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No More Heart Attacks!May 2009
By William Faloon
We recognize the medical establishment is agonizingly slow at grasping new concepts. They do wake up to scientific reality, however, when they smell an opportunity to earn tens of billions of dollars.
Life Extension members were warned long ago about the dangers of excess C-reactive protein in the blood. C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation. Chronic inflammation, as evidenced by high C-reactive protein blood levels, is a cause of atherosclerosis.1-3 Published studies indicate that elevated C-reactive protein may be a greater risk factor than high cholesterol in predicting heart attack and especially stroke risk.4-8
There are many natural methods to lower C-reactive protein. The pharmaceutical industry favors using statin drugs: an unnatural way to reduce C-reactive protein. While statin drugs are prescribed to lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and total cholesterol, statin drugs also reduce heart attack and stroke risk by suppressing C-reactive protein.
A clinical study was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company to see if its patented statin drug (Crestor®) would reduce heart attack and stroke risk if given to people with moderate LDL levels, but excess C-reactive protein. The results revealed a 43% reduction in various types of vascular disease after less than two years.9
These data are impressive on the surface, but the study exposed a harsh reality that we at Life Extension have voiced alarming concern about for decades. As you will read, Crestor® significantly reduced heart attack-stroke incidence, but there were still a startling number of heart attacks and strokes in people whose LDL levels plummeted to extremely low levels. While this study may be used to aggressively promote Crestor®, it exposes the limitations of statin drugs in preventing heart disease and stroke.
This study does help validate the multipronged vascular protection program that most Life Extension members already follow, especially the comprehensive blood tests members take to uncover hidden risk factors like C-reactive protein. We don't agree that people should start using high-dose Crestor® when safer, lower-cost, and more comprehensive approaches exist right now.
The Crestor® Study Subjects
Fat cells are a source of C-reactive protein production in the body.10,11 Corpulent people usually have C-reactive protein levels much higher than lean individuals. In order to find enough subjects with high C-reactive protein levels, participants in the Crestor® study were recruited who were significantly overweight with a median body mass index of about 28. Overweight is clinically defined as a body mass index of 25 and above.
Despite having only modest LDL elevations (median about 108 mg/dL), this group of overweight individuals was at high risk for vascular disease, as about 41% already suffered from metabolic syndrome when the study commenced. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors that sharply elevates one's risk for contracting a lethal disorder.
The median study subjects' baseline C-reactive protein blood levels were 4.25 mg/L, a reading that placed them at greater risk for a host of age-related diseases including cancer, dementia, heart attack, and stroke.
High-Dose Crestor® Used
Crestor® is the most potent statin drug, compared with milder statin drugs like pravastatin and simvastatin. The 20 mg daily dose of Crestor® used in this study is on the very high side for this particular drug. In fact, the dose of Crestor® used in this study was double the recommended starting dose. This raises concern about long-term side effects, though few were reported in this relatively short-term study.
In lieu of this high-dose Crestor®, many people may find similar benefits taking 5-20 mg of simvastatin or 20-40 mg a day of pravastatin, plus natural agents to lower C-reactive protein.
The monthly cost to take Crestor® (20 mg) is $105, whereas generic simvastatin (20 mg) costs only $6.91 a month and generic pravastatin (40 mg) only $11.40 a month.
C-Reactive Protein Not Lowered Enough
Despite the very high dose of Crestor® used, median C-reactive protein levels fell only from 4.25 mg/L to 2.2 mg/L of blood. The optimal range for C-reactive protein is under 0.55 mg/L in men and under 1.5 mg/L in women.12 Crestor®, even at the relatively high dose used, fell far short of reducing C-reactive protein enough to completely eliminate this inflammatory marker as a vascular disease risk factor.
What this high dose of Crestor® did do is lower LDL from a baseline average of 108 to 55 mg/dL at the end of the study. Few statin drug studies have suppressed LDL this much. Please remember that LDL is not all bad. LDL is essential to transport cholesterol from the liver to cells that need it throughout the body. Without sufficient LDL, people will die. The problem is that no one yet knows for sure what truly optimal LDL levels are. You need enough LDL to ensure that sufficient cholesterol is delivered to the cell membranes, but not so much LDL that arterial occlusion manifests.
We believe that the 43% reduction in risk of major cardiovascular events (including heart attack, stroke, unstable angina, arterial revascularization, and death from cardiovascular causes) observed in this study was a result of suppressing both LDL and C-reactive protein levels, along with other endothelial benefits that statin drugs possess (which can also be obtained by using natural approaches). We are concerned, however, about the long-term effects of using a potent dose of a drug like Crestor®, when safer and more natural strategies are available.
Too Many Crestor® Patients Suffered "Major Cardiovascular Events"
Pharmaceutical companies have promoted statin drugs as a virtually universal remedy to prevent heart attack. According to conventional guidelines, statin drugs are to be prescribed when LDL blood levels exceed 130 mg/dL.
We at Life Extension have long argued that LDL levels should be kept below 100 mg/dL in healthy people to optimally protect against atherosclerosis (and below 70 mg/dL in certain high-risk cardiac patients).
The high dose of Crestor® used in this study pushed LDL down to a low of 55 mg/dL and it reduced C-reactive protein by 37%. The fact that a significant number of subjects taking Crestor® still suffered "major cardiovascular events" exposes the fallacy of relying only on statin drugs to maintain healthy arterial blood flow.
To put this in mathematical perspective, this study showed that if 10,000 people were not treated with Crestor® for one year's time, there would be 136 major cardiovascular events. Based on the elevated baseline blood C-reactive protein (4.2 mg/L), the fact that LDL was over 100 mg/dL, and that 41% of these subjects had metabolic syndrome, this number of 136 cardiac events per 10,000 study subjects makes sense if no interventions are done.
This study showed that if 10,000 study subjects took high-dose Crestor® for one year, 59 major cardiovascular events would not occur (compared with 136 events that would occur if Crestor® was not taken).
What will not be disclosed in drug advertising, however, is that more than half (77 out of 136) of major cardiovascular events would occur despite the use of high-dose Crestor®. In statistical terms, while Crestor® reduced the relative risk of major cardiovascular events by 43%, the majority (57%) of cardiovascular events in this high-risk study group study would still take place!
What this means is that if you have cardiac risk factors and rely solely on a high-dose statin drug, you are still at significant risk of suffering a heart attack. In fact, 142 patients treated with high-dose Crestor® experienced a cardio-vascular event during this study.
Why Crestor® Failed 142 Patients in This Study
There are at least 17 independent risk factors involved in the development of atherosclerosis and subsequent heart attack and stroke. Statin drugs do not come close to correcting all of these risk factors. Based on the findings from this Crestor® study, it is obvious that even when LDL (and total cholesterol) is reduced to extremely low levels, too many people still suffer a major cardiovascular event.
We predict this study will eventually be used in national advertisements to tout Crestor® as a panacea. An analysis of the actual study findings, however, documents the critical need to correct all known cardiovascular risk factors (including elevated LDL, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein).
We are not vilifying the proper use of statin drugs. For many people with stubbornly high LDL and C-reactive protein levels, they represent an important weapon against arterial disease. Our emphasis is that statin drugs are not the only way to lower LDL and C-reactive protein, and they should not be relied on as the only approach to protect against atherosclerosis.
Reducing C-Reactive Protein Often Requires a Multimodal Approach
Life Extension has reviewed thousands of C-reactive protein blood test results over the years. Our consistent observation is that overweight and obese individuals have stubbornly elevated C-reactive protein levels.13 Our findings were confirmed in a recent study that showed the following:14,15
Percent with Elevated C-Reactive Protein (>1 mg/dL)
These grim findings correlate well with the increased risks of cancer,16-18 stroke,8,19 heart attack,19-23 and dementia24 that occur as people accumulate excess body fat.
In the Crestor® study, average C-reactive protein levels were 4.25 mg/L at baseline. Obese individuals can have C-reactive protein levels that are easily double this. The biological challenge in overweight people is to combat the excess C-reactive protein made directly by fat cells (adipocytes) and the C-reactive protein made in the liver in response to excess amounts of interleukin-6 expressed in abdominal fat that is dumped directly into the liver.
Since obese and overweight individuals spew out C-reactive protein from their liver and fat cells, it is often challenging to bring this lethal inflammatory compound (C-reactive protein) into safe ranges.
While we are impressed with the data from the Crestor® study showing the reduction in C-reactive protein and major cardiovascular events, our decade-long evaluation of C-reactive protein blood results prompts us to warn that it will require more than statin drugs to suppress the dangerously high C-reactive protein levels prevalent in so many individuals.
The good news is that low-cost nutrients and hormones, along with dietary changes, can work as well as statins in reducing deadly C-reactive protein.
Vitamin C Reduces C-Reactive Protein
Right after the media put Crestor® on the front pages, a study was published showing that 1,000 mg a day of vitamin C reduces C-reactive protein as well as some statin drugs.14 Needless to say, this vitamin C study received scant media coverage.
In this University of California at Berkeley study, participants who received vitamin C and started out with C-reactive protein levels greater than 2.00 mg/L had 34% lower levels compared with the placebo group after only two months.14,15
This study was done based on previous findings that vitamin C supplements reduce elevated C-reactive protein. It would have been interesting to see if the addition of 1,000 mg a day of vitamin C would have reduced the number of "major cardiovascular events" that occurred in the Crestor® study.
A Healthy Diet Significantly Reduces C-Reactive Protein
Eating too much saturated fat or high-glycemic carbohydrates increases C-reactive protein.25,26 One study showed a 39% decrease in C-reactive protein levels after only eight weeks of consuming a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.27 The study participants also saw reductions in their LDL, total cholesterol, body weight, and arterial stiffness.
So while you may soon see ads promoting the 37% C-reactive protein reduction in response to high-dose Crestor®, you should be aware that the same benefit has already been shown in response to healthier eating—with no drugs used.
Another study shows that eating cholesterol-lowering food works about as well as consuming a very low-fat diet plus statin drug therapy. This study showed a 33.3% reduction in C-reactive protein and 30.9% reduction in LDL in subjects eating a very low-fat diet and taking a statin drug. Those who ate the cholesterol-lowering foods showed a 28.2% reduction in C-reactive protein and a 28.6% reduction in LDL.28 This study showed that eating cholesterol-lowering foods achieved almost the same benefit as those who followed a very low-fat diet and took a statin drug.
The cholesterol-lowering foods used in this study include almonds, soy protein, fiber, and plant sterols.28 Few people can follow a rigorous low-fat diet and some people want to avoid statin drugs. Based on this study, those who need to reduce LDL and/or C-reactive protein blood levels can accomplish this by eating cholesterol-lowering foods or taking supplements such as soluble fiber powder before heavy meals.
In a study of 3,920 people, subjects who ingested the most dietary fiber were found to have a 41% lower risk of elevated C-reactive protein levels, compared with those who ate the least fiber. The doctors who conducted this study concluded:
"Our findings indicate that fiber intake is independently associated with serum CRP concentration and support the recommendation of a diet with a high fiber content."29
There is an important take-home lesson here for those with high C-reactive protein levels that persist even after initiating statin drug therapy. You may be able to achieve significant additive benefits by making dietary modifications, taking at least 1,000 mg of vitamin C each day, and following other proven ways to quell chronic inflammatory reactions.


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Ben Bernanke just wrapped up his speech at The Economic Club of NY.
The general reaction to it? Meh. Eric Green of TD Securities blasted an email to clients titled Bernanke Delivers Nothing New.
The speech itself had the unmemorable title: The Economic Recovery and Economic Policy.
So yeah, there was no razzle dazzle, but actually it was a great, clear framing of the state of the economy.
He correctly identified the central story right now: Which is that the economy seems to be on the verge of a breakout, and yet the Fiscal Cliff remains a major threat which he doesn't have the power to counteract.
That decent growth is likely to come from housing:
Recently, the housing market has shown some clear signs of improvement, as home sales, prices, and construction have all moved up since early this year. These developments are encouraging, and it seems likely that, on net, residential investment will be a source of economic growth and new jobs over the next couple of years.
He then described the emerging positive feedback loop, whereby rising home prices create looser lending standards, creating more housing activity, more homebuilding, and so forth.
But the threat of austerity is the main concern.
Although fiscal policy at the federal level was quite expansionary during the recession and early in the recovery, as the recovery proceeded, the support provided for the economy by federal fiscal actions was increasingly offset by the adverse effects of tight budget conditions for state and local governments. In response to a large and sustained decline in their tax revenues, state and local governments have cut about 600,000 jobs on net since the third quarter of 2008 while reducing real expenditures for infrastructure projects by 20 percent. More recently, the situation has to some extent reversed: The drag on economic growth from state and local fiscal policy has diminished as revenues have improved, easing the pressures for further spending cuts or tax increases. In contrast, the phasing-out of earlier stimulus programs and policy actions to reduce the federal budget deficit have led federal fiscal policy to begin restraining GDP growth. Indeed, under almost any plausible scenario, next year the drag from federal fiscal policy on GDP growth will outweigh the positive effects on growth from fiscal expansion at the state and local level. However, the overall effect of federal fiscal policy on the economy, both in the near term and in the longer run, remains quite uncertain and depends on how policymakers meet two daunting fiscal challenges--one by the start of the new year and the other no later than the spring.
This is the story everyone needs to be watching. Everything else is kind of a distraction.
In the Q&A he hit on other interesting points, such as the issue of the Fed paying interest on excess reserves (IOER), a payment that's commonly said to be an inducement for the banks to do nothing, and just leave money at the bank. Bernanke's angle is that eliminating IOER to zero would barely stimulate any lending, but that having zero rates could cause mechanical issues in the market, and that keeping IOER allows for an easily tool to tighten policy in the future, simply by raising it.
He also framed his thinking in terms of a clearer rules-based approach to monetary policy, i.e. The Evans Rule, which would instruct the Fed to keep easing until unemployment drops to 7% or inflation rises above 3%. Bernanke seems sympathetic, but also notes the complexity of the economy/monetary policy, and he's skeptical that such a blunt rule could really capture the situation properly.
His final line of the speech spoke to the moment of promise:
...cooperation and creativity to deliver fiscal clarity--in particular, a plan for resolving the nation's longer-term budgetary issues without harming the recovery-- could help make the new year a very good one for the American economy.
For more on the primary story right now in the economy, see here >


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Shirley L. Dietrich, age 81 of Delavan, WI, passed away on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn. She was born May 8, 1932. The daughter of Larry and Mae McLane. Shirley first was united in marriage with Melvin Robinson. She later married Leo Dietrich, who preceded her in passing. Shirley was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Shirley is survived by her four daughters; Annette (John) McAnally, Keri (Rick Ruemler) Dietrich, Lisa Dietrich, and Sara (Ken Self) Hollatz, her five sons; Dale (Tammy) Robinson, Les (Shirne) Robinson, Mark Dietrich, Paul (Barbra) Dietrich, and James Dietrich, 21 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, her sister, Kathleen Windorski, and her brother, Dennis McLane. She was preceded in passing by her husband, Leo, her brother, Stanley, and her granddaughter, Jessica McAnally.
Funeral Services will be held at 12:00pm on Friday, March 21, 2014 at Monroe Funeral Home, in Delavan, WI with Brother Al Gaidosh officiating. Visitation will be held from 11:00am until time of service at the funeral home on Friday. Interment will be at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Waukesha, WI. MONROE FUNERAL HOME is assisting the family. Visit us at monroefh.com.


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Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Education
Teaching the Content Areas in a Dual Language Environment.
Three semester hours.
The course focuses on developing the knowledge and skills required of bilingual education teachers in quality ECE-4 dual language settings. The course is conducted in Spanish and English. Participants will engage in developing lesson plans in the areas of math, science and social studies and design activities that target critical thinking skills. Prerequisites: Admission to the College of Education; oral and written proficiency in English and Spanish; 2.7 overall grade point average, EDCI 3301, and at least 9 semester hours of 3-4000 level Spanish.
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Standing out from the crowd is one of the fundamentals of hot rodding. Trouble is, street machine Chevys that look unique in commuter traffic can seem as common as the proverbial belly button at big car shows, where there's typically a sea of Tri-fives, Camaros, and Chevelles. That's exactly why Wayne Mullen chose a '58 Impala convertible for his latest custom car project.
"Everyone always thought the '58 was ugly," Wayne said, "but I loved the body style. I wanted to build a street rod that could be driven and enjoyed by myself, my wife, and my two young boys, so I chose the convertible." Settling on a certain model and body style was one thing, but Wayne soon discovered that finding an Impala convertible was the real challenge. After four months of searching he finally stumbled across a basket case project (one of those friend-of-a-friend deals) in his hometown of Hesperia, California. Though the car looked like junk to many of his friends, Wayne was convinced that he could build it into the "baddest '58 Impala convertible anyone had ever seen."
Wayne began his quest by building a CAD-designed custom frame at his shop, Advanced Performance. Wanting the car to handle well at high speeds, Wayne designed a custom three-link rear suspension arrangement and set the frame up for adjustable Koni coilover shocks both front and rear. A 9-inch rearend with Strange axles and freeway-friendly 3.10:1 gears rounded out the rear suspension, while the front was completed using Morrison spindles, a TCI sway bar, and manual rack-and-pinion steering. Wilwood disc brakes were mounted on all four corners, with Halibrand wheels (15x7-inch front, 15x8.5-inch rear) and BFGoodrich rubber finishing things off.
Of course, a badass Impala needs a killer engine, and Wayne pulled out all the stops when he mapped out the monster 540-inch Rat. First he had the crew at Pettis Performance stuff the Bow-Tie block with a Lunati crank and rods, Arias pistons, and a Lunati roller camshaft, then top it with Brodix aluminum heads. Aiming for the utmost in power and driveability, Wayne elected to build the electronic fuel-injection system himself using a modified Brodix intake, Bosch 37 lb-hr injectors, an Enderle hat, and an Accel DFI control unit. Combined with MSD ignition components and a pair of custom headers, the engine package is stout enough to send 585 hp and 630 ft-lbs of torque through the B&M-shifted Turbo 400 transmission and custom one-piece driveshaft.
Those long body panels required many hours of block-sanding to make them straight, especially after much of the stock Impala trim was shaved off. But the Advanced Performance crew (which includes Wayne, Mike Bridgeman, and Andy Diaz) made sure the body was flawless before applying the smooth Sherwin Williams Probe Red paint. Following paint, stitcher extraordinaire Ron Mangus (of Custom Auto Interiors in Bloomington, California) crafted a luxurious interior of gray leather and Italian wool. The comfortable custom cabin was further outfitted with Auto Meter gauges in the dash and console, a Grant steering wheel atop the tilt column, and a McIntosh stereo surrounding passengers with sound.
Any individualist can tell you that being different comes at a price. With hot rods, that means designing and building your own parts rather than relying on off-the-shelf, bolt-on components. It also involves long searches for hard-to-find original parts (trim, glass, etc.), since few reproduction pieces are available. As you can see, Wayne has paid that price (and spent a pretty hefty chunk of change as well) building this wild ragtop. But he has also gained something that's priceless to many hot rodders: the ability to stand out in-and speed away from-any crowd.


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American Sanskrit Institute's shipping charges are based on the weight of the products ordered. Shipping charges are computed and displayed for all products featured on our Web site when you check out.
U.S. and International Orders will be shipped via USPS Postal Service. Please allow 5 to 10 business days to receive your order.
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It is important to us that you are completely satisfied with our products. All returned and exchanged items must be in original condition, unused and accompanied by a sales receipt or invoice. American Sanskrit Institute will accept returns for full refund of items within 14 days of delivery of purchase. After 14 days of delivery, items can be exchanged for credit only. Shipping and handling charges will not be refunded or credited. The purchaser assumes all shipping, handling, and insurance costs on returns.
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THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced that Bratz Girlz Really Rock is currently in development and is expected to release on Wii, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo DS this fall. Based on the upcoming doll line and animated movie of the same name, the game will feature an exciting story line and a full range of activities including live music performances, a makeover station with the latest make-up and hairstyling choices, a fashion design suite as well as skydiving and miniature golf to play with a friend. Read More »
Also known as: Bratz: Girls Really Rock!
Release Region: United States
Release Date: October 13, 2008
Publisher: THQ
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: October 30, 2008
Publisher: THQ
Also available on: Nintendo DS, Wii
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock! at IGN
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock! at GameSpy
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock! at GameStats


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West End is Left of Centre.
The inner city suburb of West End is a lively mixture of cultures and the bohemian heart of Brisbane. The quirky local style can be described as a fusion of multicultural, alternative and vintage and the shops, restaurants and atmosphere reflect this suburb's eclectic personality.
Stroll through the weekend markets where aspiring designers peddle their wares amongst organic grocers, cosy bars and coffee houses. The bars and restaurants offer an experience with a twist - cocktails served in a Chinese opium den, or cigar bar, breakfast served in an old gun shop, Turkish delights eaten overlooking the river, a cupcake parlour and the famous Hi-Fi, playing the hottest live music.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Even More Channels Added to Comcast's Online VOD
Comcast has increased the number of networks available via its upcoming On Demand Online service from five to 23, including CBS, A&E, and the E! Channel.
The cable company on Tuesday added 18 new channels to On Demand Online, which will let subscribers watch content online. Later this month, Comcast will kick off a trial of the service with 5,000 subscribers. It is expected to roll out to all customers in the fourth quarter.
The company has already announced that users can access content from TBS and TNT, HBO and Cinemax, and Starz via Comcast.net and Fancast.com.
Other networks added to the lineup include: AMC, BBC America, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Food Network, Hallmark, HGTV, History, IFC, MGM Impact, Sundance Channel, WE tv, The Style Network, G4, and Fearnet.
Shows and movies including "The Prisoner," "Bridezillas," "Keeping up with the Kardashians," "Cooking for Real," and "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" will be available when On Demand Online debuts; shows such as "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" will be added in the coming months.Originally posted to AppScout.


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For more than 100 years, Corobrik has been manufacturing, distributing and marketing bricks for the local and international market. Our range of high quality brick and building products have helped bring design ideas to life.
We have regional offices around South Africa, as well as a large national network of accredited dealers.
All our manufacturing processes are based on sound environmental practices, thus ensuring that we contribute to South Africa's sustainable development initiatives while lessening the impact of our business on the environment. At all times we adhere to the Minerals and Mine, Health and Safety Acts.
Clay brick has a lifespan of over 100 years, making it ideal for long lasting South African social and residential infrastructure.
Read More
Low maintenance, durable clay brick walling saves time and effort across its long lifespan - and always looks great!
Due to its high thermal mass, clay brick stays warm in winter, and cool in summer, reducing your carbon footprint & energy costs.
Clay brick homes and social infrastructure are not just beautiful, they are a solid investment.


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Headlines archive
Court interpreter training planned for Milwaukee
Madison, Wisconsin - April 23, 2014
The Director of State Courts Office is accepting applications for interpreter training to be held in Milwaukee on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 at the Student Union at UW-Milwaukee.
While Spanish interpreters are most often requested by the courts, increased efforts are being made to recruit qualified interpreters for many other languages, particularly those spoken by incoming refugee populations. Individuals fluent in Arabic, Burmese, Farsi, French, Khmer, Russian, Somali and Tibetan as well as more rare languages such as Chin, Karen, Karenni (Kayah), and Mon are encouraged to apply. Training is also open to sign language interpreters.
Training sessions are intended for individuals who are interested in learning the fundamentals of court interpreting and are designed to give participants an overview of the needs and expectations of the court with emphasis on ethical conduct, legal terminology, court procedure, and basic legal interpreting skills. Small group practice exercises will help to develop interpreting skills. This orientation is intended as an introduction to the complexities of court interpreting, rather than as an in-depth training. Faculty includes judges, attorneys, and certified court interpreters. A $175 fee covers the sessions, lunch and all training materials. Each session will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on two consecutive days. The application deadline is May 2.
Applications are also sought from people already interpreting in a legal or administrative hearing setting and in other fields, such as healthcare and education, who want to broaden their experience. Bilingual advocates who wish to learn more about the court interpreting profession are also encouraged to apply. Participants who attend orientation, achieve minimal testing levels, and meet other requirements will be placed on a public roster of interpreters used by courts, law enforcement agencies, lawyers, and law-related agencies.
This training is part of the Director of State Courts Office Interpreter Program, which aims to improve interpretation and translation in the courts. For more information on these training sessions, and to register, visit the court system website at http://www.wicourts.gov/services/interpreter/orientation.htm
For more information contact Carmel Capati, Office of Court Operations at firstname.lastname@example.com or (608) 266-8635.


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Bible scholars quickly begin debate of new gender-neutral NIV revision
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The accuracy of the new "Today's New International Version" revision of the popular New International Version has quickly become a topic of debate among Bible scholars.
"Accuracy and clarity are prime with us," said Larry Lincoln, communications director for the International Bible Society, copyright holder of both the new TNIV and the 1984 NIV.
On the other side of the debate, Randy Stinson, executive director of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, said the TNIV contains "absolute mistranslations." The CBMW's Internet site, www.cbmw.org, already cites three key examples.
Lincoln told Baptist Press that the TNIV should be called a "gender-accurate" translation instead of the term used by some in the media, including Baptist Press, as "gender-neutral." The TNIV, he said, uses "generic language" for men and women "only when the text was meant to include both men and women." An overview of the TNIV is available on the Internet at www.tniv.info.
Lincoln noted that the TNIV makes no changes in Scripture's male-oriented references to God and Jesus.
Stinson of the CBMW noted that the three examples of mistranslation on the organization's website are "representative types of changes that they've made," referencing the International Bible Society and the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), a 15-member group of scholars with authority over the NIV translation, such as the revision of the text into the TNIV's gender-neutral language.
Of the changes, Stinson said, "They're significant. They do change the meaning. These are absolute mistranslations."
IBS and CBT may cite a Greek dictionary lexicon to defend their revisions, Stinson said, but those revisions "are just not the case with the major reputable lexicons."
Steve Johnson, IBS vice president for communication and development, sent an e-mail to Baptist Press after its Jan. 28 news story on the TNIV, stating: "I wish to state for the record that the overriding concern of the CBT is ALWAYS accuracy and clarity. While there may be differences within the body on the specific rendering of Greek and Hebrew, the influence of social agenda into any translation is NEVER permitted. We regret that once again, the issue of providing God's Word to the next generation of English-speakers has become an issue of division in the Body of Christ."
Several Southern Baptist leaders were quoted in the story as seeing a thrust for political correctness in the IBS effort to release a gender-neutral revision of the NIV.
The three references cited by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood as mistranslations in the TNIV are:
-- Revelation 3:20: "I will come and eat with them, and they with me."
"The removal of 'him' and 'he' completely drains the passage of the individual nature of the relationship between a person and Christ," the CBMW states on its website, noting that the TNIV has "many instances where the singular generic 'he' is replaced with the plural 'they' or 'them.'"
-- John 11:25, in which Jesus is translated as saying: "Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die."
The CBMW's concern: "Not only does this convolute the personal nature of the relationship between a person and Christ, but it betrays the fact that Jesus himself used the generic 'he' even though he was speaking to a woman (Martha)."
-- Acts 20:30: "From your own number some will arise."
The CBMW's concern: "This is problematic because the Greek word for 'aner' is translated 'some' when this is a specific word that can only mean men. Not only is this a mistranslation but it communicates the idea that the passage may also refer to women who would 'arise.' Since this passage refers to the elders, that would not be the case. Even if one affirms that there actually could have been women elders, it is still not appropriate to change the translation to reflect this belief."
"Evangelicals must be able to count on Bible translators to have accuracy as their primary objective and not cultural appeasement," Stinson writes on the CBMW website. "Unnecessarily changing the words of the biblical text in order to accommodate those who think certain phrases are offensive is dangerous and irresponsible. The question one must ask is 'What will be next?'
"As Evangelicals we affirm the verbal inspiration of scripture which means each word is inspired by God. The conscious and unnecessary mistranslation of these words by IBS has produced an unreliable edition of the Bible about which all Christians should be concerned," Stinson wrote.
The CBMW also complained that "IBS has broken its agreement it made in [a] 1997 press release, 'The International Bible Society (IBS) has abandoned all plans for gender-related changes in future editions of the New International Version (NIV).' Although they will certainly argue that this is not the NIV but the TNIV, the public should not appreciate this kind of double talk."
Lincoln of the IBS stated that less than 2 percent of the TNIV involves gender-related revisions of the NIV. Other changes account for 5 percent in an overall 7 percent revision of the NIV, he said.
"We're concerned about a generation of people who are turning their backs on the Bible because they don't see it as relevant, largely because they don't understand it," Lincoln asserted, noting that 100 million people in America are under the age of 30 and that language has changed since the NIV New Testament was initially published in the 1970s.
The TNIV was announced to the public in a Jan. 28 news release by the International Bible Society and Zondervan, the publisher of the NIV. The TNIV New Testament will be published this spring, the news release stated, with the complete Bible "expected in 2005."
Controversy over gender-neutral translation erupted in 1997 when World magazine, based in Asheville, N.C., reported that the IBS had decided to produce a gender-neutral NIV for the U.S. market by 2001 but had made no announcement of its plans. World's 1997 articles appeared in its March 29, April 19 and May 3 issues. A storm of theology-related objections was raised by a number of U.S. evangelicals over various revisions to the NIV.
The IBS, in a May 27, 1997, news release, announced a reversal, saying it would "forgo all plans" to revise the NIV translation. The Colorado-based IBS, in its May 27 statement, also committed to revising its New International Readers Version (NIrV) Bible "to reflect a treatment of gender consistent with the NIV." The NIrV was a gender-neutral translation already used in a Zondervan Publishing House children's Bible. And the IBS committed to negotiate an end to the publishing of a gender-neutral NIV text already completed by the Committee on Bible Translation and released in 1996 in England by Hodder and Stoughton.
Also on May 27, 1997, key parties in the controversy found common ground in a joint statement and a page of suggested translation guidelines now known as the "Colorado Springs Guidelines," or CSG. "Specifically, we agree that it is inappropriate to use gender-neutral language when it diminishes accuracy in the translation of the Bible," the statement, released June 4, noted, "and we therefore agree to the attached guidelines for translation of gender-related language in Scripture." The statement also noted: "We agree that Bible translations should not be influenced by illegitimate intrusions of secular culture or by political or ideological agendas."
However, in announcing its TNIV Jan. 28, the International Bible Society acknowledged in a separate letter to various evangelical leaders, dated Jan. 18, that it was "withdrawing its endorsement" of the guidelines.
Among the statement's 12 signers in 1997 were Bruce E. Ryskamp, Zondervan's president and CEO; Lars Dunberg, then-president of the IBS; Ronald Youngblood, now chairman of the IBS board of directors and a Committee on Bible Translation member; Wayne Grudem, then-president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood; John Piper, a member of the council and senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis; and theologian R.C. Sproul, chairman of Ligonier Ministries.
The IBS now has difficulty with the part of the CSG involving "some very specific guidelines [about translation of gender-related terms] that those present generally agreed with, or at the time were willing to endorse," the Jan. 18 IBS letter states, referencing the 1997 Colorado Springs meeting convened by Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.
"However, upon further review and consideration, and in consultation with other evangelical scholars, IBS has determined that many of the technical guidelines are too restrictive to facilitate the most accurate possible text in contemporary English," the IBS letter states.
In its Jan. 18 letter, the IBS noted that its ongoing work has been conducted "in accordance with its own guidelines and the guidelines established by the International Forum of Bible Agencies," which encompasses "18 of the leading global translation ministries, including IBS, Wycliffe Bible Translators, United Bible Societies, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), New Tribes Mission and others ... responsible for more than 90 percent of the translation work done around the world [and seeking to do] uncompromisingly accurate translations in contemporary language."
The IBS letter did not list the other guidelines nor discuss whether those guidelines address gender-related translation issues.


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2012 Olympics
Nic Long tried out for the golf team as a freshman at El Capitan High in Lakeside. He played poorly that day. Got cut.
That's the extent of his high school sports career.
"I wasn't like a big, popular kid," says Long, now 22. "I never really hung out with anybody (from school) outside of school. I just kept to myself and tried to do the least amount of homework possible. I didn't stick out much, beside my long hair."
He has a nose stud now, dyed black hair with streaks of blue and colorful tattoos covering his right arm. And his left arm. And his chest. And his right leg. And, recently, both feet.
There's a silhouette of Queen Elizabeth with the five interlocking rings on one foot, a knight's helmet and the Tower of London on the other.
Nic Long is going to the Olympics.
He is a BMX cyclist, exploding out of a starting gate on a preposterously small bike and pedaling over a twisting, undulating dirt and asphalt course. But he's more than that, really. Long represents the new face of the Summer Games, a splash of ink on the chaste body of the International Olympic Committee, a calculated effort to connect with younger audiences, an attempt to get hipper, cooler.
It worked with snowboarding in the Winter Games. Now the Summer Games have BMX, or bicycle motocross.
The event made its Olympic debut four years ago in Beijing, and members of the U.S men's basketball team talked about wanting to check it out. But the venue was miles away from the main competition sites, and a rainstorm forced the finals to be rescheduled to another day. In the end, it barely got on TV; Kobe and LeBron were no-shows.
"We went from having quite a bit of coverage to about five minutes," says Mike King, USA Cycling's program director for BMX and a Montgomery High alum. "It was devastating."
That should change in London. The 5-acre BMX course is part of the central Olympic park, a short walk from the swimming pool and main track stadium, and a jump shot from one of the basketball arenas. It's a literal and figurative gesture, giving the new kids a place at the dinner table instead of eating with the help in the kitchen. Treating them like family.
NBC has taken note. The Olympic broadcaster requested that London organizers add a third day to the BMX competition (Aug. 8, 9 and 10) so it could increase coverage.
"I kept telling Nic from 10 or 11 years old on, 'Some day it will be in the Olympics,' " says Donavon Long, his father who also grew up in Lakeside and went to El Cap and didn't play high school sports. "Nobody ever believed me. Then snowboarding came in. I kept telling him, 'You'll be something. You'll have your shot.' "
Long nearly didn't get it. The U.S. team – based at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista – got three men's spots, and the first went to David Herman based on results over the entire season and the second to Connor Fields when he won the one-day Trials event last month. The third was a discretionary pick by coaches and administrators, and they chose Long ahead of 2008 silver medalist and Trials runner-up Mike Day.
It was based on specific selection criteria over the past year, but it could have reached back much farther. Donavon Long has been preparing his son for this moment for more than a decade. Some kids have a basketball hoop in the driveway, or a swimming pool or batting cage in the backyard; the Longs have a $5,000 BMX starting gate and timing system, leading into a turn and a jump.
Both of Long's sisters also competed in BMX, and at one point all three were ranked No. 1 nationally in their divisions. One year, Donovan Long estimates, he spent $37,000 on his son's budding career, flying him across the country and to China for races.
It might have contributed to his divorce, he admits.
"His mom, if you asked her now, would say she was supportive of it," says Donavon Long, who installs automatic doors and still runs an amateur BMX club in East County. "But she didn't like the time and money it took to travel around the world for BMX. No one can get to the level that Nic's at by themselves. You always have to have someone pushing it. That caused us a little bit of a havoc."
So has Long's body art. He waited until his 18th birthday – Mom's orders – before getting his first tattoo, and it took another six months to save enough money to complete it.
That was just the start. His right arm depicts flowing Biblical scenes, representative of a religious phase in his life. His left arm has a graveyard scene with zombies, skulls and a werewolf. An angel with wings is on the right side of his torso, a skeleton of a vulture on the left.
"Opposing themes, opposing ideas," Long says. "Every person has something to look forward to when they die and going to heaven. Or they don't."
There are various quotations sprinkled among the colorful mosaic of ink, but the most striking is across the top of his chest, like a headline: "Count your (expletive) blessings."
It is a lyric from a particularly graphic song called "Pray for Plague" by British heavy metal band, Bring Me the Horizon. He got it last year during the Olympic test event on the London track, where he finished third.
"I figured, when in Rome, I guess," Long says. "I got some grief for that one. My mom cried. My dad wasn't very stoked."
Neither of his parents has tattoos. His father is convinced they have scared off the most connected sports agents, and ultimately sponsors.
"You want your kids to grow up and be successful," Donavon Long says. "In order to do that, you have to give them their space and let them make choices good and bad, and let them learn from it. I can look at the some of the tattoos on him and know it has cost him sponsor money, but he has to make those choices.
"I always told him, 'Don't get tattoos that people can see. People don't know you. People prejudge before they know you. If you had a 10-year-old son, would you want him to look up to you?' That's prejudging. But everybody does it."
And here's the thing. You'd probably want your 10-year-old son to look up to Long the athlete, the competitor. King, the BMX program director, ranks him among the most coachable, most unassuming riders he's been around.
"He's got a great work ethic," says King, who was on the committee that made Long the discretionary pick for London. "If you told him to do 1,000 starts, he'd do 1,000 starts. That kind of character rubs off on everybody else. That's good for the team, even in an individual sport."
And the tattoos?
"That's just Nic," King says. "Some people will form an opinion of him. It might be hard for corporate America to embrace. You see what you see on the surface, but your perception changes when you get to know him. You take the surface away, and he's no different than any other athlete in the Olympic village."


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Browse by Medical Category
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Seven years ago, Stephen Baseman visited his family doctor for his annual physical. He had a slight pain in his side, which he thought was a pulled muscle. In fact, he had an exceptionally rare, life-threatening tumor caused by a very unusual condition. Massachusetts General Hospital saved Stephen's life in 2006 and continues to treat him today.
"I went to that annual physical in 2006, never expecting anything serious," recalls Stephen. After running tests, his doctor found a massive tumor, measuring 5½ inches, growing on his liver. What's worse, the tumor was preventing his liver from functioning normally. Without proper liver function, Stephen would die.
"Other doctors turned me away, so this operation was my chance. I wanted it."
Going Home and Fearing the Worst
Doctors at Stephen's local hospital in Sarasota, Fla., told him his tumor was inoperable and his condition was "incurable." They said there was nothing they could do to save him. Devastated, Stephen and his wife, Barbara, went home and feared for the worst.
But Stephen didn't give up. He called his family physician again to get a recommendation for another hospital. Fortunately, his doctor knew a surgeon at Mass General. He told Stephen that his tumor might be operable, but removing it would require a complex surgery performed by a highly skilled surgeon. He recommended Mass General's David Berger, MD, a renowned surgical specialist. Stephen and Barbara flew to Boston the very next day.
"Stephen's tumor was wrapped around the veins and arteries of his liver, causing liver failure," Dr. Berger says. "He was dying."
"Dr. Berger told me it was a dangerous operation, but that he thought it could be successful," says Stephen. "He explained the possibility that he wouldn't be able to remove the whole tumor. There was also a possibility that I could die on the operating table. But I knew I would certainly die without the surgery. Other doctors turned me away, so this operation was my chance. I wanted it."
The Nine Longest Days
Dr. Berger gathered a team to prepare for the surgery. "Those were the nine longest days of our lives," Barbara says. To Stephen and Barbara's relief, the procedure was successful. Dr. Berger removed the entire tumor as well as one-third of Stephen's liver. Stephen had 50 stitches, and it took him two months to recover. The tumor was a sarcoma, a rare type of cancerous tumor that almost never grows on the liver. "I would be surprised if Mass General ever sees a tumor like this, of this size, again," says Dr. Berger.
"I was terrified that we wouldn't make it to 45 years," says Barbara. "But we just celebrated 52 years. We are stronger than ever."
The Basemans' relief was short-lived, unfortunately. One year later, a similar tumor appeared. Remarkably, it was immune to chemotherapy, radiation, proton beam therapy, and medication. The condition Stephen has is rare, and there is only one option to treat it. "We have no cure. But what we can do is remove the tumors when they show up," explains Dr. Berger. "I've never seen a condition like this before." Since 2006, Stephen has had seven surgeries to remove sarcomas in different locations, all within his abdomen.
"So far, we have been successful with our treatment," says Dr. Berger. "Stephen is doing remarkably well, all things considered."
Stephen knows he could not have made it this far without Barbara's unconditional love and support. His first appointment with Dr. Berger was just days before the couple's 45th wedding anniversary. "I was terrified that we wouldn't make it to 45 years," says Barbara. "But we just celebrated 52 years. We are stronger than ever."
Read the full article, which was first published in the MGH Fund Update.
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Home Additions in Salado, Texas
Are you outgrowing the space in your Salado, Texas home? Thinking about adding an addition on to your home? Home additions in Salado, Texas is the perfect solution to expand your living space. Choosing a trusted Salado contractor for your desired home addition is imperative to ensure the job gets done right the first time! Whether you're looking to have an in-law apartment built, extend your family room, or add a sunroom to your floor plan, consider calling E4 Enterprises LLC: the Salado, Texas home addition specialists. We will help you figure out the best and most practical option to suit your wants, needs, and budget.
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A new report by human resources consulting firm Development Dimensions International says most new employees hired in 2012 are already disillusioned about their jobs.
AGCO Corp. (the acronym stems from its former name, Allis-Gleaner Corp.) is trying to steer clear of that looming hazard. The Atlanta-area manufacturer of heavy agricultural equipment hired about 1,500 salaried workers in 2012 with retention of newcomers a big area of focus, says Lauri Lipka, its director of global talent management.
The company employs about 20,000 people globally—one-third of whom are salaried or professional workers—and initiated a rigorous recruiting cycle two years ago, enabling business units, recruiters and human resources to collaborate more closely during each phase and make smarter hiring choices.
Most importantly, greater detail is provided about a job, both its pros and cons, to enable candidates to make informed decisions regarding an offer.
"We realize that new employees are most vulnerable during the first three to six months. If we don't give them a thorough picture of the job before we hire them, then they're most likely going to feel like, 'Hey, this isn't the job I signed up for,' " Lipka says.
In fact, a majority of people who landed jobs in 2012 now say they were misled about what to expect, according to Pittsburgh-based Development Dimensions International's report, which was released in December.
The report studied 2,300 newly hired workers and 250 staffing directors in 28 countries.
More than half, or 51 percent, of new employees hired in 2012 have "buyer's remorse" and 88 percent are looking to make a change, notes DDI's report. Their chief complaint: The hiring process "failed to paint a realistic or accurate picture of the job."
"Companies aren't giving candidates a balanced view of what a job entails, both its good points and bad points," says Scott Erker, a DDI vice president and a co-author of Global Selection Forecast 2012.
The reverse also appears true: Organizations that give recruits an accurate picture of the job wind up hiring people who are confident in their decision, more highly engaged and committed to staying long term, DDI says.
DDI's research comes on the heels of a November survey of 700 U.S. employees by Right Management, part of ManpowerGroup. It says only 5 percent of employees plan to stay in their current jobs during the next year.
Employers are disenchanted with hiring decisions as well, with 1 in 8 new employees, or 14 percent, deemed by staffing directors to be failures, DDI's report finds.
Despite the buzz surrounding integrated talent management, the data show most organizations lack mature processes that enable them to identify the best people, Erker says.
Organizations frequently make educated guesses about which candidate is the best to fill a vacancy instead of drawing a clear picture of the attributes and skills a person needs to succeed in the job, Erker says.
"Organizations have invested lots of money in tracking systems, pre-employment assessments, improved vendor management and training their managers and still aren't moving the needle. It's a huge problem and it's costing them millions of dollars" to recruit and hire replacements, Erker says.
On the other hand, job seekers sometimes make unwise choices, especially if they have been out of work for a while and are desperate for a job.
The report found a big discrepancy in how companies perceive their selection strategies and how well they actually work. Nearly 3 in 4 companies say their systems are effective, even though fewer than 20 percent believe it helps them acquire the best available talent.
When asked why hiring decisions go wrong, 31 percent of staffing directors in the survey blame an overreliance on a hiring manager's evaluation.
"Even though a staffing director is at the heart of hiring decisions, it's pretty clear that a lack of partnership with hiring managers is causing this frustration," Erker says.
And the problem may only be beginning: 62 percent of staffing directors surveyed expect hiring volume to increase this year, yet only 1 in 5 organizations have a talent acquisition strategy to best their competitors.
AGCO, which participated in DDI's study, is continuing to make each recruiting step more transparent. Lipka says the company this year plans to add an applicant tracking system that enables screeners, recruiters and managers to track the status of individual applicants under consideration.
Garry Kranz is a Workforce contributing editor. Comment below or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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First Piedmont Bank, Winder, was taken over Friday night by the FDIC and Georgia Department of Banking.
First American Bank and Trust Company of Athens assumed all deposits of the bank.
The bank is the second area community bank to be closed this year by the FDIC. Freedom Bank based in Commerce with a branch in Winder was taken over by the FDIC in February. Fifteen Georgia banks have been shut down this year due to the recession.
Customers who have questions about the First Piedmont transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-877-367-2717. The phone number will be operational Friday evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EDT; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EDT; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EDT.
Interested parties can also visit the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/piedmont.html.
According to the FDIC, First Piedmont Bank's two offices will reopen on Monday as branches of First American Bank and Trust Company. Depositors of First Piedmont Bank will automatically become depositors of First American Bank and Trust Company. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship to retain their deposit insurance coverage, officials said.
Over the weekend, depositors of First Piedmont Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.
In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, First American Bank and Trust Company agreed to purchase approximately $111 million of assets. The FDIC will retain the remaining assets for later disposition, officials said.
First Piedmont, founded in 1998, had assets of $115 million as of July 6. It had long been viewed as a bank likely to be closed by the FDIC.
In the first quarter of this year, the bank lost $680,000 and was not in compliance with capital requirements. The banks "non-performing asset ratio" was over 439 at the end of the first quarter, an extremely high number. Banks with troubled asset ratios over 100 are viewed as candidates for serious problems.
The bank's core problems revolved around real estate loans that had gone sour during the economic downturn.
BREAKING NEWS: Winder's First Piedmont Bank closed by FDIC
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Artist Coalition Calls for Grammy Boycott After Several Categories Given the Ax
If you've ever sat through an entire Grammy Awards show, the idea of having a few less categories might not strike you as such a bad idea — but for some of the artists affected by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' recent decision to whittle down the number of awards, it's a potentially racist affront.
A group of musicians — including Paul Simon and jazz legend Herbie Hancock — has banded together to call for a boycott of CBS, which airs the awards ceremony, and is investigating a legal response to the Grammy cutbacks. As artist Bobby Sanabria put it in an interview with the AP, "We will ask people to stop watching CBS, boycott their sponsors and then write them. We're at a critical juncture."
Particularly vexing to the group is the fact that many of the categories being cut down or merged are heavily ethnic, which will have a whitewashing effect on the awards. The Academy, unsurprisingly, disagrees. In a public statement, NARAS said it "spent two years researching and ultimately making the decision to restructure the Grammy Awards categories for reasons that had everything to do with recognizing excellence in music and the integrity of our awards and nothing to do with ethnicity or race."


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To order transcripts from Alliant Schools (including from USIU) please follow the link below:
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This question already has an answer here:
- Why is cd not a program? 7 answers
In a bash sub shell I get the following error when running cd
sudo: cd: command not found
This is expected because I don't have a path. Usually to work around this I just provide the full path like so: (/usr/local/bin/foo)
Much to my surprise,
cd does not appear to be in any of the normal places.
which cd
whereis cd
ls /bin | grep cd
By comparison,
ls is right where I would expect.
which ls
Where is the
cd command located? And why is different from all the other commands?
Another interesting tidbit, cd does not show up in
0 /bin/ls
2 /usr/bin/find
2 /sbin/ip
1 /usr/bin/updatedb
1 /usr/bin/apt-get


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Esther 6-8 New International Version (NIV)
Mordecai Honored
6 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked.
"Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.
4 The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
5 His attendants answered, "Haman is standing in the court."
"Bring him in," the king ordered.
6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"
Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?" 7 So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!'"
10 "Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended."
11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!"
12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!" 14 While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Haman Impaled
7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther's banquet, 2 and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]"
5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?"
6 Esther said, "An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!"
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?"
As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b] stands by Haman's house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king."
The king said, "Impale him on it!" 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.
The King's Edict in Behalf of the Jews
8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
5 "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[c] These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
11 The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[d] and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king's command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.
The Triumph of the Jews
15 When Mordecai left the king's presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Cross references:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 6 New International Version (NIV)
The Choosing of the Seven
6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Seized
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Cross references:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Check here for a YouTube video of a GE commercial (there's both a dancing elephant and a parrot in it–as well as other supporting characters in this unusual "Singin' in the Rain" cast).
The "elephant" is not a reference to the GOP, but the "parrot" is a reference to health care reform… (Stay with me here…)
The Washington Post's Kevin Huffman writes about both animals today, in the context of yesterday's health reform summit (my emphasis added):
Thursday's health-care summit was the latest episode in an epic battle between the elephant and its rider.
The elephant, in a metaphor originally devised by psychologist Jonathan Haidt, stands for our emotional side. It enables our capacity for love and loyalty and is behind our drive to protect our families. The rider stands for our rational side. It's what makes long-term plans, sets the alarm clock and tells us to walk away from that pint of Ben & Jerry's.
For the better part of the past year, Democrats have appealed to logic with health-care proposal after complicated health-care proposal, while Republicans have appealed to tea party emotion. It's been comprehensive reform vs. the audacity of nope, and, if you believe the polls, nope is winning.
How is this possible? Well, in the fascinating new book "Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard," authors Chip and Dan Heath draw from social science research to argue that we embrace change only by bringing these oft-conflicted systems into alignment. They argue, "When change efforts fail, it's usually the elephant's fault since the kind of change we want typically involves short-term sacrifices for long-term payoffs." At the same time, the rider without the elephant is prone to paralysis by over-analysis. Ultimately, the authors write, "a reluctant elephant and a wheel-spinning rider can both ensure that nothing changes."
To me, this elephant-and-rider story is not just reminiscent of the health care debate; it's the storyline of anything the government tries to do for the sake of "fiscal responsibility." It's a hard problem to solve and the "elephant" in all of us isn't just unconvinced, but completely disengaged…disenchanted…uninspired… BORED.
At yesterday's health care summit, the President was indeed in control and acting like "commander in chief"–but more than that he was acting like "professor in chief" (as the Post's Dana Milbank emphasizes in his front-page story and as I "tweeted" saying "Professor Obama is on a roll…"). But who was listening, and who changed their minds? Out of everything the President explained, got right, and straightened out (like the wise and commanding professor), the line that probably made (or should have made) the most impact with not just the politicians but more importantly the American public (if they were watching at that point) was this one highlighted by E.J. Dionne:
[G]ood for Obama for asking Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) if he would really rather have catastrophic care than comprehensive health coverage…But Obama then made the central point of the whole day. Speaking of the uninsured, he said: "We can debate whether we can afford to help them. We can't say they don't need help."
Back to Kevin Huffman's column, he also thinks appealing to the compassion in the politicians and Americans more generally would have been better than lecturing to them:
My unsolicited advice: a little less rider, a little more elephant. When Kathleen Sebelius talks up "pooled purchasing options," people's eyes glaze over. The logical arguments are good, but my elephant could not care less. Instead, try tapping into a deeper sentiment: This is America. We are the kind of country that doesn't let a man go bankrupt because his wife or kids get sick. We believe everyone deserves a doctor. That's who we are.
So what's the "parrot" got to do with anything? Again from Kevin Huffman:
In "Switch," the authors tell a story about the St. Lucia parrot — a magnificent, colorful creature that lives only on that Caribbean island. Biologists were writing the species' eulogy when conservation activist Paul Butler found himself charged with figuring out how to save the parrot. Butler had ideas: create a bird sanctuary, license eco-tourism and muscle up the punishments for harming the parrot. But he also had a problem. Most people on St. Lucia didn't know about the parrot, let alone care, and some people even ate the poor bird. What to do?
Instead of making an analytical case, Butler went for the emotional. He appealed to St. Lucians' national character. The message: We are the kind of people who take care of our own. This bird is ours alone, and we must protect it. He built popular support for new laws, and today, there are seven times as many parrots happily squawking on the island.
If the appeal to "emotional side" in all of us had been emphasized at yesterday's summit, not only would the politicians have been more likely to see the "common ground" between them in terms of the goal or the "prize," but they also would have been more inclined to work together to find agreement about the really tough choices about how to afford to claim the prize–how to achieve what everyone actually wants to do about health care, and deficit reduction, and all the other difficult policy issues that get stuck because people care only enough to want the goodies but not enough to be willing to pay for them.
It's like I said in reaction to the President's fiscal commission:
[T]he first thing the President's fiscal commission needs to do is to start getting out there and talking with real Americans, educating them about why we even need to worry about the budget deficit, and asking them about the (hard) choices they're willing to make (or not).
…because I have a feeling that what Paul Tsongas said was right (that we are better than what our leaders ask us to be), and we as Americans may be more willing to save the "parrot" of health care reform (or fiscal sustainability more generally) than our politicians realize. They just have to talk with us more about the parrot and all there is to love about it, rather than all there is to think about it. They have to let our elephant in us save the parrot.
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2001 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jordan, Huggins, Furniss, Dearing, Smith, Bryan, Burton, Tollison, Chamberlin, Turner, Little, Farris, Williamson, Hewes, Hamilton, Dawkins, Blackmon, Jackson, Browning, Chaney, Frazier, Harden, Scoper
Senate Resolution 27
(As Adopted by Senate)
WHEREAS, Mr. Morgan Freeman, a native of Mississippi, is one of the most successful and highly respected actors in the entertainment industry; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman, born in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 1, 1937, graduated from high school in Greenwood, Mississippi, in May of 1955; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Mr. Freeman moved to California to study dance and theatre arts at Los Angeles City College; and
WHEREAS, in 1967, Mr. Freeman made his Broadway debut with Pearl Bailey in "Hello Dolly!"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman became nationally known when he created the popular character, "Easy Reader" on the highly praised children's show, "The Electric Company"; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, Mr. Freeman has received many awards for many of his performances including a Tony Award, the Clarence Derwent Award, Drama Desk Award, Obie Award, the Dramalogue Award and many others; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman has not only been successful in television and the theatre, but has a long list of film credits which include movies such as "Brubaker," "Eyewitness," "Harry & Sons," "Teachers," "Clean & Sober," "Johnny Handsome," "Glory," and "Chain Reaction"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman won the Los Angeles, New York and National Society of Film Critics Awards for best supporting actor and was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for his performance in "Street Smart"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman also starred in the popular movie, "Driving Miss Daisy," for which he won his second Academy Award nomination, won the Golden Globe Award and The Silver Bear for best actor at the Berlin Film Festival; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman was seen in the David Brown production and thriller, "Kiss the Girls"; starred in the Steven Speilberg production, "Amistad," as abolitionist Theodore Jackson; took the lead in Paramount's adventure film "Hard Rain," opposite Christian Slater; played the President of the United States in the box office hit, "Deep Impact"; and starred in "Nurse Betty" along with Renee Zellweger and Chris Rock; and
WHEREAS, in November 2000, Mr. Freeman began shooting his next thriller, "High Crimes" with Ashley Judd in San Francisco, California; and
WHEREAS, in 1993, Mr. Freeman made his film directorial debut with "Bopha!," starring Danny Glover and Alfre Woodard, and soon after formed Revelations Entertainment, a production company developing entertainment product in all existing and emerging media; and
WHEREAS, most recently, Mr. Freeman has partnered with Bill Luckett in the restaurant business as the two opened the upscale restaurant called Madidi in the old 8000 square foot Landry's building located in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippians such as Mr. Freeman, whose long and distinguished career brings great pride to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Mr. Morgan Freeman upon his successful career as an actor and express our heartiest wishes for continued success in all his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Morgan Freeman and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.


text:
Looking good so far. But no more scary tools like scissors for you. You can stick to acetylene torches with some mig/tig for tacking
Second day, first injury. Although to be fair to The Bicycle Academy it's not their fault if I go down the local bike shop in the lunch hour to get some replacement brake blocks and then stick some scissors in my finger trying to cut the zip ties holding them to the backboard. Hey ho.
After the excitement of a first day learning something entirely new, day two is a day of consolidation, and graft. After all, this bike isn't going to build itself. The first job of the day was to start putting the bike together in the jig, checking the mitres cut yesterday to see if they were a perfect fit (clue: no) and adjusting them as necessary with judicious use of the array of files on offer. It's a bit-by-bit job, marking high spots with the Sharpie and gradually moving the tube into the correct position. Soon enough Chris tells me that he's 'happy' with the position of the down tube, which presumably means he doesn't want me to make it any worse.
The top tube is a simpler job and then suddenly it's in the jig and a recognisably bike-shaped object starts to take form. It's back to the torch to tack the individual members in position; there's no actual fillet brazing to be done today, although we do get to do a plumber's seal along the bottom of the seat tube to stop water migrating through the frame.
Stays are next. They're pre-bent but we get given slightly over- or under-bent ones to cold-work into the correct shape. Then it's more mitre cutting and a slot in each chain stay at the back to seat it onto the solid-looking dropout. I was a bit over-zealous with the files at that point, but I think I got away with it; luckily there's plenty of steel in the TBA frame design, which is an adaptation of the World Bicycle Relief Buffalo Bike frame. Once the chain stays are tacked in place it really starts to look like a frame, and suddenly I'm excited about getting down to the business of brazing it all together. That's a job for the last day; tomorrow we'll be practicing some more and building a bottom bracket assembly which we can take home, "if we want". I do want. And that's not the only brazed-by-my-own-fair-hand thing I want. I'm dreaming of my own frame.
The skills you learn at The Bicycle Academy may not result in you walking out with a bike, like they would on some other frame building courses, but they do genuinely mean you're capable of making your own. This is ably demonstrated when Andrew shows us an email from former student and professional roadie Dan Craven, who's just finished building a 29er MTB with Robin Mather. "Robin was really impressed with what I could do," he says. Robin Mather. Was impressed.
The workshop is gearing up to allow students to come back to work on their own projects; that's part of the deal. So, soon, will be the ability to gain a brazing qualification; that should be available in the new year to all new students, and people who've already completed their course will be able to come back and take the exam too. At the moment there's no adjustable jig for custom builds, just the fixed Africa bike ones, but that's on the list as well as expanding into more space. That will, at least, give them somewhere to put all the furniture and kit they've picked up from a local engineering firm that's just been bought out. "They're consolidating, and most of this stuff was just going to end up in the skip," Andrew tells us. Desks, cabinets, tools, gauges, stuff that would cost tens of thousands of pounds to buy new. It's good luck, and The Bicycle Academy deserves it.
Dave is a founding father of road.cc and responsible for kicking the server when it breaks. In a previous life he was a graphic designer but he's also a three-time Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling world champion, and remains unbeaten through the bog. Dave rides all sorts of bikes but tends to prefer metal ones. He's getting old is why.


text: The spectrum of this category includes all the obligatory types of spray equipment, which is not inferior in performance and converts all system components. Furthermore, such equipment can be used for applying the hard substance, a light foam, and a sandwich-sputtering. It includes Airless Paint Sprayer and Spray Gun at the same time, Parking Lot Line Sprayer, Wallpaper Steamer Remover, Perforator, and Wallpaper Table, which is suitable for a multitasking work in Chicago, IL.