text:
Kids, when you come to my office with your friends, it is extremely important that you remember which of you had what complaint.
I know that when you come to me during recess (usually the one before your math test), you do not have a note from the teacher telling me what your symptoms are. Generally, if something were hurting you, I'd assume you'd remember what it was. But, silly me, this isn't always the case.
By way of example, 2 of you demonstrated today how it should NOT be done. Faker and her bff Fakess came by today, with Faker complaining of sand in her eye and Fakess complaining that her hand was hurting.
Skool Nerse: "Which hand is it?"
Fakess: "The one I write with."
Skool Nerse: "And that is...?"
Fakess: "Um, did my Mom put it on that card she filled out?"
Skool Nerse: "No."
Fakess: "Okay it's, um, uh, ah, this one?"
Skool Nerse: "That's the hand that hurts? Is that the one you write with?"
Fakess: "Let me think..."
Skool Nerse: "You do that." (turns to Faker) "What's wrong with you?"
Faker: "I have sand in my eye."
Skool Nerse: "Which eye?"
Faker: "This one."
Skool Nerse: (carefully examines eyeball) "Hmm... I don't see any sand, or redness..."
Fakess: "Oh, that's because I'm the one with sand in my eye".
Faker: "Yeah, I forgot. It was her. I hurt my hand, this one."
As you can see, this duo made a number of mistakes that might have been avoided with a little practice beforehand. Therefore, kids, when trying to lie your way out of math tests, please remember that consistency in doing so is the key.
This has been a public service announcement.
Mrs. Grumpy: "Hi, this is Nurse Grumpy, the school nurse at Douglas C. Kenney Elementary School, calling about your daughter, Karen."
Ms. Concern: "Yes?"
Mrs. Grumpy: "She took a bite of a friend's sandwich at lunch, and it had peanuts in it. Karen swelled up really badly, and had trouble breathing. I used one of our emergency EpiPens on her. She's much better now, and resting in my office."
Ms. Concern: "Okay. Do I need to send someone to get her?"
Mrs. Grumpy: "Yeah, but I went looking through her medical forms here. Did you know she's seriously allergic to peanuts?"
Ms. Concern: "Oh, yeah, she's been that way since she was five."
Mrs. Grumpy: "But on the allergy form you filled out just 2 weeks ago you wrote 'no allergies'!"
Ms. Concern: "That's because I don't have time for school paperwork."
Mrs. Grumpy: "Well, it really helps to have an accurate medical history, for when things like this happen."
Ms. Concern: "Her pediatrician knows, and I know. Why does it have to be your business, too?"
Mrs. Grumpy (sigh): "Do you have an EpiPen for her at home?"
Ms. Concern: "Of course. I keep two of them here."
Mrs. Grumpy: "Well can you please bring one to school? So we have it available in case this happens again?"
Ms. Concern: "They both expired years ago."
Look, kids.
There are all kinds of ways to fake being sick/injured/dead to try and get sent home from school.
Pretending to have a weird rash that "suddenly came up" before the math test is not a good one.
Especially if you do it by rubbing your face and hands vigorously with Cheetos.
Your neon-orange "rash" washed off pretty damn easily when I took a washcloth to it.
And now you smell like the inside of a vending machine.
Nice try, though.
I encountered quite a few of you last month, as I got suckered into doing the summer vision and hearing screenings at Douglas C. Kenney Elementary School.
This is basically a volunteer job for the nurse involved. The district pays us (literally) minimum wage to be there. The tests are done routinely during the school year, but, trying to be accommodating, they offer them in July, too. So a teenager flipping burgers over the summer is making the same as the nurse checking his vision. I'm not telling you this for sympathy, but rather to make you understand that I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR THE MONEY. I do it because I care about your kids, and (more importantly) because it gives me a few hours away from mine.
Bringing your child in to get his hearing tested is a good thing. Bringing in his 18 siblings, or even just one screaming infant, defeats the entire process. To accurately test Junior it needs to be QUIET.
Since you apparently don't know what that means, here it is: no other kids playing loud video games, an infant screaming because you haven't changed her diaper in 2 weeks, talking loudly on a cell phone about which movie to see with friends later, eating a bag of extra-crunchy Cheetos, or all of the above. Also, you don't need to change the baby in my small office. There's a bathroom across the hall, and we are not testing your kid's sense of smell. Or mine.
Don't tell me it's okay to do any of these things because the front desk girl told you so. She's the chewing-gum-popping daughter of the woman who works there during the school year, and is too busy texting her friends to pay attention to what you're asking. She's not saying yes, just nodding her head in time to whatever song is playing.
If you can't sit in here and be quiet, then go out to the fucking lobby and leave me and your kid in here. I'm not going to molest them. You can check my license online. I've never been in jail, gotten anything worse than a traffic ticket, or coached at Penn State. If this option absolutely, positively doesn't work for you, then GTFO and have your precious child tested during the regular year like everyone else.
Next is the vision issue.
I understand you feel Junior looks cool, cute, or whatever while wearing sunglasses. But he needs to take them off to do vision screening. We are not outside in direct sunlight, and hopefully he isn't in the Witness Protection Program. We are inside, under generic fluorescent bulbs. Wearing sunglasses may work for the top 2 Snellen lines, but not when they get toward the bottom.
Also, I'm sorry the eye chart isn't the one your kid fucking memorized from Wikipedia so she wouldn't have to get glasses. We know these games. As hard as it may be to believe, we school nurses were once kids. And most of us have our own, too.
Finally, I am NOT, in any way, shape, or form, responsible for your child being blind or deaf, or you being stupid. The school district is doing this testing free of charge. They are NOT giving out vouchers for eyeglasses, hearing aids, or doctor visits. If your kid failed the hearing test because you just had to bring his twin siblings and their Game Boys, and now you have to pay to go see a real audiologist, THAT'S NOT MY FAULT.
Don't give me bullshit like "the last nurse passed him," "you didn't set the machine right" or "his sister didn't have a problem." I DON'T CARE. Contrary to popular belief, I do not have some sort of personal vendetta against your child (you, maybe, but I won't hold that against him).
Also, telling me that any problem the test found is my fault doesn't fly. You'd think I'd be shocked that so many of you feel I should personally pay for new glasses/hearing aids because "he didn't have a problem before you did the test," but sadly I'm not surprised at all. And no, I'm not paying for them.
Have a nice day.
Dear Teachers,
As we all know by now, there was a small fire yesterday in Building 7 at Douglas C. Kenney Elementary School. It involved a storage room with some paint and wood. Fortunately, between the sprinklers and the fire department, it was out quickly with only minimal damage.
As your school nurse, responding to the fire alarm is part of my job. After all, someone might be injured. So when the siren went off I grabbed my first aid kit & stethescope, and skeedadled over. I didn't grab my umbrella, which I should have because it was lightly raining.
When I got over to Building 7, with the alarm blaring and smoke coming out of the utility room, I was somewhat surprised to see NOBODY outside, in the orderly lines that you do so well during fire drills.
I was even more surprised to find all students in their room, with teachers, continuing regular lessons (albeit shouting loudly over the alarm).
Let's review:
When you hear the fire alarm, take your students and GO OUTSIDE!!! When I ask teachers WHY THE HELL everyone is still inside, "Because it's raining" IS NOT an acceptable answer. I don't care if the children don't have coats/ponchos/umbrellas. It wasn't even that heavy, for freak's sake.
When I do finally herd your stupid butts outside, telling your kids to stay dry by standing under the wooden overhangs that are connected to the building IS NOT a good idea. You are supposed to get far away from the building, to the corners of the playground.
We practice this damn drill 4 times a year. So when it really happens, WTF can't you carry it out?
Dear Principal Skinner,
I think it's an interesting project idea to have each 4th grade class develop their own identity. Like flags, secret codes, and secret claps. I understand this is a 2 week project, this week with students developing their own "countries" and next week sharing their ideas with other classes.
But I think you could have ended your talk better than with the line "Next week you'll visit other classrooms to share your clap with them."
And you wondered why the teachers in back began snickering.
Since school started after Winter Break last week, kids have been coming by my office to show me their new toys. So many cool things they didn't have when I was a kid.
I think it's absolutely great that so many of you parents gave your kids these new "spy camera" toys that can see in the dark and take pictures around corners and other stuff. It certainly gets their imaginations going. All last week I saw blurry shots of carpet, startled dogs, and sleeping siblings.
But my favorite were the ones I saw of Mrs. Claus wearing a Santa hat while riding St. Nick. Obviously, you guys were so involved that Junior had plenty of time to focus properly and get a few good pics. He also had a 10 second video clip, with sound.
Anyway, since they don't teach you how to handle these situations in school nurse class, I asked him to delete the files and not do that again. I told him to ask you guys if he had any questions about what you were doing. You're his parents, not me.
I also recommend that you guys learn to lock your bedroom door before playing "hide the yule log."
Happy new year!
When I was 5, my family lived in Massachusetts. My dad was a graduate student at the time, my mother was raising 3 kids. Dad worked 2 jobs, AND was an amateur boxer, to support us.
That winter we ran out of money. I didn't have a coat for school, and my parents couldn't afford one. My mom would dress me in multiple layers of her shirts to send me to school.
Somehow, through our church, word got out that there was a little girl who needed a coat. A family out there bought me a brand new one in my size, and donated it through the church.
I still don't know who they are, or how they heard about me. But it was warm, and fit me perfectly, and was my favorite coat EVER. It was still in good shape when I gave it to another family in need. By that time we weren't living in Massachusetts anymore.
Whoever you are who bought me that coat so long ago, thank you. It made all the difference in the world to me. And still does.
Kid walks into my office today, doing some sort of weird I-can't-hold-still dance move.
Nurse Grumpy: "What's up?"
Little kid: "My butt itches!"
Nurse Grumpy: "Have you tried scratching it?"
Kid scratches ass for 10 seconds.
Little kid: "Thanks nurse, that feels much better." (leaves my office).
Gum Queen: "Waddya need?"
Nurse Grumpy: "I need to make an appointment for Craig."
Gum Queen: "Okee dokee li'l smokee, when'ja wanna come back?"
Nurse Grumpy: "Next week works. What do you have then?"
Gum Queen: "We got all day. You pick."
Nurse Grumpy: "Um... How about 8:00 on Wednesday morning?"
Gum Queen: "We don't open till 9:00."
Nurse Grumpy: "Okay, how about 9:00 on Wednesday?"
Gum Queen: "We're closed next Wednesday. Doctor is out."
Nurse Grumpy: "What about Tuesday at 9:00?"
Gum Queen: "On Tuesdays we don't open until noon."
Nurse Grumpy: "Look. What do you have? Tell me when, and we can be here."
Gum Queen: "Whenever you want to come in."
Nurse Grumpy: "I've given you 3 times, and you said I couldn't. So pick a time next week, and I'll bring him in."
Gum Queen: "I don't know when you should. I'm off next week, so it's not like I'm gonna know what's going on anyway."
Nurse Grumpy: "Will someone be here next week?"
Gum Queen: "Schedule says so."
(long pause)
Nurse Grumpy: "I think I'll just call next week."
Gum Queen: "I ain't gonna be here."
Nurse Grumpy: "Yes. Have a nice day."
This is Mrs. Grumpy.
I had a surprisingly quiet day in my office, with only a handful of visitors. So I decided to clean out one of the filing cabinets.
This is not, mind you, a cabinet I've ever put anything in. It's been in the corner of my office since I started this job. According to the school secretary it's been there as long as she can remember. And she's been here a LONG time. And the school dates back around 40 years.
So, the last time anyone actually looked in the cabinet remains a mystery. Basically, I was opening a time capsule.
A lot of it was dusty old records of kids who likely have grandkids by now. But in one drawer I found a pile of coloring books to give to kids, about child safety.
They were from 1972. And have likely been in the drawer since then.
So let's look at a few pages, shall we?
This page is the introduction. Isn't it amazing what you could get away with in 1972? These anglicized, stereotyped Native Americans likely wouldn't make it past a political correctness committee today.
Now this page is great. Yes, kids, that is a PHONE. When Dr. Grumpy and I were young you had to DIAL phone numbers (I know, I'm dating us here). NOT press buttons. NOT hit speed-dial. NOT say "call Buffy" to the phone. There was that BIG round thing on the front, and you had to dial in the digits ALL BY YOURSELF. So next time you hear someone say "dial a number" or "dial tone", you know where the expression came from. And yes, clowns really were that creepy back then. And, for the most part, still are.
This next page, however, is my favorite. In 1972 it was apparently considered normal, and safe, to leave GUNS AND AMMO lying unattended around the house, provided your kids had been told not to touch them. After all, if you tell kids not to do something, they ALWAYS listen and know better then to actually do it. Right?
I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane. If you have young kids, and you're not at home right now, please dial them up to remind them not to play with the guns or let clowns in the house (if clowns are already in the house, then it's better that your kids have access to guns).
Kid: "Nurse, I feel dizzy."
Nurse Grumpy: "When did this start?"
Kid: "A minute ago on the playground. It's better now. I'm not dizzy, 'cause it's gone. But I feel like I might get dizzy again, at any second."
Nurse Grumpy: "What were you doing when this started?"
Kid: "Me and Jamie were spinning around, to make ourselves dizzy."
This is Mrs. Grumpy.
Dear teachers at my school,
I know that the school year is dwindling down, and many of you (not to mention the students) are frothing at the bit to get out. Tempers and sanity tend to get frayed this time of year.
Now, I know kids do a lot of stupid things. My mentally damaged husband actually spent an hour in his high school nurse's office for swallowing a chunk of dry ice (and still hasn't stopped belching, by the way).
There are many good reasons to send a kid to my office. Recently, though, the number of questionable reasons to be sending them has increased. This usually happens this time of year.
So, to be helpful, I'm putting up a list of NOT ACCEPTABLE reasons to send a child to the school nurse. All of these are things I've seen in the last 2 weeks.
1. "Left his lunch box on the school bus."
2. Any student who comes to my office (for the 3rd time in 5 hours, too) with a note that says "Reason for nurse referral: I'm sick of his crap. Talk to him about it."
3. To get a knot out of a shoelace.
4. To show them how to tie shoes.
5. To tell them to tell their mother that she should quit smoking.
6. "He says his butt itches."
7. "Says she's tired of being at school". REALLY! THAT'S WHAT THE TEACHER WROTE!
8. Chews gum.
9. Chews gum too loudly.
10. Swallowed gum.
11. Ate lunch before lunch hour.
12. "Left money at home". I'm a nurse, okay? Not a bank!
So, please limit your referrals to my office to kids who legitimately need health care, and we'll make it through the next few weeks together. Thank you.
Attention Miss Hogtie, the 3rd grade teacher:
I don't mind treating grown-ups for minor injuries, either.
But when you come to me looking for something you can put on rope burns, that are ONLY around your wrists and ankles, AND which we all know occurred during your recent trip to Vegas with your boyfriend, DON'T try to make up some crap about how you had an accident weeding your backyard. We both know what you REALLY did.
Just take the aloe lotion, and spare me the details.
I'd like to tell the unknown persons who broke in and stole a bunch of my school's band's musical instruments last night that you are complete utter worthless asshole scum.
The school is too poor to buy replacements. Those were bought several years ago on a fundraising drive from the band, and have been carefully kept up since then, at teacher and student's personal expense.
I know that in a world of crappy economy, a horrible earthquake in Haiti, wars, and famine, a few instruments in a school for underprivileged children (many of whom live in shelters) are minor compared to the big picture of human suffering.
But to some of the kids here, they were everything.
And I hope you rot in hell
With the school year now a few days old, I spent this morning sorting through the medical cards parents have turned in.
Under allergies, some listed for kids here include:
"unwashed lettuse"
"sugar, fake sugar, and artificial sugar sweets"
"rubber bands or glue and/or whatever stuff like that"
"no Aspirin, but Aspirin is okay"
"that drug that killed Michael Jackson" (hell, this district doesn't even supply Tylenol)
"metal cans"
"ear thermometers"
"that bad kind of paper I read about"
On the line marked "Other medical concerns you'd like us made aware of":
"Don't let him eat Legos again this year, PLEASE!"
"Can I get a copy of the district's swine floo plan?"
"I don't like her getting junk food. Can you make sure she doesn't bring any for lunch" (who's packing her lunches? Not the nurse, you bozo)
"He doesn't like beer or coffee" (on a 2nd grader)
"Please don't make him swallow goldfish. I saw that on TV once."
If he faints in PE, no blood transfusions"
I'm sorry so many of you kids out there suffered injuries during the Martin Luther King holiday, and have required repeated trips to my office since then. I'm sure Reverend King would be flattered to know that you understand his life as "he was that guy who did something and then got killed."
Anyway, since your impression of MLK day (or Veteran's Day, or President's Day, or Columbus Day) is that it was created solely for you to spend it lying on the couch, eating Fruit Loops, and watching Nick, it's amazing to me how many of you suffered sprains. Apparently getting off the couch is trickier than it looks.
So I wanted to publish this guide for your future reference.
1. If you come to the school nurse about a serious injury of some sort to your writing hand or thumbs, DO NOT come in and write me out a detailed note on how you can't use your writing hand. Also, claiming you can't use your thumbs, and then texting your bff while sitting there, doesn't score points (And I get to confiscate your phone, since it's not supposed to be on during school).
2. If you come in more than once for a limb sprain, please try to remember where it was the first time you came in. Switching joints and limbs doesn't give you a lot of credibility. And asking "which one was hurting me last time?" is only going to get you sent back to class.
3. I know when the math quizzes are. Don't think I don't. Your teachers and I do talk.
4. Stop asking for ACE wraps (I know your parents want them). The school hasn't been able to afford them since 1995. Here is what I have: Band-aids and Kleenex. If you're looking for someone to make a miracle cast out of popsicle sticks, duct tape, and Jell-O you can either watch MacGyver or call a Boy Scout.
5. Walking around with a mouthful of hot chocolate to raise your temperature isn't going to get you anywhere. A temperature of > 110° F (43° C) is generally not compatible with life, let alone playing your Nintendo while I'm taking it.
Now get back to class.
Attention little school twits:
If you're going to fake illness/trauma/death to get out early on the last day before Winter Break, here are some tips for next year (since today's attempts failed).
1. Know where your freaking appendix is. Pointing to the left hip is not going to score points. Moving your finger around and trying to get me to say "warmer" or "colder" will not work. I am not stupid.
2. If you come in weekly claiming to have appendicitis, don't even bother to do it today.
3. After I send you back to class, calling your mother (or, better yet, 911) from your cell phone to complain that you're being mistreated and ignored by the school nurse does not help your cause. There is a reason my office is right across from the Principal's, and my door is always open. Everyone can witness what is going on in here. In fact, you aren't supposed to be using your phone during school hours. Now that you did (and for a bullshit reason) it will be confiscated if you bring it back in January. And I don't care whose greatest hits you have on it.
4. If you don't want me showing your Mom my list of all the times you bring your lazy butt in here for a stomach ache (which I write next to what classes and tests you had at those times) then don't tell her to come talk to me about how I'm not caring for you properly.
5. The "fibulia bone" is NOT in your arm (in fact, it doesn't exist, but I assume you can't spell either). So don't tell me you broke it, and hold your arm. Coming in claiming that your left arm is hurting, and favoring your right arm, doesn't help. Neither does limping when you come in for arm pain.
See you in 2 weeks.
School nursing brings you an amazing collection of hypochondriacs, and it gets worse with winter break coming and they get restless. So today, besides the usual collection of snotty noses, stomach aches, and "I can't do PE because..." I had this.
Kid #1: "Somethings wrong with my eyes. I can't read the board today."
Me: "Don't you wear glasses?"
Kid#1: "Yeah, but I left them at home."
Kid #2: "I've had this bump on my little finger since I was five, and it looks the same."
Me: "You're ten now. So why are you here?"
Kid#2: "I wanna know what it is."
I also want to thank the 2 teachers (neither of whom was a sub) who sent these kids to my office during regular class time for these complaints.
School is starting soon, and, as your school nurse, I'd like to offer some tips to help make this a better year for all of us.
1. I'm happy to handle your child's medications. That's part of what I do. Please be sure to bring them in with useful instructions. DO NOT drop them off outside my office door after I've left, or hang them in a grocery bag on the school's front gate overnight. Have you people seen the kind of neighborhood Douglas C. Kenney Elementary school is in? Billy's bottle of Adderall is worth a lot of money here, and likely made some junkie very happy. Can't imagine how you explained that to your pediatrician.
2. Where it says "Allergies" on the form, writing "yes," "sometimes," or "depends" doesn't give me much useful information. Please be sure to include details, like what Sara is allergic to (unless she really is allergic to Depends).
3. Writing movies you don't want your kids seeing is not what the forms are for. Talk to the teacher. I understand, as I'm sick of the music from "Frozen," too, but I'm not the person who deals with this.
4. Some of your kids know my kids. Fine. As a result, they know my kid's cell phone numbers. That's fine, too. BUT my kids are NOT a reliable way to pass messages to me in my capacity as the school nurse. Hell, they aren't a reliable way to pass messages AT ALL. Having your kid text my kid something like "Lacey has a fever of 104 and rash, can she still come to school?" or "Please have Phil in your office at 8:15 so I can take him to the dentist" should not be relayed through my kids. Stop it. I have a direct line and emails. They're on the school's website.
5. Calling the above number is not going to get you an appointment with my husband. Depending on how badly you piss me off when trying, the opposite might occur.
6. Although I said this before, I need to emphasize it. DO NOT claim to be part of Jenny McCarthy's Army just because you're too damn lazy to get me your kids vaccination records. If as many of you were anti-vaccine as claim to be, you wouldn't be alive.
7. On the form where it asks who's allowed to pick up your kids "anyone I send" is not an acceptable answer.
8. Writing "Do not allow wasps or bees to sting Evan" will not prevent them from doing so. Please address such requests to the Apocritae. I will only show it around the office, and we will laugh at you.
9. I keep "emergency" clothes up here for accidents. This is not the charity shopping mall. Do not send your kids in to "see if there's anything good."
10. No matter what you put on the form, there is absolutely no medical reason for a 7 year old to be carrying a cigarette lighter to school. Don't argue with me.
Thank you! Everyone have a great year!


text:
Decision : CONF 203 VIII.1-2
Information on the Tentative Lists and Examination of Nominations to the World Heritage List and List of World Heritage in Danger
VIII.1 The Secretariat informed the Committee that all cultural properties nominated for inscription were included in the tentative lists of the respective countries. The Committee took note of information document WHC-95/CONF.203/INF.7. The Delegates of Germany and Niger stated that they had recently sent up-dated tentative lists which, however, had not been taken in to account in document INF.7.
VIII.2 Upon the proposal of the Delegate of Canada, the Committee decided that the presentation of the cultural sites should include citations, as is the case with the presentation of the natural sites.
DocumentsDecisions Report
Context of DecisionWHC-95/CONF.203/INF.7
Decision Code: CONF 203 VIII.1-2
Themes: Inscriptions on the World Heritage List, Tentative Lists
Year: 1995

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Winter Moon
What's New
Choosing A Telescope
Telescope Aperture Considerations
Astronomical Sketches
Introduction to Planetary Sketching
Visual Observations
Refractor Dobsonian Style Mounts
Equipment Reviews
Favorite Quotes
The Bonds: Pioneers of American Astronomy
Saturn's Encke Minima and Encke Division
Nature and Travel Photography
Astronomy Humor
Recommended Astronomy Books
Welcome To Eric Jamison's Astronomy and Photography Home Page
I began observing the stars, constellations, Moon and planets with the unaided eye in the 1950's. In the 1960's I observed my first total lunar eclipse, and in 1971 I observed my first total solar eclipse. I purchased my first telescope in 1972. I set this web page up to help encourage and inspire others interested in astronomy.
On this web site you will find articles I have written on choosing a telescope, telescope aperture considerations, introduction to sketching, the history of astronomy, and equipment reviews.
Also you will find drawings and visual observations I have made of the planets, deep-sky objects, comets, as well as astrophotographs and nature photographs I have taken.
Please feel free to stop by from time to time as I will be adding new material in the future.
All photographs, drawings, and articles: © 2000 - 2016, Eric Jamison, All rights reserved.
Thanks for visiting my web page.
"I know that I am mortal and the creature of a day; but when I search out the massed wheeling circles of the stars, my feet no longer touch the earth, but, side by side with Zeus himself, I take my fill of ambrosia, the food of the gods." -- Ptolemy
"The heavens declare the glory of God." -- Psalm 19:1
"God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars." -- Genesis 1:16
"For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of stars makes me dream." -- Vincent van Gogh
"It is only during an eclipse that the man in the moon has a place in the sun." -- Anonymous
"The world will little note nor long remember what we say here but it can never forget what they did here."-- Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
"We will be known forever by the tracks that we leave." -- Native American Proverb
"We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." -- Native American Proverb
"However long we live, life is short, so I work. And however important man becomes, he is nothing compared to the stars. There are secrets, dear sister, and it is for us to reveal them. Your name, like mine, is a song. -- Caroline Herschel
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." Sarah Williams
"Dinosaurs became extinct because they did not have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program it'll serve us right!" -- Larry Niven
"A huge granite mountain cannot be denied - it speaks in silence to the very core of your being." -- Ansel AdamsHere are some of my other Favorite Quotes
Web page last updated:December 6th, 2016
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Look good on the green in Russell Athletic® golf clothes for women. What's more, our women's clothes are built to wick away sweat, and they're stylish enough to transition from the course to the clubhouse. That makes our clothes perfect for a long day on the links. Explore our women's golf polo shirts and make a statement on the course.


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Official photos of the 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible have hit the web, and here they are for your viewing pleasure.
Reports are suggesting that there will be a W12 in front with 616 horsepower and 590 foot-pounds of torque, and a 0- 60 time of about four seconds. Those are 21-inch rolling stock setting up the stance, and its expected ultimate velocity, with the top up, should be at least 200 mph.
Scroll through the images in the gallery above, enjoy!


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Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
July 24, 2006
Dear Name*:
This is in response to your request for an opinion concerning the applicability of the administrative and professional exemptions under Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) section 13(a)(1) (copy enclosed) to your position as Senior Legal Analyst for a corporation. Based on the information provided, it is our opinion that the Senior Legal Analyst position does not qualify for the administrative or professional exemption under FLSA section 13(a)(1).
You state that, in addition to a two-year legal studies degree, you have eight years of experience in legal research and analysis. In describing your duties, you state that ninety percent of your responsibilities include analyzing facts, identifying the legal issues involved, and then providing your interpretation of the law in a memorandum format for the attorney's review. You usually receive your assignments from attorneys by e-mail or phone, and you usually respond by e-mail. You are not always aware of what is done with your responses. Ten percent of your time is spent reviewing new materials, analyzing costs of current resources used in the department, drafting plans for cost savings for the department, training various personnel on the use of legal resources and legal research in general, as well as performing other miscellaneous tasks as needed. While an attorney you work with may suggest a deadline, you state that you work very independently and prioritize your assignments accordingly.
FLSA section 13(a)(1) provides a complete minimum wage and overtime pay exemption for any employee employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity as those terms are defined in the final rules at 29 C.F.R. Part 541 that took effect on August 23, 2004 (copy enclosed). Our response is applicable under the final rule. We assume, for discussion purposes, that you satisfy the salary level and salary basis requirements under sections 541.600 and 541.602.
The term "employee employed in a bona fide administrative capacity" is defined as "any employee:"
(1) Compensated on a salary or fee basis at a rate of not less than $455 per week
. . . ;
(2) Whose primary duty is the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer's customers; and
(3) Whose primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.
29 C.F.R. § 541.200(a).
The phrase 'directly related to the management or general business operations' refers to the type of work performed by the employee. To meet this requirement, an employee must perform work directly related to assisting with the running or servicing of the business, as distinguished, for example, from working on a manufacturing production line or selling a product in a retail or service establishment.
29 C.F.R. § 541.201(a).
Work directly related to management or general business operations includes, but is not limited to, work in functional areas such as tax; finance; accounting; budgeting; auditing; insurance; quality control; purchasing; procurement; advertising; marketing; research; safety and health; personnel management; human resources; employee benefits; labor relations; public relations; government relations; computer network, internet and database administration; legal and regulatory compliance; and similar activities.
29 C.F.R. § 541.201(b).
[a]n employee may qualify for the administrative exemption if the employee's primary duty is the performance of work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer's customers. Thus, for example, employees acting as advisers or consultants to their employer's clients or customers (as tax experts or financial consultants, for example) may be exempt.
29 C.F.R. § 541.201(c).
As discussed in § 541.202(a),
[t]o qualify for the administrative exemption, an employee's primary duty must include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. In general, the exercise of discretion and independent judgment involves the comparison and the evaluation of possible courses of conduct, and acting or making a decision after the various possibilities have been considered. The term "matters of significance" refers to the level of importance or consequence of the work performed.
Furthermore, as noted in § 541.202(b),
[t]he phrase "discretion and independent judgment" must be applied in the light of all the facts involved in the particular employment situation in which the question arises. Factors to consider when determining whether an employee exercises discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance include, but are not limited to: whether the employee has authority to formulate, affect, interpret, or implement management policies or operating practices; whether the employee carries out major assignments in conducting the operations of the business; whether the employee performs work that affects business operations to a substantial degree, even if the employee's assignments are related to operation of a particular segment of the business; whether the employee has authority to commit the employer in matters that have significant financial impact; whether the employee has authority to waive or deviate from established policies and procedures without prior approval; whether the employee has authority to negotiate and bind the company on significant matters; whether the employee provides consultation or expert advice to management; whether the employee is involved in planning long- or short-term business objectives; whether the employee investigates and resolves matters of significance on behalf of management; and whether the employee represents the company in handling complaints, arbitrating disputes or resolving grievances.
As explained in the preamble to the final rule, federal courts generally find that employees who meet at least two or three of these factors mentioned above are exercising discretion and independent judgment, although a case-by-case analysis is required. See 69 Fed. Reg. 22,122, 22,143 (Apr. 23, 2004) (copy enclosed). In addition, § 541.202(e) states that "[t]he exercise of discretion and independent judgment in matters of significance must be more than the use of skill in applying well-established techniques, procedures or specific standards described in manuals or other sources."
Based on the information you provided, we do not believe that your duties and responsibilities as a Senior Legal Analyst meet the "discretion and independent judgment in matters of significance" requirement. Typically, you draft particular documents to assist attorneys on a particular case or matter. It appears that your duties and responsibilities as a Senior Legal Analyst are performed through the use of particular skills and knowledge in researching and preparing reports, and that it is the attorneys who exercise discretion and independent judgment because they receive and decide whether or how to act on the information in your reports.
Although you state that you work independently and use your own judgment as to how to prioritize your work assignments, including how the projects will be executed and how much to time to spend on each assignment, it is not sufficient that an employee makes decisions regarding relatively insignificant matters, such as "when and where to do different tasks, as well as the manner in which to perform them." Clark v. J.M. Benson Co., Inc., 789 F.2d 282, 287-88 (4th Cir. 1986). Nor is it sufficient that an employee makes limited decisions, within clearly "prescribed parameters." See Dalheim v. KDFW-TV, 706 F. Supp. 493, 509 (N.D. Tex. 1998), aff'd, 918 F.2d 1220 (5th Cir. 1990). Rather, there must be the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance or consequence related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer's customers. For instance, as a Senior Legal Analyst, you do not formulate or implement management policies, utilize authority to waive or deviate from established policies, provide expert advice, or plan business objectives in accordance with the dictates of § 541.202(b). In addition, most jurisdictions have strict prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law by laypersons. Under the American Bar Association's Code of Professional Responsibility, a delegation of legal tasks to a lay person is proper only if the lawyer maintains a direct relationship with the client, supervises the delegated work, and has complete professional responsibility for the work produced. The implication of such strictures is that paralegal employees would not have the amount of authority to exercise independent judgments with regard to legal matters necessary to bring them within the administrative exemption. Therefore, based on a review of the information you provided, it is our opinion that your position as a Senior Legal Analyst does not qualify for the administrative exemption under FLSA section 13(a)(1). See Wage and Hour Opinion Letter December 16, 2005 (copy enclosed).
It has long been the position of the Wage and Hour Division that the duties of paralegal employees and legal assistants generally do not involve the exercise of discretion and independent judgment of the type required by the administrative exemption. The article you enclosed with your letter refers to numerous opinion letters in this regard. See, e.g., Wage and Hour Opinion Letters March 20, 1998; April 13, 1995; and February 10, 1978.
With respect to the professional exemption, the term "employee employed in a bona fide professional capacity" is defined as:
any employee: (1) Compensated on a salary or fee basis at a rate of not less than $455 per week . . . ; (2) Whose primary duty is the performance of work: (i) Requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction; or (ii) Requiring invention, imagination, originality or talent in a recognized field of artistic or creative endeavor.
29 C.F.R. § 541.300(a).
Under § 541.301(a), the primary duty test under the learned professional exemption includes three elements: "(1) The employee must perform work requiring advanced knowledge; (2) The advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning; and (3) The advanced knowledge must be customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction." Section 541.301(b) states that "[t]he phrase 'work requiring advanced knowledge' means work which is predominantly intellectual in character, and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment, as distinguished from performance of routine mental, manual, mechanical or physical work."
As noted under § 541.301(c),
[t]he phrase "field of science or learning" includes the traditional professions of law, medicine, theology, accounting, actuarial computation, engineering, architecture, teaching, various types of physical, chemical and biological sciences, pharmacy and other similar occupations that have a recognized professional status as distinguished from the mechanical arts or skilled trades where in some instances the knowledge is of a fairly advanced type, but is not in a field of science or learning.
As indicated in § 541.301(d), "[t]he phrase 'customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction' restricts the exemption to professions where specialized academic training is a standard prerequisite for entrance into the profession. The best prima facie evidence that an employee meets this requirement is possession of the appropriate academic degree." (Emphasis added.) Conversely, § 541.301(d) further clarifies that
the learned professional exemption is not available for occupations that customarily may be performed with only the general knowledge acquired by an academic degree in any field, with knowledge acquired through an apprenticeship, or with training in the performance of routine mental, manual, mechanical or physical processes. The learned professional exemption also does not apply to occupations in which most employees have acquired their skill by experience rather than by advanced specialized intellectual instruction. (Emphasis added.)
Finally, as noted in § 541.301(e)(7),
[p]aralegals and legal assistants generally do not qualify as exempt learned professionals because an advanced specialized academic degree is not a standard prerequisite for entry into the field. Although many paralegals possess general four-year advanced degrees, most specialized paralegal programs are two-year associate degree programs from a community college or equivalent institution. However, the learned professional exemption is available for paralegals who possess advanced specialized degrees in other professional fields and apply advanced knowledge in that field in the performance of their duties. For example, if a law firm hires an engineer as a paralegal to provide expert advice on product liability cases or to assist on patent matters, that engineer would qualify for exemption.
Therefore, unless you possess an advanced specialized degree in another professional field, that degree is a standard prerequisite for entry into that field, and you apply advanced knowledge in that field in the performance of your paralegal duties, your position as a Senior Legal Analyst cannot qualify for the professional exemption under FLSA section 13(a)(1). See Wage and Hour Opinion Letter January 7, 2005 (copy enclosed).
As the preamble to the final rule noted, the Department considered comments urging the Department to declare that paralegals are exempt learned professionals. See 69 Fed. Reg. at 22,154-155 (Apr. 23, 2004) (copies enclosed). However, "none of the commenters provided any information to demonstrate that the educational requirement for paralegals is greater than a two-year associate degree from a community college or equivalent institution." Id. at 22154. Furthermore, there has been "no evidence in the record that a four-year specialized paralegal degree is a standard prerequisite for entry into the occupation." Id.Again, the Department's longstanding position is that paralegals and legal assistants do not qualify for the learned professional exemption, a position consistently endorsed in the opinion letters cited in the article you attached to your letter. See, e.g., Wage and Hour Opinion Letters March 20, 1998; August 18, 1986; and September 27, 1979.
This opinion is based exclusively on the facts and circumstances described in your request and is given based on your representation, express or implied, that you have provided a full and fair description of all the facts and circumstances that would be pertinent to our consideration of the question presented. Existence of any other factual or historical background not contained in your letter might require a conclusion different from the one expressed herein. You have represented that this opinion is not sought by a party to pending private litigation concerning the issues addressed herein. You have also represented that this opinion is not sought in connection with an investigation or litigation between a client or firm and the Wage and Hour Division or the Department of Labor.
We trust that this letter is responsive to your inquiry.
Alfred B. Robinson, Jr.
Acting Administrator
Note: *The actual name(s) was removed to preserve privacy in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(7).


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Payment of time- barred debt is:
(a) Valid
(b) Void
(c) Illegal
(d) Voidable
Consideration is defined in the Indian Contract Act,1872 in: (a) Section 2(f) (b) Section 2(e) (c) Section 2(g) (d) Section 2(d)
Which of the following is not an exception to the rule, "No consideration, No contract": (a) Natural love and affection (b) Compensation for involuntary services (c) Completed gift (d) Agency
Consideration must move at the desire of: (a) The promisor (b) The promisee (c) The promisor or any other party (d) Both the promisor and the promisee
An offer which is open for acceptance over a period of time is: (a) Cross Offer (b) Counter Offer (c) Standing Offer (d) Implied Offer
Specific offer can be communicated to__________ (a) All the parties of contract (b) General public in universe (c) Specific person (d) None of the above
_________ amounts to rejection of the original offer. (a) Cross offer (b) Special offer (c) Standing offer (d) Counter offer
A advertises to sell his old car by advertising in a newspaper. This offer is caleed: (a) General Offer (b) Special Offer (c) Continuing Offer (d) None of the above
In case a counter offer is made, the original offer stands: (a) Rejected (b) Accepted automatically (c) Accepted subject to certain modifications and variations (d) None of the above
In case of unenforceable contract having some technical defect, parties (a) Can sue upon it (b) Cannot sue upon it (c) Should consider it to be illegal (d) None of the above
If entire specified goods is perished before entering into contract of sale, the contract is (a) Valid (b) Void (c) Voidable (d) Cancelled
______________ contracts are also caled contracts with executed consideration. (a) Unilateral (b) Completed (c) Bilateral (d) Executory
A offers B to supply books @ Rs 100 each but B accepts the same with condition of 10% discount. This is a case of (a) Counter Offer (b) Cross Offer (c) Specific Offer (d) General Offer
_____________ is a game of chance. (a) Conditional Contract (b) Contingent Contract (c) Wagering Contract (d) Quasi Contract
There is no binding contract in case of _______ as one's offer cannot be constructed as acceptance (a) Cross Offer (b) Standing Offer (c) Counter Offer (d) Special Offer
An offer is made with an intention to have negotiation from other party. This type of offer is: (a) Invitation to offer (b) Valid offer (c) Voidable (d) None of the above
When an offer is made to the world at large, it is ____________ offer. (a) Counter (b) Special (c) General (d) None of the above
Implied contract even if not in writing or express words is perfectly _______________ if all the conditions are satisfied:- (a) Void (b) Voidable (c) Valid (d) Illegal
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The only rational thing to do is get the hell out of town. If only it were that easy.....
$111k - A new 6-8 page supplemental story that will be PDF/digital delivery only; every backer $9-PDF level and above will receive this exclusively. And everyone receiving a physical copy of the book gets a full color LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS bookmark.
$120k - Either a second 6-8 page supplemental story, or the first supplement will be expanded to 12-16 pages. PDF/digital delivery only; every backer $9-PDF level and above will receive this exclusively. And everyone receiving a physical copy of the book will get a full color LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS postcard and a full color LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS bookmark.
$150k - Jim will shave his head. (Pretty sure we're not making this one, --I hope-- but if we do, it will be filmed and put up for viewing.) (PS: There's no allowance here for back-outs and denied credit cards; if my hair is going, it's at 150k for real)
It's the final days of the campaign, and we've come up with a high-end unique pledge reward to -hopefully- give us a significant boost towards our final stretch goal. We're offering a one of a kind edition of Jim Calafiore's script notes and layouts.
"When I begin a new book, I print out the script one script-page to an 8 1/2 x 11 page. On these I make my notes to myself, and questions to ask the writer. I also do a pen thumbnail of how I'll lay out the page. The next step is a rough pencil sketch on layout paper about half the size of the final art board, which -for the final penciling- is blown up and transferred to the full size art board using a light box."
This is an opportunity to own all of Jim's script pages with notes and thumbnails, and all the original layout roughs for the whole main story of LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS. The volume will be over 160 pages (more if we exceed the 105k stretch goal), more than 80 pages of Jim's original pencil layouts, showing his creative process. Also included will be Jim's original layouts for both the regular and alternate covers for the graphic novel, as well as a selection of the original character pencil roughs.
This will be bound in a single hardcover volume, a little larger than 8 1/2 x 11. The cover will feature the same art as the regular graphic novel. There will be a foreword by Jim, and an afterword by Gail, and the book will be signed by both Gail and Jim. Being all original art, this will of course be a single edition. The pledge level will be $4,000.
We are limiting this to CONTINENTAL US ONLY because, to be honest, it scares the willies out of us to think about shipping a one-of-a-kind out of the country. If you are outside the continental US, but plan to attend a convention in the US that Jim or Gail will be attending, you can pledge for the book and pick it up there. (Jim's website jimcalafiore.com lists his con schedule, and he usually does at least the same shows each year. And both Gail and Jim definitely do San Diego Comic Con.)
As an additional bonus, for any backer who pledges for this volume, if you are attending a convention that either Gail or Jim or both are attending, you can choose to receive the book personally at a lunch with the creator(s).
We exceeded $92k!
Onward and upward. Our next goal is more pages. The stretch goal to increase the page count to 112 pages is $105k. These would be story pages, not filler. We'd love the opportunity to put even more into the story. And we think we have a serious chance of reaching the next goal.
The support has been amazing; and just looking at the number we've reached already is extremely gratifying. Shows not only what the fans can do, but what Kickstarter can be for so many creators. Direct connection with no middlemen.
$86k unlocks the Comixology digital comic. We're contracting with Comixology to help fulfill our digital rewards commitment. They will take our book and convert it to a digital comic that works with their app, and feature all the functionality like double-tap zoom. (All backers at the PDF level and above will get a code to use at Comixology to download the digital comic for free. We will still be sending the PDF to all those backers.) Comixology will also host a small preview of the book for free download when it's ready.
$92k As mentioned below, we've been hoping to reunite the Secret Six team, and bring the excellent colorist Jason Wright on board. We definitely had a great working rapport with him, and he brought so much to the series. Jason won't have any personal stake in the book, so he'd be hired basically as an independent contractor. And in this same goal, we'll be looking to bring on a separate letterer who will also be handling our pre-press file handling, getting it ready for the printer, freeing us up creatively.
(Folded into both of those is also an accommodation for the fact that we've happily exceeded our 3,000 book print run estimate, and are into the next level of printing costs.)
We're looking into the goal after that, and hoping to expand to 112 pages which will let us open and deepen the story even more. We're looking into budget and pricing for that (besides printing, there's the added freight and shipping costs because of increased weight). We figure that will be somewhere over 100k; we'd be beyond thrilled if we can get that far, but don't want to get ahead of ourselves. We're grateful for how far you've gotten us already.
As of the $81k goal, the book is now hardcover; all copies shipped will be hardcover.
We are also offering a signed bookplate to be included with the book. If you'd like that, you have to add $10 to your pledge (to cover our printing, shipping and inserting of the book plates). A few of the rewards have it listed, but it applies to all rewards. Any reward pledge that includes the actual book increased by that $10 will get the bookplate included. (The $10 does not apply to the two 10-book bulk rewards; those backers add $25) There's more explanation in the FAQ and UPDATES.
LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS is a thrilling, original 80 page graphic novel of suspense and terror in a superhero universe gone horribly wrong, where a small band of survivors face the horror of both their formerly beloved protectors, and the dark secrets within themselves. Featuring the creative talents of writer Gail Simone and artist Jim Calafiore this is a story of violence, fear, hope and --if they're lucky-- survival.
LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS will be brought to you by the team behind DC Comics' critical smash, SECRET SIX. IGN.COM called the final issue of Secret Six, "the best single comic issue of 2011," and in this dark ride of a story, we go even wilder! LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS is a journey, by two professional creators, with no holds barred and no limits imposed. Our groundbreaking work on SECRET SIX was only the beginning. If you thought that was dark...
LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS will be a new and complete story in a single 80 page volume. Bonus materials will include development sketches, single page illustrations by some of the biggest names in comics, a forward by industry legend MARK WAID, and a short prose story in the LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS universe by Gail Simone.
Initial plans are for the graphic novel to be available only through this Kickstarter drive. We're handling everything, including shipping of the individual books to pledges of $15 or above. There's additional goodies to be had with higher pledge incentives, listed down the right side of the page. The rewards will ship at different times. Some incentives, like the print or commission art, will ship within months; the graphic novel will ship in early 2013.
Plans are to keep the printing in the US, (the same printer and specs as the last Secret Six trade, THE DARKEST HOUSE), and if possible to reunite with another of the SIX team, colorist Jason Wright. And if we're lucky, and the funding goal is exceeded enough to afford it, we hope to expand the page count.
We're working on the book now, so please check back for more preview art as it's done. Thanks so much for considering our project.
GAIL SIMONE is the multiple award winning writer of WONDER WOMAN, BIRDS OF PREY, DEADPOOL, THE SIMPSONS, and many other classic runs of some of the world's most popular comics. She has also written for animation, prose and video games. Known for her strong character work and dark humor, this book shows Gail at her most ferocious and untamed.
JIM CALAFIORE has been working in the comics field for over twenty years, and been lucky to work with some great creators. He's best known for his work on AQUAMAN, EXILES, GOTHAM UNDERGROUND and SECRET SIX.
This is the first KICKSTARTER project for either creator. We're excited about the possibilities here for both creators and fans. Please keep checking back for preview art and additional cool rewards and updates!
Funding period
- (37 days)


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Discovery School students are discovering the food, arts and traditions of Japan, thanks to the help of the school's new intern, Ayumi Kanazaw.
Kanazaw, 21, a third-year international relations major at Nihon University, is the latest Japanese student to take part in a long-running internship program between the university and Discovery School.
CHESTERFIELD – Two people were taken to a regional hospital and one man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly shot them outside the Chesterfield County Courthouse parking lot.
The Chesterfield County Sheriff's Department reported Curtis Gorney, 54, of Cheraw, allegedly shot 21-year-old Olivia Weaver and her stepfather, Donnie Nolan, from a pickup truck, then sped away. Weaver and Nolan were taken to a Florence County hospital with wounds described as non-lifethreatening.
Authorities are still on the hunt for a man who reportedly tried to entice a female jogger into his van earlier this month.
On Feb. 1, a deputy spoke with a 28-year-old Kershaw woman who said a man tried to lure her into his white van sometime between 8:50 and 9:10 a.m., according to a Lancaster County Sheriff's Office incident report.
The victim told deputies she was jogging near a gas station in the area of South Cleveland Street and Stevens Drive when an unknown white man asked her if she needed a ride.
KERSHAW – The local nonprofit that helps mothers in need now has a presence in southern Lancaster County.
Last week, the Pregnancy Care Center began taking appointments at the Kershaw Area Resource Exchange (KARE) office at 110 S. Hart Street in Kershaw.
PCC Director Julie Walters said staff realized that many of the girls and young women it sees are from the Kershaw area. In November, discussions began about the agency using space inside KARE's building.
An agreement was reached in December and announced last month.
Lancaster County School District Chief Financial Officer Tony Walker updated school board members on his expectations for the 2013-14 fiscal budget.
Walker gave board members the overview during the annual superintendent/board planning session Feb. 1 and 2.
Walker said he's anticipating several tough factors affecting the school district in coming months from both sides of the ledger, revenue and expenditures, but its too early in the budgeting process to get overly concerned.
A Lancaster man and woman are behind bars in connection with the shooting death of a Kershaw man late last month.
Ketta Tomaka Evans, 34, 715 St. Paul St., and David Jamarcus Stalk, 23, 415 E. Dunlap St., have each been charged with murder and attempted armed robbery.
Authorities say the two are responsible for the death of Kevisis Anthony, who was reportedly shot Jan. 26 in the area of St. Paul and Pleasant Hill streets. Anthony, 32, died two days later from his injuries.
A Kershaw Correctional Institution (KCI) officer found himself behind bars earlier this month after he was charged with allegedly furnishing tobacco products for inmates.
Junior Saint Xavier James, 48, of Charlotte, was arrested Feb. 1 on charges of furnishing contraband to prisoners and criminal conspiracy to furnish contraband, according to a Lancaster County Sheriff's Office incident report.
James worked at KCI, which is located along Gold Mine Highway, about four miles northeast of the town of Kershaw.
A Kershaw woman is dead, and her husband arrested after an alleged domestic dispute late Monday night, Feb. 11.
Joseph Daniel Hilton, 62, 8992 Old Jefferson Highway, Kershaw, has been charged with murdering his wife, Deborah Faile Hilton, 59, according to a Lancaster County Sheriff's Office press release.
Deputies were called to the couple's home at 11:53 p.m. after Joseph Hilton called 911 to report he had shot his wife, said Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Maj. Matt Shaw
Richard Patterson, the chairman of the Big Thursday of Lancaster Inc. Scholarship Fund, had reason to beam at the annual check presentations at the Carole Ray Dowling Center at the University of South Carolina Lancaster on Thursday, Feb. 7.
Patterson presented two checks, each totaling $22,500, to the University of South Carolina Lancaster and Clemson University.
The S.C. Department of Transportation has good news for residents who live on some of Lancaster County's worst roads: Those roads are getting much-needed face-lifts.
According to an SCDOT spokesman, the project is to include three roads: Taxahaw Road, Potter Road in the south and southeast part of the county and Shelley Mullis Road in Indian Land.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Can You Guess These Eight Pregnant Stars' Cravings?
From candied apples to pretzels and cream cheese, these Hollywood moms-to-be have some weird pregnancy cravings.
Whether it's something sour or something sweet, these pregnant celebrities have some interesting cravings. Ice cream and pickles seem to be normal among moms-to-be, but McDonald's cheeseburgers and Sour Patch Kids? Now those are some strange cravings! Test your celeb craving IQ — take our quiz!
These celebrities are all expecting babies!
Can you match these bumpalicious Hollywood stars with their correct pregnancy craving? Check out our gallery above to find out if you're right!
Here Are The Celebrity Moms-To-Be
Natalie Portman
Mariah Carey
Victoria Beckham
Rachel Zoe
Kate Hudson
Jennifer Connelly
Laila Ali
Here Are Their Cravings
Strawberries and Grapefruit
Pretzels and Cream Cheese
Sour Patch Kids
Pickles and Vinegar
Marmalade and Tea
Ice Cream
McDonald's Cheeseburgers and Candied Apples
Match them up and GOOD LUCK!
–Leigh Blickley
lGet more HollyBaby news and gossip! Friend us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and Subscribe to our Newsletter!


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Daniel DeMarinis
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Chief Strategy Officer, Longview International Technology Solutions
Anita Griner
Deputy Director, Data Sharing & Partnership Group
Center for Program Integrity Centers
Medicare and Medicaid Services
Joshua D. Israel
Aviation Business Manager, JPMO-IP
Illysa Izenberg
Founder, Strategy and Training Partners
Irene Knott
Senior Project Manager, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Martin Leshin
President, Varen Technologies
Michael Oliver, Esq.,
Oliver and Grimsley, LLC
James Peter
Project Manager, JHU - Applied Physics Laboratory
Eric Peristein
President, PMI Baltimore Chapter
Jeff Ray, J.D.
Senior Systems Engineer, Northrop Grumman
Lawrence Stout, Ph.D.
Branch Chief Microphotonics
Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate
Army Research Laboratory
Charles Adams
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Who was Ruth Handler? Why, the inventor of the Barbie doll, who happened to be born on this day in 1916.
According to Wikipedia, Handler adapted the Barbie doll from the German "Bild Lilli" doll because she believed it "was important to a girl's esteem that she plays with a doll with breasts." Barbie may not necessarily have been beneficial to every girl's self-esteem, but Handler also undertook other cool projects. After having a mastectomy, she was dissatisfied with breast prostheses available at the time and developed her own, which she called the "Nearly Me." She also helped write the film Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World.
If, however, you're not a Barbie fan, you can still raise a Friday glass to Robert Mapplethorpe, Kathy Griffin, or Matthew McConaughey, all born on this date. Or to these adorable owls — I'm not sure when they were born, but I love the noise they make.


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With POLIGRAT processes you can achieve:
- Improved performance
- Increased product life cycle
- Improved safety throughout the process
- Lower maintenance
- Minimizing of downtimes
- Improved operating efficiency
- Improved appearance
- Improved haptics
- Higher degree of design flexibility
- Greater precision
- Greater scope for design
- Improved value
Highest standards of aesthetics and haptics
The design of living spaces and products is focused on people and their wide range of needs. External appearance is an important distinguishing feature: the impression of quality in architecture, industry and product design is affected to a large extent by the materials used and their surfaces. The latter combine aesthetics with practical requirements such as suitability and function. POLIGRAT processes offer a broad spectrum of possibilities to fulfill these requirements. They set new accents in the decorative use of metals and allow your products stand out from their competitors.


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Natural Gift is a rather perculiar attack. It's base damage in the game is 1, making it a very weak attack. However, Natural Gift reacts in certain ways to the hold item that your Pokémon is holding, but only if it is a Berry.
The attack's power and type change all depending on the berry that your Pokémon is holding. With a maximum power of 80, the possibilities are endless for the Pokémon. Below is the list of the Berries type and power when used in conjunction with Natural GiftWhenever Natural Gift is used, the Berry is used as if it was used normally in battle, this gives it a one-time use possibility, unless you use moves like Recycle.
Pokémon That Learn Natural Gift By Level Up


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Guest Host Mark Steyn
Topics Discussed on Today's Guest-Hosted Excursion into Broadcast Excellence
• SteynOnline: Russian to Judgment - Mark Steyn
• AFP: Royal Wedding Plans Thrown as Doubts Swirl Over Markle's Dad
• CNN: White House Can't Stop Controversy Over Staffer's John McCain Comment
• Wall Street Journal: The Mystery of Michael Flynn's Guilty Plea. He Pleaded Guilty to a Crime FBI Agents Said He Didn't Commit
• National Review: The Curious Michael Flynn Guilty Plea - Andrew McCarthy
• New York Times: Nikki Haley Lauds Israel for 'Restraint' in Gaza Border Clashes
• New York Post: Jewish Dreams of Jerusalem as Israel's Capital Go Back Thousands of Years
• FOXNews: New York Daily News Slammed for Mocking 'Deplorable' Ivanka Trump as 'Daddy's Little Ghoul'
• Washington Post: Gaza Buries Its Dead as Death Toll from Protests at Fence with Israel Rises to at Least 60
• Page Six: Rolling Stones' Keith Richards Not a Donald Trump Fan
• The Hill: Mueller May Have a Conflict — and It Leads Directly to a Russian Oligarch
• Washington Free Beacon: Donald Trump Is Killing Humor
Mark Steyn, filled in for Rush on today's program. Check out Mark's Stack for links and audio clips. Rush returns to the Golden EIB Microphone on Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Rush Limbaugh


text:
Home » Breast implants and cancer report, 9News.com.au
ASPS President, Tony Kane, interviews with Channel 9 News.
Watch the interview.
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Inc (ASPS) is the peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons (both reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery). Our main role is to protect the integrity of Plastic Surgery as a specialty. Our mission is to provide the highest quality plastic surgery care to all Australians.
Read More
NSW Parliamentary Health Care Complaints Committee inquiry into Cosmetic Health Service Complaints
26 Nov 2018
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Phone: +61 2 9437 9200
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Visit the Plastic Surgery Glossary for more medical terms.
Website by Hyper Hyper Marketing
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Table Of Contents
Release Notes for Cisco Video Surveillance High Definition IP Camera Release 2.0.0
Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines
Release Notes for Cisco Video Surveillance High Definition IP Camera Release 2.0.0
February, 2011
These release notes provide important information for the Cisco Video Surveillance high definition IP camera release 2.0.0.
Firmware release 2.0.0 applies to the following Cisco IP camera models:
This firmware is compatible with Cisco Video Surveillance Manager (VSM) 6.3.1 and later. VSM 6.3.1 and later contains a camera firmware upgrade feature that simplifies and automates the firmware upgrade process.
This document includes the following sections:
•Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines
What's New in this Release
Cisco Video Surveillance high definition IP camera firmware release 2.0.0 provides the following new features and updates:
•Cisco Video Analytics—Supported on the IP camera CIVS-IPC-4500 model, provides an intuitive interface and tools for video analysis. The base security and counting packages are enabled by default.
For detailed information about video analytics, see the analytics documentation that is available at this URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps11253/index.html.
•Medianet support—This firmware version supports the Auto Smartports feature of the Media Services Interface (MSI). MSI enables a camera to participate as an endpoint in the Cisco medianet architecture when connected to a medianet enabled switch. MSI provides awareness of network neighbors and network-provided location that can be integrated into centralized management platforms to reduce the cost of administering the endpoints in the medianet.
For more information about medianet, see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns1094/index.html.
•Consistent field of view—The same field of view displays for 1080p and 720p video streams at 30 fps or lower. When you upgrade to firmware 2.0.0, the field of view for 720p video streams at 30 fps or lower will change.
•Fixes for several caveats—For detailed information, see the "Caveats" section.
Features no Longer Available
The following IP camera features are not available in this release:
•The USB port on an IP camera does not support a USB device for storing video
•Video clip for e-mail event notification—Attaching a video clip of an event to an e-mail notification is no longer supported
Upgrading to Release 2.0.0
Caution You can upgrade an IP camera to firmware release 2.0.0 from firmware release 1.2.1 or later. If you need to upgrade to release 2.0.0 from a release earlier than 1.2.1, first upgrade to 1.2.1.
You can upgrade your IP camera to firmware 2.0.0 by using the Camera Firmware Upgrade feature in the VSM Management Console. For instructions, see the "Using the VSM Management Console" chapter in Cisco Video Surveillance Manager User Guide.
Alternatively, you can upgrade your IP camera to release 2.0.0 by performing the following steps.
Step 1 Take these actions to obtain the release 2.0.0 firmware:
a. Go to this URL:
b. Click the Download Software link, log in to Cisco.com, and locate the 2.0.0 firmware file, which is named CIVS-IPC-4xxx-V2.0.0.bin.
c. Double-click the 2.0.0 firmware file name and follow the on-screen prompts to download it to your PC.
Step 2 Take these actions to display the Firmware window in the web interface for your IP camera:
a. Start Internet Explorer and enter the following in the address field:
–protocol is the connection that you use for your IP camera (either HTTPS or HTTP).
–ip_address is the IP address of your IP camera.
–port_number is the port number that is used for HTTPS or HTTP connections to the IP camera. You do not need to enter a port number if you are connecting through the default HTTPS port 443 or the default HTTP port 80.
b. Enter your IP camera user name and password when prompted, then click OK.
The IP Camera Main window
c. Click the Setup link to access configuration menus for the camera.
d. Click Administration, then click Firmware.
The Firmware window appears.
Step 3 In the Firmware window, click the Upgrade button.
The Upgrade Firmware window appears.
Step 4 In the Upgrade Firmware window, enter the path and folder where the firmware upgrade file for the IP camera is stored.
The upgrade file may be stored on another PC. You can click Browse to find this location.
Step 5 Click Upgrade and follow the on-screen prompts to load the firmware upgrade on the IP camera.
Do not power down the IP camera during the upgrade procedure.
After you upgrade firmware, the IP camera restarts automatically. It retains all configuration information.
Table 1 describes the caveats that are resolved in this release.
Table 1 Caveats Resolved in this Release
Identifier Description
Overlay text does not work with MJPEG secondary streams when primary is disabled
KeyFrameInterval values not used for some bit rates
Table 2 describes the caveats that are open in this release.
Table 2 Caveats Open in this Release
Identifier Description
Camera UI upgrade tool fails sometimes with error message
Users sometime logged out after resetting the camera when using static IP addresses
Camera UI hotspot Pan/Tilt command does not work correctly in certain resolutions
PEAP authentication fails when using Validate Server Certificate option
When using e-mail notification for motion events, if the e-mail server is unreachable, video stops streaming
Motion detection windows configured from VSM do not show the same boundaries on camera UI
Change in video resolution changes motion detection area
Browser logs out of the Analytics web UI after prolonged inactivity
In Edit mode, existing rules may not display in Analytics web UI
Upgrade from 1.2.1 to latest firmware using camera web UI may give false error
Missing duplex and power parameters in CDP
You can use the Bug Toolkit to find information about caveats (bugs) for the this release, including a description of the problems and available workarounds. The Bug Toolkit lists open and resolved caveats.
To access Bug Toolkit, you need an Internet connection and a Cisco.com user ID and password.
To use the Bug Toolkit, follow these steps:
Step 1 To access the Bug Toolkit, go to http://tools.cisco.com/Support/BugToolKit/action.do?hdnAction=searchBugs.
Step 2 Log in with your Cisco.com user ID and password.
Step 3 To look for information about a specific problem, enter the bug ID number in the Search for bug ID field, then click Go.
Step 4 To look for information if you do not know the bug ID number:
a. Choose Security from the Select Product Category menu.
b. Choose the desired product from the Select Product menu.
c. Choose the version number from the Software Version menu.
d. Under Advanced Options, choose Use default settings or Use custom settings. The default settings search for severity 1, 2 and 3 bugs, open and fixed bugs, and only bugs containing bug details. Use the custom settings to change the severity and status parameters, or to search for keywords within the bug headline and description.
Related Documentation
For additional information about the Cisco Video Surveillance IP camera, see the User Guide for your IP camera. User Guides are available at this URL:
Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines
For information about obtaining documentation, obtaining support, providing documentation feedback, security guidelines, and recommended aliases and general Cisco documents, see the monthly What's New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation, at:
Cisco and the Cisco Logo are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1005R)


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Young Dro - I Just Want To Flow (Dro's Verse Only) [In Studio Performance ]
oung Dro - R.i.P Mixtape - I Just want to Flow
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Gold tone Stop Diabetes bangle with glucose molecule cluster. 2.25"w x 2.125"h
No one has rated this yet. Why don't you be the first?
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Derek wrote:And if you need two posts on a forum, hell if you need even one post, to explain how your single line of code works, your code is unreadable and should be rewritten.
well, that's kind of the point of using "fix". with "fix", you just need to point people who don't get it to an existing explanation of "fix", and then it's pretty obvious what the code does.


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Please comment or vote on my designs in Designbyhumans & Threadless
Thank U
|Prints / Wins
|Votes Received
|Votes Given
|Shirts Owned
41 Followers
Following 9
20 Comments
Please comment or vote on my designs in Designbyhumans & Threadless
just checked your fb fan page and liked it…hope to see more design from you…awesome work!
Thanks for your coment bro! ILL be looking after your work. see ya!
Hey Ian! I'm giving a second chance some old designs here… if you don't mind, I'd appreciate your vote/comments.
you are very talented HUMAN! :D
Hi Ian!
wow awesome man!
Hi Ian! 100% of your designs have won. Very nice.
more designs sir… please more.
nice work!
Congrats. Love the design.
send me an email please, i wanna buy something from you. all the best.
Hey you, your work is positively sweet, pleasure to come by your profile, if you want, mozey on down and take a look at my designs. Appreciate it if you vote and whatnot. Comments are totally welcomed. Fank you!
nice work fellow north carolinian!
heyyyyy nice work here…chek my designs out n let me kno what you think. thanks!
hi.. really glad to be part of this community.. feel free visiting my designs.. and yes, please do vote if you like them :)
Take a look at my shirts man…if you have time..
brilliant works man! can't wait for another!
2 submissions, 2 wins, WOW!!! Looking forward to what comes next!
Cool work! Also, nice to meet you! Feel free to check out my work and vote if you like them. Thanks!


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We've gotten many requests for the band on a popular teen TV series called Big Time Rush. Rub your hands and get ready for a complete detailed tutorial on these four talented Nickelodeon guys, Carlos, Logan, Kendall and James. I've bulked most of the steps two-by-two to make sure you get all the tips and info needed just for you. Stay tuned for a special tool, highlights, tone, shading and more. I didn't skimp on any of the fellows. Each band member is well represented to give you a boost in drawing. Please don't be shy. Vote, comment, and fav so you can express how you feel. And I love to reply. Also make sure you submit your drawing here at DragoArt so I can vote, comment, and fav my favorite people's artwork. I hope you enjoy this tutorial on "How to Draw Big Time Rush." *a huge blow kiss coming your way*
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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VIDEO: Why Others Should Join The Wisconsin Protests
Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage joins FireDogLake editor Jane Hamsher and Wisconsin AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer Stephanie Bloomingdale on Cenk Uygur's show on MSNBC February 22.
"It's now important for others to stand up with them," including "people who care about democracy and the distortion of money in our politics," Borosage said. "This is a battle of whether we have a strong middle class, whether we have an operating democracy, and it is time for other groups to pick up this banner."
The following was originally published in Politico.
"I didn't think it was this cold in Cairo," read a sign in the 40,000 person demonstration in Madison, Wis. Teachers, nurses, public workers and thousands of allies occupied the state Capital building and brought the legislature to a halt with demonstrations, now headed into their second week.
The Cairo analogy is right. This isn't about money; it's about basic democratic rights. It isn't about benefits; it's about power. And the outcome of the struggle in Wisconsin – echoed in states across the country – will say much about what kind of America emerges from the Great Recession.
In Wisconsin, the self-described "Tea Party governor" Scott Walker, his election bankrolled by big-time donations from the billionaire Koch brothers and other influential conservative contributors, unleashed a frontal attack on public worker unions. After signing into law millions in tax cuts for businesses, he invoked the state's projected budget crisis to demand harsh cuts in benefits and bargaining rights from public employee workers and their unions.
Even after the unions accepted his cuts in pension and health care, Walker pressed forward with his effort to cripple their right to negotiate. As if to flaunt his power grab, Walker exempted the police and firefighters unions that had largely supported him in the election.
Walker's assault may be the most offensive — but it is not alone. States across the country are exacting concessions from public workers, who have already suffered pay cuts and unpaid furloughs. With the midterm elections giving Republicans control of both statehouse and legislature in 21 states, the right has launched a concerted attack on unions — particularly public employee unions.
In 2001, when conservatives were fantasizing about a permanent majority, Grover Norquist identified unions as one of the "five pillars" of Democratic power. He called for a plan to reduce their power. Decades of corporate trade policies, union-busting and deindustrialization have now reduced private sector unions to less than 7 percent of the private workforce.
For the first time, a majority of unionized workers are public sector workers — 36 percent belong to unions. They are now the primary target; the state and civic budget travails in the wake of the Great Recession have offered the occasion.
Now 12 states have introduced right-to-work laws that limit majority rule in creating a union. Five states seek to restrict the ability of public employee unions to collect dues, unless they limit their use in political activity. States considering either weakening or abolishing the ability of public sector workers to bargain collectively include not only Wisconsin but Ohio, South Dakota, Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.
The right's strategy is clear. Distract attention from Wall Street and wealth, and lay the blame on government. Turn private sector union against public sector union, worker against worker. In the South, right-to-work laws and other anti-union measures have long been peddled as part of the politics of race. Now it is the politics of resentment.
Public employee workers are said to have higher pay than private sector workers. (Simply wrong when adjusted for education.) Government workers enjoy pensions and health care benefits long stripped from most private sector workers, so bring them down, rather than fight to level up. Polls show union favorability is declining.
But in Wisconsin, teachers, nurses and public workers refused to relinquish their basic rights without a fight. Students and Green Bay Packers rallied to their side. State Democrats left the state to block action on the legislation and let the demonstrations build.
Many national Democrats were hesitant to support the protests, but President Barack Obama said the basic truth: that this was an "assault on unions." Organizing for America, the Obama campaign vehicle, called its members out in support. Initial press coverage was limited, but the social media – Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr – was abuzz The progressive blogosphere — MoveOn, Daily Kos and more – mobilized.
The stakes are immense. Unions, like free speech and democratic elections, are a centerpiece of democracy. That's why the right to organize and bargain collectively is a fundamental human right — enshrined in international law and treaties.
The United States has championed independent free trade unions around the globe— from Solidarność in Poland to the Centre for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS), the group of independent unions that helped drive the demonstrations in Cairo. Unions give workers voice at the workplace, and direct experience in workplace democracy.
Unions are the primary counter to the power of wealth that can distort our elections. Through them, workers become a vital source of funds and volunteers for candidates who will support their interests. The Civil Rights Movement, among others, could not have triumphed without union support.
Strong unions are also central to a thriving economy. They help workers gain a fair share of the profits and productivity that they work to generate. Unions gave us the weekend, child labor laws, workplace safety protections They were central to building the broad middle class, which was the postwar triumph of American democracy.
It isn't surprising that, as unions have lost ground since 1980, inequality has grown to Gilded Age extremes. Nor that the advanced countries with stronger unions – like Germany and Sweden – have fared far better in sustaining widely shared prosperity while navigating the currents of globalization.
Wisconsin is the first fierce battle in what will be a brutal and extended struggle. Will America come out of the economic collapse with policies that revive a broad middle class and widely shared prosperity? Or will the power of wealth and Wall Street succeed in continuing the squeeze on working and middle class families?
Will unions, the critical counter to the power of wealth in the democracy, be crippled? Or will those who had the party be held accountable for the mess they left behind? Walker picked this fight. Now across the country, people will have to decide, in words of the old union song, "Which side are you on?"


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text:
by John Calvin (compiled by John H. Kromminga)
Bible Text:
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; —Isaiah 42:6
"For a light of the Gentiles." We have here another clear proof of the calling of the Gentiles, since he expressly states that Christ was appointed to be "a light" to them. He calls him a light, because the Gentiles were plunged in the deepest and thickest of darkness, at the time when the Lord illuminated none but the Jews.
Now, then, the blame lies solely with ourselves, if we do not become partakers of this salvation; for he calls all men to himself, without a single exception, and gives Christ to all, that we may be illuminated by him. Let us only open our eyes, he alone will dispel the darkness, and illuminate our minds by the "light" of truth. —Commentaries
John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.
Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:
"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God's will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."
These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.
|© 2019 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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If three times makes a trend, there's an awfully dangerous trend in Florida: Men with anger management issues, packing handguns, killing unarmed men who happened to cross their paths at the wrong time:
1. George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin after confronting him as he walked through a gated community on a rainy night. A jury bought Zimmerman's self-defense argument, but subsequent events make him look anything but innocent. Both his ex-wife and his girlfriend have charged him with threatening them with guns during arguments.
2. Curtis Reeves killed Chad Oulsen after berating him for texting during the previews at a movie matinee. Reeves, a 71-year-old retired police captain, is being held without bail.
3. Michael Dunn killed Jordan Davis in a parking lot outside a convenience store after Dunn complained that the teen and his friends were playing "thug music" too loud on their car stereo. Dunn, who had been drinking, said he saw Davis point a shotgun at him, but nobody else did, and no weapon was ever found. Last week, a jury convicted Dunn of the attempted murder of the other three teens in the car, but couldn't reach a verdict on the charge of first-degree murder.
Yes, there are racial aspects to two of these cases, but let's not go there. There are questions of legal strategy I'll leave to others. And let's not argue about the Second Amendment for now.
And OK, maybe three shootings does not make a trend. But there is a marked trend toward states making it easier to carry concealed weapons, some writing it into their state constitutions. The number of people getting concealed carry permits is up sharply in many states.
In Florida, more than 1.4 million people were licensed to carry concealed weapons as of Jan. 31, 2014, more than five times the number of license-holders in 2000. That's a trend that might make you think twice before sending a text message in a Tampa movie theater.
More people than ever seem to be packing heat, even though the crime rate continues to decline. I don't understand how carrying a pistol in your pocket became a cultural signifier and a political statement. I wonder about the mentality of Florida's dangerous men.
First, I must admit I've never been a gun owner, and never wanted to be one. I don't know what it feels like to walk around packing heat.
Second, I'll stipulate that there are millions of responsible gun owners, including many who carry concealed weapons. Most, I hope, would never point a gun in anger or confusion. If you are one of these, hold your fire. I'm worried about the other guys, not you.
As for those other guys, I worry about what goes on in their heads. Of the people who carry a handgun even when they aren't taking a large cash deposit to the bank or on their way to the firing range, some - most? - must assume they'll have to use their guns at any moment. Some - most? - assume everyone else is carrying guns. Some amuse themselves by watching other people suspiciously and playing out scenarios in their heads in which they would have to shoot someone - in self-defense, of course.
So here we have three cases where gun owners made a snap decision to draw their guns and fire - and it was the wrong decision, to the extent that none of the three victims was armed and the three shooters landed in court.
The shooter is responsible, not the gun, of course. But does the gun itself carry some totemic power? Is it like the ring hung around Frodo's neck, calling out for him to use its power? Does it make the owner - again, probably some small percentage of gun owners - feel more threatened than he really is?
"Something happened inside of me when he advanced towards me and my paralysis left me," Dunn explained in a jailhouse interview. "Between fear, adrenaline and muscle-memory, I grabbed my pistol from the glove box. As I was doing so, I shouted, 'You're not going to kill me you son of a b--!'"
Zimmerman and Reeves also assumed the person they were arguing about was armed. "It scared the hell out of me," Reeves told police after the shooting. "He kept hollering. He led me to believe he was going to kick my ass."
Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law makes the shooter's perception - not the reality of the situation - the grounds for determining if the act is legal: It says a person "has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another."
You have to be at least a little paranoid to feel you have to carry a loaded gun on a daytime trip to a movie or a convenience store in a safe neighborhood. If being afraid - whether or not that fear is justified - becomes a get-out-of-jail-free card, we're likely to see more innocent people killed by angry men who don't take time to think before they pull the trigger.
Rick Holmes, opinion editor for the Daily News, blogs at Holmes & Co. (http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/holmesandco). He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him @holmesAndCo.