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Once during a game on your turn (before your attack), each player shuffles all cards in play (excluding Pokémon and Supporter cards) into his or her deck. You can't use more than 1 Sand Reset Poké-Power each game.
Discard 2 Fighting Energy attached to Hippowdon and choose 2 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. This attack does 40 damage to each of them. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
Put this card onto your Active Hippowdon. Hippowdon LV.X can use any attack, Poké-Power, or Poké-Body from its previous Level.
The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites' privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International's standards.
Pokemon.com administrators have been notified and will review the screen name for compliance with the Terms of Use.
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text:
ELOCON (mometasone furoate) Cream, 0.1% contains mometasone furoate for topical use. Mometasone furoate is a synthetic corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory activity.
Chemically, mometasone furoate is 9α,21-dichloro-11β,17-dihydroxy-16α-methylpregna-1,4-diene3,20-dione 17-(2-furoate), with the empirical formula C27 H30CI2O6, a molecular weight of 521.4 and the following structural formula:
Mometasone furoate is a white to off-white powder practically insoluble in water, slightly soluble in octanol, and moderately soluble in ethyl alcohol.
Each gram of ELOCON Cream, 0.1% contains 1 mg mometasone furoate in a white to off-white cream base of aluminum starch octenylsuccinate (Gamma Irradiated), hexylene glycol, hydrogenated soybean lecithin, phosphoric acid, purified water, titanium dioxide, white soft paraffin, and white wax.
ELOCON® Cream is a corticosteroid indicated for the relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses in patients 2 years of age or older.
Apply a thin film of ELOCON Cream to the affected skin areas once daily. ELOCON Cream may be used in pediatric patients 2 years of age or older. Since safety and efficacy of ELOCON Cream have not been established in pediatric patients below 2 years of age; use in this age group is not recommended [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and Use in Specific Populations].
Therapy should be discontinued when control is achieved. If no improvement is seen within 2 weeks, reassessment of diagnosis may be necessary. Safety and efficacy of ELOCON Cream in pediatric patients for more than 3 weeks of use have not been established.
ELOCON Cream should not be used with occlusive dressings unless directed by a physician. ELOCON Cream should not be applied in the diaper area if the child still requires diapers or plastic pants, as these garments may constitute occlusive dressing.
ELOCON Cream is for topical use only. It is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.
Avoid use on the face, groin, or axillae.
Dosage Forms And Strengths
Cream, 0.1%. Each gram of ELOCON Cream contains 1 mg of mometasone furoate in a white to off-white smooth and homogenous cream base.
Storage And Handling
ELOCON Cream is white to off-white in color and supplied in 15-gram (NDC 0085-3149-01) and 50-gram (NDC 0085-3149-03) tubes.
Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15-30°C (59-86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Avoid excessive heat.
Manufactured for : Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889, USA. Manufactured by: Schering-Plough Labo NV Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium. Revised: Apr 2013
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.
In controlled clinical trials involving 319 subjects, the incidence of adverse reactions associated with the use of ELOCON Cream was 1.6%. Reported reactions included burning, pruritus, and skin atrophy. Reports of rosacea associated with the use of ELOCON Cream have also been received. In controlled clinical trials (n=74) involving pediatric subjects 2 to 12 years of age, the incidence of adverse experiences associated with the use of ELOCON Cream was approximately 7%. Reported reactions included stinging, pruritus, and furunculosis.
The following adverse reactions were reported to be possibly or probably related to treatment with ELOCON Cream during clinical trials in 4% of 182 pediatric subjects 6 months to 2 years of age: decreased glucocorticoid levels, 2; paresthesia, 2; folliculitis, 1; moniliasis, 1; bacterial infection, 1; skin depigmentation, 1. The following signs of skin atrophy were also observed among 97 subjects treated with ELOCON Cream in a clinical trial: shininess, 4; telangiectasia, 1; loss of elasticity, 4; loss of normal skin markings, 4; thinness, 1; and bruising, 1.
The following additional local adverse reactions have been reported with topical corticosteroids, but may occur more frequently with the use of occlusive dressings. These reactions are: irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, secondary infection, striae, and miliaria.
No drug-drug interaction studies have been conducted with ELOCON Cream.
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
Effects on Endocrine System
Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids can produce reversible hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression with the potential for glucocorticosteroid insufficiency. This may occur during treatment or after withdrawal of treatment. Manifestations of Cushing's syndrome, hyperglycemia, and glucosuria can also be produced in some patients by systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids while on treatment. Factors that predispose a patient using a topical corticosteroid to HPA axis suppression include the use of high-potency steroids, large treatment surface areas, prolonged use, use of occlusive dressings, altered skin barrier, liver failure and young age.
Because of the potential for systemic absorption, use of topical corticosteroids may require that patients be periodically evaluated for HPA axis suppression. This may be done by using the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test.
In a study evaluating the effects of mometasone furoate cream on the HPA axis, 15 grams were applied twice daily for 7 days to six adult subjects with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. The results show that the drug caused a slight lowering of adrenal corticosteroid secretion.
If HPA axis suppression is noted, an attempt should be made to gradually withdraw the drug, to reduce the frequency of application, or to substitute a less potent corticosteroid. Recovery of HPA axis function is generally prompt upon discontinuation of topical corticosteroids. Infrequently, signs and symptoms of glucocorticosteroid insufficiency may occur, requiring supplemental systemic corticosteroids.
Pediatric patients may be more susceptible to systemic toxicity from equivalent doses due to their larger skin surface to body mass ratios [see Use In Specific Populations].
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
If irritation develops, ELOCON Cream should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted. Allergic contact dermatitis with corticosteroids is usually diagnosed by observing a failure to heal rather than noting a clinical exacerbation as with most topical products not containing corticosteroids. Such an observation should be corroborated with appropriate diagnostic patch testing.
Concomitant Skin Infections
If concomitant skin infections are present or develop, an appropriate antifungal or antibacterial agent should be used. If a favorable response does not occur promptly, use of ELOCON Cream should be discontinued until the infection has been adequately controlled.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
Long-term animal studies have not been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of ELOCON Cream. Long-term carcinogenicity studies of mometasone furoate were conducted by the inhalation route in rats and mice. In a 2-year carcinogenicity study in Sprague Dawley rats, mometasone furoate demonstrated no statistically significant increase of tumors at inhalation doses up to 67 mcg/kg (approximately 0.04 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis). In a 19-month carcinogenicity study in Swiss CD-1 mice, mometasone furoate demonstrated no statistically significant increase in the incidence of tumors at inhalation doses up to 160 mcg/kg (approximately 0.05 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis).
Mometasone furoate increased chromosomal aberrations in an in vitro Chinese hamster ovary cell assay, but did not increase chromosomal aberrations in an in vitro Chinese hamster lung cell assay. Mometasone furoate was not mutagenic in the Ames test or mouse lymphoma assay, and was not clastogenic in an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay, a rat bone marrow chromosomal aberration assay, or a mouse male germ-cell chromosomal aberration assay. Mometasone furoate also did not induce unscheduled DNA synthesis in vivo in rat hepatocytes.
In reproductive studies in rats, impairment of fertility was not produced in male or female rats by subcutaneous doses up to 15 mcg/kg (approximately 0.01 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream, on a mcg/m² basis).
Use In Specific Populations
Teratogenic Effects - Pregnancy Category C
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Therefore, ELOCON Cream should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic in laboratory animals when administered systemically at relatively low dosage levels. Some corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic after dermal application in laboratory animals.
When administered to pregnant rats, rabbits, and mice, mometasone furoate increased fetal malformations. The doses that produced malformations also decreased fetal growth, as measured by lower fetal weights and/or delayed ossification. Mometasone furoate also caused dystocia and related complications when administered to rats during the end of pregnancy.
In mice, mometasone furoate caused cleft palate at subcutaneous doses of 60 mcg/kg and above. Fetal survival was reduced at 180 mcg/kg. No toxicity was observed at 20 mcg/kg. (Doses of 20, 60, and 180 mcg/kg in the mouse are approximately 0.01, 0.02, and 0.05 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis.)
In rats, mometasone furoate produced umbilical hernias at topical doses of 600 mcg/kg and above. A dose of 300 mcg/kg produced delays in ossification, but no malformations. (Doses of 300 and 600 mcg/kg in the rat are approximately 0.2 and 0.4 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis.)
In rabbits, mometasone furoate caused multiple malformations (e.g., flexed front paws, gallbladder agenesis, umbilical hernia, hydrocephaly) at topical doses of 150 mcg/kg and above (approximately 0.2 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis). In an oral study, mometasone furoate increased resorptions and caused cleft palate and/or head malformations (hydrocephaly and domed head) at 700 mcg/kg. At 2800 mcg/kg most litters were aborted or resorbed. No toxicity was observed at 140 mcg/kg. (Doses at 140, 700, and 2800 mcg/kg in the rabbit are approximately 0.2, 0.9, and 3.6 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis.)
When rats received subcutaneous doses of mometasone furoate throughout pregnancy or during the later stages of pregnancy, 15 mcg/kg caused prolonged and difficult labor and reduced the number of live births, birth weight, and early pup survival. Similar effects were not observed at 7.5 mcg/kg. (Doses of 7.5 and 15 mcg/kg in the rat are approximately 0.005 and 0.01 times the estimated maximum clinical topical dose from ELOCON Cream on a mcg/m² basis.)
Nursing Mothers
Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects. It is not known whether topical administration of corticosteroids could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when ELOCON Cream is administered to a nursing woman.
Pediatric Use
ELOCON Cream may be used with caution in pediatric patients 2 years of age or older, although the safety and efficacy of drug use for longer than 3 weeks have not been established. Since safety and efficacy of ELOCON Cream have not been established in pediatric patients below 2 years of age, its use in this age group is not recommended.
In a pediatric trial, 24 atopic dermatitis subjects, of whom 19 subjects were age 2 to 12 years, were treated with ELOCON Cream once daily. The majority of subjects cleared within 3 weeks.ELOCON Cream caused HPA axis suppression in approximately 16% of pediatric subjects ages 6 to 23 months, who showed normal adrenal function by Cortrosyn test before starting treatment, and were treated for approximately 3 weeks over a mean body surface area of 41% (range 15%-94%). The criteria for suppression were: basal cortisol level of ≤ 5 mcg/dL, 30-minute post-stimulation level of ≤ 18 mcg/dL, or an increase of < 7 mcg/dL. Follow-up testing 2 to 4 weeks after trial completion, available for 5 of the subjects, demonstrated suppressed HPA axis function in 1 subject, using these same criteria. Long-term use of topical corticosteroids has not been studied in this population [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
Because of a higher ratio of skin surface area to body mass, pediatric patients are at a greater risk than adults of HPA axis suppression and Cushing's syndrome when they are treated with topical corticosteroids. They are, therefore, also at greater risk of adrenal insufficiency during and/or after withdrawal of treatment. Pediatric patients may be more susceptible than adults to skin atrophy, including striae, when they are treated with topical corticosteroids. Pediatric patients applying topical corticosteroids to greater than 20% of body surface are at higher risk of HPA axis suppression.
HPA axis suppression, Cushing's syndrome, linear growth retardation, delayed weight gain, and intracranial hypertension have been reported in pediatric patients receiving topical corticosteroids. Manifestations of adrenal suppression in children include low plasma cortisol levels and an absence of response to ACTH stimulation. Manifestations of intracranial hypertension include bulging fontanelles, headaches, and bilateral papilledema.
ELOCON Cream should not be used in the treatment of diaper dermatitis.
Geriatric Use
Clinical studies of ELOCON Cream included 190 subjects who were 65 years of age and over and 39 subjects who were 75 years of age and over. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. However, greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out.
Topically applied ELOCON Cream can be absorbed in sufficient amounts to produce systemic effects [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Mechanism of Action
Like other topical corticosteroids, mometasone furoate has anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and vasoconstrictive properties. The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of the topical steroids, in general, is unclear. However, corticosteroids are thought to act by the induction of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins, collectively called lipocortins. It is postulated that these proteins control the biosynthesis of potent mediators of inflammation such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes by inhibiting the release of their common precursor arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is released from membrane phospholipids by phospholipase A2.
Studies performed with ELOCON Cream indicate that it is in the medium range of potency as compared with other topical corticosteroids.
In a study evaluating the effects of mometasone furoate cream on the HPA axis, 15 grams were applied twice daily for 7 days to six adult subjects with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. The cream was applied without occlusion to at least 30% of the body surface. The results showed that the drug caused a slight lowering of adrenal corticosteroid secretion [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Ninety-seven pediatric subjects ages 6 to 23 months with atopic dermatitis were enrolled in an open-label HPA axis safety study. ELOCON Cream was applied once daily for approximately 3 weeks over a mean body surface area of 41% (range 15%-94%). In approximately 16% of subjects who showed normal adrenal function by Cortrosyn test before starting treatment, adrenal suppression was observed at the end of treatment with ELOCON Cream. The criteria for suppression were: basal cortisol level of ≤ 5 mcg/dL, 30-minute post-stimulation level of ≤ 18 mcg/dL, or an increase of < 7 mcg/dL. Follow-up testing 2 to 4 weeks after stopping treatment, available for 5 of the subjects, demonstrated suppressed HPA axis function in one subject, using these same criteria [see Use in Specific Populations].
The extent of percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids is determined by many factors including the vehicle and the integrity of the epidermal barrier. Studies in humans indicate that approximately 0.4% of the applied dose of ELOCON Cream enters the circulation after 8 hours of contact on normal skin without occlusion. Inflammation and/or other disease processes in the skin may increase percutaneous absorption.
Clinical Studies
The safety and efficacy of the ELOCON Cream for the treatment of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses were evaluated in two randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical trials, one in psoriasis and one in atopic dermatitis. A total 366 subjects (12-81 years of age), of whom 177 received ELOCON Cream and 181 subjects received vehicle cream, were evaluated in these trials. ELOCON Cream or the vehicle cream were applied once daily for 21 days.
The two trials showed ELOCON Cream is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Inform patients of the following:
- Use ELOCON Cream as directed by the physician. It is for external use only.
- Avoid contact with the eyes.
- Do not use ELOCON Cream on the face, underarms, or groin areas unless directed by the physician.
- Do not use ELOCON Cream for any disorder other than that for which it was prescribed.
- The treated skin area should not be bandaged or otherwise covered or wrapped so as to be occlusive, unless directed by the physician.
- Report any signs of local adverse reactions to the physician.
- Advise patients not to use ELOCON Cream in the treatment of diaper dermatitis. Do not apply ELOCON Cream in the diaper area, as diapers or plastic pants may constitute occlusive dressing.
- Discontinue therapy when control is achieved. If no improvement is seen within 2 weeks, contact the physician.
- Do not use other corticosteroid-containing products with ELOCON Cream without first consulting with the physician.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The iPhone 5's launch has come and gone, but the excitement in the case market is just getting started, with dozens of announcements appearing in our Macworld inboxes on a daily basis. From the stately to the sporty, and from the quirky to the…homemade, we've got some great new cases for you in this week's roundup.
Camalen: The Wallet Snap (iPhone 5; $89) combines a snap-on shell with a wallet using a special magnetic-attachment system that keeps things secure while allowing you to separate the components as needed. The wallet section has several compartments for cash or plastic cards; both components are made from handcrafted leather and come in plain black, croc black, orange, or tan.
Element Case: The Sector 5 (iPhone 5; $160) is a bumper constructed from aviation-grade aluminium. A simple, single-screw removal system makes the bumper—which comes in anodized grey—easy to install and uninstall, while a set of interchangeable plates protect your handset's back from bumps and scratches. The plates come either in carbon fiber or ultrasuede.
Griffin Technology: The Otis James collection (iPhone 4, 4S, and 5; $75) encompasses a series of sleeves created by renowned designer Otis James. Handmade in Nashville, TN, the sleeves are built from natural materials, such as wool, silk, and linen, and come in three different patterns. Each case provides a convenient way to carry your iPhone, as well as an external pocket in which you can stash a cable or a pair of headphones.
Hadaki: The Coated Phone Pod (all iPhone models; $17) is a sleeve designed to help you securely carry your iPhone while making a bold fashion statement. In addition to bright colors and voguish motifs, the sleeves feature a magnetic clasp that keeps your phone secure until you need it, as well as a soft, fleece interior that keeps the phone's surfaces free of scratches during transport.
Miniot: The iWood 5 (iPhone 5; $103) brings Miniot's distinctive wood-based designs to the iPhone 5 with a new case made entirely out of rich, natural materials. The case, which is available in walnut, padouk, cherry, wenge, oak, mahogany, or maple, features an excellent grip and ensures full access to all of your handset's ports and controls. The case even reproduces the iPhone's volume buttons in wood.
Rokform: The Rokshield v3 (iPhone 5; $49) combines two cases in one: An outer bumper, made of tough, shock-absorbing rubber, keeps your phone safe during active use and transport, while a lighter interior frame provides everyday protection with minimal bulk. The case, which is available in black, white, white/pink, black/gunmetal, black/red, or black/blue, is also compatible with a number of optional accessories that make it easy to mount your phone on a number of surfaces.
Satechi: The Bikermate (iPhone 4, 4S and 5; $25) is a mount system designed to fit on most bycicles and capable of playing host to a number of different smartphones, including most iPhone and iPod touch models. The Bikermate's foam-padded pocket keeps your device safe from dust, dirt, and moisture while ensuring full access to its screen and controls.
Studio Hanson: Although you're unlikely to find this case for sale in retail outlet, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to share a most-curious take on iPhone protection. Portland, OR, based Randy Hanson, has devised a method of creating a simple (but highly effective) case made entirely out of masking tape. It's probably not going to save your handset from a nasty fall—and its value as a fashion statement is dubious at best—but it's a fun and easy do-it-yourself project that won't cost you much.
Systm: The Chisel (iPhone 5; $35) features an inner shell built from Poron XRD, a special foam designed to keep your iPhone safe from shocks, an inner TPU layer, and an external hardshell, all engineered with maximum protection in mind. The Chisel is available in black/asphalt, asphalt/pop ping, or white/black.
The Hammer (iPhone 5; $30) is a simpler case that nonetheless shares a Porox XRD core with the more feature-rich Chisel. The Hammer comes in black or pink with a special textured exterior that enhances your grip when holding the iPhone.
iPhone 4 family
iPhone 5
Read our full iPhone 5 review
iPhone 4S family


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Swine flu: Without paid sick leave, workers won't stay home
Many workers choose to work if they don't have paid sick leave. Now, partly because of swine flu, 15 states are considering laws to make paid sick leave mandatory.
| AtLanta
Nearly half of all American workers do not have paid sick leave, and half of these are more likely to go to work feeling unwell – or send an ill child to school – rather than take an unpaid day off.
These findings threaten to undermine President Obama's effort to have anyone exhibiting swine-flu-like symptoms stay at home for as many as four days. The emphasis on prevention and individual responsibility is a welcome departure from the punitive government actions – such as quarantines and forced vaccinations – called for under previous pandemic-response plans, some health experts say.
But for the 48 percent of Americans without paid sick leave, the policy presents a choice between two equally undesirable options: stay at home and lose money or go to work despite government exhortations not to. Businesses, too, say the situation leads to so-called "presenteeism," or the act of going to work while unwell, costing the economy $180 million a year, by one estimate.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D) of Connecticut announced Tuesday that he is preparing emergency legislation that would guarantee paid sick days for those diagnosed with the H1N1 virus.
"Families shouldn't have to choose between staying healthy and making ends meet," Senator Dodd said in a statement.
Dodd had also championed the Healthy Families Act, which sought to mandate an hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. But that bill is stalled in Congress.
In addition, 15 states have proposed mandatory sick-leave laws, and New York City is following the lead of San Francisco, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C., which have passed some form of mandatory sick-leave measures.
The swine flu outbreak "ties back to the issue of employment rights and social support," says Marc Rodwin, author of "Medicine, Money and Morals." "There's a conflict between what's good for the public and what's good for the individual."
An estimated 100 million workers stand to lose pay if they follow Mr. Obama's advice and stay home. Some 60 million of these Americans – 48 percent of all US workers – have no sick leave at all, according to the independent Institute for Women's Policy Research, in Washington. (The US Labor Department put the figure at 43 percent in 2007.) Others lack flextime that would let them to stay home to care for family members. These data have helped to create momentum to reform labor laws. So have events on the ground.
Though the Obama administration has urged schools to stay open, 351 were closed in the third week of October because of swine flu. Some 600 have closed temporarily this school year, according to the Associated Press.
When schools close, at least one parent often needs to stay home with a child. If the US were to close all its schools for a month, the cost to the US economy would be $10 billion to $47 billion, according to a Brookings Institution study.
Businesses see a different problem – workers showing up when perhaps they should have stayed home. Presenteeism is a major problem, said 56 percent of human resources managers in a recent survey. Employees who come to work unwell tend to have lower productivity and may pass the virus to other workers, they say. The $180 billion hit the economy takes every year from presenteeism surpasses the costs of absenteeism, estimates the National Partnership for Women and Families in Washington.
In his swine flu emergency declaration Oct. 24, Obama urged larger businesses to designate company "flu monitors" to police cubicles and persuade workers showing symptoms to go home.
The burdens of these measures tend to fall hardest on low-income Americans, especially those in service industries such as restaurants and nursing care, and mall workers, where the share of workers without paid leave is relatively high.
"The flu epidemic really brings into sharp relief the kind of strain that this is putting on families," says Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families. "Our public officials are saying to people, 'If you feel sick, stay at home.' For millions of people, this is advice that's not simple to follow."
The Kaiser Family Foundation reported last year that half of workers with no paid sick leave chose to work when they were feeling unwell, rather than stay home.
So far, cities and states are taking the lead on confronting the issue.
Legislation in Maine would require large employers to give workers six paid sick days a year. Firms with fewer than 25 workers would give an hour of sick leave for every 80 hours worked. The law would apply to both full- and part-time workers.
"We are all being advised by our doctors to stay home if we're sick, but that is a cruel piece of advice if you don't have paid sick time," Maine Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell said recently.
The backdrop to the debate is the shift Obama has made in pandemic planning. By leaving decisions to the individual and focusing on prevention, he has won plaudits for approaching the pandemic with a balance of concern and context, says Mr. Rodwin, also a law professor at Suffolk University in Boston.
But businesses are pushing back. They say many firms can't afford to subsidize the government's strategy – especially if mandatory sick-leave laws are passed.
"Government is trying to do something that's well intentioned, but they have no idea what the effect is on a small-business owner," Jack Friedman of the Queens Chamber of Commerce in New York City told CNN last month.
"The difference between what we're offering and what the government is requiring us to offer could cost our business tens of thousands of dollars."


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|Article number:
|In stock
Kemper W26 Wire & Wood Tool
This tool provides the user easy clay removal and sculpting right at their fingertips. It is a wonderful combination of wire and wood.
This tool features an imported hardwood handle a brass ferrule and high strength music wire (.020" diameter).
The tool's overall length is approximately 5".


text: In Conversation with Lena Viddo by Linda Digusta In conversation with Lena Viddo, any subject will elicit an interesting story that has moved her – some are personal, like a bikini-clad, too-close encounter with a colony of wasps in an unwanted shrub. She gathers interesting information as well – the personal habits of bees, camps of immigrants living along the Thames River who survive by hunting the regal swans… Lena brings all of her enthusiasm for narrative and detail to her current series, "Earthly Delights," without sacrificing painterly values. Her surface is fine and almost irresistible to touch. Viddo's points of reference reflect the location of her two studios - rural Vermont, and the deep woods of human nature known as Manhattan. She draws on her responses to both, and much more, to inspire and inform her allegorical portraits and mindscapes - found and sourced objects, live models (including herself and her daughter), and a library of hundreds of wildlife and nature reference books. Animals are not rendered placeholders for symbols and icons, they thrive in her invented world. Depicting a sharp reality not tethered to realism, Viddo's canvases evoke a life on the edge of the incarnate. Imagined in motion her strong characters are expressed in an energy that suggests puppetry over animation. The notion of these edgy stories in performance for children is not outlandish, these matinees recall the gruesome, ancient fairy tales we asked our parents to "read over again," and every child's fascination with all thinks ooky and natural – alive or dead. So it comes as no surprise that Lena is also a devoted mom with keen insight into the inner lives of children, and a pathway to the child in each of her viewers. As in a good bedtime story, the wide eyes of an "Earthly Delights" heroine in her particular predicament - with playful mice (she's eating one), curious swans craning severed necks, enormous ticks in the curly golden locks of a nymph, loosely stitched incisions (a reference to cosmetic surgery), giant bees, menacing toys or an amorous frog - are the window on her vulnerability as well as her power to endure and vanquish. Lena says ,"Once I get the eyes, the rest of the painting flows." One can trace this dynamic in the history of her works to a series depicting submissive characters in bondage situations, "Ties That Bind," which are composed tightly around a single figure with the eyes sometimes all or partially out of view. The physical gesture so strongly radiates the angst and desire of anticipation that, when they eyes are in play, it overwhelms. For the more loosely composed "Earthly Delights" the artist restrains her own powers to dominate the emotions of the viewer, confining that energy to the depths of liquid eyes, from which escapes in flashes she allows to appear seemingly against her will. Unlike many artists who shy away from discussing underlying messages in their work, Lena acknowledges her intention to address certain issues and themes – a food/oral motif, male-female love, the tyranny of beauty, the relationship of victim and predator. Some of these visions and characterizations populate the works of a poet who particularly sparks her imagination, Pablo Neruda. From Viddo's own translation of "A Cat's Dream: "I should like to sleep like a cat, with all the fur of the ages, with a tongue rough as flint, with the dry sex of fire; and after speaking to no one, stretch myself over the world, over roofs and landscapes, with a passionate desire to hunt the rats in my dreams." Lena's work appeals to and inspires other artists. Her portrait of a roaring big cat - "Water Tiger," - from her other current series of close up-works in vertiginously layered detail with a fauvist twist and appropriately named "Sexy Beast," was acquired last year by Shepard Fairey. Another artist well known for his difficult content and great detail, Ahmed Alsoudani, enjoys the contradiction in the childlike form and angry eyes of Viddo's free-standing piece in his collection, painted on a "Dunny" toy figure, called "Hide and Secret". "I like the idea," he says, "That I have to look all around the piece to see all the details, heavy in some places open in others." He pointed out a shared element in their visual vocabulary - a zipper - which appears in his recent painting as well as Lena's work. On message, current events can affect the evolution of a painting. Viddo explained that a vignette depicting torture in a section of the large landscape "Manifest Destiny" was inspired by the news and images of the inhumane treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. In this series torture becomes fashion and fashion in the end becomes torture. Lena's paintings don't evoke feeling first, they make you see, and see again. I don't necessarily trust her not to show more than I can handle, but I know I will never resist looking. The artist possesses the insight and skill-set to transparently disturb and entertain us at the same time, and also disturb us with the fact that we are entertained…which of course teaches us something about ourselves. At her visual cocktail party, she has put her mousetrap in the potato chip bowl, and even though it snaps, and hurts, we just can't get enough. Linda DiGusta


text:
[4.7 Inch Gun M1906]
Description: The postcard captions reads: "Firing 4.7" Gun. W. H. Horne Co. El Paso, Tex." The 4.7 inch Field Gun M1906 was designed and issued by the US Army Ordnance Department in 1906. There is no accompanying information to positively identify the troops in the postcard or the exact location of this event. The postcard is addressed to J.R. Teague, Framingham Massachusetts, 114 Hollis Av. The postcard is postmarked El Paso, Texas, February 13, 1918, 2 PM.
Date: [1910..1920]
Creator: Horne, Walter H., 1883-1921
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The current process for reprogramming cells relies on a formula that uses a virus to introduce gene-altering proteins into mature cells. Certain chemical compounds, including valproic acid, that can dramatically affect global DNA structure and expression are also used to boost the efficiency of the reprogramming process.
"Our study demonstrates for the first time that the physical features of biomaterials can replace some of these biochemical factors and regulate the memory of a cell's identity," said study principal investigator Song Li, UC Berkeley professor of bioengineering. "We show that biophysical signals can be converted into intracellular chemical signals that coax cells to change."
Oct. 21, 2013 ? Bioengineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have shown that physical cues can replace certain chemicals when nudging mature cells back to a pluripotent stage, capable of becoming any cell type in the body.
The new study found that culturing cells on micro-grooved biomaterials improved the quality and consistency of the reprogramming process, and was just as effective as valproic acid.
The researchers are studying whether growing cells on grooved surfaces could eventually replace valproic acid and perhaps other chemical compounds in the reprogramming process.
"The concern with current methods is the low efficiency at which cells actually reprogram and the unpredictable long-term effects of certain imposed genetic or chemical manipulations," said study lead author Timothy Downing, who did this research as a graduate student in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering. "For instance, valproic acid is a potent chemical that drastically alters the cell's epigenetic state and can cause unintended changes inside the cell. Given this, many people have been looking at different ways to improve various aspects of the reprogramming process."
"We are also studying whether biophysical factors could help reprogram cells into specific cell types, such as neurons," said Jennifer Soto, UC Berkeley graduate student in bioengineering and another co-author of the study.
The study, published online Sunday, Oct. 20, in the journal Nature Materials, could significantly enhance the process of reprogramming adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells that can differentiate, or develop, into any type of tissue that makes up our bodies.
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to scientists who discovered that it was possible to reprogram cells using biochemical compounds and proteins that regulate gene expression. These induced pluripotent stem cells have since become a research mainstay in regenerative medicine, disease modeling and drug screening.
"Cells elongate, for example, as they migrate throughout the body," said Downing, who is now a research scientist in Li's lab. "In the case of topography, where we control the elongation of a cell by controlling the physical microenvironment, we are able to more closely mimic what a cell would experience in its native physiological environment. In this regard, these physical cues are less invasive and artificial to the cell and therefore less likely to cause unintended side effects."
The researchers grew fibroblasts cells taken from human skin and mouse ears on surfaces with parallel grooves measuring 10 micrometers wide and 3 micrometers high. After two weeks of culture in a special cocktail used to reprogram mature cells, the researchers found a four-fold increase in the number of cells that reverted back to an embryonic-like state compared with cells grown on a flat surface. Growing cells in scaffolds of nanofibers aligned in parallel had similar effects.
Previous studies have shown that physical and mechanical forces can influence cell fate, but the effect on epigenetic state and cell reprogramming had not been clear.


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Monday, March 29, 2010
Splitting Pay Between Accounts
My wife and I have had various periods of time when both of us earned an income, only one of us did, and times when neither of us earned income. One constant we maintained through all this is that all money belongs to both of us. Just because at a given time only one of us had an income didn't mean that spouse controlled the money.
We prefer to maintain separate bank accounts. Neither one of us wants misunderstandings or mistakes to lead to bounced cheques and other headaches. This means that I need to send some of my pay over to my wife's bank account.
One solution to this problem would be for her to ask me for money whenever she runs low. But in the past, this has been a problem for us. It just feels too much like begging. It's much better to have the money just arrive automatically. This approach actually makes a tangible difference in our happiness.
6 comments:
I don't need to split pay between accounts. Mine all goes to my wife's account!ReplyDelete
This is an interesting topic, and one that is almost taboo. I find the money dynamic in marriage is quite complex, even when there is no shortage of money. I imagine it would be very emotionally charged if a family is low on money.ReplyDelete
One spouse may think the other wastes money or is too tight with it. Balancing consumption and saving is tough enough with one person, and is trickier within a family environment. I like how you and your wife have largely automated the sharing of resources.
Patrick: I guess that's one solution. I find I need a few dollars to buy lunch and a round of golf once in a while.ReplyDelete
Gene: A big plus of the automation is that my wife has certainty about what money will be avaiable. She doesn't have to rely on me to remember to fill her account. She also doesn't have to contend with me deciding I'm a little short and cheating her account.
Nice solution to prevent awkward momentsReplyDelete
Seems like if "all money belongs to both of us" then the simple solution is a joint account.ReplyDelete
We share your philosophy...it's not his or hers. It's ours. Not only helps the budget, but more importantly, helps the marriage too. For us, it's not 50-50, its all in!!
Andy R: Joint accounts work for some people, but for me its like sharing a toothbrush. I want to be in control of what happens in my account. I've never bounced a cheque, and I wouldn't want to start now because of some simple misunderstanding with my wife. But, to each his own. If you and your wife have made joint accounts work and you like it, then that's great.ReplyDelete


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In a landmark ruling, the South Korean supreme court has ordered Pacific Land, a dolphinarium on the south coast of Jeju Island, to free four of its dolphins.
Between 2009 and 2010, Pacific Land Illegally purchased 11 dolphins from fishermen, without the approval of the Korean Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry. The ministry is supposed to approve marine mammal capture "for educational, performance, and exhibition" after it evaluates the animals and the organization wanting to use them. Pacific Lands had not given the ministry the opportunity to evaluate the dolphins.
"These dolphins are being kept in abysmal conditions, with barely enough room to dive in their cramped tank. They are good candidates for release and so they should be returned to the ocean." says Ric O'Barry, director of Earth Island Institute's Dolphin Project. O'Barry had been invited by the Korean Animal Welfare Association to assess the condition of the dolphins and make recommendations for their rehabilitation and release back into the ocean.
Only five of the original 11 dolphins survived at the time the courts initially ordered their forfeiture last November. Pacific Land appealed that decision, and another dolphin died in the ensuing administrative delay. This is a typical pattern, as most dolphins do not do well in captivity. The supreme court hearing, in January resulted in a "Recommendation for Comprise" ruling decreeing that Pacific Land give up ownership of the dolphins.
On April 3, the four remaining dolphins were confiscated. Two of the dolphins are in critical condition and are refusing to eat. Last Saturday, April 6 they were sent to Seoul Zoo, where they are being force fed so that they may gain weight in order to be released into a sea pen for further rehabilitation and eventual release. That same day, the two healthy dolphins were sent to a temporary sea pen, returning to the ocean for the first time in almost three years.
This case highlights important ethical questions, namely whether dolphins should continue to be treated as property under the law. Scientific discoveries over the last five decades clearly demonstrate that dolphins and whales share many traits that were once believed as belonging exclusively to humans. Their brains are among the largest in the animal kingdom, allowing for higher-order thinking such as abstract thought and logical reasoning as well as for highly developed emotional centers. In addition, there are numerous accounts of dolphins demonstrating altruistic and compassionate behaviors, such as rescuing imperiled humans and animals and aiding injured members of their own. There's also documented evidence of dolphins exhibiting what appears to be grieving behaviors.
Despite this knowledge, under the law, dolphins are allocated the same rights as the bouncing balls they are forced to perform tricks with. They are exploited for money and unequivocally denied all rights, even the basic ones of life, liberty, and freedom from bodily harm. It is inherently wrong for dolphins to have zero protections, given their striking cognitive capacities.
It is fortunate that the courts allowed these four individuals to regain their freedom and their lives; however this ruling didn't have to do with compassion or understanding for the dolphins themselves — rather it was merely the way that they were procured that contravened the law. Pacific Land has since ordered more captives to replace those lost. The Korean government should consider a ban on dolphinariums and stop the import of wild dolphins, as other countries have done.
It is hoped that all four dolphins will soon be transferred to a specially constructed sea pen and eventually released back into the ocean.
We don't have a paywall because, as a nonprofit publication, our mission is to inform, educate and inspire action to protect our living world. Which is why we rely on readers like you for support. If you believe in the work we do, please consider making a tax-deductible year-end donation to our Green Journalism Fund.Donate


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Editor's note: Early in 2003, while preparing our February Whistleblower issue (titled "Taking America Back") on restoring the nation's political, cultural and spiritual heritage, our editors asked WorldNetDaily columnist, veteran talk-show host and media expert Bob Just to write on what role America's churches should play in taking America back. The issues he addressed in that story – centered around today's neo-pagan and highly sexualized youth culture – were so potent that we decided not to publish it in that edition, but instead to produce an entire issue on the youth culture, and include it there. Here is Bob Just's recipe for galvanizing America's churches to go on the offensive in today's raging culture war.
"Often there's a kind of official and systematic 'rebelliousness' that's reflected in media products pitched at kids. It's part of the official rock video world view, it's part of the official advertising world view, that your parents are creeps, teachers are nerds and idiots, authority figures are laughable, nobody can really understand kids except the corporate sponsor. That huge authority has, interestingly enough, emerged as the sort of tacit superhero of consumer culture. That's the coolest entity of all."
– New York University Communications Professor Mark Crispin-Miller, on PBS' Frontline documentary, "Merchants of Cool"
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"My students were talking to me about the parties that they were having on weekends. And there was one place in particular where they had lots of privacy – the parents were often gone. They said that they were watching the Playboy Channel in the girl's bedroom. There would be like 10 or 12 of them up there. And so I said, well, is everybody watching it? Oh yeah, they're all watching it – and so one of the little guys goes, 'And we're getting pretty good at it too.' And I said, good at what? So he said, 'Well the game is that you have to imitate what the Playboy people are doing.' And one of them said, 'And sometimes it's all mixed up and its just like there might be three or four of us at one time, and it doesn't matter if you're two guys or two girls or a girl and a guy, it doesn't matter. You just have to do what they're doing.'"
– Middle School guidance counselor, Peggy Cooper quoted on PBS' Frontline documentary, "The Lost Children of Rockdale County"
TRENDING: Paying Iran billions in ransom is nothing to brag about
Increasingly, the horror of America's culture is becoming frighteningly clear, both for its evil intent and for its devastating effect on the nation's children. We see it everywhere, and most of us feel helpless. But I believe America's churches, of all denominations and races, standing together in every community, can fight the child-molesting culture that is destroying the character and moral core of our nation – and that has especially targeted our teenagers.
Some people think I am exaggerating to call the pop culture a "child molester." Some have trouble grasping the malevolent power of the culture, as I have found talking on the radio, and speaking to parents. I challenged one church's men's group recently – and I challenge you now – to consider the following question:
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How would you react if you caught an older man showing your 11-year-old son some pornography (a common first move among child molesters)? Well, guess what? Movie companies have been caught testing adult content movies on 11-year-olds! In fact, these kind of corrupting influences are everywhere in our society. Children can't avoid it. The average teenager is exposed to thousands upon thousands of sexual images every year. Dr. James Dobson puts it bluntly: "The culture is at war with parents."
The first thing we must do is face up to the word "war." If you really lose a war, then everything you have, everything you know, and everything you love – changes. Strangers with strange ethics suddenly are commanding you to learn their code of behavior, and to actually believe it. Strangers break up marriages and rob families of their wealth. Imprisonment of one kind or another is always a threat – and so is death. In the end, if you are conquered, you lose your whole reality.
Over time, that is exactly what the culture has done to individuals and whole families. From drugs to pornography to adultery to divorce to sexual disease, the results have been devastating.
Of course, we are talking about nothing short of spiritual warfare, and spiritual conquest. And when it comes to that realm, the churches are the only ones capable of responding effectively, and in massive numbers.
America needs the churches in this war, because in the end, they are the only ones who can fight to win. Yes, there are church and parachurch organizations already battling the culture, politically and prayerfully, but this struggle must not be left to a few brave souls. A greater movement is desperately needed. This is the Civil Rights Movement of the 21st century, and we dare not fail in responding to its call.
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What follows is an explanation of the exact danger we are in and how we can fight the addictive culture effectively by reclaiming ourselves – reclaiming our true God-anointed identities as men and women – and then empowering our children to do the same. Of course, the culture will hate us for it, since expression of real manhood and womanhood is not allowed. It's not "politically correct" – but then, neither is our faith in Jesus Christ as lord and savior. In the end, America needs its God-centered mothers and fathers.
Identity war
Recently, I attended a friend's church and several pews in front of me there sat a baggy-clothed boy around 12 years old with his hat still on. It was a dark blue wool pullover, with white skulls patterned around it. That's right, human skulls! Since I've spent most of my life in the culture as a filmmaker, writer, editor and talk show host, I'd like to say I wasn't affected. I'd be lying.
Perhaps it's a small example, but I think it's one with huge implications. It seems so odd that this child would attend a church service (about life and how to live it joyfully) with a clear symbol of death on his head. After the church service the skull-capped boy turned around – it was a girl.
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Now, let's get past all the adult excuses about typical teen rebellion and really see this for what it is. The culture war going on in America is nothing less than a battle for your child's mind. At heart, it's an "identity war" (including gender identity) that can leave your child lost, frustrated and alone – and perhaps permanently so.
Some children get sucked into the media "mind maze" and still manage to escape, but many don't escape. It affects their lives and their behavior for years to come. I know too many aging "hippies" who never got over the cultural revolution of the 1960s and '70s to think cultural identity is just "a phase."
Kids are looking for an identity, and there is a huge mass media machine eager to give them one – one that has nothing to do with reality. If you are a Christian, of course you want your child to have a Christ-centered identity, but you need to know that the culture-centered identity is the exact opposite.
Culture of death
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Don't kid yourselves. This issue is a matter of life and death. And not just because of drugs, or AIDS. There is the slow death of betrayal, anger, despair, lost opportunity and broken dreams – as many 12-year-old girls are learning at the hands of 13-year-old boys. Christians have been warning America to get serious about the culture for a long time, most famously former Secretary of Education Bill Bennett, who popularized the term "culture war." And yet, we all know who's winning that war.
Christian researcher George Barna, who has also been warning the churches for years about the growing destructive influence of the mass media culture, despairs of our current situation. A recent national survey taken by Barna's organization concluded that of the dominant social influences, including things like movies, television, books, popular music, parents, politicians and the like, the churches do not even make it to the top dozen "influencers" in our culture. This does not bode well for the future of America since the churches are our primary wisdom source when it comes to nurturing families. Without that wisdom in society, the culture runs wild – and children are its primary victims.
Let me be blunt: Unhealthy children become unhealthy adults. Unhealthy adults create unhealthy marriages. No healthy marriages, no healthy children – and so on in a downward spiral. Yes, individuals can and do turn their lives around, but the odds get increasingly dangerous since the culture corrupts young people with frightening speed.
According to New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, there are over 5 million young people between ages 16 and 24 who are out of school, out of work, with no skills, no prospects, and no hope. Five million Americans in their prime, roaming the streets prepared for nothing but misery.
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This is a time-bomb waiting to explode. And we can't just blame their dysfunctional parents, because the fact is, something corrupted the parents too. Ask yourself: Who told baby-boomers that illegal drugs were "recreational," and that promiscuous sex was "freedom"? For the most part, it all comes back to the lying culture.
However, even healthy families have plenty to fear. Think of the culture as a tank of water with many different kinds of fish swimming in it. They may be fed well; the oxygen supply may be great. But if the water is toxic, you'll get toxic fish, no matter what else you do. Parents must not kid themselves. Winning the Culture War is about changing the water our children swim in – nothing less.
What the experts know
The question is, how can we change the "mindset" we call the popular culture? After all, it has been around a long time, effectively rearing its ugly head back in the 1800s. By the 20th century, and the coming of radio and movies, a few influential people located in city centers gained the power to affect how regular Americans saw themselves.
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This is nothing new to media experts. They have long since known about the impact of the culture on social habits. In the 1930s, when the hugely popular movie star Clark Gable took his shirt off in "It Happened One Night," revealing a bare chest, American audiences took note. Suddenly the undershirt industry was in big trouble. People stopped buying them because Gable had. Of course, the reverse was obviously also true. The same technique could be used to get people to buy undershirts – or whatever.
Take this famous example of the marketing impact of movies and apply it to everything going on now in America's mass media – not just movies and television, but also the Internet, computer games, music CDs and videos, and cable like Playboy Channel, VH1 and MTV. Do this and you'll start to understand the profound effect culture has on our behavior – and not just our shopping habits.
There's more going on than merchandizing product. There's the buying and selling of "attitude."
One historic example of changing attitudes through movies was the team of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, two stars who hugely influenced the World War II generation. Many of their movies were intentionally planned as a way to change America's view of how men and women should treat each other (by changing attitudes among the young). Some of it was positive social change, but the lesson was clear. Hollywood could not only sell product, Hollywood could change minds. This skill became especially dangerous during the sexual revolution of the 1960s when Hollywood's power was released on the whole baby boom generation, just coming of age.
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I learned about the power of pop culture not only because I grew up in the culture capital of the world, New York City, but also because I was lucky to learn the trade from one of the very best graduate film schools in the country, New York University's Institute of Film and Television. For three years, we learned all this in class. Nothing I write about here will come as a surprise to any media expert or communications professor. Unfortunately, most Americans are less aware of what's going on.
Rebel culture: That's entertainment?
The reason I went to film school was so I could affect mass media and "change attitudes." It was a conscious decision on my part – I wanted to "make a difference." Ironically, it took me a while to realize that what we film students understood as purposeful "mass manipulation," most people saw as nothing more than plain old fun, relaxation, entertainment, whatever.
The reality of the culture's impact on us all is hard to face. We don't want to think our attitudes can be changed in such a calculated manner – although advertising executives will tell you how that's exactly what they get paid to do. And if the wrong people are in charge of the culture – that is, people with a corruptive nature – the overall effect can be devastating to innocence. Young minds previously open to "reality and truth" change into minds full of fantasy, false assumptions and raw rebellion.
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By the 1960s, the churches had given up their official guidance role, to which Hollywood had voluntarily submitted since the sex scandals of the early 1930s. After the churches pulled back, the floodgates opened. Each movie seemed to try to outdo the next in pushing against the sex-violence barriers. Needless to say, the rock music industry joined the cultural slide.
In the early '60s, the Beatles were singing "I want to hold your hand." Only a few years later it was "Why don't we do it in the road?" And that was tame compared to everything else. The "Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll" slogan of that era was no joke. And remember, that was over 30 years ago, when the technology was ancient and access to the American mind was limited.
Fast-forward to today's America, and you have a scene right out of the popular and pointed science-fiction film, "The Matrix" (the first one), about a futuristic world where "reality" is an addictive computer program from which people must break free and find true reality. The film was a huge hit, partly because young people instinctively understood the bottom line: America has become a fantasy-addicted, highly commercialized population, "wired in" to practically every media source anyone can imagine. Computer games that are hardly more than pornography can effectively also train kids to be killers. And real pornography is out of the closet, brought to you by corporations like GM and AOL/Time Warner.
Shows like MTV's "Spring Break" reveal teen sex playgrounds where orgiastic behavior is the whole point. Modern movies have perfected the sex-violence formula to such an extent that James Bond movies are positively bland. And the cycle is endlessly downward. Not only are consumers addicted, but so are the producers, who depend on the "revenue steam" to keep their companies solvent. The culture has almost become an independent living organism with a mind of its own, which increasingly victimizes everyone from corporations to consumers to little children. Who can say stop?
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Growing alarm in America
James Dobson, Bill Bennett and George Barna have spent a good part of their adult lives raising alarm and urging action against this corruptive culture, as have many other Christian leaders from Don Wildmon to D. James Kennedy. But increasingly, a broader, more secular political spectrum is also genuinely alarmed.
Over the last few years, more and more secular media have begun to protest this corruption, even Public Television. "Merchants of Cool" and "The Lost Children of Rockdale County" produced by PBS' "Frontline" and quoted above are full of shocking information that every parent and church leader should know – that every American should know. Both "Lost Children" and "Merchants of Cool" are available on video from PBS. Together, they paint an ugly – and accurate – picture of how the mass media manipulate American children to devastating effect.
Important: If you are interested, act immediately. PBS' rights to "Merchants of Cool" run out at the end of January 2004 and it may cease to be available after that. Both "Merchants of Cool" and "The Lost Children of Rockdale County" can be purchased from WGBH at 1-888-255-9231 or from PBS at 1-800-PLAYPBS or 1-800-531-4727. Although these documentaries were aired on PBS, you should know there is some adult content. We all need to understand the techniques marketers are using to influence our teens and preteens. Tell your friends in other churches. (See action steps at end).
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Not only does "Merchants" expose the fact that teenagers (a $150 billion market) are studied like lab rats in order to sell them product, but the video (or CD) also reveals just how the hyper-sexualized culture of MTV corrupts while it sells. And remember, this is not really a voluntary experience (although child molesters always claim their victims "want it"). American children are trapped in this hostile culture. The corruptive influences can't be avoided, and no one can make a credible case that they can. The toxic culture is almost everywhere!
Parents have good reason to worry their children won't survive the killer culture. One Columbia University report stated that whereas in the 1970s only 5 percent of 15-year-old girls had sexual intercourse, by 1997 it was 38 percent. Part of the curse of not understanding our own gender is that we then treat our sexuality as something insignificant and therefore cheap. This attitude is something we've been sold with devastating results.
Think about 3 million cases of STDs among teens every year. Think about the fact that STDs affect two thirds of college students. Two thirds! This isn't the '60s when a trip to the doctor could usually clear things up. Many of these diseases cause long-term effects, from infertility to cancer to AIDS. Kids are learning in massive numbers to accept a self-image that excuses or even glorifies self-destructive behavior. The culture is truly a killing machine, something "Merchants of Cool" makes quite clear.
I guess that video is part of the reason the skull-capped girl saddened me so. I saw her in church right after I'd shown "Merchants of Cool" to a local church leader. He was nearly in tears. And yet, as hard as this video is to watch (sexual images and all), in the end it gives you the kind of hope that comes with the awakening power of truth: Maybe, just maybe, our teenagers can reclaim their true gender identity instead of living the lie being sold to them by corporations.
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This kind of "outing the truth" is increasingly common in the mass media. ABC's Prime Time recently exposed corporate pornography where girls who just turned 18 are enticed into weird sex for broadcast by companies like DirecTV. Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly did a one-hour special titled "The Corruption of America's Children." ABC's 20/20 did an expose on the horrors of middle-school sex. The culture war rages on, but its path of destruction is no longer a secret. Everyone's talking about it. So now is the time for action.
Unplugging from the rebel culture
It is remarkable that fear of the corruptive, lying culture is being expressed from every corner of American society. However, I believe only the churches can lead America in the battle to reclaim the hearts and minds of our children from the abusive culture. Here's why.
In order to wake them up to the "culture of death" (as Pope John Paul II called it), they must be shown a viable alternative. We must bring our children out of that false culture into something real. As any teen knows, the main characters in "The Matrix" don't only come to realize the Matrix is a computerized fantasy. They also actually "unplug," waking up to true reality, and thus to their obligation to wake others up. After young Americans grasp the painful fact that they are living a "culture identity" lie, there must be a real choice – a true identity made understandable to them, and that journey to their God-centered identity begins in great part with the most powerful and personal identity they have – their own gender identity.
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I was fortunate to be given that choice, during my high school years when I most needed it. As a child of divorce, I had a developing identity problem – I didn't know who I was. Raised in Manhattan, I was surrounded with and "plugged into" the mass media pop culture of the 1960s, which was always trying to sell me something (and very good at it too). By then, the image of traditional men and women was being undermined at every opportunity.
Increasingly, the culture told women that career was more important than marriage and children. Men were also lied to. It was the era of Playboy magazine promoting an "animal man" attitude that found its greatest mass media expression in the James Bond movie series begun in 1962. This false image of manhood, which even Bond's creators admit was a fantasy formula of sex and violence, was presented to young boys as legitimate and real. Many of us didn't survive that lie intact, and are still living out an aging playboy fantasy, right along with Hugh Heffner and his silk pajamas. Very sad.
Luckily, I attended two private schools that sought to tell me truth and teach me about real life. After attending a solid progressive school named Dalton, I was also privileged to attend an all-boy Episcopal school, steeped in traditions that dated back to its founding in 1709. Dalton was wonderful but it was co-ed, casual, and essentially secular. Trinity School gave me the cultural choice I desperately needed. Imagine, right during the gender rebellion of the Beatles and the larger cultural revolution, I was educated in an atmosphere that President Teddy Roosevelt, adventurer and builder of the Panama Canal, would have recognized as healthy for young men.
I entered this "old world" nervously in the eighth grade. It was truly a different universe, requiring tie-and-jacket uniform attire and the formal address of "Sir" or "Mister" when talking to a teacher (a respect that was returned). It was a sobering experience, an atmosphere of "men-in-training" that was a balm to my dysfunctional soul. I'd been struggling to find myself and Trinity School gave me that chance by providing a firm starting-place – my identity as a young man.
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Ironically, while we "Trinity boys" were learning that respecting authority was the path to accepting our own authority as free citizens, and as men, the pop culture was actively rebelling from gender and teaching disrespect for authority – lies we still live with today. Notice that two of the toughest subjects to talk about are the value of submitting to proper authority and gender normalcy. Even traditional Christians sometimes shrink from the subject, yet the culture never hesitates to sell its rebellion and its own peculiar view of gender identity.
Selling gender attitudes
"Merchants of Cool" is an instruction manual for parents and teenagers, showing us all just what is really going on. It gives us some stunning examples of modern gender-bending, and how it's used by corporations to sell product. Frontline analyzes the two gender icons used in most marketing strategies – called the "mook" and the "midriff."
Both media caricatures will be immediately recognizable to you. The "mook" is the wild man you see everywhere, from the wild antics of comedian Tom Green and talk show host Howard Stern to just about every male you see on World Wrestling Federation. He's crude, he's rude, and he's in your face. This sells boys a false sense of male power. And girls are no better off when it comes to their cultural image. They also get indoctrinated, as the PBS makes frighteningly clear. Girls are turned into dehumanized, nymphet "blow-up dolls," symbolized by an over-sexed character marketers call the "midriff." She's everywhere in the advertising world. Pop stars across the spectrum play this role and present it as feminine, from Britney Spears to Jennifer Lopez. Ironically, they have to play these roles – because the "culture machine" demands it.
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Meanwhile, our children become the victims of false manhood and false womanhood – the barbarian and the whore. "If he is arrested in adolescence," says Frontline, "she is prematurely adult. If he doesn't care what people think of him, she is consumed by appearances. If his thing is crudeness, hers is sex."
And don't be fooled by celebrity singers who dress down in rebellion from the "midriff" stereotype. Remember my skull-capped, angry 12-year-old girl, dressed in "baggies" and looking like a boy? "Finding yourself" is about finding true manhood or womanhood, not finding new ways to rebel against it. It's about exposing the lie that says gender rebellion is freedom and sex is love. It's about coming back home to the truth that transforms a life from one of empty despair to one of joy and productivity.
Once the culture convinced parents it was wrong to support children as young men and women in training, the trouble started – and soon schools weren't doing it either, public or private. Very few single-sex schools survived the cultural revolution, and very few if any secular institutions still understand the American patriarchy, men and women who love and respect each other as men and women (definitely not gender-neutral).
Without that wisdom, love grows cold in secular society because men and women no longer trust each other enough to get married, much less to raise families. Recently, the New York Times reported on the alarming birth-rate drop in Europe, especially in Italy where city officials talked about lack of young children in the neighborhoods, the closing of schools, and the "pervasive sense that something is missing." Of course something is missing, because the pumping heart of society is the family, and the key to understanding family is understanding men and women.
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But where do young people go these days to learn how men and women should treat each other? There is an almost complete vacuum, except for the churches. The socially ignorant gender rebellion of the 20th century lives on in the 21st century as a central part of the "culture machine." Grossly dysfunctional gender images continue to be projected on youth, simply because they're good for business. No wonder everywhere you look these days there are young people living in gender confusion, filling the void as mooks or midriffs – or whatever other identity replacement the marketers package with their products.
This is not to overlook dysfunctional parents who are clearly part of the problem too (a story as old as mankind). We all know if a father (due to his own parental problems) harbors hostility toward women, and allows his own daughters to feel that hostility, those girls will grow up feeling inadequate, less comfortable in their femininity than they should be – the girl in baggies – and sadly, less comfortable with men (and ultimately their own boy children). The same thing happens to boys who regularly hear the phrase, "You're just like your father" (as I did) spoken as an insult by their mothers. They end up unconsciously passing that pain on to their wives and daughters. And so it goes. But that said, the primary engine of promoting gender confusion is the culture, and the churches are the antidote to that confusion.
Reviving gender power
The road back will not be easy, and yet we must take it. Tragically, secular America has forgotten the power and significance of gender, in this oddly Darwinian world that thinks men and women are separate coincidences of nature – with our gender power/authority being hardly more meaningful than the color of our hair. Even Christian parents sometimes treat their sons and daughters as if they are the same (leading to rebellion). But in truth, the obvious physical differences are indicative of the greater significance – the spiritual essence that makes a woman and that makes a man. Children recognize it, and need it. They need the "father spirit" and the "mother spirit." Children want the security that comes from order. They don't want confusion. They don't want "gender-neutral" parents because, then, how can they begin the journey of discovering who they are themselves, and what their responsibility should be to their future families?
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This parental neutrality combined with our anti-gender culture (which acts like that dysfunctional parent undermining our identity) leaves us in total gender confusion, not knowing who we are allowed to be. We are bottled up – like unreleased energy. Or worse, we are like Samson with his Nazarene hair cut off. Having turned his back on God's anointing, Samson loses his power. Men and women have done the same thing by cutting themselves off from their gender identity. Thus, both sexes have lost their true power – their true authority. We have rejected the Creator's anointing, as if it had no real meaning.
But God doesn't create without meaning. Even human artists know they must create with some purpose. And yet, ironically, we somehow think of the Artist of all creation as unsure and hesitant in His image of what men and women should be. He is not. For example, men must bear final responsibility for the safety and security of their families. Real men must be willing to give their lives for their wives, and real women must let them. Watch how this works, and see if you don't agree!
In the true story of John and Michelle Scully, lawyers who happened to be together on an ill-fated day in 1993 at a San Francisco law firm, this truth was heroically demonstrated. A gunman killed 8 people there in a rage of bloody violence – and one of those people was newlywed John Scully. As the deranged gunman was about to shoot the couple, John covered his wife with his own body. She lived and he died. And none of us would say that was out of order. And we all know too that Michelle would protect her children with the same courage and selfless nobility. We understand intuitively that this order of responsibility cannot be reversed.
Under normal circumstances, it would be wrong for Michelle to try covering her husband's body with her own, nor would 28-year-old John Scully have allowed it. We would all have contempt for him if he did. That's just the way it is. God made the order. We know it when we see it – and so do children. Yet, the culture has persuaded us to turn our back on God's plan for us and to seek our own order, to make our own rules, and to declare our own power. It didn't work for Samson, and it won't work for us.
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So it's not surprising we have trouble disciplining our children on moral behavior (one of the more common complaints about baby-boomer parents). We rejected our true authority decades ago. And now, we adults don't feel comfortable in our "self-made" authority as gender-neutral fathers and mothers.
American society is responding the same way. Genuine adult supervision of the "public square" is glaringly absent. In both PBS documentaries, it's clear that no one feels responsible. The producers of the social sewage that pours through your television think they are just giving people what they want – they say the parents have to be responsible. Meanwhile, parents blame the culture, and the accompanying peer pressure.
"I just feel helpless," said one despairing father in "The Lost Children of Rockdale County," whose pre-teen daughter had been involved in many sexual orgies, which led to an STD epidemic. "I don't believe I could put enough pressure on my family, my daughters, to overcome that kind of pressure, the social pressure that they come under. There's just no way to do it."
He's not the only one at a loss. The documentary ends with a mother's sad comment. "I don't know the answer to it. I don't think anyone does – because if there was an answer we'd change it. You would help any kid you could help if there was an answer."
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Thankfully, there is an answer. We need American mothers and fathers to be faithful to their anointing, to once again take hold of our civilization and lead as men and women. We need that new Civil Rights Movement, re-creating the loving environment that blessed this country not so long ago – a child-friendly environment that comes from a gender-friendly culture. Our secular (Darwinist) government – which thinks we are freaks of nature – can't help us with this vision, because it can't believe we are created beings, and therefore, it can't believe we have any spiritual authority, any gender authority. But we do! And you know we do.
Rise up, and be the mother or father God created you to be! Do that and your children will respond – eventually – whether you are a single parent or not, especially if you are backed up by the mothers and fathers of your church. If fact, that's the secret to the whole thing. If you don't belong to a church, find one that understands this anointing you have, and honors it. Find one that fully supports you in your desire to be a strong and noble mother or father. Your children need you to be that, no matter what the "culture spirit" in them says. They need to "unplug," and for that they need the "parent spirit" in you to show them the way. Give them that love, bless them in their gender anointing. Give them their power back --and don't let anything stop you.
Rise up, churches, and lead us out of this darkness. Our parents need you to boldly support them in their god-given gender identity. Our children need you to show them a social culture that can stand up to the deceitful culture and call it a liar. Gather your men together. Gather your women together – your fathers and mothers, your grandfathers and grandmothers. Connect to other churches. Prepare to lead your community back to the love it once had – and don't let anything stop you.
You and the wisdom God gave you are truly America's only hope.
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Practical action steps
Important: Please remember the following are only broad guidelines and ideas to get you thinking along certain right lines. It goes without saying that this type of outreach must be individual and spirit-led. So consider these action steps only as general principles, and not a rigid recipe.
One other thing: There are many good fighters in this cultural battle, using tools like education, boycotts, and political organizing. This is good and we should all involve ourselves in these efforts. However, I am addressing here the need for a more personal spiritual fight that begins with recognizing our own authority as men and women, and ends when we use that authority to reclaim our families and our land. In this struggle against the corrupt culture, we must remember they have their own support group (almost everywhere you look). But ours is more powerful by far - if we use it. We have our own support in the body of Christ, especially the church community both local and national, which can demonstrate a life-giving alternative to the killer culture.
FIRST STEP: Following simple logic, the first step is to bring yourself to a full awareness of the seriousness of the situation, and of why something proactive must be done. Most of us can get alarmed about problems, but then do nothing because "the big picture" seems so intimidating. Just take the first step and see what happens.
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Order a copy of "Merchants of Cool." Both the DVD and video are available. (Later, you may also want "The Lost Children of Rockdale County," which describes the devastating effects of peer and cultural pressure on one particular group of teens in an Atlanta suburb.) But for now, "Merchants of Cool" will tell you all you need to know about the "identity war" going on in your community – and very possibly in your child's heart. Consider it an essential tool, not only in inspiring your church leaders to action, but ultimately even using it to connect to older teenagers. (For younger teens, and certainly for pre-teens, avoiding certain segments will be necessary.) The point is that you will have a video that will do the talking for you. This is very important. We all think we understand how bad the culture is, but we don't really. We also don't understand the techniques involved, but this video will make all that clear.
Of course, this article is another tool you have to raise alarm among friends and family. One word of caution: Don't expect everyone to react with your passion. Your job is to find the people who see what you see, and want to fight by your side. Too often, the first friend we talk to doesn't have our passion – and we fizzle out. Don't let that happen to you. Find your team, and that's the next step.
SECOND STEP: Find a few other concerned parents of your own gender to watch "Merchants of Cool" together when it arrives. Yes, you can see it on the PBS-Frontline website, but it won't be nearly as effective – especially not for group viewing. The website will be useful later to allow others to preview the program. Partners are good because if two or three people go to a busy church leader to say something is important, it tends to have more impact. Again, find your team.
THIRD STEP: Go to your church leadership and ask for a meeting with as many of them at once as possible. The youth leader should certainly be there. Have a formal screening of "Merchants of Cool." Ask them if they would consider arranging a screening for the men and women of the church. After that, it is up to your clergy to design a course of action. They may have to present the idea to others in the church. It all depends on how the church authority is structured. Apply the same wisdom here as you did in previous steps. Don't let one person's reaction be the end of your effort. Remember, you are dealing with very busy people. Just make sure you've reached out to as many as you possibly can.
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FOURTH STEP: Hopefully, your church leadership will approve going to the congregation. It should be screened separately for each gender so each can respond spiritually as "fathers" and "mothers." It is difficult to recommend steps past this point, since everything depends on the reaction you get. What you are looking for is genuine determination: first, the horror that comes from fully understanding and acknowledging the anti-God culture; and second, the inspiration to figure out a way to fight back. Almost anything you do will have impact. Your church can begin the process of healing by simply raising this issue with other churches, youth groups, schools, parent and civic groups. You will be amazed at how many people are also horrified at this thing we call culture. It represents a very different America.
Standing firm and taking action
Rather than describe any more specific steps, I will just give you a few thoughts to point you in the right direction. Here's another warning: We are talking about a genuine spiritual battle to awaken the youth – and many adults along with them. There will be resistance – after all, the culture is like an addiction and you and your team are performing a real intervention. So don't be discouraged if things happen slowly.
Even after showing the video to the larger congregation, you will encounter some disbelief. Get your older members to talk about how men and women used to treat each other, and discuss how that "gender respect" was lost. You may want to challenge your church to go without TV for a week. The next Sunday you can all gauge the reaction, and tell your stories. If you dare, challenge yourselves to continue the TV fast for one more week! There is no better way to recognize an addiction than to go without. Few of us really recognize the power of television. For example, challenge yourselves with this question: Which is more real to you, what you read in the Bible, or what you see on TV? I'm afraid many of us would have to honestly admit that the culture is usually more real. After all, your church gets you for only a few hours a week. The culture gets the rest of your time. That says everything, doesn't it?
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Once the full church recognizes the problem, and feels a genuine desire to do something, the next mission is to show it to your older teens, keeping the genders separated. Let them recognize the problem as future men and women. Challenge them with the idea of "unplugging" from the culture. They know the culture is unreal – but they are hooked. A powerful motivation for teens to "unhook" is for them to realize younger children are watching and being influenced by them. So inspire the older teens to help you reach down to the preteens who are especially vulnerable. Let the older teens who are interested be part of the instruction. Challenge the children to join you in this fight against an unreal culture that hurts people every single day.
As your youth leaders will know, video is a very powerful teaching tool. Again, don't be surprised at how addicted your children (and many of your adults) are to culture. Part of the reason gender power is so important is that you will need something very strong to go up against the culture, including of course, prayer. Remember David and Goliath. David turned away from the king's armor and went to fight Goliath with the gifts God gave him. Well, the first gift God gives us, along with life and soul, is our gender identity – our true manhood or womanhood. Use that spectacular gift to stand against the Goliath culture, and get ready to watch it fall!
Read also "Selling sex
and corruption to your kids" and "Why today's youth culture has gone insane" by David Kupelian.
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NOTE: The December 2003 edition of WND's acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine, from which this article is excerpted, is titled "KILLER CULTURE," and is available at WND's online store.
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Also, a one-hour video talk by Bob Just entitled "Culture Revival: A Call to the Churches" is available. It also includes further discussion of the core message of "Merchants of Cool," and is perfect for showing to church groups or interested individuals. It covers: how corporations exploit your teens; how the pop culture functions and how it targets your children; how we can guide America's youth back to their God-centered identity; why churches are key to the survival of America and how they can have more impact on the culture. Available on VHS video ($19.95) or CD ($14.00) – price includes priority mail shipping. Send a check or money order to Bob Just Communications, 233 Rogue River Hwy, Grants Pass, OR 97527.


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Many folks plan summer vacations that involve a lot of driving. For those sticking close to home, gas and maintenance are usually the biggest car-related expenses. But if you're planning to rent a car at your destination, many other factors can influence the overall impact on your travel budget.
Here are a few potential rental car expenses you may not have considered:
Tourism taxes. Many hard-hit local governments have implemented a variety of taxes on lodging, airport usage, rental cars and other services more likely to impact tourists than local residents. Factor these into your budget.
Insurance. Car rental agencies typically offer their own collision, liability, theft and other insurance coverage. Conventional wisdom says you should avoid this route if your own insurance plans — or benefits available from your credit card — provide similar coverage.
Before automatically rejecting rental agency coverage, however, contact your insurance company and credit card issuer to make sure you are fully covered. Consider factors such as:
• Rental period
• Car model
• Travel outside specified service areas
• Whether you carry comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car; if you don't, you may not be covered for a rental by your insurance carrier
• What happens if you violate rental agreement terms (e.g., allowing unauthorized drivers).
If you decide to forego agency coverage, bring along your proof-of-insurance card. One additional caution: Many standard rental contracts default to "yes" for each type of insurance, so you must specifically write "no" to any coverage you don't want.
Find the right car. You can comparison shop at websites like www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com, www.hotwire.com or www.priceline.com, order a car directly through individual rental agency sites, or buy a package deal including airfare and lodging.
In addition, discounts from membership organizations like AAA, AARP or frequent flyer programs can be substantial. Rates vary widely, so be prepared to wade through numerous choices for car models and features.
Besides flat daily rental charges, factor in potential deal-breakers including airport shuttle convenience, fees for mileage exceeding a basic allowance, fees to return the car in another city (sometimes astronomical), late return fees, gas tank refilling charges, fees for additional drivers, surcharges for drivers under 25 – the list goes on.
Ask about refueling rates, how much the company will charge to refill the tank if you bring the vehicle back empty.
Make sure you see and understand all fees and taxes before locking in a reservation. Then, check back periodically for better deals – there's usually no penalty to cancel a reservation.
Inspect the car. Before you drive off the lot, thoroughly inspect the car, inside and out, for any pre-existing damage and have it noted on your contract; otherwise you could receive a hefty bill for even the most minor scratches and dents. Likewise, when you return the car, consider taking time-stamped photos or video to prove it was in good shape.
A rental car is only one element of your vacation budget. Visa Inc.'s free personal financial management site, Practical Money Skills for Life (www.practicalmoneyskills.com/travel), features many vacation budgeting tools including a web-based calculator that suggests various travel options and then automatically tallies the results.
Enjoy your vacation. Just make sure you don't blow your budget on unnecessary rental car expenses.
Alderman directs Visa's financial education programs. Sign up for his free monthly e-Newsletter at www.practicalmoneyskills.com/newsletter.