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Chiropractic spinal traction therapy in Meers is a method of stretching and mobilizing the spine using hands-on or mechanic force. Alleviation in pain is sought with therapeutic spinal traction by loosening tight and/or constricted muscles around the spine, and to help decompress intervertebral discs in order to relieve pressure on the spinal nerve roots, which is a major cause of back and spine related pain. As with other chiropractic treatments, spinal traction may or may not help alleviate your pain, often times with chiropractic treatment what works on one patient may not be right for others. Your chiropractor will evaluate your condition and determine if traction, and in what form, is right for you.
Yes, a chiropractor can help people with allergies. Next time you are feeling unwell due to allergies, you should consider visiting a chiropractor in Meers . Chiropractic care is a holistic method of providing relief for the discomfort you feel when you suffer from allergies. Your chiropractor can successfully treat allergies by keeping your body healthy and less vulnerable to allergic reactions. A visit to a chiropractor, when you are suffering the symptoms of an allergic reaction, may help you to cope with your condition and make you feel much better. How can a Chiropractor help you? Allergic reactions are common immune disorders.
Best Lower Back Pain Relief in Meers – chiropractor will find way to help you.On-field sports like football, lacrosse and track can take a tool on the athlete's body. Athletes are expected to be fit and game-ready all the time, which can be a lot of pressure. If you are someone who plays football professionally or just enjoys the game over the weekend, you might want to see a chiropractor. When most people hear the term "chiropractic care", they often associate it with chronic back and neck pain. However, there are many other things chiropractic has treated successfully. Experts believe that 90% of all professional football players seek chiropractic care at some point in their career. The job of a football chiropractor is a mix of diverse things, which offers multiple benefits to the concerned athlete. In this post, we will talk about the ways in which a chiropractor can improve your performance. 1. Reduce Impact of Training. Known athletes like Dan O'Brien and Lance Armstrong have credited their respective chiropractors for their fitness and on-field performance. Football is a demanding sport, where you need training and regular exercise to keep up with, learn and master different skills. The extensive training can often take a toll on your body and cause vertebral subluxations. This is where your spinal alignment is off and can create nerve distortion, which can impact your motor skills and performance. Regular chiropractic care can reduce the effects of training. 2. Relief from Injuries. Football players know that injuries are not always external. Even a simple collision with one of the other players on the field can cause sudden pain, and it is advisable to seek chiropractic care as early as possible. Studies have revealed that chiropractic adjustments can help with athletic performance and reduce common injuries. Chiropractic care can help in reducing the irritation of the nerve roots, which enhances the healing process. Depending on your injury, relief can be immediate. 3. Choice of Drug-Free Treatment. As a football player, you cannot always rely on meds for different aches and pain. In fact, drugs avoidance is best. In many cases, chiropractors have helped athletes in avoiding invasive surgeries, including the use of procedures like ARP therapy and cold laser therapy. Ignoring smaller pains can often lead to bigger, chronic conditions, which might require further medical intervention. Instead of waiting for something dire to happen, visiting a chiropractor is recommended. Chiropractors work with athletes like their fitness coach, offering advice and suggestions on improving performance. If you already sustained an injury, your chiropractor will help in understanding the ways of healing better and faster. You might notice a favorable difference even after one visit with your chiropractor. Make an appointment with a local clinic today to feel the difference!
Chiropractors - Be Proactive To Avoid OSHA Citations and FinesHip pain is a common problem that can be the result of injury. In addition, it can be caused by tendonitis or inflammation of the tendons. It may be due to bursitis or inflammation of the fluid that is present around the joints. Muscle strain can also be a cause of this problem. Whatever the reason, hip pain is definitely not a pleasant experience. The discomfort can range from mild to severe. Pain often radiates into other parts of the body including the thigh. The hip is a ball and socket joint - the largest in the body - and when pain is experienced in this area it can make simple daily activities nearly impossible. This joint is where the thigh and the pelvis connect. Hip pain can be the result of an injury and can develop suddenly. In other instances, the problem may manifest slowly as the result of problems with the pelvis or lower back. Chiropractors check and treat the hip joint when problems are experienced as well as the pelvic joints and the lower back. This method of healing is one of the oldest known to man. It is based on the theory that many health problems, including hip pain, are caused by the misalignment of bones in the spinal column. Hip pain is experienced by many people and often the pain is felt in other places as well as the hip. This can include the groin, the inside or outside of the hip joint, the buttocks and the thighs. This is what is confusing to people as they often do not know what exactly is the cause of their pain. The pain may worsen with activities such as walking or running. It can even cause the sufferer to limp. Using cold packs will often relieve the pain for a period of time. However, it is important to find the cause of the pain and treat it for the relief needed. Chiropractic treatment is a safe non-surgical way of finding this cause and treating it for relief from hip pain. Chiropractors can also recommend exercises that can help to strengthen muscles. The way you sit or sleep an also affect the hips and put stress on the joints. Activities that you may consider pleasurable and not particularly strenuous, such as bowling or golfing can actually strain the hip joints. It is best to stop these activities if you are experiencing hip pain until you find out the cause. The hips are essential to the movement of the body and when they hurt, it can affect many aspects of daily life. Hip and back pain are closely related and although there can be many causes the most common is a misalignment of the bones and joints of the pelvis. Seeking the professional expertise of a chiropractor is often a highly effective method of eliminating this pain. Allowing relief from hip pain without the need for drugs or surgery.
Can a Chiropractic help with Treatment Neck Pain?We've all been there before: trying to choose between a list of potential businesses or professionals with very little of substance to go on. Most of the time we rely on online reviews, glances at web pages, and if we are lucky we may know someone who has been to that business already and can tell you what to expect. Going to a chiropractor is an important decision, even more so because many people do not know much about chiropractic to start with. What little they do know may very well be wrong. Some consider chiropractors quite poorly and are skeptical of the profession. Some are open to seeing a chiropractor but have no friends or family to steer them to the right person, and have no experience with chiropractic that would make an Internet search easier. It helps when you know the "language" of something because your Google search will be much more fruitful when you use the right terminology. Using broad terms often will net you nothing more than a list of chiropractors who do a lot of advertising and who fill their websites with keywords just to attract visitors via Google. Choosing a chiropractor is in many ways a very personal decision. With so many types of DC's out there that means that you can probably find one tailored to your needs. This article will outline how to conduct a good search that will show you all the local chiropractors and allow you to tell them apart so that you can make the best choice.1. Are you going to a chiropractor simply for pain relief, or for general health? You can loosely separate chiropractors into two groups: holistic chiropractors and mechanistic chiropractors. All chiropractors know of this distinction, and in fact the profession has been in a general state of low-level internal conflict along this fault line since its inception. Some chiropractors know this as a war of "straights vs. mixers". The internal conflict, which actually has many positive benefits, has been ongoing since the start of the profession in 1895. This duality is a strength of the profession: without the holistic character of chiropractic we would be physical therapists who adjust the spine, and without the mechanistic character of chiropractic we would lose sight of the very real benefits to health that chiropractic care provides millions of Americans every year, and the real detrimental effects of spinal joint malfunction (subluxation).2. Do you want long-term care or would you prefer to have your complaint treated and then have your case closed? Many chiropractors, with varying degrees of scientific evidence to back this up, promote chiropractic as a viable alternative to traditional healthcare. They view chiropractic as a way to foster the health of your nervous system through chiropractic spinal adjustments, which then allows the body to function at a higher level. Chiropractors and patients all over the country will attest to improved health with less illness and injury after they incorporated chiropractic into their lives. Regular adjustments help adults and children cope with everything from allergies to headaches, and people who want to avoid prescription medication often choose chiropractic instead. Hard scientific proof to validate this is difficult to come by due to inherent problems in designing a study capable of testing the "chiropractic lifestyle" and its effect on general health, but case series' exist and we've likely all met someone who will swear up and down that chiropractic is keeping them out of the doctor's office. On the flip side of this coin are chiropractors that will work to promote proper joint function at the injured area and then rehabilitate the joint and supporting soft tissue, after which they will release you from care. There is a value in this, just as there is a value in wellness or maintenance care. Releasing a patient after their pain is gone will save the patient money. It will also please the patient's health insurer - not that your insurer's happiness should ever be a factor in making health decisions, but unfortunately they hold power over your health in some very important ways so there is a value in not ending up in anyone's crosshair at your insurer's corporate headquarters. Rather than promote continuing care, a mechanistic chiropractor will work to correct the immediate problem only. Many times back pain may stem from a weak ankle or knee, so your chiropractor may very well focus on a spot that isn't painful, so do not assume the location of your pain is the cause of your pain. A fundamental difference between holistic and mechanistic chiropractors is that the holistic chiropractor will treat the patient beyond the scientific limitations a more mechanistic chiropractor would self-impose.


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Democratic talking heads frequently claim �many Americans like Medicare and Social Security� and then link the so-called fondness for those two programs to Obama-care by saying, �Someday the 70 percent of Americans who dislike Obama-care will come to like it.�
To the editor:
Democratic talking heads frequently claim �many Americans like Medicare and Social Security� and then link the so-called fondness for those two programs to Obama-care by saying, �Someday the 70 percent of Americans who dislike Obama-care will come to like it.�
It may well be that they are referring to the fondness captives tend to develop for their captors, as Patty Hearst did. Captives resist their condition for a while but then begin to move toward the evil people who put them into captivity.
Democrats use similar tactics: making people feel isolated and that no one else is going to care or rescue them from their plight. Then they lie about how they, too, are oppressed by the establishment, even though they are the establishment. They seek to develop new identities and loyalties in their captives.
Government has been so bad for so long, many simply accept it as �normal.� I doubt most people like Medicare or Social Security. Sure those who pay little or nothing and enjoy benefits for years love it, but what of the many who pay for years and collect nothing? Those who actually pay into the so-called Social Security Trust Fund think it is poorly managed, woefully inefficient and plagued with fraud, waste and abuse � i.e., they don�t like it. Eventually those who have paid into the program say, �I�ve already paid in and should get something back.� Democrats tout that as a defense for lousy programs.
After decades of mediocrity, Americans accept paltry returns and unwise spending by elected officials and life-long bureaucrats. Democrats loudly claim that millions now have access to insurance they previously could not afford.
Guess what? They can afford it even less under Obama-care. The costs are increasing, but Dems simply give subsidies so it appears health insurance is, indeed, more affordable for some. The result is a typical socialist redistribution scheme � many pay nothing and get free health care, while others pay inflated amounts and are forced to buy coverage they do not want or need.
Democrats lie: If you like your plan you cannot keep it � either because it is deemed �substandard� or because it is too good!
Democrats like Goldilocks government � they break into your house then have the audacity to determine the �just right� level of health care for you and your family. They are arrogant and incompetent and have created a legacy of government-controlled programs that are colossal failures.
Year after year, they call for the ever-decreasing �more fortunate� to pay just a little more so those who live off other people�s hard work through government confiscation can have more. That annual �little more� is required for many wasteful government programs and has resulted in a $17-plus trillion national debt.
Democrats think Obama-care can be cemented in much the same way as Social Security. If it seems as if everyone is contributing, then folks will want to keep it. Actually only those above an arbitrary 400 percent of an even more arbitrary poverty level pay into Obama-care; so, as usual, half of Americans pay while the other half benefits. That is typical socialist redistribution.
Democrats� hope is that after a short time, Americans will simply accept another poorly run big-government program. Democrats seek to have the captives of big, poorly run government embrace them as the only way out of the mess the Dems have created.
We simply cannot afford the Unaffordable Care Act and allow it to become like Social Security and Medicare � continually operated with large amounts of fraud and waste. These social programs are disguised as helpful but their obvious objective is to control people by force and strip Americans of their freedom and liberty.
Step by step, Americans are being reduced from free citizens to dependent subjects. Controlling actions such as these are what inspired the original TEA Party movement.
Thomas Jefferson said many years go, �When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.�
Tyranny seems our destination!
Jim Dargan

subset: commoncrawl


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The son of archaeologist Adolf Furtwängler, he studied in Munich, where he was assistant to the conductor Felix Mottl (1907–09). He became director of the Mannheim Opera in 1915 and in 1920 succeeded Richard Strauss as conductor of the Berlin Opera concerts. In 1922 he followed Arthur Nikisch as conductor of the Gewandhaus Concerts concerts in Leipzig. Other His other appointments included the directorships of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1922), the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1930), the Bayreuth Festivals (1931–32), and the Berlin State Opera (1933). He subsequently toured Europe and England with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
Furtwängler conducted in Germany during most of the Nazi regime. Controversy arose when he led an orchestral version of Paul Hindemith's opera Mathis der Maler with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1934—Hindemith had been denounced by the Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels and the work banned. Furtwängler resigned his position, but he returned to the orchestra in 1935. Although he was offered and accepted the post as conductor of the New York Philharmonic in 1936, public the hostility of American musicians to his alleged Nazi associations caused him to resign. Public sentiment again caused the cancellation of a 1949 appointment as conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, although he had been formally exonerated of accusations of Nazi complicity.


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"Council Member Ronit is from Israel," said the post the Voice removed for its offensive language. "That means she is a Rothschild mind and it shows. I am proud of her 25 percent of the time and think she is out of Rothschild whack 75 percent of the time."
In a portion called "misogynist" by council member Margaret Abe-Koga, he goes on to blame women in local government for what he called a "Rothschild ripoff."
"Our gas tax is better served fixing streets, instead, thanks to ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments), and some other transit related agencies with the Rothschild mindset in women on all these boards translates into developer giveaways and we see it," the comment said.
Parkinson's mention of the Rothschilds, a Jewish family which amassed significant wealth in the 1800s, is "an allusion to a notion that Jews control the world," said Seth Brysk of the Anti-Defamation League, in March, who called Parkinson's comments "bigoted, anti-Semitic (and) bizarre."
"This type of reasoning, if you can call it that, is exactly what the Nazis used to justify the attempt at genocide and to commit the crimes of the Holocaust," he said.
This week, Parkinson denied making the comments online and in emails via an email sent to local newspapers in which he claimed to be a victim of identity theft.
However, Parkinson had confirmed he made the original post in a phone conversation with a Voice reporter on the same day it posted, March 20.
Parkinson had been interviewed by the Voice in February about his efforts to save the Pearson House. When called for comment on Wednesday, he quickly hung up after saying,"I'm not interested in any comment, bye-bye."
The email disavowing the post came from "The Real Christopher Parkinson" via a different email address but written was in the distinctive style of Parkinson's previous emails.
"I have resigned from the VAC in disgrace but for these tort-filled articles I am mystified over," it reads. "I posted a two-line compliment of council on the selection of the Berlin wall, that compliment is missing, something else is in its place"
He threatened to sue the Voice and possibly the council over the furor.
"What incredible damage, and I am one heck of a victim of someone and something am having a hard time entirely grasping all of this," the email said.
Parkinson's comments
Back in March 20 when he was interviewed over the phone about the online comment, Parkinson likened Bryant to former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "His tone is very, very, very, very harsh against people."
He mentioned council member Jac Siegel, also of Jewish descent, saying that "between those two (Bryant and Siegel) they are the ones who drive the city of Mountain View."
At the end of the interview, when Parkinson realized that his comments had been removed from the Voice's website, he said, "Since you removed it, I'm just going to say that it never was said, there's no proof."
The Voice retains an archive of all online comments posted to its site.
However, the next day he reversed course and sent two more emails detailing his beliefs about the Rothchilds' "fact-based takeover of the world" and complaining that he had the right to post whatever he wants online.
The day after that, March 22, Parkinson sent an email to Bryant, the Voice and other city officials threatening a lawsuit, telling Bryant to "calm down."
"A Rothschild should be viewed as a compliment, and I meant it that way," the email says. "Rothschild's are prosperous and powerful." He adds that "So I beg of you to laugh about this otherwise, I will not only sue the city, I will sue every council member, the Voice, Mr. DeBolt, and some of the commenters in there and any staff that is part of your scheme to slander me."
Bryant hasn't publicly commented about Parkinson's post.
Council reaction
Mayor John Inks responded in a letter saying Parkinson's comments "were offensive and contrary to the Code of Conduct" which says officials must refrain from "abusive conduct, personal charges or verbal attacks upon the character or motives of the City Council, the boards, commissions, committees, staff and the public."
Council members were set to discuss various options for dealing with Parkinson Tuesday, including possibly voting him off the commission or censuring him. But his resignation made the situation "moot," Inks said, and the council forwarded the issue to the Council Procedures Committee for a larger discussion about the city's code of conduct.
Inks called it "a very unfortunate situation I was sorry to be involved in."
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text: I've been thinking about a SPOT connect, but recently saw this announcment from DeLorme: http://blog.delorme.com/2011/06/03/delorme-inreach-two-way-satellite-communication/ It essentially combines a regular SPOT and the connect, and allows two-way communication. Hope they make a version for iOS as this looks like it'd be ideal for MC travel and backwoods adventure, esp. since the emergency responders can actually communicate with you.


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May 30, 2009
Live Blogging on Sunday Night @ 9 pm (from my Living Room Couch)
I'm gonna be live-blogging my silly thoughts on Sunday night along with my hilarious friends over at Letters to Twilight, New Moon Movie and Lauren's Bite, who invited me to join them in this nonsensical discussion.
We will ponder important, thought-provoking topics such as:
13 comments:
Bring it on!!!!!!ReplyDelete
- riddleinsideMay 30, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Awesome!!thanks for doing that.I'll stay tuned :))ReplyDelete
I've not watched MTV for a very long time and the only reason I'm tuning to MTV on Sunday is to witness the passionate smooch of K/R *giggle*. I can't wait!!! NMM, LTT, LB, TCA in one package deal! What a good deal!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Why you call Kristen's boyfriend Oregano? He's last name is AngaranoReplyDelete
- BobinaMay 30, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Woo hoo! I can't wait to see what you have in store!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 30, 2009 at 9:35 PM
MTV IS GONNA BE STREAMING THE RED CARPET AND THE SHOW LIVE ONLINE!!ReplyDelete
Oh TwiCrack I have missed you so!!!ReplyDelete
I am totally down for this - great idea - JJ and I will be watching (and reading) with bated breath. Although you just KNOW they are gonna save the Twilight stuff for last - it's going to make for an ugly, ugly Monday morning (but totally worth it).
: )
Yeahh! This is going to be interesting! haha Oregano! That's hillarious!!! hahaha Let's see how Kristen and Rob are going to behave...do you thinkg they're going to sit together like some sites are saying? I can't wait for tomorrow!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 31, 2009 at 3:18 AM
Twi fans are gonna wanna kill me for this but im rooting for Slumdog Millionaire for best movie.ReplyDelete
Blogging on here? That sounds difficult...won't there be a lag or somthin'...what about tweeting? Instant gratification heheReplyDelete
luv ur blog =D
- AnonymousMay 31, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Wheres Oregano? Hopefully on the herb rack at home! If you check out IMDB on Nikki Reeds page it says hes dating her, that was updated yesterday.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 31, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Someone's playing with the IMDb info - two days ago, Kristen's bio said she was in a relationship with Angarano for two years, and "met her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson," on the set of Twilight; today, that part of the bio is missing. Today it also said she was in a 3-year relationship with Angarano. Rob's bio the other day said he met his girlfriend, Kristen Stewart, on the set of "Twilight." Today that info has been eliminated. Who knows what the hell is going on (maybe that's the point).ReplyDelete
il be at school... in australia
LOL have fun watching it live you guys..
im not jealous at all :(


text: Got a chance to see a former (and hopefully, future) WTA pro Vasilisa Bardina in action at the Boulder Open tournament. She was ranked as high as #48 on WTA in 2007, before being forced to retire due to injuries. I believe she's looking to make a comeback early next year. Well I didn't know any of that while watching the ladies Open final yesterday. Had I known, my jaw might have been saved from being dropped to the floor, repeatedly. The woman she played (also Russian as it happened) was a former college player, and has had a lot of success in the local Open tournaments lately, especially in doubles and mixed - a very good player obviously, one of the top women players in Denver. What I saw was an illustration of the differences between a good Open level player vs. a (somewhat rusty) pro player, and a remainder of how many levels there are in this sport. The match ended in under an hour with 6:0 6:1 score. That one lost game was due to Vasilisa double-faulting three times in a row, then drilling an easy forehand into the net, something that she explained in an interview to the local paper as a lapse in concentration... though to me, it definitely looked like a charity game donated to her dispirited opponent, who aside from that game haven't won more than a handful of points in the entire match. So here you have it: a good Open level player struggling to win a few points... in NTRP terms, the disparity was like a 3.0 playing a 5.0. It was quite an amazing display. When pros are battling each other, especially when viewed on TV, it's easy to lose sight of just how humongous the gap in ability is between them and the mere good players. I'm a fan now, and will be watching her career going forward... hopefully she can get back on tour and do some damage there.


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"Where are all the white guys?" — Update on "Do I have the right to refuse this search."
Today's (returning) guest author is Deirdre Walker. A few weeks ago she wrote a post about her experiences at one of the country's airports. Last week she went to another airport. This post is about that experience.
Before she retired, Walker was the Assistant Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Police. She spent 24 years as a police officer. Among her professional accomplishments, Chief Walker helped lead a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional team of law enforcement officials in 2002 investigating what has since become known as the Washington D.C. sniper killings.
I frequently commute between Tampa and Baltimore. During my travels, I have many opportunities to observe and a lot of time to think.
Lately, I have been engaged in more active observation regarding what is happening in our nation's airports. I have come to the troubling conclusion that we have some significant challenges with regard to airport security. These challenges are fundamental, large, and unwieldy.
I recently blogged about some of these challenges in an article entitled "Do I have the Right to Refuse this Search." The article, posted October 15 on HLS Watch.com described first my growing awareness that I was becoming a frequent, if not routine, candidate for secondary searches, and then the follow-on from my line-in-the-sand decision to challenge that selection from then/now on.
In my article, I articulated my reasons for my concern (ultimate compromise of traveler faith and safety), endeavored to provide context for those concerns (the role of active and passive discrimination, the need for data collection, and haphazard and inconsistent responses by TSA personnel). I also attempted to establish myself as a credible, concerned participant in the dialogue (retired Assistant Chief of Police, 24 years experience, etc.).
That article was my first attempt at blogging and I was surprised by the response. Within less than a month, around one hundred thousand people had at least looked at the article. I am hopeful that many of those folks may have even read it, in spite of its unTwitter-friendly length. The article was reposted on at least ten other blogs, to include BoingBoing and TravelSpeak. On Tuesday, November 3d, it was posted on the blog link for The Economist.
The interest my article has generated is at once gratifying and deeply troubling. Clearly, based upon the number of readers, and the number and nature of comments posted in reply, there is broad concern (if not outright animosity) in the blogosphere regarding TSA, and the procedures it employs in both the selection and the searches of American travelers. I believe that concern is reflected among and generalizable to non-blogging American travelers.
Predictably, interest in my article is starting to wane. Unfortunately, whatever it is about me that has made me such an appealing target for secondary screening has not waned.
On Tuesday, November 3, I traveled from BWI airport en route to Tampa. I needed to get to my home in Florida so I could vote in a local election. Our Gulf Coast community, like many others, is debating charter questions on growth management and I wanted my voice to be heard. On November 3 as I passed through the security checkpoint, my voice was heard in a different way.
(Since I am uncertain exactly what information is relevant to secondary screening selections, I have provide information below which would, in the course of most discussions, be considered irrelevant, perhaps even insulting. This includes descriptions regarding gender, age, height and weight. Since we have no data regarding patterns of secondary screening decisions, I have to assume that this type of information is, indeed, highly relevant. In fact, it appears to be all the information we have.)
As I approached the conveyor belt, I carried the contents of my mobile office in a soft brief case and a back pack. I am a Caucasian female in my late forties, about five eight, and carrying weight that is in excess of what is recommended for my height. In anticipation of the warmer Florida weather, I was dressed very casually in shorts, sneakers with ankle socks, and I was wearing a lightweight grey sweat shirt (not a zip or a hoodie) over a t-shirt. As I stepped through the metal detector, I was told to "Please step over here."
The uniformed, Caucasian-female screener, likely in her late thirties or early forties, similar to me in height and weight, directed me toward the Full-body Imaging machine. I said simply, "No."
She was momentarily stunned and asked me to repeat myself. I said "No. If I don't have to do it, I am not going to do it."
She told me to step aside to wait and radioed to someone that I had refused the scanner.
As I waited, I reflected that of my last five trips through security, I had been selected for secondary screening three times, twice at BWI. I recalled that within the past year, I have been selected for secondary screening on countless additional trips, but I didn't start keeping count, regrettably, until the trip in October that generated that first HLS Watch.com blog article.
I considered what the word "random" really means. I wondered why I could not randomly win the lottery as often as I had been selected for secondary screening.
Within a few moments, I was met by another uniformed agent, who directed me to a glass-enclosed cubicle located between the screening belts for the B gates at BWI. On my way to the cubicle, I had observed a sign indicating that travelers have the right to decline the imaging machine and "request" a pat-down instead. It struck me as odd that in order to really see and absorb the information posted on the sign, you would have already passed by or through the imaging machine.
As I stepped into the cubicle, I was informed by my newly assigned screener that I would be patted down. The screener, an African-American female most likely in her late twenties, shorter and slimmer than me, struck me as professional, almost pleasant. It is important to reiterate that this screener had no role in my selection. She asked whether I had "been through this process before." I answered that I had. As I placed my feet on the outlines on the rug and raised my arms from my sides, I wondered how many people she has searched also responded "Yes" to that question. I lamented all the data lost by the failure to track those responses. She then asked me if I would be more comfortable in a "private" setting. I chuckled as the inquiry, while thoughtful, felt oddly ironic. I declined.
My screener then informed me about how she would conduct the search, and stated to me that when she got to a sensitive area, she would "use the back of my hand" to touch that area. Again, as a retired police officer who has searched hundreds of people over the course of my career, I know that you just can't feel much with the back of a gloved hand. God forbid, I thought to myself, that the screener, who had displayed what I felt to be genuine concern for my privacy, should be fully able to detect any weapons or contraband I might be secreting.
As she commenced the search by patting down my hair (brown, thinning and collar-length), I launched what in my old job would have been considered a classic field interview.
This type of interview, when done right, consists of a series of related questions asked in a rapid fire manner. The speed is critical as it offers the subject little time (theoretically, anyway) to effectively fabricate information and it also leaves little time for the subject to become defensive. I needed to tread a fine line between quickly obtaining meaningful information and becoming too aggressive.
Fortunately, my screener was very open and forthcoming. I asked, "How are people selected for secondary searches?. She replied "It's random."
I asked "Is there a mark on my boarding pass?" She replied, "We used to do that, but we don't do it anymore." She did not know why that practice had been discontinued.
I stated "So you look at people as they are entering the metal detector, you make some type of assessment, and then you select people for secondary searches, right?"
She replied, "Well, sometimes if you are wearing bulky clothing, you get selected."
I said, "Can't you tell people to take the clothing off?'
She replied, laughing, "No. We can't tell people to take their clothes off."
My own experience indicates that to be less than accurate information. I have been frequently directed to remove coats, sweaters and sweat shirts in the past. Regardless, she seemed to be implying that I had been selected due to the fact that I was wearing a sweat-shirt.
At this point, I turned to look over my shoulder and observed a Caucasian woman in her late thirties or early forties standing inside the whole-body imager. I called my screener's attention to this and said. "Look over there. There's a woman in the scanner. You all picked me for a search, and then the very next person you select is a woman. Why didn't you pick a white guy? Where are all the white guys?"
She replied, helpfully, "We are understaffed today and we don't have enough male screeners to do pat downs. We are not allowed to do opposite sex pat-downs so we are only selecting women for secondary screening."
By this point, I was seated and she was patting down the bottom of my feet. The secondary search, more thorough than the last search I had been subjected to in Albany, but equally ineffective, was nearing completion. I said "If you are only selecting women, how is that random?"
She said, "You're done. You can collect your belongings, Have a nice day."
If I had not already been sitting down, I would likely have fallen over. So much for random searches. I gathered my belongings and wandered off in search of a lottery ticket.


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Alzheimer's disease is a debilitating disorder that robs people of their memory and cognitive abilities. As it progresses, Alzheimer's disease may cause people to become increasingly disoriented about time and place. This confusion can lead to a common problem—wandering.
What Are the Risk Factors for Wandering?
If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, that person may be at risk for wandering, even if the condition is in the earlier stages. Be aware of certain behaviors, which could signal an increased chance of wandering, such as:
- Coming home late from a routine walk around the neighborhood
- Attempting to do previous routines, like going to work or attempting to go home to a previous location
- Moving around a lot, acting restless
- Having problems finding rooms in the house, like the bathroom
- Inquiring about old friends and family members—may indicate a desire to visit these people
- Having difficulty completing chores
- Getting lost in a new place
If wandering has happened before, it is more likely to happen again in the future.
How Can You Prevent Wandering?
While wandering is a common behavior in people with Alzheimer's disease, these steps can help you lower the chance of it happening:
- Make changes in and around your house, such as:
- Encourage walks in the house by clearing hallways and rooms of clutter or go with them.
- Install locks, alarm systems, and wandering monitoring devices.
- Fence in the yard and install a locked gate with an alarm on it.
- Label doors to explain the purpose of each room (especially the bathroom) and to discourage your loved one from exiting the house.
- Keep your car keys in a safe place where your loved one does not have access to them.
- Have a regular daily routine.
- Be sure that your loved one is always with a caring and patient adult.
- Try to identify when your loved one may wander. Choose an activity that may help to distract and lower anxiety.
- Reassure your loved one that he or she is in the right place.
- Make sure that your neighbors are aware that your loved one may attempt to wander.
How Can You Be Prepared for Wandering?
As much as you want to prevent wandering, you also want to be ready in case it does happen:
- Program important numbers into your phone, such as your neighbors' phone number and the numbers of family members and friends who can help in case of an emergency.
- Think about the places your loved one might wander. Look in those places first if wandering does happen.
- Keep recent pictures or videos of your loved one.
- Learn about your neighborhood, focusing on places that may be harmful, such as rivers, steep hills, or congested intersections.
- Register your loved one with MedicAlert + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return program. This program offers benefits like providing an ID bracelet, storing information and photos in a national database, and notifying you if your loved one has been found.
- Look into wearable GPS devices. These devices send wireless signals to a web program, providing you with information about your loved one's location.
If your loved one is lost, call for emergency medical help right away. Be sure to tell the police that your loved one has Alzheimer's disease. If you have registered with Safe Return, also call that company.
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 01/2016 -
- Update Date: 03/13/2014 -


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FMCA membership number: F369332 (we joined in 2005)
Where we live:
Our "weekday" house in Leesburg is a townhouse overlooking the Potomac River, near the location of the Battle of Balls Bluff from the Civil War. We sit up on some cliffs that the soldiers no doubt used for cover during and after the battle. We have a lake house on Lake Anna in Mineral, just west of Richmond, Va., and about two hours from Leesburg. This is where we store our motorhome and is the starting point for our trips.
An FMCA chapter we belong to:
Coach House Owners Club. We have approximately 170 members, all who own Coach House motorhomes.
Our current motorhome:
A 2006 27-foot Coach House Platinum 272 with two slides. Since we still work, we wanted a small, nimble motorhome primarily for weekend trips and a few longer trips a year, but we were looking for quality and amenities like you would find in a larger, higher-end motorhome. We are very happy with the Platinum for our present situation. Many of our chapter members have downsized from much larger coaches. We will probably eventually move up to a larger size when we can be on the road more, after John retires. I (Vicky) will continue to work for several more years, but my work is such that I can do it from the road.
Other motorhomes we have owned:
We actually bought a 2005 23-foot Platinum as our first motorhome in September 2005, but traded it in within a year for the new 27-foot model, largely because of the queen-size bed in the back.
Three words that best describe our current motorhome:
Classy, happy, functional
The best thing about our motorhome:
It has extreme functionality in a small package.
We decided to buy a motorhome because:
We have both spent our professional lives traveling on airplanes, both in the U.S. and around the world. We lived in England in the late 1990s. My (Vicky's) father worked for American Airlines, so even as a child, my trips tended to be on airplanes and often outside of the U.S. We have done several cruises, to just about everywhere we care to go (except the Galapagos and Antarctica). We decided it was time to look over the edge of the Grand Canyon, commune with the horses at Chincoteague, see the Lennon Sisters at Branson (yes, we both grew up watching Lawrence Welk with our mothers) and discover America from the ground.
Current occupations:
I have an interesting story. I was raised in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, N.Y. I enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam War because I am a patriot, first and foremost. I was sent to Vietnam and was trained as a tank mechanic. One day, a general's aide came by asking if anyone could type. As I was lying in the mud under a tank, I decided and said I COULD type. How hard could that be? To this day, I am still primarily a two-finger typer, but that got me out of the mud and indoors and started a lifetime career in data processing and computers.
When I got out of the army, I was hired by Ross Perot to work at the new Electronic Data Systems. Now, more than 37 years later, I am still working for a Ross Perot company but now at Perot Systems Corporation. I was the first employee (after the founders) at the company's inception in 1988 when Ross left EDS, unhappy with the management of the company by General Motors.
Of our current 25,000-plus employees, only one person, the founder who recruited me to join Perot Systems, has a lower employee number than me. Currently, I work with Perot Systems Government Services as the account manager for our relationship with the U.S. Mint in Washington, DC.
I have been an attorney for Perot Systems Corporation since 1993. Primarily, I provide legal support to our large Information Technology outsourcing transactions. Our primary business is to take over and run the IT departments of large organizations. Most recently, I provided the legal support for a 10-year, $200 million deal with Jewish Hospital and St. Mary's HealthCare, Inc. of Louisville, Ky. My work is all over the U.S., and when not in negotiations I can do my work from anywhere. So once John retires, I will likely continue to work and still be able to travel with him in our motorhome.
John and I met at Perot Systems in 1993. We worked on deals together. I always liked him and respected his business savvy, but I didn't know anything about him personally. We often had lunch together while working. Then, one day he asked me to dinner. I told my secretary at the time that there was something different about this invitation. John denies it to this day — he says he just wanted company and a good steak. But, we did get married a couple of years after that. So, I guess there's the proof.
The best thing about motorhoming:
We get to take our "home" with us — no checking into and out of hotels, no hassling with airports. We're "home."
Our family:
We have three daughters, three sons, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren.
We travel in the motorhome approximately:
Four weeks per year. When we're not motorhoming, we're working or enjoying our lake house at Lake Anna.
Our favorite motorhoming destinations:
Orlando (Fort Wilderness) and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. We are really looking forward to our upcoming trip to Branson.
Our all-time favorite motorhome trip:
We just got back from four days at Fort Wilderness at Disney World with three of our grandchildren. It was heaven. We actually also rented a cabin. This was followed by four days at Skidaway Island State Park, near Savannah, Ga. This had to be our favorite trip ever.
Some of our other favorite trips:
We took back-to-back trips to Pigeon Forge last year. Our first trip was with the Coach House Owners Club and two weeks later we returned with some friends who also own a motorhome because they had always wanted to go. We loved the country and gospel shows. We love the patriotism of places like Pigeon Forge.
Another favorite trip was to the FMCA Convention in Perry, Ga., in March 2007. We organized a caravan from our chapter and we all set up together. This was a whole-new world to us and we had a blast. I'm sure that after awhile, the fun wears off, but we're still in that new, loving-it-all stage. And, the people in our chapter are wonderful. We're also born shoppers. We find something to buy for our motorhome at every convention.
Our "dream" motorhome trip:
Our dream trip is to go across country from Virginia to California, stopping anywhere and everywhere we want to stop. We want to see it all.
Our perfect day of motorhome travel:
Cheap gas, no road construction and blue skies. We like to start out early. We can't wait for the days when we don't have to be back for anything (like work) and can be leisurely in our travels.
Our worst motorhoming experience:
Last fall, we were traveling from northern Virginia to Chincoteague Island. That route took us across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. We pulled up to the toll plaza and were told the winds were too high to cross the bridge in a high-elevation vehicle. So, we pulled into the parking lot of the bridge authority and waited it out with our Dinty Moore MREs and the bridge workers for about eight hours, rockin' and a rollin' with the high winds and rain.
The best additions we've made to our motorhome:
John added a central vac and a satellite dish. He did the work himself. John also added a torsion bar and trac bar to help with sway when pulling the car. He also added the GPS/satellite radio. He's willing to do just about anything he thinks will be an improvement. He gets a little nervous cutting into our motorhome's fiberglass shell, though, which is one-piece.
A unique feature of our motorhome:
Our license plate is "4RE RV." Get it? Our towed vehicle is "4RE TOAD."
If we could change one thing about our motorhome, it would be:
The size of the bathroom. With only 27 feet, they have to take space somewhere. But the shower is a great size.
Something about motorhoming that we know now but did not know when we started:
That a comfortable bed is everything. In our first coach we had a sofa in the slide that converted to a queen-size bed, but it wasn't really full size and there was that seam down the middle That was a major part of the reason we got rid of it. We have an honest-to-goodness queen-size bed now, and we love that. This probably sounds silly to those with the 40-foot coaches, but I know there is a trend toward down-sizing. Our motorhome is a great option in that regard.
When driving the motorhome, the most important thing to remember is:
There's an awful lot of coach behind you, and even more when you're towing.
What we like best about FMCA:
We love the conventions, particularly the technical classes. But, the best part of all is that we have met many wonderful new and lifelong friends through our chapter and the conventions. I (Vicky) have learned that it's important to have friends of all ages and from many different backgrounds. Our FMCA friends tend to be older than we are — that is a blessing to us. I love learning from the life experiences and perspectives of people of all ages. I have two "best" friends from our chapter who are both at least 20 years older than I am. John has also befriended both of their husbands, who are remarkable men and are both WWII veterans. We e-mail constantly (one lives in South Carolina and one in Texas). They have been to our lake house for a mini-rally and we see them whenever we can. My life is much richer because of them and I have FMCA to thank for that.
Our hobbies:
John is always building, or doing something with computers, electronics, mechanical things, etc. He is self-taught in everything. He loves "doing projects," whether on his motorhome, boats or at home. I wish he liked wallpapering and painting a bit more so I could get some of those projects slated for 2010 moved up. John is happiest when on his boat at Lake Anna (a 25-foot C-Dory) or in his motorhome. Civil War battlefields are among his favorite destinations. We live among several of them.
I (Vicky) am a golfer (but there's never any time) and enjoy water sports, particularly waterskiing.
Together, we love to wander and explore and see new sights. We love our motorhome. We love boating. We love to get up just after dawn, get into the boat with a thermos of coffee and wander around Lake Anna, stopping for breakfast biscuits at one of the stores on the lake.
Our favorite saying:
John — "I don't make the rules, I just live by them."
Our favorite holiday:
Vicky: Christmas. It's such a wonderful family time. It's gotten really out of control for me, though, with such a big family. This year, everyone gets cruise credits because we're taking the entire family, including our mothers, on a Caribbean cruise in February. There will be 19 of us. I also love the decorating. We have three trees — one with all the family treasures, including all the ornaments the kids made at school. Another tree is patriotic and the third one is a real country tree, with lots of wood ornaments and fish, bird and bear ornaments. The third one is at our lake house.
The celebrity we admire most:
Ross Perot for both of us. His ideals and values are so pure. He always is motivated by doing the right thing for country, family, his employees and friends. He has always said, "Feed the troops before the officers." To many in the military, he is a hero. Our Plano office contains a massive collection of gifts, awards and tributes from his lifetime.
Favorite restaurants:
We love anything local to where we are at the time, particularly for breakfast. But, if anyone ventures to Leesburg, Va., and wants a taste of France in America, try the Eiffel Tower. It is as genuine as if it were in the heart of Paris. At our recent Coach House Owners Club rally, we all went to Lady & Sons in Savannah, Ga. What a treat! For all the Paula Dean fans, this is a must!
If we were awarded a free shopping spree at any store:
John would pick Home Depot (he's also a big Tony Stewart fan). Projects, projects, projects. I guess I would also choose Home Depot or Lowe's, provided I could assure myself that my captive handyman would cooperate. If not, give me a good RV and boat store.
Favorite campground:
Fort Wilderness, Disney World. If Disney ran the world, we'd all be better off.
When motorhomers visit our state or hometown, they should be sure to see:
Natural Bridge, Chincoteague, the Civil War battlefields, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and other Washington, DC.-area attractions. The list is endless.
Items that we always keep in our motorhome's refrigerator while traveling:
RC Cola and Diet Pepsi.
Advice for other motorhomers:
We are newbies, soaking it all in like sponges. We wouldn't presume to know enough after only two years on the road to offer advice. But, remember surgical gloves for dumping. That is one smell that never goes away.
Behind our motorhome, we tow:
A 2005 Honda Element four wheels down using a Roadmaster tow bar and an Easy Brake.
Pets who travel with us:
Pudden and Muffin, 7-year-old Yorkshire terriers (5 pounds each) who aren't related but most people can't tell them apart. We are adopting another terrier pup this month. John has named him Smoky after a famous Yorky who was found by U.S. troops in the jungles of New Guinea in 1944.
When we're online, we're checking out these Web sites:
CHOC-talk (our chapter's web site that John developed and is webmaster for), FMCA (of course), Camping World, Bank of America, AOL, Overton's. We are both internet shoppers since we have little time for in-store shopping.
Something others would be surprised to know about us is:
Those who know us professionally, and not through FMCA or motorhoming, would be surprised to see us in our motorhome traveling the highways of America. They wouldn't believe that John and Vicky Ferrari would love being "road warriors."
Other FMCA members may contact us via e-mail:
[email protected]


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Len Kotler
Len, along with his wife, Becky, was not only one of Manchester's "Unsung Heroes" (class of 2005), but he was seemingly always part of the team when there was a special event to be held. A member of the town's Lions Club, Len, or Lenny, as many knew him, could often be found collecting tickets, or helping park cars, or doing something to help make an event move forward.
One of Len's great passions was running, and he could be counted upon to help show up for virtually all the area's events, from the Maple Leaf Half-Marathon on down, to lend a helping hand, after his own running days ended. Right up to the end, he was helping out in this regard, as a member of the organizing committee that is planning this coming year's Maple Leaf Half Marathon and 5K this September.
At other times, you would bump into him, along with Becky, at other venues - such as the Dorset Playhouse, where they could often be found helping usher ticketholders to their seats.
People like Len are the sort of folks who make Manchester a special place and grease the wheels to make the town go. We're fortunate that there are many others who see themselves as having a public, community role to play in their lives. The town and the whole area has benefited enormously from that over the years.
The Yankees have lost a great fan, the town has lost a great volunteer, and the running world a stalwart friend. We'll all miss his cheerful smile and good humor. Keep running home, Lenny.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Arsenal end trophy drought with FA Cup win
Arsenal ended its nine-year trophy drought on Saturday, coming from two goals...
McLean, VA (SportsNetwork.com) – Kentucky, which finished last season
unranked, has been voted the top team in the preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches'
The Wildcats received 16 first-place votes and a total of 767 points from a
nationwide panel of coaches. Kentucky went 21-12 and was knocked out in the
first round of the NIT by Robert Morris last season.
This marks the first time in the history of the USA Today Sports coaches'
poll, which began in the 1991-92 season, that a team enters a season No. 1
after finishing the previous season unranked.
Michigan State is second in the poll and received three first-place votes. The
Spartans lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Defending national champion Louisville received 10 first-place votes and was
ranked third. The Cardinals, who beat Michigan in the national championship
game, will compete in the American Athletic Conference this season before
entering the ACC next year.
Duke and Arizona round out the top five. Kansas is sixth in the preseason poll
and is followed by Syracuse, Florida, Michigan and Ohio State.
The second 10 consists of North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Gonzaga,
Virginia Commonwealth, Wichita State, Marquette, Oregon, Connecticut and New
Mexico. The last five teams ranked are Wisconsin, Notre Dame, UCLA, Indiana
and Virginia.


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In the Garden:
Pacific Northwest
May, 2007
Regional Report
This iris bed is in dire need of renovation because lilies and lavatera are producing a riot of color but running rampant over the poor iris.
Dealing With Overgrown Perennial Beds
Although I designed my perennial borders to be permanent, in reality they are works in progress. Sometimes plants aren't satisfied with their allotted space, or I get tired of them and want to try something new. And there are always overgrown beds with plants in need of rescue. Occasional tinkering to right a wrong works for a while, but eventually a major renovation is needed.
When to Renovate
The cooler soil and air temperatures of spring and fall provide the best conditions for digging and transplanting perennials. The plants suffer less stress, and the natural rainfall helps ease their transition to a new home. I choose springtime over fall because my energy and enthusiasm are highest then, and plants have the whole summer to recover and fill in any gaps.
Empty the Bed
The first step in renovating a perennial border is to empty the bed of plants. I cut a circle around the crown of each plant with a spade, then pry up the roots with a garden fork. As I remove plants, I set them on a tarp spread out in a shady spot and sprinkle them lightly with water to keep the roots from drying out.
Amend the Soil
Once all the plants are removed, I rejuvenate the soil by digging in organic matter. I spread a 4- to 5-inch layer of compost over the soil surface, sprinkle 1 cup of granular 10-20-20 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed, then mix it thoroughly with native soil. I try to dig the organic matter in at least 18 inches deep. Finally, I rake the soil smooth, stepping as lightly as possible on the bed to avoid compacting it.
Divide and Transplant
Not all plants need dividing, but renovating a bed is a golden opportunity to increase your stock of favorite plants. Dividing plants not only produces new babies, but it also keeps plants growing vigorously. Most plants that can be divided are tougher than you think and quite forgiving if you accidentally mash the foliage. I tug the roots apart with my hands, cut with a knife, or chop away with a spade or axe, depending on root mass density. Woody root masses are the biggest challenge, but they all come apart eventually with persistence. Once separated, each little plant is placed in the bed.
Mulch and Water
The final step in renovation is to top the bed with a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch. You can use shredded leaves, aged compost, or finely chopped bark to help suppress weeds and slow evaporation of soil moisture. Once the mulch is in place, water thoroughly. I use a watering wand to provide a gentle shower, sweeping it back and forth until I'm sure the soil is saturated.
When all this is done, it's time to sit back and relax. Plants will begin to recover and produce new growth in one to two weeks.
Care to share your gardening thoughts, insights, triumphs, or disappointments with your fellow gardening enthusiasts? Join the lively discussions on our FaceBook page and receive free daily tips!


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Scott Base hagglunds returning across the sea ice after a trip to Cape Royds
From Panoramas
Inside Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds. A full 360 degree zoomable version of this image can be seen at the link below, large enough to zoom all the way in and read most of the labels on the cans. http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/173851
This is not long after the NZ Antarctic Heritage Trust had finished their major restoration project on this hut. For more info visit http://www.NZAHT.org
The Hagglunds from Scott Base having just crossed a crack in the annual sea ice near Cape Royds. They are towing bridging ladders behind them to lay across the cracks to drive over.
Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds at the end of winter.
From Bases Machines and People
Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds with Mount Erebus in the background
Shackelton's Hut at Cape Royds from his 1907 expedition


text: Stephen Decatur High School presented $3,224.77 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society after a month filled with activities organized by the Acts of Kindness club. The donation marked the largest to the charity of any high school in the state. Above, from left, are SDHS Financial Officer Shanna Chatlos, sophomore Delilah Purnell, Principal Tom Zimmer, Leukemia and Lymphoma representative Patricia Sturm, Student Government Association President Calvin Garrison, sophomore Fiona O'Brien, teacher Jessica Patterson and co-principal Karen White.


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Did Tennessee Williams See Bugs Bunny Kiss Elmer Fudd?
It may seem a stretch to connect the work of Tennessee Williams with that of a slapstick cartoon character, but both pushed sexual boundaries and allowed viewers to consider sexuality outside of the conventional heteronormative values prevalent under the restrictive Hayes Code.
Didn't you notice it, Bwick? Didn't you notice a powuhful and obnoxious oduh of mendacity in this woom?
-- Elmer Fudd as "Big Daddy" in Cat on a Hot Tin Woof
When high school jock Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) kissed Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) in the Glee episode "Never Been Kissed", it shocked audiences. After all, Karofsky had tormented openly gay Kurt for the past year and gave every appearance of being the biggest homophobe on campus. Subsequently, Karofsky has struggled with his own homosexuality and remained deeply in the closet. However, he's not the first character whose sexual orientation caught viewers off-guard.
After being fired, ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Roehm) of Law and Order dropped a bombshell that shocked viewers, when her character was fired. "Is this because I'm a lesbian?" Serena asked? The character of Serena was on the series from 2001 to 2005, meaning there was ample opportunity for her to disclose her orientation, so it seemed unusual to hide such a significant factor in determining Serena's world view. Aside from taking a stand in opposing the dissolution of gay marriages, the perspective a lesbian would bring to the legal process wasn't evident.
Other series have masked characters' orientation, as well. The most noticeable example would be Love, Sidney, which hid -- or just failed to mention -- the sexual orientation of lead character Sidney Shorr (Tony Randall). In the TV movie that served as the basis for the series, it was made quite clear that the 50-something, single Shorr was gay.
In contrast, there's the sudden revelation of a character's orientation, most frequently used for female characters who surprisingly decide they are, at minimum, bisexual, so that the series' writers can work in a lesbian love story. Pages could be devoted to analyzing the convoluted relationship of Callie, Arizona, and Mark on Grey's Anatomy.
Over the years, television has featured numerous hidden homosexuals, but they're not the first LGBT characters to mask their identities. Throughout history, plays have masked the sexual orientation of characters, as well. One of history's most witty playwrights, Oscar Wilde, was imprisoned for homosexual acts; his plays featured many characters who are homosexual in demeanor but conform to social conventions, as Wilde did, marrying and producing two sons while taking male lovers on the side. Wilde wasn't alone, though, in sneaking LGBT characters into works. In fact, one of America's greatest playwrights and the world's most clever rabbit both helped set the precedent that has made it to TV.
Had he lived, Tennessee Williams would have turned 100 this year, a celebratory event for dramatists and Williams aficionados. Naturally, such an occasion calls for endless retrospection, which said dramatists and aficionados have been eager to supply. Of course, what would an analysis of Williams be without the requisite study of the subtle signs of homosexuality in his work? Unfortunately, many of the analyses focus only on the film versions of Williams' work; while he did write the screenplays for many of his stage works, he knew that a sanitized version would have to be written to pass Hollywood censors and studio execs, not to mention Middle America's homespun values. A woman who sleeps with her husband's best friend -- well that's hardly admirable but palatable for dramatic purposes. A husband who sleeps with his best friend -- not going to happen, at least not in the '50s while the Hays Code prohibited films from even discussing homosexuality.
The stage version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof made it clear that jock Brick couldn't be intimate with his wife, Maggie the Cat, because of his deep love for best friend Skip, and it's evident that this love was physical as well as emotional. The 1958 film changed the cause of Brick's disinterest to be his wife's infidelity with Skip, the betrayal of both wife and best friend enough to drive the former athlete to alcoholism. However, actor Paul Newman honored the original script in his performance, showing a particularly painful pathos in his discussions of Skip, an emotional scarring missing in his reflections over Maggie's betrayal.
William's conflicted feelings about his homosexuality are a recurring theme in his work, but it may not have been by choice. In Notebooks, edited and published in 2006 (Yale University Press), he mentions his problems working onA Place in Stone, the working title for Cat, on 3 April 1954:"I wrote sort of messy today on 'Place of Stone'. The intrusion of the homosexual theme may be fucking it up again". Yet, intrude it did, not just in Cat, but also in Suddenly, Last Summer and A Streetcar Named Desire.
This last work, in which homosexuality appears only in Blanche's stories of her suitors, best represents the dichotomy of William's personality, the conflict between the gentile South and the new, post WWII South. Williams's biographer Donald Spato observes that the playwright longed to be "the hard-drinking, openly homosexual writer with nothing to hide--and at the same time, a man of his own time, a Southern gentleman from a politer era who would never abandon propriety and privacy".
This internal struggle is projected into his work, as he pushed social mores by including gay subject matter in his writing, without allowing it to dominate and through veiling its discussion in circuitous language. Perhaps the most telling clue as to how he viewed not only his sexuality but also his characters' can be found in a brief notebook entry from when he was thirty-two, in 1943: "I have accepted sex as a way of life and found it empty, empty, knuckles on a hollow drum".
Still, it was a drum that beat incessantly. In Brick, Williams creates an Old South homosexual; despite his drunkenness, he is a man of his word and his love for Skip is deep and true. Conversely, Suddenly, Last Summer's Sebastian Venable represents the less discriminating Williams, willing to engage in meaningless sexual escapades for temporary gratification. Blanche's husband in A Streetcar Named Desire thus serves as the character who best represents the Old and New Southern homosexual, torn between his traditional role as the spouse of a Southern Belle and the contemporary role of a lover of other men. There is undoubted significance in the fact that both these embodiments of the modern, non-discreet gay man are dead before their respective plays begin.


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Climate Change
Southern Co.'s Chris Hobson details the company's stance on global warming
Officials at Southern Company -- the largest coal-burning utility in the country -- have long opposed mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions. But as other major power producers call for new climate change policies, will Southern follow suit? During today's OnPoint, Chris Hobson, Southern Co.'s senior vice president for research and environmental affairs, outlines the company's strategy on global warming. He describes plans to build an IGCC clean coal power plant in Florida and the potential for carbon capture and storage technology. Plus, Hobson discusses why he is not optimistic about the potential for expanding renewable energy capacity in the Southeastern United States.


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PM 'under-estimated expenses anger'
David Cameron has admitted that he under-estimated the depth of the "raw" public anger over MPs' expenses as he finally conceded defeat in his battle to save his beleaguered Culture Secretary, Maria Miller.
The Prime Minister said the furious public reaction to the disclosure that she had wrongly claimed thousands of pounds in mortgage interest payments showed that further reform of the expenses system was essential.
However he was accused by Labour leader Ed Miliband of a "terrible error of judgment" in failing to sack her immediately after the publication of last week's Commons Standards Committee report.
Mr Cameron moved swiftly to replace her after her resignation today, promoting Treasury Minister Sajid Javid to take her place at Culture, Media and Sport.
The appointment left him with just three women in the Cabinet, although No 10 said Treasury Minister Nicky Morgan would take on the role of Minister for Women and would attend Cabinet meetings.
In a rowdy Commons question time, Mr Cameron insisted he had been right to stand by Mrs Miller after she was cleared of the central charge against her.
"If people clear themselves of a serious offence, you let them get on with their job, you let them try to do their job. That is actually the right thing to do," he told MPs.
"Firing someone at the first sign of trouble... that is not actually leadership, that is weakness."
He sought to deflect accusations by Mr Miliband that he had acted as "an apologist for unacceptable behaviour", offering cross-party talks on a further overhaul of the expenses system.
"There is still very deep public concern that is very raw about the expenses scandal," he said. "The biggest lesson I learned - that that anger is still very raw and it needs to be acted on."
The confirmation that Mrs Miller had finally given up the fight to hang on to her job came shortly after 7am with the announcement from Downing Street that she had resigned.
If followed a late-night phone conversation between Mrs Miller and the Prime Minister as he was returning to London after attending a state banquet at Windsor Castle in honour of Irish President Michael D Higgins.
While he was said to have expressed "sadness" after she informed him of her decision, neither Mr Cameron nor his officials would comment on reports that a No 10 figure visited Mrs Miller prior to the call to make clear she had to go.
A clearly emotional Mrs Miller insisted she took "full responsibility" for the decision, saying she had become a "distraction" from the work of the Government.
"This has been a really difficult 16 months. Because I was cleared of the central allegation made about me by a Labour Member of Parliament, I hoped that I could stay. But it has become clear to me that it has become an enormous distraction," she said, apparently close to tears.
"I take full responsibility for my decision to resign. I think it is the right thing to do to remove what has become really an unhelpful and very difficult distraction for colleagues."
Despite Mr Cameron's determination to defend her, it had become increasingly clear that her position had become untenable, with Tory MPs openly questioning Mr Cameron's decision to allow her to carry on.
Downing Street appeared to have have been hoping that, if she could survive this week, the pressure would ease as MPs departed Westminster for their Easter break.
However, with the Prime Minister facing a potentially awkward end-of-term meeting with the backbench Tory 1922 Committee - offering critics a platform to put their views to him directly - she failed to make it.
Labour MP John Mann, whose claims that she paid for a home for her parents with taxpayer-funded allowances sparked the standards probe, said it was "about time" Mrs Miller resigned.
Although she was cleared of that charge by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, she was told she should repay £45,000 wrongly claimed towards mortgage payments.
The sum was reduced to £5,800 by the cross-party Standards Committee but she was ordered to apologise to the Commons for failing to co-operate with the commissioner's inquiry.
The brevity and tone of that apology further fuelled criticism of the Basingstoke MP, with opinion polls showing strong public support for her sacking and a growing number of Tory MPs joining a chorus of disapproval.
Mr Cameron said he would be giving Tory MPs the rallying cry "forward to victory" as he attempted to move on from the row around Mrs Miller.
Ahead of a meeting of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, which could have been explosive before Mrs Miller's resignation, he said the party faced four big fights - the local and European elections, the Scottish referendum and the general election.
He said: "The Budget shows when we talk about the economy we can do it."
Number 10 sources indicated they believed Mr Miliband "whacked it over the bar" at PMQs because he had failed to demand the Cabinet minister's resignation and had not called for reform.
A senior Tory source said the mood in the 1922 meeting was like a "relief rally" following Mrs Miller's decision to quit.
Conservative MPs had been aware of the mood on the doorstep and the awkward questions they would have faced about the expenses case as they embarked on election campaigning during Parliament's Easter recess.
The source said the 1922 meeting was "almost like a relief rally, in a sense, because people felt that comfort of knowing that it was dealt with".
Mr Cameron acknowledged it had been a "difficult week" and thanked Tory MPs for their backing at Prime Minister's Questions, the source said,
But the source said the Prime Minister received the traditional table-banging show of support from MPs as he defended his decision to stand by Mrs Miller in the aftermath of the Standards Committee report.
The senior Tory said Mr Cameron told MPs: "I hope you agree with me that rather than dropping a colleague at the first sense of difficulty, I think it's right to stand by people and give them a chance" and h e was not "somebody who cuts and runs".
There is frustration in Conservative ranks about the lack of understanding that Mrs Miller's case was a legacy of the old, discredited expenses regime and things were different under the new system administered by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
"This is the last knockings of an old system", the source said.
Almost two-thirds of British people believe Mr Cameron failed to handle the situation well, according to a ComRes poll for ITV News.
The survey showed 63% thought the Prime Minister had handled the problem badly, including 32% who thought he had dealt with the situation "very badly", with just 8% saying he had done well.
Among Tory voters, 50% were critical of Mr Cameron's handling of the situation, with just 15% believing he had dealt with it well.
Some 49% of the British adults surveyed said that Mrs Miller's case had made them trust politicians less and m ore than half (53%) believe her behaviour regarding expenses is typical of most or all MPs.
The survey showed 88% believe she was right to resign, while 82% said she should have resigned as soon as it emerged she over-claimed her expenses.
:: ComRes interviewed 1,015 British adults online on April 9. Data were weighted to be representative of all British adults.
UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage sought to capitalise on the row by calling for the voters of Basingstoke to be given the opportunity to oust Mrs Miller in a by-election.
Ukip came a distant fourth in the constituency in 2010 - when Mrs Miller won with a majority of 13,176 and secured more than 50% of the votes cast.
But Mr Farage, who was in Basingstoke announcing his party's candidate in the seat, said voters should be given the power of recall over sitting MPs.
The coalition Government promised to introduce recall powers, which would allow voters to trigger a by-election to remove errant MPs, but has so far failed to do so.
Mr Farage said: "Yet again this is the political class looking after its own and letting down the electorate. Maria Miller's critics in Basingstoke - and there are many - should have the right to see if they can put together a petition of 10% of the local electorate as stipulated in the Coalition Agreement. I believe they would be able to clear that hurdle with ease.
"A promise was made by Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg and they have failed to honour it. That is desperately cynical as I suspect they never intended to honour it in the first place.
"Neither did Ed Miliband raise this aspect of the Miller debacle in PMQs. Voters in Basingstoke and elsewhere will be forgiven for thinking the whole political class at Westminster is once again conspiring to protect one of its own from proper democratic accountability."
The Ukip leader said Mrs Miller has "taken the mickey out of the system" and "I think it reflects very badly on David Cameron that he has completely misjudged the public mood on this".
Challenged about Ukip's own expenses scandals in the European Parliament he said: "In the cases of the two individuals who behaved badly, I removed the whip and kicked them out of the party a long time before they were found guilty of anything."
He said that although Basingstoke looked "on paper" to be a safe Tory seat, Ukip had polled 26% of the votes in the constituency in local elections last year.
On Channel 4 News Mr Farage said that his wife, who is employed as an aide, was paid a "very modest sum of money, just over £25,000 a year" but the arrangement will end "in a few weeks time".
Defending the party's use of Brussels allowances he said: "If you are accusing me and Ukip of taking the wherewithal provided in the European Parliament for us as MEPs and using it politically to campaign against Britain's membership of the European Union, if you think that's wrong that's your decision .. that is quite different from benefiting personally."
He added: "Under a Westminster regime I would be a member of a Parliament that I thought was entirely legitimate and I wouldn't need to use the money against the very existence of Westminster."


text: High Feed Costs Increase Need for High-Quality Corn Silage Pioneer offers management tips for-high quality, high-yielding silage crop With today's high feed costs, silage management can have a significant impact on a producer's bottom line. That's why Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, recommends growers pay attention to hybrid selection, field conditions and harvest timing/management to help make the most of their silage crops. "It always comes down to good management," says Steve Soderlund, Pioneer nutritionist and key livestock account manager. "Decisions made throughout the growing season can affect silage success and a producer's ability to be more profitable." Lay the foundation Soderlund says, when it's seed selection time, growers should look for hybrids that not only provide good yield but also above average fiber digestibility and good grain (starch) content. In addition, growers should consider planting hybrids of varying maturities to help accommodate harvest timing and ensure adequate moisture throughout harvest. "If we can't grow it, it doesn't matter what the feed value is," Soderlund says. "That's the foundation we need to be working from." Look at agronomics, field conditions Once hybrids are in the ground and growing, as they are now, it's critical to know the state of individual fields and individual hybrid maturities so growers can target harvest dates. "Working with your agronomist and nutritionist to figure out what quality you're shooting for, as well as yield, is key," Soderlund says. As growers near their anticipated harvest date, they should walk their fields to evaluate how the crop is progressing. Harvest timing can be affected by many factors beyond just weather conditions, including soil fertility, weed control and pest management. These factors can influence whole plant moisture content and drydown rates. Time harvest with performance in mind Harvest timing is critical to producing high-quality corn silage that delivers optimal performance for livestock. Soderlund says moisture and maturity are the two key harvest considerations. "Typically, we like to see corn silage put up in the 63 to 68 percent moisture range," Soderlund says. "Generally, the kernel milkline will be half to three-quarters at this moisture range. However, growers should keep in mind that milkline is not always a good indicator in some hybrids, so overall moisture is still the best measurement." Accurately determining whole plant moisture is important because harvesting corn for silage too early (high moisture content) or too late (low moisture content) can affect forage yield, quality and silage fermentation. According to Soderlund, some growers push the maturity window and may pick up more wet tons, but reduce their quality because the starch doesn't have time to fill in. "It's amazing how much starch accumulation we see between early dent and three-quarters milkline, We will typically see a 1 percent point increase in starch content for every 1 percent increase in dry matter content during this stage of development." Adequate kernel processing is important for optimal silage digestibility. Soderlund recommends setting the kernel processor at 3 mm to start out and make adjustments if necessary throughout harvest. "Ideally, we would like to see all kernels fractured and no cob pieces larger than your thumbnail." Manage silage with a good inoculant "I truly believe using a good inoculant today is a good management tool," Soderlund says. Soderlund says there are several high-quality products on the market designed for specific needs, whether that's enhanced fermentation efficiency, reduced dry matter losses, improved aerobic stability or bunklife, improved fiber digestibility, etc. Pioneer has developed crop-specific combinations of proprietary bacterial strains that can provide these benefits as well as help improve overall forage performance and help reduce ration costs. These Pioneer® brand inoculants include 11CFT, 11C33 and 1132 for corn silage and 11B91 and 1189 for high-moisture corn. In addition, many growers are now using these need-specific inoculants in different parts of the bunker or silo or using multiple silos so they can address specific management and timing considerations. "Just like putting the right seed in the right acre to maximize production, we need to be thinking of inoculants in the same way," Soderlund says. "One size doesn't necessarily fit all, so we now have choices that are designed for specific needs." Covering critical Finally, covering is critical. Too often growers wait until the silo is completely full before covering. That two- or three-day delay, especially if there is rain in between, will lead to some spoilage loss on top. Those losses can affect the bottom line, so anything that can be done to minimize losses is crucial in a time of high feed costs. "Reducing shrink or managing the face of the bunker, keeping loose material cleaned up and getting the cover on as quickly as possible - those things are all going to pay dividends this year," Soderlund says. For more information on corn silage management and/or inoculants, contact your local Pioneer sales professional. Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering SuccessTM. DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation. 06.30.2011


text:
Clues About Cardiac Arrest in Racehorses
- Jul 26, 2010
- Topics:
Racehorses and other performance horses occasionally succumb to cardiac death during or after exertion, and in most cases equine researchers are at a loss as to why.
"It's an infrequent phenomenon, but it has an impact way out of proportion to the frequency with which it occurs," said Peter W. Physick-Sheard, BVSc, MSc, FRCVS, of the University of Guelph, referring to the welfare of the horse, cost to the owner, and public perception of these incidents.
To study how exercise affects a horse's heart, researchers recently hooked up portable electrocardiogram (ECG) devices, called Holter monitors, to continuously monitor Standardbreds at an Ontario racetrack. The monitors enabled them to check the horses' heart rates and rhythm variations from rest, through warm-up, and to the end of actual races. The special electrode harness did not interfere with normal equipment or the race in any way, he said.
Researchers at the University of Guelph used Holter Monitors, shown above and below, to track heart rates and rhythm variations in Standardbred racehorses.
They found that in 16% of horses, heart rate slowing after the race was associated with complex and potentially serious ventricular rhythm disturbances. In one-third of horses with these rhythm disturbances, heart rate slowing after the race was initially gradual, then rate slowed suddenly, then sped up, and then slowed down gradually again. Arrhythmias occurred during these rapid slowing events in these horses. "If you plotted individual heartbeats on a graph it would look like the heart rate was coming down in steps, with the surface of the steps being tilted upward instead of being flat," he said. In these horses the rhythm disturbances were closely associated with the sudden slowing.
"We don't know at this point whether these rhythm disturbances are associated with sudden death; we just know they could be," he said. "They occur at a stage of competition known to be a risk period for sudden death."
Physick-Sheard said experts always assumed horses that died suddenly during a competition had experienced serious abnormal heart rhythms, but they didn't know for sure.
"Our data support this interpretation, but don't prove it," he said. "Our findings suggest that complex ventricular rhythm disturbances may be quite common immediately post-race and indicate the vast majority of horses spontaneously recover."
Because the work is preliminary, Physick-Sheard said he could not suggest any other tactics for after-race care than what riders and trainers are already doing: "cooling a horse out gradually after work, particularly after intense work (and on hot/humid days), and paying close attention to hydration, electrolyte, and mental status and avoiding letting a horse get exhausted."
The study, "Ventricular arrhythmias during race recovery in Standardbred racehorses and associations with autonomic activity," was published in June online ahead of print in The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The abstract is available on PubMed.
About the Author
Marie Rosenthal, MS
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text:
Associated Press writer
LITTLE ROCK (AP) - State police would no longer be able to pick the courts in which traffic tickets they write are heard, under a bill approved by the House on Friday.
A bill by Rep. Roger Smith, R-Hot Springs Village, would require that tickets go before a judge in the venue in which they were written.
Smith noted that tickets issued by troopers on highways in Little Rock go to the municipal court in North Little Rock and said similar arrangements exist elsewhere in the state.
A 1915 law allowed state police and sheriff's deputies to file misdemeanor cases in any district court within the county where the offense occurred.
Benton County officials have said troopers used the law to avoid having DWI cases heard by former Benton County West District Judge Rodney Owens, who they believed was too lenient.
"When you have venue-shifting like that, it's inappropriate," Smith said.
Using a distant court forces working people to drive further to settle their tickets, he said. Also, some fees go toward local libraries and police retirement funds. Smith said communities are missing out on revenue to which they are entitled.
The bill passed 86-4 and goes to the Senate.
Also Friday, the House approved a measure that would make it illegal to use a person's Social Security number as a driver license number.
Rep. Dwayne Dobbins, D-North Little Rock, said the Department of Finance and Administration requested his bill as a measure to prevent fraud and identity theft. Dobbins said an innocent person could simply lose a driver license and find that a thief used it to open credit card accounts and ran up bad debts.
"They can ruin your credit for a lifetime," Dobbins said.
The bill passed 74-13 and goes to the Senate.
Most of the action in the House on Friday involved wording changes to bills already in the pipeline, and changes to laws to bring state statutes within federal laws.
Two measures were suggested as ways to save the state money. Rep. Jim Medley, R-Fort Smith, put forth a resolution, which passed, that asks that the House Interim Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor conduct a study on providing indigent patients with otherwise unused prescription drugs in long-term health facilities. A Senate bill that passed the House would eliminate the requirement for a state mine office in Fort Smith, though it would not mandate the closure.
Rep. Lindbergh Thomas, D-Grady, successfully asked colleagues to pass a resolution calling for the planned Great River Bridge to be named for Charles W. Dean. Thomas said Dean, who has died, was an engineer in Mississippi who energetically advocated that the crossing be built. The bridge over the Mississippi River is part of planned Interstate 69.


text:
Grilled Salmon with Hazelnut Butter
(Family Features) Few things better capture the feel of summer than the three S's: sun, sand and, of course, seafood. Welcome the warm weather and embrace the fresh flavors of the sea with simple, yet delicious, coastal-inspired dishes.
Always a family favorite due to its versatility, seafood takes on a plethora of flavors – from spicy to buttery and beyond. These Crispy Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade will make your mouth water with every savory crunch, while smooth, Creamy Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp will richly impress even the pickiest of palates.
A Perfect Pairing
Any sea-inspired fare pairs perfectly with a crisp, dry white wine, such as the flavorful AlbariÒo from Martin Codax. With origins spanning back to 12th century Spain, the flavorful AlbariÒo possesses tropical fruit aromas and bright citrus flavors. Also known as the "Wine of the Sea," this wine is the perfect accompaniment to any seafood dish. Consider serving this winning combination at your next outdoor gathering or dinner party and you're sure to receive countless compliments.
Whether you're looking for small bites or a heartier entrÈe, eat sea-to-table this season and take advantage of what summer has to offer.
For more information, please visit http://www.martincodax.com.
Suggestions for Serving Seafood
With so many seafood choices it can be difficult to know how to pick the freshest catch. Here are some tips to ensure you're choosing the best at your next visit to the market or fish counter:
-Milk Does a Salmon Good – Milk tenderizes salmon and removes any frostbite or fishy taste, so try defrosting salmon in a container of milk for a fresher flavor.
-Float On, Mussels – Mussels love to float. If a mussel sinks to the bottom of a container filled with water, throw it away – it's a sign of a bad mollusk.
– "R" for Really Fresh – Oysters taste best when they are harvested during colder weather. For a good rule of thumb, enjoy them during months with an "R" in the name, for example, September through April.
-In the Red – Quality tuna should be deep red with no "rainbow" coloring, which is a sign of old fish.
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text:
Looking ahead to the Southeast Regional Warrior Symposium
There will be a series of seminars addressing topics such as National Security, Mass Casualty Response, and Active Shooter Threat Planning and Preparation
In February 2012 I'll attend the first-ever Southeast Regional Warrior Symposium, presented by SARK Securities and co-hosted by the Orlando (Fla.) City Police Department. This event will be one of four major training and education experiences on my calendar in the first six weeks of the New Year. The three Keynote Speakers alone have me pretty charged up to attend — none other than Dr. Michael J. Sulick, Former Director of the CIA's National Clandestine Service, Lieutenant General P. K. Keen, Chief, Office of the Defense Representative – Pakistan U.S. Central Command, and none other than the legendary SGM Billy Waugh (Ret.). There will also be a very special presentation by Bobby Henline, a veteran of Desert Storm by age 19, Bobby reenlisted in the Army after 9/11 and deployed three times to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Armored Calvary regiment.
On April 7th, 2007, Bobby's Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb just north of Baghdad. Of five men in the vehicle, Bobby was the only survivor. Bobby now spreads joy and hope through his speaking and stand-up comedy. Yeah, pretty impressive.
"Bobby is amazing — he's actually going to address the whole conference." said my friend Chris Ghannam when we connected via phone last week. "He brings a different type of courage. We think of courage on the battlefield or on the street. I look at Bobby and he's got the kind of courage that reappears every single day he opens his eyes. It's a little different."
Educating Tomorrow's Warriors
Ghannam — an occasional PoliceOne Contributor — is Chief Technology Officer and Training Coordinator for SARK, and he's been working on this event for over a year. With the holidays fast approaching, we only had time to speak for just a few moments, and what follows is a brief summary of that discussion. In January I'll do a follow-up column containing considerably greater detail. For the time being, this will have to suffice.
First and foremost, Ghannam told me that the event will feature the world-class knowledge of subject-matter experts from six different countries. "We're putting 38 top-notch professionals in front of them and giving them the choice of what specialize track they want to go through in an unparalleled networking opportunity, all within a confined, credentialed, law enforcement and military only conference. It's a movers-and-shakers venue. If you're a trainer, sometimes at large venues you might get the opportunity to work closely with one or two of the invited experts — in this venue you'll be able to work with just about everyone there because it's such an intimate atmosphere."
There will be a series of classroom seminars addressing topics such as National Security, Mass Casualty Response, Active Shooter Threat Planning and Preparation, and a host of others. There will be a live-fire venue, hosted by Orlando City PD, at which attending trainers will have the opportunity to work with internationally-recognized instructors SGM Nir Maman, SGM Pete Gould, and Steve Mescan, and the ammo will be provided by SARK Securities.
A Who's-Who List
When we spoke via phone, Ghannam rattled off at least a dozen names of well-known law enforcement, military, and intelligence icons who will be in attendance at the Symposium. He mentioned a series of military, federal and law enforcement experts like Mr. Jeff Norwitz, the former Counterterrorism Chair for the Naval War College, Dr. Elena Mastors, Mr. Neil Puckett, Shay Amir, Chris Kinney, Henk Iverson, Col. Pete Van Amburgh, and Col. Danny McKnight (Ret.). There will be legendary law enforcement experts Alexis Artwohl, Brian Willis, Kevin Dillon, Chris Lawrence, John D. Williams, Michael Asken, and Jeff Chudwin. Hell, Ghannam even said Carlos Machado — a world-class MMA Champion fighter — would be there.
"When you're talking about the intelligence community and you want some real insight and knowledge surrounding the future direction of international affairs, who better to ask than the former director of national clandestine services for the Agency?" Ghannam concluded. Indeed, sir. Indeed.
Suffice it to say, I'm as amped up about diving into the tremendous training seminar program Ghannam and his SARK team has put together with the assistance of LOCKUP and AMJ Security and Vehicle Training as I am about the prospect of meeting Billy Waugh and Bobby Henline in person — and I'm pretty amped up about meeting Billy Waugh and Bobby Henline!
Check this space again in January for additional details. For now, just check out the below video of Bobby Henline.