez's health is unlikely to end, given the scant details given by the government.
Doctors say hyperbaric oxygenation is a treatment normally given in different sessions over several months, meaning he could return to Cuba again soon.
They also say nobody can declare themselves cured of cancer until a couple of years have passed without recurrence.
The president had dearly wanted to attend a Mercosur summit in Brazil on Friday, to celebrate Venezuela joining the regional trade bloc this year, so his absence from that maintained a question mark over just how well he is.
News of Chavez's trip to Cuba had prompted a Venezuelan bond rally given Wall Street and Western investors' preference for a more business-friendly government in Caracas.
But in early trading on Friday, following news of his return, Venezuela's global bonds fell 1.81 pct in price, according to returns tallied by the J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Plus (EMBI+).
Bonds had risen 6.2 percent so far this month to Thursday.
Opponents criticize Chavez for secrecy over his health and preferring Cuban doctors to Venezuelans.
"His whole absence has been a black hole of misinformation," opposition legislator Tomas Guanipa told local media.
"Any president should give account to his people, it is an obligation to give health details. When you are transparent and responsible, and recognize you are there to serve the people not boss them, the logical thing is to say what is going on."
Chavez has chosen to be treated in Havana due to his friendship with Cuba's past and present leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, plus the discretion he is guaranteed thanks to the Communist government's strict controls on information.
Cuba's Communist Party newspaper published photos showing Raul Castro bidding farewell to Chavez at Havana airport. Chavez said he had met Fidel Castro during his stay.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Franks in Havana, Mario Naranjo, Andrew Cawthorne and Marianna Parraga in Caracas, and Walker Simon in New York; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Storey)


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Seibertron.com - The Ultimate Transformers Fansite
Lousy_Autobot_Lover wrote:hmmm.. Voyager OP or Deluxe OP?
Lousy_Autobot_Lover wrote:Actually i was talking about which is better Voayger powerizer or this version of the Deluxe
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Lousy_Autobot_Lover wrote:Actually i was talking about which is better Voayger powerizer or this version of the Deluxe
First Edition Voyager, no contest. If it helps, the Deluxe has a similar transformation. The RiD Voyager has its merits, but the grey chest and the grey parts on the shoulders ultimately knocks a few points off. Battle Shield Optimus is the best use of the Powerizer, but o so rare...
And if you're getting the Deluxe, get the Entertainment Pack one. Cheaper, plus you can sell off Megs if need be.
Actually, it was released there, like always and it originated there in Japan, like all TF toys!JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Lousy_Autobot_Lover wrote:hmmm.. Voyager OP or Deluxe OP?
Deluxe, that one was never released in Japan.
To me, the only appeal is the Gold Metal R.A., as anyone can buy a Deluxe Prime and slap on him for Orion Pax Thankfully, not the same dilemma as I have with FE Megatron vs. AM Megatron.
XDMan wrote:Actually, it was released there, like always and it originated there in Japan, like all TF toys!
RazorSlash92 wrote:Sorry to say, but this is the laziest attempt at a redeco I've ever seen. Is there actually any difference besides the Decepticon insignia?
They could have AT LEAST given him a resculpted head, without a mouthplate.
RazorSlash92 wrote:Hm, true, I suppose. But, still, why not just release the regular version in Japan, THEN make the Orion Pax redeco?
Or perhaps that would be too costly. I truly don't know much of what I'm talking about.
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HIS373 The Holocaust
Brief survey of the status and condition of European Jewry before World War II and analysis of the antisemitic movements with particular attention to the theory and practice of the Nazis. Detailed study of the stages in the destruction of European Jewry with comparisons of the course of the Holocaust in various countries and the different reactions of different Jewish and non-Jewish communities.
- 3
- Liberal Arts
- Must be enrolled in the following level: Undergraduate
- May not be enrolled in the following class: Freshman


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Antidepressants are sometimes used for premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but a woman's specific symptoms may be key in whether the medications offer any help, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that of 447 women in clinical trials testing sertraline (Zoloft) for PMS, those with "mixed" symptoms – multiple physical and psychological symptoms – were the most likely to see an improvement.
In contrast, women with mainly physical PMS symptoms got little help, unless they had severe bloating or breast tenderness.
Many women have symptoms like bloating, breast tenderness, headache and emotional stress shortly before their menstrual periods. Often, simple fixes like diet changes, exercise and over-the-counter painkillers are enough to manage the symptoms.
But for some, PMS is severe enough to disrupt their daily lives, and antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be prescribed.
Studies have found that the antidepressants can help some women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS thought to affect a small percentage of women.
But about 40 percent of women who try an SSRI do not see a benefit.
"There's an enormous range of PMS symptoms, and an enormous range in how severe they are," said Ellen W. Freeman, a research professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia who led the new study.
These findings, she told Reuters Health, suggest that women whose symptoms are primarily physical are unlikely to get much help from an SSRI.
Besides sertraline, other SSRIs approved for treating PMDD include fluoxetine (Sarafem) and paroxetine (Paxil). (Sarafem is a repackaged form of Prozac, marketed specifically for PMDD.)
No SSRI is approved for treating PMS, said Freeman, who has received funding from antidepressant manufacturers. But doctors are allowed to prescribe the medications for PMS symptoms, and clinical trials have included not only women with PMDD, but more-severe PMS symptoms as well.
The current findings, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, are based on a second look at three of those clinical trials.
Freeman's team focused on 447 women with PMS or PMDD who were randomly assigned to take either sertraline or an inactive placebo.
The majority of women in the study had the "mixed" subtype of PMS or PMDD – meaning they had significant physical and psychological symptoms.
And it turned out that those women stood the greatest chance of benefiting from the antidepressant, Freeman's team found. Almost two-thirds reported a 50 percent improvement in their symptoms over three menstrual cycles, compared to 42 percent of the women getting the placebo.
Women with mixed symptoms essentially had the most severe PMS, because they had the greatest number of significant symptoms, Freeman explained.
On the other hand, sertraline was less effective for women with primarily physical symptoms (which included 29 percent of the PMS group, and only one woman in the PMDD group).
Of those women, just over half of those on the antidepressant had a 50 percent drop in their symptoms, versus 38 percent of women in the placebo group – a difference that could easily have been due to chance.
When Freeman's team focused on specific symptoms, they found that on average, all psychological symptoms were more likely to improve on the antidepressant versus the placebo.
But most physical symptoms – including headache, fatigue, cramps and body aches did not get better. The exceptions were severe breast tenderness and bloating.
"The physical symptoms seemed to truly not respond, unless they were severe breast tenderness or bloating," Freeman said.
She suggested that when women are looking for treatment for PMS, they talk with their doctors about exactly what the main symptoms are, and how severe they are.
"If the symptoms are predominately physical, it seems unlikely that an SSRI will help," Freeman noted.
Since the study looked only at sertraline, it's not possible to say for sure whether the findings would hold true for other SSRIs. But that's likely to be the case, Freeman said.
As with any medication, she added, a woman has to balance the likelihood of benefit with an SSRI against the risks of side effects.
Potential side effects of the medications include headache, nausea, sleep problems and sexual side effects. The drugs have also been linked to an increased risk of suicidal behavior in teenagers and young adults.
Birth control pills are another option for treating more-severe PMS symptoms. Freeman said that future studies should see whether women with different symptom types respond differently to the Pill as well.
One of Freeman's colleagues on the study has received research funding from Pfizer Inc., which markets Zoloft. Freeman has received funding from several other drugmakers.


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Penises make you uncomfortable, huh Reef.Reefer2 wrote:Morning show sucks, Bro Jake does not work.
I stopped listening to him on Rock 101.1 becasue of his urge to always talk about a penis and the 2 days this week I listened to them they talk about a penis.
Team 1040 is trying something different and I don't like it.
That's cool.
Vaginas make Per super uncomfortable.


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1 dead, 1 injured in Liberty County crash
One man died and another was injured in a traffic wreck in Liberty County early Friday morning when their van smashed into a tree.
The single-vehicle crash happened about 3:30 a.m. on FM 379 just west of U.S. 59, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Troopers said the driver was identified as 22-year-old Jonathan Benham. He was flown by LifeFlight medical helicopter to Memorial Hermann-The Texas Medical Center, where he later died. The passenger, identified as Charles Campbell, was taken by ambulance to Kingwood hospital.
Troopers did not release details of Campbell's injuries or condition.
Troopers said the van was traveling eastbound on FM 379 when it veered from the road and slammed into a tree. It appeared, troopers added, that Benham may have fallen asleep. Campbell told investigators he had been asleep when the wreck occurred and didn't know how the crash had happened.
Troopers said a lot of newspapers were piled in the back of the van.
A spokeswoman for the Houston Chronicle said Benham was an independent contractor for the company. She did not know if Benham was on duty when the crash occurred.


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A growing number of property owners and municipalities are waking up to the fact that efficient landscape irrigation can play a major role in water conservation. There are several effective strategies for making landscapes more water efficient. In some cases, turf can be converted to xeriscape plantings that require less water. Smart controllers can also be added to automatically adjust the watering schedule based on how much water the landscape needs. But one of the most important strategies for water conservation is the use of low-volume irrigation.
Low volume, or micro irrigation, directs low pressure moisture specifically to the root zone of the plants that need it. It also gives each plant the optimal amount of water it needs, instead of giving plants with varying moisture requirements the same amount. In addition, drip irrigation doesnt water weeds in between preferred plants. Therefore, it not only saves water that would be wasted on weeds, it also saves on maintenance. Finally, it doesnt waste water on sidewalks, driveways and buildings, or lose significant amounts to evaporation. In an age where water is no longer seen as a free and unlimited resource, low-volume irrigation simply makes sense.
The terms water shortage and water conservation are not just about drought conditions anymore, says Rick Heenan, national sales manager for DIG Corporations commercial division, located in Vista, California. ?The fact is that there are too many people, too many developments, and not enough delivered water available.
Were at a dramatic point in irrigation history, agrees Travis Komara, president of Salco Products, Inc., Fontana, California, a manufacturer of drip irrigation devices. There is much more legislation, and there are more incentive programs in support of lowvolume irrigation than ever before, because more municipalities are experiencing success with these systems.
Watering restrictions have become commonplace in many cities across the country. Now more are starting to restrict the types of irrigation systems allowed in new construction. LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification program from the Green Building Council, includes efficient irrigation as one of its recognition criteria. A growing number of local and state governments, not to mention the federal government, are making a commitment to follow LEED standards in new construction.
In some cases the carrot is talking louder than the stick. In cities such as Las Vegas, Nevada, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Seattle, Washington and many others, exciting rebate programs reward commercial and residential water customers who convert part of their property to waterwise landscaping zones. Although this is seen as cutting edge, says Komara, its really gaining strength in other communities as well because of the water savings we?ve seen.
Concern for the environment isn?t the only force driving the market for low-volume irrigation. Some contractors have been using it for more than twenty years and theyve really seen the value when it comes to plant health,? says Susan Thayer, president of Maxijet Incorporated in Dundee, Florida. Word is getting out that micro irrigation promotes more rapid growth and healthier, more luxuriant
Economic gain, for both the contractor and the consumer, is also having a big impact. Contractors are finding that their profit margin is higher when they go with micro,says Thayer. Consumer demand is also higher. Theres been a lot of good publicity regarding micro irrigation. Homeowners are educating themselves and starting to see that it?s the right thing to do economically. Theyre asking for it because they know what it will do to their water bill.
The bottom line is that the market is booming for contractors who are knowledgeable about waterwise landscaping and low-volume irrigation techniques. Contractors who dont bone up on these subjects are really missing the boat.
Low volume basics
Drip, low volume, and micro irrigation are words that are sometimes used interchangeably. All refer to irrigation systems that deliver a low flow of water at low pressure at or nearthe root zone of plants. Low-volume irrigation actually consists of a variety of different systems that can be used together or separately in a given landscape. Each system has its own array of emitters or micro sprays that can tailor water delivery to the needs of a specific plant or planting area.
Drip systems bring water directly to an individual plant or small group of plants through flexible tubing. A variety of emission devices with different flow rates allow for the delivery of different volumes of water to each plant in the same run time.
In-line drip tubing or drip tape is designed to uniformly wet a larger area where plants are not as widely spaced. Emitters are molded directly into tubing at set intervals. The tubing is buried just below the soil or beneath mulch. Although it wets a larger area like overhead watering, water is delivered at a much slower rate, and less is lost to runoff and evaporation.
Micro sprays and micro sprinklers are another variety of lowvolume irrigation devices that are appropriate for dense planting areas. Water is delivered just above the ground through several small spray jets or sprinklers connected by flexible tubing. Because water is delivered slowly at low pressure, micro sprays and micro sprinklers allow for much deeper watering with minimal runoff. And because sprinklers and sprays cover a wide variety of patterns and diameters, its easy to design flexible systems that cover narrow, curving beds without wasting water on adjacent areas.
Flexibility is one of the great strengths of all low-volume systems. Different systems can be used within the same landscape, and can even be used in conjunction with traditional overhead systems. In recent years, there has been increased interest in retrofitting traditional sprinkler systems to low-volume systems. With the new rebate programs, this trend will only grow.
Reducing the learning curve
In the past, some contractors have steered away from working with low-volume irrigation unless it was forced on them by watering restrictions. ?Drip is a little different,? says Heenan. ?It takes a little more planning. After all, it is easier to cover a large area with a conventional sprinkler, but then, where is the conservation advantage??
While it may take more planning at first, many contractors point out that the installation itself can be a tremendous time saver. As with any new service, the learning curve shrinks and planning becomes easier with each project. ?The great thing about micro irrigation is that it?s so simple and so easy to learn,? says Thayer. ?It?s basically a lot of common sense.?
As they recognize the financial rewards of installing drip? rewards for themselves as well as their customers?more contractors are jumping into drip than ever before. Fortunately it?s never been as easy as it is now. ?Low-volume irrigation got its start with the agriculture industry,? says Komara. ?In the past, landscape contractors had to rely on ?dragover? products and adapt them to landscape applications. Now, there are many more products designed specifically for landscaping.?
Manufacturers are also creating products and systems that are designed to be especially easy to learn and use. Many make retrofit kits. ?The retrofit option is a very easy way to get started with lowvolume irrigation,? says LeAnne Pyle, marketing coordinator for DIG. ?You can convert one section of a sprinkler system over to drip, see how you like it, and gain experience with it on a small scale.? Customers who reap the benefits will quickly help you spread the word about this option.
?We offer kits to contractors to help them get used to working with micro irrigation,? says Jennifer Waxman of Antelco Corporation, based in Longwood, Florida. ?They can either use a sprinkler conversion kit, or one that works off a regular water source. It takes about thirty minutes to install. After that, they realize how easy it is. From there, they might attend a low-volume workshop for more indepth training. There are many good ones put on by distributors or water districts.?
Agrifim, based in Fresno, California, has launched a new concept called Simple Drip, which was created to take the guesswork out of installing high functioning drip tube systems. It features a limited collection of products that have been carefully selected and designed to work well together.
?The products have been selected for simple design, easy installation, and low maintenance,? says Dean Parrish, product manager for Agrifim. ?The line uses one size tubing, one dripper size, and one spacing. We also selected a very forgiving dripper to ensure low maintenance and fewer callbacks for the contractor,? says Parrish.
In addition to the system components, it includes a concise and expertly written guide that takes contractors step by step through the process and shows them how using drip can be more profitable for their company.
These products can be pruchased individually or together in one prepackaged unit called ?Drip-In-ABox.? Each box will irrigate a 300-square-foot space. While the products were originally designed for contractors with relatively little experience, the company has been pleasantly surprised by the feedback they?ve received from experienced contractors as well.
Not only are new products taking the perplexity out of installing drip, now information about design, product selection, installation, and maintenance is readily available. ?One of the most valuable places to start is the Internet,? says Heenan. ?Articles, studies, and papers are easy to find. Most drip manufacturers understand the need for education and they support their products with web sites filled with specifications and installation diagrams.
Manufacturers offer support by phone or in person. Most have someone on hand with technical experience in the landscape field,? says Komara. ?Trade shows are also an excellent way to get a look at different manufacturers and speak with them about their products. If you want us to come out there and show your guys how to do it, well do that too.
According to Komara, manufacturers have a big stake in educating contractors to use drip effectively. There are three main components to a successful system, says Komara. These are system design, system installation, and product design. When all of these are strong, a system will perform well. But if one of these components is missing, the system is destined to fail.
These failures can give low-volume irrigation a bad reputation. Sometimes during a drought or other high pressure situation, youll have a lot of inexperienced contractors putting these systems into the ground, says Komara. If hey don?t use the right product (for example, if they use a home center product instead of a professional grade product), the system is likely to fail. This leaves a black mark on drip irrigation. We work closely with municipalities to help them understand this so they can avoi any knee-jerk reaction that might come from a situation such as this.
One thing is crystal clear: when Circle 199 on Reader Response Card they are designed and installed correctly, low-volume irrigation systems are a win, win, win solution to a challenging problem. We have got to start conserving water when we irrigate, says Thayer. We just don?t need to throw that much water on a lot of our plant material. With low-volume irrigation we have a lot more control.


text: Brazilian-born, Miami-based fine jewellery designer Luis Morais crafts sleek and chic, rock and roll-esque creations from the finest of materials. His exquisite pieces are born out of a love for travel and a celebration of vibrant, world cultures. Reach for Luis Morais bracelets for a seriously stylish and edgy, yet elegant, arm-candy update. These beautiful, beguiling treasures are made to be loved and worn today and passed on tomorrow.


text: Helmets are essential for the safety of the players on the field. But for you, a Cowboys helmet is essential for your fan room or office. Dallas Cowboys Helmets are the ultimate Cowboys collectible for die-hard Cowboys fans. Be sure to add one to your collection from the Official Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop. We offer a variety of Cowboys Helmets from Riddell, including replica, speed, authentic, and mini helmets. We also have helmet trackers and helmet display cases to make your helmet collection that much more special. You can even have an autographed helmet from a Cowboys Legend or Hall-of-Famers like Charles Haley, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin. So be sure to add a piece of Cowboys pride to your home, office, or man cave with a Dallas Cowboys Helmet.


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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Brett Wallace vs. Zack Cox
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold has an exceedingly long comparison of the Cardinals' Zack Cox and the Astros' Brett Wallace.
1 comment:
- tpack said...
Someone asked Keith Law about it today in the chat:
Jason (St Louis)
there was an article in the St Louis Post today comparing Brett Wallace and Zack Cox, saying how similar they are. That's way off base, right? Wallace only played 3rd one year and never looked the part and Cox is way more athletic. Other than looking at their stat lines, they have nothing in common, right?
Cox is a better third baseman with more power and doesn't have Wallace's issue with the ball on the inner half. They are/were both big college performers whose lack of agility and speed scared some teams off.
- March 10, 2011 at 1:23 PM
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Artist description:
Special request from anime_554, congratulation for the 'Konata wants you' competition. I really love Inuyasha and Ranma ^^ Ref used. Inuyasha, Original Author: Rumiko Takahashi.
Java Draw Created Nov 22, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 choy-kr.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
Wow!!! It looks just like the real Kagome!!!! AMAZING!!!!
woooooow kagome so nice
I love Inuyasha!!! and this is very beautifu*-*l! 5/5 and Favorite!
uwaa~ it looks like the original. :D cool~ :D inuyasha!♥
you drew this?! i love inuyasha!!! i tried drawing kagome it diddnt go as planned
wow thats amazin!!! :D
I love Inuyasha too :) The bg rocks. Totally. 5h
cool! I like the anime! great draw!
wow this is amazing ur a great artist love it 5/5 + fav


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DHS Boss, In Charge Of Cybersecurity, Doesn't Use Email Or Any Online Services
from the that-would-be-a-problem dept
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who is a key player in national cybersecurity efforts, said on Friday she doesn't use e-mail.I don't think anyone should be laughing, but perhaps they should be very, very worried. Or, perhaps they should be asking why she's in that job when she doesn't seem to have the necessary experience. If it does come to pass that DHS gets control over new cybersecurity efforts, this seems like a good reason to find someone else who actually has some grasp on what it is that they're regulating.
"Don't laugh, but I just don't use e-mail at all," she said during a discussion at a Cybersecurity Summit hosted by National Journal and Government Executive. She didn't explain what communications tools she does use.
President Obama, who appointed Napolitano, broke precedent by carrying his own BlackBerry device. But in response to a question about her personal cybersecurity practices, Napolitano said she avoids many online services. "I don't have any of my own accounts. Some would call me a Luddite," she said.


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Global Freemasonry
II. The Inside Story on the Kabbalah
"Exodus" is the title of the second book of the Torah. This book describes how the Israelites, under the leadership of the Prophet Moses (pbuh), left Egypt and escaped the tyranny of Pharaoh. Pharaoh made the Israelites work as slaves and would not consent to set them free. But, when confronted by the miracles Allah performed through the Prophet Moses (pbuh), and the disasters He inflicted on his people, Pharaoh relented. And so, one night the Israelites gathered en masse, and began their emigration from Egypt. Later, Pharaoh attacked the Israelites, but Allah saved them through a further miracle He performed through the Prophet Moses (pbuh).
But, it is in the Qur'an that we find the most accurate account of the exodus from Egypt, because the Torah underwent much textual corruption after it was originally revealed to the Prophet Moses (pbuh). An important proof of this is that in the five books of the Torah—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—there are many contradictions. The fact that the book of Deuteronomy ends with an account of the death and burial of the Prophet Moses (pbuh) is indisputable proof that this portion would have to have been added after the Prophet Moses' (pbuh) death.
In the Qur'an, the account of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is recounted in detail and most accurately. As with all other stories related in the Qur'an, Allah reveals much wisdom and many secrets in the course of what is related. For this reason, when believers examine these stories closely, they can extract a number of lessons from them.
The Golden Calf
One of the important facts concerning the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, as related in the Qur'an, is that some of them rebelled against the religion revealed to them by Allah in spite of the fact that Allah had rescued them through the Prophet Moses (pbuh) from the tyranny of Pharaoh. Some of the Israelites were not able to comprehend the monotheism that the Prophet Moses (pbuh) communicated to them, but tended continually toward idolatry.
The Qur'an describes this immoral tendency here:
We conveyed the tribe of Israel across the sea and they came upon some people who were devoting themselves to some idols which they had. They said, "Moses, give us a god just as these people have gods." He said, "You are indeed an ignorant people.
What these people are doing is destined for destruction. What they are doing is purposeless." (Surat al-A'raf: 138-139)
Despite the Prophet Moses' (pbuh) warnings, some Israelites continued in such perversion, and when the Prophet Moses (pbuh) left them, to ascend to Mt. Sinai, it manifested itself fully. Taking advantage of the Prophet Moses' (pbuh) absence, a man by the name of Samiri came forth. He fanned the sparks of some Israelites' inclination towards idolatry, and persuaded them to fabricate the statue of a calf and worship it.
Moses returned to his people in anger and great sorrow. He said, "My people, did not your Lord make you a handsome promise? Did the fulfillment of the contract seem too long to you or did you want to unleash your Lord's anger upon yourselves, so you broke your promise to me?"
They said, "We did not break our promise to you of our own volition. But we were weighed down with the heavy loads of the people's jewelry and we threw them in, for that is what the Samaritan did."
Then he produced a calf for them, a physical form which made a lowing sound. So they said, "This is your god—and Moses' god as well, but he forgot." (Surah Ta Ha: 86-88)
Why was there such a deviant tendency among some Israelites to erect idols and worship them? What was the source of this inclination?
Clearly, a society that had never before believed in idols would not suddenly adopt such inane behavior as to construct an idol and begin to worship it. Only those for whom idolatry was natural inclination could have believed in such nonsense.
However, the Israelites were a people that had believed in one Allah since the days of their ancestor the Prophet Abraham (pbuh). The name "Israelites" or "the Sons of Israel" was given first to the sons of the Prophet Jacob, the Prophet Abraham's grandson (peace be upon them both), and afterwards to the whole Jewish people who derived from him. The Israelites had safeguarded the monotheistic faith that they had inherited from their ancestors the Prophets Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, peace be upon them. Together with Joseph, peace be upon him, they went into Egypt and preserved their monotheism for a long period of time, despite the fact that they had lived amidst Egyptian idolatry. It is clear from the stories related in the Qur'an that, when the Prophet Moses (pbuh) came to them, the Israelites were a people that believed in one Allah.
The only explanation for this is that although the Israelites adhered to a monotheistic belief, some of them were influenced by the pagan peoples among whom them lived, and began to imitate them, replacing the religion chosen for them by Allah with the idolatry of foreign nations.
When we investigate this matter in light of historical records, we see that the pagan cult that influenced the Israelites was that of Ancient Egypt. An important evidence in support of this conclusion is that the golden calf the Israelites worshipped, while the Prophet Moses (pbuh) was on Mt. Sinai, was actually a replica of the Egyptian idols Hathor and Aphis. In his book, Too Long in the Sun, the Christian author Richard Rives writes:
The influence of the Egyptian pagan religion on some Israelites occurred in many different stages. As soon as they had encountered a pagan people, this leaning towards heretical belief appeared and, as the verse maintains, they said "Moses, give us a god just as these people have gods." (Surat al-A'raf: 138) What they unwisely said to their Prophet,"Moses, we will not believe in you until we see Allah with our own eyes." (Surat al-Baqara: 55) reveals that they were inclined to worship a material being that they could see, as their pagan religion provided the Egyptians with.
The tendency of some Israelites to the paganism of Ancient Egypt, that we have here outlined, is important to understand and gives us some insight into the corruption of the text of the Torah and the origins of the Kabbalah. When we consider these two topics carefully, we will see that, at their source, is found Ancient Egyptian paganism and the materialist philosophy.
From Ancient Egypt to the Kabbalah
While the Prophet Moses (pbuh) was still alive, some Israelites began to create likenesses of the idols they had seen in Egypt and to worship them. After the Prophet Moses (pbuh) died, some among them backslid farther into perversity. Of course, the same thing cannot be said of all Jews, but some of them did adopt Egyptian paganism. Indeed, they carried on the false doctrines of Pharaoh's magicians, that lay at the foundation of that society's beliefs, and corrupted their own faith by introducing these doctrines into it.
The false doctrine that was introduced into Judaism from Ancient Egypt was also introduced into the Kabbalah. Like the system of the Egyptian priests, it was an esoteric system, and its basis was the practice of magic. Interestingly, the Kabbalah provides an account of creation quite perverted from that found in the Torah. It is a materialist account, based on the Ancient Egyptian mistaken idea of the eternal existence of matter. Murat Ozgen, a Turkish Freemason, has this to say on this topic:
The Jews, by adopting these Ancient Egyptian materialist and esoteric doctrines that were founded on magic, ignored the related prohibitions in the Torah. They took on the magic rituals of other pagan peoples, and thus, the Kabbalah became a mystical doctrine within Judaism, but contrary to the Torah. In her book entitled Secret Societies and Subversive Movements, the English writer Nesta H. Webster says:
Sorcery, as we know, had been practised by the Canaanites before the occupation of Palestine by the Israelites; Egypt, India, and Greece also had their soothsayers and diviners. In spite of the imprecations against sorcery contained in the Law of Moses, the Jews, disregarding these warnings, caught the contagion and mingled the sacred tradition they had inherited with magical ideas partly borrowed from other races partly of their own devising. At the same time the speculative side of the Jewish Cabala borrowed from the philosophy of the Persian Magi, of the Neo-Platonists, and of the Neo-Pythagoreans. There is, then, some justification for the anti-Cabalists' contention that what we know to-day as the Cabala is not of purely Jewish origin.25
There is a verse in the Qur'an that refers to this topic. Allah says that some Israelites learned satanic sorcery rituals from sources outside their own religion:
They follow what the satans recited in the reign of Solomon. Solomon did not become unbeliever, but the satans did, teaching people sorcery and what had been sent down to Harut and Marut, the two angels in Babylon, who taught no one without first saying to him, "We are merely a trial and temptation, so do not become unbeliever." People learned from them how to separate a man and his wife but they cannot harm anyone by it, except with Allah's permission. They have learned what will harm them and will not benefit them. They know that any who deal in it will have no share in the hereafter. What an evil thing they have sold themselves for if they only knew! (Surat al-Baqara: 102)
This verse maintains that certain Jews, although they knew that they would lose out in the hereafter, learned and adopted the practices of magic. Thus, they strayed away from the Law that Allah had sent them and, having sold their own souls, fell into paganism (magic doctrines). "They have sold themselves" for an evil thing, in other words, they abandoned their faith.
The facts related in this verse demonstrate the main features of an important conflict in Jewish history. This struggle was, on the one hand, between the prophets that Allah sent to the Jews and those believing Jews who obeyed them, and on the other hand, those perverse Jews who rebelled against Allah's commandments, imitated the pagan culture of the peoples around them, and followed their cultural practices rather than the Law of Allah.
Pagan Doctrines Added to the Torah
The errors of those Jews departing from the true path are often reported in the holy book of the Jews itself—the Old Testament. In the book of Nehemiah, a kind of history book within the Old Testament, the Jews confess their sins and repent:
This passage expresses the desire that a number of Jews had in returning to their faith in Allah, but in the course of Jewish history sometimes a different segment gained strength, and came to dominate the Jews and later partly altered the religion itself. For this reason, in the Torah and the other books of the Old Testament, there are elements that derive from heretical pagan doctrines, as well as those mentioned above which accord with the true religion.
For example (Allah is surely beyond all these expressions):
• In the first book of the Torah, it is said that Allah created the entire universe in six days from nothing. This is correct and derives from the original revelation. But, then it maintains that Allah rested on the seventh day, though it is a completely fabricated assertion. It is a perverse idea derived from paganism which attributes human qualities to Allah. In a verse of the Qur'an, Allah says:
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us. (Surah Qaf: 38)
• In other parts of the Torah, there is a style of writing that is not respectful of the honor of Allah, especially in those places where human weakness is falsely attributed to Him. (Allah is surely beyond that) These anthropomorphisms are made to resemble the human weaknesses that pagans applied to their own fictitious gods.
• One such blasphemous assertion is another that claims that Jacob, ancestor of the Israelites, wrestled with Allah, and won. This is clearly a story invented to confer the Israelites with racial superiority, in emulation of the racial feelings widespread among pagan peoples. (or, in the words of the Qur'an: "fanatical rage")
• There is a tendency in the Old Testament to present Allah as a national deity—that He is God of the Isrealites only. However, Allah is the Lord and God of the universe and of all human beings. This notion of national religion, in the Old Testament, corresponds to tendencies of paganism, in which every tribe worships its own god.
• In some books of the Old Testament (for example, Joshua) commandments are given to commit horrible violence against non-Jewish peoples. Mass murder is commanded, with no regard for women, children or the elderly. This merciless savagery is totally against Allah's justice, and recalls the barbarism of pagan cultures, who worshipped a mythical god of war.
These pagan ideas that were introduced into the Torah must have an origin. There must have been Jews who adopted, honored and cherished a tradition foreign to the Torah, and changed the latter by adding into it ideas derived from the tradition they espoused. The origin of this tradition stretches back to the priests of Ancient Egypt (the magicians of Pharaoh's regime). It is, in fact, the Kabbalah which was passed on from there by a number of Jews. The Kabbalah assumed a form that enabled Ancient Egyptian and other pagan doctrines to insinuate themselves into Judaism and develop within it. Kabbalists, of course, assert that the Kabbalah simply explains in more detail the hidden secrets of the Torah, but, in reality, as Jewish historian of the Kabbalah, Theodore Reinach, says, the Kabbalah contains "a subtle poison which enters into the veins of Judaism and wholly infests it."26
It is possible, then, to find in the Kabbalah clear traces of the materialist ideology of the Ancient Egyptians.
The Kabbalah's False Doctrine that Ignores the Fact of Creation
Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the original Torah is a Divine book that was sent as a light to humanity:
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the Prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the Jews—as did their scholars and their rabbis—by what they had been allowed to preserve of Allah's Book to which they were witnesses…(Surat al-Ma'ida: 44)
Therefore, the Torah, like the Qur'an, contains knowledge and commands related to such topics as the existence of Allah, His unity, His qualities, the Creation of the universe, the purpose of human creation, and Allah's moral laws for humanity. (But, the original Torah is not extant today. What we possess today is an altered and corrupted version of the Torah.)
There is an important point that both the true Torah and the Qur'an share in common: Allah is recognized as Creator. Allah is absolute, and has existed since the beginning of time. Everything other than Allah is His creation, created by Him from nothing. He has created and formed the whole universe, the heavenly bodies, lifeless matter, human beings and all living things. Allah is One; He exists alone.
While this is the truth, there is a quite different interpretation found in the Kabbalah, that "subtle poison which enters into the veins of Judaism and wholly infests it." Its doctrine of Allah is totally opposed to the "fact of Creation," found in the real Torah and the Qur'an. In one of his works on the Kabbalah, the American researcher, Lance S. Owens, presents his view on the possible origins of this doctrine (Allah is surely beyond all the expressions in the extract below):
An interesting feature of this mystical theology is that, according to it, human beings are not created, but are in some way divine. Owens describes this myth:
This perverted theology comprises of a mythology of paganism, and formed the basis of the degeneration of Judaism. Some Jewish Kabbalists breached the limits of common sense to such an extent that they even tried to make human beings into supposed deities. In addition, according to this false theology, not only was humanity divine, but it consisted only of Jews; other races were not considered human. As a result, faith in the one Almighty Allah and serving Him began to be replaced by pagan beliefs and practices. These false beliefs then led to the corruption of the Torah and the inclusion within it of various ideas incompatible with true religious moral values.
Another interesting point about the corrupt doctrines in the Kabbalah is its similarity to the pagan ideas of Ancient Egypt. As we have discussed in earlier pages, the Ancient Egyptians erroneously believed that matter had always existed; in other words, they rejected the idea that matter was created from nothing. Some sections of the Kabbalah assert the same thing in relation to human beings; it falsely claims that human beings were not created, and that they are responsible for their own existence.
To state it in modern terms: the Ancient Egyptians were materialists, and the doctrine of some sections in the Kabbalah can be called secular humanism.
It is interesting to note that these two erroneous concepts—materialism and secular humanism—describe the ideology that has dominated the majority of the world over the last two centuries.
It is tempting to ask if there are forces who have carried the doctrines of Ancient Egypt and the Kabbalah from the midst of ancient history to the present day.
From the Templars to the Masons
When we mentioned the Templars earlier, we noted that this peculiar order of crusaders was affected by a "secret" found in Jerusalem, as a result of which they abandoned Christianity and began to practice magic rites. We said that many researchers had reached the opinion that this secret was related to the Kabbalah. For example, in his book Histoire de la Magie (The History of Magic) the French writer, Eliphas Lévi, presents detailed evidence that the Templars were initiated into the mysterious doctrines of the Kabbalah, that is, they were secretly trained in this doctrine.29 Therefore, a doctrine with its roots in Ancient Egypt was transmitted to the Templars through the Kabbalah.
In Foucault's Pendulum, the Italian novelist, Umberto Eco, relates these facts in the course of the plot. Throughout the novel, he relates, through the mouths of its protagonists, how the Templars were influenced by the Kabbalah and that the Kabbalists possessed a secret that could be traced back to the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs. According to Eco, some prominent Jews learned certain secrets taken from the Ancient Egyptians, and later inserted these into the first five books of the Old Testament (Pentateuch). But, this secret, which was transmitted secretly, could be understood only by the Kabbalists. (The Zohar, written later in Spain, and forming the fundamental book of the Kabbalah, deals with the secrets of these five books) After stating that the Kabbalists read this Ancient Egyptian secret also in the geometric measurements of the temple of Solomon, Eco writes that the Templars learned it from the Kabbalist rabbis in Jerusalem:
When the Templars adopted this ancient Egyptian-Kabbalist doctrine, naturally, they came into conflict with the Christian establishment that dominated Europe. This was a conflict they shared with another important force—certain Jews. After the Templars were arrested, by joint order of the king of France and the Pope in 1307, the order went underground, but its influence continued, and in a more radical and determined way.
As we said earlier, a significant number of Templars escaped arrest and appealed to the king of Scotland, the only European kingdom at that time that had not accepted the authority of the Pope. In Scotland, they infiltrated the wall-builders' guild and, in time, took it over. The guilds adopted the traditions of the Templars, and thus, the Masonic seed was planted in Scotland. Still, to this day, the mainline of Masonry is the "Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite."
As we investigated in detail in The New Masonic Order, from the beginnings of the fourteenth century it is possible to detect traces of the Templars—and some Jews associated with them—at various stages of European history. Without going into detail, here are some of the headings under which we examined this topic:
• In Provence, in France, there was an important Templar refuge. During the arrests, very many hid here. Another important feature of the area is that it is the most well known center of Kabbalism in Europe. Provence is the place where the oral tradition of the Kabbalah was made into a book.
• The Peasants Revolt in England, in 1381, was, according to some historians, fanned to flame by a secret organization. Those experts who study the history of Masonry agree that this secret organization was the Templars. It was more than a mere civil uprising, it was a planned assault on the Catholic Church. 31
• Half a century after this revolt, a clergyman in Bohemia by the name of John Huss started an uprising in opposition to the Catholic Church. Behind the scenes of this uprising were again the Templars. Moreover, Huss was very interested in the Kabbalah. Avigdor Ben Isaac Kara was one of the most important names that he was influenced by in the development of his doctrines. Kara was a rabbi of the Jewish community in Prague and a Kabbalist. 32
Examples such as these are signs that the alliance between the Templars and the Kabbalists was directed at a change in the social order of Europe. This change involved an alteration in the basic Christian culture of Europe, and its replacement by a culture based on pagan doctrines, like the Kabbalah. And, after this cultural change, political changes would follow. The French and Italian revolutions, for example…
In the coming sections, we will look at some important turning-points in the history of Europe. At every stage the fact that will confront us is that there existed a force that wanted to alienate Europe from its Christian heritage, replace it with a secular ideology and, with this program in mind, to alienate people from religious morality. This force attempted to cause Europe to accept a doctrine that had been handed down from Ancient Egypt through the Kabbalah. As we pointed out earlier, at the basis of this doctrine were two important concepts: humanism and materialism.
First, let us look at humanism.
23 Richard Rives, Too Long in the Sun, Partakers Pub., 1996, pp. 130-31
24 Murat Ozgen Ayfer, Masonluk Nedir ve Nasildir? (What is Freemasonry?), Istanbul, 1992, pp. 298-299
25 Nesta H. Webster, Secret Societies And Subversive Movements, Boswell Publishing Co., Ltd., London, 1924, (emphasis added)
26 Nesta H. Webster, Secret Societies And Subversive Movements, Boswell Publishing Co., Ltd., London, 1924; Theodore Reinach, Histoire des Israélites, p. 221, Salomon Reinach, Orpheus, p. 299, (emphasis added)
27 Lance S. Owens, Joseph Smith and Kabbalah: The Occult Connection, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 27, No. 3, Fall 1994, pp. 117-194
28 Lance S. Owens, Joseph Smith and Kabbalah: The Occult Connection, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 27, No. 3, Fall 1994, pp. 117-194, (emphasis added)
29 Eliphas Lévi, Histoire de la Magie, p. 273; Nesta H. Webster, Secret Societies And Subversive Movements, Boswell Publishing Co. Ltd., London, 1924
30 Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum, Translated from the Italian by William Weaver, A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, p. 450, (emphasis added)
31 For further information, see, John J. Robinson, Born in Blood: The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry, New York: M. Evans & Company, 1989


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Dover, Del. - In front of a boisterous homecoming crowd, Wesley College bettered their record to 7-0 with a 52-3 run away victory over visiting Southern Virginia (3-5). Starting quarterback, Justin Sottilare tossed 3 touchdowns to three seperate receivers including a 54-yard bomb to DeAndre Fowlkes in the first quarter earning Head Coach Mike Drass his 150th coaching victory with the Wolverines.
A week after scoring 35 points in the first quarter, Wesley took another big 28-0 lead after the first quarter this week. The Wolverines scored on their first four possessions of the game starting with a 17-yard touchdown reception by tight end Travis Douglas.
The Wolverines literally ripped the ball from the Knights on their next possession when a ill timed pitch by quarterback Zach Garner was pulled in by Wesley's Aaron Benson, who made his was 4 yards down to the SVU's 6 yard line. Two plays later, Brandon Wright crossed the goal line for the score, putting Wesley ahead 14-0 with 10:36 left in the first quarter.
Sottilare, who ended the game with 148 yards on 7 completions, tossed the next two scores for the Wolverines, the first to wide out Ellis Krout who found himself all alone behind the Knight's defense for the 33-yard score. The touchdown was Krout's 10th of the season and 30th for his career with Wesley. The next drive Sottilare found Fowlkes and 54-yards later, Wesley enjoyed a 28-0 first quarter lead.
Wesley's defense came to play once again holding the Knight's to only 51 yards of total offense in the first half. For the second straight week cornerback Marcus Wilson took an interception back for a defensive score. This time stepping in front of a Garner offering and sprinting for a 16-yard score putting Wesley up 35-0 at half.
Wesley continued to score in the second half as substitutions came into the game. Reserve running back, Jeremiah Howe scored from 24 yards out with 8:37 left in the third quarter.
Two drives later, starting free safety Sean Scanlon, took snaps in the wildcat formation for the Wolverines. He earned immediated success by weaving 61-yards for another Wesley score. Scanlon finished the game leading all rushers with 103 yards on two carries.
Late in the fourth quarter, Wesley kicker Dan Tryon booted a 23-yard field goal giving Wesley their ending 52 points in the game. Southern Virginia finally got on the board, avoiding the shutout, with a 21-yard field goal of their own.
In the end, Wesley's defense held their opponent to less than 100 yards of total offense for the second straight week, caused three turnovers and broke up 6 passes.
Wesley enjoys a late season bye week and then travel to Salisbury University for the Battle of Route 13 on October 30th, 1:00 p.m. kickoff.


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Does a New Pope Signify a New Approach to Victims?
An attorney representing dozens of Native Americans in one of two sex-abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena says he hopes a new pope will mean a new approach by the church in dealing with victims.
But Blaine Tamaki says Pope Francis appears to be aligned with a conservative doctrine when more transparency is needed.
Tamaki's clients claim they were sexually abused by nuns and priests in western Montana from the 1940s to the 1970s. His lawsuit has been combined with another that claims the Helena diocese covered up abuse.
Helena Bishop George Leo Thomas released a statement congratulating Pope Francis that calls the new pontiff a bridge builder.
Settlement talks have been taking place for more than a year. A mediation conference is set for April.