text:
The Present Day UFO-ALIEN
as interpreted from a Biblical Precedent
by J. Timothy Unruh
Chapter Four
What is life? Put this question to a biologist and he responds: Ask me another. Ask a chemist and he might provide the inquirer with an obtuse mathematical equation. Ask an astronomer about the source of life and he might point to the stars. There is documented evidence that Earth has in fact been visited by beings from beyond our world. Even though this evidence is of a superior quality, it is not the kind of evidence for life among the stars that is taken seriously or sought after by public promoters and researchers who have spent countless millions of dollars in their search for extraterrestrial life. Furthermore, there is not even a qualitative consensus among scientists as to what, by definition, life truly is. In the Bible, which tells us much about life, God is clearly revealed as the giver of life. Dissenters will argue that this is not the kind of life that should be discussed. Notwithstanding, all life does indeed come from the Creator, thus it has a definite source, abode and purpose.
Probably the greatest and strangest mystery of our present time is that of UFOs ("unidentified flying objects") and related phenomena. By definition UFOs include phenomenon found among reports of aerial objects, lights, beings, or physical effects that are regarded by witnesses as anomalies because of their peculiar behavior. Included in these are the infamous "flying saucers." Certainly these phenomena present a serious challenge to our understanding. After years of studying case reports and eye-witness accounts involving these anomalous occurrences, leading researchers have admitted they have no truly adequate explanation. Since the modern era of UFO sightings began after World War II, reports of unidentified flying objects have steadily increased in numbers. Until only recently such reports were usually discounted as natural phenomena or explained away as erroneous sightings due to poor observations. Because of the enormous increase in the numbers of these reports in the past five years there has been a major shift in public awareness, interest, and opinion about these strange apparitions, so much so that even the skeptics are now left with the burden of proof for their insistence that UFOs do not exist. Rather than just being relegated to obscure and incredulous fringe groups of eccentric followers whose sanity was often questioned, the UFO phenomenon has gained such widespread popular interest that people from all walks of life and social classes are involved, including quite respectable middle and upper class professionals. Furthermore, UFOs have reportedly been spotted by a number of our cream-of-the-crop American heroes, the astronauts. Even former presidents have filed reports. Such seemingly incredible sightings have caused many to believe that Earth is being visited by aliens from a distant planet. As a cultural reflection of this belief, theatres now abound with motion pictures carrying themes of UFOs and alien visitations, mutilations, peculiar geographical markings, strange vampire like creatures, and other paranormal topics. Television and radio is rife with entire programs and features presenting evidence of these extraordinary UFO occurrences. Meanwhile, workshops, encounter groups and major conventions are springing up in many places offering a forum for the exchange of information and for the consolation of people who have been directly or indirectly affected or victimized by these bizarre occurrences - occurrences often accompanied by terrifying consequences. This world wide fascination with UFOs and related phenomena has reached an all-time high in our present day. A UFO sighting occurs somewhere on Earth every three minutes. Recent surveys indicate that approximately half of Americans believe UFOs are real and that they represent alien space craft. Many millions claim to have seen a UFO at one time or another, and, according to a recent estimate, nearly one million Americans claim to have been abducted by aliens. It is evident that something very significant is occurring and that it is a serious problem which is not going to diminish soon. Like every other "new thing" that confronts us it certainly demands an explanation.
Since all truth, authority and power rests in the Almighty, it is clear that only the discerning Christian community, equipped with the resources of Holy Writ, has the ability to provide a systematic, sensible, and truly Biblical solution to this perplexing dilemma of UFOs and alien visitations now so widely reported. Since God created all things, it is obvious that His word must apply, either directly or indirectly, to all of life's concerns. Hence, this must include our present inquiry into this intriguing matter. It is increasingly clear that the prevalent rationalistic world views held by modern science, astronomy, politics, and other involved disciplines are not able to provide a satisfactory answer to this perplexing question. The inability of even our government to make a definitive diagnosis of the UFO phenomenon has led to a variety of hypothesis. Two interpretive models, although, dominate as a public explanation: the Naturalistic-Technologic Hypothesis, (NTH) and the Extra-Terrestrial Hypothesis (ETH). Following a brief evaluation of these two hypotheses, a third, or Biblical Hypothesis is described.
The NTH explains UFOs as being produced by natural effects or man-made objects. Until recently, this has been the predominate view in the scientific community. Natural effects may include unusual cloud formations and atmospheric phenomena, mirages, bright stars and planets, meteors, inversions, "swamp gas" and so on. Technologic effects may include satellites, rocket launchings or reentries, airplanes or obscure and unusual aircraft, weather balloons and other types of IFOs (Identified Flying Objects), and the likes. Closer examination of these explanations, which have long been offered up as "official," have consistently betrayed very serious deficiencies. A case in point is the well documented account of an experienced pilot and survivor of many World War II missions who flew in pursuit of "an enormous metallic object" moving at great speeds and up to great heights. The object was fruitlessly chased by several other pilots as well. The war veteran died in a crash as a result of his pursuit. The public explanation given was that the pilot had been pursuing the bright planet Venus, lost consciousness at great altitude, and then perished in the crash of his plane. The fallacy of this explanation became apparent when it was pointed out that this incident occurred, during broad daylight, when Venus was so obscure that it would have required a careful search of the skies in the right area by an experienced observer with acute vision in order to see the starlike point of light. One suggestion offered for such habits of misinformation is that of policies surrounding issues of national security and the protection of classified projects. Many nations around the world have officially or secretly engaged in serious UFO investigations at the governmental or military level, yet the United States government has consistently denied the existence or danger of UFO's and extraterrestrials. Secret government projects involving bizarre and exotic experimental technologies have often been suggested as an explanation for UFO reports. These may exist to some extent, yet even these possibilities inherently leave a trail of unanswered questions.
Hoaxes have played a part, as well, in the case lists of sightings. Of interest is the fact that many falsified photographs have been made of UFOs, and in particular, flying saucers. Some of these have been very convincing and when they are dumped into the information channels it only makes for greater difficulty in separating the wheat from the chafe. There is, although, something important to be remembered about such falsifications; whenever one finds counterfeits that in itself is a vital indication of a real and authentic original counterpart. As in any discipline, if it were not for the original there would be no idea for the derivative imitation. Anything worth an imposture is almost certain to exist in its ultimate reality as a genuine fact. This is the often overlooked principle of imitative correspondence, since imitations are inherently subsidized by the real. This is just as likely in the UFO arena as in any other pursuit. One interesting observation about UFO photographs is that there are often complaints about the poor quality of the images, that they are "always blurry and out of focus" or not well defined. Yet, at the same time, when detailed good quality high resolution photographs are obtained, the same critics contend that they are phony and staged. One just can't win!
The ETH explains UFOs as representing alien spacecraft occupied by beings conducting an exploration of our world and its life forms. There has been a dramatic shift in popular opinion in recent years from the NTH to the ETH. There are, although, serious inherent deficiencies in the ETH just as there are in the NTH. At the outset, it should be noted, there is an intimate and traceable connection between the expectation of life in outer space and the theory of evolution. Also significant is the fact that the physical structure or appearance of observed aliens is usually quite "humanoid" rather than strictly "alien." This should stand out as a conspicuous coincidence and strange effect, considering the unique adaptations of life within an alleged evolutionary construct, especially in a context cosmic in scale. Given the narrow parameters required for the development of life in outer space, coupled with the exceedingly harsh environments encountered there, there is an inherent statistical unlikelihood of any planet capable of producing life which could develop intergalactic travel. Even the distance of the nearest star to Earth would represent an 80,000-year round trip journey given our present technology. One highly respectable source reported that it is unlikely that any star within 100 light years from Earth is stable enough to support biochemical evolution. The vast distances between improbable candidates would seem to negate the possibility of extraterrestrials visiting our world from outer space. The hard fact is that recent "discoveries" of planets in space and "life" on Mars, for instance, remain unconfirmed and speculative at best, if not downright unprovable. Furthermore the number and variety of alien encounters being reported far exceeds that required for a sensible exploration of our Earth. Noteworthy is the fact that leading UFO researchers admit that there seems to be no evidence that these strange effects originate from outer space.
Even though the UFO phenomenon remains largely unexplained, it has become a well established and very credible phenomenon accompanied by very real and measurable physical effects as substantiated by a great number of reliable witnesses and investigators. The question then remains, if UFOs are not natural or technically induced illusions and if they are not extraterrestrial in origin, then what are they? A few researchers have offered up a rather vague, somewhat para-psychological, if not downright mystical suggestion that the present phenomenon is a "physical manifestation of an interdimentional paranormal consciousness that has the ability to manipulate the collective human consciousness and perception, as well as matter and energy." This suggestion, difficult to make sense of, only contributes to the problem. UFOs are characterized by their ability to violate the known laws of physics when maneuvering in the atmosphere, and they are usually very elusive. Unless they are the products of some long standing well kept technological secret, they seem to represent an intervention by unseen intelligent powers who can manipulate or transcend the laws of nature at will. The former seems incredible given the improbability of human nature, en masse, for maintaining secrets in the aggregate for any length of time. The latter possibility, although, seems much more likely based on the observed facts, and especially on what we know from Scripture. As said before, many who claim to have had encounters with UFOs have reported that these objects seem to be more alive and intelligent than just mechanical craft. Given the obvious deficiencies by which both the NTH and the ETH are plagued, we have yet another model with which to explore this problem, a solution which has been largely overlooked if not simply ignored, namely, the Biblical Hypothesis. The model demonstrated here is not only consistent with the known facts but has a sound Scriptural basis as well. Thus it becomes rather ostensible that the "aliens" are none other than the fallen angels or demons mentioned in Scripture.
As pointed out previously, one of the greatest enigmas of life is the issue of human suffering. It is, although, well known that the scriptures make an ultimate connection between suffering and original sin. It is also evident from Scriptural implications that the mystery of iniquity started with an insurrection among the ranks of the host of heaven. This iniquity was soon transferred to man at his fall in Eden. Satan had the power to intervene and modify physical reality from the beginning, hence his appearance to our first parents in the form of a serpent. It is evident that throughout history he has repeatedly demonstrated this power through his agents, those diabolical leagues of demons, who share this supernatural power to materialize in a variety of formidable apparitions and manifestations. The most atrocious historical incidence of this invasion was the earlier quoted episode of extraterrestrial or "alien" visitations to Earth as recorded in the sixth chapter of Genesis which we again quote in the following because of its importance to our understanding of this vital issue and its relevance to our present day:
"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:1-4 )
From this account as recorded in Genesis 6:1-4 we know that a great amount of ancient Babylonian, Greek, and Roman mythology have been generated, traditions of roving god-beings, lustful orgies, and promiscuous, fickle, and insatiable offspring who were hard to please. It is these same beings whose amorous propensities for members of the human race led to births of half human and half divine demonized offspring, as we saw earlier. The New Testament also makes note of this event in at least three other key passages: I Peter 3:19, 20; II Peter 2:4-6; and Jude 1:6-7. The facts of the case are simple and unequivocal and the supporting evidence is too great to deny and too varied to detail it all here, but suffice it to say, angelic, or, rather, demonic beings ("sons of God" by direct creation) did come to Earth and did "abduct" human beings and did actually interbreed with them. The vicious offspring of these unlawful cohabitations were demon possessed grotesque sub-human physical giants whose animated purpose was to thwart the plan of God and pollute the human race, hence destroy the Seed, that is, Jesus Christ. There is a wealth of extra-Biblical evidences of giants among the historic traditions of various cultures of the world. Furthermore there has been found confirming evidence in the fossil record of "human" gigantism at various places in the world of the past. The result of this genetic travesty, the hybridization of astral and terrestrial beings, was exceeding wickedness and only evil continually. Violence was so rampant that it "repented" God and "grieved him at his heart" that He had made man upon the Earth (Genesis 6:5-7). Thus the judgment of the great Flood was accelerated not only because of man's sin but because of this supra-demonic evil. This incident recorded in Genesis 6:1-4 seems to have a strange parallel and similarity to what is being reported today in the UFO-alien abduction phenomenon.
It is therefore apparent that there is a much deeper, more profound, and diabolical meaning to what is occurring in the UFO phenomena today than what is being suggested through semi-scientific explanations. The evidence is undeniable that this phenomenon is an important aspect of what the Bible discloses as spiritual warfare. Given that our atmosphere is literally swarming with advocates of "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12) it should come as no surprise that there might be an occasional visible manifestation, or materialization, of such a presence and perversion of God's created order. It is increasingly evident that there is a strong connection between the UFO phenomenon and the culting of our modern world. Christian UFO researchers have noted a very high incidence of prior involvement in the occult by individuals who have been contacted or abducted by UFOs. It is also evident that UFOlogy - the fascination with UFOs and alleged space creatures - has precipitated squarely into the midst of the New Age movement of which advocates increasingly deny man's evolutionary ascension from an elementary organism in a primordial soup in favor of his supposed regal origin in the stars. Many of these people claim that "we are not alone" and that extraterrestrials have visited Earth in the past. Some even advocate that we were "planted" here and that these creatures have returned to further "cultivate" us. The "proof" of this is seen in the current alien abduction epidemic. The "aliens," which are often described as insect like creatures with almond-shaped eyes, thus engage themselves through weird nocturnal kidnappings during which they conduct crude and grotesque "examinations" and surgical procedures, often sexual in nature, and reminiscent of medieval tales of encounters with demons. Many people have, through hypnosis and other means, claimed to receive revelations or messages from extraterrestrials, the so called "space brothers." These messages typically come through occultic means such as channeling (spiritism), automatic handwriting, or other paranormal means. It is also apparent the aliens seem intent on accelerating human evolution into the "Aquarian Age" when there will be ultimate human "unification and harmony." There is, although, nothing in the UFO phenomenon that leads to belief in the one true God. The "visitors" thus appear to be in tune with what has come to be known as New Age religion, including eastern mysticism, astral projection, and harmonic convergence, and so on. None of these are in harmony with Jesus Christ. They are more interested in steering us away from the one who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," to fool mankind about Bible prophecy, and even to falsify His coming in the very era of Christ's return. The messages seem to be a counterfeit parallel to Christianity and their agenda seems to include, at one point, a massive evacuation or "rapture" of sorts for the "qualified" and "in tune" element, or remnant, of the population prior to a disastrous armageddon-like epoch which, in turn, is to be followed by a blissful New Age. All of this has the potential of a monstrous and unprecedented deception, of which the paradigm shift in our own day is but a preparation. The Bible tells us that the fallen angels have shadowed humanity ever since Satan deceived our first parents in Eden. Even though this fact is discounted by modern day rationalists who reject the supernatural, the Christian must not forget that the creation of the heaven and the Earth was a supernatural beginning, that the inspiration of the Word of God was a supernatural process, that the coming of Christ was a supernatural event and finally, the Christian's own personal salvation is a present and ongoing supernatural act of God in the fullest sense. It is clearly an odd contradiction, especially for the believer, to discount the supernatural quality of his or her faith. By the same token, the supernatural element of reality is a dynamic ingredient within the heinous activities of the fallen angelic host as well. It is a comfort for the believer to know that meanwhile God's Holy angels, in even greater numbers, continue to engage themselves as ministering spirits on behalf of God's people (Hebrews 1:4). The same also signal the ultimate victory of good over evil. It is thus evident that the paranormal attributes, especially of the visiting abductors, seem to correspond to those of angelic beings, particularly fallen angels or demonic agents, whose abilities to effect physical reality are already established in Scripture.
Many, if not all, of the UFO cases involve sinister activities and messages which are decidedly anti-Christian. In light of these messages it is virtually senseless to think that alleged extraterrestrials would travel millions of light years simply to teach New Age philosophy, deny Christianity, and promote the occult when there is already a preponderance of such activity already occurring in our world. The UFO apparitions appear intelligent in themselves if not controlled by some mysterious intelligence. Discerning Christians have suggested that those involved with these apparitions are not in contact with extraterrestrials but with demonic spirits intent on driving people away from Christ. It is evident that the same entities who operate in haunted houses are likely the same agents that are at work propagating the UFO and related phenomenon, with some likely technical assistance from misguided and depraved humanity, quite possibly a demon possessed segment of human collaborators. Again, considering the issue of possible intelligent life on other planets is the question of how unfallen beings, assuming that "aliens" are unfallen, could share the same universe with fallen creatures, i.e., humans, considering that the effects of original sin seem to pervade the entire universe (Roman 8:19-22).
Regarding it as too incredulous some theologians have argued that the original Hebrew rendition of Genesis 6:1-4, "doesn't allow" for actual demonic interbreeding or "marriage" with men (women). It is instead declared that the "sons of God" were godly "Sethites" who intermarried with the ungodly "Cainites" (The mere consideration of the "godly" marrying the "ungodly" is a patent practical contradiction in itself), or that angels "have no flesh," they are spirits. Yet we find that the Hebrew does allow for it, the Sethite argument does not hold up, and that angels can indeed assume human form of which a classic example is given in Genesis 18 and 19 where angels took on human form in its fullest anatomic sense and undoubtedly with complete human bodily capabilities. A popular argument which construes that angels have no sex is taken from Matthew 22:30. Such a statement, however, is never made in the passage. The verse only says that they do not marry; it comments neither on their ability to marry, nor specifically on the status of disobedient fallen angels, since only the good angels are mentioned. Genesis 6:1-4 records nothing less than a profound and startling intervention of certain fallen angels into the affairs of humanity before the flood and once more in the land of Canaan pending the arrival of the Israelites to that promised land. These had the audacity to fabricate a false "virgin birth" in the most preposterous manner imaginable. Thus we can see an historic precedent to the current alien abduction invasion in their unlawful tamperings with mortal man in these last days. "And, as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." -Luke 17:26
Many false prophets have arisen to proclaim the imminent end of the world and their word has gone without effect. With the advent of the turn of the millennium there undoubtedly will arise a similar sensation. Yet, it is quite likely that Satan has already long effected our calendar to where even the year 2,000 is obscure. If the awe of that imminent year comes and goes without the sensation they sought it is likely that many will "go back to fishing" saying "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (II Peter 3:4) for it is written, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36).
The fearful phenomenon of demonic "taking" or "abduction" and "habitation" of human bodies has been repeated many times throughout history, although never on the global scale of which Satan attempted in the days of Noah, with one possible exception, now. Just as world conditions in the days before the Flood pre-staged that early catastrophe, so will world conditions in the last days of this age foreshadow a potentially greater disaster. This would also include a preponderance of the occult and of extraterrestrial or trans-dimensional demonic intervention (Genesis 6:2; I Timothy 4:1; Revelation 9:1-11). We see clear evidences of this today in a varied form under the guise of "UFOs" and "aliens from another world" who come to deceive, kidnap and possess humans in a godless deception perfectly tailored to our modern technological age. Evidence from the Bible indicates that it is very real but, in reality, it is not what it is purported to be and is not what most people thing it is. "...in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (I Timothy 4:1)
It is apparent that UFOs represent an intelligence that has interfaced with humanity and has assumed varied forms from the beginning. It is doubtful that these intelligences come from outer space. Giving no hint of "life" existing elsewhere, Scripture points to the centrality of the Earth in the creation account, the work of God's salvation, and in the promises of future cosmic restoration. On Earth God presents Himself in solemn covenants and Divine appearances. On Earth the Son of God became man, and on Earth stood the cross of the Redeemer. Even the physical centrality of the Earth is implicit in the creation account from the fact that God created the Earth before he created the Sun, Moon and stars. Reckoning the principle of correspondence, of which the Scripture is abundant, even the astute cosmologist must ask himself, what was the station of the Earth "revolving" around before the Sun was created days later. All of the factors surrounding the UFO and related phenomenon corresponds with warnings issued in the Bible against these very "principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places" who "left their own habitation." They along with their unchained cohorts have left a trail of deception and atrocity throughout history. Against these, our only reliable answer, recourse, and sanctuary is God's Holy word of truth and righteousness. His glorious Person and finished work constitute the only but all-sufficient ground of deliverance from the baleful power of supernaturalism. He is "the Way," leading out of darkness; "the Truth," protecting from error; and "the Life," delivering from death (John 14:6). In Him there is full redemption; apart from Him, unalleviated woe. According to a recent survey of several hundred people who claimed to have been abducted by aliens, there were no true Bible believing Christians found among the interviewees. Thus we find another "red-flag" indicator that this phenomenon is decidedly demonic. Dear reader, are you a born again Christian? One of Christ's great comforts to the believer is the Biblical declaration that "...greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" ( I John 4:4).
In due process Earth has proven to be unique as an abode of living creatures and a most suitable place for such inhabitants including man, as it is written: "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain (waste), he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord and there is none else" - Isaiah 45:18. Thus the Earth is disclosed in Divine revelation to be a unique place insofar as human, animal, and plant life is concerned. It is God Himself with his angels, fixed and fallen, not "men" from another planet who represent life in outer space and which are often associated with the stars in Scripture, and who have their probable habitation among the stars (planets) and who are the visiting advocates of Earth. These beings, as examined in the light of man's definition are not even alive. The very author of life Himself does not metabolize, reproduce, or even grow. Then, of course, the ultimate visitation from that realm "not of this world" was Christ Himself who died at Calvary. Amen.
Proceed to Chapter 5
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SANFORD, Fla. — After weeks in hiding, George Zimmerman made his first courtroom appearance Thursday in the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and prosecutors outlined their murder case in court papers, saying the neighborhood watch volunteer followed and confronted the black teenager after a police dispatcher told him not to.
The brief outline, contained in an affidavit filed in support of the second-degree murder charges, appeared to contradict Zimmerman's claim that Martin attacked him after he had turned away and was returning to his vehicle.
In the affidavit, prosecutors also said that Martin's mother identified cries for help heard in the background of a 911 call as her son's. There had been some question as to whether Martin or Zimmerman was the one crying out.
The account of the shooting was released as Zimmerman, 28, appeared at a four-minute hearing in a jailhouse courtroom, setting in motion what could be a long, drawn-out process, or an abrupt and disappointingly short one for the Martin family because of the strong legal protections contained in Florida's "stand your ground" law on self-defense.
During the hearing, Zimmerman stood up straight, held his head high and wore a gray jail jumpsuit. He spoke only to answer "Yes, sir" twice after he was asked basic questions from the judge, who was not in the courtroom but on closed-circuit TV. The defendant's hair was shaved down to stubble and he had a thin goatee. His hands were shackled in front of him.
He did not enter a plea; that will happen at his arraignment, which was set for May 29. Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, has said his client will plead not guilty. A bail hearing for Zimmerman probably will be held April 20, O'Mara said late Thursday.
To prove second-degree murder, prosecutors must show that Zimmerman committed an "imminently dangerous" act that showed a "depraved" lack of regard for human life. The charge carries a mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life.
The special prosecutor in the case, Angela Corey, has refused to explain exactly how she arrived at the charge. But in the affidavit, prosecutors said Zimmerman spotted Martin while patrolling his gated community, got out of his vehicle and followed the young man.
Prosecutors said in the affidavit that Zimmerman "profiled" Martin, who was unarmed and wasn't committing a crime.
"Zimmerman … observed Martin and assumed Martin was a criminal," the affidavit said. "Zimmerman felt Martin did not belong in the gated community and called the police."
Prosecutors interviewed a friend of Martin's who was talking to him over the phone moments before the shooting. His parents' lawyer has said that Martin was talking to his girlfriend back in Miami.
"During this time, Martin was on the phone with a friend and described to her what was happening," the affidavit said. "The witness advised that Martin was scared because he was being followed through the complex by an unknown male and didn't know why."
During a recorded call to a police dispatcher, Zimmerman "made reference to people he felt had committed and gotten away with break-ins in his neighborhood. Later while talking about Martin, Zimmerman stated 'these a———s, they always get away' and also said 'these f——-g punks,' said the affidavit, available at http://apne.ws/Itn7Nu .
It continued: "When the police dispatcher realized Zimmerman was pursuing Martin, he instructed Zimmerman not to do that and that the responding officer would meet him. Zimmerman disregarded the police dispatcher and continued to follow Martin who was trying to return to his home."
"Zimmerman confronted Martin and a struggle ensued," prosecutors said in their account.
The account provided no details on the struggle other than to say that witnesses heard numerous calls for help and that Martin's mother reviewed the 911 recordings and recognized her son's cry.
Zimmerman told authorities that Martin attacked him as he going back to his vehicle, punched him in the face, knocked him down and began slamming head against the sidewalk.
At Thursday's hearing, the case was assigned to Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler, a 39-year-old former assistant state attorney from Sanford who was elected to the bench in 2010. Zimmerman is being held without bail at the county jail.
For all the relief among civil rights activists over the arrest, legal experts warned there is a real chance the case could get thrown out before it ever goes to trial because of Florida's "stand your ground" law, which gives people a broad right to use deadly force without having to retreat from a fight.
At a pretrial hearing, Zimmerman's lawyers would only have to prove by a preponderance of evidence — a relatively low legal standard — that he acted in self-defense in order to get a judge to toss out the second-murder charges. And if that fails and the case does go to trial, the defense can raise the argument all over again.
There's a "high likelihood it could be dismissed by the judge even before the jury gets to hear the case," Florida defense attorney Richard Hornsby said. Karin Moore, an assistant professor of law at Florida A&M University, said the law "puts a tremendous burden on the state to prove that it wasn't self-defense."
At some point soon, Zimmerman's lawyer is expected to ask the judge for a hearing on "stand your ground."
"It is going to be a facet of this defense, I'm sure," O'Mara said in an interview. "That statute has some troublesome portions to it, and we're now going to have some conversations and discussions about it as a state. But right now it is the law of Florida and it is the law that is going to have an impact on this case."
Martin family and their lawyer acknowledged the arrest is just a first step.
"I think that it will start the process that we are pushing for," said Martin's father, Tracy Martin, "but we can't just stop because we have an arrest. We got to keep pushing to get a conviction, and after a conviction we have to certainly continue to push to get a stiff sentence."
Martin family attorney Ben Crump said he wants to make the repeal or the amending of "stand your ground" laws in Florida and other states to be a big part of Trayvon Martin's legacy. "We're not the wild, wild west," Crump said.
As for Zimmerman, O'Mara said after the court appearance: "He is tired. He has gone through some tribulations. He is facing second-degree murder charges now. He is frightened. That would frighten any of us."
"He has a lot of hatred focused on him right now," the defense attorney said. "I'm hoping that the hatred settles down now that we're moving forward."
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
With the band recognised by NME as 'Godlike Geniuses' at their forthcoming annual awards, and a massive gig at the O2 in London looming, where they'll be supported by a succession of today's more prominent indie acts including Bloc Party and Kaiser Chiefs, DiS figured now was a good time to take another look at the catalogue of Welsh would-be legends Manic Street Preachers. So, that's what we've done.
Just how do the feelings back then compare with listening anew in 2008? Is Generation Terrorists able to hold its own in a landscape sculpted by snippets on Skins and a closing slot on Tonight with Jonathan Ross? Will anyone care about The Holy Bible today as they did when it tore British rock a new arsehole back in '94. See…
Generation Terrorists, 1992
The album that, as popular legend goes, was supposed to be the only Manics album and that would sell untold millions of copies as the sole artefact of band who existed in a brief, exultant flurry of creativity. Of course history had different ideas: pitched ambitiously as Guns N' Roses meets The Clash, Generation Terrorists never launched the then-foursome into the stratosphere but it was undeniably impossible to ignore, if only because of column inches in the popular press that hailed Slowdive as being more worthy of hatred than Adolf Hitler.
Beloved of Manics fans, Generation Terrorists feels so dated now that it is hard to see the appeal unless you're a young, angry, addled teenager. While the quality of classics – and they are classics, not simply through being overplayed but because they are shining examples of how to write arrogant and stunningly accomplished pop songs – such as 'Motorcycle Emptiness' and 'Little Baby Nothing' endures, the production roots the album firmly in the past and the shimmering guitars feel more like relics from the bad old days of the OTT '80s than a first, violent broadside. If it was released today it'd be laughed out of contention in an instant even if 'Stay Beautiful' and 'You Love Us' still burst with sweaty excitement, but too many laboured statements along the lines of 'Natwest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds' prevent Generation Terrorists from holding any appeal to anyone who doesn't already have a deep emotional connection with the songs themselves.
Video: 'Motorcycle Emptiness'
Gold Against The Soul, 1993
Apparently following The Clash's lead more closely than that of G'n'R, Gold Against The Soul was far more radio-friendly than could have been expected. The FM crunch of 'Give 'Em Enough Rope' is the most obvious touchstone for comparison and this album signified the Manics' most earnest attempt yet to try and crack the States. Understandably, it was roundly panned by large sectors of their fans and is described by Nicky Wire today as being a blip in their career.
It's fair to say that history judged Gold… slightly unjustly. While it is the album that should, ideally, never have existed, the opening three tracks (the masterful triumvirate of 'Sleepflower', which since found an enthusiastic rebirth on recent Manics tours, 'From Despair To Where' and 'La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)') remain just as potent as ever. Without any of the sometimes-clunky political / social commentary of its predecessor 'Gold…' is able to stand alone without much baggage, mainly because it still isn't taken all that seriously. But when approached afresh – and in isolation – it's definitely a strong album. It's heavy, melodic and packed full of huge choruses: radio-friendly doesn't have to be used in the pejorative sense and it's certainly more considered and mature than their debut.
Video: 'From Despair To Where'
The Holy Bible, 1994
It didn't sell very well, but its impact was felt keenly by anyone who'd ever come into contact with the Manics. Heralded by their infamous and still-shocking performance on Top Of The Pops in what can only be described as terrorist-chic and the reprinting of the entire lyric sheet in the centre pages of NME, The Holy Bible was utterly unflinching. Hell, any album released on a major where the fourth word is "cunt" is going to turn some people on and some off.
Still a masterpiece. It's taut, uncomfortable and deeply brutal, both in its lyrical content (anorexia / the holocaust, and those are just the songs where Richey's lyrics are immediately understandable – the rest of the album deals with a nameless dread no person can ever envy) and its pinched, muscular riffs. Listen to it as a suicide note and you're doing The Holy Bible an injustice; it's the sound of one man in a close-knit group of friends slowly disintegrating and using his own anguish to create some of the most brilliant art to be released on a large scale as music in years. It's pounding and relentless and extremely unsettling and deserves to be discovered in turn by every young, confused teenager. It's not a suicide note; it's a warning.
Video: 'Faster'
Everything Must Go, 1996
Goodbye lyrics etched onto rough books, hello arena tours, Mondeo Man and critical acclaim from practically everyone, including the Brit award panel. And, of course, goodbye Richey. While Everything Must Go and its attendant singles 'A Design For Life' and the title track presented the new three-piece as more than a mawkish tribute act, it was hard to shake off the idea that the new bombastic and widescreen Manics were in some way mortgaging the memory of their lost friend.
Finally considered to be perhaps the quintessential Manics album by Nicky Wire himself, Everything Must Go is the album that allowed them to cast themselves as everymen, able to offer some small piece of solace those who wanted to sit in their bedrooms and recite the lyrics quietly to themselves ('Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky') right across to the rugby shirt-wearing masses who seemed to populate their gigs now and who wanted to just shout a bit (the chorus of 'A Design For Life' has since taken on an ironic quality). Polished but not too shiny and considered without being sterile, it's a fine tribute not only to their absent friend but to the band they used to be. Put it on again and you'll be surprised how emotive the sweeping strings and crashing Gibson chords can sound, even 12 years after its initial release.
Video: 'A Design For Life'
This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours, 1998
The first album where Nicky Wire wrote all the lyrics and the moment it all started going wrong, according to most die-hards. Musically, 'If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next' and 'The Everlasting' felt like cynical attempts at attaining chart-humping success and, with much more orchestral production than ever before it was almost as if the Manics were trying to brush their past under the table.
An album without Richey's actual input, but not an album free of his influence. Utterly unrepresented by the singles 'Tsunami' and 'You Stole The Sun From My Heart', two of the most forgettable songs the Manics have perhaps ever released, it's actually a stately, tender lament to their past rather than an attempt to move on, strictly speaking. 'My Little Empire''s sub-GCSE poetry aside, the lyrics find Wire in a movingly vulnerable mood, quite unable to shoulder the burden alone of how large the Manics had become. While accusations that this is where their descent into Tesco-rock began aren't exactly unfounded, to dismiss it out of hand does it a disservice. When James bellows "What is there to believe in?" it all becomes clear: they're older, but no more content than in the past. Just as the Holy Bible was Richey's, this is Nicky's more than anything; confused where Richey was focused, afraid of loneliness while Richey embraced it. You can't escape the idea that he almost feels guilty for what they'd turned into, and that imbues This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours with a sadness and longing that wasn't immediately evident on its initial release.
'If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next'
Know Your Enemy, 2001
Hopes were sky-high – this was supposed to be the Manics' return to their vitriolic best, and considering how exciting it was when 'The Masses Against The Classes' hinted at their sixth album being more 'You Love Us' and less 'The Everlasting' the disappointment was huge. Releasing two singles on the same day proved to be an empty gimmick as the songs in question had less musical worth than your average Kooks gig, and the following Greatest Hits tour saw this album entirely glossed over.
No human being should ever listen to this album ever again. It's the sound of three middle-aged men searching in the dark for some kind of meaning, as they attempt scratchy punk without any real anger ('Intravenous Agnostic'), hilariously sub-Beach Boys melody ('So Why So Sad'), hideously trite disco funk ('Miss Europe Disco Dancer') and, horror of horrors, letting Wire take lead vocals ('Wattsville Blues'). It's misfire after misfire and listening to it now only feels uncomfortable – you can practically taste their disappointment in becoming a band of 'The Establishment' and their idea of kicking against it was to present a poor facsimile of their past glories. Embarrassing.
Video: 'So Why So Sad'
Lifeblood, 2004
Snuck out with the minimum of fuss and their joint-lowest charting album ever, Lifeblood was almost the nail in the coffin. They said they were aiming for a detached, bleak album along the lines of Nebraska but instead ended up with little more than a couple of catchy song titles and a brief flurry of media interest when Wire kept blathering on about Richard Nixon. Again, like Know Your Enemy, it's a rare occurrence for one of these songs to feature live.
It's not the aberrance the previous album is, but nor is it a tenth as good as even This Is My Truth…. Familiar Manics lyrical territory is crossed with a song about Emily Pankhurst but the overarching feeling is one of discontentment bred by the enduring failure of Know Your Enemy. 'I Live To Fall Asleep' and 'Empty Souls' could, if they weren't so sterile and impotent, be curios of a time when they tried a new musical direction but even when singing about Richey, as on 'Cardiff Afterlife', there's no real drive or focus.
Video: 'The Love Of Richard Nixon'
Send Away The Tigers, 2007
Or; Fuck You, We're Doing This The Way It Should Be Done. Finally, heralded by a radio-friendly single that wasn't utterly shit and the distinct possibility that they might just have pulled off a stunning comeback, the Manics leapt back into contention as a relevant band. James' voice sounded like it was as strong as ever and Wire's motormouth tendencies were firing on all cylinders as the common critical consent seemed to be that this was a return to 'Everything Must Go' form. And it was.
Far, far better than anyone had any right to hope for, it sees the Manics embracing their stadium status by writing a collection of dynamic, catchy rock songs that seemed tailor-made for summer festivals. It blows the previous two albums out of the water, not simply because they sound like they're having fun again, but because they're not trying to ignore their past. Just listen to the way Wire sings "I could've written all your lines" in 'Your Love Alone…' – it's an acceptance of things past and their first real attempt at moving definitively on. And it helps that their choruses are back on form: 'Underdogs' and the unfairly derided 'Autumnsong' are as bold and gutsy as anything they'd done before.
Video: 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough' featuring Nina Persson
MySpace here. Manic Street Preachers play the O2 in London – with support from Kaiser Chiefs, Klaxons, Bloc Party and The Cribs – on February 28; they'll receive their 'Godlike Genius' award from NME the same day. Find tickets here.


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The fifth and final episode to the series Eyeshadow Tutorial for Asian Eyes on Bun Bun Makeup Tips! This time, we discuss the Horizontal Gradient Method!
Inspired by spring and St. Patty's Day, Miss Beauty Nerd showcases her favourite green-hued products this season!
Phyrra's Independent Spotlight for March is with Maria of Cult Nails! Learn all about Maria and how she made her dreams come true!
Love colour? This week Madame B Fatale shows you her almost neon makeup tutorial!
This Spring at theNotice is all about Clarins. (Yeah, you read that right.) Check out the one limited-edition liquid blush Rae thinks you HAVE to have this season.
Why settle for just one blush when you can have three in one palette?! Beauty's Bad Habit reviews Sleek 'Pumpkin' Blush by Three.
With Spring offically here, Beauty In The Mirror reviews Benefit Cha Cha Tint - perfect for a spring glow on the cheeks!
Think fancy, structured updo's are too hard? Gouldylox found one that is really easy and perfect for spring weather!
It's almost summertime, which means Shannon at Lipstick Musings is on the hunt for a great warm-weather red lipstick. She's found one with NARS Sheer Lipstick in Manhunt!
This gold, taupe, and blue smoky eye on My Funny Valentine adds a little tribal to your weekend.
Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed discovers that not all frightening things are found in horror movies - some of them are actually as close as her face! Take a trip with her to the Vichy Skin Health Centre for a scary good time!
Check out Jenn at Spicedbeauty backstage coverage of Maybelline Beauty for Toronto Fashion Week.
Fleurissante shares her impressions on Ambre Oud, the most recent by Kilian fragrance.
Will the Hunger Games movies influence future makeup trends? Come join the discussion at Beauty Reflections!


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Our November 1st post on the state of 'Ms.' Magazine — now celebrating its 35th anniversary — riled some readers up, including 'Ms.' staffers themselves! We asked Jessica Stites, Assistant Editor at the magazine to respond.
For me, a 20-something and a Ms. editor, Jezebel's post on Ms.' 35th anniversary came as a bit of a personal shock. Apparently, here I'd been toddling along like the formerly eight-limbed Lakshmi Tatma of India: Unaware that my two halves were in deadly conflict. I had to choose between fun-loving, snarky, Jezebelian third-waver who abhors the "constructive" (which would make one, um, "destructive"?) or uptight, anti-sex, boring second-wave prune. Neither was very appealing. If these were the faces of my movement I was tempted to tiptoe off to environmentalism, which at least has polar bears.
At such times of feminist crisis I turn to Lisa Jervis, founder of Bitch. In a '04/'05 Ms. article, Lisa tried to put the "wave" terminology to bed, pointing out that, "ideological disagreements...can't be discussed productively while in disguise as generational issues." In other words, dividing ourselves according to the relative viability of our eggs is only going to get nasty. She goes on to point out the dubious origins of the "wave" stereotypes:
[The image of the second wave feminist is] a slightly — and only more slightly — more nuanced and polite version of the stone-faced, hairy-legged man-hater whom we all know to be a myth that originated in the sexist culture at large and was cultivated and amplified by conservative, antifeminist and/or just plain clueless journalists. The image of the frivolous young pseudo feminist has the same provenance.
It's precisely because such myths are so tenacious and insidious that I'm a feminist. As Tracie's post and my reaction show, they too easily sneak into our self-images, along with dozens of others like them: bossy businesswoman, sassy black lady, passive Asian girl, desperate housewife.
And that's why I think Jezebel, at its best, is so necessary. Sometimes the best antidote to stereotypes is snark. Three cheers for Jezebel when it takes down Asian fetishists, sugar daddies or too-thin models.
But there are other reasons I'm a feminist, and I refuse to believe they're fundamentally at odds with Jezebel or hopelessly "second wave." I'm a feminist because magazines and newspapers still accept back-page sex ads that allow human traffickers to connect with johns. Because U.S. women still work a "second shift," spending 133 minutes per day on housework compared to men's 81. Because immigrant women laborers in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands work long hours in squalid conditions for little pay to make clothes that bear the misleading label, "Made in the U.S.A". Because plastic surgery is becoming scarily mandatory, with 11 million procedures performed in the U.S. last year alone. Because the government recently drove up birth-control prices. And because the U.S. invasion of Iraq set the clock back 40 years for women there.
Ms., like Jezebel, is necessary, because it can bring all this to the attention of hundreds of thousands. The other week, our Fall issue came out lambasting New York magazine for running sex ads; this week New York magazine changed its policy.
Movements have faced worse conflicts than "serious vs. funny." Most of us integrate these two traits just fine in our day-to-day lives. Maybe it's time to do so in our political lives? Here's a deal for you, Jezebels: admit that you and Ms. are kinda maybe fighting the same fight, and I'll see what I can do about a few sex-positive Ms. articles, because lord knows, prune stereotypes notwithstanding, I can't think of a single Ms. staffer who's against sex.
Earlier: Ms. Magazine Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary... Yay?


text: Negative gearingWarning: This information may not apply to the current year. Check the content carefully to ensure it is applicable to your circumstances. End of attention A rental property is negatively geared if it is purchased with the assistance of borrowed funds and the net rental income, after deducting other expenses, is less than the interest on the borrowings. The overall taxation result of a negatively geared property is that a net rental loss arises. In this case, you may be able to claim a deduction for the full amount of rental expenses against your rental and other income - such as salary, wages or business income - when you complete your tax return for the relevant income year. Where the other income is not sufficient to absorb the loss it is carried forward to the next tax year. If by negatively gearing a rental property, the rental expenses you claim in your tax return would result in a tax refund, you may reduce your rate of withholding to better match your year-end tax liability. If you believe your circumstances warrant a reduction to your rate or amount of withholding, you can apply to us for a variation using the PAYG withholding variation application (NAT 2036). Last modified: 29 Jun 2010QC 22885


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The effects of nicotine itself are similar to that other popular drug, caffeine. See our (nicotine reading list.) There is no evidence that nicotine causes any substantial risk for cancer, and the research shows that the risk for cardiovascular disease is minimal. The confusion about nicotine comes from anti-smoking activists talking about nicotine and smoking as if they were the same. While it is true that people smoke mostly because of nicotine; nicotine users die mostly because of the smoke.
Neither nicotine nor coffee are completely benign (in particular, both cause a short-term increase in your blood pressure and pulse rate when you use them, which could affect your health). A lot of evidence shows that coffee drinking causes very little health risk. Studying nicotine is a bit harder, because most nicotine users smoke, and the smoking is quite bad for you. But there is some good evidence: If nicotine were very bad for you then smokeless tobacco, which provides nicotine, would be very bad for you. As we've shown elsewhere, that is not the case.
Though nicotine is relatively safe for most individuals, it may have a negative effect on fetal development and as such should be avoided during pregnancy.
That question is a bit tricky to answer, since there is not actually a scientifically accepted definition of addiction. We know that some people try hard to give up nicotine and keep going back to it, which probably meets most people's definition of addiction. Indeed, that is a large part of why we think harm reduction is such an important idea. If everyone who used nicotine could just take it or leave it, then some anti-tobacco advocates' goal of getting everyone to just quit would not be so absurd.
Many people can take or leave it, so nicotine is clearly not a strong draw for some people. Many tobacco users have not had too much trouble quitting, and many others use it sometimes, but not regularly. Some of the researchers who produced this website use ST sometimes; we feel it is our professional responsibility to be familiar with the products we write and talk about but feel no urge to use it more often. It seems that some people get substantial benefits that keep them using nicotine, while others do not.
Some advocates seem to think that addiction is a terrible disease in itself (despite them not even having a good definition for it). If you are addicted to something, these people think you should give it up, even if it is doing you more good than harm. They apparently would have you suffer the pain of quitting, and possibly ongoing unpleasantness of wanting something you cannot have just because you are "addicted". We think this is absurd, and even downright cruel. We agree that when someone is obsessed with something and neglects the rest of their life, or is compelled to do something that hurts them, then helping them quit is a worthy goal. But when someone has a habit that is not hurting them much, then why should we make their lives miserable and insist that they give it up. Of course, smoking does hurt people a lot, but nicotine does not have to.
It is sad and frustrating that some people are so obsessed with ending addiction to nicotine, rather than reducing the heath impact of using nicotine, that they tell all tobacco users that they must quit entirely, and if they do not quit, they might as well smoke and die from it. In addition to insisting that people endure the unpleasantness of quitting, this has terrible health consequences. Since many people who try to quit smoking fail, this attitude dooms millions of people to die unnecessarily from their nicotine habit.
For quite a few people, nicotine provides the benefits that some people get from caffeine or Ritalin: it helps them focus and be more productive, overcoming attention-deficit-type problems. For some people, nicotine provides relief from stress, anxiety, or panic. For people suffering from some severe mental illnesses, nicotine seems to provide great relief, which probably explains why a very large fraction of psychiatric patients smoke.
Nicotine is also suspected as the reason for the lower incidence of Parkinson's Disease among smokers. And for those who have it, nicotine appears to reduce the associated symptoms. Unfortunately, because nicotine is so stigmatized, there is less information about it than we might want, so we do not have good scientific evidence on all of its possible benefits.
At the risk of being politically incorrect, we will state the obvious: Benefits are a good thing. Many people recognize that they get immediate psychological benefits from nicotine (anything from being able to focus in school to not feeling severe distress) and, not surprisingly, keep using it. Think about this: Most everyone in Western society tries nicotine sometime during their childhood or adolescence, but relatively few of them adopt it as a habit. Doesn't it make sense that those who kept using felt substantial benefits from it, while those who did not take it up did not?
One of us had a friend in graduate school who had forced himself to quit smoking because of the health risks. He believed that if anyone found a way to provide nicotine without large health risks, then everyone in school would use it. He thought that if they wanted to stay competitive, they would need the increased clear thinking and productivity that he experienced with nicotine. He did not know that there was, in fact, a way to get nicotine without a huge health risk (none of us did). More interestingly, he did not realize that most of us did not get the same benefit from nicotine that he did. He assumed everyone was like him. Tobacco policy seems to be made by people who have not experienced any benefits from tobacco, and assume that everyone is like them.
People who get the most benefit from smoking are the ones who are likely to keep smoking (be "addicted") despite high taxes, non-smoking buildings, and all the messages telling them to quit. So, by making smoking more and more unpleasant, while also trying to hide the fact that there are much safer sources of nicotine, anti-tobacco advocates are just hurting people who get relief from psychological difficulties by using nicotine. Laws against smoking in public places are often praised by anti-smoking advocates for making it easier for smokers to quit. But when you start pretending that smoking has no benefits, it becomes clear that making quitting "easier" really means making smokers' lives so unpleasant that the costs exceed the benefits, even when the benefits were high.
We can't know whether the benefits of using nicotine outweigh the costs of buying it, the effort that goes into using it, and the possible very small health costs, for any particular person. This is a decision that people must make for themselves, and should do so based on mature judgment, a full understanding of the true costs, and knowledge of their own personal benefits.
Advocates should keep in mind that some nicotine users are getting benefits that make them willing to accept the huge costs from smoking. The obvious humane response to this is to try to lower these costs, by providing a substitute for smoking. The opposite strategy, continually increasing the costs until they exceed the benefits, making people so miserable that they quit, is puritanical and cruel.
But isn't nicotine used as an insecticide? But isn't pure nicotine highly toxic? But isn't the nicotine in a pack of cigarettes a lethal dose? Yes, yes, and yes. But so what?
A lot of anti-nicotine advocates try to scare people by saying things that while scientifically accurate, are just designed to confuse. Tobacco plants produce nicotine as a natural insecticide, and this can be concentrated for use as an artificial insecticide. This should not come as a shock. Mmany of the chemicals in plants that we like are part of the plants' defense mechanisms. Pretty much every plant we eat or do anything else with contains natural insecticides. It just happens that this chemical, which sometimes poisons insects, also provides an effect that some people like.
It is also true that a drop of pure nicotine can be deadly, and that if you concentrated the nicotine from a pack of cigarettes (or a can of snuff, or a box of pharmaceutical nicotine products) and put it into your body all at once, it would likely be fatal. But, again, so what? Nicotine users are never exposed to pure nicotine and never take in that much all at once. If you took your typical day's worth of food and stuffed it in your mouth all at once, that would probably kill you too, even though it would be harmless if you took the usual time. This may seem like a silly analogy but it is no more silly than saying that a huge dose of nicotine, delivered all at once, would be deadly. Neither one says anything about the safety of normal use.
Keep in mind the saying from toxicology: "The dose makes the poison." Enough of anything, delivered fast enough, is deadly (including food or water). For many medicines you have on your shelf, ingesting the entire bottle at once would be deadly.
In any case, it is best to go back to the scientific evidence. Long term users of nicotine who do not smoke (ST users) suffer few ill effects from their habits, as we describe above. If nicotine were deadly, we would expect to see a lot of these people die prematurely. We do not see that.
There is no real evidence that anyone who otherwise would not have smoked starts because of ST use. But to the extent that people do switch, the best thing we could do is make sure they have the facts. This is a case where the anti-tobacco literature actually encourages some people to smoke.
Some anti-smokeless-tobacco advocates have realized that they have no legitimate scientific basis for arguing that there are major health impacts associated with smokeless tobacco use. But instead of seeing that as a reason to devote their attention to more dangerous exposures, they just decided to search for other arguments. One such is the "gateway" hypothesis, that using ST leads people to later start smoking.
True or not, this claim is irrelevant to harm reduction, which is aimed at people who already smoke. It makes sense that many people who like to use one tobacco product will like to use another, in particular because they like nicotine. Many people do use one product and then switch to another. This does not mean that if the first product had not existed, they never would never have tried the second. Quite likely they would have tried the second product in the first place. The gateway argument assumes that some people never would have tried cigarettes were it not for ST, which seems improbable in a culture where cigarettes are so common.
In any case, if the gateway claim were true, we would have to eliminate smokeless tobacco entirely to keep it from happening, which would be a terrible option, leaving tobacco users without a good reduced-harm alternative.
Most important, if there is a gateway effect, the harm reduction message is actually the best way to deal with it. The dominant misinformation, that ST is about as unhealthy as smoking, tells ST users, "you might as well smoke". This irresponsible message translates to something along the lines of "if you use nicotine, and you like cigarettes more than ST, then go ahead and smoke". Many people try both products and settle on cigarettes. If people are going to use one product or the other, we'd rather they settle on the safer one, on ST.
Anti-tobacco advocates tend to treat tobacco users as if they are complete idiots, helpless children who cannot make a rational decision and need to be manipulated. We think otherwise. We think that many tobacco users will choose a product that is over 99% less harmful, as soon as someone can break through the propaganda and let them see their true options. Then "the gateway" will be an exit from, rather than an entrance to, smoking.


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CSS tests home


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Letter from Met. PHILIP on Balamand Scholarship Fund
September 17th, 2008
To all Pastors and Faithful of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America:
Greetings and Blessings in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
As you all know, we will be blessed this Fall with a visit from our Father in Christ His Beatitude, IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. His Beatitude will be with us in Boston, Massachusetts during the weekend of Friday, October 31st through Sunday, November 2nd in conjunction with the Fall meeting of the Archidiocese Board of Trustees. His Beatitude will preside over a very special banquet to be held on Saturday, November 1st, which will mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of The University of Balamand and the establishment of a new scholarship fund which will assist needy and worthy students at the university. This scholarship is being established by The Balamand Educational Foundation and they have chosen to name the scholarship "The Metropolitan PHILIP Educational Scholarship Fund" to benefit needy and worthy students.
The University of Balamand, which was founded by His Beatitude, Patriarch IGNATIUS IV, in 1998, has always held a special place in his heart. In addition, this Archdiocese has given strong support to this unique institution since its inception. There would be no better way to honor His Beatitude on this visit than for our parishes and missions to make a voluntary donation to this new scholarship fund.
We are suggesting that your donation be given according to the size of your community as follows: $1,500 for large parishes, $1,000 for medium parishes, $500 for small parishes, and any amount from missions. You may send your contribution to the Archdiocese office by October 15th, 2008. Please make the check payable to "The Antiochian Archdiocese" and earmark it "Balamand Scholarship Fund." Praying that we will se many of you at this special event in Boston, we remain,
You Father in Christ,


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Tribal Programs
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
EPA's Tribal Backyard Burning Brochures
Tribal Leaders are Key to Reducing Backyard Burning (PDF)(2 pp, 285K) | Text Version (text file)
Reducing Backyard Burning in Indian Country (PDF)(2 pp, 290K) | Text Version (text file)
Case Studies
An interview (PDF) (22 pp, 1.1MB) with Judy Pratt-Shelly, Treaty/Natural Resources Division Chief and Executive Environmental Programs Director, and her mother, Grace Deragon, provides insight into one tribe's waste management history and efforts to curb backyard burning. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa implemented a Burn Barrel Incentive Program to reduce backyard burning and promote use of the tribe's transfer station.
EPA's Waste Management in Indian Country website provides numerous case studies of individual tribes' solid waste programs and other tribal solid waste related information.
National Indian
Law Library
Has more than two dozen tribal codes posted on its Tribal Documents page.


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Contact Information
VNA of WNY - Erie County
650 Airborne Parkway
Cheektowaga, NY 14225
- (716) 630-8000
- Map & Directions
Services: VNA Diabetes Program
The VNA Diabetes Program offers expert services and support to help patients live with and manage the challenging demands of diabetes.
Patients with diabetes can work with our specialists and access expert education and support for self-management of diabetes, including:
- Symptom management
- Medication management
- Insulin preparation and administration
- Blood glucose monitoring
- Nutrition
- Foot/skin and oral care
- Exercise
How Our Program Works
- Patients complete an in-depth assessment of their physical, psychosocial and environmental health status with a qualified healthcare professional.
- The assessment identifies areas in need of intervention by the home care team.
- Our team then works closely with the physician to develop and implement an individualized plan of care.
Comprehensive Care and Support
- Free glucose meter kit with first visit
- Instruction in insulin delivery systems
- Educational materials for each patient
- Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing by trained staff
- Anodyne Therapy System using infrared energy for treatment of neuropathy
- Physical therapy for falls reduction, balance improvement and improvement in activity tolerance
- Occupational therapy focusing on independence through the use of adaptive equipment
- Annual immunizations against flu and pneumonia
- Lab work, including A1C levels, fasting lipid profiles and others by request
- Expertise in the treatment of diabetic skin conditions
- Ongoing communication with the patient's physician
Get the VNA Advantage
- Interdisciplinary approach focusing on self-management
- Nursing team specially trained in diabetes care
- Collaboration with the Diabetes-Endocrinology Center
- Medical social workers and nutritionists
- In-house pharmacy and nursing services for treating infections


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'I would not advise Dr. Fauci to put down a non-refundable deposit on a cruise'
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This job posting is no longer active.
Job ID: 13825
Location: Longview, WA
Work Type: Part Time
Shift: Night
Shift Length: 12 Hours
Benefit Eligibility: Part-time benefits
PeaceHealth is seeking a CNA - Telemetry for a Part Time, Night position.
Hourly compensation is $17.27 - $30.12, hiring rate dependent on qualifications and professional experience and/or terms of Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 including 2 doses of a 2-dose series or 1 dose of a 1-dose series plus 14 days beyond the final dose prior to start date.
Assists professional nursing personnel in providing quality, compassionate patient care by performing tasks involving direct and indirect patient care, using skills and knowledge in basic nursing assistant procedures and techniques under direction and supervision of a registered nurse.
* Assist in providing direct patient care as delegated by the Registered Nurse within the scope of the CNA licensure.
* Assist patient with personal care which may include: bathing; mouth and skin care; grooming and dressing; toileting assistance; eating and hydration.
* Documents relevant patient care data.
* Maintain unit supplies by stocking patient rooms and supply areas to meet patient care needs.
* May provide clerical support to the unit; doing order entry, chart processing, answering telephones, etc.
* Perform basic technical skills which may include: CPR; taking and recording vital signs; measuring and recording fluid intake/output; applying dressings; recognizing and reporting signs and symptoms of common diseases or conditions; administering treatments as directed by a physician or nurse.
* Provide patients with help walking, exercising, and moving in and out of bed.
* Performs other duties as assigned.
* Technical Program
Education equivalent experience:
* Graduate of an approved Certified Nursing Assistant program required.
Education specialization:
* Certified Nursing Assistant
* Certified Nurse Assistant - Washington
* Basic Life Support issued through the American Heart Association
-Minimum of one year experience in an acute care facility preferred.
-Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to apply age specific principles of growth and development and life stages to meet each patient's needs.
-Demonstrates a courteous, caring, and understanding attitude towards patients, families, co-workers, visitors, volunteers, peers, and physicians.
-Must be well organized, flexible and able to function effectively and independently as assigned.
-Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
-Demonstrates creative problem-solving skills.
-Excellent communication skills
-Basic computer, clerical, phone etiquette and customer service skills
Hazards may include exposure to cleaning chemicals and disinfectants, soiled linens, unknown liquid in trash bags and biohazards (sharps). Reasonably anticipated exposure to blood and body fluids once per month or more. Job duties may require intense concentration or attention to detail (more than 65% of work time). Ability to lift objects weighing up to 50 lbs. Work requires active physical exertion up to 33% of the time. Work requires moderate physical exertion to include prolonged periods of standing from 34 to 65% of the time.
This position is represented by a collective bargaining agreement. There may be more than one opening on this posting.
See how PeaceHealth is committed to Inclusivity, Respect for Diversity and Cultural Humility.
PeaceHealth is committed to the overall wellbeing of our caregivers: physical, emotional, financial, social, and spiritual. We offer caregivers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. Some of the many benefits included in this package are full medical/dental/vision coverage; 403b retirement plan employer base and matching contributions; paid time off; employer-paid life and disability insurance with additional buyup coverage options; tuition and continuing education reimbursement; wellness benefits and expanded EAP and mental health program.
For full consideration of your skills and abilities, please attach a current resume with your application. EEO Affirmative Action Employer/Vets/Disabled in accordance with applicable local, state, or federal laws.


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Tuesday, April 3, 2012
"How-To" Week: How to Teach Your Dog to Be Gentle with Toys
this post, we had an overwhelming response asking for our secret to teaching Mr. B not to tear apart his toys. When we first got Mr. B, he was a pro chewer: ripping apart baseball mitts in minutes and quickly tearing through all of Miss M's toys.
1) We reinforce positive toy-chewing behavior
2) We have a signal to let Mr. B know when we're disappointed
3) We supervised toy playings and kept chewing time to a minimum
his tepee.
Mr. B is sensitive, but I wonder how this would work with most dogs. Or does anyone else have some other tips?
PS. Stay tuned to our facebook page for more recent updates while we're on break.
22 comments:
- LibbyD said...
Thank you for posting this great info. I am going to try this approach with our boy.
- April 3, 2012 at 7:29 AM
- Kate said...
Great info. All of our dogs rip apart stuffies and I have dreams that someday that won't be the case anymore!
- April 3, 2012 at 7:31 AM
- Unknown said...
My auntie did this with her rotties. The only thing she did differently was to replace the stuffie with a bone when the pup started getting rough with her toy.Now all she has to do is say "go get your bone" when Tessa forgets. It's really cool.
- April 3, 2012 at 7:31 AM
- Rebelwerewolf said...
Badger can't really tell when we're disappointed, so I'm going to try this. Also, I'm waiting for Easter to be over so I can buy Easter-themed squeaky toys on sale at Petsmart!
- April 3, 2012 at 7:46 AM
- Claudia said...
This has changed our lives. I am so proud to report that the 3 holiday toys (known as "Reindeer", "Polar Bear" and "Penguin" - we're really creative!) are all still intact! In April. Yes, two of them have been mended, but they all have almost all of their stuffing and are much loved in an appropriate way. Thanks for the tips!
- April 3, 2012 at 8:54 AM
- Sarah said...
I tell people to get another dog. :) Adding Hurley to the mix at our house immediately stopped the large majority of Maggie's toy destroying ways. He simply doesn't let her have much one on one time with toys and steals them for a rousing game of Chase the Hurley and Tug. I guess your way's probably better since most people look at me like I'm craisins when I suggest another dog. Ha!
- April 3, 2012 at 9:29 AM
- Karen and Pearl said...
This is super impressive. Pearl can destroy a stuffie in record time, so we may have to try this method if we ever dare to buy her another stuffed toy.
- April 3, 2012 at 10:23 AM
- Karen and Pearl said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 3, 2012 at 10:23 AM
- Two French Bulldogs said...
We are smart like you. Why rip your stuffie? Then you won't have it anymore
Benny & Lily
- April 3, 2012 at 11:51 AM
- HoundDogMom said...
The hounds don't destuff to much. Winston loves to greet you at the door with some kind of stuffy in his mouth. I recently did the "ouch" thing with Bella. She loves to rough house but sometimes she nibbles just a little to much. So I just say "ouch" or easy nibbles and she stops. Oh, i had no idea you were on break this week, Winston would have been visiting you for sure. BOL.. Sniffs, The HoundDogs
- April 3, 2012 at 1:32 PM
- misssodakgal said...
I will have to try this with my two Jack Russells.
On a side note, is the tinfoil on the couch cushions to keep the dogs from getting on the couch?
- April 3, 2012 at 5:20 PM
- Unknown said...
wow he really gave important of his cool stuff, he loves to sleep on his nylabone pillows, we will take care our toys too :D
Dog Shock Collar | Puppy & Human Bond
- April 3, 2012 at 9:10 PM
The photos of him being gentle with his toys are so adorable!
- April 3, 2012 at 10:22 PM
- SusanA said...
What a great idea. I never even thought about fake crying, I wonder if that would work on other things too.. thanks!
- April 3, 2012 at 10:29 PM
- AJ said...
I can't say thank you enough for this original how to be gentle post with Mr. B. We used the same technique when we needed to teach Roadie to be gentle with his soft toys. We haven't had to repair any in a long while.
- April 3, 2012 at 11:40 PM
- Two Pitties in the City said...
So glad this has been working for many of you. And yes! The tinfoil is to keep the pooches off the couch. We wrote more about it here: http://pittiesincity.blogspot.com/2010/08/another-favorite-story-of-miss-m-and.html
- April 4, 2012 at 7:47 AM
- Kolchak Puggle said...
I would like to send Kolchak to Camp Two Pitties to learn this special skill, please. We have a fine collection of dead toy pelts. I stuff the empty shells with spare eggs from the Egg Buddy toys...I gave up on ever having fluffing free carpets long ago.
- April 4, 2012 at 11:27 PM
- Tanaya said...
I randomly came back to this post because it was linked on the bottom of a new post and have to say that this really did change our lives. Our Bella boo used to kill the most "indestructible" stuffies in a matter of moments. We started using these techniques and now her stuffies will last for several months. The only rule she has now is that she can't sneak them away into the bedroom. Where we have discovered the sad remains of a few stuffies thrown all about our bed.
- August 13, 2012 at 2:43 PM
- David bone said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- October 21, 2012 at 3:15 AM
- David bone said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- October 21, 2012 at 3:16 AM
- Kayla said...
I'm going to try this with my puppy. She distroyed all of her toys. Then when can get her new toys and I won't have to keep sewing these ones up all of the time. Thank you(:
- February 17, 2013 at 1:21 PM
- Unknown said...
Thanks for this great idea! My Border Collie learned to be gentle with her toys very quickly with this method. Thanks again!!!!!
- September 4, 2013 at 6:58 PM


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text:
US report contradicts Trump team: Warming mostly man-made
A massive U.S. report concludes the evidence of global warming is stronger than ever, contradicting a favorite talking point of top Trump administration officials, who downplay humans' role in climate change.
The report released Friday is one of two scientific assessments required every four years. A draft showing how warming affects the U.S. was also published.
Despite fears by some scientists and environmental advocates, David Fahey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and several authors said there was no political interference or censoring of the 477-page final report.
"A lot of what we've been learning over the last four years suggests the possibility that things may have been more serious than we think," said Robert Kopp of Rutgers University, one of dozens of scientists inside and outside the government who wrote the reports.
Since 1900, Earth has warmed by 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) and seas have risen by 8 inches. Heat waves, downpours and wildfires have become frequent.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt have repeatedly said carbon dioxide isn't the primary contributor to global warming.
It's "extremely likely" — meaning with 95 to 100 percent certainty — that global warming is man-made, mostly from the spewing of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, scientists concluded.
"Over the last century, there are no convincing alternative explanations," the report said.
Scientists calculated that human contribution to warming since 1950 is between 92 percent and 123 percent. It's more than 100 percent on one end, because some natural forces — such as volcanoes and orbital cycle — are working to cool Earth, but are being overwhelmed by the effects of greenhouse gases, said study co-author Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech.
"This period is now the warmest in the history of modern civilization," she said.
For the first time, scientists highlighted a dozen "tipping points" of potential dangers that could happen from warming, things that Hayhoe said "keep me up at night."
They include the slowing down of the giant Atlantic Ocean circulation system that could dramatically warp weather worldwide, much stronger El Ninos, major decreases in ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, which would spike sea level rise, and massive release of methane and carbon dioxide from thawing permafrost that could turbo-charge warming.
Researchers did not provide an estimate of how likely tipping points would occur, but "there is certainly some chance of some of these things happening," Fahey said.
The report also documented how different climate change-caused events can interact in a complex way to make life worse such as the California wildfires and Superstorm Sandy five years ago.
The world's oceans are under a "triple threat" — the water is getting warmer, more acidic and seeing a drop in oxygen levels, Hayhoe said.
In a 1,504-page draft report on the impacts of climate change, scientists detailed dozens of ways global warming is already affecting parts of the U.S.
Scientists said global warming is already sickening, injuring and killing Americans with changes to weather, food, air, water and diseases. And it's expected to get worse, hurting the economy, wildlife and energy supply.
"Risks range from the inconvenient, such as increasing high tide flooding along the East Coast related to sea level rise, to … the forced relocation of coastal communities in Alaska and along the Gulf Coast," the draft report said.
Outside experts said the reports are the most up-to-date summary of climate science.
"It shows that if anything the findings of scientists have become more dire" since 2013, said University of California, Berkeley climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, who wasn't part of the work.
Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears . His work can be found here .
- Star


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12 Days of Inappropriate Elves by Dan and Jason (NSFW)
Dan & Jason, New York commercial directors and creators of the Nick/Teletoon series Rocket Monkeys, decided to celebrate the holidays this year with twelve days of naughty elf cartoons. The micro-shorts are guaranteed to provide some chuckles, or at the very least, disgust you. Today, they unveiled the eighth one in the series, which is posted above.
"The holidays are so saturated with phony cheer that these little manics seemed like a good foil," Dan Abdo tells Cartoon Brew. "I got to say it felt really good letting our ids run a wild in the form of these sick elves. Jason [Patterson] and I are making these because we wanted to make something that was straight up just for fun! There's no money, no show, just pure mindless silliness." For more elf misbehavior, visit their YouTube page.


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- Beating 'Middle-Age Spread': Carbs You Should and Shouldn't Eat
- Germs Love Two Skin 'Hot Spots' on Your Body
- Third of Medicaid Patients With Opioid Use Disorder Don't Get Treatment
- Scientists Gain Insight Into How COVID Harms the Heart
- Exercise Can Preserve Astronauts' Heart Health on Long Space Flights
- Diabetes Could Speed Progression of Blood Cancer Myeloma
- Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Intolerance: What's the Difference?
- Mammograms: An Expert Overview on Why They're So Important
- Take These Steps to 'Fall-Proof' Your Home
- FDA Will Begin to Regulate Thousands of Lab Tests
Male Birth Control Shows Promise in Mice
A safe and effective male birth control pill may be inching closer to reality, according to researchers.
In laboratory experiments, mouse sperm was blocked from semen while still allowing for normal sexual activity. Without sperm in the ejaculated semen, there is no chance of fertilizing an egg and achieving pregnancy.
But women shouldn't plan to abandon their birth control pills just yet. At least one expert said this new approach, although promising, is not ready for prime time and won't be in the near future. Results of animal studies also don't necessarily translate to humans.
For the study, researchers led by Dr. Sabatino Ventura, a senior lecturer at Monash University in Parkville, Australia, genetically knocked out two key proteins in mice. These proteins — alpha-1A adrenoceptor and P2X1-purinoceptor — transport sperm through the urethra when a man ejaculates, or releases semen.
These "double knockout" male mice were able to have sex normally with female mice, but there were no pregnancies despite ejaculation. In mice and other species, females form a plug in the vagina after successfully mating. In the new study, which was published online Dec. 2 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the female mice did not form a vaginal plug after mating, suggesting that the semen lacked sperm.
Previous attempts to develop a male birth control pill have focused on shutting down sperm production, a tricky and risky endeavor. "This approach is unique because it is nonhormonal and does not affect the development of sperm," Ventura said.
"The sperm are fine, but they are just not transported at the appropriate time to be ejaculated," he said.
As far as developing a male contraceptive pill based on these new findings, drug makers are already halfway there, Ventura said. Drugs currently on the market to treat benign enlargement of the prostate gland block the alpha-1A adrenoceptor protein.
"We just need a medicine to be developed for the second [protein] before a drug can be trialed," he said. "The development of a drug for the second [protein] would most likely require a new molecule, followed by optimization, preclinical trials and then clinical trials." He said this could take about 10 years.
If developed, this male contraceptive likely would be given as a daily pill just like the female birth control pill, Ventura said.
The new contraceptive would not have any negative hormonal or sexual side effects, Ventura said. "It is likely to be readily reversible so it can be used in young adults who still want to father children in later life," he said.
When the researchers reversed the procedure and allowed the male mice to fertilize females, they found that the offspring were normal.
Dr. Natan Bar-Chama, a male reproductive urologist in New York City, said he is intrigued by the study but the findings should be viewed with caution. "The focus on the goal of achieving a safe male contraceptive is critically important," said Bar-Chama, director of the Center for Male Reproductive Health at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York.
Much hope has been pinned on possible male contraceptives in the past. Many attempts involved the male sex hormone testosterone, but Bar-Chama said these drugs failed to live up to their promise or caused serious side effects. Unacceptable side effects included altered sexual activity and irreversible changes in fertility.
"The new technique, while promising, raises some concerns," Bar-Chama said. "We have a long way to go from showing that what happens in mice is usable in humans."
Still, Bar-Chama is interested. "I applaud any effort to give couples options whereby the woman doesn't have to take a hormonal contraceptive, and I look forward to seeing this further developed," he said.
More information
Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more about contraception.
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


text: I don't know about everyone else. But I really enjoyed putting names to faces at the annual picnic. Everyone there was very nice and friendly. I am looking forward to the next get together. I think Mainiac1957 is trying to organize one for for 11 September. I can not remember where it was. I think he said the Bangor area. Someone correct me if I am wrong.


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Ask the Coach: Night Moves
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
I just discovered that a 12-hour ultra I am planning to run is now a night-time race. Any advice?
-Robin Ashton, London, ONT
Racing through the night can be a fantastic, surreal experience for a trail runner—the still night air, the stars, the solitude. The key to night running starts with being comfortable with your surroundings. Most importantly, this requires staying on course—there are few worse feelings than being lost in the middle of the night, alone. So, keep your head up, and be diligent in locating course markings.
Another key component is having a good lighting system. While pacing Bev Abbs at the 2009 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, I adapted her system of using a headlamp for directional light, and a diffused-beam headlamp mounted around my waist to shine at my feet. Another common method is to use a headlamp and a handheld light. Try both systems and figure out what works best for you.
Practice makes perfect, says DreamChaser's coach Lisa Smith-Batchen. "Begin a few training runs at the time your race will start. Use these runs to test your race nutrition plan," adds Smith-Batchen. "Running through the night, your body will feel different than in the morning."
If you can train yourself to be a good technical night runner, you are at a huge advantage on race day. Everyone slows down in the dark, but with a little practice you can minimize time loss.


text: Adventures Of The Penguin King Official Trailer (2013) - Tim Allen Movie HD Rex, a young King Penguin, has been away from his home for three years, learning to hunt in the wild oceans, but now he's back in Penguin City. His mission: to find a mate, settle down and raise a chick. But can he survive the numerous predators and the harsh conditions on an isolated island at the bottom of the world? This is the journey of a typical bachelor King Penguin, from awkward adolescent to accomplished adult. It's a family tale of love and adventure, tragedy and triumph, all told through the charismatic and charming natural actors, the penguins of South Georgia. Stunning cinematography takes us into Penguin City, on an extraordinary sub-Antarctic island, home to majestic albatrosses, brawling elephant sealsâ€â€and six million penguins. Narrator Tim Allen brings added warmth and humor to the tale, aided by a funny and dramatic script by Phillip LaZebnik (Pocahontas, Mulan, Prince of Egypt). Though our hero's harsh world may be alien to our day-to-day lives, his struggle will be familiar to us all.