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I'm getting tired of having to spoonfeed this to some of you people individually. As it turns out though, thankfully, I can edit the OP so at least read this. I am not arguing against love, relationships or commitment, or anything the like. Quite the opposite, I'm saying they're good enough on their own without the need for the legal paperwork, money-waste and label of marriage. I welcome any opinion whether I like it or not, but not when you're missing all of the actual points like a little boy splashing the rim and substitute your own. No one's forcing you to read the whole thread, but at least read the damn OP of the thread next time or don't bother. It's getting frustrating having to read through your condescending tones just to find out you just didn't pay attention.
Hey. I'm not sure if I made a thread before but I'd like to put some of my thoughts on marriage here and see what all of you guys think. I see many of you as much smarter than me, and I think I can learn some. This got a little long, and I don't know if I should post it as a blog instead, but since my objective is to get some sort of exchange/discussion going a thread is more fitting. This is my opinion only. I'm not going to talk about gay-marriage or things like that, we all already know enough about that. I want to talk about marriage itself.
My stance on marriage is not that everybody should be allowed to have one, including gays. My stance is that nobody should get married, including straight people. And I'm often confused as to why atheists, secular intelligent people, would want to engage in this antiquated, forcefully contrived and often religious social construct.
I've said this in one form or another before. People like to think about marriage as this magical bond between two people in love, but for the bigger part of its history marriage wasn't about love at all. We know that in the past ages marriage was only used as a form of sales-contract, a political relationship building tool between two parties, and a way for the rulers to keep tabs on their subjects, while making sure they don't run amok fucking and raping each other aimlessly. It was an easy social structure to introduce into a primitive society that would otherwise kill each other over women to rape (which they did, and still do regardless). As a religious construct, it has been solely used for the above mentioned purposes, plus turn women into property. We need only look at some religious men and their harem of wives, to see that in that marriage women have become nothing more than a commodity. In marriage, even today, women are often nothing more than merchandise. Why do you think religious men always emphasize the importance of staying pure and staying away from sex until marriage? Because some men have very small penises. And some men with small penises are willing to pay high prices for a certain commodity: virginity. They want sex with virgins, because the small-dicked man knows the virgin doesn't know any better, so he has a confidence boost. Same reason they marry old geezers to little children, under the ruse of "our prophet did it." It's all about keeping the business running. Tell girls not to fuck. Slut-shame them should they dare to have sex outside of marriage. Call them whores, sluts, whatever. Put peer-pressure on them. Because if they do, the market will run dry.
There are a some popular arguments for/about marriage that I'd like to take on.
- It's a public declaration of loyalty. / It shows commitment.
This is a common error. Marriage doesn't make someone any more loyal then s/he would've been anyway, and if it does it's either because of peer-pressure (look up countries with the lowest divorce rates) or simple disingenuity. If you are in a relationship (which is not open), then you should be able to stay loyal and make it clear you're committed all by yourself, without a ring on your finger to vouch for you. Saying marriage ads to the commitment and shows loyalty is really no different than, for example, saying the bible gives us strength and hope. We should be able to have those things by ourselves, and those who cling to it show only a lack of those traits in themselves; just as someone who can not be as loyal without marriage shows a lack of confidence in their loyalty to begin with.
Now there also many people who say that they want a marriage to make sure their partner is committed. To me, a person who says they cannot expect loyalty and commitment unless their partner agrees to marry them is a person who displays a severe lack of trust, confidence and faith in their partner. A crucial flaw which wouldn't work out too well for a relationship to begin with.
I'm quoting the next point from a post from another member, MikeLong, here. I originally wanted to answer you in that thread, but the lack of a reply button was getting on my nerves, sorry.
- If shit goes south, marriage makes us try harder to preserve the relationship, rather than simply cast it aside as just another failed relationship.
Again, I think this should go without having to be married. If the relationship is worth it you should put all effort in, but not because you think "Oh well, we're married now. And it's kinda too much work to get divorced anyway." If marriage is your only incentive to keep a relationship alive, it's not a relationship of love as it is a cold iron chain locking you together.
More importantly though, just because a relationship is over doesn't mean it's failed. We fall in love, and then often we get jaded, and it's over. But that doesn't mean it wasn't worthwhile, that it was a waste of time, or that it failed. We experience something nice, and then it's time to move on. What marriage does is hold you trapped, after you've had enough. And I believe that the idea of an ended relationship being a "failed" relationship is something, more often than not, pushed into our culture by clergy. They are mostly the ones we hear bitching about divorce rates in secular countries and how it's somehow directly related to the moral decline in that country. That's bullshit. The only thing a divorce means is that two people no longer want to be together. What does the reason matter? Clergy often pretend like it's because people turn gay and the men divorce their wives because they want to go to a gay bar and have wild gay sex out of wedlock (ironically the solution would be to allow same-sex marriage, but I digress). But even if it were so, so what? How would it make those two people any more happy if they were continuously trapped in a marriage? Even when, at first, only one of the two partners wants a divorce, to me it would be much more horrible to force the other person to stay married. I certainly wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't want me anymore. Platonic love doesn't end well for either party.
So what I'm rambling on about it that ending a relationship is not always a bad thing. Call me a cynic, but I believe that it's a good time even most of the time. Something sucks, you work at it. But at some point you have to stop and accept that it might just not be worth it to try and pick up all the pieces off of the floor so you can glue them together and hope it sticks for just a little while longer. At some point you just have to leave the pieces lie and move the fuck on.
- marriage is the sacred bond between a man and a woman
Obviously, this is an argument that comes from the theist camp. Now I'm not going to argue about how retarded it is to suggest that gays have any less of a right to a marriage, we already know that, but instead tell you why I think religion loves pairing different genders so much. It's because man + woman = baby. Baby = another unit in the army. That's it. Nothing profound to it. Sacred bond my ass. It's about growing numbers like a virus. Rulers in all ages understood that if you want to build a powerful nation, what you need are people. Many many people. As many as possible. Living conditions, quality of life - doesn't matter. If he can hold a weapon and become cannon-fodder he's good enough. Same reason religion values men more than women. They're physically stronger. Same reason clergy are against abortion, it kills potential units and dwindles their numbers. (It also kills off all the pussy in the age range they like.)
- We do it for the civil / legal / financial rights.
I actually don't know enough about this to be able to fairly comment, so I'd love some input. Obviously I still don't like it. I know people who have been together for years but have no intentions of getting married for any benefits, my own sister included, and they seem to lead happy lives. But are the benefits worth compromising your integrity?Is there no other way to achieve those rights? Would it be at all possible for us to change this? I'm aware that gays fight for marriage because they want the rights that come with it. Now I remember Strega saying in a different thread that if they made some other civil construct which would allow her, as a gay person, to have all the benefits of a usual marriage provides, she'd do it right away. Even if it wasn't called a marriage. Do you agree with this, or do you think that, if anything, both straight people and gays should get the exact same thing? In which case it cannot be a religious union, because all major religions are homophobic. And so...I'm tired.
That's it for now. I actually have much more to say, but I kinda already wrote more than usual and I'm getting bored and I'm sure I've bored most of you by now too. I might add some later. Cut me some slack!
Views: 3017
But it would be EVEN BETTER if she had chosen her partner wisely and for the right reason, which shows why anecdotes don't propel the discussion forward and tend to become sideshows or distractions.
Hi Thomas
Has anybody asked the children what they want?
I don't think you need to be an expert to know that children are very conservative in their wants. Children don't want to feel different, or to have to explain an unusual or non-"normal" home situation to their peers, because children can be so mean. They want to feel wanted and not abandoned. To a child, quantity time IS quality time. I'm glad that when I was young, the normal situation was that children came home to a parent after school. What came to be called "latchkey children" were very uncommon then.
My dad was a latchkey kid in the 50s. You can tell too.
"You need more than a baby to keep two people in love with each other"
Staying in love with your partner has very little to do with it - this is why theres no commitment in marriage or long-term partnerships.
"In love" probably lasts about two years. Respect and support is what keeps it going for the long run.
But are the benefits worth compromising your integrity?
Believe it or not, a lot of those benefits are necessity in life. Prime example is: family insurance. There is no point of spending tons of money to get separate insurance from both partner's jobs when one can get it and apply it for the entire family. Then you have things with life insurance, ownership of property. If your partner suddenly dies, and if you were never married, most likely the government won't recognize your beloved one and you will not get one ounce of their belongings (unless of course there is a deed). This is currently a huge problem for Gays in the military. Since we have a federal law called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that recognizes that marriage is between a man and a woman, gay couples are not recognized by the military and its a problem for them since they can't access the benefits they deserve.
Marriage was never a religious things. Humans have always participated in matrimony in all different cultures, starting back from the ancient cultures. Many of them had no contact with each other, yet in all of those civilizations, there was some form of marriage. I think you are looking at marriage from a religious perspective. I know you said you are Turkish, so Im guessing you are an Ex Muslim like me? I can see why you would not be fond of marriage, since marriage is shoved down the throats of Muslim men and women starting at an early age. By a certain age it's all about finding a wife/husband because as the prophet said, marriage is "sunnah" and you should get married as quick as possible. The consent pressure of marriage in Islamic society can be quite reprehensible and disgusting. However you can get married for the simple reason of being in love and wanting to be with that person forever in a binding relationship closed off from all other possibilities of relationships
I know you said you are Turkish, so Im guessing you are an Ex Muslim like me?
I'm Turkish but I actually grew up in Germany, and I have a very liberal family, so I was lucky to never have been indoctrinated. I was always an atheist.
Marriage was never a religious things. Humans have always participated in matrimony in all different cultures, starting back from the ancient cultures. Many of them had no contact with each other, yet in all of those civilizations, there was some form of marriage. I think you are looking at marriage from a religious perspective.
I touched on this in my OP, but I think my lack of writing skills did a number on me there, I know what you mean. Marriage wasn't always part of religions, but they have adopted the concept of binding people together into easily manageable man-woman brood-machine pairs, and now they pretend like they came up with it. And they also pretend like it has always been about love and whatnot, when really most of the time it was about trading your daughter for some cattle and land, not "god."
Yes you are right about your last sentence. It goes hand in hand with women's right. Back then there was no real way for a woman to live and raise children by themselves. The moment they were born to the moment they died, they under a man's rule, whether their father or their husband. Religion made it so that daughters are property of a father until he gives her off to her husband where she becomes his property. Hence where the "walking down the aisle" with your father came from in Western wedding traditions.
Nowadays those things really don't matter. A woman can live on her own and earn her pay just as a man for the rest of her life. So those traditional reasoning for marriage are still there in society, however they are becoming more and more obsolete nowadays. So you can start to see marriage for a binding contract of love. Everyone is different. Some people will want that and some people will not. Just the way our individual selves are programmed.
Nowadays those things really don't matter. A woman can live on her own and earn her pay just as a man for the rest of her life.
That benefits the woman, but if she has a child, in general that's not the best possible situation for a child. Unless a woman can work at home to be with her child all day long while making enough income to stay well above the poverty line, the child would typically be better off with his/her parents in an intact family home.
I think no responsible person should go into childrearing not even intending to give them a two-parent family to grow up in.
I don't think there's any disputing, either, that children are better off with a stay-at-home parent. They are safer, better supervised, and are more likely to feel secure and well taken care of.
The girl that my son is going out with at the moment often says that she wants a baby- Theyre both 20 ...
I told my son to beware of girls wanting babies because a girl who says that, does not have the guy in the picture ...
I told him to look for the girl who wants a family.
Tell him to use condoms and put some Tabasco sauce in it before he throws it away, that way she can't make a baby through homemade artificial insemination without at least paying a price. I think the Tabasco would probably kill the sperm anyway.
Better yet, take it straight to the toilet and flush it.
The tabasco sauce is a good idea - vinegar also - because girls do try to confiscate discarded condoms dont they ...
What other advice could we give our sons about being responsible with their sperm.


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Amid all the hype surrounding NBA veteran Jason Collins' revelation of his sexuality, another gay athlete is quietly training for what could be a return to professional sports.
Robbie Rogers, the 25-year-old midfielder who came out in February, played for five seasons in the MLS before moving to Europe. He struggled with Leeds United and Stevenage, leading to his retirement earlier this year. In a blog post, Rogers said he wanted to "discover myself away from football."
Rogers, who has tallied 18 caps for the U.S. national team, recently asked Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena about training with the team. Arena extended an open invitation to the Southern California native, and Rogers worked out with the squad this week.
"He looked a lot sharper than I thought he would today, given the fact he's been away from the game for a while," Arena said.
Depending on whether Rogers is interested and feels comfortable enough to return to professional soccer, he could be the one who makes a different type of history than Collins.
Collins is a free agent, and even if he signs with a team for the 2013-14 season, he wouldn't play until November at the earliest.
Robbie Rogers may end up being 1st openly gay male athlete to PLAY in a major US team sport. Trained with LA Galaxy Tue, may unretire at 25.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) May 1, 2013
Both Arena and Galaxy star Landon Donovan said Rogers' sexuality would not be an issue in the league.
"The timing I guess is good," Arena said. "I think our league is a progressive league. Our league is a league comprised of all different races, colours and creeds, and to be accepting of a gay athlete I don't think is anything that's difficult for our league."
A Sports Illustrated story noted that Rogers called Collins after the NBA veteran's big announcement Monday.
"It feels a little weird to congratulate you for being honest," Rogers said.
Rogers' rights are currently owned by Chicago, so if he was to return to the league, the Fire would have the first crack at signing him.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beyond the asylum: Looking back on mental health
Professor Barbara Taylor – a historian at Queen Mary, University of London – is best known for her work on the history of feminism. But in writing a new book to be published next year, she has been looking back on her time as an inpatient at Friern Hospital, then one of the largest mental health institutions in Europe, and the demise of mental asylums in Britain.
"I'd been holding myself together with sticking plasters, but then it all fell apart and by 1985 I was in really serious trouble."
It's hard to believe the person being described from nearly 30 years ago is the same Barbara Taylor, historian, author and professor being interviewed about her upcoming book. She seems happy and settled in her new role at Queen Mary, University of London, even if she hasn't managed to unpack most of her boxes.
However, at the beginning of the 1980s, Taylor had a serious emotional breakdown and began a daily course of psychoanalysis soon after. She left her job, and her life quickly became centred on her psychological distress and the problems associated with it. "I got into a lot of trouble with booze and with the kind of psychotropics that in those days people got on repeat prescriptions," she says.
In 1988 her life took a further turn for the worse when she lost her home and was admitted to one of the largest mental health hospitals in Europe: Friern Hospital. Friern began as the mental asylum Colney Hatch in 1851, and when Barbara moved in, it was still a grand Victorian building. Its main corridor was a third of a mile long, with gothic staircases leading to wards that housed scores of inpatients.
Ward 16 became Taylor's home. The paint was peeling away from the walls and the ancient radiators rattled through the night. There was a day room, with a television high up on the wall "so nobody smashed it", and a communal kitchen and dining room. Ward 16 was an acute admissions ward, which housed everyone from those with anorexia nervosa or alcohol addictions to those with severe psychosis. Taylor says, "You had every variety [of people] so it made for a very interesting, lively place to live, and sometimes very frightening.
"There was a fire set by a young woman in the middle of the night once, so we were all huddled off our ward [into a different ward]. And there we all were, ward 16, the ward 16 team. It's very interesting that we had this odd sense of group solidarity."
Taylor had three admissions to Friern, totalling some eight months. "This is what my life is going to look like," she remembers thinking. "I was becoming what was called a revolving door mental patient." During this time she continued with her psychoanalysis. After her last admission to Friern in 1989, she attended psychiatric day centres until her final discharge from the mental health system in early 1992. She carried on with psychoanalysis until 2003. Friern was neither the beginning nor the end of her mental health treatment.
In 1990 Taylor went through a crucial phase in her psychoanalysis, and thereafter things began to change and improve. In the years that followed, she met her partner and got a new job at a university. She continued her successful career, publishing several books on the history of feminism. Then, more than two decades on from her stint in Friern, she decided to return to the mental health system to research her new book.
Taylor found herself surprised at the literature: something was missing. "One of the main things that I'm interested to see is lacking from academic accounts of life in mental hospitals are relationships between patients. Friendships were absolutely the thing that kept me going while I was in Friern."
In her book, she describes several examples of connections she made with other patients. For example, there was a breakfast club that a group of patients used to hold on Sundays, when everyone would get together and have a huge fry-up in the communal kitchen. She also formed a close friendship with a woman who had been in Friern for 25 years. "It is sometimes said that people with serious mental disorders cannot form friendships, but this is simply not true – as I discovered again and again."
Taylor strongly believes in the importance of relationships – both personal and clinical – to mental health. In her new book, Taylor discusses the history of psychoanalysis alongside her own story of recovery. Relationships have played a part in psychiatric treatment throughout history, often alongside biomedical forms of treatment such as drugs. In the early 19th century, asylums used 'moral treatment' to care for inpatients. This regimen centred on treating patients through their minds and emotions, rather than physically or chemically. This was done through sympathetic relationships between asylum staff and the patients. But in the latter part of the 19th century, this form of treatment fell by the wayside.
Before World War II most mental hospitals had a policy of separating patients who became friends. But by the time Taylor moved onto ward 16, this was no longer the case and she was able to develop the relationships that made her time there tolerable. She talks about Friern as a "life-saving place" for her; a place that gave her the help she needed to recover. But this was not the case for every patient.
In 2011 Taylor spoke on these themes to the Royal Historical Society. When the packed audience was prompted to ask questions, Taylor was surprised to see someone she recognised stand up. It was a woman who still actively uses mental health services – someone Taylor had known in the past – and she disagreed with a lot of what had been said. Taylor recalls: "She felt I had romanticised the whole thing. She said, 'Your story is extremely unusual, very peculiar, you cannot take it as a pointer to what has happened to the majority of people.'" Taylor knew she had a point.
Friern closed down in 1993, and many of its previous patients and staff were glad to see the back of it. The mental health system was changing to a more independent style of treatment, where people with mental illnesses were no longer put into institutions as Taylor had been. Along with this change in attitude, Friern was transformed into luxury apartments – a big difference from its Victorian asylum past. Many people saw the mental health system reforms – the community care revolution – as a positive step. Through employment training, day centres and support groups, the community care model was intended to offer greater opportunities for people with mental illnesses. But Taylor worries that this is not the reality.
She agrees that, in theory, community care could be a lot better than the old system but is not convinced by what is actually happening in the UK today: "There is no such thing as an abstract community. All it means is not in hospital." Some people find themselves isolated and looking for more grounded care, which is now very difficult to find.
Without institutions like Friern, Taylor thinks those who do become legally detained, or sectioned, don't receive the care and attention that was promised through the community care revolution. "Bang them up before they bop someone else, fill them with drugs until they're no longer a danger, get them out and get them on some sort of programme… There are things that are better and things that are worse, but they're not necessarily the things that I thought they would be."
Through research for her book, Taylor can now see the system through the eyes of a historian as well as a former service user, but questions remain. Did she romanticise her time in the asylum? Or is it true that some kind of contained environment is helpful for people with serious mental disorders? Considering the many changes to the system over the past two centuries, the community care revolution will surely not be the last.
Taylor doesn't intend her book to be a political statement, but that doesn't mean she can't give her opinion. "What happens to mentally ill people is a bit like the canary in the mine," she says, meaning that the social changes affecting the most vulnerable people in society are also affecting the rest of us.
Everybody has fears over what may happen to them if they get sick or old, and in the current economic climate, these fears are growing. We all rely on support from other people. Taylor now relies on her academic institution as well as her family and friends, just as most of us look for support from our jobs.
"Most people need institutions to give them a sense of belonging, " she concludes, "so why should the mentally ill be expected to do without?"
Updated on 30 January 2013: Professor Taylor's book is expected to be published early next year.


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Dilma Rousseff Meets With Leaders of Brazil's Protest Movement
RIO DE JANEIRO – After weeks of protests, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff pledged on Friday to open new channels of dialogue with Brazil's youth, the dominant demographic in nationwide protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.
Rousseff and Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante met in the capital city of Brasilia with leaders from 25 youth organizations, including student and labor unions, as well as with gay rights advocates as part of the Brazilian leader's continuing talks with different interest groups.
No concrete announcements resulted from the talks, which Rousseff's office cast as the start of a dialogue with the nation's youth. Though no follow-up meetings have yet been scheduled, the July 8 launch of a long-planned government website focusing on youth issues will help facilitate continued dialogue, Rousseff's office said.
The demonstrations took off earlier this month over a 10-cent hike in bus and subway fare in Sao Paulo and morphed into a mass, nationwide movement voicing public dissatisfaction with a range of issues such as government corruption, poor education and health care.
Scattered smaller protests continued on Friday, with a demonstration by taxi drivers near Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont domestic airport over proposed changes to the rules governing taxi licenses. Riot police in Sao Paulo state used tear gas grenades to disperse a small group of demonstrators who had blocked a multi-lane highway, and another demonstration was under way in the city of Natal.
Social networks, which were a main forum for organizing protest last week that brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets, were abuzz Friday with rumors of a general strike next Monday. According to the posts on social media, the strike is to take place in every state and will focus on demands for better public services and an end to corruption as well as several labor-related issues like reducing the work week from 44 to 40 hours and the shelving of a bill that would allow companies to increase the use of outsourced workers.
However, representatives for Brazil's two biggest unions, the Central Workers Union and Union Force, said they knew nothing about a general strike. They said they're planning a national slowdown for July 11.
Based on reporting by The Associated Press.
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dev wrote:RC wrote:dev wrote:
You can try disabling the virtual mixer device by editing /usr/lib/oss/etc/options.cfg and set softoss_disable=1 and run soundon and see if now it crashes.
I'm using a Vaio VGN-S5M laptop, FreeBSD 6.0-RELEASE.
...the test complete successfully, but i don't ear any sound...
All I can recommend is that you try
ossmix codec1.mix1.green 100
ossmix codec1.mix2.mix1.mute OFF
Thanks, now it plays: I can ear perfect sound from the osstest (left, right, stereo tests seems to be ok) but just after the osstest is complete (only root can do that?) the laptop freeze with a message like this:
Fatal trap 19: non-maskable interrupt trap while in kernel mode
panic: non-maskeble interrupt trap
What's wrong?


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Feb. 3, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Schedule
Game No. 21
Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. (PST)
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at Cal State Fullerton Titans
at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Gymnasium
Radio: KIST 1490-AM in Santa Barbara
Game No. 22
Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. (PST)
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at UC Irvine Anteaters
at UCI's Bren Events Center
Radio: KIST 1490-AM in Santa Barbara
Gauchos Hit The Road For Final Lengthy Trip Of Season
After a brief one-game appearance at the Thunderdome, UC Santa Barbara returns to the road for a pair of games in Orange County this week. The Gauchos travel to Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night to take on the defending Big West Tournament champs, and then they will play at UC Irvine on Saturday night. Following the two-game trip, UCSB will return home for six of its final seven regular season games beginning with a Valentine's night match-up against Cal Poly. For "Date Night at the Thunderdome," fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive commemorative "I Love You" teddy bears. Tickets for all Gaucho games can be purchased from the Ticket Office in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building on campus, by calling 805-893-UCSB, or online by clicking here.
On The Radio
All UC Santa Barbara basketball games are broadcast live in Santa Barbara on KIST 1490-AM. KEYT-TV Sports Director Gerry Fall is in his fifth year as the play-by-play voice of the Gauchos. Former Los Angeles Lakers and UCSB star Don Ford handles the color commentary for the majority of games, home and road. When Ford is not available for road games, Bill Mahoney, yours truly, will handle the task. Steve Wendt, the voice of the UCSB women's basketball team, will handle the play-by-play for a handful of men's games.
The Gaucho Record
UCSB will enter Thursday's game at Cal State Fullerton with an 8-12 record overall and a 2-6 mark in Big West games. By the time they hit the court at Fullerton, the Gauchos will have had a week off. They last played on Jan. 29 when they dropped a 72-70 home decision to Cal State Northridge.
UCSB Set To Host Montana State In Feb. 21 ESPNU BracketBuster Match-Up
UCSB will host Montana State in an ESPNU BracketBuster game. The Gauchos will play the Bobcats on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Thunderdome. Montana State enters the week with an overall record of 9-9 and a Big Sky Conference mark of 3-4. The Gauchos and Bobcats have played eight times in a series that dates back to 1972. The last time the teams met was on Nov. 24, 2007, when UCSB recorded a 76-61 victory in Santa Barbara.
The Bob Williams File
Bob Williams is in his 11th season as head coach at UC Santa Barbara. In 2007-08, Williams guided the Gauchos to a 23-9 overall record. The 23 wins were a school record, and UCSB also won its second Big West regular season title with a 12-4 conference record. Following the campaign, the Gauchos were awarded a bid to the National Invitation Tournament. It was the third time that a Williams-coached UCSB team advanced to postseason play. The 2002 Gauchos won the school's first Big West Tournament title, advancing to the NCAA Tournament, and in 2003, they won the league's regular season championship and played in the NIT. Williams has been selected Big West Coach of the Year twice, in 1998-99 and 2002-03. In 1998-99, he took over a UCSB program that had not recorded a winning season in five years, and after seeing his team lose its first eight games that year - extending a two-season losing streak to 16 straight games - the Gauchos turned things around, winning 15 of their final 20 games and finishing on top in the Big West's Western Division. Williams has a UCSB record of 171-143. He guided the program to eight winning seasons in his first 10 years, and a pair of 20 win seasons. He has a career record of 102-70 in Big West games. Prior to his arrival at UCSB, Williams spent eight years at UC Davis and in those eight years, his teams recorded 20 or more wins five times and a 158-76 record. In Williams's final season, the Aggies went 31-2, won the NCAA Division II National Championship and he was named NABC Division II Coach of the Year. Including two seasons at Menlo College, Williams has an overall career record of 360-243 (.593) at four-year schools.
The Opponents
UCSB and Cal State Fullerton have played 66 times in a series that dates back to 1977. The Gauchos hold a 34-32 advantage all-time. In the first meeting between the schools this season, on Jan. 10, the Titans posted a 62-58 win. UCSB swept the season series in 2007-08, including an 87-72 win in Fullerton. The Gauchos and UC Irvine have played 70 times in a series that began in 1968. UCSB holds a 42-28 all-time edge. On Jan. 8, the Gauchos posted a 68-61 win over the Anteaters at the Thunderdome. The victory ended UCI's four-game winning streak in the series, a streak that included Big West Tournament wins in each of the last two seasons.
Possible Starters - Notes
G - 1 - D.J. Posley - Has four assists in four of the last six games.
G - 4 - Paul Roemer - After missing three games, played 20 minutes on Jan. 29 vs. CSUN.
G - 20 - Will Brew, Jr. - Did not attempt a shot in 17 minutes vs. CSUN on Jan. 29.
F - 0 - Jaimé Serna - Scored a career-high 11 points in Jan. 29 game vs. CSUN.
F - 10 - Chris Devine - Had third double-double of season with 16 points, 12 boards vs. CSUN.
Possible Reserves - Notes
G - 2 - Nick Quick - Played a career-high seven minutes on Jan. 24 at Pacific.
G - 3 - Jordan Weiner - Ranks second on the team with 18 three-point baskets.
G - 21 - James Nunnally - Has made at least one three-pointer in each of the last two games.
G - 42 - James Powell - Made all four of his three-point attempts on Jan. 29 vs. CSUN.
F - 15 - Sam Phippen - Recorded his first DNP of the season on Jan. 29 vs. CSUN.
F - 44 - Jesse Byrd - Had seven points in 10 minutes vs. CSUN. His first action since Dec. 20.
C - 55 - Greg Somogyi - Has just two total points in the last two games.
Byrd, Roemer Return To Gaucho Lineup
Junior forward Jesse Byrd and junior guard Paul Roemer returned to the UCSB lineup for its Jan. 29 game against Cal State Northridge. While Roemer was expected to return that early, the early return of Byrd was a nice surprise for the Gauchos. Byrd injured his knee at San Diego State on Dec. 20 and had surgery to repair cartilage on Dec. 31, was expected to be out until mid-February. Early last week, however, the transfer from San Francisco was cleared to play limited minutes and he did against the Matadors. Byrd was allowed to play about 10 minutes, and he played 10 on the button. He had seven points, making 3-of-4 field goal attempts, and added one assist. It is expected that Byrd will see his playing time limit increase in the coming games. Roemer, who missed three games with a sprained shoulder, was in the starting lineup against Northridge. He played 20 minutes and was scoreless, but had no limitations. The return of Byrd and Roemer means that the only UCSB player left on the injured list is junior point guard Justin Joyner. Joyner, the team's starting point guard in each of his first two seasons, is redshirting the 2008-09 season as he recovers from wrist surgery.
One Last, Long Trip
UCSB's trip behind the Orange Curtain this weekend will be the team's final long road trip of the 2008-09 season. The Gauchos will play at Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine this weekend, then return home. When they board the Santa Barbara Airbus for the return-trip home from Irvine on Saturday night, the Gauchos will have played 14 of their last 19 games away from home, including five of their last six and seven of their first 10 Big West Conference games. UCSB will play six of its final seven games this season at the Thunderdome. The only road trip remaining during the regular campaign is a Wed. Feb. 25 game at Cal State Northridge
General Assistance
In its Jan. 29 game against Cal State Northridge, the Gauchos produced 16 assists, the third-highest total of the season and the most since they had a season-high 23 on Dec. 13 against Loyola Marymount. Eight different UCSB players had at least one assist against the Matadors, four had two or more, and two - D.J. Posley and James Powell - had four.
Rebounding Regression
On the season, UCSB continues to hold a very slight edge over its opponents in the rebound category. The Gauchos average 32.8 rebounds per game while opponents are taking an average of 32.4. The trend in the last four games, however, has not been a good one. Santa Barbara has been outrebounded in the last four games by an average of 6.7 per game. In fact, in the last three games, Gaucho opponents have won the battle of the boards by an average of 8.7 per game. On a positive note, the return of junior forward Jesse Byrd, the team's leading rebounder before going down with a knee injury on Dec. 20, should help UCSB make progress in the rebounding area. Although Byrd did not have a rebound in his 10 minute stint on Jan. 29, he is still averaging a team-leading 7.0 boards per game in his 12 games played this year.
Getting A Little More Offensive
Scoring 70 points in a game is hardly reason for declaring a national holiday, but for UCSB, it was a step in the right direction. Although they lost a 72-70 decision to Cal State Northridge on Jan. 29, the Gauchos showed marked improvement from their previous game, a 58-36 loss at Pacific on Jan. 24. UCSB 41.5% of its field goal attempts in the game against Cal State Northridge, up from a season-low 28.6% at Pacific. Perhaps the greatest area of optimism after the game against the Matadors was the improvement in three-point shooting. After making just 4-of-30 in its previous two games, the Gauchos made 8-of-14 against Northridge for a season-best 57.1%. They were led by junior James Powell who made all four of his attempts in the game.
Defending Their Honor
The Gauchos' defense continues to be relatively solid. In their last game, against Cal State Northridge, they held the Matadors to 41.1% shooting overall and just 29.4% from three-point territory. Despite losing the last two games, UCSB has held its last two opponents - CSUN and Pacific - to an average of 65.0 points, a field goal percentage of 40.2%, and a three-point percentage of 30.8%. In addition, the Gauchos harassed Northridge into 21 turnovers. It was the fourth time that an opponent had 20 or more turnovers in a game this season. Overall, UCSB opponents are shooting 44.9% overall, 36.7% from three-point range and are averaging 65.7 points per game. Five of the last six opponents have been held to 43.6% from the field or below.
A Fresh Approach
When UCSB played four freshmen in the season-opener against Cal State Los Angeles, it was the first time that four freshmen had played in the same game for the Gauchos since the 2000-01 season. The four freshmen, guards James Nunnally and Will Brew, Jr., forward Jaimé Serna, and center Greg Somogyi have each played in all 20 games. In the Big West Conference opener at Long Beach State, they started three of the freshmen - Nunnally, Brew and Somogyi - also a first since the 2000-01 season. In 2000-01, the Gauchos started Branduinn Fullove, Jacoby Atako, and Nick Jones together on several occasions. Brew, Nunnally, and Serna have been in the starting lineup together four times this season.
Freshmen Block Party
The Gauchos have blocked 51 shots on the season, an average of 2.5 per game. Freshman Greg Somogyi leads the way with 28, 54.9% of the team total. Somogyi, however is not the only freshman getting into the shot-blocking act. Jaimé Serna ranks second on the team with eight, while James Nunnally has three, and Will Brew, Jr., has two. Combined the first-year foursome has 41 of the team's 51 swats, an impressive 80.4%.
A New Start
Last season, only seven UCSB players started games and the Gauchos had just three different starting lineups. In 2008-09, 11 different players have started games while UCSB has trotted out eight different starting fives.
Devine Intervention
Chris Devine had one of his best all-around performances in the Jan. 29 game against Cal State Northridge. Devine had 16 points and a season-high 12 rebounds against the Matadors. It was his third double-double of the season - he had 17 points and 11 rebounds vs. Cal State Los Angeles and 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. Winston-Salem State - and the 12th of his career. On the year, Devine is now averaging 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The 16 points he scored against Northridge pulled him into a tie with Lucius Davis for fifth on UCSB's all-time scoring list with 1,420. If, and when, he scores 15 more points this season, he would move past Doug Rex and into fourth on the all-time list. In addition, the 12 rebounds gives Devine 646 for his career, tying him for seventh all-time. He needs 19 to move into fifth all-time. He is already one of just five players to appear on the top-10 lists for rebounds and points. He also stands to become one of two players - Doug Rex is the other - to rank among the top-five in both categories. While he is averaging 14.6 points per game overall, Devine has tallied 189 in the last 12 games, 15.7 per game. Over that span he scored in double-figures 10 times, including a stretch of eight straight games. He has also scored 20 or more four times this season, including three times during the current 12 game run. He had a season-high 27 points on Jan. 22 at UC Davis. Devine opened league play with back-to-back 20 point games for the only time this season. He tallied 20 on Jan. 2 at Long Beach State and he went for 24 on Jan. 4 at UC Riverside. The Eagle River, Alaska-native has had seven or more rebounds in seven of the last nine games, averaging 7.6 per game over that span.
Old Buddy, Old Powell
After scoring just 15 points in a three-game stretch, junior guard James Powell bounced back with a solid effort off the bench on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. Playing as a reserve for the first time since the 2006-07 season, Powell made all four of his three-point attempts and had 14 points. He added four rebounds, four assists, and one steal against the Matadors. Overall, Powell is averaging 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. In three games prior to the 14-point effort against Northridge, he made just 5-of-19 shots overall, 26.3%, and 1-of-9 from three-point range, 11.1%. Powell has struggled with his shooting all season, and on Jan. 24 against Pacific he missed all four of his field goal attempts, including three three-pointers, and was scoreless for the first time since Dec. 28, 2006 - his freshman season. Prior to scoring a total of 15 in three games, Powell had scored in double-figures in five straight, his longest streak this season. He tallied his season-high of 22 on Nov. 24 at San Francisco and had back-to-back 19-point games on Jan. 8 and Jan. 10 against UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton respectively. Powell is averaging 15.0 points per game at home and 8.6 per game away from home. On the year, he continues to lead the Gauchos in three-point baskets with 36 and he has made at least one in 17 of 20 games. He has made 153 career three-point baskets, seventh most in school history. He needs 11 to move into fifth all-time. Powell made a season-best six on Nov. 24 at San Francisco. He had a season-high five assists on Jan. 2 at Long Beach State and a career-high seven rebounds on Nov. 14 against Cal State Los Angeles. Finally, Powell enters the Cal State Fullerton game with 871 career points and needs 129 to become the 23rd Gaucho to hit the 1,000 point mark.
A Byrd In The Lineup Is Better Than One On The Mend
Junior forward Jesse Byrd injured his knee in the Dec. 20 game at San Diego State. He was expected to be out until mid-February, but he was cleared to play early last week and, although limited to 10 minutes, he played in the game against Cal State Northridge. Byrd made 3-of-4 shots and his only free throw attempt to finish with seven points. He did not have a rebound, but just having him in the lineup was a boost for UCSB. Prior to the Northridge game, he had at least five rebounds in every appearance he had made this season. Byrd is now averaging 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Despite going without a rebound against the Matadors, he has the highest rebound average on the team. Also, the transfer from San Francisco paces the Gauchos in field goal percentage at 59.1%. Byrd has a pair of double-doubles this season. On Dec. 17 at Weber State he had 10 points and 14 rebounds. The 14 rebounds were the most by a Gaucho in five seasons. He also had 13 points and 12 rebounds on Dec. 4 at Utah Valley. In the five games prior to his injury, the transfer from San Francisco averaged 10.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Yes, Serna
Freshman forward Jaimé Serna scored a career-high 11 points and added five rebounds on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. Serna made 3-for-9 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free throw line. The field goal and free throw attempts were also personal-highs. Serna, who has started the last five games, is now averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. In the last three games, he is averaging 8.7 points per game. Twice in the last three games, he has set a new career-high. Serna had nine on Jan. 22 at UC Davis. On Jan. 10 against Cal State Fullerton, he made his first start and tied his personal best with seven rebounds while playing a career-high 32 minutes. He has seven rebounds three times this season. Finally, while Serna is averaging 19.0 minutes per game, he has played 20 or more in six of the last eight, averaging 23.0 per game over that span.
The Hungary Hunter
Since scoring a career-high 14 on Jan. 22 at UC Davis, freshman center Greg Somogyi has struggled offensively. In the last two games, the native of Budapest has totaled two points. He was 1-for-4 in 10 minutes on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. In two games prior to a scoreless game at Pacific, Somogyi tallied 22 points, 11.0 per game. On the year, he is averaging 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. While he was scoreless on Jan. 24 at Pacific, Somogyi did have five rebounds in 15 minutes. The five rebounds were the most he has collected since he had a career-high six on Nov. 28 against Winston-Salem State. Somogyi continues to lead the Gauchos in blocked shots with 28, the second most by a UCSB freshman ever. He had a career-high five on Dec. 20 at San Diego State, and he has blocked at least one shot in nine of the last 10 and 16 of 20.
Strike A Posley
Senior guard D.J. Posley tied his career-high by playing 31 minutes on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. Posley had nine points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals against the Matadors. He continues to lead the Gauchos in assists at 2.6 per game. He is also averaging 6.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Posley scored a career-high 17 points on Jan. 17 at Cal Poly and has averaged 8.5 points per game in the last four. On Jan. 17 at Cal Poly, he was 6-for-9 from the floor and bettered his career scoring high by seven points. He also had a career-high seven rebounds against the Mustangs. His previous career high of 10 came on Dec. 17 at Weber State. With four assists in the game against Northridge, Posley has now had four or more assists seven times this year, including four times in the last six games. Finally, while he is shooting 39.2% from the field, he has hit 18-of-36 in the last six games, 50.0%.
The Flying Nunnally
Freshman James Nunnally came off the bench and had five points, one rebound, and a pair of assists on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. On Jan. 24, he led the Gauchos in scoring at Pacific with nine points to go along with five rebounds, one assist, and one steal. The nine-points equaled Nunnally's third highest total of the season. While he is shooting 41.4% for the season, he has not been up-to-par with his shooting in recent games. In the last six games, Nunnally has made 10-of-33 shots overall, 30.3%. Over that same span, he made 3-for-13 from thee-point range, 23.1%. He is now averaging 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game overall. Nunnally has had three or more rebounds in five of the last six games and he has had five or more five times this season. Also, while he has attempted 47 free throws this season, 31 have come in the last nine games. Although he came off the bench on Jan. 29 against Northridge, Nunnally has made seven starts this season. In his first start, Dec. 29 against Ball State, he had 12 points and six rebounds. He had career-highs of 22 points and seven rebounds on Nov. 21 against North Carolina.
Where There's A Will, There's A Way
In five games since scoring a career-high 18 points against UC Irvine, freshman guard Will Brew, Jr., has scored a total of just eight points. However, in the last five games, a span of 111 minutes, Brew has attempted just 12 shots, one every 9.2 minutes of action. On Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge, he played 17 minutes and, for the first time this season, did not attempt a shot. He was scoreless with one assist and one steal against the Matadors. Brew has started 12 of the last 13 games. On the year, he is averaging 3.8 points, 1.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. He has scored in double-figures twice, going for 11 on Dec. 4 at Utah Valley in addition to his outburst against UCI. Brew has 75 points on the year, 29 coming in those two games. In the game against UCI, he made 6-of-7 three-point attempts, including six in a row to start the game. He now has 12 three-pointers on the year, tied for third on the team. On Jan. 8 against UCI, he not only had 18 points, but he tied his career-high with five rebounds. He had a season-high five assists on Nov. 17 against Utah State and he has had three or more six times.
Roemer Wasn't Healed In A Day
Junior guard Paul Roemer returned to the lineup on Jan. 29. He had missed three games with a shoulder injury. Roemer was in the starting lineup, but missed both of his shots and did not score against the Matadors. After starting the first seven games of the season, Roemer came off the bench for eight in a row, until making a start in the last game. He is averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He scored a season-high 11 on Nov. 28 against Winston-Salem State.
Jordan Rules
Sophomore guard Jordan Weiner had six points, on two three-point baskets, on Jan. 29 against Cal State Northridge. Weiner has made at least one three-point basket in four straight games and is second on the team with 18 this season. In fact, Weiner's last 11 baskets have come from three-point range and 50 of his 57 field goal attempts this year are three-point attempts. He scored a career-high 14 on Jan. 17 at Cal Poly, making four three-pointers in the process. He also had 11 on Dec. 29 against Ball State.
Sam He Is
Sam Phippen did not play in the Jan. 29 game against Cal State Northridge, his first DNP of the year. On Jan. 24, at Pacific, he scored three on a three-pointer and is now 5-for-10 from three-point range this year. Phippen is now averaging 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game and has scored 46 points in 19 games after tallying just seven points in 15 games last year.


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Positive parenting part 2Lead Pastor, Tom March, September 9, 2018
Part of the Positive Parenting series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
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Irish derivation: Dochartach.
Name meaning: Destroyer.
Counties associated with the name: Donegal, Clare.
Coat of arms motto: "Ar nDutcas" or Our Heritage
Read more: What's your Irish clan?
Interesting facts:
- The famiy descends from the son of Niall of the Nine Hostages
- Ranks 15th on the List of 100 most popular Irish Surnames.
- There are 140 variations in spelling of the name.
Some famous Dohertys:
- Gary Michael Thomas Doherty (1980-, Irish footballer)
- Ken Doherty (1969-, professional snooker player)
- Moya Doherty (1957-, Riverdance co-founder)
- Shannen Maria Doherty (1971-, American actress, producer, author, and television director)
- David O'Doherty (1975-, comedian)
- Brian O'Doherty (1928-, art critic)
Read more: What's your Irish clan?


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Laura Litwak
Born: June 1, 1909
Lvov, Poland
Laura was the second of five children born to religious Jewish parents in the industrial city of Lvov. She was often called affectionately by her nickname, Lorka. Coming from an educated family living in a multi-ethnic part of Poland, she grew up speaking Polish, Russian, German and Yiddish. As a young woman, she earned a humanities degree from St. Nicholas University in Lvov.
1933-39: In April 1935 I became Mrs. Daniel Schwarzwald. My husband was a successful lumber exporter, and we lived in a spacious apartment in a fashionable district. In 1937 our daughter was born. Fearing war, Daniel urged us to emigrate, but I was scared to abandon my parents. When German and Soviet forces invaded Poland in September 1939, Lvov was annexed to Soviet Ukraine and Daniel's business was expropriated by the communists.
1940-44: The Germans took over Lvov in 1941, and in 1942 Daniel was shot. After that, my daughter and I used false IDs that Daniel had bought us. I became Bronislawa Tymejko, a Polish Catholic, and found a job interpreting for the German command in the resort town of Busko-Zdroj. Sidewalks there were paved with Jewish gravestones. My job made the local Polish underground suspect I was a collaborator, so I took the added risk of teaching in one of the underground's schools to prove I was a Polish patriot. The penalty for getting caught was death.
The town of Busko-Zdroj was liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945. Laura and her daughter immigrated to England in 1948. Laura settled in the United States in 1972.


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Here's a few other tidbits I remember from being at SoxFest all weekend:
A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives- Jackie Robinson
Good summary By Crains Chicago Business on Soxfest, -encouraging ticket numbers on the 7 game and 14 game plans. 7300 people attended Soxfest up 11% from last year.
"Call your sons! Call your daughters! Call your friends! Call your neighbors! Mark Buehrle has a perfect game going into the ninth!"
The garage sale prices reported by Crain's seem staggering. $1200 for a GU Konerko jersey? $1000 for a GU Sale jersey? Wow -but garage sales were up 40%. Maybe the economy is coming back.
Overall I had a great time at Sox Fest this year. There are so many people I only get a chance to see at this event, its like a weird family reunion, very fun. Some of my highlights
-I walked out with a lot of autographs, but the getting Goose Gossage out of nowhere in the lobby was wild. He had just finished checking in on Saturday and my friend and I were the only ones who noticed him, he walked up to us and offered to sign our baseballs, really nice guy. It was great because I ve never met him before, and going into this weekend was not planning on seeing him there at all
-Watching Addison Reed hang out with a ton of kids in the lobby on Saturday night and talk baseball and take pictures. To me, this is what Sox Fest is really about, and what makes the event special. The unofficial interaction that you see with players and fans at Sox Fest is great, and a lot of other team's fan fests have nothing like it. Kudos to the players that took extra time to hang out in the lobby and interact with fans of all ages, Reed and TCM won my top honors in that category this year.
A swing, and a high fly ball, deep right center field. This is way back in the gap. And it's a goner! A White Sox winner! A winner on a Podsednik home run, and the White Sox go up two games to nothing in the 2005 World Series.
In context, Rowand said it with benevolence and respect towards Dye and the rest of his teammates.
This was only my third SoxFest. ChiSoxGirl is the champ, having attended the last 20, and I've always deferred to her judgment in SoxFest logistics. Her advice was to hang around the lobby to see Sox players outside their natural habitat. Had I been a keener observer I might have seen Gossage.
SoxFest really is total immersion therapy when hot-stove talk is at a low ebb. Autographs are great for collectors, but for me that process it more about getting a chance, however brief, to tell the player (or former player) that I appreciate his work. Pete Ward was there this year, and I was able to talk with him long enough to let him know that I was glad to see him after 45 years and that I appreciated his work too. He genuinely thanked me and told me how much he enjoyed being there.
Love the seminars. It's to the organization's credit that players, as well as Ventura and Hahn, take unrehearsed questions from the floor. In my experience the questions have been insightful and interesting and I think the players appreciate that. These folks know their baseball and they know their White Sox history, and it shows in the quality of the questions and the thoughtful responses given by the players and staff. I learn something at every session.
The best example was Aaron Rowand's sincerity when he was asked about his reaction to being traded after the 2005 season. He didn't fall back on bromides and clichés, but said without hesitation that he was devastated. He spoke of coming up through the Sox organization, his experience in the city, of being a Bears fan, and how he was moved when someone in the autograph session said to him, "welcome home."
As a fan I understood exactly what he was talking about and I understood how he felt. Between the quality of the seminars, the hilarious anecdotes among the current and former players, and the chance to thank them all, it's a great weekend. And all the while surrounded by hundreds of others who share my zeal. For my money, all of that is the best part of SoxFest.
- tebman
Some of my SoxFest highlights:
~ The Hahn/Ventura seminar was informative, as the GM/manager seminars always are. The funniest moment of this year's occurred at the end of the Friday session. There were two people lined up at the mic to ask a question. Robin quipped that, "This would be the last question" when he looked behind the fan at the mic and saw Kenny Williams! The former GM did get to ask his question, which was directed to Rick Hahn and simply, "My question only requires a one-word answer. Will you be better or worse than your predecessor?" The audience laughed and Hahn said, "Well, the previous GM had a better support staff than me, so we'll see."
~ The "First Game Memories" seminar was the funniest of the three I attended. Tom Paciorek does a great Vin Scully and Harry Caray. Beckham told a great story about when the team was in Detroit early last season and Brent Morel didn't know who Ty Cobb was. He and Beckham were looking at the names on the outfield wall at Comerica and Morel was like, "Who's Cobb?" Beckham replied, "Uh, Mo, Ty Cobb...." Morel then said, "I think his number fell off" and Beckham reminded the injured third baseman that Cobb played before ball players wore numbers on their jerseys.
~ Got my picture taken with Gavin Floyd and Aaron Rowand on Saturday, both of whom were awesome and extremely personable.
~ My Friday autographs were Chris Sale and Tyler Flowers and my Saturday signings were Konerko and Ventura. I had Paulie sign a page his picture was on from a newspaper clipping in the scrapbook I made after the 2005 season. I had Robin sign the pictures of me & him and me, him & my boyfriend from when we had our on-field meeting with him last June. Getting those pictures signed made the best fan experience of my life officially complete.
Even though I met Robin last summer, I was still so anxious and excited when I walked up to that table on Saturday afternoon. I first put the picture of me, him and my boyfriend down on the table, since that one is framed in my living room, and said to Robin, "I don't know if you remember this day or not..." and after a few seconds, he said he did. He signed the picture and I thanked him. I had the one of me & him in my hand and even though the SoxFest people are usually nazis about only getting one item signed, I figured maybe I'd have a chance since Robin isn't a player and I had the whole on-field experience working in my favor. I put the other picture down and said, "...And it would mean the world to me if you would sign this one, too." "Sure," he said and signed it for me. I was so excited!!!
Though SoxFest has changed so much in the 20 years I've attended, and not in a good way, I always enjoy the weekend. It's so great to be in the company of people who love the Sox as much as I do and it's fun to hang out with friends I don't get to see as frequently during the off-season. The seminars are both informative and entertaining, and getting the opportunity to interact with the players, either while getting his autograph or in the hotel bar after hours, is always a fun experience. I love the event and plan on going again in 2014 for #21.
The 2005 World Champion White Sox: Thanks for a lifetime of memories!
2018 Record:3-6 Next Game: Opening Day 2019
I ♥ Pods; I ♥ SUMMER!!!!
Yaz! Pliers!
"Robin Ventura has one thing Ozzie does not have -- CLASS!" ~My dad, in response to seeing the Sox commercials that featured Robin, 03.08.12
2018 tally: x 1, x 2, and x 0 (4th inning free coffee from DD)
COTC Record: 1 - 1 (lifetime)
It was totally by chance for Gossage---my friend and I came off the elevator bank and as we headed toward the lobby I saw him at the check in desk, he was the only person there and at first I wasnt even sure it was him....we stood there waiting for him to finish checking out and he noticed us and walked over and asked what we had. I heard he signed later when getting back to the hotel but that was a rumor. I found out from someone in the know that the reason he was there was due to the fact he had to be in town Sunday to be honored at a dinner with LaRussa so he elected to stay at the same hotel the night before to see him and a few other old friends
As far as Rowand's comment, even if some might be offended, considering he said it at Soxfest, they have the right to know to be offended. Not allowing the posting of his comments would be more offensive because you'd basically be hiding the fact he said it to begin with.
"Gone are the days we stopped to decide where we should go, we just ride."
I've attended nearly every SoxFest and I've never met an attendee who was obtaining autographs to sell. Even if you wanted to, it wouldn't make any sense financially by the time you factor in all of the costs associated with attending.
As far as obtaining multiple autographs of the same player on assorted items, I guess to each their own. Believe it or not, some people still try to collect autograph sets so they need multiple cards if they're working on completing more than one different set. I've gotten players to sign multiple things over time. I have a lot of items in my collection. Why not get them signed when you have a chance?
It was definitely not a rumor that Gossage signed when he returned to the hotel. He signed for myself and about 10-12 other people when he walked in with Roland Hemond and a couple of other older guys I did not recognize. He was very pleasant and even asked me if Fisk was there.
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Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel
Except for a few minor quibbles, I think Bouchon Bakery is one of the most perfect books on home baking available today. Even before taking it into the kitchen, I was excited and inspired just to look through its almost 400 pages of recipes, tips, photographs, and profiles. It was clear from the start that this book has achieved a difficult but critical balance: being accessible for a beginner while still providing depth and complexity so that a beginner can take on more as she grows confident and adventuresome. I strongly suspect this book will be found on the shelves of professional bakers, as well. Bravo, Mr Keller!
Quick Facts•
• Who published it: Artisan
• Number of recipes: About 150 when you include all the variations
• Recipes for right now: Olive Oil Cake, Cinnamon Honey Scones, Hot Cross Buns, Croissants (before it gets too hot in your kitchen!), English Muffins, Pretzels, Lemon Caramels
• Other highlights:
I appreciate this book for its blend of precision and thorough instructions, and for its beautiful and (mostly) helpful photographs. I'm happy that it offers everything from chocolate chip cookies to elaborate macarons, from croissants to a basic loaf of bread. But what really makes it right up my alley, what I really love it for, is its humor and intimacy. From the opening essay from Thomas Keller about his mother's Pecan Sandies (with accompanying recipe), it's clear that this is a personal book.
While Mr. Keller is the front man and the name that defines the brand, the book is an homage to the people who actually do most of the work. Mr. Keller admits to being no pastry chef and he wisely steps aside to let his staff shine. You will get to know Sebastien Rouxel, Bouchon's Excective Pastry Chef, and bread baker Matthew McDonald, as well as proveyers like the people who make the butter for Bouchon (and who named their best performing dairy cow Keller.)
The book opens with childhood cookies, such as Mr. Keller's take on Oreos (TKO) and Nutter Butters (Better Nutters). You will also discover little cakes such as Financiers and Madeleines, as well as a Devil's Food Cake made with mayonnaise. In the Tarts section, there are basics such as Pâte Sucrée and Pâte Brisée, the sweetened and unsweetened doughs that make up tart shells. Another basic chapter on pâte à choux takes you through cream puffs, éclairs and gougers. Moving on, there are chapters on brioche and doughnuts, beautiful fancy pastries, puff pastry and croissants, a very extensive bread chapter, and a confections chapter that includes Peppermint Patties and marshmallows. The book ends with Basics such as pastry cream, buttercream, lemon curd, and jam.
The book and the recipes emphasize weighing ingredients over measuring. This is a good thing. If you buy this book and don't have a kitchen scale yet, go ahead and pick one up as well. You will not regret it. Also noted is that many of the recipes can be made with gluten-free flour and that they were tested with Mr. Keller's own C4C, which means that his GF flour can be substituted cup for cup for regular flour.
There are lots of great tips scattered throughout the book, such as how to test your oven to see if it runs hot or cold and how to discover where the hot spots are. There are also Notes to Professionals scattered throughout and a wonderful chapter on the Importance of Working Clean, Mr. Keller's answer to the question of how to be a great chef.
My quibbles? The book has a big footprint which makes it difficult to read in bed (grin). But seriously, people with smaller kitchens will have a rough time with how much counter space it will take up — you may have to copy out the recipe or pull up a chair just for the book. The other quibble is that I occasionally encountered instructions that could have used photographs to illustrate them, such as how to create a specific kind of shape on the top of a lemon merengue tart using an offset spatula.
But quibbles aside, this is a fantastic book and one that will be getting a lot of use in my already cookbook-stuffed kitchen.
• Who would enjoy this book? As I said, this book has something for beginner home bakers and professionals alike. Anyone who has a curious, dive-deep approach to baking will appreciate this book, especially if you want to be walked though complicated recipes such as making croissants or macarons.
Find the book at your local library, independent bookstore, or Amazon: Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel
Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.
(Images: Dana Velden)


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Just found your site @ thru-hiker. I really appreciate your hard work in testing and writing the article on treating silnylon floors. I've got a question. I just purchased both the Big Agnes Sarvis SL1 and SL2. It is my understanding that the floor is Silnylon with a polyurethane coating on the inside. Is this correct and does that affect the treatment that you suggest in your article?
I'm just discovering light weight backpacking after years of being a "pack mule". It has brought a joy to the experience of hiking that I never experienced before. This is really fun.


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Category: Research Study
Dandelion Root could promote apoptosis (cell suicide) of Cancer Cells
Posted by Vincent Banial
Since this blog is about the Medical benefits of Weed, let us look at potential medical benefits of common Dandelion weed.
The video below features a talk by Dr. Siyaram Pandey who is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. Dr. Pandey's research is focused on apoptosis (cell suicide).
The Dandelion Root Project is aimed at showcasing scientific evidence for the safe and effective use of dandelion root extract and other natural health products for cancer therapy.
The Dandelion Root Project started in 2009 in a bid to investigate the anticancer effect of the root extract of dandelions against cancer cells in the lab (in cells and in animal models).
Dandelion Root Project Researchers have been able to successfully assess the effect of a simple water extract of dandelion root in various human cancer cell types. In the lab and they have observed its effectiveness against human T cell leukemia, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, pancreatic and colon cancers, with no toxicity to non-cancer cells. Furthermore, these efficacy studies have been confirmed in animal models (mice) that have been transplanted with human colon cancer cells.
The Dandelion Root Project researchers applied for Phase I clinical trials in 2012 for the use of DRE in hematological cancers and in November 2012,. Approval was obtained for the administration of DRE in human patients and currently, the dandelion root extract is under Phase 1 clinical trials for drug refractory blood cancers.
Dr. Siyaram Pandey is also currently the Founder Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Windsor Botanical Therapeutics Inc. Toronto. His group is known for their discovery of the novel natural anti-cancer compound Pancratistatin, and Dandelion Root extract which is in clinical trial for blood cancer (Leukemia).
Leukemia kills and so does Chemotherapy. Both have had a major impact on my life.
It turns out that Dandelions have compounds which could promote the apoptosis (cell suicide) of Cancer Cells. Apparently one can purchase Dandelion Tea in Health Food store. Or one can pick some Dandelions and make their own Tea.
What Dr. Pandey and his fellow researchers did was isolate a compound found in Dandelion Tea. A Freeze Drying process is used to vastly increase the concentration levels versus what may be found in regular store bought Dandelion Tea. This compound is called Pancratistatin and is undergoing Clinical Trails.
So it looks like weeds are a good thing when fighting cancer. Both Medical Cannabis and Dandelions could have medical benefits for those fighting cancer.
Video is courtesy of the TEDx Talks YouTUbe channel
Disclaimer: This information should not be construed as medical, health or nutritional advice, nor have these statements been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to prevent, diagnose or cure any disease or illness and is provided solely as a courtesy to the reader.


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650 King St. East, Gananoque, ON, Canada, K7G 1H3
Phone: (613) 382-1453 Fax: (613) 382-4387
Join free while you book
There is no catch. Join for free, and get access to exclusive perks!
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Exclusive flexible rate for Choice Privileges members when you book direct at ChoiceHotels.ca or through the Choice Hotels Mobile App. Valid at most International and U.S. Choice Hotels locations. Must be or become a Choice Privileges member prior to making the booking. Discount rate is non-transferable or redeemable for cash, cannot be used for future stays or existing reservations and may not be combined with other promotions, offers or discounts. Unless otherwise stated, quoted rates are per room, per night, based on single/double occupancy and do not include taxes, gratuities or incidental charges. Early departure fees, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and will vary by hotel. Not valid at vacation rental properties.
The Quality Inn & Suites® 1000 Islands is conveniently located near the Thousand Islands Charity Casino and the Thousand Islands Playhouse summer theatre. Other nearby attractions include Thousand Islands boat cruises, the Fort Henry National Historic Site and the Thousand Island Bridge to the United States.
All guest rooms come equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, irons, ironing boards, hair dryers, air conditioning, cable television and 42" Plasma TVs . Non-smoking rooms are available, as well as whirlpool/fireplace suites. Be sure to visit the on-site Lobster Trap seafood restaurant for lunch or dinner, or enjoy a cocktail at the Rum Runner Lounge, also located on the premises.
This Gananoque hotel features many amenities at no extra cost, including deluxe continental breakfast, local calls, weekday newspaper and coffee. A meeting room accommodates up to 50 people.
After an exciting day of exploring the Gananoque and Thousand Islands areas, guests will enjoy relaxing in the seasonal outdoor pool.
Check-In Time: 15:00 Check-Out Time: 11:00 Guest Rooms: 54


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|Prior Lake, MN
|High School:
2010-11: Appeared in 27 games as a senior...Skated in 110 career games and racked up 58 points on 27 goals and 31 assists...Totaled 11 points, including seven goals and four helpers...Scored twice, once on the power play, in home opener against Saint Anselm (10/30)...Tallied the game-winner, on the power play, and added an assist agaisnt Holy Cross (11/9)...Chipped in with a score and an assist in an 8-0 win over Cortland St. (1/8).
2009-10: Skated in all 26 games for the Pioneers...Second on the team in points with 30...Totaled 14 scores and 16 helpers...Recorded a team-high four power play goals...Netted first goal of the season at Maine (9/26)...Scored twice, once on the power play, and added an assist in 7-2 win over Oswego State (12/5)...Dished out three assists and scored two goals of her own in 9-7 win at Bowdoin (1/9)...Registered a goal and an assist in each game against Robert Morris (1/22-23)...Tallied the game winning goal at Wesleyan (2/6)...Scored twice in 3-3 ECAC Tournament shootout win over Saint Michael's (2/28)...Posted nine multi-point games.
2008-09: Played in all 31 games for SHU...registered two goals and seven assists for nine total points...First goal of the season was in 4-3 win at Oswego State (1/17)...Netted game winner in 6-1 victory against Wesleyan (1/20)...Collected three assists in 6-3 win over Saint Anselm in the ECAC Open Tournament first round (2/28).
2007-08: Skated in all 25 games for the Red and White as a freshman ...Tallied three goals and four assists for a total of seven points... Scored her first collegiate goal at Vermont (10/7)...Scored the Pioneers only game tying goal of the season against Holy Cross (11/9).
Before SHU: Played four years of ice hockey at Edina High School...Served as captain her senior year...Four year All-Conference selection...Three-time MVP...Honorable Mention All-State Selection...Played three years of softball and one year of volleyball...Served as softball captain...Named to softball All-Section team...Four-year league All-Academic team selection...Named Broad Scholar.
Personal: Brittany Nicole Hartman. Born: 5/7/89. Parents: Betty and Greg Hartman. Siblings: Scott and Lauren Hartman. Major: Biology. Hobbies: Camping, Fishing, Boating. Favorite Teams: Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks. Favorite Athletes: Sidney Crosby, Mark Prior, Walter Payton. Favorite Book: Harry Potter. Favorite TV Shows: Law and Order, House. Favorite Movies: Blood Diamond, Miracle, Juno. Favorite Food: Chinese. Favorite Band: The Beatles.


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Configuring SSH
Most modern version control systems use SSH as a secure and convenient way to access the version control repository.
To set up SSH on Windows:
- Install putty -- the combined installer is easiest
- Add the location where putty is installed to your PATH environment variable from the Advanced tab of the System control panel.
- Run puttygen and generate an SSH2 RSA key pair. Use a passphrase you will remember. Save both private and public keys to disk. Copy the contents of the key box (starting with "ssh-rsa") to rsa-public.key on disk.
- Copy the rsa-public.key file to your server and add it to the .ssh/authorized_keys file under your username. E.g., use pscp rsa-public.key user@hostname: and then log into hostname and cat rsa-public.key >> .ssh/authorized_keys.
- Run putty and enter host name in Host Name and Saved Sessions boxes then press Save. Go to the Connection category and enter your user name on the server into the Auto-login username box. Go back to Session category and press Save again.
- Run pageant, which adds an icon to your Windows tray. Right click and select Add Key. Navigate to the private key saved from puttygen and enter your passphrase when prompted.
- Restart putty, click on the saved session, press Load, and then Open. This should open a connection to the server without prompting for any further information.
To set up SSH on Linux/Unix:
If you do not already have openssh and cvs installed, install them from packages that came with your Linux or Unix distribution.
- If ssh-add -l complains that it cannot find the SSH agent, run ssh-agent bash (or your favorite shell). This can be skipped on most modern Linux distributions because they run the X window manager inside ssh-agent.
- If you don't already have an ssh key in .ssh, issue the command ssh-keygen -t rsa to create a key pair in .ssh/id_rsa (the private key) and .ssh/id_rsa.pub (the public key). Enter a passphrase you will remember.
- Copy the file .ssh/id_rsa.pub to your server and add it to the .ssh/authorized_keys file under your username. E.g., use scp rsa-public.key user@hostname: and then log into hostname and cat rsa-public.key >> .ssh/authorized_keys.
- Back on your client (where you plan to run Wing), type ssh-add and enter your passphrase to get the SSH key loaded into ssh-agent.
- Type ssh user@hostname and you should be able to log into your server without being asked for a password.
To set up SSH on OS X:
You can set up SSH on OS X in the same way as on Linux/Unix (described above). OS X automatically manages ssh keys so you will be prompted for access to the key chain as needed by the version control system.


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I would like to hire a Manufacturing Expert
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6 freelancers are bidding on average $114 for this job
Hello i am Ilirjan Leci, a mechanical engineer and a freelancer using many 3D CAD/CAM/CAE packages like SolidWorks, Solid Edge,TopSolid,Pro ENGINEER,equipped with an extensive background in manufacturing. Over the pas More
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by Len Lear
Nancy Morris Bennett may be like the character in the old L'il Abner cartoons who was always walking under a dark cloud, even on the sunniest days. (Younger readers might have to Google "L'il Abner.") In two separate instances, for example, a huge tree fell on her car, once in Bryn Mawr and once at Haverford College. Fortunately, she was not in the car on either occasion.
But then there was the time that she was "under the tree," metaphorically speaking, when it fell. Nancy, whose age is "eight years and counting, in dog years," is one of the busiest community theater actresses in the region. Since 2005 Nancy has performed in 20 productions for nine community theaters in the Greater Philadelphia area. This includes two performances for Stagecrafters in Chestnut Hill — in "Last Night of Ballyhoo" in 2010 and "Kimberly Akimbo" in 2011. She was also in one film, "Road to Pecumsecah," in 2007.
Nancy's performances often stick in the mind like a favorite song that reverberates over and over again. But her most memorable performance by far was the one she did not complete. It was on June 16, 2012, at Old Academy Theater in East Falls, when she was playing the legendary starring role of Blanche DuBois, who "depended on the kindness of strangers" in Tennessee Williams' classic drama, "A Streetcar Named Desire," which won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
In the play Blanche, a fragile, aging beauty whose Southern brio tries to mask her alcoholism and delusions of grandeur, moves to New Orleans to live with her loving and pregnant sister, Stella, and her brutish, physically and emotionally abusive brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, who was famously portrayed in both the play and movie of "Streetcar" by Marlon Brando. (The fabulous current movie, "Blue Jasmine," written and directed by Woody Allen, is a contemporary, loose retelling of the "Streetcar" plot.) Blanche's despair circles around her future like a grenade, shooting emotional shrapnel everywhere.
As Nancy was running in high heels across the stage after the Kowalski character, she slipped in a puddle of faux beer that had been spilled on the floor. As a result, her body turned into a projectile, flying up in the air and coming down with a thud on her left side. She tried to get up but was unable to do so. In searing pain, she cried out, "I need help!" Some audience members no doubt thought at first that this was all part of the play, but they soon realized otherwise.
Someone called 911, and a fire department ambulance soon arrived at the theater and rushed Nancy to the emergency room at Einstein Northern Medical Center, where Nancy's husband, Richard, just happens to be an M.D. on the staff. The diagnosis was that the beautiful actress had broken her pelvis in four places as well as her sacrum.
"Here I was in the emergency room wearing a tiara and a Southern-inspired dress with big bows," said Nancy. "Quite a sight. They gave me morphine, and I spent the night in the emergency room."
Bennett wound up spending one week in the hospital, followed by two weeks at Moss Rehabilitation Center. Three months after the accident Nancy was on crutches but back to leading a normal life. The fact that she was physically fit helped facilitate her recovery. Before the accident she had been jogging three miles a day. "I still have pain today," she said, "and I do not feel the way I did before the accident, but I can live a normal life … For a year and a half, I had no sense of taste or smell. I once had a rotten turkey in the car and did not even know it."
Nancy was injured about three-quarters of the way through the third performance of "Streetcar" at Old Academy Theater. There were seven more performances scheduled, but they were all canceled, and refunds were made because unlike Broadway or professional theaters in downtown Philly, community theaters virtually never have understudies for leading roles.
On top of everything else, Nancy was devastated "because Blanche DuBois was the greatest role I have ever had, and we had already received so many favorable reviews. I love Blanche, and I hated to lay her to rest!"
Fortunately for Nancy, however, Old Academy Theater and director J.P.Parrella decided to reprise "Streetcar" one year after Nancy's accident so audiences would have a chance to put the highbeams on Nancy and the American classic drama again. It played June 7 to 23 of this year, and both reviewers and audiences raved about the play and Nancy's python-intense, clockwork-reliable performance.
The Local's reviewer, Hugh Hunter, wrote in our June 13 issue: "The heart of the story is Blanche DuBois, played by Nancy Bennett, who shines. It is a difficult role to play because the character is vulnerable and tough at the same time … Most actresses who perform this role become melodramatic at some point, but Nancy Bennett does not hit a false note all night, and you feel as if you are watching Blanche DuBois herself. Bennett is that good."
"I am so grateful that they did the play again," said Nancy. "It was a gift to be able to revisit the role. I hope it was a sign of respect for me. I guess you could say I had closure. It was like getting back on the horse again. It was very cathartic in the big picture."
Interestingly, Nancy started out aspiring to have a career as a singer, not an actress. When she was just 6, she won a talent competition in the Catskill Mountains, and she sang in a trio with her parents when she was in middle school. They performed for local synagogues and community organizations. (Her father was a cantor and an accountant.)
While attending Temple University, where she earned a B.A. in psychology with a minor in music (she also has a master's degree in neuropsychology from Drexel University), the comely, slender 5-foot-3 blonde soprano sang four nights per week for a year at the Stadium Hilton. While in grad school, she also taught psychology at Drexel.
She sang professionally for over a decade with a jazz trio and as a pop singer in area lounges, including the lounge at the Philadelphia International Airport. "I realized that singing was also acting," said Nancy, who transitioned to acting after a serious sinus condition sabotaged her singing career. She took classes with Walnut Street Theater and People's Light and Theater and quickly "got the acting bug." She also did TV commercials for local companies but did not begin getting theater roles until she was 40.
"Nothing gives me greater pleasure than being in the theater," exclaimed Nancy. "I love the immediacy of the audience reaction. It is a great cognitive exercise and a great antidote to aging. And it is a great collaborative exercise with a group of people working together. I seem to play a lot of Southern women who are independent and assertive but also vulnerable and fragile. But I have also played a cursing truck driver … I have a soft voice, and one thing I love about Old Academy's (small) theater is that you can be subtle and nuanced (unlike in a huge theater)."
Nancy, who also took two years of art education classes at the Barnes Museum and has been a docent there for about nine months, has been married to her husband, who comes to every play she is in, for 28 years. They have two daughters, Laura, 26, a culture critic for New Republic magazine, and Emily, 23, who works for a technology company in San Francisco. They also have a 15-year-old Bichon Frise named Luke.
"The beauty of community theater," said Nancy, "is that you have something in common with the other people, and that is a passion for theater. The first thing I thought when I was injured was: 'When can I get back to the stage and the community of actors?' I've met some wonderful friends there … We all have dreams of what might have been, but it has been a nice ride for me."