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HomeNews & EventsNews Archives Featured Article
February 28, 2008
While pregnancy is usually a time for celebration, East Carolina University College of Nursing researchers found a third of rural, low income women in Pitt County surveyed were at risk for depression in pregnancy.
The results of the study led by Dr. Elizabeth Jesse and co-written by Dr. Melvin Swanson were recently published in Nursing Research. The $160,535 study was funded by the March of Dimes Birth Defect Foundation as part of a larger research project to understand risk factors for preterm birth.
Between 2004 and 2007, the research team interviewed 324 pregnant women in Pitt County prenatal clinics to determine the frequency of depressive symptoms and to investigate whether psychosocial and physiological factors were related to symptoms' occurrence.
The symptoms include sadness, tearfulness, sleep or appetite problems, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, weight changes, low energy, loss of interest or pleasure, guilt, poor concentration, hopelessness and thoughts of harming oneself. An estimated 11 percent to 50 percent of pregnant women experience these symptoms and 7 percent to 13 percent suffer major depression.
Forty-three percent of the women interviewed were African-American, 31 percent were white and 26 percent were Hispanic. All were low-income women. They found a third of the women, or 33 percent, were at risk for depression in pregnancy. The risk for depression was twice as great among African-American women as Hispanic or white women. All women at risk for depression were more likely to have suffered abuse, increased stress, low self-esteem, less spirituality, and lack of support from family or friends.
"Depression is treatable, but may not resolve without treatment which can lead to dire consequences," said Jesse, an associate professor in the ECU College of Nursing. "The results of the research also emphasize the need for universal screening of prenatal women for depression. Those at risk should be evaluated further and referred for treatment."
Jesse has worked with clinicians at prenatal clinics in the region to begin universal screening for depression. She also has been leading an interdisciplinary team to develop an effective cognitive behavioral intervention for women at risk for prenatal and postpartum depression that can be implemented in clinics and health departments.
About one in 20 American women who are pregnant or have given birth in the past year suffer from major depression, according to a 2005 report by the U.S. Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
About 25 percent of pregnant women with depressive symptoms subsequently developed postpartum depression, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Because symptoms of depression are not equal to a clinical diagnosis of depression, it is important to include a clinical diagnosis in future studies, researchers said.
"Our study is only one small step in trying to puzzle out the complex relationship between depressive symptoms and other psychosocial domains of health," Jesse said. "The findings suggest the importance of screening and developing practice guidelines for depressive symptoms in pregnancy, to discover and help women who may be in an abusive relationship, to enhance stress-relieving activities, and to emphasize women's resources in pregnancy, such as social support and spirituality for those who value it."


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A remarkable series of events takes place low in the west-northwest shortly after sunset from late May to late June. It features the tightest three-planet grouping visible without binoculars until 2026 and an excellent apparition of Mercury.Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, have been approaching each other all month. Mercury, currently the third-brightest planet, becomes visible to Venus's lower right around May 19th. It appears closer to Venus each evening until May 24th, when it's just 1⅓° upper right of Venus.
From May 24th to 29th, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury all fit within a 5° circle. That means that you can view all three at the same time with most hand-held binoculars.The grouping is tightest on May 26th, when all three planets fit in a 2½° circle. Jupiter appears right next to Venus on the 27th, and after that it slowly pulls down and right of Venus, disappearing from view in early June.
But Mercury is only now entering the prime evenings of this apparition, soaring ever higher above Venus until June 7th, when it slowly begins to sink back toward Venus. But as always during an evening apparition, Mercury is beginning to fade — slowly at first but increasingly rapidly after mid-June.
Mercury was nearly as bright as Jupiter at the beginning of this apparition, but it has faded tenfold by June 20th, appearing no brighter than the stars Castor and Pollux above it.
Watch an animation of the entire amazing three-planet conjunction:


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Resurrecting Gonzales: Sam Erman Comments
[Sam Erman is a Ph.D. Candidate in American Culture and recent J.D. recipient at the University of Michigan]
The scholarly attention that Burnett devotes to Gonzales v. Williams (1904) is long overdue. The case is crucial to understanding the relationship between U.S. imperialism, U.S. citizenship, and the U.S. constitutional order in the early twentieth century. She shows us how in it voices at the center and at the periphery of the U.S. empire-state struggled over still-unsettled boundaries of U.S. citizenship, and how these struggles and the decision that resulted from them altered the U.S. constitutional system. The case, as I summarize below and discuss further elsewhere, is also an opportunity to integrate U.S. histories of race, immigration, gender, and empire into a single story and to explore how Isabel González's struggle to preserve her individual honor launched a Supreme Court action seeking honor for her people. Burnett's article suggests future inquiries too, most notably into relationships between international and constitutional law.
The insight that Gonzales merits scholarly attention owes much to Burnett's efforts. Until recently, relatively few academics researched the Insular Cases, especially cases other than Downes v. Bidwell (1901). In 2001, in Foreign in a Domestic Sense, Burnett and Burke Marshall collected essays by many of the scholars who were grappling with the constitutional changes that resulted from the deliberate U.S. turn toward formal empire in the late nineteenth century. Four years later, in Untied States, Burnett questioned the scholarly conventional wisdom that portrayed Downes as establishing "that the Constitution did not 'follow the flag.'" She showed that the case did not explicitly deny Puerto Ricans a panoply of constitutional rights. Instead Downes aided U.S. colonialism by perpetuating, "with slight modifications, an already ambiguous jurisprudence on the role of constitutional provisions in territories." In many cases, it would be for future courts to say which constitutional provisions applied in Puerto Rico in what ways.
Gonzales matters because it gave the Supreme Court an opportunity to specify the citizenship status of Puerto Ricans at a time when the legal meaning of formal U.S. empire remained unsettled. As Burnett shows, in seeking to reconcile U.S. constitutional norms to U.S. empire, the Court departed from the conventional wisdom that the Fourteenth Amendment made U.S. citizenship and U.S. nationality coterminous. Instead, Gonzales introduced into U.S. legal culture—if not explicitly into U.S. case law—the category of non-citizen national.
The case was also an important chapter in the history of U.S. citizenship. As I have argued elsewhere, scholars too often conceive of U.S. citizenship either as an ahistorical ideal or as a stable, well-defined legal term that changed slowly. By contrast, Burnett observes how the lawyers for both parties stressed the plasticity of legal terms like citizenship. Their arguments demonstrated that both the content and distribution of U.S. citizenship remained contested long after the Fourteenth Amendment purported to settle both.
In Burnett's hands, Gonzales also illustrates how the constitutional crisis and new constitutional order that U.S. empire produced did not merely result because empire created a difficult legal-analytical problem. Colonized peoples used U.S. forums to challenge actions and ideas of U.S. officials. For example, Burnett shows that Puerto Rican lawyer Federico Degetau was familiar with problems of formal empire that were new to the United States, having faced them repeatedly in prior political struggles under Spain. Those experiences shaped his arguments and claims before the Court and thereby altered the terrain upon which the Court ruled.
In a concurrent article this summer in the Journal of American Ethnic History, I argue that Gonzales also bears deeper scrutiny because it illuminates interrelationships between U.S. legal histories of race, gender, empire, and immigration. Turn-of-the-twentieth-century annexations did not occur in isolation. During those years federal courts sustained Chinese Exclusion, Jim Crow, and black disfranchisement. State courts continued to recognize aspects of coverture. And the federal political branches extended their control over American Indians via detribalization and allotment. Burnett describes Degetau's efforts to demonstrate that Puerto Ricans were not racialized "semi savages" akin to "uncivilized native tribes." I aim to show that other lawyers and litigants in Gonzales shared Degetau's concern with the comparative capacity of Puerto Ricans, analogizing islanders to women, children, domestic U.S. minorities, and colonized peoples. As these advocates understood, the problem of the citizenship status of Puerto Ricans was inseparable from the many citizenship questions involving "dependent" and "unequal" populations in and around the United States.
The case also presents an opportunity to trace Isabel González's trajectory from detained "alien" to Supreme Court litigant. Burnett explains how the pregnant González brought her judicial action after immigration authorities derailed her plans to find and marry the father of her unborn child by excluding her as an alien "likely to become a public charge." I argue that in hearings at Ellis Island, González and her family focused not on citizenship, but on preserving González's honor against a finding that threatened impugn her sexual propriety. Only after reaching court did González's focus switch to the honor of all Puerto Ricans. While her appeal was pending, she found and married the man she had come to New York in search of, but she then hid the event, declining the public redemption and potential mooting of her case that disclosure could bring in favor of pressing her claim to U.S. citizenship for all Puerto Ricans. After the Court ruled, she wrote in published letters to the New York Times that the decision and surrounding events revealed a United States that failed to treat Puerto Ricans honorably, breaking promises to them and marking them as inferior to "full-fledged American citizens."
Burnett's essay also suggests future investigations. Though not her focus, she describes a case permeated by international law. González's attorney was a prominent international-law lawyer; the U.S. attorney referenced European approaches to nationality; and Degetau was a Spanish-trained lawyer citing international-law documents. I hope I am not too forward in wishing that these initial observations by Burnett presage her more extended treatment of the relationship between Gonzales, international law, and the Constitution in future work.


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Power companies prepare ahead of expected high winds
Power companies prepare ahead of expected high winds
Power companies were preparing ahead of heavy winds and rain expected to cross New Hampshire on Wednesday evening.
"We're going to have some elevated staffing on staff tonight, and then we've brought in some additional crews. We plan on having about 70 crews system-wide to address any outages should they occur early in the morning," Unitil Media Relations Manager Alec O'Meara said.
Forecasters predicted wind gusts of up to 50 mph into Thursday.
The wind and rain is a big change from what most New Hampshire residents dealt with Wednesday morning, as thick fog and icy roads had been the main concern.


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CHICAGO (AP) — Just before the beating of a female bartender by an off-duty Chicago police officer persuaded him to end his own career, then-police Superintendent Phil Cline said the officer caught on videotape had "tarnished our image worse than anybody else in the history of the department."
Nearly six years later, a federal jury has not only awarded bartender Karolina Obrycka $850,000, it also concluded that Chicago police adhere to a code of silence to protect their own. It found that it wasn't just one drunken off-duty cop who tarnished the department's image, but that others on the force were willing to play down or even hide a brutal attack.
The verdict has led to demands for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his hand-picked police chief, Garry McCarthy, to take action, with Emanuel and McCarthy making it clear that they will. For McCarthy, the challenge is to sort out what came out during the trial, including questions about how seriously the head of the department's internal affairs unit who is now one of his top aides took the allegations against officer Anthony Abbate.
"I will never tolerate a code of silence in a department for which I am responsible," McCarthy said Wednesday in a prepared statement.
At the same time, the city's law department has promised to appeal the verdict that observers say could end up costing the city millions of dollars.
One city alderman suggested the verdict may trigger a host of other lawsuits and give more credibility to those who claim police abuse who now have the verdict to point to as proof that the police can and have covered up officers' misconduct.
"Unfortunately their cover is blown and I think you will see more verdicts like this," said Alderman Howard Brookins, who has been vocal in his concerns about police misconduct.
The jury's decision Tuesday was the latest blow to a department that for decades has struggled to overcome a reputation for brutality and a willingness to cover up the mistakes and even outright lawlessness of its officers.
"If the city fails to finally address the issues associated around this blue wall of silence, when (more lawsuits) allege the same code of silence and other instances of abuse, the city is going to be on the hook," said Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor who has studied police brutality in Chicago. "This could open up a flood gate (of lawsuits) for the city."
But the question is how to address it, particularly after the trial raised questions about Debra Kirby, who is now the department's Chief of the Bureau of Organizational Development.
The head of the department's internal affairs division at the time, she testified that she recommended in a phone call to prosecutors that Abbate be charged with a serious felony. While at least one officer backed her claim that she pushed for felony charges against Abbate from the outset, a detective under Kirby's command testified that he heard Kirby recommend a lesser charge — testimony that Obrycka's attorneys have said was crucial to proving a police cover-up.
McCarthy's statement Wednesday did not address Kirby's testimony and Kirby declined to comment to The Associated Press.
Kirby's testimony poses a challenge to the department, said Futterman, particularly since some statistics he and others have found raise questions about just how much she and others take complaints of police abuse.
"At the time she was head of internal affairs the probability that a complaint of false arrest, illegal search ... would lead to discipline was one in 1,000," he said. Her continued leadership role "doesn't indicate that the department has changed in any meaningful way with respect to its commitment to address the reality of police abuse and the code of silence."


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Washington • Seven months after losing the election, Mitt Romney urged a gathering in Utah of the nation's political bigwigs and top business leaders to step past partisan bickering and discuss solutions to some of the nation's pressing problems.
In a closed-door forum this week in Park City, the former Republican presidential nominee listed the many concerns facing America from its debt to its economic instability and suggested to a bipartisan crowd that they use their influence to tackle them.
"He's kind of showing the way he would have led as president," son Josh Romney, a Utahn, told The Salt Lake Tribune after the event Friday. "It showed the kind of person my dad is and what kind of president he would have been, you know, [that] he would have got past the personal stuff, past the petty stuff and take the real issues head on."
The forum's speakers included some of the political classes' leading luminaries, including President Barack Obama's top adviser, David Axelrod, and several potential White House Republican contenders, such as Rep. Paul Ryan, Sen. Rand Paul, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as well as Democratic Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
The event was closed to the news media, though Josh Romney said there were about 200 attendees and a solid discussion of how folks from both sides of the aisle could find compromise.
"One of the great things that came from conference is that there are so many issues where we agree," Josh Romney said. "The goal of the conference is really to influence those certain issues and how to move those forward."
No further retreats are planned, but Josh Romney said the crowd filled with successful business owners and political elite could use its influence to keep the ideas flowing.
Josh Romney said he didn't hear the president's name mentioned once at the conference, and that his father wasn't trying to score political points but was attempting to influence the national dialogue.
"It's not a Democrat problem, not a Republican problem," Josh Romney said. "It's a Washington problem."
The potential 2016 presidential candidates kept their messages to specific issues, Josh Romney said, and made no political announcements.
Also attending the conference were the co-chairmen of a blue-ribbon commission that suggested several recommendations for the nation to dig itself out of a fiscal hole: Former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and ex-Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming.
David Bradford, the executive chairman of the electronic interview company HireVue, posted to Facebook from the event that Bowles leveled with the crowd about the serious challenges facing the United States.
"I don't care if you are a Republican or Democrat we need to fix our long-term fiscal problem," Bowles said, according to Bradford. "We don't have a plan; we don't have a budget; we are running the largest financial system in the world on a month-to-month basis."
"Remarkable," Bradford added. "Everyone in America needs to hear his message."
The event, sponsored by Tagg Romney's venture capital firm, Solamere Capital LLC, cost attendees $5,000, though Romney aides noted that the cost simply paid for the space and food and was not tied to any political cause.
Mitt Romney held a similar event in Park City last year during the height of his presidential race, drawing big donors and top advisers to a retreat to discuss political strategy.


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Owl City's Adam Young says his pop music stardom is an answer to prayer, although it was scary at first.
The 26-year-old Young says he was a shy introverted "only child" from Owatonna, Minn., who never dreamed he could take the songs he produced in his parents' basement and perform them in arenas and on television.
When a growing internet fan base brought record companies to his door offering contracts, Young says he "prayed up a storm" because it was so far out of his comfort zone. In that way, Young says he feels like the apostle Paul - the "least likely" to have been called by the Lord - but he believes it truly was God's call.
On the Owl City tour bus, Young says he and his crew have been studying Paul's letter to the Romans before shows.
His songs "Fireflies" and "Good Time" have been secular hits. Other songs on his albums are more reflective of his faith.
Young says he's "a Christian who makes music" and is trying to live a life of integrity.


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Acreage - Taylorsville, NC
This is Lot#40 in Brett Will Court Estates. There are several lots from which to choose. These are exceptional building lots for stick built or modular homes. Located in the Sugarloaf school district, it offers everything that you need in a home site. It's far enough from town to give you the serenity of country living and close enough to town to make shopping handy. There are paved streets running through the development and county water is available at the street. These lots are restricted, but not to the extreme. Most of the lots have a view of the surrounding foothills. Prices range from $16,900 to $19,900. Drive by and have a look. The plat maps and restrictions are on Associated Documents.
For more information regarding this farm, please give us a call at View Phone Number (828) 632-0031 .
Data Provided by MLS of Catawba ValleyMore Information for this listing


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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez has ordered flags around the state to fly at half-staff in honor of former House Speaker Ben Lujan.
Lujan died late Tuesday at age 77 after a long battle with lung cancer. He was one of the most powerful and longest serving state legislators in New Mexico history and the father of U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan.
Under Martinez's order, flags will be lowered from sunrise on Saturday through sundown on Dec. 29.
A public visitation for Lujan will be held Dec. 27 in the Rotunda of the State Capitol. A second visitation will be held the following evening in Pojoaque.
A funeral Mass is scheduled for Dec. 29 at The Basilica Cathedral of St. Francis in Santa Fe. Burial will follow in Nambe.


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The Sony PS3 has added an Amazon Instant app to its suite of streaming-video services, letting you streaming purchased and rented content, as well as letting Amazon Prime subscribers stream free Prime TV shows and movies.
Amazon Instant joins Netflix, Hulu Plus, CinemaNow, Vudu, NHL, MLB.TV, NFL Sunday Ticket, SEC college sports, XOS college sports, and Sony Video Unlimited in the PS3's suite of streaming-video services. Although it may seem surprising that Sony is adding a service that directly competes with the Sony's own video store, Vudu and CinemaNow already offer the same ability to purchase and rent video content. The PS3 is also the first game console to get Amazon Instant streaming, which should help Sony keep up with the Xbox 360's consistently growing stable of streaming-video services.
The user interface looks great at first glance, albeit a little derivative of the Xbox 360's Metro design style. Still, it's a huge upgrade compared with the lackluster Amazon interfaces available on some TVs, Blu-ray players, and Roku boxes.


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You are here: Home ‹ Board index ‹ Jim Carrey Discussion ‹ Recent Photos
Fan avis, banners and wallpapers
Post all recent pictures of Jim Carrey here and share them with us. Please post where it was added.
Fan avis, banners and wallpapers
Hey.. I just came back to this site... I used to be here and I decided to return... anyways... when I was on here before I used to make art for people to use so I figured I'd start doing that again.. so heres some art I made.. I will try to make more as much as I can... Feel free to use it if you wish Hope you like it! Comments are welcome! <3 And also if you have any requests let me know.. id be happy to try and help you out
newest stuff
kinda new Stuff
A bit older
Some Really old stuff! lol
Last edited by jims_lost_daughter on Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:28 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Thanks guys And request away lol... I'd be happy to make something for you
.. and i like to think my ability has improved at least a little bit since i made those other ones so... yeah.. haha.. they will look better then those ones i made :p.. I hope...
I use Serif photoshop plus... its a free download.. Its not the best program but its good enough for right now
Last edited by jims_lost_daughter on Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Here Are some new ones Let me know what you think And like I said feel free to use them
http://khaosdog.deviantart.com/art/Free ... -128047960
Last edited by jims_lost_daughter on Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:29 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Ok so i guess i was making the new ones too big so if u were using one of my sigs and got in trouble for it Im sorry...anyways i resized them... hopefully that is better..again..feel free to use...sorry..
Jim's_lost_daughter can you make one for me with my favorite picture it is my icon
I'm in LOVE with him and I Feel Fine
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


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Alito v. O'Connor
How the nominee tried to restrict Roe.
In 1991, when Judge Samuel Alito became a mini-hero of the far right in the abortion battles, the fate of Roe v. Wade was far less settled than it is now (or, at least, than it has been until now). Alito's role wasn't to pen a manifesto—his partial dissent in the 1991 abortion case Planned Parenthood v. Casey is appropriately legalistic. Still, Alito's opinion in that case would have limited the right to abortion more severely than Sandra Day O'Connor, whom he will replace if confirmed, has ever been willing to do. And Alito's split with O'Connor involves not only abortion but also marriage. She worried about wives who might be victims of domestic violence. He put first the rights of husbands to know what their wives are doing.
Casey challenged a Pennsylvania law that required a woman to receive extensive information about the fetus and the abortion procedure, to wait 24 hours, to sign a statement of informed consent, and—most controversially—to tell her husband about her intention to have an abortion. A panel of three appeals judges on the Third Circuit upheld all the regulations except for the spousal notification. Alito, who was on the panel, dissented from the part of the ruling that struck down the requirement that women tell their husbands before obtaining an abortion.
Alito agreed with the other two judges on the Casey panel that the test for the constitutionality of Pennsylvania's law was whether it imposed an "undue burden" on a woman's abortion decision. O'Connor had introduced the undue burden test in a series of earlier opinions. To figure out whether the Pennsylvania law fell on the safe or foul side of her line, Alito emphasized examples from earlier O'Connor opinions that expressed greater disapproval of abortion. He pointed out that she had once written that an undue burden "has been found for the most part in situations involving absolute obstacles or severe limitations on the abortion decision." O'Connor had also noted that other laws found to be unconstitutional had "criminalized all abortions except those necessary to save the life of the mother," he continued. Alito played down O'Connor's rejection of a Minnesota law that required girls to tell both their parents before having an abortion, without providing for a "judicial bypass" that would allow the girls to go instead before a judge to explain why they didn't want to tell their parents. Alito pointed out that O'Connor said two-parent notification was OK, as long as the judicial bypass came with it.
"Taken together," Alito wrote, "O'Connor's opinions allow for abortion regulations unless they prohibit abortion, give someone veto power over the mother's decision, or have 'the practical effect of imposing 'severe limitations.' " Requiring women to tell their husbands before having an abortion would do none of those things, Alito concluded. Then he explained why, in his view, Pennsylvania had a legitimate interest in requiring women to tell their husbands: "The Pennsylvania legislature could have rationally believed that some married women are initially inclined to obtain an abortion without their husbands' knowledge because of perceived problems—such as economic constraints, future plans, or the husbands' previously expressed opposition—that may be obviated by discussion prior to the abortion," Alito wrote.
When Casey reached the Supreme Court, the case became famous for upholding the core of Roe v. Wade. It's the decision in which O'Connor, David Souter, and Anthony Kennedy acted as a keep-the-peace triumvirate and voted with John Paul Stevens and Harry Blackmun, Roe's original author, to preserve it in the name of stability and respect for precedent. At the same time, Casey tossed the Roe "trimester framework" that allowed for more intrusive regulation of abortion as a pregnancy progressed. In its place, the court substituted O'Connor's undue burden test, much as the Third Circuit panel in Casey had anticipated. Along, the way, the court also upheld Pennsylvania's 24-hour waiting period, its informed-consent requirement, and its rule that women had to hear all about the growth and development of their fetuses.
But the court rejected Alito's narrow reading of what sort of regulation constitutes an undue burden. O'Connor, Kennedy, and Souter wrote: "A finding of an undue burden is a shorthand for the conclusion that a state regulation has the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus." The definition of an undue burden on the right to abortion as a "substantial obstacle" wasn't exactly what the pro-choice crowd wanted to hear. But it was a lot better than the "severe limitation" prohibition, or veto, that Alito had proposed—definitions that would have allowed much more extreme restrictions.
The triumvirate also parted company with Alito entirely over his vision of the rights of husbands. The Constitution did not permit states to require wives to tell their husbands before getting an abortion, the Supreme Court majority found. The O'Connor-Souter-Kennedy opinion cited a lot of trial testimony about the prevalence and danger of domestic violence. Pennsylvania's law exempted wives who'd been raped by their husbands, but not those who'd been coerced into "sexual behavior other than penetration," the three justices noted. They continued:
In well-functioning marriages, spouses discuss important intimate decisions such as whether to bear a child. But there are millions of women in this country who are the victims of regular physical and psychological abuse at the hands of their husbands. Should these women become pregnant, they may have very good reasons for not wishing to inform their husbands of their decision to obtain an abortion. Many may have justifiable fears of physical abuse, but may be no less fearful of the consequences of reporting prior abuse to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Many may have a reasonable fear that notifying their husbands will provoke further instances of child abuse; these women are not exempt from [Pennsylvania's] notification requirement. Many may fear devastating forms of psychological abuse from their husbands, including verbal harassment, threats of future violence, the destruction of possessions, physical confinement to the home, the withdrawal of financial support, or the disclosure of the abortion to family and friends.
The dissenters, by contrast, adopted Alito's sunnier, husband-centered version of marriage. Then Chief Justice William Rehnquist (joined by Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Byron White), emphasized "a husband's interests in procreation within marriage and in the potential life of his unborn child." Rehnquist paid Alito the high compliment of directly quoting his words about the good that could come from requiring women to talk to their husbands. "This participation might in some cases result in a decision to proceed with the pregnancy," Rehnquist concluded.
That's Alito's star turn on the abortion stage thus far. It is direct evidence that Casey would have come out far differently if he, rather than O'Connor, had been on the court 13 years ago.


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People We Love: Inez Killingsworth
In her testimony to a Congressional committee, Inez Killingsworth described taking busloads of "ripped-off homeowners" to throw plastic sharks at the homes of executives of predatory lenders.
"Some tell us that doing this isn't nice," she said. "I suppose they are correct, but we don't think what these lenders have done to our neighborhood is very nice either."
Foreclosed homes were left abandoned and empty on Cleveland's east side, attracting drug dealers and vandalism. After her retirement, Killingsworth launched herself into finding solutions for her community by starting Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People (ESOP).
ESOP has pressured big lenders like CitiFinancial and Bank of America into negotiating formal agreements on affordable loan modifications, saving over 16,000 homeowners from foreclosure.
How one outspoken resident is helping Cleveland's families keep their homes.
In New York City, low-income people fighting for affordable housing are taking on the developers of vacant condo lots.
The financial juggling that helped cause the 2008 crisis may be coming back to haunt banks—and help homeowners.


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Rumor: The Chicago Cubs Have Inquired About John Lannan
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer really do love them some pitching depth.
The duo has inquired about Washington Nationals starter John Lannan, who didn't make the Nats' Opening Day rotation. Nationals manager Davey Johnson recently said Lannan would not be traded, but GM Mike Rizzo was a bit more gray: "The last thing I told [Lannan] was, 'You're going to help us in the big leagues this year or someone else in the big leagues this year.'"
Lannan, 27, is in his second year of arbitration-eligibility, and was recently demoted to AAA. His demotion was something of a surprise, given his past success and big-league contract. The Nationals decided instead to go with Ross Detwiler in the rotation to start the year, seeing the possible upside in Detwiler as higher than Lannan (if this sounds like a parallel to Randy Wells and Jeff Samardzija, it should). Lannan subsequently requested a trade (something you almost never hear about in baseball), and I imagine that the Cubs – like many teams – inquired, sensing an opportunity to buy low.
For that reason, I'm not sure how much this rumor has in terms of a deal getting done, even if it's almost certainly an accurate rumor.
And then you've got to consider whether trading for Lannan makes any sense for the Cubs.
Unless the Cubs are interested in adding Lannan – a career starter who makes $5 million this year – to be a reliever, I can state unequivocally that adding Lannan would be the precursor to another trade, or would, itself, be a part of a larger trade. How can I be so sure? Well, Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, and Paul Maholm are not going anywhere, with respect to the rotation. The Cubs are thrilled with Chris Volstad's upside as a starter, so it's hard to see him being bounced from the rotation. And then there's Jeff Samardzija, the guy who worked all offseason to become a starter, and in whom the Cubs had enough faith as a starter to justify sending Randy Wells to AAA. Where would Lannan go?
The answer is nowhere. Not unless another starter or two (considering Randy Wells is just sitting there at AAA) is going to be traded. Perhaps the Cubs would try to spin Lannan off for a prospect or two (ones in whom the Nats don't have interest for whatever reason).
That is all to say that there are ways that trading for John Lannan could make some sense for the Cubs (and, I've said for a long time that I think we're going to see this front office try to make the rotation more left-handed as time goes on, because of the way Wrigley Field plays for left-handed hitters (it's like Coors Field for lefties)), but only if it is paired with another move or two.
As for whom the Cubs would give up, the obvious name is Marlon Byrd. The Nats have been looking for a center fielder for some time, and Byrd is a good one, in the final year of his deal (in which he'll make $6.5 million). Straight up, Lannan has quite a bit more value than Byrd, but if the Cubs ate some of Byrd's salary, it could make some sense. I have a hard time seeing the Cubs giving up valuable prospects to acquire Lannan given their already-existing glut of back-end starter types.


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Megan Hilty Is Feeling Blue at Memorial Day Concert Rehearsals!
Megan Hilty dons a lacy blue dress while performing at the 2014 National Memorial Day Concert rehearsals at U.S. Capital, West Lawn on Saturday (May 24) in Washington, DC.
The 33-year-old pregnant actress was joined by Jackie Evancho, previous The Voice winner Danielle Bradbury, and the new American Idol winner Caleb Johnson.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Megan Hilty
Earlier in the day, Megan showed off her baby bump in a different form-fitting dress.
"It always brings so many talented people together and such a wide variety, too. There's always something for everybody in these concerts," Megan recently shared to Zap2It about the concert.
FYI: Megan is wearing a blue Seraphine dress.


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Emotions drive us.
We are emotional beings and when we are moved, we act. More importantly, if we are not moved, we ignore, we discard, we move on without hesitation.
This presents an extra-special challenge for us as marketers and business leaders. In our oversaturated world, it's easier than ever to get ignored and harder than ever to cut through the clutter and connect to people with emotion and relevance. We, as human beings, connect to inspiration, relevance, a higher-order purpose. Facts alone do not inspire us. In order to connect with people, marketing cannot be comprised of dry, emotionless, factual content.
In other words, we need to develop a higher business EQ.
EQ is emotional intelligence. As management psychologist David Caruso so eloquently points out, this is—ironically—not all about emotion. "It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head. It is the unique intersection of both," he has said.
Developing and leveraging high EQ helps to create the exemplary results talked about in Jim Collins' book, "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't" (HarperBusiness, 2001). Some of the most successful and against-all-odds success stories today have been built on the foundation of high EQ and culture-driven organizations that strive to add value and inspire their customers and communities, both internal and external.
In my hometown of Denver there is an extraordinary and most unconventional leader, Kent Thiry, CEO at DaVita, who has facilitated one of the most successful business turnarounds of our time based on EQ. In 10 years he has led the kidney dialysis company from revenue of $1.6 billion, losses of $56 million and a share price of $2 to revenue approaching $6 billion, net income of $374 million and a share price near $60.
Thiry has achieved these impressive results in a most unusual way. He is an openly emotional, inspiring and caring leader who taps into both EQ and IQ to reach the hearts and minds of his employees and customers.
DaVita (which means "to give life") takes care of its customers by inspiring and taking care of its employees. Kent creates one-of-a-kind employee rallies where he somersaults, sings, ziplines, rides in on a Harley and delivers purpose and inspiration with pizzazz by being incredibly authentic, caring and vulnerable.
His heartfelt speeches are often filled with tears of empathy and pride and he delivers and creates extreme loyalty with his core values, rituals, recognition and heart. How does this translate to DaVita customers? An estimated 16 million customer interactions a year creates possibilities for small mistakes or misdiagnoses which could be deadly.
"It's hard to make a purely business case for people to care as much as they need to care in order to deliver great service," observes Bill Taylor on the Harvard Business Review blog. "You have to be motivated by something deeper, a sense of commitment not just to patients but also to one another."
I think that says it all. EQ matters and matters greatly.
Starbuck's CEO Howard Shultz is committed to keeping employee and customer/community needs at the forefront no matter what. While Starbuck's stock has increased over 12,300% in 21 years, Shultz states, "Profitability if a shallow goal."
"We are equally proud of what we are doing in the community, what we are doing with our people and how the company has built itself around a purpose that is not just about making money," Shultz said, in a CNBC interview.
Starbucks is committed to understanding the needs of the community, the customers and the employees, and then passionately and consistently meeting those needs. All employees, including part-timers, get healthcare benefits. Community service hours are at 600,000 today and moving to a forecasted 1 million hours by 2015. Customer input and preferences (through online ideas, voting etc.) are the primary driver of new product and service ideas through My Starbucks Idea.
This is business and marketing EQ at its finest and the business results show it.
Standing out and connecting to others requires EQ. Business EQ is a differentiator to the bottom line and paves the way for more conscious capitalism. The upside to increasing business EQ is tremendous, and I have yet to find the downside.
Sandra Zoratti is an author, speaker and marketer. You can find Sandra on LinkedIn, Twitter @sandraz and on her website, sandrazoratti.com.


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Kariudo wrote:.mp3 should work just fine in editing programs (because each audio sample has all the information needed to make the sound it's supposed to make.) That said, it's probably still a good idea to work with lossless audio through as much of the editing process as you can...quality stuff and whatnot.
Thumbs up on that post, I remember an "argument" some time ago where someone would say editing with .mp3 instead of .wav is equivalent to using .xvid instead of lagarith, where I said it's nothing like that and editing with .mp3 gives absolutely no problems (other than lower quality) but couldn't justify it.


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Women's Health: A Core Curriculum has been written to integrally link with the Women's Health Collaborative Core Curriculum being implemented in medical schools across Australia and New Zealand. The structure of the text closely follows that of the curriculum, available at www.whccc.org, and the aims, objectives and stated outcomes of each chapter in the text are aligned to the overall aims and objectives for each unit within the curriculum. The contributor team includes authors of the curriculum, and is an integral resource for the Women's Health component of all undergraduate and post-graduate entry medical degrees as well as student and practising midwives and other health professionals. Contributors include obstetricians, gynaecologists, nurses, midwives and other health professionals from medical schools and major teaching hospitals across Australia and New Zealand.Lucy Bowyer MBBS MD CMFM FRCOG FRANZCOG is the author of 'Women's Health: A Core Curriculum, 1e', published 2005 under ISBN 9780729537360 and ISBN 0729537366.[read more]
You can find lots of answers to common customer questions in our FAQs
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The Time Traveler's Wife
"The Time Traveler's
Wife" is based on the best-selling book about a love that transcends
time. Clare (Rachel McAdams) has been in love with Henry (Eric Bana)
her entire life. She believes they are destined to be together, even
though she never knows when they will be separated: Henry is a time
traveler—cursed with a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his
life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through his
lifespan with no control. Despite the fact that Henry's travels force
them apart with no warning, Clare desperately tries to build a life
with her one true love.
"The Time Traveler's Wife" was directed by Robert Schwentke ("Flightplan") from a screenplay by Academy Award winner Bruce Joel Rubin ("Ghost"), based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger. Nick Wechsler and Dede Gardner produced the film, with Brad Pitt, Richard Brener, Michele Weiss and Justis Greene serving as executive producers. The co-producer is Kristin Hahn.
Heading the film's cast as Clare and Henry are Rachel McAdams ("Red Eye," "The Notebook") and Eric Bana ("Star Trek," "Munich"). "The Time Traveler's Wife" also stars Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston and Stephen Tobolowsky.
The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Florian Ballhaus ("Marley & Me"), production designer Jon Hutman (upcoming "My Sister's Keeper"), Academy Award-winning editor Thom Noble ("Witness") and Academy Award-nominated costume designer Julie Weiss ("Frida," "12 Monkeys"). The music is by Mychael Danna ("Lakeview Terrace").


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One Day Only Second-Chance Pass SalePosted On: November 06, 2015 in: General
The snow has arrived and you might be wishing you hadn't missed the season pass sale! This Sunday is your second and only chance to get the sale rates this season! To get the sale price, visit our booth in-person at …+ Read The Story


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Beaumont/Port Arthur
Hardin County Sheriff Ed Cain announced Feb. 8 that his office charged two people with intent to manufacture a controlled substance after executing a search warrant at 6650 Orchid, in Lumberton on Jan. 28.
While we harbor no disrespect for the Wall Street Journal who called us "that scrappy little paper from Southeast Texas," we prefer to think of ourselves as simple seekers of the truth. We're of the opinion that headlines and sound bites never tell the whole story. Our readers demand all the facts, facets and flavors of every story or event. And, they expect to be informed, educated and stirred to action.
For this week's New York Times crossword puzzle, pick up a copy of this week's The Examiner on newsstands now.


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Sell stamps online
Shopify has everything you need to build an online store
Start your free 14-day trial today!
Sell stamps online
Some of the most successful ecommerce businesses are those that sell simple, low-cost commodity items. When it comes to Internet shopping, consumers are often more inclined to make small as opposed to large purchases. Deciding to sell your stamps online positions you for higher sales in a new revenue stream, and with the help of Shopify, you can have your online stamp retail store up and running in just a few minutes.
Choose Shopify to kick-start your ecommerce stamp store
Ecommerce is complicated when you're on your own, but Shopify makes it easy - from initial setup right through to order processing and fulfillment. To start, we give you hundreds of professionally designed templates to choose from as you create your very own website to sell stamps online. Once you've established your image, Shopify helps you set up your online shopping cart to accept orders, manage customers and track inventory. Our system is secure, reliable and scalable, so as your business grows, we grow with you.
All the features you want, none of the hassle
Shopify makes it easy to build and manage your online store
Simple interface
Easily manage your products within the Shopify admin. Upload your own images or use our free stock photos, add new products, feature items, edit inventory, and much more.
Business tools
Keep track of the status on all orders. Analyze your order history to build better customer relations and target your marketing campaign.
Professional templates
Check out our Theme Store or design your own. You have complete control over the look and feel of your store via the admin and theme settings.
We're here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can email or call our dedicated support team if you have any issues.
A home for your brand
Shopify offers a fully customizable store design
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New to ecommerce and web development? Don't worry: our step-by- step process makes it quick and easy to build an ecommerce website.
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And if you dabble in code, Shopify gives you 100% control over the HTML & CSS of your storefront, so you can customize every aspect of your shop.
Shopify powers over 600,000 businesses
We've helped our customers sell over 72 billion dollars worth of products
I am seriously happy about running our store on Shopify. Powerful features and easy to set up, running an online store shouldn't be this much fun!
With this easy to use ecommerce solution, entrepreneurs save time and money, so they can focus on other aspects of their business.
Shopify understands the business and what a shop owner really is looking for these days.
Find stamps to sell with Oberlo
Use Oberlo's marketplace to find millions of products without worrying about inventory, packaging, or shipping.


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Template:Cub Scout Monthly Themes/2008/November
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
(Difference between revisions)
Current revision (10:50, October 7, 2008) (edit) (undo)
m (Portal:Cub Scout Leader/Cub Scout Monthly Themes/2008/November moved to Template:Cub Scout Monthly Themes/2008/November)
Current revision
November 2008 BSA Theme - Seeds of Kindness
"As we approach Thanksgiving, let us spread seeds of kindness in the form of multiple small service projects. Helping others gives the boys the opportunity to see the bounty produced by spreading many small seeds of kindness and encourages compassion. The boys can discover that just as the large strong oak tree came from the small acorn, big things can happen from spreading small seeds of kindness and charity. Conduct a food drive or collect coats and gloves for those in need; report your hours to Good Turn for America. Work on the Citizenship belt loop and pin." - Program Helps
Character Connection:
Monthly Program Resources:
Belt Loops and Pins:
Webelos Activity Badges:
Theme-related activities:


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Our dementia support workers offer information and practical guidance to help you understand dementia, cope with day-to-day challenges and prepare for the future. They offer information to people who are worried about their memory and ongoing support to people affected by dementia face to face, over the phone or in writing.
Support group
Please contact the service provider for details of any costs.
Information provided by Alzheimer's Society for the period of 25/09/18 to 13/11/18


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Skip to comments.That It Was The Democrats, Not The Republicans Behind "Racism And Jim Crow"
Posted on 04/11/2013 6:29:07 AM PDT by Biggirl
'We'll have to see what the Howard students thought,' Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul shouted from an elevator Wednesday afternoon, answering MailOnline's question about whether his foray into winning the hearts and minds of black youths was successful.
Paul, a Republican darling who is already laying the groundwork for a 2016 presidential run with a coming appearance in New Hampshire, had just wrapped up a two-hour appearance at the Howard University School of Business.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Full Title:
"Rand Paul's tells majority black Howard University that it was the Democrats, not the Republicans behind "racism and Jim Crow'"
Please see the full title in the first posting. Thank-you.
and im so sick of that meme floating around how somehow the democrats and repubs 'switched' their treatment of minorities, so that is why dhimmis keep getting the black vote...cause they 'really' care..
It's worth a try, and Rand Paul is not a bad spokesman for this sort of outreach. I'm not thrilled with him in all areas, but he is immeasurably better than Christie, McCain, Romney, or another Bush. If a heavy hitter like Sarah Palin does not jump in early, I may work for this guy's campaign full time.
Republicans have said very little over the years about Jim Crow laws and which party fought against ending slavery.
Rand's end run around the Leftist Media. Love it.
I think he should schedule these teaching moments regularly in towns across America. Build up a following. Keep repeating the message until it is heard and understood. Truth is a wonderful thing. REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT!
If blacks need to be old that their vote is not worth the effort
That would be a ticket for the GOP!!
I note we had to go to the UK to find out about this.
And they didn't know what he was talking about.
Sen. Rand Paul needs to point out - that with the exception of Maddox - the racists in the Democrat Party STAYED democrats.
And the democrat leadership covered for the old racists... Maxine Waters was 'surprised' after knowing Robert (KKK) Byrd for years that he had been a Kluxer... The 'press' - the boys who know secrets can't be kept - were easily hoodwinked too.
Bull Conner stayed a Dem.
The following is from an earlier FreeRepublic Thread:
There's another Democrat senator out there with a similarly embarassing past, but also one who has recieved much less attention, even among conservatives: Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC). Like Byrd, Hollings has a recent history of racial slurs. Less known is his history as governor of South Carolina in the early 1960's, when he was a leading segregationist. To fill this gap here's a glimpse of Senator Hollings' segregationist past and history of racial slurs:
SEGREGATIONIST GOVERNOR: As Governor of South Carolina, Ernest F. Hollings personally led the fight against lunch counter integration in his state. The New York Times reported that Hollings "warned today that South Carolina would not permit 'explosive' manifestations in connection with Negro demands for lunch-counter services." The Times reported that Hollings called a news conference on the subject where he "challenged President Eisenhower's contention that minorities had the right to engage in certain types of demonstrations" against segregation. Hollings told reporters at the press conference that Eisenhower was "confused" and had done "great damage to peace and good order" by supporting the rights of minorities to protest segregation at the lunch counters. (SOURCE: "Warning by Hollings." New York Times, March 17, 1960.)
ANTI-INTIGRATION ORGANIZER: Governor Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina is listed as a leading participant at a July 23, 1961 conference of "leading segregationists" in Atlanta to organize a "segregationist bloc" voting lobby to resist pressures for integration. Hollings was one of four governors who attended, with seven more having been invited. The others were Orval Faubus of Arkansas, Ross Barnett of Mississippi, and John Patterson of Alabama. The strategies discussed at the meeting heavily involved using the White Citizens Council, a segregationist organization. (SOURCE: Sitton, Claude. "Segregation Bloc Seeks Vote Lobby." New York Times, Jul 24, 1961.)
RACIAL SLURS: Senator Ernest Hollings has a long history of using racial slurs. Following a poor showing in the 1983 Iowa Straw Poll, Hollings remarked "You had wetbacks from California that came in here for Cranston," a reference to Alan Cranston who finished second. Hollings also made derogatory references to an African delegation at a 1993 international conference, suggesting they were cannibals. He stated "Everybody likes to go to Geneva. I used to do it for the Law of the Sea conferences and you'd find these potentates from down in Africa, you know, rather than eating each other, they'd just come up and get a good square meal in Geneva." He once referred to Sen. Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, who was Jewish, as "the senator from B'nai B'rith." The South Carolina Democrat also allegedly referred to blacks with the slur "darkies" in a 1986 interview and once called the Rainbow PUSH coalition the "blackbo coalition."
Gibs-Me-Dat (n.) Annuities, in the form of goods, services, or material (usually welfare checks) given predominately to blacks, in exchange for their tacit agreement to reciprocate by not burning down Americas cities.
Yo Trayvon, who you be votin' fo' in 2012?
I gots to go wit Obama, baby. The democrats be givin out moe betta gibsmedat.
Synonymous with: tribute, baksheesh, Danegeld, reparations
It is the new religion
and enforced with a vengeance Torquemada would have loved
that kid who wanted government to help him just wants something to replace mommy and daddy
The Republican Party was formed to fight the twin vestiges of barbarism, slavery and polygamy. Or was CNN and MSNBC?
You can read the Washington post, but it's a hatchet job meant to remove Rand Paul's head.
Yet once these young folks graduate and join "the real world" they will begin to reality just like it is.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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We ran across this photo that apparently may be at least a year old but nevertheless is compelling.
Agricultural fields across the Midwest and Southeast are being picked and harvested. Occasionally, something like this will happen. Whether it's with a great buck like this — and we don't know the story or any info on this photo — or maybe fawns that get hit by folks cutting hay or prepping fields to plant food plots, it's still gut-wrenching. Nature's not pretty sometimes.
Some folks will use tickle chains on a bar in front of tractors when bushhogging to stir up any fawns to keep from running over them. But sometimes things happen and deer get hit. There are other deer and it's not the end of the world.


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(CNN) -- Pain, pain and more pain. Amy Williams is an expert in discomfort.
Plagued by a chronic knee complaint, the 31-year-old has had numerous epidural injections to soothe three swollen vertebrae and she suffers almost constant sciatica.
Not to mention the degenerative disc in her neck.
These injuries are legacy of a death-defying decade in skeleton racing -- 10 years of hurling herself headfirst down an icy track in pursuit of golden glory has come at a cost.
"I'm pretty much broken between my back and my knees," says the Briton, who won gold at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.
"I got to the point where I was so blinkered and obsessed by winning a medal that I put all of the physical pain to one side.
"After winning gold suddenly that pain that had been with me for years and years became too much.
"I thought, 'That's enough now.' "
Images: Olympic torch leaves Earth
Nearly four years after that career-defining success, and despite physical complaints which would halt even the most relentless athlete, Williams is back in search of a new adrenaline rush as she pushes against the pain barrier.
Instead of being in a final buildup to February's Winter Olympics in Sochi, she's now in the passenger seat of a Mitsubishi rally car, preparing for a new white-knuckle ride.
Williams will co-drive for veteran compatriot Tony Jardine at this weekend's final round of the World Rally Championships in Wales.
"I've enjoyed getting in the car and the thrill you get from it, it's definitely replaced something I've lost since retiring from skeleton," she told CNN.
"It's physically not the same demands on your body, so that suits me."
Rallying is a discipline in which competitors traverse public and private roads at breakneck speeds.
While the driver is straining to keep the car on course, the co-driver navigates from point-to-point along a route littered with twists and turns.
There are spectators in close proximity and the threat of a high-speed collision is never far away.
Rally homework for @WalesRallyGB.Trying to feel slightly prepared even though im so out of my comfort zone!! pic.twitter.com/tlwhdF9tI6— Amy Williams MBE (@skeletonamy) November 9, 2013
"I've surprised myself not being more nervous," confessed Williams. "Certainly the skills I had in skeleton and being a world-class athlete has definitely transferred into the rallying."
Jardine is a rally veteran who has enjoyed a career as a respected motorsport broadcaster and television pundit.
It was TV which prompted him to contact Williams when the 61-year-old saw her co-driving during an appearance on a British comedy show.
Not that her new role is one to be taken lightly.
The co-driver, as well as being an unofficial team manager and timekeeper, is responsible for memorizing the route and relaying exact instructions.
The driver must trust his partner implicitly.
"I've been thrown in at the deep end," continued Williams, who only obtained her license to compete this weekend after completing a series of minor rallies across the UK.
"It's quite a mind-boggling amount of information I'm being given each rally. So it's been really tough, a lot tougher than I thought, physical and mentally.
"I've been very lucky that I've not been anxious or worried or put off by the speed of the car, whereas I guess most people would be.
"Tony has put a lot into me and you feel a pressure to perform. We've given ourselves a big challenge to complete in Wales."
Read: Science friction -- the art of curling
Compared to other divisions of motorsport such as Formula One and MotoGP, rallying can appear lacking in glamor.
Think muddy puddles rather than perfectly preened pit girls.
And while the likes of F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and MotoGP prodigy Marc Marquez bask in the limelight, rallying's stars rarely occupy back-page column inches.
This disparity irks Williams, especially when WRC boasts a champion as dominant as Sebastian Loeb -- the French master who has won the title in each of the last nine years.
"Rallying is not a sport you see on the back pages all of the time but they're such skilled drivers," she said.
"The teamwork between the co-driver and the driver is incredible. I really admire that and I think it's a shame it's not out there as something everyone knows of."
Skeleton is another sport which rarely commands media attention, but, between 2002 and 2010, it demanded Williams' complete concentration.
And eight years after first attempting the event at a push-start facility in Bath, England, Williams was stood at the top of the podium.
Not that her journey was all smooth sliding.
Williams missed out on a spot at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin to compatriot Shelley Rudman, who went on to clinch a silver medal.
Four years of fierce dedication followed and the result was a gold medal for which her body is still paying the price.
While she is pleased to be heading to Russia's first Winter Games as a broadcaster, Williams fully expects to feel pangs of regret once the Olympic cauldron is officially lit.
"Emotionally I might find going to Sochi very tough," she said.
"There is still a big part of me that would love to compete. I still feel that I could definitely get another Olympic medal, but I had to listen to what my body was telling me.
"I listened to the sports doctors and they were telling me to retire years ago. So that's why I've stopped."
So for now, rallying has sated Williams' competitive appetite.
In the future, however, she might have to take to the high seas to quench her thirst for adventure.
"I've agreed to try to break the record for going around the world in a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat)," said Williams.
RIBs are most commonly used a rescue vessels and military boats.
"We've got a lot of money to raise by the end of this year. If we get the correct amount of money, we'll be setting sail in spring 2015."
After conquering ice and land, mastering the world's oceans would complete an impressive hat-trick for Williams.


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I was having this discussion recently with Shawn Weisfeld, President of ONETUG and it's definitely a frustrating topic. As a former IT manager my team was always pushing to go to a class or a conference to "maintain their skills" but surprisingly few would make time to attend a Code Camp, MSDN Event, or just read a book on their own time. Why is that?
I know that MSDN & TechEd events tend towards 'look at our latest new features' and sometimes add in some sales pitch, but for the cost - free - I've seen some awfully good demos. Code Camps though, or my own SQLSaturday! don't suffer from the same market spin. You can totally ignore the few sponsors present, and there are enough sessions that you can skip the 'New Features in Product vX' if you want. So why does the Orlando Code Camp average 400 attendees when I'd easily bet there are 4000 .Net developers in Orlando? Why does the Orlando .Net User group average 30 attendees, and the SQL Group about 20?
Some of it is marketing I think, trying to get the word out to a bigger segment of the available audience. Some of it just seems to be a negative attitude towards anything free, that somehow if its free it must be of lower quality. User groups in particular seem to suffer from a perception that there is nothing of value for the advanced user, that the groups cater to beginners.
In fairness, I'm really only complaining about those that don't take advantage of free training that do nothing on their own. If you read SSC or SQLTeam or blogs or whatever, or buy the occasional book, good!
If it was up to me everyone would attend paid training all the time, mostly because Im in the training business and would benefit! In practice that's just not affordable or sustainable. So what about you blog reader? Are you looking at alll the training options available to you and making good choices, or just waiting on the boss to approve the next training trip?


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As of Jan. 1 this year, offshore fishermen wanting to bring their catches at a Louisiana port must have a Louisiana Recreational Offshore Landings Permit.
State marine fisheries managers determined that if the state wants to pursue a regional management plan off the Louisiana coast, a more extensive data base was needed.
The state's regional management plan would replace federal management schemes off the state's coast as well as allowing the other four Gulf states to implement their individual management plans.
There's no fee for the Louisiana permit.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Jason Adriance outlined the program at a recent Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting.
He said the new data-collection method requires all anglers, no matter their ages, and charter captains with tunas, billfishes, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, and snappers to have the permit.
For tuna only, anglers and charterboat skippers must report their catch before offloading their catches.
Fisheries taking the other aforementioned species should keep a log of their catches for reporting to the LDWF.
To get the permit, go to LDWf website: http://www.wlf.la.gov/rolp.
Look for, then click on "Get the Permit." Complete the information, print the completed permit and remember to carry it with you on your offshore trips.
There is a "Permit Reporting" section at the same site along with a sample harvest log.
Read this section to become familiar with the new reporting procedures.
There are new apps available for smart phones, too.
For information, call Adriance (504) 284-2032 or email: email@example.com.


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Film explores controversy over 2004 sighting
GREAT BEND — In 2004, an Arkansas naturalist, while kayaking on Bayou DeView in the swampy Big Woods of eastern Arkansas, glimpsed a brief look at what he believed was a bird thought extinct since the 1940s — the ivory-billed woodpecker. Later, inconclusive video was captured that gave some hope the species was still alive. But no one since has found an ivory-billed woodpecker — a crow-sized bird that looks very much like the pileated woodpecker common throughout much of the eastern and southern U.S., including eastern Kansas. The pileated woodpecker is similar in size and coloration to the ivory-billed woodpecker. Since the sighting, much debate has developed over the fuzzy photos and video evidence.
On Sunday, Aug. 15, evidence of this mystery bird will be explored at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K-156 Highway, on the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area northeast of Great Bend. Ghost Bird, a documentary, explores the debate over the evidence and some surprising angles to the story. Admission is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided by the Friends of Cheyenne Bottoms.
The possibility that the species still exists has invigorated efforts not only to conserve the bird but has also created an economic boon for the small community of Brinkley, Ark., according to Curtis Wolf, director of the Wetlands Education Center. "We are excited to have a screening of this documentary at the KWEC," Wolf said. "We hope we can draw a large crowd of bird watchers, nature enthusiasts, and conservationists, as well as those interested in ecotourism."
The ivory-billed woodpecker, about 20 inches long with a 30-inch wingspan, was the largest woodpecker in North America. The habitat of the last known population of the birds was clear cut in the 1940s. In 2005, University of Arkansas professor David Luneau happened upon and shot video of what may have been an ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird not seen since 1944.
Ghost Bird, produced and directed by Scott Crocker, explores all sides of the story, focusing on the debate of whether spotters really saw an ivory-billed woodpecker and also on the issue of people's role in conserving our natural resources and how natural resources can be used in ecotourism to help economies of small communities.
A second screening of Ghost Bird will occur at Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. For more information, including a movie trailer and photos, go online to www.ghostbirdmovie.com. For information on the Wetlands Center, visit wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or phone 1-877-243-9268.


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Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation
Should you shield the valleys from the windstorms, you would never see the beauty of their canyons.
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
Those who learned to know death, rather than to fear and fight it, become our teachers about life.
When you learn your lessons, the pain goes away.
Dying is something we human beings do continuously, not just at the end of our physical lives on this earth.
Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death.
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Copyright © 2018 · All Rights Reserved · Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation
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Since there's a current lull in the Canuck schedule, I thought I'd write about something else. Try this on for size:
Backstrom is a better player than Ovechkin.
Sounds like hockey heresy or irreverance right? Maybe, but a heretic always has his reasons.
Reason one:
Backstrom's a better passer. A given, uncontentious point you might think. Ok, but let me try for a ripple effect of sorts. He's a better playmaker. It's not just the simple pass he's superior at, but he can make that quick and accurate pass from almost anywhere, in crowded areas and under pressure. Ovechkin rarely does this. But I'm not done. Backstrom's a better orchestrator of the play. He possesses the puck for long periods of time, circling, weaving, buying time, weighing options, surveying the positional landscape, waiting until the opportune time to make that pass. During these moments, he is the central figure on the ice. Few people in the league can pull this off, Ovechkin included. My point is this: for those who would have no problem conceding to the fact that Backstrom's a better passer, they would eventually be forced to admit to much more besides.
Reason two:
Backstrom's a better stickhandler. I know, I know, how can I say this? Hasn't Ovechkin scored all those crazy one on one goals, or goals while lying on his back, and so on, ad utube nauseum? No doubt he's an above average stickhandler, but next time watch him closely as he carries the puck on a rush across the opposing blueline. I couldn't count how many times he's lost the puck either while cutting to the middle, cutting wide on, or trying to go straight through, the defence. His stick movements are bullish and cutting, not subtle and flowing. The puck doesn't look like it's attached to the blade of his stick, like it does with Backstrom (Malkin and Kovalev are other fine examples here).
Reason three:
Backstrom's better on the boards and at shielding the puck. I don't know what it is with Swedish players, but it's incredible just how much better they all are at this than others (Crosby a notable exception). Think about the Sedins, Sundin, Forsberg, Samuelson, Zetterberg, Backstrom – just to name a few. So strong are they on the puck, so good are they with their feet, that, at times, it looks like they're holding off boys. In any case, Backstrom's one up on Ovechkin here.
Reason four:
Backstrom's a better defensive player. Again, I take it this will go uncontested. Yet to admit to this is to admit to more again. Forwards who come back and help out end up carrying the play more. They become more essential to the up and down flow of the game. Datsyuk's defensive play, for instance, doesn't come at the exclusion of his offence – it contributes to it. It doesn't just make him a better all-around player, it makes him a better forward. The same goes for Backstrom. The same can not, and will never, be said of Ovechkin.
What does Ovechkin have over Backstrom? He's a better shooter, goal-scorer, and hitter. Since these qualities constitute hockey orthodoxy, Ovechkin will forever be regarded as the better player.
But the heretic will still have his reasons.


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As a member of The Fellowship of the Ring, Orlando Bloom's Legolas was one of the most important characters in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. The great Elf warrior from J.R.R. Tolkien's novels truly came to life and gave the series some of its best moments, armed with some sweet archery skills and an unlikely friendship John Rhys-Davies's Gimli. It's a character that fans absolutely adore, and one that Bloom got the amazing chance to revisit on the set of The Hobbit trilogy.
As was revealed earlier today, my last report from the set of the new Hobbit movie was partially incomplete, as myself and a small group of other film journalists on the trip not only had the chance to see some scenes being filmed, but also talk with Orlando Bloom about his return to Middle-earth and the role of Legolas. You can read the complete interview below, in which the actor discusses working backwards from his performance in Lord of the Rings, working with the film's revolutionary technologies, and the prince-versus-king dynamic that rises from his relationship with Lee Pace's Thranduil.
Can you talk a little bit about getting back on set? What was your reaction to stepping back into this world the first day?
It was sheer joy. It was also a little bit of, "Oh, my word." This is ten years later, I'm ten years older and how's this all going to work? I quite literally was like, "Can I just try on my old costume just for posterity of it all?" It was amazing that Pete [Jackson] was back at the helm of this movie, and it was amazing that I got a call to say, "We would love you to be a part of the film." I was just full of excitement. I was obviously like, "Ooh! This is going to be interesting to make the transition as an Elf being ten years older as myself, as an actor, going in to playing a character that would be younger, but as Elves are kind of ageless anyway we've managed to bridge the gap.
Is there much difference between Legolas in The Hobbit, versus Legolas in Lord Of The Rings?
No. Not masses. Essentially the Woodland Realm Elves, which is where Legolas is from, and my father being Thranduil, the king of those Elves, are a particular type of Elf as described by Tolkien to be... I'm not going to quote him correctly, but they are different from the Lothlorien and the Rivendell Elves. They're more militant, if you like. Legolas in Lord Of The Rings was sent as a bridge from his people into the world of dwarves and humans and wizards and everything else. This is an introduction into the Woodland Realm Elves. Obviously we meet my father, Thranduil, who is a very powerful and strong character who is very particular in his vision of who the Elves are, who the Woodland Elves are, specifically. They are kind of, like I said, a militant group, the Woodland Realm Elves. So I think that the opportunity that Pete and Philippa [Boyens] and Fran [Walsh]-- I think there was a desire for Legolas to come back. They felt that the fans would appreciate seeing Legolas in the Woodland Realm, and there was an opportunity to create a father-son, a prince versus king dynamic that would be interesting and serve the story.
Knowing how successful The Lord Of The Rings trilogy was, and also the fact that Legolas isn't actually in The Hobbit, was there ever any hesitation on your part about taking a role in this film?
Not after I had spoken to Peter. Their ideas, which I have explained, were made to clear to me about how it could be made seamless and effective. Not after I'd had that conversation. It was definitely something that anyone would think. There's a big love for these books and these films and these stories. I think in the hands of Peter, the fans, I would hope, would feel rest assured that he will deliver a movie that will both entertain and enjoy and will be in keeping with Tolkien's vision of the stories. They never stray at all from Tolkien's vision of what the world is, and for me it was exciting to think of returning to Middle Earth and to be a part of something. This is Pete in his element, doing what he does best. So it was just very exciting.
You guys pushed the boundaries of technology on the first three films, but on this one it seems, with 48 frames a second, the Red Epic 3D, but especially this slave motion cam, you guys are really pushing it a whole new generation forward. Can you talk about working with a slave motion cam and also your thoughts on this whole 48 frames a second?
I've never been a great one for technology. What I can tell you is that Pete is always going to push the boundaries and especially in a movie like this. The way that Pete explained to me really at the beginning of the movie was when he talked about it, and it slightly went over my head, but at the same time it was very simple. It was that shooting at 48 frames a second in 3D was going to make the experience for a movie-going audience much more pleasurable and natural and seamless, and make it all very much more real. In terms of an actor experiencing the slave moco aspect of it is interesting. It's very interesting. It is definitely new technology that can sometimes be challenging. But once you grasp what is required, from what I've seen it looks amazing. It looks incredible. A lot of what we did on Lord Of The Rings, what Pete did, it was just perspectives and shifting things. It was very rudimentary in comparison to what's being done today. In answer to your question, I'm as excited as you are, and I hope audiences will be to see how that all gels, and I know that it's something that Pete and his team will be doing, working extensively on to make it just the best experience that you can possibly have in the theatre.


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About Melissa Cooke
In Melissa Cooke's photorealistic compositions, photography, performance, and drawing converge. She uses photographs of her performances as departure points for sedulously composed drawings, applying thin layers of graphite onto paper using a dry brush. This allows her to create a uniform and luminescent surface without pencil marks of any kind. Her series "Surfaced" (2012) best exemplifies her approach: "I take photographs as I paint and pour liquids onto myself, using my face as a canvas," she explains. "The photo shoot references the practice of drawing and painting; then the final graphite drawing references photography. The boundaries between the mediums are broken down and the processes are interwoven."
American, b. 1982, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, based in New York, New York


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Our living collection
The Australian National Botanic Gardens supports a living collection of around 74,000 individual plants arranged in 40 hectares of themed sections. This collection features over 6,200 species which represent around a third of Australia's native plants.
It is the largest scientific collection of Australian native plants in which the collection originates from plants sourced from the wild, accompanied by herbarium specimens for taxonomic study.
Researchers can use the Gardens living material or specimens from the Australian National Herbarium confident of the background provenance of the plants and their current classification and naming.
Read more about Our Plants:
- Profile of Living Collection
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- Search for a living plant
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- Seed Bank
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- Australian National Herbarium
- Nursery
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- Water wise - smart horticulture at the Gardens
- Themes
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