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Make Door County your Golf Destination this Spring, Summer and Fall!
With 11 courses to choose from, Door County has become a genuine golf destination! If you like golfing, you can escape to Door County for a weekend or a week and be challenged all the way on a variety of courses that mix beautiful vistas, challenging slopes, and interesting play.
There are no other places like Door County in the Midwest – it is a unique blend of 250 miles of coastline, lighthouses, historic villages, islands and just beauty. And now, a wonderful variety of golf courses that will keep you challenged no matter what your handicap or skill level.
From shoot around practices courses, golf ranges and championship bent-grass courses, you will now find it all in Door County. The last couple of years has added two wonderful courses in Horseshoe Bay Farms and The Orchards, has seen Maxwelton Braes be completely reinvented, and other courses really step to the challenge. You will find wonderful golf resorts that have everything from great accommodations and fine-dining restaurants to great golf.
You can select from some suggested weekend golf tours that we have developed here, or build your own! Or you can golf in Door County for a week and not be bored. See our special sections for our "45 Hole" and "63 Hole" golf weekends, which include places to have a nice breakfast or lunch too, and a blend of uniqueness of the courses to provide a myriad of challenge, beauty and play. Or see our "Short- Warm Up Courses" section for some good shorter, "practice" courses.
Check other resorts for special packages including accommodations. You can even golf the island, at Deer Run on Washington Island.
Get all the details and plan it all right here. And Golf Door County!
See Our Golf Course Listings & Reviews See Our Recommended Courses


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Our innovations and value-engineering approach have enabled MEC to increase safety and quality, while reducing costs and increasing production efficiency. Starting in the estimating stage, we analyze the specific requirements of the project and its design so that each is tailored to best address the needs of the project, keeping in mind the highest standards of quality and saftey. Our clients benefit from all these advantages which shows in the repeat business they give us as well as the high praise and awards that we receive.
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These exciting technologies are here to stay at MEC.
Click here to read more about our projects. You'll see the range of markets served, from mass transit and railroads, to power generation and distribution, to water treatment facilities. Every step of the way, we're committed to our clients, with world-class construction services.

subset: commoncrawl


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August 12 is International Youth Day, an awareness day designated by the United Nations. International Youth Day is to spread awareness of the cultural and legal issues of today's youth. A new issue is emphasized each year on August 12. While the theme for 2015 is Youth Civic Engagement, the emphasized issue for youth in 2014 was mental health awareness. Below we break down the issue promoted by International Youth Day 2014:
Understand mental health—Although this once was a taboo and controversial subject, mental health has stepped into the forefront as a public issue. Depression, anxiety and many other mental health diseases are more common than believed and need an equal amount of treatment as any other disease.
Talk about mental health—Arm yourself with the correct lingo to talk about mental health issues. There are mental health diseases which are treated through medication and a therapist (not a shrink). Visit mentalhealth.gov for more information about mental health.
How to promote mental health—Diseases stem from body issues to substance-abuse to genetic psychotic disorders. Suicide is ranked as the number four most common death behind heart disease. If you see warning signs in a loved one: sadness, isolation, losing interest, make sure to seek help for them.


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In observance of the Holy Week, I will be on blogging fast for the rest of the week. I will leave you with this touching article by Suzette, Rache's ICA friend, to serve as a Lenten reflection. What would you do now if you know that we are to witness the Second Coming in our lifetime?
Falling In Love with His Divine Mercy
by Suzette T. Yu-Kho (ICA batch 1991)
Like many Catholics, I once took my faith for granted: I did not attend Mass regularly, stopped going to Confession and avoided religious people. I strayed away from the Faith and began dabbling in other forms of worship. I even took part in an East Indian "healing" seminar (it only lasted for a day). Each of them guaranteed the same results: true peace and happiness.
Yet despite all their sweet words and the promise of Eden, I felt empty. As I plunged deeper into sin, I thought there was no escape. There was no way that I could go back to the Church and face God being the sinner that I was–I was incredibly ashamed of myself! How could I stand there singing hymns with other "saintly" people who never committed such atrocious deeds? I could not fathom confessing to a priest once again who in my mind would surely rebuke me; consequently, for a quite a long time, I did not receive the Holy Eucharist either.
Years later, I was still in my predicament when I heard of Stanley Villavicencio: a Filipino lay person who touched the lives of sinners from all around the world and opened their hearts to Jesus Christ's Divine Mercy. His testimony was mind-boggling: after three days of being pronounced "clinically dead" in Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu, he came back to life, much to the shock of his doctors and family members who were busy arranging his funeral. He claimed to have seen Jesus upon his death amidst a garden filled with various kinds of beautiful flowers. Jesus then showed him the film of his life starting from the time he was a young boy up to the moment of his death. Whenever he committed a venial sin, the film would slow down; whenever he committed a mortal sin, the film would stop and enlarge itself. Nothing could be denied since the film had the exact date and time of when the sins were done–even the minutes and seconds were recorded! He also said the sins he confessed to a priest felt lighter compared to the sins he did not confess.
After reviewing the film of his life, Jesus then sent Stanley back to earth with a mission and that was to spread the word of His Divine Mercy. He told Stanley that He would be communicating with him very often. In this dream-like state, Stanley could see, touch and even embrace Christ. Stanley was also asked to obey his authorities (Cardinal Vidal and Msgr. Cris Garcia, his spiritual director) who instructed him to write down the messages he would receive every time there was an encounter with Jesus. Msgr. Cris Garcia who had been endowed with the gift of internal locution was made aware of each encounter simultaneously by Jesus Himself; he in turn would confirm the messages with Cardinal Vidal. To date there have been 31 encounters with our Lord since 1993.
Jesus' main message is simple: the doors of His Mercy are still wide open to penitent sinners. Souls should not hesitate to come back to Him even if their "sins be as plentiful as the stars in the sky". If people refuse to pass through the doors of His Mercy, they have to pass through the doors of His Justice after the period of time He allots. He is also asking us to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy unceasingly, receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist often and celebrate the Mass regularly. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a powerful tool against hell for a dying soul: if prayed for a dying soul, God will see the soul through the wounds of His Son instead of through that person's sins. If a repentant sinner prays the Chaplet for himself even just once, God will also be merciful to him because Jesus says that He will stand between the sinner and His Father upon that person's death. Furthermore, Jesus promises that on the Feast of the Divine Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter) "the soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishments". Church officials say that the graces one receives during Divine Mercy Sunday is similar to the graces obtained during baptism.
Stanley's resurrection was so miraculous that the doctor who attended to him decided to enter the seminary. He is now a Jesuit priest doing missionary work in Africa besides being the head of the Jesuit Hospital of the Philippines. Stanley's testimony is also supported by 22 bishops and 2 cardinals in the Philippines as well as various Church leaders throughout the world including the late Pope John Paul II (who during his lifetime was promoting the Divine Mercy devotion and fulfilled the vision of Saint Faustina in the 1930s by declaring the first Sunday after Easter as the Divine Mercy Sunday in 2000; Pope John Paul II incidentally died on the eve of the Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005). His story has attracted a huge number of people from different countries and has converted many to Christianity. When he went to China to deliver his message, he miraculously started speaking in Mandarin even though he had no background on the language. By the end of his speech, the Chinese audience had tears in their eyes: they understood every word he said and 200 of them embraced the Catholic Faith right away!
Last July 16th, I was able to bring Stanley Villavicencio to our community via his Divine Mercy volunteer team. I was fortunate and honored that he was able to spare some time for our villagers despite his impossibly-busy schedule. He was indeed tireless and passionate about his mission. Besides narrating his experience with death and encounters with our Lord, he also adeptly answered questions especially on the Sacrament of Penance and why it was so necessary.
Towards the end of his talk, there was a veneration of the images of Jesus and Mary. Since Cardinal Vidal did not allow Stanley to lay hands on individuals for healing, people were just asked to approach the images themselves and many miraculous incidents have occurred worldwide during the veneration.
In my case, one of those people I prayed for during the veneration was my second son who was only 19 months old at the time. He was diagnosed with asthma then and was wheezing. He also developed big red spots all over his arms and torso that morning and I had no idea where they came from. Almost immediately after I prayed for him at the veneration, however, his skin condition improved and we did not have to give him medication beginning the next day at all! His asthma disappeared as well!
Perhaps one of the greatest miracles that took place was the fact that the participants were awakened by his message. We realized that reconciliation with our Lord also starts with reconciling with our enemies. If we want to obtain our Lord's Mercy, we should be merciful towards one another, too. There is also this urgent need to spread the apostolate for we do not know when our hour will come and we need to save as many souls as we can. As Jesus told Stanley, "He who saves a soul saves his own."
In spite of his hectic schedule, Stanley was so kind to grant me an interview for the benefit of our readers:
Question: Many of us are delighted to hear that Jesus has chosen a Filipino to relay his Divine Mercy message. Does God have a special plan for the Philippines?
Stanley: There is a bright future for the Philippines because Jesus loves us. He says we should not lose hope. There is a special plan for us: Filipinos around the world are being used by the Lord. They are not only there to work but they are also being used to evangelize.
Question: What is Jesus' stance on artificial contraception?
Stanley: Jesus is very sad because our Church also has family planning, but it should be natural family planning. It's not the family-planning problem which makes children live in the streets: it's the parents' irresponsibility. God will find a way to feed the children. It is not us who will feed them, it is the Lord. We just have to trust Him but we also have to work. We can't just sit and waste time by gambling, drinking…
Question: Do you have any clues as to when Jesus' Second Coming will be?
Stanley: He said that I will witness His Final Coming but He did not say how or when.
Question: What can you say to people who deny the existence of hell?
Stanley: There is a hell because Jesus mentioned to me that there are only two choices: heaven or hell. There is also purgatory but then purgatory is part of heaven; it is just a cleansing area because heaven is only for the clean and the pure and nobody is clean. All of us are sinners so we have to pass through purgatory for cleansing. Jesus has mentioned hell to me several times. The souls there suffer much, and it's for eternity. You can never get out.
Question: How exactly does Jesus look like?
Stanley: You cannot totally describe the Lord. You cannot just totally describe your feeling, your happiness, and your satisfaction. He is everything. As I see it He's taller than me and if you look at Him from a distance His hair is blonde because of His golden aura and its reflection on Him. But when He is just in front of you, His hair is black, straight, but wavy. He's very handsome: eyes are blue, skin is pinkish, sharp nose, and his teeth are all white and even. He has a moustache and when He smiles you can see His dimples. He is more polite than me because in every conversation He always says "Please". So I say to myself, "How humble is our Lord!"
Question: Why is there so much suffering in the world?
Stanley: Jesus allows suffering because it makes us closer to the Lord. The more we suffer, the more we pray. Suffering is purification, suffering is cleansing. We should not blame the Lord whenever we suffer.
Question: Will rich people be able to make it to heaven?
Stanley: Yes, rich people can also make it to heaven because it is not in wealth or poverty but in how good your heart is. If God were given the chance He would want everyone to enter heaven but we have free will which is why we make our own destinations. Without free will we all become robots.
Question: Will the Divine Mercy message help those who have already died?
Stanley: Jesus explained to me that Mercy is only possible when you are alive; justice takes over when you are dead. While you are still living, breathing, Mercy is still possible. When you die, there is no more Mercy. When you pray for someone who has already died, your prayers will help him if he is in purgatory but if he is in hell, there is nothing that you can do.
Question: How will we know if we are saved?
Stanley: In truth, we do not know because salvation is a free gift from God. If God were to have a choice, He wants all of us to be saved but because of free will, man chooses where to go. Religion cannot save us. Religion will only guide us to salvation; however, among all the religions, it is only the Catholic Church which has plenary indulgences. When Jesus explained the Feast of the Divine Mercy, He said that if you are in a state of grace and receive Holy Communion that day, there is a complete forgiveness of sins and punishments. That grace is also called a plenary indulgence by the Church.
Question: Is it a sin when people claim that they are saved?
Stanley: Yes, it is a sin. They think they are righteous. That's pride.
Question: Many feel that it is not necessary to confess to a priest when they can confess directly to God Himself. What can you say about this?
Stanley: It's written in the Bible, "Whatever sins you forgive on earth will be forgiven in heaven and whatever sins you retain on earth will be retained in heaven." If we believe that the Bible is the Word of God then we have to obey the Bible.
Whenever we go to confession, we should see the priest through his vocation as a priest and not through his sins. It is our Lord sitting there listening to us as we confess. If the priest is a sinner, it is he who will answer to God, not us. Whenever we attend Mass, don't we receive graces from the Mass through the priest, too? If we keep on thinking of the priest as a sinner, how can we obtain graces from the Mass? Don't we use a broom to clean our homes before a visitor comes? Isn't a broom dirty yet why do we use something dirty to clean our homes? In the same way, we should receive the Sacraments through the priest (a sinner ordained by God) who is God's instrument and view him through his priesthood, not through his sins to receive the graces our Lord wants us to receive.
Question: Can you share your thoughts on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist?
Stanley: We should prepare ourselves before taking Holy Communion. Jesus mentioned that He observed that during the Mass, most people receive Communion but are they prepared? I often ask my audiences what they do before a visitor comes over. They reply that they clean their homes and prepare. If Christ were to enter our bodies, we also have to prepare by going to Confession. We don't just keep receiving the Holy Host without proper preparation because by doing so, we are just adding to our sins. It is not ordinary bread that we are taking. It is the Body and Blood of our Lord. Look at the Divine Mercy image. During the time of St. Faustina it was explained that the white rays represented water and the red rays represented blood. When Jesus and I spoke, He said that the white rays represented the Sacrament of Confession, the cleansing of our soul while the red rays represented the Holy Eucharist. He is really present in the Eucharist. What we are truly receiving is His Body and Blood.
Question: The Catholic Church has many traditions which are being questioned by other religious sects. What are your thoughts on this?
Stanley: Actually they say that we worship images. In the Old Testament when Moses went up the mountain the people left down below made images of animals and birds and worshipped them. When Moses came down he destroyed all the idols. It was because they made images of animals. In the New Testament, though, Jesus became flesh and many people saw Him which was why they were able to make images of Him; however, those are images of our Lord, not images of animals. Also, we are not worshipping the pictures. Those are just our guides in worshipping the Lord. In the same way, we are not worshipping Mama Mary. We are just asking for her intercession like we ask for help from the saints. The saints are similar to our lawyers here on earth. When the judge gives you a subpoena, you don't go directly to the judge; you look for lawyers to accompany you to the judge. It's the same way when you die. The saints are our lawyers and they really help especially the saints you're devoted to. The saints are our good examples because they sacrificed so much.
After thanking Stanley and being touched by His Divine Mercy, I concluded that the greatest weapon Satan has is despair. Jesus offers hope to every one of us. He calls us to His flock no matter how horrible our sins are and yes, He can forgive. According to Stanley, the only sin which Jesus cannot forgive is if one cannot believe that He has the power to forgive ALL sins because by doing so that person does not believe that He is God. That is the sin which hurts Him the most: the sin of distrust.
Isn't it funny that the young woman who used to shy away from the Faith is presently an ardent believer and promoter of the Catholic teachings? Isn't it ironic that the same lady who never prayed the Rosary on her own initiative was able to convince her husband to joyfully pray the Rosary with her every night? Indeed, the Lord works in wonderful ways!
Using ordinary rosary beads, say one Our Father, Hail Mary and The Creed.
On the large Our Father beads pray the following: "Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world."
On each of the small beads pray the following: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole world."
Conclude the fifth decade with: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." (3x)
"Jesus, King of mercy, we trust in You."


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Thank you for visiting our website, which helps with the answers for the Words Of Wonders Guru game. Some levels are difficult, so we decided to make this guide, which can help you with Words Of Wonders Guru Russia Saint Basil's Cathedral Level 4 answers if you can't pass it by yourself. The team that named Fugo Games, which has developed a lot of great other games and add this game to the Google Play and Apple stores.Words Of Wonders Guru Russia Saint Basil's Cathedral
Home » Words Of Wonders Guru Answers » Russia Saint Basil's Cathedral » Level 4


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The New York Times
Revelation Undermines Chevron Case in Ecuador
HOUSTON An American whose secret recordings have placed him at the center of a $27 billion lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador is a convicted drug trafficker, records show, throwing another complication into a case already tainted by accusations of bribery and espionage.
The lawsuit pits Ecuadorean peasants against Chevron over oil pollution in the Amazon and has been a major headache for the company for nearly a decade, producing a saga that underscores many of the hazards and ethical challenges of oil companies working in the developing world.
The company appeared to gain the upper hand in August when it revealed video recordings captured on watches and pens implanted with bugging devices that suggested a bribery scheme involving Ecuadorean officials, and possibly even the judge hearing the case.
But the company was put on the defensive again on Thursday, after lawyers for the peasants revealed that one of two men who made the tapes was a convicted felon. Court and other records provided by the plaintiffs show that Wayne Hansen, the American who helped make the recordings, was convicted of conspiring to traffic 275,000 pounds of marijuana from Colombia to the United States in 1986. He also was sued successfully in 2005 by a woman who accused him of unleashing his two pit bulls to attack her and her dog.
The disclosure adds more questions about what motivated Mr. Hansen and an Ecuadorean partner to record meetings for Chevrons use, which the company has characterized as an act of whistle-blowing by men offended by unethical behavior and evidence that the handling of the case had been flawed.
Its another blockbuster development in a case that never runs short of them, said Ralph G. Steinhardt, a professor at George Washington University Law School. It doesnt necessarily mean there was no bribery plan, but anything that undermines the credibility of the witness undermines the case of the party that would call that witness.
Trevor Melby, Mr. Hansens lawyer, did not deny his client had a criminal history, saying, The thing about felony convictions is they follow you to the grave, but even if he had 15 felony convictions it wouldnt change the tapes. Mr. Melby said he was not being paid by Chevron.
The origins of the case go back to the 1970s, when Texaco operated in partnership with the Ecuadorean state oil company to produce oil in the Amazon. Peasants filed suit in 1993, saying that the company, which had ceased to operate in Ecuador by then, had left an environmental mess that had caused illnesses among villagers. Chevron bought Texaco before the case could be resolved.
Chevron has long said that it could not receive a fair hearing in Ecuador before a hostile judge and government. That argument seemed to be reinforced by the recordings obtained by Mr. Hansen and an Ecuadorean man who had worked as a contractor for the company. They showed an Ecuadorean political go-between working to obtain $3 million in bribes for environmental cleanup contracts to be awarded after the case ended.
But it remained unclear why Mr. Hansen was involved in the discussions. The plaintiffs said that an inquiry into his background by a private investigator found that Mr. Hansen did not hold an engineering license, never finished college and showed no record of being qualified to remediate pollution as he portrayed to Ecuadorean officials in the tapes.
Chevron has said it had no involvement in the videotaping, and company spokesmen have said Mr. Hansen was never their point of contact. Weve had no association with this guy, said Donald Campbell, a Chevron spokesman. This issue is the content on the video and the transcripts that we turned over to the prosecutor general of Ecuador and the U.S. Department of Justice, which shows inappropriate meetings by the judge in our case, extensive government interference in the trial and a bribe plot involving $3 million.
The other man involved in making the recordings, Diego Borja, has since been moved to the United States with his family at Chevrons expense, and he has been receiving an undisclosed amount of living expenses.
No bribes were shown in the tapes, but the plot supposedly included Judge Juan Núñez, who was presiding in the case. Mr. Núñez recused himself, though he says he did nothing wrong.shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.


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Coriolanus Could Make New Fans for the Bard
- Christian Hamaker Contributing Film and Culture Writer
- 2012 17 Feb
DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012
Theatrical Release Date: January 20, 2012 (limited); February 17, 2012 (wider)
Rating: R (for some bloody violence )
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Adaptation
Run Time: 122 min.
Director: Ralph Fiennes
Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain, Lubna Azabal, Ashraf Barhom
Riots. Food shortages. The suspension of civil liberties. All are elements of contemporary and futuristic stories about government run amok. All are things we've seen reported, and speculated about, in the news recently.
But what do those things have to do with Shakespeare?
Coriolanus, starring and directed by Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) and based on one of Shakespeare's less frequently performed plays, drapes its story of an uprising against Rome in very modern garb. As adapted by screenwriter John Logan (Hugo, Rango), Coriolanus is a gripping, cinematic take on the Bard, anchored by Fiennes' fierce performance in the title role.
The story's contemporary feeling is established in the opening moments of the story, as footage straight out of today's 24-hour cable news channels brings us up to speed on the movie's setting: the Romans, led by General Caius Martius (Fiennes), are at war with the Volsces, led by Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler, Machine Gun Preacher). "He is a lion that I am proud to hunt," Martius tells his war counsel, while Aufidius vows that "if I ever I meet him again beard to beard, he's mine, or I am his."
The people of Rome, in their anger over a food shortage, have trained their anger on Martius, but when the general takes the Volscian city of Corioles, the populace rallies around him. The Senate awards him a new title, Coriolanus, and, with urging from his mother (Vanessa Redgrave, Anonymous) and the support of his wife (Jessica Chastain, The Help) and Senator Menenius (Brian Cox, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), he pursues the office of Consul. But when other politicians turn the public against him, Martius seeks revenge by fighting against Rome alongside his longtime enemy Aufidius.
Themes about political compromise, the abuse of power and the consequences of personal betrayal give Coriolanus a timeless quality, but the look of the film is very much of the here and now. Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, who shot The Hurt Locker, brings to Fiennes' film an intensity and disorientation to the battle footage that's reminiscent of that Best Picture Oscar winner. The vivid filmmaking and the striking battle of wills between Martius and Aufidius is enough to carry along viewers who might struggle with the Old English dialogue, but in the hands of pros like Fiennes, Redgrave and Cox, the words are delivered with a pleasurable confidence that enables viewers to follow. Even Butler, who's not been challenged in his earlier film roles with anything approaching what he has to do in the role of Aufidius, gives a more than passable performance, indicating the actor is up to better written parts than those he has done so far.
While Shakespeare's plays are assigned to students as young as junior-high age, Coriolanus is bloody and violent, earning its "R" rating and making the film inappropriate for those younger than 17 (even though most teens will have likely seen far more graphic films than Coriolanus). It's a worthy addition to the modern Shakespeare movie canon. If it's not quite in the same league as Kenneth Branagh's Henry V and Akira Kurisawa's Ran (an adaptation of King Lear), it's a bold step forward for Fiennes as a filmmaker and another successful effort to show Shakespeare's relevance in a media-saturated culture always ready to lavish attention on the next hot property and rising star.
- Language/Profanity: "A-s."
- Alcohol/Smoking/Drugs: A couple scenes of drinking.
- Sex/Nudity: Kissing; brief scene of Coriolanus laying next to his wife in bed, and she touches his chest.
- Violence/Crime: Riots, followed by police beatings of rioters; a gunshot to the head; a stabbing; a dead woman and child shown; battle fighting; knife against a throat; a wrist is slit.
Religion/Morals: Coriolanus' wife, mother and son get on their knees to beseech Coriolanus and make a prayer-like gesture toward him; they say "the heavens do open" and "the gods look down."
Questions? Comments? Contact the writer at email@example.com.


text: Pianist Palmieri Rebounds With Film Score Steve Milne Wednesday, June 4, 2014 Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin. Eddie Palmieri is adding film score to his long list of accomplishments with the soundtrack to an independent film. The film is called Doin' It in the Park and it's a look at New York's pick-up basketball scene. In a video promoting the film, director Bobbitto Garcia talks about recruiting 77-year-old pianist and composer Eddie Palmieri to write a score matching the energy on screen. "Eddie Palmieri – nine time Grammy Award winner, jazz master. And Eddie, amazingly, had never scored a film," Garcia said. "And so he loved the idea, he loves basketball."   We reached Palmieri at his home studio in New Jersey. "He (Bobbitto Garcia) knew that I had never written for any film or documentary or anything like that and I took it as a challenge and it turned out great. They always knew that I played ball, get it?" says Pamieri. Palmieri's full-court press, percussive piano technique, and that growling sound you hear him making; have earned him the nickname – "the madman of Latin music." In fact the moaning and groaning created problems for record company executives during Palmieri's first recording sessions in the early 1960s. "They wanted to either gag me or put me in another room or something," remembers Palmieri. "Then they said 'listen, that's the way he plays, just let him play, go ahead, let him moan and groan, whatever he wants to do.'" Letting Palmieri do whatever he wants to do has resulted in some of the most significant recordings in Latin music over the past 50 years. The Nuyorican, or New Yorker of Puerto Rican heritage, started his career in the 1950s playing with dance bands during the height of the mambo craze. Palmieri struck out on his own in the early '60s and hit it big with his band La Perfecta and tunes like this one – "Conmigo."   That trombone-flute combination was an unusual sound in the early '60s because all the other Latin dance bands were led by trumpets. "The two-trombone New York salsa sound and unbelievable technique on piano. Absolute master of this music bringing together jazz and the Afro-Cuban rhythms," says Jamie Dubberly a trombonist with the San Francisco-based Pacific Mambo Orchestra. The group won a Grammy Award this year for "Best Latin Tropical Album." Percussionist Carlos Caro is also with the orchestra. "Palmieri is a big influence. Every song he made was a hit." Not only was he a hit maker in the 60s and 70s, he was also active with social issues, performing benefit concerts for the Young Lords – a Puerto Rican nationalist group in New York City…as well as playing concerts in prisons such as Riker's Island and Sing Sing. Palmieri's 1972 album Recorded Live at Sing Sing with his group Harlem River Drive is a classic. "It was a time of revolt in the streets," explains Palmieri. "We had the Young Lords, you had the Black Panthers. I was in line with the Young Lords because I knew one of them. One of them was really close to me. When they put the flag around the eyes of the Statue of Liberty I'm the one that did a concert for them and bailed them out of jail at least with whatever I was able to bring out of the concert. But we blew them away. I had played Attica a couple of times, I did Lewisburg when they brought in the prisoners form Watergate. I did Sing Sing twice. I did Riker's Island. Dizzy Gillespie was my MC. This was in Riker's Island. He says 'before I bring on my Latin soul brother – Eddie, have you ever seen such a captive audience?'" Palmieri says from La Perfecta to "Doin' It in the Park," one thing ties his body of work together…a quality instilled in his musical DNA from the mambo days: "They're all danceable. And that comes from the old Palladium Ballroom with the great orchestras of Machito and his Afro Cubans, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez."   Palmieri's music often gets labeled as "salsa" but he points out that the rhythms he plays all have their proper names such as: rhumba, guaguanco and montuno. "All these rhythmical patterns that are African in origin, to lump that under one word – salsa – it's blasphemy. And the best answer that we got was from the great Tito Puente. When they asked him 'what do you think about salsa?' He said 'I put salsa on my spaghetti baby.'" Palmieri says he's still going strong after more than 60 years in the business because he has a passion for the music fueled by the musicians in his band – many of them young enough to be his grandchildren. "You can't get tired when you see these new, young players. It's a young band, eager to play and I'm part of it." We recorded these interviews back in March as Palmieri and his young septet were prepairing to perform in Stockton Thursday, March 27 for a performance at San Joaquin Delta College and then following that up with the annual Brubeck Festival.


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Motivated and Inspired: 2:39


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We were a bit skeptical last week when Jeannine Chanes, one of two lawyers representing the Queens-based street art collective 5Pointz, told us that her clients had a fighting chance of stopping the demolition the group's graffiti-emblazoned warehouse headquarters with an obscure arts law. But although Judge Frederic Block declined to issue a hoped-for injunction late last week, he did grant a restraining order that freezes building owner G&M Realty's demolition preparations—and any further painting—for 10 days, as first reported by the Long Island City Post. And by all appearances, he seems to be taking Ms. Chanes's somewhat unorthodox arguments seriously.
To ward off G&M's wrecking balls, Ms. Chanes trotted out a little-known and largely untested fragment of law known as the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA), one clause of which allows visual artists of a particular stripe to prevent the unauthorized destruction or alteration of works installed inextricably in buildings. 5Pointz's aerosol paintings, which cover virtually every inch of the G&M warehouse, conform perfectly to the sort of work the law was designed to protect, Ms. Chanes told us. (With the blessings of David and Gerald Wolkoff, who own G&M, 5Pointz has used the space for the last 20 years as a gallery and educational forum.) But Thomas F. Cotter, an intellectual property expert at the University of Minnesota's law school, noted that the court might well find a way to exclude 5Pointz from VARA safeguards, lest property-owners like the Wolkoffs find themselves largely prohibited from modifying (or demolishing) their own buildings.
When we spoke with Ms. Chanes today, she attributed her initial success in great part to the sympathies and predilections of Judge Block. "He's definitely a judge for the 99 percent," she said. "He will stand up for the little guy and apply the law as it is written." She acknowledged, though, that VARA's stipulations are at first blush somewhat perplexing to standard American sensibilities: "The thing that the judge was struggling with is that this law is so counterintuitive," she said. "The US has such longstanding regard for property rights, that it just doesn't make sense that a law like this exists. But it does."
Ms. Chanes likened 5Pointz's battle with the Wolkoffs to a dispute in the 1980s over striped bass in the Hudson River—which disrupted the doomed Westway project—and the faceoff in the late 1970s between the endangered snail darter fish and the Tennessee Valley Authority, which delayed the completion of a dam for two years in the 1970s. "Although these laws are not common," she said, "there are some precedents for a statute like this to supersede the rights of property owners."
Unimpressed with the Wolkoffs' arguments—which, she said, revolved largely around projected financial losses resulting from demolition delays—Ms. Chanes is optimistic that Judge Block will ultimately grant 5Pointz a more permanent injunction. However counterintuitive the act might be, she said, "the law is the law. At a certain point."
Of course, there remains the question of whether the artists can raise enough money to buy the building—the Wolkoffs' lawyers have suggested very plainly that they cannot—let alone maintain it. And whether, after the Wolkoffs have been dragged through the courts in recompense for their past generosity, any building owner will be foolish enough to make the same mistake in the future.


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Alright, I have put this off long enough! Time to do my yearly ritual of witchcraft–erm, I mean, long range forecasting.
Let's make this clear from the beginning: There are many variables to consider when making a forecast that extends months into the future; weather forecasters struggle enough to get tomorrow's forecast right. Among the most popular ways to determine long term trends are ocean temperatures, which can play a significant role in what kinds of land temperatures and precipitation will be most prominent during a given season.
At the present, the north Pacific Ocean is in a cold phase, which has correlated to cooler, more active weather for the West in the past, but isn't necessarily a determining factor.
In addition, the equatorial Pacific can give us an even clearer look into general seasonal weather patterns, from the development of an El Nino event, which leads to warmer and drier conditions for the Pacific Northwest, or a La Nina pattern, which brings colder and wetter weather. Unfortunately, neither of those patterns will be able to help in this year's forecast because we are witnessing the rise of what is unofficially known as La Nada. That's right: no warm signals and certainly no cold signals. It's no wonder meteorologist call this pattern a "wild card".
Let's revisit what analogs are and why they might be useful in constructing a forecast.
Analogs are past years that exhibit some similar weather activity to the current year, and as a result weather forecasters try to match up the past with the present to see if there's some type of correlation or pattern occurring. More often than not it's just a guide, but sometimes history does repeat itself.
Other reliable pieces of data essential for producing a long range forecast is the ONI, or Oceanic Nino Index to track what El Nino, La Nina or neutral years in the past match up similarly to the present day. The records I have go all the way back to 1950. Solar activity can be another major factor to the weather over the years, but I haven't weighted that heavily enough in my forecast mainly because of the lack of data. Lastly, I used the PDO readings (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) to finalize my findings.
Here are some of the top corresponding years:
2012 (interestingly enough)
If any of you remember the winters of 2012-2013, 1990-1991 or 1978-1979, you will recall that there's a healthy mix of benign weather (dry, mild, no snow) and awesome weather (arctic intrusions, buckets of snow). As it so happens, that's probably the best description of what to expect this winter.
There are some strong signals indicating December will, once again, provide us with some of the best opportunities for some chilly weather, but perhaps not the most ideal for snow. The reemergence of a pretty healthy ridge will limit the amount of precipitation we receive, but not for long. After a generally pleasant beginning to the month, there are signs that the jet stream will gradually begin to sag south and west, bringing in a decent shot of cold and moist weather. Could this result in a repeat of last years white Christmas event? The chances are, of course, very low, but it looks like we could at least be heading in the right direction. Temperatures will average a couple degrees below normal with precipitation right around average, if not a little below.
January, as a whole, looks downright chilly for most of the country, with very little in the way of temperature fluctuations. An active jet stream and negative PNA (Pacific/North American teleconnection pattern) should also increase the mount of storminess on the West Coast with plenty of mountain snow and several shots at lowland snow. This doesn't look like a pattern conducive to too many "Pineapple Express" systems, however, so precipitation likely won't exceed average by much if at all. The coldest and stormiest periods will be between the 1st and the 15th with a gradual change for the drier by the end of the month.
February, as has been typical in the Northwest for quite some time, will be drier than normal, but this time with a twist: It also looks a bit chillier than normal. This will be primarily due to cold overnight low temperatures, as most daytime temperatures should average at or slightly above normal. The most active weather will be found further east as the PNA shifts to a positive phase and the North Atlantic Oscillation, or NAO, takes a plunge. However, it looks like we could run into a few "overrunning" events along the Hood Canal as we switch to some milder weather towards the end of the month.
After a chilly start, we'll likely see fairly tranquil conditions be the dominant feature through March with below normal precipitation. In fact, we could see some record high temperatures towards the end of the month.
So there you have it! A pretty cold and active beginning to winter with a gradual change to milder and drier weather. We'll check back in once spring rolls around to see how I did.
Have a great weekend, and stay warm!
Matthew Leach
Forecasting Kitsap
Questions? Comments? Photos? E-mail Matt Leach at: firstname.lastname@example.com


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In the late 1960s I had a series of geometric visions while tripping. They were elusive, because they were moving, and the colors shifted prismatically. In the early 1970s I began making drawings of what I had seen. These were geometric abstracts in a six color spectrum. Many years later I learned they were called interference patterns in physics
About the Moving Mandalas
by James Clair Lewis
Part One : How I came to make them
I got a friend to rig up a blue and a red light using a noisy ratchet relay. When the blue light was one, the blue end of the spectrum sort of whited out, while the red end of the spectrum darkened. The opposite happened when the red light was on. This simulated the moving aspect of my visions, but the ratchet relay was just too darned noisy, even with music playing loud. I also tried using individually blinking Christmas Tree lights, which was quiet, but the colors flashing weren't regular or consistent
In 1998 I got an iMac computer, and eventually stumbled across a freeware program called GIF Builder. It is not supported now, and no longer available, but it can do some truly nifty things. Of course, you do have to assemble your animated GIFS one frame at a time, which is rather time consuming. It won't run on any Macintosh Operating system above 9.2, so I make all of my Moving Mandalas on an IMac, and use my new G5 Tower for other stuff
Another program I found for the IMac is PicWave, which also is now unsupported and not available, and won't run on any Macintosh with an OS above 9.2. This program takes a single picture, and animates it into a MOV file (which GIF Builder can accept). PicWave uses Triangle, Sine, Cosine, and EXP functions to modulate lines, checks, Circles, and fancy Circles. You can layer these MOV files. This allows me to set different functions at different rates which dovetail at the end of the sequence. I like to use Classic Pythagorean numbers for this
I use a number of different sources. Some are Fractal designs I've made, others are from photos I've taken. Many are objects I've scanned, like flowers that grew around here, or crystals. A few are from pics I found on the internet, and I don't know who originally took them. I would Credit them with a link, if I could. They were just sooooooo good, I had to find out what they would look like as Moving Mandalas
I haven't found any programs for my G5 Tower which will allow me to make Moving Mandalas, but they may be out there somewhere. I have no idea how you would do this (or anything else) on a PC
Originally, I made the Moving Mandalas as artwork, and only later on discovered that they were useful meditation tools. Simply put : They give the brain something to do, while the Mind is busy meditating
Part Two : How the Moving Mandalas Work
I mentioned that I timed the sequences at different rates rates which dovetail at the end by using Classic Pythagorean numbers. With some of the simple Moving Mandalas you will have one thing which happens once during the whole sequence, while something else happens twice, something else happens three times, and one other thing happens four times. This embeds the number sequence one, two, three, four into the whole sequence
When using the Cosine function as a modulator, I set it at a point five. So I might have one function modulating on a Sine of 3 or 4 times through the whole sequence, while a Cosine function modulates at a 3.5. This appears to add some syncopation to it. Often the Moving Mandala will go to a zero point of its initial condition, but not in the exact half way point. It will occur somewhere else, and then go off in some other directions before dovetailing at the end
Many of the Moving Mandalas are fairly long, being around 600 frames. If I made one with 1000 frames, it would take a full minute before it began repeating again. It's kind of a stretch for the brain to follow a movement that long, which is why the brain is kept busy, and the Mind can meditate at peace. People with ADD always complain that they can't meditate properly, because their brains keep moving around, and distracting them. I've been told that when viewing my Moving Mandalas, that they don't have this problem
There are no subliminal messages in the Moving Mandalas. They are all pure artwork. So if you look at a Moving Mandala of a Flower or a Crystal, or a Fractal, or of a pretty hillside, that is the only Message which will be going into your brain. I think that's pretty safe, and probably better
PS: I know they take time to fully load, but once they do, the Moving Mandalas will move like liquid
The Moving Mandalas
Articles on Practical and Applied Metaphysics
Articles Towards Enlightenment
The Metaphysical Pages
The Gaian Dragon I Ching
Nature Photography
Massage & Healing
The Gremlin Pages
The Political Pages
The Main Page
Reseda Three
Faerie Lands


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A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
Common Asphalt Sealant May Raise Cancer Risks
Small study looked at coal-tar sealcoat and exposure to 'PAH' chemical compound
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Coal tar, a byproduct of steel manufacturing, is a common ingredient in sealants that are used in the Eastern part of the United States to refresh worn parking lots and driveways.
"People like it because it makes the asphalt look like new. The striping shows up really clearly if you have a parking lot," said study author Barbara Mahler, a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Austin, Texas.
The problem, she added, is that shiny black sealcoats are a concentrated source of cancer-causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.
"When tires drive across it, it's the grinding action of the tires that breaks up the little particles and grinds it up to a dust, essentially," Mahler said.
That dust gets carried into homes on shoes and hands. It's also washed into the surrounding soil and waterways after a rain, she said.
Previous studies have found high levels of PAHs in dust vacuumed from homes that sit near sealcoat-covered asphalt, according to study background information.
For the new study, published recently in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers compared the levels of PAHs in house dust swept from 23 ground-level apartments in Austin. About half of the apartments sat on parking lots that were coated with coal-tar sealants; the rest did not.
The researchers combined those levels with measurements of PAHs in soils sampled near parking lots with and without coal tar-based sealants in New Hampshire and Chicago.
Next, they plugged those numbers into models used by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess what is called excess cancer risk. They wanted to know how many people would get cancer because of their exposure to PAHs who would otherwise not be expected to.
Based on the models, for every million people who live near unsealed asphalt for 70 years, or roughly their whole lives, there would be three extra cases of cancer because of exposure to PAHs. Bare asphalt emits some PAHs, but at far lower levels than are found in sealcoat.
That risk is 38 times greater, however, for people living near asphalt sealed with coal tar, the study found. For every million people who spend 70 years living next to sealed pavement, researchers said they would expect about 110 cases of cancer because of the exposure to PAHs.
Most of that risk appears to accrue in childhood. The study found that 50 percent of the cancer risk from PAHs in sealcoated asphalt is acquired within the first six years of life. About 80 percent of a person's risk adds up before age 18.
That's partly because children have different habits than adults. They spend more time near the ground, and they like to put things in their mouths, like their hands or toys. Kids are also smaller, so their exposures to chemicals are more concentrated relative to their body weights.
"Really, what this analysis says is that there's potential harm here. There is risk," said Kenneth Portier, a biostatistician with the American Cancer Society not involved in the research. "What does it mean for me? Maybe I should try to avoid that risk. And especially avoid the risk in my children."
Fortunately, there is an alternative to coal tar-based sealants. A different kind of sealant, made with emulsified asphalt, has much lower levels of PAHs. It's the main kind of sealant used in Western states, but it can also be found in other parts of the country with a bit of searching.
Although the study found an association between coal-tar sealcoat and a higher exposure to a cancer-causing compound, it did not prove that the exposure might cause cancer.
Health News Copyright (c) 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
- More Health News on:
- Cancer
- Children's Health
- Environmental Health


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The 'Four Dishes, One Soup' anti-corruption catchphrase originally coined by China's first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), Zhu Yuanzhang, has re-emerged centuries later. State media [zh] used the term to describe a simple dinner Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping had in China's Northern Hebei province on December 29, 2012.
The menu of the dinner, which was published online, shows an order of simple Chinese dishes such as braised chicken and pork with wax gourd soup. "He specifically instructed drinks not to be served,'' the report read.
Thriftiness praised
In a country where luxury delicacies are more commonly served during officials' visits, Xi's thriftiness obviously touched the hearts of many state journalists. However, the detailed report about the "Four Dishes, One Soup" dinner failed to impress those online. Whilst some netizens consider Xi to have set a good example, many think the story was not worth reporting as it should be the norm.
It is not the first time state media has praised new leaders' "touching moments". On the same day, when reporting about Premier Li Keqiang's visit to a village, state media Xinhua stressed [zh] that Li stood behind villagers during a photo shoot, rare behaviour for Chinese leaders who usually stand in front of 'normal' people.
The state media's constant efforts to give Chinese new leaders a more common touch has triggered netizens' retorts on Sina Weibo and blogosphere. Below are some comments from writers and active netizens [zh]:
岳中海: 既然领导人要走亲民路线,抛弃官员"奢华作风"的固有印象,那么就应该和民众一样,一样等红灯,一样住宿,一样吃饭,这些有什么可报道的?故作低调的用词和语调相反透露出亲民行为"稀少"的程度。
岳中海: If officials decide to abandon the "luxury style" impression, then they should act the same as common people such as waiting on the red light [to cross the road], staying in ordinary hotels and eating simple meals, why is it necessary to report about this? The report itself reveals that such behavior is rare.
在打盹: Propaganda like "Four Dishes, One Soup" make me sick. They are not addressing the real issues China is facing today, such as the lack of credibility, moral decay, corruption, the environmental issue, social security issue and medical care issue.
连鹏: When "Four Dishes, One Soup" and "Standing behind villagers at photo shoots" are no longer considered "news" praised by the media or readers, we will then have real progress. A system where power can be controlled is more important than a wise leader, a system to monitor the officials is far more reliable than a good leader.
作家草军书: 特别多的国人特别容易被官员的一些微小的本应属于理所当然的细节感动,比如领导考察时吃四菜一汤、开车和别人一样等红灯、吃饭后主动掏钱支付饭费等。这些事情难道不是正常的吗?没有必要大张旗鼓铺张宣传,大家都一样拳头大的胃,一个人吃顿饭,四菜一汤完全能吃饱,不要标准太低奴性太足。
作家草军书: Many Chinese people are easily touched by some small things officials do, although these things should be taken as something normal, such as eating simple meals, waiting on the red [traffic] lights and paying for their own meals. Aren't they supposed to act like this? There is no need to report about it; "Four Dishes, One Soup" is enough to feed one person, don't lower our standards with a servile attitude towards the officials.
矮巴马: [Such reporting shows] we are used to being ruled like slaves. We always leave our fate to others, so we are eager to have a benevolent master. In fact, our fate is in our own hands.
Bright113:When a country is touched by a normal deed, this country is already not normal.
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Have you ever tried Ukrainian food? It is both healthy and very tasty. I strongly recommend you taste local food while your Ukraine vacation. In case you are not going to visit this Eastern Europe country, you can discover more about Ukrainian food in Ukraine travel guide http://ukraine-vacation-guide.com/index/meals_in_ukraine/0-107 then look for online recipes and try to cook it at your home.


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CRS: U.S. Armed Forces Abroad: Selected Congressional Roll Call Votes Since 1982, September 7, 2007
From WikiLeaks
About this CRS report
This document was obtained by Wikileaks from the United States Congressional Research Service.
The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.
Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.
This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.
For other CRS information see: Congressional Research Service.
For press enquiries, consult our media kit.
If you have other confidential material let us know!.
For previous editions of this report, try OpenCRS.
Wikileaks release: February 2, 2009
Publisher: United States Congressional Research Service
Title: U.S. Armed Forces Abroad: Selected Congressional Roll Call Votes Since 1982
CRS report number: RL31693
Author(s): Lisa Mages, Knowledge Services Group
Date: September 7, 2007
- Abstract
- This report summarizes selected congressional votes related to instances in which U.S. Armed Forces have been sent abroad in potentially hostile situations. These votes reflect the type of congressional actions that observers maintain bear directly on issues affecting policy and the funding of troops abroad, often in the context of the War Powers Resolution, continued presence or withdrawal of troops, and the "use of force." The cases of Lebanon (1982-1983), Grenada (1983), Panama (1989), the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991), Somalia (1992-1995), Haiti (1993-1996), Bosnia (1992-1998), Kosovo (1999), the terrorist attack against America (2001) (including the use of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan), and the use of U.S. Armed Forces against Iraq (2002-present) are examined.
- Download


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When I look back at all of the wonderful shows I was lucky enough to attend in 2010 it seems pretty clear that it was a great year for concerts in Seattle. From big names like Arcade Fire, Gorillaz and Muse coming to town to festivals like Bumbershoot attracting music fans young and old to see the likes of Drake, Bob Dylan and Weezer, in my book there was no better place to be than in Seattle for concerts in 2010.
With so many amazing concerts to choose from I'm surprised I somehow managed to narrow down my list of favorite concerts of the year to 15. Not surprising is that 11 of my 15 favorites were from local artists big and small. Here are my favorite shows of the year in chronological order with a one-sentece summary for each :
Shabazz Palaces at Neumos 01.08.10
One of the most hyped local hip-hip acts delivered during its public debut
Hootenanny for Haiti at the Showbox 02.28.10
Some of Seattle's biggest stars came out for a good cause
Ear Candy Birthday Bash at Nectar 03.20.10
A birthday with Katie Kate, No-Fi Soul Rebellion, Lisa Dank and Queerbait! is a damn good birthday
Brad and friends at the Showbox 04.14.10
Why yes I would like a Mother Love Bone reunion featuring Shawn Smith on vocals.
at the Showbox 04.16.10
The biggest reunion of the year in a very small setting Continue reading


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Wednesday, December 18, 2013
MFIA Clinic Files Lawsuit to Compel Disclosure of Documents Related to International Intellectual Property Trade Negotiations
The Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic, part of Yale ISP, has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Trade Representative seeking to compel meaningful disclosure regarding the secret negotiations over the intellectual property rules in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Ambassador Marwan Muasher to deliver the Coca-Cola World Fund at Yale Lecture
The first Jordan Ambassador to the State of Israel, Marwan Muasher, will give the Coca-Cola World Fund at Yale Lecture on Wednesday, October 9, 2013.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Professor Bernard Haykel to Deliver the Inaugural Dallah Albaraka Lecture on Islamic Law & Civilization on Sept. 24
The Dallah Albaraka Lectures on Islamic Law & Civilization will begin this fall at Yale Law School.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Faculty Commentary: Yale Law Professors Weigh in on Syria Debate
With a fervent debate raging over what actions should be taken against the Syrian government in the wake of a suspected chemical attack that killed more than 1,000 Syrians— including hundreds of children — Yale Law faculty offer their opinions and insights on a range of issues impacting the conversation. Below is a sampling of the most recent commentaries and interviews.
Friday, January 25, 2013
NYU Professor Intisar Rabb '06 to Discuss The Burden and Benefit of Doubt in Islamic Law
NYU law professor Intisar A. Rabb '06 will discuss "The Burden and Benefit of Doubt in Islamic Law" in the James A. Thomas Lecture on Feb. 18.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Luis Moreno-Ocampo to Give Inaugural Gruber Distinguished Lecture in Global Justice Monday - WATCH VIA LIVESTREAM
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, will deliver the inaugural Gruber Distinguished Lecture in Global Justice at Yale Law School on Jan. 28, 2013.


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Story highlights
A group of 15 artists in Nepal turn trash collected from Mount Everest into art
The project aims to raise awareness about pollution at Everest
1.5 tons of garbage have been turned into 74 pieces of artwork
The pieces are on sale, priced from $17 to $2,400
Since Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, first conquered Mount Everest in 1953, thousands of trekkers have tried to follow their footsteps.
According to the Nepalese Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, more than 3,500 have successfully climbed the 8,848-meter (29,029-foot) mountain, the world's highest. More than a tenth of that number scaled the summit last year alone.
But with the mountaineers' lofty dreams come a price: a trail of trash that now threatens the peak's environment.
A group of 15 artists in Nepal are turning that trash into art. Under a project called "Mt. Everest 8848 Art Project I" created last year, they have collected 1.5 tons of garbage brought down by climbers from the mountain, including remains of a helicopter that had crashed into the slopes during the 1970s.
"With this collaboration we aimed to raise awareness about pollution at Everest," explained Kripa Rana Shahi, director of Da Mind Tree, the organization that initiated the project.
Working tediously for a month, the artists transformed oxygen cylinders, cans, glass bottles and discarded trekking tools into 74 pieces of art and held their first of many exhibitions for interested buyers in November 2012.
Geographer reaches Mount Everest summit amidst tragedy
"Many of the artworks reflect mountain life and mountaineering experiences," says artist Sushma Shakya. "It was interesting what we came up with, and how this trash could turn into something beautiful."
"The visitors are amazed by the artwork, and we've received encouraging feedback. We hope our creations will help inspire actions against pollution at the Everest," Nara Bahadur BK, another artist, said.
The exhibitions have attracted more than 3,800 visitors, with the pieces priced from $17 to $2,400.
Nineteen pieces have been sold so far, and part of the proceeds will be given to Everest Summiteers Association, which has collaborated with the project. The association was the first to initiate a cleanup trip to Mt. Everest in 2005 and has continued its efforts to make the mountain pollution free.
"Each expedition to Everest is required to take a garbage deposit and bring their waste back," Diwas Pokhrel, the group's general secretary, said. "But this system has not been strictly implemented."
In last two years, the association has collected over 10 tons of garbage from the Everest, but it estimates that another 10 tons are still littering the slopes.
According to the association, biodegradable garbage is separated from the collection and turned into compost at Namche Bazaar, the major stop point before the base camp. But much of the garbage comprises non-degradable items such as oxygen cylinders, tin cans, and plastic and glass bottles. These are airlifted to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Turning trash into art is one way of managing waste. Da Mind Tree says it will continue working on similar projects. "We hope our creative works of art will inspire and encourage people to keep the mountains clean," Shahi said.


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Intuit CEO to Present at Morgan Stanley Technology Conference
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (February 22, 2012) – Brad Smith, president and chief executive officer at Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq:INTU), will present at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco on Feb. 29.
The presentation will begin at 1 p.m. Pacific time and will be available live via audio webcast on Intuit's investor relations website at http://investors.intuit.com/events.cfm. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately 24 hours after the presentation ends.
About Intuit Inc.
Intuit Inc. is a leading provider of business and financial management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses; financial institutions, including banks and credit unions; consumers and accounting professionals. Its flagship products and services, including QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, simplify small business management and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit's leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants. Intuit Financial Services helps banks and credit unions grow by providing on-demand solutions and services that make it easier for consumers and businesses to manage their money.
Founded in 1983, Intuit had annual revenue of $3.9 billion in its fiscal year 2011. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.
Source: Intuit Inc.


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An adventure story about the way to the cherished dream.
Space piano and real recorded electric guitars, wide synth for atmospheric ambient and cautious beat combine to this dreamy piece of music.
This track would be perfect as an background music for any scientific, research, technological, space or travel projects.


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I was dumbfounded when I read " Why Chinese Mothers are Superior," an excerpt of Amy Chua's book published in the Wall Street Journal one week ago in which she details some of her draconian methods of child rearing. I have to say none of the Chinese mothers I know in China behave that way. Ms. Chua, a law professor from Connecticut with two daughters, is quite alone in believing her superiority.
Still, I can think of three reasons why Chinese mothers get away with mother-from-hell behavior:
1. Traditional China values women by the children they raise. Muyizigui is an age-old Chinese saying that means a mother is only worth as much as her son. This must have made things even worse back when polygamy was permitted in China, until 1949. One can imagine all the determined wives competing with each other through their children.
2. The glorification of suffering. This is not unique to Chinese mothers or Chinese culture, but Chinese do believe "eating bitterness" is necessary and vital in order to achieve success. Passion and enjoyment are irrelevant. Chinese wear their pain as a war veteran wears his medals. As Ms. Chua has made clear, suffering earns one bragging rights. It would be totally pointless if Ms. Chua's daughters actually enjoyed playing the musical instruments she has them practice day in and day out.
3. The Chinese, as a people, were deprived of individual rights. Since the individual rights of parents are not guaranteed, it is natural that parents would see fit to deprive their children of the same. Success means one can impose one's will on others.
• Lisa Miller: Amy Chua Talks about Her Controversial BookDespite these three deeply rooted bits of cultural heritage, however, most Chinese mothers have adopted a more enlightened mindset in bringing up their children. To make sure I wasn't mistaken about this, I posted a synopsis of Ms. Chua's article on my Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter.) Immediately, hundreds of people responded. While many confirmed my belief, quite a few of the responses came from young people claiming that they were treated the same way Ms. Chua treats her daughters. All of them claimed to be unhappy as children; none of them expressed any gratitude toward their parents.
There were also quite a few angry responses from local Chinese moms.
"Now the term 'Chinese Mother' is notorious abroad," reads one Weibo comment. "I resent that deeply. I am a Chinese mother who is enlighted and puts my child's happiness before anything."
It is ironic that as young Chinese mothers in Beijing and Shanghai are embracing more enlighted Western ideas about child raising, mothers from Connecticut are sinking deeper into China's darker past in child rearing.
Huang Hung is a columnist for China Daily, the English language newspaper in China. She is also an avid blogger with more than 100 million page views on her blog on sina.com.


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Residential & Commercial Septic System Installation & Repair in Concord, Massachusetts
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text: COVID-19 BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS RESOURCES CATEGORIES ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL VIEW ALL CLEANING & SANITATION VIEW ALL COMPUTER & I.T. VIEW ALL DONATIONS NEEDED VIEW ALL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES VIEW ALL HEALTH & WELLNESS VIEW ALL LEGAL HELP VIEW ALL MARKETING & PRINTING VIEW ALL MEMBER VIRTUAL EVENTS VIEW ALL PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES VIEW ALL SUPPORT RESTAURANTS VIEW ALL COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTER Back to COVID-19 Resources Insperity PA has these informative articles to share By Insperity 5/29/2020 COVID-19 Member Resources COVID-19 Member Communications Cleaning/Sanitation For Small Business Read more here>>Read more here>> Images × Share × Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest Close Powered By GrowthZone Do You Have Resources or Services to Share? Sign into the Info Hub to add your own COVID-19 Resource listing: SUBMIT RESOURCES We're in this Together If you are a Non-member and would like to share your COVID-19 Resources, please contact: Lisa K. Hurd, Vice President, Membership at (856) 424-8980.


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When you visit a doctor, we pay after we get a claim. Claims tell us what services were performed so we'll know how to pay for them. If you visit an out-of-network doctor, you might need to submit the claim yourself. Here you'll learn how to submit a claim, how to check on a claim, and how to resolve issues.
Learn how claims work
You can learn more about how to get reimbursed for services you've paid for, how to submit your claim to us and how your claim gets filed.
Resolve a problem with your claim
If there's an issue with one of your claims, you can learn how to get the issue resolved here.
Find the forms you need
You can find the right form whether you're a PPO or HMO member. These forms can be used for medical, dental or prescription services.


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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An American major general was shot to death Tuesday in one of the bloodiest insider attacks of the long Afghanistan war when a gunman dressed as an Afghan soldier turned on allied troops, wounding about 15 including a German general and two Afghan generals.
The Army identified the American officer as Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene, a 34-year veteran. An engineer by training, Greene was on his first deployment to a war zone and was involved in preparing Afghan forces for the time when U.S.-coalition troops leave at the end of this year. He was the deputy commanding general, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.
Greene was the highest-ranked American officer killed in combat in the nation's post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the highest-ranked officer killed in combat since 1970 in the Vietnam War.
Five major generals were killed in Vietnam, the last Maj. Gen. John Albert Dillard, whose helicopter was shot down.
The attack at Marshal Fahim National Defense University underscored the tensions that persist as the U.S. combat role winds down in Afghanistan — and it wasn't the only assault by an Afghan ally on coalition forces on Tuesday. In eastern Paktia province, an Afghan police guard exchanged fire with NATO troops near the governor's office, provincial police said. The guard was killed in the gunfight.
It wasn't clear if the two incidents were linked, and police said they were investigating.
Early indications suggested the Afghan gunman who killed the American general was inside a building and fired indiscriminately from a window at the people gathered outside, the U.S. official said. There was no indication that Greene was specifically targeted, said a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to speak publicly by name about the incident and provided the information only on condition of anonymity.
The wounded included a German brigadier general and two Afghan generals, officials said. One of the officials said that of the estimated 15 wounded, about half were Americans, several of them in serious condition.
U.S. officials still asserted confidence in their partnership with the Afghan military, which appears to be holding its own against the Taliban but will soon be operating independently once most U.S.-led coalition forces leave at the end of the year.
The Army's chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, issued a written statement Tuesday evening expressing condolences to Greene's family and the families of the others injured in the attack.
"These soldiers were professionals, committed to the mission," Odierno said. "It is their service and sacrifice that define us as an army. Our priority right now is to take care of the families, ensuring they have all the resources they need during this critical time."
"We remain committed to our mission in Afghanistan and will continue to work with our Afghan partners to ensure the safety and security of all coalition soldiers and civilians," he added.
The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have taken more than 6,700 U.S. lives.
Insider attacks rose sharply in 2012, with more than 60 coalition troops — mostly Americans — killed in 40-plus attacks that threatened to shatter all trust between Afghan and allied forces. U.S. commanders imposed a series of precautionary tactics, and the number of such attacks declined sharply last year.
The White House said President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting. Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel both spoke with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top U.S. general in Kabul, who said a joint U.S.-Afghan investigation was underway and who assured his bosses he still had confidence in the Afghan military.
There are only a few U.S. generals in Afghanistan. The highest ranking among them is Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top commander of U.S. and coalition forces.
The Pentagon's press secretary, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, said the general and other officials were on a routine visit to the military university on a base west of Kabul.
Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, said a "terrorist in an army uniform" opened fire on both local and international troops. Azimi and U.S. officials said the shooter was killed.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid praised in a statement the "Afghan soldier" who carried out the attack. He did not claim the Taliban carried out the attack, although in the past the Taliban have encouraged such actions.
Such assaults are sometimes claimed by the Taliban insurgency as proof of their infiltration. Others are attributed to personal disputes or resentment by Afghans who have soured on the continued international presence in their country more than a dozen years after the fall of the Taliban from power.
Mark Jacobson, a former NATO deputy civilian representative to Afghanistan and now a senior adviser at the private Truman National Security Project, said the threat of Afghan troops turning their guns of their American partners is a serious problem.
"Any sort of insider attack, no matter who the victim is, is going to have an impact on the morale of soldiers," Jacobson said, adding that when a higher-ranking officer is killed, "you might see a wider impact on morale."
Foreign aid workers, contractors, journalists and other civilians in Afghanistan are increasingly becoming targets of violence as the U.S.-led military coalition continues a withdrawal to be complete by the end of the year.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned Tuesday's attack as "cowardly."
It is "an act by the enemies who don't want to see Afghanistan have strong institutions," Karzai said in a statement.
The site of the attack is part of a military compound known as Camp Qargha, sometimes called "Sandhurst in the Sand"— referring to the famed British military academy — because British forces oversaw building the officer school and its training program.
Soldiers were tense in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. One soldier in a NATO convoy leaving Camp Qargha fired an apparent warning shot in the vicinity of Associated Press journalists who were in a car, as well as pedestrians standing nearby. AP photographer Massoud Hossaini said he and an AP colleague were about 15 feet from the soldier at the time. Hossaini said he thought the soldier fired a pistol.
"The vehicle before the last one, someone shouted at me," Hossaini said. "The last one, the soldier opened fire."
No one was wounded.
Elsewhere Tuesday, a NATO helicopter strike targeting missile-launching Taliban militants killed four civilians in western Afghanistan, an Afghan official said. NATO said it was investigating.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An American major general was shot to death Tuesday in one of the bloodiest insider attacks of the long Afghanistan war when a gunman dressed as an Afghan soldier turned on allied troops, wounding about 15 including a German general and two Afghan generals.


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The Epic Journey
A rollocking percussive ride with flute main melody soaring above some Symphonic Choirs humming and vowels, orchestral tubthumping grandeur. Join us on an epic journey!
In 2011, my dance track 'Del Gibbons – "Freedom"' made it onto MTV Dance, KISS100, BBC Radio 1 Xtra, Ministry of Sound, HedKandi Radio, and into DJs Tiesto (Club Life 216) and Stonebridge's sets. Click here to listen to that track
Please feel free to use any of my preview tracks in your video items! If you do use a track preview please add a link to my Audiojungle profile (DelGibbons) (if you could add a link to the track you have used too, that would be great, and I'll do the same for you :D)


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A Canadian couple of my acquaintance has just published a book provocatively titled The Locovore's Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000 Mile Diet. A new review in Publisher's Weekly calls it a "daring, bare-knuckled, frequently sarcastic defense of the status quo in Western industrial agribusiness. From the point of view of the well-off, well-fed North American who does not have to toil much of the day for his subsistence, what's not to praise in the West's ability to provide the world with cheap, fast, uniform, reliable, bug-resistant, vitamin-enhanced food?"
Publisher's Weekly correctly points out that high-yield farming has abolished famine on "our side of the world." Modern transportation, they note, also allows us to consume all kinds of out-of-season foods.
Publisher's was even kind enough to mention your humble author in the same breath with Aristotle as "impressive experts.": Unfortunately, Aristotle hasn't been that impressive since Galileo dropped those weights off the leaning tower of Pisa 400 years ago to prove heavy and light objects fall at the same speed.
Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu, a husband and wife duo with the University of Toronto, say food-miles are a joke. I say they're a bad joke. It begins with the reality that the local food craze was birthed in Oakland, CA, one of the few places in the world where year-round local supplies are available. But that's only because of the federal water subsidies that turned the "great California desert" into the lush garden we think of as California today. Do you suppose the locovores support the dams and irrigation systems?
Publisher's says the book's authors consider it a "romantic, risible, irrational movement to patronize one's local organic farmer." I don't go that far. Buy what the local guys can provide fresh.: Not even locovores, however, get much of their nutrition from that little farmers' market. Most of what we eat is grown where the crops grow best, whether that means semi-arid Kansas for top-quality wheat or Minnesota for a cool springtime to foster baby peas, or the Pacific ocean to bring fresh salmon to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The railroads brag that in 2010, they moved a tone of freight 484 miles on a gallon of fuel. Let them do it.
"In large parts of the world,: 'local' trumps science, and people suffer as a result," says Blake Hurst, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, in the book's foreword. "Desrochers and Shimizu take the idea of local food to the back of the barn and beat the holy livin' tar out of it. In a more rational world, their defense of what is so clearly true would not be needed. However, our world is not rational, and most of what passes for thinking about food is as full of air as an elegant French pastry."
I think of organic as quaint. Most of the malnourished in the world are eating organic food, however, because they have nothing else. They and their wildlife suffer keenly because of no fertilizer and terribly low yields. Affluent parents often try to get "healthier" food for their children by paying more, but all of our food is safe and health. Do folks in: poor countries live longer, healthier lives on their organic, seasonal diets? Longevity statistics say quite the opposite.
And, let's consider Publisher's Weekly's dismissive comment that "factory farming" has abolished famine on "our side of the world"? How do they think the other side of the globe is going to be fed in the next 50 years? The world's population is in its last expansion.: Two billion people are getting rich enough to eat meat and drink milk. We'll have to double global food output or abolish most of the world's wildlife try to feed everyone. Does anyone think organic farming can do it?
Dennis T. Avery, a senior fellow for the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., is an environmental economist. He was formerly a senior analyst for the Department of State. He is co-author, with S. Fred Singer, of Unstoppable Global Warming Every 1500 Years. Readers may write to him at PO Box 202 Churchville, VA 2442; email to: [email protected]. Visit our website at www.cgfi.org


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I'm a girl and I can't say that I'm a sucker for all things pink, fluffy and super cute but when I see these bedrooms, I just wanna say 'Please, leave me there!'. These amazing rooms are filled with glam in a good sense, they are stylish and gorgeous, and I bet no girl would refuse having such a space. Feel a celebrity in such a space, let's get started!
Pink and all its shades are the most popular shades for any glam bedroom. But it doesn't mean it's the only option, some glam bedrooms are not only girlish ones, so you may always go for lavender, purple, grey, cream, champagne and various pastels, mix them in stylish ways or choose just one shade to use. Decide on the amount of color you use, sometimes just several pink items are enough.
Shiny mirrors look cool and glam, so they will add a glam feel to your bedroom. These can be wall mirrors, a headboard mirror wall, a mirror sideboard or mirrors above the nightstands. Rock gorgeous vintage refined ones or choose modern ones according to your bedroom style.
Faux Fur
Faux fur items add chic to any space, so you can opt for several gorgeous items for a glam feel. Number one idea is a faux fur bedspread and pillows, they won't cost much and will make your bed very welcoming. You can also go for a faux fur ottoman or a stool in your makeup up zone, choose pink faux fur for a more girlish feel.
Couches And Ottomans
A posh couch at the footboard of your bed will make your bedroom stand out and will add chic to the space. It may be pink, white, creamy, lavender, purple or any other, and opt for a refined vintage one or a modern diamond upholstery piece for a glam feel. Go glam, girls!
by Olivia


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29 items
Thomas Kinkade Figurines
Thomas Kinkade Figurines Reflect His Inspiring Artistry
Renowned as the Painter of Light, Thomas Kinkade brought his unique vision to art's vast canvas and was beloved by millions the world over. Because of his uncanny ability to capture a heavenly vision of light through faith and nature, his legacy still shines brightly today. In fact, many of the legendary painter's masterpieces have become highly sought-after works of art revered by collectors, while the images and scenes he created have reached an almost iconic level of appreciation. These are just some of the reasons why The Bradford Exchange Online is dedicated to offering you a chance to bring Thomas Kinkade's artistry right into your home.
Our selection of collectible figurines reflects the passions and interests of many, while upholding the individuality and distinction of singular focused artistry. There are few better examples of this than our offering of Thomas Kinkade figurines, inspired by (and showcasing) some of his most celebrated works. We have some truly great ones available for you to shop today, including welcoming tributes to the glory of Christmas (Thomas Kinkade's favorite holiday), inspiring testaments to the Christian faith and hopeful reminders of the noble fight against breast cancer. And that's merely the beginning!
Some of the most sought-after Thomas Kinkade figurines depict his special celebrations of the winter season, like the festive crystal snowmen and nostalgic Santas, uniting his romantic holiday vision for a fine collectible treasure in perfect harmony. The master artisans have even captured the essence of some of his most inviting Christmas villages and winter homes in collectible figurines you will love to display all throughout the season. Plus, our delightful Thomas Kinkade figurines make great gifts too. Imagine the look on the recipient's face when they unwrap these distinctive tributes to the Painter of Light's legacy, knowing his prized artwork can live on in their home for all to enjoy.
Don't forget that all of our collectible figurines are backed by the best guarantee in the business, with returns up to 365 days and free return shipping, so you can always shop with confidence. Are you ready to experience the illuminating world of Thomas Kinkade? Shop Now!


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Today's guest post is from Catherine Enfield from Munchie Musings. Bio: I was born in Canada to a Filipina mother and a British father. I left at the age of two weeks to live in Oregon, Washington, and Maine before dad took a job in Saudi Arabia. This great opportunity led to a life of world travel.
Yes, I love food. I do cook and bake. I will freely admit that I'm not really a creator of recipes or have the most distinguishing of tastebuds. I'm also allergic to alcohol, so you can forget any wine posts. I appreciate good food though. My extra income will go to a fine meal way before clothes or shoes.
Catherine's Tip: Don't be afraid to bake gluten free
Catherine's Recipe: gluten free flour blend
I am lucky enough to not have any food allergies. I can eat what I want. That's not to say I like everything. I hate olives, mushrooms, eggplant, okra, and raw tomatoes. But really, it boils down to being blessed that I can always find something I want to eat on any menu.
Not so for people who suffer from celiac disease. Those are the gluten-free folks who have to stay away from wheat products because their digestive system is unable to break down the protein, causing them incredible discomfort. There are several other grains and foods that have gluten, but for purposes of the discussion here we are going to think in terms of wheat.
For those who are unfamiliar with the gluten in their world, a short lesson. Gluten is derived from the Latin word for "glue". It is a form of protein that exists in many grains including wheat, rye, and barley. It's what gives pizza dough its stretchiness, elasticity to doughs, and chewiness to bagels. Without it many baked goods would simply crumble apart.
As I learned more about gluten-free cooking and baking I began to think. I was amazed at all the different grains that were used in gluten-free baking to substitute for regular wheat flour. You can't simply replace wheat flour with rice flour. Gluten-free baking requires a mixture of flours and then xanthan gum, which acts as the glue in place of the gluten. For instance, this is the blend I have been using lately:
1 1/2 c rice flour
1 c sorghum flour
3/4 c tapioca flour
3/4 c potato starch
As I learned more about the different flours out there it occurred to me – Why is America so wheat-centric?
I am really into history and cultures and so I was suddenly thinking about how certain grains have been used for millennia by other cultures and yet we Americans are all about wheat. Think about it. The Inca used quinoa in Peru, rice has been used throughout Asia, and amaranth was used by the Aztecs and throughout ancient India and Africa. Flours can be and have been made out of tapioca, potato, nuts, corn, chickpeas and more. If you go to some of the best patisseries in Europe you'll find that the best cakes and pastries are made from nut flours and without any wheat flour at all.
Here in the United States almost all of our baked goods are made with wheat. There are a lot of reasons that led us down this wheat-centric path, such as improvements in wheat varieties, farming methods, government subsidies and corporate controls over farms, but I'm not going to go into that. Suffice it to say, wheat is our dominant grain.
I came to a decision. I will bake gluten-free in my own home. After all, I can get my fill of gluten everywhere outside my house. Any restaurant I go to or snack food I grab while at work or traveling will have gluten. Any time I order a pizza, have a sandwich, or a piece of coworker's birthday cake there will be gluten. So in my home – gluten-free baking.
You know what? It's not a big deal. Typically you will find no discernible difference taste-wise from regular baked goods. The difference with gluten-free goods is often just in the texture. Without the gluten some gluten-free baked goods will just crumble. But you will find that many things should be crumbly, like shortbread, and other foods compensate through other ingredients, like bananas in banana bread.
Now I bring my gluten-free items to work and wait for everyone to enjoy them before I announce, "that was gluten-free". My coworkers are amazed and are learning to not be afraid of gluten-free baked goods.
Try a few recipes of your own at home. Here are a couple of links to get you started.
For more great ideas check out Munchie Musings today.


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Optimal use of antibiotics in young children at high risk of diarrhea associated mortality.
The purpose of this double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial is to determine the efficacy of two antibiotics in reducing risk of death and linear growth faltering in children under two years of age presenting with diarrhea and either dehydration or malnutrition. Fifteen thousand children will be enrolled from 7 study sites (Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Tanzania, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan), randomized to a three day directly observed course of azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, or placebo, and followed for 90-days. Funding is provided by the World Health Organization.


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Google will become a subsidiary of a new parent company called Alphabet, under a massive restructuring arrangement designed to let the company's businesses operate more efficiently.
Under the changes, announced Monday, Google co-founder Larry Page will become CEO of Alphabet. Sundar Pichai, formerly VP at Google where he oversaw Android, Chrome and Google apps, will become CEO of Google.
Alphabet will include a group of companies, the largest of which will be Google. Other efforts will be run separately but apart from Google, including health efforts such as Life Sciences, which works on glucose-sensing contact lenses, and Calico, focused on longevity. Alphabet will also include Google's advanced X labs, which handles projects like Google's self-driving cars and Wi-Fi balloons.
Under the changes, the main Google business will be slimmed down to include search search, ads, maps, apps, YouTube and Android. Other businesses, like Calico as well as Nest, Fiber and Google's investing arms, will be managed separately. All will be under Alphabet.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin will become president of Alphabet. Eric Schmidt, formerly executive chairman at Google, will become executive chairman of Alphabet.
Google has over the years grown far beyond its roots in online search, advancing into far-out areas including wearable devices, Internet connectivity and unmanned aerial drones. The reorganization is aimed at letting the various units operate independently, letting their respective leaders focus on their own individual projects.
"In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed," Page said in an announcement on Monday.
Google's new forays, however, have also put pressure on the company to demonstrate that its advanced projects are paying off. Alphabet, in turn, may give Google some cover on how it reports the results of its newly formed divisions. Under the restructuring, the main Google business results will reported separately from the rest of the Alphabet businesses as a whole.
Page said the name "Alphabet" appealed to Google because it means a collection of letters representing language, and language forms the core of Google's search indexing. Also, with a hyphen, alpha-bet means an investment return above benchmark, he said.
Alphabet will replace Google as the publicly traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, Page said in the announcement.
Updated at 3:27 PM with additional information.