text:
When I was in high school, I wanted to be Roger Ebert when I grew up.
I'm not sure this is a particularly healthy person for a 15-year-old to emulate. Nothing against Mr. Ebert, who will probably end up being the most important journalistic voice in film of this century, and probably the last one as well. (And seriously, if you're not reading his non-film work, you're missing out as well.) But I probably should have wanted to be Ozzie Smith, or Kevin Costner, or Bruce Springsteen, or someone who actually did something rather than writing about people who did something. The only reason I wanted to write was because I wanted to write about movies.
I blame my friend Tim. Back in Mattoon, we were the two nerdy smart kids who were way too into Woody Allen, the Cardinals and Kurt Cobain. Because the best movies rarely came to Mattoon, we'd have to drive the 50 miles to Champaign to see the "arthouse" movies like Malcolm X and Howards End. This led to a tradition, started in 1991, in which we would wait until the night before the Oscar nominations came out in February — we needed that extra couple months to catch up on all the late December releases — to give each other our top 10 movies of the year. This ritual lasts to this day, and we even used to publish them on the old Black Table site. (Here's 2002, 2003 and 2004.) Fellow Black Table editor A.J. Daulerio, who never really did much with himself after the BT, loved to make fun of us for this, and he labeled the yearly festivities "Dorkfest." Tim and I both call it that now, and, still, we do it. The nominations come out January 22 this year; we'll be on the phone for four hours the night before, giving each other our lists, debating and generally being, well, dorks. It's awesome.
Tim ended up actually having a career as a film critic — you can see a full archive right here — but, sadly, I ended up going another direction, and now I write fart jokes about sports for Web sites, magazines, newspapers and napkins. I have to admit, if someone told me I could settle down somewhere and just write movie reviews and books, I'd be a happy fellow. Of course, every film critic in the country in the country is getting laid off, so that doesn't seem like a viable career option. Looks like I'll be sticking with the fart jokes.
But that's not gonna stop me from writing about movies. As mentioned a few weeks ago, I've started a fancy new "official" Website, and a large section of it is going to consist of movie reviews. You can see a full archive here, but so far, I've hit Che, Gran Torino, Milk, Rachel Getting Married and The Wrestler. (This week, Benjamin Button and Revolutionary Road!) It's completely self-indulgent, and god, I can't stop.
It probably goes without saying that I put more time into those movie reviews — which are probably seen by 20 or 30 people, tops — that just about everything else that I do. I miss it. I really did want to be Roger Ebert. Maybe there's still time. Until then, though ... please read my movie reviews. (And Tim's.) You're granting a dying boy his last wish. We want to make Mattoon a veritable farm system of film critics.
Hell, it sure beats interviewing naked athletes for a living.
32. Detroit Lions (0-14). Call me crazy, but don't you kind of get the feeling the Lions are going to win one of these last two? They've showed too much life the last couple of weeks. My money's on that Green Bay game in Week 17, in front of a discouraged, cranky Lambeau crowd. That just seems like the perfect way to end the first season in Green Bay without Brett Favre: Losing at home to a team that's 0-15.
31. St. Louis Rams (2-12). Bernie Miklasz made a great point about Steven Jackson: Wasn't this guy supposed to be great by now? Obviously, the Rams are a disaster, but Jackson has revealed himself as one of those guys who's perpetually on the cusp, but, all told, not much more than mediocre. Do you realize that this is fifth season? That's a lot of tire tread on running backs like him. Anybody else get the sense he might be playing for the Patriots next year?
30. Oakland Raiders (3-11). I've been trying to come up with the best visual interpretation of what the intra-divisional battles in the AFC and NFC Wests have been, and I think I've found it, via Jeff Miller's site The Trunk. That's right: It's squirrel fights!
This is from "Etosha National Park in Namibia." North American squirrels are such pussies.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (2-12). Count me among the folks devastated that the Arena Football League is shutting down for a season. You have to love a sports league that, in its "we're trying not to go bankrupt here" press release, quotes Jon Bon Jovi. Back in the day, when The Mighty MJD was doing weekends around here, his recaps and dissertations on Arena Football — it gets pretty boring on weekends in February — not only inspired me to love the league, but even buy a video game. (It's less fun than it seems; I just wanted to knock guys into the stands, but it's quite hard.) I hope it comes back soon, though probably not as much as Mike and Mike do.
28. Cincinnati Bengals (2-11-1). Palin watch! OK, whatever your thoughts on our would-be vice-president — and apparently everybody has thoughts, because I can't get on the Web for more than five minutes without somebody telling me Sarah Palin's IQ — I have to say, setting fire to her church is pretty far over the line. I hope they catch that guy, and I hope he looks like Beavis. Afterwards, Palin apologized to the Wasilla Bible Church — I think that title is missing a word, or a modifier, or something ... not that I should talk — for the "undeserved negative attention" that might have led to the incident. I would have to think that it's a bad sign when you run for vice president, and people react so strongly to you that they try to burn down your church. And then you apologize for it! I bet Sarah Palin's ready for 2008 to get over with.
27. Cleveland Browns (4-10). So, to recap, the Cleveland Browns, chosen to be on national television a shocking five times this year, actually went 2-3 in those games this year. All told, that's not so bad! It was the 2-7 in the Sunday afternoon games that got them. That's that problem with these guys: They only play their best under the brightest spotlight! Makes sense! Unfortunately, that means they're going 1-15 next year.
26. Seattle Seahawks (3-11). Look out, Jets: These guys are feistier than you realize, and they're going to be going all out for Mike Holmgren. You know, I'm a big fan of Mike Holmgren's move this year: Announce you're retiring at the end of the season, let everybody tell you how much they love you, and then, after a terrible year, with two games left, imply that, hey, now that I think about it, I might be up for coaching again after all. I think this is called The Keith Jackson.
25. Green Bay Packers (5-9). I'm starting to think the Web editors of the Green Bay Press-Gazette are putting these stories up on Mondays and Tuesdays just to mess with me. The top story on the Press-Gazette's site as I type this? "De Pere boutique aims to 'save you time.'" It's about "a boutique offering gourmet foods, gift baskets, entertaining essentials and gifts." I think the most brilliant part is how they put "save you time" in quotes, like this was a particularly insightful statement made in interview. A few suggestions down the line:
24. Buffalo Bills (6-8). Difficult to sum up life as a Buffalo Bills fan over the last 10 years or so better than that play at the end of that Jets game, isn't it? As dumb as Dick Jauron's call was, I must admit, I said, out loud, before that play, "You know, since the two-minute warning is coming up anyway, they might as well throw a pass here. The Jets don't have to call time out anyway." Combine that with my lack of understanding what a trap play is, and I'm starting to think I maybe shouldn't be a football coach.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9). I tend to enjoy Christmas, partly because I get to go home and see my family and partly because watching tourists fall down trying to skate at Rockefeller Center is an awfully pleasant way to spend and evening. You know who doesn't like Christmas? Christopher Hitchens! In a story headlined "The moral and aesthetic nightmare of Christmas," he writes:
As in such dismal banana republics, the dreary, sinister thing is that the official propaganda is inescapable. You go to a train station or an airport, and the image and the music of the Dear Leader are everywhere. You go to a more private place, such as a doctor's office or a store or a restaurant, and the identical tinny, maddening, repetitive ululations are to be heard. So, unless you are fortunate, are the same cheap and mass-produced images and pictures, from snowmen to cribs to reindeer. It becomes more than usually odious to switch on the radio and the television, because certain officially determined "themes" have been programmed into the system. Most objectionable of all, the fanatics force your children to observe the Dear Leader's birthday, and so (this being the especial hallmark of the totalitarian state) you cannot bar your own private door to the hectoring, incessant noise, but must have it literally brought home to you by your offspring.
Boy, that guy's got the fever. We're only a couple of years away from the PBS special in which Hitchens is visited by the ghost of fact-checkers past and learns the true joy of the season: Scotch.
22. San Francisco 49ers (5-9). Love to Lindsay Robertson, who brings us the story of poor Adolf Hitler Campbell, who can't get the personalized birthday cake he wanted..
JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell and Adolf Hitler Campbell.
Good names for a trio of toddlers? Heath and Deborah Campbell think so. The Holland Township couple has picked those names and the oldest child, Adolf Hitler Campbell, turns 3 today.
This has given rise to a problem, because the ShopRite supermarket in Greenwich Township has refused to make a cake for young Adolf's birthday.
You know, you think Adolf's pissed now, just wait a decade or so, when he tries to get his personalized license plates.
21. San Diego Chargers (6-8). Amazingly, the Chargers are still alive in the fight to become the top squirrel in the AFC West. I'd make fun of them for this, but there's a very real possibility they'll end up with the same record as the Buzzsaw, so I'll just shut up.
20. Washington Redskins (7-7). And, ultimately, the Redskins ended up where most people thought they'd be all along. And now, a brief comment on the Shoe Tossing Incident.
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone more critical of the policies and actions of President Bush over the last six-and-a-half years than me, though I'm sure there are some people out there. I think he has caused this nation perhaps more harm than we'll ever be able to overcome. I think the only person who wants him out of office more right now than me is ... well, George W. Bush. But I find it appalling that anyone could see the leader of our country, the President, avert an assault in a foreign land and somehow find it funny, or see the guy who tossed the shoe as some sort of "hero." I mean, that's the President, guys. Sure. It was a shoe. But god, really? We're supposed to chuckle? I watched that video with horror; not just that it has come to this, but that people here could actually celebrate it. I hate that video. It makes me ill. It makes me scared.
Of course, now I'll embed it right here.
[stepping off soapbox, walking slowly backwards, hands in air]
19. New Orleans Saints (7-7). While we're talking "politics" — though we weren't really talking politics there — I was a little stunned to read that Time's Jay Carney, one of my favorite reporters throughout the campaign, had signed on to be director of communications for Vice President-Elect Joe Biden. For all the talk that sports journalism is so much more chummy-chummy back scratching than political journalism, imagine if the Yankees hired Mike Lupica, or the Mad Dog, as their manager? Isn't that, like, wrong? Isn't that against the rules?
18. The Buzzsaw That Is The Arizona Cardinals (8-6). Last week, I got some comedic mileage out of my "bandwagon" friend who watches Buzzsaw games with me. A couple of notes. First, I probably should have mentioned that he started cheering for the team before this season and its run. I'm not sure that's a point in his favor or not. More pressing, as much as I needled him last week, if it hadn't have been for him, I would have stomped out of the bar at halftime of Sunday's travesty. I'd forgotten just how much the Buzzsaw could enrage me. Hugely important game, and they show up looking not only like they were still hungover from last week's celebration, but like they were still drinking. And the worst part? They're gonna end up playing the Cowboys first round of the playoffs, which means my first ever Arizona Cardinals home game, in the playoffs, is going to have more fans from the opposing team. Just freaking awesome.
17. Houston Texans (7-7). Hey, nice go of it there, kids. In honor of their victory and their status as one of the hottest teams in the NFL as the season ends, here's video of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing Christmas songs together.
16. Denver Broncos (8-6). Hey, wasn't Eddie Royal supposed to be the dominant rookie fantasy receiver this year? That might have been just one game. Who will be an underdog in their home playoff game by more points, the Broncos or the Buzzsaw? It's gonna be close.
15. Chicago Bears (8-6). You know what's a nifty trick? Taking the massive scandals involving Illinois Gov. Blagojevich and blaming them entirely on the stupidity of the American public. It's a neat trick. Presumably, newspapers who didn't uncover the depths of Blago's depravity until a federal prosecutor handed it to them, they probably share a little bit of the blame too, right? Nope! Chicago Tribune's John McCarron explains that the reason his company's going bankrupt is not because of idiotic business practices and institutional inertia but because ... you're a moron!
Despite all the outrage and indignation over Blago's arrest on federal corruption charges, it was we, the people, who let ourselves to be fooled by this "hairdo," not once but twice. And as more of us turn away from substantive, long-form journalism of the kind found in newspapers such as the Tribune and instead to celebrity- or self-centered media, from "American Idol" to MySpace, we're doomed to be duped forevermore.
It takes a special sort of journalistic jujitsu to find a direct correlation between Gov. Blago to MySpace in about 15 words. That would be worthy of salutation, Mr. McCarron, were I not such a mongoloid that I can't bring my hand near my head without accidentally slapping myself. Fortunately, I can go watch "American Idol" now and ignore all the planet's goings-on! Whew! Is that a newspaper over there? Get that away from me! Its inherent intelligence could corrupt my empty placidity!
14. New York Jets (9-5). For the record, Brett Favre has one touchdown and four interceptions in his last three games, two losses and one that should have been. After the big win over the Patriots, I wrote for the magazine: "The season is far from over. But the Jets have a breakthrough victory. They also finally have Favre. No longer are they his rebound relationship. He is now a Jet." And I was right! Because, you see, now he's comfortable in New York, like he was in Green Bay, which means he's comfortable enough to start throwing interceptions all the time. Or something! No idea! Nothing to see here!
13. Minnesota Vikings (9-5). I'd love to raise them higher, but everybody else around them won too, and besides, it was the Buzzsaw. In other news, I know people ripped him around here, but I swear, Robert Weintraub really is pretty good. I suspect he just has better editors at Slate than, uh, me.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5). This is an awfully steep drop for a team that lost in overtime to a playoff contender while missing their starting quarterback, but seriously, this season makes no sense. If they win their last two, they could be No. 1. Who knows?
11. Miami Dolphins (9-5). It's nice, in the midst of this financial catastrophe, that banks can still be bilked the old fashioned way: By grifters. It's a blast from the past, really.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1). Time for more selections from the Shaq Twitter feed
I feel good dan nan nanna nanna na , lol, sing wit me my twitterean brothers and sista
I wanna b a ufc fighter, raaaaaaaaaaaaaa dats my growl , lol
Even the aliens no me, da ones real far, i speak to em like ibadablaa, Jigamagla, bockeraaa
I feel like I know Shaq better than I know most members of my family.
9. Dallas Cowboys (9-5). This is what bothers me so much about Terrell Owens. After a week's worth of "Terrell's Screwing Everybody And Is A Total Dick" stories, once his team wins, he acts like this was all just something inventing out of plain cloth. If the Cowboys had lost Sunday night, he would have bitched even more and not had anyone retract anything. You don't get to play it both ways. It just drives me crazy. I can't wait until he finally retires — the guy's almost 35, you know — and we can ignore him again. If that means continuing not to subscribe to Showtime, where he'll inevitably end up on "Inside The NFL" once he's gone, so be it.
8. Baltimore Ravens (9-5). Speaking of the Vikings — and I'm aware we weren't speaking of the Vikings — I had to deal with several taunting text messages from Drew while his Thors were pounding my cute birds. An hour after the game, I received an email from him saying that he shouldn't count on any more texts from me because his wife told him they cost 25 cents. First off, he phrased this in a way that implied it was somehow my fault that I was running up his phone bill by reading his taunting messages. And, more to the point: There are still cellphone plans like this? Twenty-five cents? For a text message? Get an iPhone, you dope.
7. Atlanta Falcons (9-5). At this rate, the Falcons are going to end up playing at Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. To step in the wayback machine, the last time those two teams played in the playoffs was 1998, the same year the Buzzsaw last made the postseason. That was the game in which Gary Anderson missed the easy field goal that would have clinched the game, ultimately costing that rather awesome Vikings team a shot at the Super Bowl. This game would be less fun than that, but it's a nice memory, isn't it?
And that paragraph cost me 25 cents to send.
6. New England Patriots (9-5). Amazingly, I still write that column over at WEEI.com, and I've had a bunch of "readers" email me already this week to taunt me about the upcoming Patriots' romp over my Buzzsaw. In case you were wondering whether or not Boston fans had been humbled in the wake of Brady's injury. Nope.
5. New York Giants (11-3). Uh-oh. I still think the Giants are going to be just fine, and should still be considered the favorite to win the NFC ... but I'm not quite sure why. It's almost as if losing three of your five most talented players ends up hurting your team in the short term. Oh, and for the record, Sports Media Establishment, Deadspin had nothing to do with that Antonio Pierce strip club video. If it had been Deadspin's doing, it would have been entertaining.
4. Indianapolis Colts (10-4). OK, fine, so, the Colts are going to make the playoffs again, and, for all the supposed oddities of this season, you could make an argument that the best three teams in the AFC are, again, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and New England. Sigh. At least we won't have to watch them play in that soulless new stadium. Even people from Indianapolis hate that building, which is no small feat; I think that's the only building in Indianapolis that holds more than 78 people.
3. Tennessee Titans (12-2). Another reason to cheer for/against the Titans come playoff time? Kerry Collins is now making a country music album. Favorite song title: "I Don't Need the Whiskey Anymore." Hey, speak for yourself, Kerry: You're totally boring now.
Thought project: Songs that would be on Vince Young's country album. Go.
2. Carolina Panthers (11-3). I'm actually going out to Giants Stadium for the Panthers-Giants game on Sunday night, and since I don't have a car, I have several transportation options. I could rent a car. I could take the bus. I could call a car service to idle outside the stadium before shipping me back to Brooklyn afterwards. I could walk. (Note: This would take several days.) I think I'm gonna rent the car. The car service is actually more expensive than the rental car, and I'm not sure I want to fight 35,000 people for the pleasure of a ride to the Port Authority. Once again, be happy you don't live in this wretched city.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3). Ladies and gentlemen, it's the world's only likable juggernaut franchise. I'm not sure why nobody hates the Steelers they way they hate the Cowboys, or the Yankees, or the Red Sox, or the Lakers, but they just don't. And I don't hate them either. And, honestly, I kind of hope they make the Super Bowl. Losing to the Buzzsaw, of course.


text:
AUTOLINE ON AUTOBLOG: Quality Problems with Quality Ratings
October 30th, 2008 at 11:33am
Pity the poor car buyer who wants to be a smart consumer and reads all the quality studies before going to the showroom. How do you know what to believe?
For example, Consumer Reports' Reliability Survey gives props to the Scion xD. But Strategic Vision's Total Quality Award gives props to the Scion xB. And J.D. Power puts Scion near the bottom of the list of its Vehicle Dependability Survey. Who do you believe?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Adhoc protocol
Additional information
The Coverage map shows the project coverage on a pentad scale. To view a more detailed summary of an area, open the relevant areas coverage map from the top menu.
To view the pentad information, click on the pentad, to open a pentad summary, double click.
A 5 minute x 5 minute coordinate grid super-imposed over the continent for spatial reference.
Download species summary (CSV FORMAT)
Download species monthly summary (CSV FORMAT) NOTE: This download contains Reporting Rate per month data from Full Protocol submissions only
Download species monthly summary per pentad (CSV FORMAT) NOTE: This download contains Reporting Rate per month data from Full Protocol submissions only
Download Full and Adhoc protocol card headers (CSV FORMAT)
Download the KML layer for Google Earth
This data can be uploaded/linked directly into any GIS software which supports geoJSON protocols, such as QGIS. More information on geoJSON can be found at http://geojson.org.
Add a geoJSON Vector layer to you project, pointing to the following link: https://api.birdmap.africa/sabap2/v2/coverage/group/KEscF?format=geoJSON
Please note that geoJSON files are mostly used by users of GIS software who want to do further analyses. For most users the coverage maps on the website will be sufficient, for example you can zoom in to see the specific pentad information. However, if you want to analyse the data in more detail follow these steps. First install a GIS programme such as QGIS (it is free). You will then have to download the species's geoJSON file under the species maps in the Downloads tab (for example https://api.birdmap.africa/sabap2/v2/coverage/group/KEscF?format=geoJSON for this maps data). The following short tutorial will then explain to you how to load the map into QGIS using the URL of the geoJSON page - Click here


text:
Venison Heart
- 8 oz portion cut
- Whitetail Deer species
- Raised in Wisconsin, USA
Out of stock
Out of stock
We currently only ship within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. To ensure your bison arrives in perfect condition, it's packed in dry ice and shipped inside an insulated box. Standard shipping orders are shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays for delivery on Fridays and Saturdays via FedEx Residential Ground. This means your meat will arrive within 4-10 days from the day you placed your order.
If you're starving and want your bison sooner, we have several expedited shipping options. Rush delivery fees are based on weight and destination.
All Chef's Boxes include free standard shipping. Custom boxes have a $150 minimum per order, plus a flat rate standard shipping fee depending on your region. Please enter your ZIP code at check out for shipping rates.
If you have any questions about shipping, please contact us directly.


text:
Stifled HDRC Member Quits – March 28, 2011
Kevin L. Hoover
Eye Editor
CITY HALL – Citing unfair treatment, alleged violations of the Brown Act and rudeness by the chair of the Planning Commission, a member of the Historic & Design Review Commission (HDRC) has resigned.
The March 9 resignation came about in the aftermath of the Feb. 23 Planning Commission meeting. On the agenda that night was the proposed demolition of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on A Street. The LDS Church wishes to demolish the building due to what it says are excessive costs of mold removal. It would then clear and sell the lot. The HDRC opposed the demolition, and wished for the structure to be designated as historic.
But the LDS said that as a religious organization, it is exempt from local historic and aesthetic design review. City Attorney Nancy Diamond researched the law and agreed that the City cannot prevent demolition on those grounds.
Now-former HDRC member Marc Delany disagrees with that opinion and opposes demolition. He attempted to address the Planco on the topic Feb. 23 but was told he couldn't by Chair Robert Flint.
Flint cited an unwritten but long-observed protocol which deems it inappropriate for members of the City's citizen advisory committees and commissions to address other such bodies as private citizens. "That's just the longstanding way it's been done in Arcata," he said.
Delany spoke anyway defending his right to do so and objecting to the LDS decision. The ensuing discussion between City staff and planning commissioners commingled the LDS issue with that of Delany's right to testify before the Planco.
Staff supported Flint's decision on grounds of "finality," stating that individuals on committees and commissions ought to express themselves only through those bodies and not continue to provide testimony once decisions are taken.
The Planco unanimously voted to allow the LDS Church to apply for a demolition permit at an upcoming meeting.
In his resignation letter, Delany said the Planco's actions raise "serious questions of when and how the Planning Commission decided the issue, whether all required public testimony was heard before this occurred, whether the public process necessary under the law was followed and what steps need to be taken to rectify the problems created by the chair's leadership of the planning commission."
Delany said that during the first break in the meeting, he approached Flint at the dais and told him, "that's the most egregious thing I've ever seen occur in city government in my life," shook his hand and left City Hall.
Delany also objected to Flint's allowing HDRC member Jeanette Heartwood to briefly speak. She spoke to ensure that the record reflected that hers was a dissenting vote on the HDRC – she disagreed that the LDS church should be designated historic.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Judith Mayer deemed the incident "unfortunate," and said that claification and proper training would be helpful.
Flint stated that Delany had been "rude." "I feel like I was abused by that guy," he said.
Flint said he had had the no-speak policy spelled out by former Community Development Director Ken Curtis years ago. "When you join a commission, you give up some of your rights as a public citizen," Flint said. "This is the way we do things here in the city."
Current Community Development Director Larry Oetker said the polcy had inspired "heated discussions" even among City staff in closed meetings. The point of the policy, he said, is to ensure clean process free from untoward pressures by committeemembers participating as independent agents.
Commissioner Paul Hagen agreed, calling the policy "wise."
Delany contends that the Planning Commission violated the Ralph M. Brown Act "at least" three times and possibly more. The Brown Act was adopted in 1953 to ensure open public process and protect citizen participation.
He also contests the city attorney's opinion affirming the LDS Church's exemption from local design review. "That land is not theirs to sell," Delany said. "The whole thing is mysterious."
Delany's resignation set off a flurry of correspondence among City officials and staff, again mixing the LDS issue with Delany's right to address the Planco about it (see below).
Mayor Susan Ornelas said she didn't think the Brown Act was applicable in this instance. However, the council does plan to address and possibly formalize the unwritten rule during an upcoming study session on protocol.
In 1999, former Planning Commissioner Dwain Goforth was dismissed from the Planning Commission for speaking to the City Council on a matter the Planco was considering.
Note: The following is a series of correspondences between Marc Delany and others following his resignation. – Ed.
Mike Mullen
Planner/Liaison Historic & Design Review Commission
City of Arcata
736 F Street
Arcata California 95521
707 822 5951
March 9, 2011
Dear Mike Mullen,
This is official notice of my resignation from The Historic & Design Review Commission (HDRC). I will appreciate it if you would make the proper notifications as needed. Attached is a letter for the city council, the HDRC, and planning staff.
It was a pleasure working with you, and I am sorry that your role in my attending the February 22nd Planning Commission public hearing was called to question. I have found your work to be very helpful, and very professional.
Thanks again
Marc Delany
Members of the Public
Arcata City Council
Honorable members of the Historic & Design Review Commission
City of Arcata Planning Staff
Honorable Members of the Arcata Community,
With a great deal of regret I have tendered my resignation from The Historic & Design Review Commission. This step was necessitated by a complete failure of process and the tepid and inadequate response to the complaints of the actions taken by members of the Arcata City Planning Commission on February 22nd 2011. At the public hearing, the planning commission's chair declined to take public testimony in violation of the Brown Act. Members of both the Historic & Design Review Commission, and the Landmark Committee were prevented from giving testimony on the agenda item for the demolition of the LDS chapel. This ruling by the chair was unevenly applied to members of the commission that asked to testify. This ruling was further extended to citizens (always allowed to testify), based solely on the chair's understanding of an Arcata City policy allegedly 'prohibiting members of commissions or committees from testifying'. No such policy exists, if one did, it would conflict directly with several California laws including the Brown Act. Penalties for these violations, if substantiated, include invalidation, and criminal/and/or civil penalties against the chair.
In subsequent discussion that evening, on the off the cuff ruling of the chair, a question of proper training was raised by Judith Mayer. This suggestion was tabled by the chair as unnecessary. Planning Commissioner Mayer bravely made the suggestion against the general consensus of the commission and staff. Staff cited recent articles pertaining (attached), along with the Brown Act sections pertaining (attached). In response to this complaint, informally, the reply from the city was 1) no such policy exists and 2) the issue was a personal matter between one commissioner and the chair.
The issue has drastically affected the process Arcata's Community relies on, a lawful procedure concerning demolition of a community asset determined by the commissions and committees charged with the responsibility to review and report, rendering that process pointless.
Review of the video record should raise serious questions of when and how the planning commission decided the issue, whether all required public testimony was heard before this occurred, whether the public process necessary under the law was followed and what steps need to be taken to rectify the problems created by the chair's leadership of the planning commission.
I am asking for review of the issues now before you, and the future roles of the Historic & Design Review Commission and other committees and commissions that are in place to assure a fair and open process, in light of the actions of the planning chair, planning commission and planning process for Arcata. There is a serious problem evident.
"The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control of the instruments they have created". – Brown Act – legislative intent.
It will be difficult to get people to volunteer substantial commitments of time if they are there only to fulfill predetermined agendas in an arbitrary and capricious process.
Deepest regrets,
Marc Delany
Dear Madam Mayor,
It is my understanding that the City does not have a written policy about lessor legislative bodies addressing a superior body, the City only has a written policy for superior bodies addressing lessor bodies. (A highly discouraged practice) [This is covered in the Brown Act. I could share with you discussion about this topic, but it is covered in the Brown act under page 16 http://www.cacities.org/openandpublic* ] There have been previous incidences of people serving on a Commission where they did not agree with the decision of the body, and they wanted to present information to the superior body. This has always been frowned upon, as the person's free speech rights were upheld when they served within the body of the Commission (in this case when you discussed the situation at the Design Review meeting). [I questioned the policy at the time. No one could point to it, as it conflicts directly with the Brown Act and other 1st amendment law, I don't think you will find it. I did find examples of individuals testifying before you! both as a committee/commission member and as the public. It has to do with inappropriate influence of a subordinate body, otherwise, what would be the harm? In any case it seems common practice actually. Would you want to see an example?]
I discussed this situation with the City manager, and the Director of Development, and we all agreed the City should put a formal policy in place outlining that if a person serves on a Commission in the City, their voice is heard during the Commission deliberations, and they should not address further deliberations as a private citizen. If said person wants to address the situation as a private citizen, then they need to claim so early in the process, and sit out from the deliberations held in the Commission meetings where they serve.[I agree. It should conform to the Brown Act provisions covering this, and the 1st amendment. The City Manager and Development Director are parties to this complaint, so we may have a different view.]
So – this situation has inspired the City to more clearly define the roles and positions of people serving on Commissions. Thank you for that.
As far as Brown Act issues goes, I really don't think it applies here. We have two people, you and Robert Flint, who both got emotional and a bit heated about a subject of development, and the right way to communicate information, in the City. This is understandable, as people are human and can get emotional. [I'm not sure you watched the tape then. I said very little. I hope you do watch it. Please note the HDRC commissioner that voted to allow the demo permits speaks 1st, then when I approach the podium there is a lot of discussion of the propriety.] Of course we all try to be professional, but as I said, we are human and have our emotions. Certainly, no one was trying to make decisions outside of the public forum, or intending in any way to thwart the public process. We had emotional humans, not a legal threat to the Brown Act. I hope you can see that. [Not at all actually. Is that what you see after viewing the record? There seems a clear pattern of abuse in this decision. I'm afraid I will better serve the city off the commission, than on it, if you have watched this record in full and come to this conclusion. If you have not watched it, I understand you position entirely.]
While I know you really wanted to be heard – the process we are outlining makes sense, and gives an equal voice to all. I hope this helps you understand the City's point of view. [I'm afraid I can not be of assistance to Arcata as a commissioner if that is your decison. I appreciate your involvement though, thank you for the review.]
Susan [Marc]
Susan Ornelas
Arcata City Council
*Other Legislative Bodies
The fourth exception allows a majority of a legislative body to attend an open and publicized meeting of: (1) another body of the local agency and (2) a legislative body of another local agency.7 Again, the majority cannot discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled meeting, business of a specific nature that is within their local agency's subject matter jurisdiction. This exception allows, for example, a city council or a majority of a board of supervisors to attend a controversial meeting of the planning commission.
Nothing in the Brown Act prevents the majority of a legislative body from sitting together at such a meeting. They may choose not to, however, to preclude any possibility of improperly discussing local agency business and to avoid the appearance of a Brown Act violation. Further, aside from the Brown Act, there may be other reasons, such as due process considerations, why the members should avoid giving public testimony or trying to influence the outcome of proceedings before a subordinate body.
Dear Madam Mayor,
March 21, 2011
Dear Folks,
Regarding the requested City Council appeal of the Feb 22nd PC motion.
I contact attorneys representing the Western Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, through SHPO, for an opinion…. They concurred.
Our LUC voids the economic hardship argument (old English law), that if the owner is responsible for the condition, that exemption is void; and with regards to 37361, if only a loss is contemplated, ca 37361 cannot be applied.
Please add these 2 additional reasons to requests full city council review of the motion passed that night.
Thank you
Marc Delany


text:
|Llewellyn's 2019 Daily Planetary Guide
|Yoga for the Creative Soul
|The Pure Heart of Yoga
Many people remember the names of angels from literature and religious tradition. Mention Gabriel and most Christians can recite passages in the Bible where this angel appears, while devout Muslims recognize Gabriel as the angel that delivered the Qu'ran to the prophet Mohammed. The majority of Roman Catholics understand Michael to be the warrior angel of the heavens, and Mormons believe that the angel Moroni delivered to their founder, Joseph Smith, revelations for their religion. Angel monikers like Raphael, Uriel, Ariel, and Azrael ring bells for many people, even if they can't pinpoint why they know the name.
But the name of one angel—Metatron—often evokes confusion in the general populace. Believe me, I know. Since I announced the publication of my book Metatron: Invoking the Angel of God's Presence, I've been graced with quite a few questioning glances from friends and acquaintances. Quite frankly, I was once in the who-the-heck-is-Metatron? boat myself. A fine reason to research and ultimately write a book, I think. Honestly—who can't use an angel on her side, one that imparts guidance, wisdom, and inspiration to sincere seekers? Knowing Metatron more intimately became a passionate endeavor for me.
To get a complete picture of who Archangel Metatron is, you'll have to read the book yourself. Until you can get your own copy, a couple of important facts about Metatron will help you to better understand his powerful intercessory capabilities and how he can help you to live a better life.
Metatron is often referred to as "The Angel of the Presence." This is because he is thought to occupy a place very close to the throne of God, which means that Metatron dwells infinitely in the presence of the Divine. Metatron is also one of only a handful of angels that have lived human lives. These two facts highlight a very important aspect of Metatron's existence: he is closely linked to humanity because he possesses a deep understanding of our needs and desires, and he enjoys an extraordinarily close relationship to Creator. Thus, Metatron can aid each and every one of us in strengthening our communication with the Divine and recognizing the divinity inherent in us all.
Take a moment to reflect on this question: Do you believe you're divine? I've met many people who seem uncomfortable with this concept. In some religions within our society, we are brought up to see God/Goddess as divine, but we aren't taught that we are divine ourselves. Recognizing our own inner God/Goddess is something that Metatron, the Angel of the Presence, can help us to do.
Try the following exercise to help yourself re-connect with the Divine. Know that a sincere call for help from Metatron will never go unanswered.
Begin by contemplating a quality within yourself that you'd like to change. Perhaps you wish you were more compassionate when dealing with your pesky neighbor. Maybe you would like to have more willpower as you're endeavoring to eat a balanced diet. It doesn't matter what you'd like to change—anything is possible! What does matter is your true desire to become a better person and to move more fully into your divine self.
Once you've decided on a quality to change, find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed. Play soft music, light a candle if you like, and get comfortable in a seated position. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath. Allow your breathing to become slow and steady. If your mind begins to wander, gently bring your attention back to your inhalation and exhalation. With every breath in, you become more relaxed. With every breath out, more tension and stress stream from your body, leaving you peaceful and serene.
Now, in your mind, say a silent invocation to the Archangel Metatron. It doesn't have to be fancy or long; a simple, "Archangel Metatron, I ask for you to be with me now" will suffice. Within your mind, see a picture of a beautiful being begin to form. This being may look human. Perhaps you only see a color or a blur of light. Perhaps you see nothing but feel an incredible presence of warmth and love wash over you. You may hear music, wind chimes, laughter, or a voice. Whatever you experience is right and true for you—believe that it is real, because it is. You realize that you are communicating with the Archangel Metatron. You asked for his help, and he has come to give it to you. You feel safe and at peace as you acknowledge within your mind the presence of Metatron. Say in your mind, "Yes, Metatron, I know you are with me. Please help me to understand my own divinity."
See the archangel standing before you. He holds in his hands an ornate box, gold and purple in color. Think for a moment of the quality that you'd like to change. Hold the thought of it in your mind. Do not recognize it as bad or negative; instead, bless it and realize that you are ready to release it with love. In your mind, thank Creator for all of the lessons that you've learned from this quality that you've held in yourself. Tell Creator that you've learned what you needed from it, and you are ready to release it now. Metatron steps forward, holding open the ornate box, raising it before you. Breathe in deeply, and as you exhale, know that you are releasing the quality that you so want to change. Exhale this quality into the open box. Know that Creator will bless this, and that you are healed. Accept this as fact, and it will be so. As your exhale ends, Metatron closes the box.
Instantly, you see a beautiful golden column of light. With Metatron at your side, you walk toward it. Metatron extends the box until it is encompassed in the light. The box disappears within it, and you understand that this light is the Source of All, the Divine Light of God. It flashes, reflecting like a mirror, and you see your own face. Look deeply into your eyes. Look at yourself with compassion and love. Say in your mind, "I love you. You are a perfect manifestation of Divinity." As you say these words, you feel yourself surrounded by golden light. It washes over you like a lovely waterfall. Feel its warmth and its vibrant energy as it moves over you. As you continue to stand in this light, the top of your head opens at the crown chakra like a flower unfurling in the sun. The beautiful golden light flows into this chakra, filling your whole being with amazing, empowering energy. As the light fills you, you see yourself glowing, becoming a bright beacon of light, and you realize you are this light. You are the essence of this light, and the light is you. You have merged with the Divine Light, become one with it, thus becoming one with Creator, the Divine Source of everything in the Universe.
Stand in the light. Be this light. Enjoy how it feels. Recognize the power and the love of Creator as it flows over you and within you. You feel it in your toes, in your feet, in your legs and hips. It builds and flows up into your torso, into your chest, up into your shoulders, in your fingers and hands and up your arms. It flows up your neck, into your face, and all throughout your head. You feel vibrant, alive as you've never felt before, secure in the knowledge that you and Creator are one.
Take a few more moments to enjoy the feeling that the divine light brings to you. Know that you can return to this feeling any time you wish; Creator's Divine Essence is always available to you. See for a moment Archangel Metatron, still dwelling near you, and thank him for his intercession. Understand that he is always available to help you with any problems or to give you guidance whenever it is needed. Help is only an invocation away.
When you are ready, begin to come back to the reality around you. Feel the chair beneath you; hear once again the music in the room. Wiggle your fingers and toes to bring you back more fully into your physical body. When you feel ready, open your eyes, knowing that you are wide awake and refreshed. Eat a cookie or some crackers to help you ground and feel more connected to your physical body.
This encounter with the Archangel Metatron is a simple introduction to his awesome presence and the enlightenment that cultivating a relationship with him can bring. He is a loving, gentle, and powerful guide to the intricate workings of the Universe and the essence of Creator. Getting to know this wonderful angel can benefit you in myriad ways. Learn more amazing and inspiring methods for connecting with him in Metatron: Invoking the Angel of God's Presence and be confident that you always have an angel in your corner. I wish for you the success, happiness, and well being that I have attained since beginning my own journey with Metatron.
Reverend Rose Vanden Eynden (Ohio) has been a spiritual student all of her life. At sixteen, she began reading Tarot cards and became a professional consultant in her early twenties. She holds a Bachelor of Science in ...


text:
March 18, 2011
Helen Thomas to Playboy: Jews 'own the White House'
Helen Thomas is not sorry, nor were the comments that ended her career accidental.
"I knew exactly what I was doing – I was going for broke," she told Playboy in the magazine's April interview. "I had reached the point of no return. You finally get fed up … I finally wanted to speak the truth."
Thomas, of course, left her perch as the dean of the White House press corps last year after telling a rabbi and blogger that Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine" and "go home" to "Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else." Her family is Lebanese and she grew up in the Detroit area, home to one of the country's densest populations of Arab Americans.
She spoke to Playboy at length about the situation in Palestine, her feelings on American support of Israel, and her take on Jews.
But her most controversial comments echoed ones she's made before about the influence of Jews in American life, which have contributed to her name being stripped from journalism awards.
"[The Jews are] using their power, and they have power in every direction," she told Playboy. "Power over the White House, power over Congress … Everybody is in the pocket of the Israeli lobbies, which are funded by wealthy supporters, including those from Hollywood. Same thing with the financial markets. There's total control … It isn't the 2 percent. It's real power when you own the White House, when you own these other places in terms of your political persuasion. Of course they have power. [To the interviewer] You don't deny that. You're Jewish, aren't you?"
She also had some controversial views about memorializing the Holocaust.
"There's nothing wrong with remembering it, but why do we have to constantly remember?" she said. "We're not at fault. I mean, if they're going to put a Holocaust museum in every city in Germany, that's fine with me. But we didn't do this to the Jews. Why do we have to keep paying the price and why do they keep oppressing the Palestinians? Do the Jews ever look at themselves? Why are they always right? Because they have been oppressed throughout history, I know. And they have this persecution. That's true, but they shouldn't use that to dominate."
- comments (701)
- comments closed
- permalink


text:
Product Information
Device Database®
Compliance Testing
Cypress CY8C3665LTI-044
The Cypress CY8C3665LTI-044 is a Single Core 8051 MCU, up to 67 MHz, Dual Datapointer, 32KByte Flash Rom, 4KByte SRAM, 4 Flash protection levels, 1KByte DATA EEPROM, 8KByte ECC-Flash, Interrupt system with 27 sources and 8 priority levels, 1 Peripheral Hub Unit (PHUB) with 8 parallel access paths (spokes), 20 (Universal Digital Blocks) UDBs, 1 Fast USB 2.0 interface, 1 Configurable ADC Unit with up to 12 Bit resolution and 192ksps, 4 DAC Units, 4 Comparators, 1 CapSense Unit, 4 configurable multifunction Analog Blocks, 4 configurable general purpose OpAmps, 1 Digital Filter Block (DFB), DMA with 24 channels, 4 16-Bit Timer, Real Time Clock, LCD driver system, 8 GPIO driver modes, 4 power down modes, 8-SIOs (special input/outputs), 48-Total I/Os, 38-GPIOs, 2 USB IOs, On-Chip debug unit with JTAG/SWD/SWV interface, 4KByte instruction trace buffer, and On-Chip Oscillator.
Arm's Privacy Policy has been updated. By continuing to use our site, you consent to Arm's Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy to learn more about our collection, use and transfers
of your data.


text: We use cookies to enable the proper functioning of our websites. By clicking 'Accept All', you consent to the use of cookies to enhance your user experience, security, analytics and customization. For more information and to understand how we use your data for required purposes, and how to change your consent, please visit our Privacy Policy.


text:
Spend time off the beaten path as you explore Britain's beautiful countryside, on this 7-night self-drive vacation!
From bustling cities, to lush countryside, to quaint medieval villages - explore Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales front to back. See Stonehenge, Cardiff Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, and much more. This 10-day journey is the perfect blend of guided tours, convenience, and free time for exploration.
Enjoy this 7-night self-drive vacation tour with luxurious accommodations arranged at different cities throughout Scotland.
Medieval streets, historic castles, colorful pubs, postcard-worthy scenery - Scotland has it all. This 6-night guided journey takes you from Glasgow to the Isle of Skye to Edinburgh and makes tons of stops in between! Tee off in St. Andrews, explore Stirling Castle, snap photos of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, and feast your eyes on Loch Ness. With transportation taken care of, all you have to do is sit back, relax, and wave to roaming sheep as you pass.
Enjoy 3, 4, or 5 nights exploring Edinburgh with this Scotland getaway! You'll enjoy private airport transfers as well as an included hop-on/hop-off bus pass so you can see the sights and learn their secrets.
Discover the royal highlights of Edinburgh on this 4, 5 or 6-night getaway! You'll see breathtaking botanic gardens, castles built on top of volcanoes, and The King's official royal residence in Edinburgh!.
Ride the rail from Edinburgh to Glasgow on this Scotland adventure! You'll enjoy included sightseeing tours and airport transfers for a seamless and adventure-packed vacation.
Visit the city highlights of Scotland with this 3-city adventure! Enjoy private airport transfers, access to a car, and guided tours including a unique castle cruise.
Explore Scotland your way! You'll start in the capital city of Edinburgh, then enjoy stays in the Scottish B&Bs of your choosing. Included in this package are a rental car and sightseeing passes so you can explore the country's most stunning sights.
Adventure through Scotland's most popular cities with this 7- or 10-night vacation! Make your way from city to city on the Scottish Rail, then enjoy unique tours at each of your destinations.
Explore the highlights of Scotland on this 6-night adventure! You'll start and end in Edinburgh, and enjoy a 4-night guided tour of the Scottish Highlands and rugged Northwest.
Scotch in Scotland, what could be better?! Explore the hilly capital city of Edinburgh as well as Speyside, Scotland's most prominent whisky-distilling region in this 5-night vacation package.
Follow the footsteps of Outlander's Jamie and Claire with this 6-night adventure! You'll spend 3 nights in the capital city of Edinburgh as well as embark on a 3-night guided tour where you'll visit the filming locations and inspiration for the acclaimed novel and television series.
England and Scotland are calling! Explore two distinctly different capital cities with this 6 or 8-night adventure! Take a selfie in Front of Big Ben, then visit imposing castles that live atop ancient volcanoes - you can see it all!
Visit three distinctly different regions in one week. From cities with a Viking past, to castles that live atop ancient volcanoes, you'll see it all!
We've put together great vacations for you everywhere.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.


text:
Online tracking of soil samples offered
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Agronomic Division recently implemented a tracking system that will send clients an e-mail when the lab receives their soil samples.
Using this service is easy. Go to the division's Web site, www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/, follow the links to print a bar-coded address label, and tape it to the sample shipping package.
"Every year from December through March, our department receives hundreds of thousands of soil samples," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "The lab staff answers a steady stream of calls from folks who want to know if their samples have arrived. We hope the bar-code tracking system will ease customers' minds and help them estimate when their reports might be available."
Troxler pointed out that sample processing does not begin right when samples arrive. Depending on how busy the lab is, it may be several days or weeks before analysis begins. The notification e-mail will provide a Web link where clients can check the estimated sample turnaround time based on the date of arrival.
The bar codes can be used on packages shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, by private carriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS, or even by personal delivery. Although private carriers have their own bar-code system, packages have been known to be delivered to the wrong address and never show up at the lab. By having its own bar-code system, NCDA&CS can provide an extra layer of accountability for its customers, Troxler said.
Bar-code labels can be used on shipments of any samples sent to the NCDA&CS Agronomic Division, including plant tissue, compost or waste, nutrient solution or source water, and nematodes. It is important, however, that multiple types of samples be packaged separately. All the samples within an individual shipping box should be of the same type.
For more information about collecting, packaging or submitting agronomic samples, contact your NCDA&CS regional agronomist, visit www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/ or call the Agronomic Division at (919) 733-2655.


text:
Me Talk Pretty One Day Summary
Me Talk Pretty One Day is a collection of comedic essays by David Sedaris.
- In "Go Carolina," Sedaris works (unsuccessfully) with a school speech therapist in Raleigh, North Carolina, to correct his lisp.
- In "A Shiner Like a Diamond," Sedaris sketches a portrait of his sister Amy, an actress who often carries out elaborate impressions and pranks.
- In "Me Talk Pretty One Day," Sedaris details his experiences learning French in Paris. This is one of multiple essays that examines Sedaris's life in France with his partner, Hugh.
Last Updated on September 14, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 409
David Sedaris's Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000) is a New York Times best-selling collection of humorous, autobiographical essays. Sedaris has mastered the art of self-deprecating humor. His radio debut was on the NPR's Morning Edition in 1992, where he read his hilarious and now-popular essay "SantaLand Diaries," tales of his experiences working as a Santa elf for a large department store. Shortly after his NPR performance, he was awarded a two-book deal with a major publisher and has since written numerous other best-sellers and frequently performs his works on stage. Me Talk Pretty One Day is Sedaris's third book.
The twenty-eight essays in Me Talk Pretty One Day cover some of Sedaris's more awkward school experiences growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina. For example, in the essay "Go Carolina," Sedaris relates his first encounter with the school speech therapist, who attempted to cure the author's lisp. Sedaris found it curious that though there were other students who were equally humiliated by being called out of class for special training to rid themselves of speech impediments, it never seemed to be the popular or cute students.
The stories continue as the author moves through several colleges as he tries to decide what to do with his life. Most of these stories make fun of the author, but Sedaris is not shy of also putting members of his family in the spotlight. In the essay called "You Can't Kill the Rooster," Sedaris picks on his youngest brother Paul and Paul's frequent use of curse words. Paul, born at the end of the line of six children, was raised by more relaxed parents. In this particular essay, Sedaris points out that Paul got to do so much more than the older kids were allowed.
When Sedaris moves to Paris with his boyfriend, Hugh, he takes with him his ability to find humor in humiliating situations. In the title essay, "Me Talk Pretty One Day," Sedaris tries to become more proficient in speaking French but is embarrassed by the teacher. In "The City of Lights in the Dark," Sedaris admits that he spends much of his time in Paris watching dubbed American movies.
This collection proved so popular that movie director Wayne Wang made an offer to adapt the essays to film. Sedaris agreed for a while, and then changed his mind. He was worried about how his family would be portrayed and backed out of the deal.


text:
Cookie Usage
Colour Key
Sudden Death
Monthly Poll
Caption Comp
eMail Author
Photo Galleries
Design Lineage
Size Charts
Science / Tech
Maps / Politics
Site Guide
What's New
Warp Factor to Time Taken
Star-Star @ Warp To Time
Time @ Warp to Distance
Distance and Time to Warp
Ship Strength
Fleet Strength
Drake Equation
Your View
Title :
Series :
Rating :
Overall Ep :
First Aired :
13 Mar 1995
Stardate :
Director :
David Livingston
Year :
Writers :
Brannon Braga
Season Ep :
x 08
Main Cast :
Robert Beltran
Roxanne Dawson
B'Elanna Torres
Jennifer Lien
Robert Duncan McNeil
Thomas Eugene Paris
Kate Mulgrew
Kathryn Janeway
Ethan Phillips
Robert Picardo
Emergency Medical Hologram
Tim Russ
Garrett Wang
Harry Kim
Guest Cast :
Cecile Callan
Jefrey Alan Chandler
Hatil Garan
John Cirigliano
Doctor Ranora
Robin Groves
as Hatil's Wife
Martha Hackett
Jerry Hardin
Doctor Neria
Let's talk asteroids. Firstly, these things are orbiting a planet so they are not asteroids, they are moons. But these asteroids are a common type seen in Trek - class M 'roids, complete with breathable atmospheres and Earth normal gravity. To put this in perspective, a 1 km wide spherical asteroid with Earth gravity would average nine thousand times denser than Iron. How likely does this sound to you?
Great Moment :
The basic concept is a pretty neat one - our universe is the aline afterlife!
Body Count :
Strictly speaking, we see only one person die. But several bodies appear on Voyager, so you should really count them as well.
Factoid :
This episode presented some difficulties for the Voayger staff. Writer Brannon Braga and executive producer Michael Piller clashed over it, with Braga wanting to explore the philosophical implications and Piller wanting more conflict. There was also considerable debate about how to depict the ring system, as the effects for such a thing would be very expensive.
Voyager detects traces of a new element to add to the 246 that they already know. The element is present on a ring system around a nearby planet. Beaming down, the away team find that the asteroid is hollow and the inside is a sepulchre full of alien bodies. It is the bodies that are emitting the element as wispy strands which coat their corpses. A subspace vacuole forms, depositing a new body - and pulling Harry Kim off to another place, a planet, possibly another dimension. He wakes inside some sort of burial device, much to the shock of the assembled mourners. Meanwhile, Chakotay arrives on Voyager with the rest of the away team and an alien corpse.
Kim tries to explain where he has come from to the people around him, who he learns are Vhnori. However, they are greatly disturbed to hear about dead bodies decomposing in asteroids; their religion dictates that after death the body rises again in the afterlife, where they enjoy eternal life, health and youth with their assembled relatives. Kim decides to keep quiet, but word is spreading already about his revelations, prompting great concern.
On Voyager the EMH manages to revive the corpse, who died only a few hours earlier and is still in generally good condition. The woman is shocked to find herself on Voyager, rather than the expected afterlife. So great is her distress that she must be sedated.
Kim meets Hatil Garan, a Vhnori who has decided to end his life due to a crippling leg injury. The man thinks he is a burden to his family, a position they seem to agree with, and is quite content to be going to "the next emanation" where his injuries will vanish. Now he has his doubts, given what Kim has said. Kim tries to be non commital, fearing that his knowledge could be a violation of the Prime Directive if he reveals it to the locals.
Voyager comes up with a way to send the Vhnori woman, Ptera, back to her planet but the attempt fails and she dies. Janeway has the body beamed to an asteroid. Back on the planet Kim is told that he is to be moved to another facility for medical testing. He convinces Hatil to continue living and switches places with him - fortunately the Vhnori bodies are wrapped in bandages, mummy-like, making the switch quite easy. Hatil goes to live with a supportive relative, whilst Kim is transported to an asteroid. Voyager detects him just in time to beam him up and the ship is able to escape. In the aftermath Janeway discusses the event with Harry, advising him that it was a remarkable thing to happen and he should take some time to reflect on it. She also reveals that the ring system of the planet is very complex, and that the corpses in the asteroids seem to contribute to it in some way - and perhaps in this way, the Vhnori do live on after all.
A reasonable enough episode, there are some interesting ideas here. For the most part, we're given an interesting take on religion - what if Voyager finds unambiguous proof that the religion of an alien race is wrong? And what if they reveal this inadvertently? Harry makes a genuine slip up at the start, and from then on he tries to deal with the damage as best he can. I'd liked to have seen a bit more of this aspect explored - frankly the technobabble talk of subspace holes (or whatever the thesaurus throw up as a synonym for holes) is boring, and rather pointless. The reactions of the Vhnori are about what you would expect.
Two things annoy me. The first is Chakotay and his incredibly smug "let us do no harm" attitude in the asteroid. He disallows scans on the basis that it MIGHT be a desecration of the bodies by the standards of these people... he says instead they will just use their own eyes and senses. I suddenly had the impression of a shocked alien saying "You looked upon the dead?!?! BLASPHEMY!!!"
ANYTHING might be a desecration. Looking at the bodies might be. Your very presence might be. Hell, even Voyager being in this system might be. It is not only pointless to conduct yourself in a way that avoids anything that might be an offense, it is an absolute impossibility.
The second comes at the end. After setting up the "we've accidentally shattered your religious beliefs" plot, the episode then tries to have its cake and eat it at the end with Janeway's little "well there's this energy field..." thing. Now note, in the articles section I did an article where I laid my personal bias out; I am an atheist, and I am no fan of religion. But my criticism here is not "isn't it great to show a religion wrong! Ha, shove it in their faces!" I'd be just as happy if they wanted to do a story where somebody accidentally confirmed a religion, and so made it skyrocket in popularity - either one could make an interesting story. My complaint is that they chose to go down the road they did, and then try to reverse it at the end - undercutting what they've done so far. And even more than that, the statement Janeway makes is entirely nonsensical.
She suggests that Vhnori bodies give out energy - this energy being some sort of soul, presumably - and that these souls then live on in the planet's energy field. But that is NOT what the aliens believe! They clearly and unambiguously state that their afterlife involves getting their BODIES back in perfect repair and being in a PHYSICAL place with their relatives. What Janeway is talking about is totally different to that.
Imagine if a bunch of aliens turned up tomorrow. They turn around and announce "Hey, we've heard that you christians believe you'll be reunited with god in heaven after you die? Well actually, we've proved that you don't. But you know what? It's okay, you DO have souls and you reincarnate in another body on Earth, time after time, forever. Isn't that great?" Do you honestly think the average christian's response to this would be "Oh... well, so there is some kind of afterlife, then. Well that's a comfort." Janeway seems to think that people would be perfectly happy to have their religious beliefs trampled on so long as there is some sort of substitute. And no doubt some people would be okay with that... but oh my, to think that everybody would be okay with it is just a fantasy dreamland.
© Graham & Ian Kennedy
Page views : 39,307
Last updated : 24 Nov 2014


text:
I'm a big fan of PF blogs and Minimalism blogs.
But just recently I did something counter to what some would say makes good sense.
I bought a $15,000 motorcycle. Now why does someone almost 60 need to buy one of the fastest street legal bikes on the market today? Absolutely no reason at all.
But as the years have gone by, and I've grown from boy to man, one thing I've come to learn to trust is my inner voice, my gut.
It's said one never enjoy toys as much as when one is a kid. Well, I'm finding that's not true. I think this motorcycle brings me more joy than any toy I've ever owned. I'm really having a lot of fun.
And if one more person tells me to be careful, I swear, I'm going to slap em.


text:
Meet In-Q-Tel, the CIA's Venture Capital Firm (Preview)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
CLICK HERE to watch the full report on Boiling Frogs Post.
Gainspan Corporation manufactures low power Wi-Fi semiconductors that form the heart of modern remote sensing, monitoring and control technologies.
Recorded Future Inc. is a Massachusetts web startup that monitors the web in real time and claims its media analytics search engine can be used to predict the future.
Keyhole Corp. created the 3D earth visualization technology that became the core of Google Earth.
The common denominator? All of these companies, and hundreds more cutting edge technology and software startups, have received seed money and investment funding from In-Q-Tel, the CIA's own venture capital firm.
Welcome, this is James Corbett of The Corbett Report with your Eyeopener Report for BoilingFrogsPost.com
For decades, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has been the American governmental body tasked with conducting high-risk, high-payoff research into cutting edge science and technology. Responsible most famously for developing the world's first operational packet switching network that eventually became the core of the Internet, DARPA tends to garner headlines these days for some of its more outlandish research proposals and is generally looked upon a a blue-sky research agency whose endeavours only occasionally bear fruit.
In the post-9/11 consolidation of the American intelligence community, IARPA, or the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency, was created to serve as the spymaster's equivalent of DARPA's defense research.
In contrast to this, In-Q-Tel was formed by the CIA in 1999 as a private, not-for-profit venture capital firm with the specific task of delivering technology to America's intelligence community.
Publicly, In-Q-Tel markets itself as an innovative way to leverage the power of the private sector by identifying key emerging technologies and providing companies with the funding to bring those technologies to market.
In reality, however, what In-Q-Tel represents is a dangerous blurring of the lines between the public and private sectors in a way that makes it difficult to tell where the American intelligence community ends and the IT sector begins.
In-Q-Tel has generated a number of stories since its inception based on what can only be described as the "creepiness" factor of its investments in overtly Orwellian technologies.
In 2004, KMWorld published an interview with Greg Pepus, then In-Q-Tel's senior director of federal and intelligence community strategy, about some of their investments. Pepus was especially proud of the CIA's investment in Inxight, a company that offered software for data mining unstructured data sources like blogs and websites with analytical processing.
In 2006 it was revealed that AT&T had provided NSA eavesdroppers full access to its customer's internet traffic, and that the American intelligence community was illegally scooping up reams of internet data wholesale. The data mining equipment installed in the NSA back door, a Narus STA 6400, was developed by a company whose partners were funded by In-Q-Tel.
Also in 2006, News21 reported on an In-Q-Tel investment in CallMiner, a company developing technology for turning recorded telephone conversations into searchable databases. In late 2005 it was revealed that the NSA had been engaged in an illegal warrantless wiretapping program since at least the time of the 9/11 attacks, monitoring the private domestic phone calls of American citizens in breach of their fourth amendment rights.
In 2009, the Telegraph reported on In-Q-Tel's investment in Visible Technologies, a company specializing in software that monitors what people are saying on social media websites like YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and Amazon. The software is capable of real-time communications tracking, trend monitoring, and even sentiment analysis that categorizes blog posts and comments as positive, negative or neutral. Just last month, the Federal Reserve tendered a Request For Proposal for just this type of software so the privately owned central bank could monitor what people are saying about it online.
Two of the names that come up most often in connection with In-Q-Tel, however, need no introduction: Google and Facebook.
The publicly available record on the Facebook/In-Q-Tel connection is tenuous. Facebook received $12.7 million in venture capital from Accel, whose manager, James Breyer, now sits on their board. He was formerly the chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, whose board included Gilman Louie, then the CEO of In-Q-Tel. The connection is indirect, but the suggestion of CIA involvement with Facebook, however tangential, is disturbing in the light of Facebook's history of violating the privacy of its users.
Google's connection to In-Q-Tel is more straightforward, if officially denied. In 2006, ex-CIA officer Robert David Steele told Homeland Security Today that Google "has been taking money and direction for elements of the US Intelligence Community, including the Office of Research and Development at the Central Intelligence Agency, In-Q-Tel, and in all probability, both the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Army's Intelligence and Security Command." Later that year, a blogger claimed that an official Google spokesman had denied the claims, but no official press statement was released.
Steele's accusation is not the only suggestion of American intelligence involvement with Google, however.
In 2005, In-Q-Tel sold over 5,000 shares of Google stock. The shares are widely presumed to have come from In-Q-Tel's investment in Keyhole Inc., which was subsequently bought out by Google, but this is uncertain.
In 2010, it was announced that Google was working directly with the National Security Agency to secure its electronic assets.
Also in 2010, Wired reported that In-Q-Tel and Google had jointly provided venture capital funding to Recorded Future Inc., a temporal analytics search engine company that analyzes tens of thousands of web sources to predict trends and events.
But as potentially alarming as In-Q-Tel's connections to internet giants like Facebook and Google are, and as disturbing as its interest in data mining technologies may be, the CIA's venture capital arm is interested in more than just web traffic monitoring.
The In-Q-Tel website currently lists two "practice areas," "Information and Communication Technologies" and "Physical and Biological Technologies." The latter field consists of "capabilities of interest" such as "The on-site determination of individual human traits for IC purposes" and "Tracking and/or authentication of both individuals and objects." In-Q-Tel also lists two areas that are "on its radar" when it comes to biotech: Nano-bio Convergence and Physiological Intelligence. Detailed breakdowns of each area explain that the intelligence community is interested in, amongst other things, self-assembling batteries, single molecule detectors, targeted drug delivery platforms, and sensors that can tell where a person has been and what substances he has been handling from "biomarkers" like trace compounds in the breath or samples of skin.
In the years since its formation, many have been led to speculate about In-Q-Tel and its investments, but what requires no speculation is an understanding that a privately owned venture capital firm, created by and for the CIA, in which well-connected board members drawn from the private sector can then profit from the investments made with CIA funds that itself come from the taxpayer represent an erosion of the barrier between the public and private spheres that should give even the most credulous pause for thought.
What does it mean that emerging technology companies are becoming wedded to the CIA as soon as their technology shows promise?
What can be the public benefit in fostering and encouraging technologies which can be deployed for spying on all internet users, including American citizens, in direct contravention of the CIA's own prohibitions against operating domestically?
If new software and technology is being brought to market by companies with In-Q-Tel advisors on their boards, what faith can anyone purchasing American technologies have that their software and hardware is not designed with CIA backdoors to help the American intelligence community achieve its vision of "Total Information Awareness"?
Rather than scrutinizing each individual investment that In-Q-Tel makes, perhaps an institutional approach is required.
At this point, the American people have to ask themselves whether they want the CIA, an agency that has participated in the overthrow of foreign, democratically-elected governments, an agency that has implanted fake stories in the news media to justify American war interests, an agency that at this very moment is engaged in offensive drone strikes, killing suspected "insurgents" and civilians alike in numerous theaters around the world, should be entrusted with developing such close relationships with the IT sector, or whether In-Q-Tel should be scrapped for good.
Filed in: Videos
Comments (3)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed


text:
Jessica Cutler, that whorey Senate aide who is basically the political world's answer to "Supahead," just gave an interview to sex-positive writer lady Susie Bright in which she basically comes off really cool and smart and decent and frank and Susie Bright comes off like she wants reduced-admission entry into Jessica Cutler's vagina. Anyway Cutler said something before she got to the part about drugs and alcohol that gave me the spins that I wanted to point out before I puke all over myself:
When I start to feel defensive, my attitude is sort of like, if people are calling me a whore, "Well, what's wrong with being a whore?" You know? I mean, I think girls who are sex workers — and men, all sex workers — they see another side of humanity and sexuality. People who've never worked in the sex industry — people who've never done it — don't know the half of it.
Hmmm. Well. I used to be a phone sex operator, and I wrote a lot at the time about how it helped me understand the world better; but like, aside from the fact that "circumcision fantasy" is actually, like, a thing, I think the main takeaway was more succinctly expressed by the song "Eleanor Rigby." But I used to think Heidi Fleiss was actually kind of deep from all her time spent sex working; but on the other hand dudes are always talking crap about how strippers always assume all men are like the ones who patron strip clubs. So I asked my friend Loren, who used to be a stripper:
it seems terribly naive to think that the men who use sex services are some entirely different animal from the ones who don't. i mean, where do you draw the line between buying a porno mag and buying a blow job? most guys engage in some kind of sex trade at some point in their life at the same time, i suppose it's baldly true that not all of them do. but the question is, could all of them be convinced to? probably.
Same, by the way, goes for women. In my humble opinion. But has my opinion just been jaundiced and hijacked by all the sex work? Help me out, guys.


text:
Winged Heart
This is an 80's inspired design that is cute and edgy. Girls of all ages will love this- especially in one of our great glitter colors! We can also add a full name on the sleeve (available on long sleeved shirts only) for a truly one of a kind gift. Please note that our long sleeve shirts, raglan sweatshirts and tank tops run small and order a size up for a proper fit. Other styles run true to size. Our design colors are below. The pink, purple, and silver shimmer are smooth to the touch. The glitter colors have a sandy texture and a brilliance that elevates all our designs to spectacular! The glitter will not rub off on hands or furniture.
Availability: In Stock
Available Options
* Tee Type:
* Tee Size:
* Clothing Color:
* Design:
* Design Color:
* Featured Name or Initials (F,M,L):
* Text on Sleeve?:
* Text on Back?:
* Rhinestones on Neckline?:
Note: Be sure to verify that all spelling and options are accurate before placing your order. Personalized items will be customized based on supplied information and cannot be returned if incorrectly ordered.
Would you like us to gift wrap your order?
You may select this service on the Shopping Cart page during the checkout process.


text:
A place for those of us who are just dipping our toes into Homegrown living. Maybe we're looking to change how we buy our food, what we buy...Maybe we've started our first garden and have questions. If you're green, this is the place for you!
Members: 96
Latest Activity: Sep 28, 2016
My clovers are sprouting! Spreading clover around your garden will aid in the prevention of weeds. We just peppered a layer over the rest of our vegetables. I gotta say, I'm most excited for the…Continue
Tags: They Live
Started by Nora Crane Aug 30, 2014.
I'm a newbie gardener and just planted my first raised bed garden a month ago. I am loving it so far - it's like my baby! All the plants seem to be doing very well. My only problem is with my green…Continue
Tags: blog, local, beginner, bugs, green
Started by Jordan Pastor. Last reply by Jordan Pastor Jun 19, 2013.
My husband and I used to be book store junkies but we have discovered our local library system. I have had some great finds both at our local branch and interlibrary loan. I was able to get Radical…Continue
Started by Hannah Barnhill. Last reply by John Russell Apr 12, 2013.
Any good ideas for HOMEGROWN projects this fall? I'm thinking of trying my hand (har har) at knitting/fiber arts and cooking up some new soups/stews. Any one else working on anything exciting?Continue
Tags: arts, fall, fiber, knitting, stew
Started by Caroline Malcolm. Last reply by Sarah K. Oct 18, 2012.
How much did you water tomatoes take alot of water?
Curious: what skills do you most want to learn? Is it cooking, growing, making or just a solid mix of it all in order to "live HOMEGROWN"? I am currently dipping my toes into this vast pool of knowledge and sometimes feel a little overwhelmed! I'm living on my own for the first time and seeking ties to broaden my knowledge and the depths of my skills to be self-sufficient.
Looking forward to learning from all of you and digging deeper into this movement myself! But first, what skills are you looking to learn from HOMEGROWN? For me, it's everything...just taking it one step at a time!
I have been gardening for the past four years, and I learn something new about gardening, myself, and my family each year.
My first year I planted two zucchini plants and two tomato plants. It was in my foundation garden. Had no clue what I was doing. I only got two zucchinis from each plant, and a few tomatoes - none of the tomatoes ripened at the same time, and usually ended up getting eaten by bugs or something, or just disappearing. (found out later that the kids were picking them and having tomato bomb fights - they were fun to throw but they didn't like eating them.)
The following winter I bought myself a couple of rabbits. Threw their manure on the ground behind my garage where my Spring garden would be going. Early spring I dug and turned the soil, made lots of long rows of mounds, covered with ground cloth, then proceeded to plant five 10 foot rows of corn, one foot apart, then plant three zucchini plants around each corn stalk - companion planting, ended up with over 21 zucchini plants. I also planted tomato plants across another 30 feet of mounded soil - ended up with 27 tomato plants. I also planted some pumpkin and carrots, and other vegetables inbetween the rows of corn and zucchini. Well, to be honest, it was the best harvest I'd ever had, IF you like zucchini and tomatoes. The zucchini sucked all the moisture from the corn, though we had corn, it ended up too dry to do anything with. We couldn't give away all our tomatoes or zucchini. The plants grew to completely take over the entire garden. We had zucchini plants that were at least four feet in height as well as maybe a little larger around. The tomatoes outgrew their cages and were spreading across my lawn.
The following year I went back to foundation planting, or eatable landscaping. Cut way back on the number of plants of one species that I plant, and started learning how to preserve them.
This next year I am looking into getting more into eatable landscaping. I planted six fruit trees in my front yard, and will be adding two apple trees, a plum tree and two pear trees to my backyard. I also potted three thornless blackberry bushes, and will be placing those on the West side of my house - a walkway between my house and my neighbor's carport. I want to add several currant bushes, and other eatable fruit bushes around my house. My husband is still insisting on having his lawn, which is ok as my children love to play in it. I still have a couple small herds of rabbits, and last spring I invested into some chickens. Had a couple of ducklings too, but found out Raccoons live in the city and are terrible to small urban flocks. Lost both ducklings and nine chickens. Was going to sell out of all my chickens, but only sold five of the seven remaining - the last two were still small. Now I just have the two Buff Orpingtons who are now (sometimes) laying. My husband helped me build a chicken house, but I still have to add a door to it. My chickens are scooped up each night and put into rabbit carriers then placed into the garage at night to keep them safe from the raccoons - until the door is put onto the chicken house.
My goal for my garden next year is to actually grow vegetables that my family really like eating, such as green beans, broccoli, and corn. Have one zucchini plant, and a few pumpkin plants. I also want to introduce them to one new vegetable each garden season.
Oh, something else I'm thinking of doing this fall as I prepare my vegetable garden for winter is to put on a cover crop. Was thinking of something I could cut and feed to my rabbits and chickens throughout the fall and early winter. Any ideas?
Hello all! I just moved to a 1.5 acre lot and started building for my veg garden. But the pictures i took on my phone have not made it here yet. Does it normally take this long to email pictures to the site? Should i make a new email address?
... hmmm ... not really lost, I'll just change where I was headin'. Really expected 'newbie' group to be for ... well ... newbies (to the community). Turns out, as you that are already here have figgured out, it's a place for newer scroungers (no insult intended, it's me too you know!). Foraging is a much nicer word but to me it implies gathering food. I 'gather' most anything that I can get for cheap, for free or at least at a ridiculously low price. I'll just excues myself and poke around a bit more, might just fine where I was looking for.
It is my desire to live from the land and get from it what we deserve. That means nothing more nothing less. We should be respectful to others and our home the Earth. This is new to me but wanting to take it all in and live as natural as a man or woman can.
New here to HomeGrown.. Great site, just thought i would pop in on this newbie board.
© 2023 Created by HOMEGROWN.org. Powered by


text:
Amid war Afghanistan trains thousands of new midwives
Afghanistan's health system is still deeply troubled after decades of war. But progress is being to reduce infant and maternal mortality.
| Kabul, Afghanistan
Through a courtyard piled high with heaps of trash and teeming with flies, two sturdy women sit in a cool, dark room before a group of nearly a dozen women who range in age from 15 to 50. The two are midwives who have come to talk to the women living here with limited electricity and little clean water about the importance of maternal health.
Girls from nearby houses stream in as the midwives begin their presentation, pouring water from a clay-colored pitcher and moving their soapy hands slowly clockwise to show the proper method of hand washing.
When an older woman tells a girl living next door she is too young to join the session, the midwives intervene. The more learning, the better, they say, in a country plagued by the world's second-highest maternal mortality rate.
Afghanistan's capacity to address the health of its women has taken a remarkable turn for the better in the past seven years. In 2002, 60 percent of Afghans had no access to basic health services, according to a study led by Linda Bartlett, then of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Furthermore, two-thirds of the country's districts had neither maternal nor child health services, with only 10 percent of Afghanistan's hospitals equipped for caesarean deliveries. Nearly 80 percent of the maternal deaths examined in Dr. Bartlett's study were judged preventable.
But today, maternal health is among the nation's most tangible signs of progress thanks to projects such as this one sponsored by Terre des Hommes (TDH); investment by the international community in a network of clinics; and the growth of midwifery training programs. Afghanistan now finds itself in the rare position of serving as a role model for other poor countries seeking to quickly improve their ability to save women's lives.
Pashtoon Azfar, head of the Afghan Midwives Association, says the number of trained midwives has grown nearly six-fold since rebuilding effort in Afghanistan began. "In 2002, we had 467 midwives, but no one knew how qualified they were; for years, they had received no access to training," says Ms. Azfar, also a midwifery specialist with the international nonprofit health organization Jhpiego, whose maternal health programs are funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Today, there are more than 2,400 midwives around the country who have been trained in a standardized and accredited two-year program, she says.
"There are very good lessons to be learned from Afghanistan," says Bartlett. "The midwifery education program appears to be a real success story that could inform programs in other countries."
Certainly much remains to be done in a country where poverty and illiteracy run rampant and infrastructure in the most remote regions is still meager. Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health is now launching a follow-up survey to assess the impact of recent maternal health efforts, seven years after the last round of research began.
Midwives see progress
Midwives working in the field say that they see signs of improvement every day in the communities they visit. This is thanks in large part to the growing role of skilled birth attendants whose services are now accessible to many women throughout the country, including those in hard-to-reach rural regions, where midwife use jumped from 6 percent in 2003 to 19 percent three years later, according to Johns Hopkins University research.
Dr. Noorkhanoom (some Afghans use only one name), has been making house calls to Kabul's poorest families since 1996, when she went to work for TDH. She joined TDH, a Swiss nongovernmental organization, after being barred by the Taliban from her university job teaching medicine.
During this home visit, Noorkhanoom shakes her head when a woman in the group says that her husband is beating her. The men of her own family are coming to talk to her husband today, the woman tells the doctor, looking down at the worn trousers of her mint-green pants suit.
The doctor turns to the woman's mother-in-law and asks her what can be done. The mother-in-law shrugs and confesses she is unable to meddle in her son's affairs.
The group is silent for a moment before the midwives resume their presentation, using a young woman in the group who is 17 and pregnant with her first child to demonstrate how to keep the delivering mother comfortable during labor. They show how to support the baby's neck when it emerges and how to cut the umbilical cord. The women seated before them listen rapt with attention, asking questions throughout. When the visit is finished an hour later, each of the ladies rises to hug the midwives and the doctor.
The visits are part of TDH's Maternal and Child Health Home Visiting Program. Six days a week, from early morning to dusk in Kabul and Kandahar, TDH's 50 midwives, working in teams of two, knock on doors and follow up on referrals, bringing their presentations to as many women as they can gather together. The program counts 110,000 beneficiaries in the capital alone.
Azfar, of the Afghan Midwives Association, says the increase in the number of trained midwives is not only a lifeline for mothers – it's an economic boon for the midwives.
"If people think a midwife in their family will be contributing to the household, fathers and brothers will support their mothers and wives and daughters," says Azfar. "If a woman has any economic role in the family, for sure she has some decisionmaking role as well. That is why I am an advocate of this. It is not just for midwifery – it is for change."
Both Azfar and Noorkhanoom say the best way to cement such gains is to improve security. "You cannot expect so much change in one or two or even five years," says Noorkhanoom. "I hope the international community will continue to support us; they left us once, and they saw the negative results.... If they leave this country again, it will be a crime."


text:
(CNN) -- Journalist Bob Woodward describes in his new book a secret U.S. program to assassinate terrorists in Iraq.
CNN's Michael Ware says, "The U.S. subcontracted out an assassination program against al Qaeda ... in early 2006."
Woodward, an associate editor of The Washington Post, says in "The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008" that the assassination program, not the 2007 increase in U.S. forces in the war zone known as "the surge," is primarily responsible for the reduction of violence in Iraq.
CNN Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware cast doubt on Woodward's assertion Tuesday in a conversation with "American Morning" host John Roberts. Watch Larry King on his talk with Woodward »
John Roberts: What do you think of what Woodward is saying?
Michael Ware: Let's say that these "fusion teams," as they're being called, have come into effect. The first thing to say is, "Well, about time."
On the ground you've seen the lack of coordination as the left hand of one agency is not with the right hand of another agency within the American effort. But by and large, to suggest that anything like this being done now has been the major reason for the decline in violence is a bit rich.
I mean, the U.S. subcontracted out an assassination program against al Qaeda way back in early 2006. And this was conceded by the then-chief of military intelligence in Baghdad and by [U.S.] Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad himself. That's what broke the back of al Qaeda.
Then when America put 100,000-plus insurgents on the U.S. government payroll, including members of al Qaeda, that not only took them out of the field, but it also let them run their own assassination programs against the Iranian-backed militias.
Roberts: So it sounds like assassination was a real part of the program here, but was that the only thing that worked? What about the addition of these troops and these neighborhood stations that were set up? Did it all kind of work together?
Ware: It does work together. But the key to the downturn in violence that we're seeing now is not so much the surge of 30,000 troops in itself.
What it's been is the segregation of Baghdad into these enclaves. It's been cutting a deal with Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Iranian-backed militia. And primarily it's been putting your enemy on your payroll -- the Sunni insurgents and many members of al Qaeda. That's what's brought down the violence. This is your American militia, the counterbalance to the Iranian militias.
So if there's new teams out there with new technology, great. But they're riding the wave of previous success.
All About Al Qaeda in Iraq • Muqtada al-Sadr


text:
Digital Gift Certificates
Fluevog Digital Gift Certificates are emailed to you or the recipient, and can be spent online or in any John Fluevog store. They are available within a few days after purchase for delivery by email. Certificate orders are processed Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm PST, excluding holidays and weekends. Fluevog Gift Certificates are non-refundable.
Please fill in the form below to customize your Fluevog Digital Gift Certificate!