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Somewhere along the line, something will go right at the end of a basketball game for Anderson County.
The Bearcats believe that. They have to believe it to fight through a stretch of misfortune that continued through last Tuesday. With the top seed in the 30th District Tournament on the line, the Bearcats came up just short.
For the sixth time in seven games, Anderson was on the wrong end of the score. Each time, the final margin was four points or less. The string continued Tuesday as heavily-favored Spencer County escaped with a 52-48 win on the Bearcats' home court.
Anderson County High School will be sponsoring its annual basketball homecoming on Saturday, Feb. 12 when the Bearcats will be taking on Grant County in boys' basketball action.
The school is asking the local business community get involved as well.
Only 28 seconds remained when the bench emptied Saturday afternoon. In high school sports, that is the equivalent of Red Auerbach's victory cigar.
And it was the first time a girls' basketball team had been able to celebrate early at Anderson County in some time.
Owen, now 13-3, became the first team to beat Anderson on its home court this season with the 57-44 romp. The Rebels are also the first Eighth Region team to beat Anderson anywhere since the 2009 regional final when Simon Kenton routed the Lady Bearcats.
The Anderson County wrestling team pinned the first major tournament championship under Coach Tom Castle on Saturday when the Bearcats won the Capital City Classic at Franklin County High School.
The Bearcats scored 227 points in the tournament, well ahead of second place Franklin County, which had 183.5. Harrison County came in third with 133.5. In all, 21 teams participated in the tournament.
Shea Sparrow (125 pounds) and Zach Perry (152) took first place in their respective weight classes while Austin Dillow (135 pounds) and Eric Spencer (145) placed second for the Bearcats.
If Anderson County had its way about things, that 6-9 linked to the Bearcats would be in the height column next to a player or two on the Bearcats' roster. No way would it be the record of a proud program.
But reality is reality following the Bearcats' 60-56 home court loss to Western Hills Friday night.
Western Hills took the lead late in the third period and never gave it up to post its first win over Anderson since 1991. The Bearcats fought. They clawed. But they simply could not get results.
So close. So painfully close.
The toll of a fourth loss in five games – two in overtime – was visibly apparent in the Anderson County locker room last Tuesday.
The Bearcats had seen a 10-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter against North Oldham, the pre-season favorite in the Eighth Region. The Mustangs came through in overtime to claim a 48-45 win.
"I have felt for this team as much as any time I have ever coached," said Anderson coach Glen Drury, whose career has spanned nearly 30 years.
Spencer County's Trey Wyatt sank two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining to seal his team's 52-48 win at Anderson County on Tuesday night.
Spencer, now 15-4, most likely clinched to top seed in the 30th District Tournament, to be played in late February at Spencer. The Bears are 3-0 in district play. An unlikely set of circumstances would have to occur for the Bears to not be the top seed. Anderson fell to 6-10 and 1-2. The Bearcats lost for the sixth time in seven games, with all six setbacks coming by four points or less.
And you thought the only place where things were only different this basketball season in Shelby County.
While most are aware that Collins High School is part of the split of what used to be Shelby County, not many expected Anderson County to go into its game with the perceived threat to 30th District supremacy with a makeshift lineup. In the end, however, it really did not matter.
Anderson County will get a feel for one of the teams expected to challenge the Lady Bearcats for the Eighth Region championship when Owen County comes to town on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the Lady Bearcats and Lady Rebels.
But first, the Lady Bearcats will host Western Hills on Thursday night, Jan. 20. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Copyright © 2019
The Anderson News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lawrenceburg, KY and the surrounding area.


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Explore the Tartare Tunnels at Franz Josef
The Tartare Tunnels near Franz Josef village offer a unique Glacier Country adventure.
The Tartare Tunnels: Explore the remnants of the Franz Josef Glacier Goldrush
Mr Callery was the first person to find gold near the Franz Josef Glacier, quickly followed by German Harry (Harry Wolmer) in 1868. In his quest to find gold Harry undertook an epic journey from the East Coast climbing over Mounts Mueller and Burster, and finally descending into the Callery Gorge where he collected several ounces of gold. In mountaineering terms this represented a staggering achievement. Even with today's lightweight equipment it would be no mean feat to accomplish this.
Characters like "Piggery Charlie" and "Wombat Jack" then established their well landscaped claims at the confluence of the Callery and on the Waiho riverbanks."The Waiho Sluicing Company" was the first commercial enterprise in the area transporting water from the Tatare Gorge to the sluice face at the Waiho River via a 500 metre long tunnel system and 350 metres of water race. Pre-drilled sheets of steel and other materials were landed at Port Okarito and taken by horse drawn cart to be shipped down Lake Mapourika and then taken to the Waiho work site.
The tunnel were blasted through the cliff face high up the Tatare Gorge, "level at first then taking on a slight gradient to allow gravity to feed the pipeline and fluming. " In 1907 three teams of workers were engaged around the clock. Without the aid of modern measuring equipment they took over a year to dig their way through and when they met the tunnels were within a few centimetres of exact alignment! Unfortunately, the gold recovered from the site did not cover the mining costs and the company closed down in 1908.
Today it is a forty minute walk to the Tatare Tunnels. Take a torch to light your way through the tunnels. You will see the glow worms. Warm socks and sturdy footwear are advised as ankle deep water runs through the tunnel all year round and in some places the tunnel ceiling is low so be sure to mind your head.
You can also see the start of a seventy metre penstock near the tunnel entrance that once led to a hydroelectric power station. The plant originally supplied power to the local sawmill by day and then the Graham Hotel at night.The operation ended when the power station was washed away in a massive flood event in 1982. This is just another example of the forces of nature.
The trailhead in Franz Josef Glacier Village is at the cul-de-sac at the end of Cowan Street where you can also access the Callery-Waiho Walk.

subset: commoncrawl


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Don and Lolane wintered each winter in St. George relishing their time together with family and seeking yard sales.
Who would believe the 25th of February is almost here? I cannot believe how fast the months fly when you have your head in books. The odd part is that I don't feel like I am doing a very good job of keeping up with the reading. I cannot tell you how excited I am for the next semester where they add one more substantive class and remove the writing class. What will I do with life then? I need to start working on being more diligent and proactive.
In visiting with a couple of the 2L's I feel somewhat comforted with the notion of what is called mental fatigue. I think my eyes finally just accepted the fact they are going to be tired and quit twitching. Who knows. the twitch probably just moved to my neck or shoulder with a slight noise from the mouth when I do it. At any rate, this is not a new phenomenon. I thought perhaps I was going prematurely old or something wrong with the synapses in my brain where I would think one thing and completely say another. Just today in visiting, rather than saying doctor, I said dentist. To correct myself, I went to say doctor but somehow defendant come out. After a short pause, doctor finally came out. I laughed, Andrew laughed, and the conversation went on.
This weekend was a delightsome weekend. My Great Uncle Donald and Aunt Lolane Andra came to visit. They arrived on Friday and left this morning. They finished their mission around the 6th of February and have been working their way through the country back home. They stopped for a week in Nauvoo, then a week in Branson, and a weekend in Oklahoma City. They are next headed to Tucson. They will spend a few days there and up to St. George for a month or so before up to Chubbuck/Pocatello. Don and Lolane are sure a lot of fun. We went to the Western Heritage Museum here in Oklahoma City. I enjoyed it. Like most museums though, my feet and knees grew tired of the walking around endless hours on hard floors. I will need to go back to truly appreciate much of what was there. We went out to Pops Soda Shop in Arcadia and enjoyed a meal. Don and Lolane particularly enjoyed it. We all did.
Sunday we ventured to church. They thought the ward was very open and friendly. I am pleased the ward was so open and friendly to them. It wasn't quite so much when we got here. But it certainly has improved. Afterward we ran out to the Oklahoma City Temple and walked around the grounds and took some pictures. After serving in the Washington DC Temple for the past 18 months they were quick to notice how tiny the temple is here. That most certainly is true! I assured them it was well used and loved.
We wandered off to the Oklahoma City Memorial. The weather turned out to be beautiful. It could have been a little warmer, but it was sure a nice day. They really enjoyed that as well. It really is a well-done memorial. We returned to our little home to enjoy a full meal and many hours of games. We filled much of our time on Saturday with games as well. We sang some old songs together, chatted about old times, visited about family, and genuinely had fun.
On a sad note, I also received news that my Great Aunt Lillian Jonas Talbot passed away on Friday. She was born in 1930 and lived in Layton, Utah. She was the sister of my Grandpa I knew the least growing up. She was the one who let me borrow my Great Grandma's journals to type them up which are available here on the blog. She was also the one who had my Great Grandma's photo albums and let me borrow them to pick out the photos and scan them. So I came to know her considerably more in the past 10 years. Apparently she had been to the temple on Friday and she came home and sat down in the chair in the living room and was playing with the dog a little. When my cousin came back from a run to Walmart, she thought she was taking a nap. But when she came in, she was gone. How is that for peaceful and quick? I hope I am as fortunate. The funeral will be on Wednesday. I wish I could go but the cost and time from school are too much for the moment. I wish the family all the best.
Amanda will surely post some photos from the weekend on our joint blog. It was an eventful and productive weekend. Now time to start making up what studying I did not get done!


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By Derek Bonnett: As we encounter another new year, the landscape of the boxing scene continues to evolve. With old champions acting out the final stages of their careers and new ones emerging to fill the void, boxing maintains a state of homeostasis and keeps fight fans intrigued even amid the dubious officiating and cries of scandal. Boxing, as always, will endure; however, not every participant with an alphabet title will be so lucky. Inevitably, the mighty will eventually fall and, sometimes, the unlikely will thrive.
Once again, I finished 6-4 at SecondsOut in regard to my ten 2013 picks. Three of my champions to remain did just that (barely in two cases) and two were dethroned (again, barely). Both Carl Froch and I got lucky this year. While the tide had slightly turned in his favor against George Groves, the stoppage win Froch received was not warranted, but allowed Froch to keep his title. Ricky Burns and I also shared some luck in regard to him keeping his title. In his first defense of the year, he had to rally to win and in his second he received an unpopular draw in a competitive fight. Yet, he remained a champion throughout the calendar year to give me another correct pick. Shinsuke Yamanaka produced a comfortable year for me as he stopped three opponents without controversy to earn me a third point. Both Daniel Geale and Austin Trout cost me two defeats in losing their titles. Both lost close and, mildly, controversial outcomes. At the time of the pick, I did not see a bout with Canelo Alvarez coming off and that cost me. The Geale-Barker match-up was a coin flip truly and still warrants a rematch.
My best picks came in choosing who was going to lose their championship status. Last year's article received myriad complaints from Brian Viloria supporters about my prognostication, but, alas, I was correct in banking on Viloria's inconsistent past and Juan Francisco Estrada unseated him. Also riding high was Abner Mares and I received similar rebuttals about the brave champion with a remarkable strength of schedule. However, that was just it, I saw Mares rising in weight and opposition and felt he would stumble. I did not see it coming against Jhonny Gonzalez in a single round, but made the right call for the year. Chad Dawson's dismissal was an easy call for me, but one that was not completely supported either. Adonis Stevenson looked like the worst match-up for him on paper and it turned into a reality pretty quickly. I was incorrect in shooting down Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, who had a great 2013 after an unimpressive 2012. The Polish champion not only kept his title, but put forth one of the best fights of the year in defeating Rakhim Chakhkiev. Miguel Vazquez cheated me! He simply did not fight in 2013, but will return early in 2014. I'm not going to use him again, but I think he loses to Denis Shafikov in February if the fight happens.
With boxing it can be increasingly difficult to determine which champions will will do what, but fight aficionados can determine those results for themselves. If not, here's my take on 2014 and which champions will remain and those who will go.
Those Who Will Remain:
Sergey Kovalev, 30, was a breakout performer in 2013 and I expect him to roll right along in 2014. It doesn't really matter who Kovalev is matched with in 2014. I simply cannot pick against him right now. Reinforcing my pick of him retaining his WBO light heavyweight title by year's end is that I don't see his greatest challenge in WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson facing him. Stevenson and Kovalev fought on the same card in November and, once they each completed their night's work, only Kovalev seemed interested in unification. With that said, Kovalev could also unify against the aged Bernard Hopkins, but that is a fight I think the Exec...er, Alien will steadfastly avoid. Amid the WBO rankings at 175, number one ranked Andrej Fonfara presents a meaningful challenge, but I don't think he poses a threat enough to see the champion dethroned. I feel similarly about number nine ranked Dmitry Sukhotsky, who I see as the next biggest threat. I'd like to see it happen, but it won't end well for Kovalev's Russian countryman any more than the Pole. Number two Eleider Alvarez doesn't appear to be much of a threat and may not get past Thomas Oosthuizen in his next bout. What if Andre Ward should rise in weight? Well, if he met Kovalev, I'd be taking the Russian to upset the number two P4P star. I'd lay my house down that Sergey Kovalev,23-0-1 (21), has his belt (and possibly another one) when the final bell rings on 2014.
Adonis Stevenson, 36, is the only man standing in Sergey Kovalev's way for 2014 title retention and vice versa. Yes, I am even making the same bold assertion if Andre Ward peaks his head into the 175 pound waters. After his most recent outing, the WBC light heavyweight champion called on Bernard Hopkins and I think that is the fight he wants. It's a smart move for the busy champion, who I expect will be a little less active in 2014. Stevenson will have the winner of Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute to consider throughout the year. Neither man looks fit to dethrone the champion, but the winner of this bout will certainly deserve his shot. Fonfara might also fit in the title picture, but I see him in with Kovalev more. Regardless, the Pole contender will have to find another champion to dethrone because it won't happen with Stevenson. Most likely, I see Stevenson taking on one of the 168 pound champions in 2014. Car Froch could be a likely candidate in which case I would see Stevenson in a good fight, but one I think he wins. In a 2014 without Kovalev, Stevenson, 23-1 (20), is another lock to remain champion over the next twelve months.
Gennady Golovkin, 31, has the goods. However, that has nothing to do with my reasoning for picking him here. I think he could move up in weight and take on most of the super middleweight champions and still remain wearing a belt around his waist. He could stay at 160 and meet the remainder of the SecondsOut top-five rated middleweights and we won't see him lose. Regrettably, we won't see him do either of these. He will be active, but he will seem feasting upon second and third tier challengers. His February challenger Osumanu Adama will prove little challenge. Martin Murray might be the best we can hope for Triple G in 2014 and that's a fine fight. However, Murray's lack of power will make it a difficult task for the top-rated WBA contender even if he successfully wins the interim belt on the same card as Golovkin's next bout. Number two ranked Daniel Geale will likely focus on a rematch with Felix Sturm for the IBF title and his chances against Golovkin are only modest at best in spite of his pedigree as a fighter. Patrick Nielsen and Max Bursak are very likely opponents for Golovkin in 2014 as top five contenders. Yet, neither stands a chance of even being competitive. James Kirkland is a big hitting 154 contender, whom HBO loves; could he fit into Golovkin's 2014 plans? I would not be surprised and the beating he would absorb inside of a three minute loss would surprise me less. Golovkin, 28-0 (25), will be champion at the end of 2014, but for many of the wrong reasons.
Tomoki Kameda, 22, represents the youngest and least know champion on this year's list. He also could have a tough road to survive 2014 given his lack of experience against the elites. With his brother Koki reigning as WBA champion there will be no pressure for unification there. WBC champion Shinsuke Yamanaka is also his countryman, but if an all-Japanese clash were to emerge it would likely be without Tomoki and include his more popular brother Koki instead. I expect the young champion to stick with the WBO rankings. Number one ranked Pungluang Sor Singyu is a very likely challenger for Tomoki as he is a former holder of the WBO title. A rematch with number five Paulus Ambunda, whom Tomoki dethroned, could be another. The Japanese champion would be a solid favorite to defend his title against either man, particularly at home. The greatest threat in the WBO ranking, in my opinion, could be number two Daniel Rosas. Tomoki has great popularity in Mexico, so a fight in the challenger's home country could be a likely reality. The Distrito Federal resident is unbeaten and has some nice wins on his resume. He is also use to fighting bigger men of late. Even still, Kameda, 29-0 (18) could still pass this test and would be my favorite to do so. Upon celebrating the New Year, Kameda's trinket will still be affixed to his waist.
Juan Francisco Estrada, 23, is one of boxing's most under-appreciated champions right now after a great 2013. After claiming his title from Brian Viloria and defending against Milan Melindo, Estrada has cleared two giant threats out of his way. However, as WBA and WBO champion in boxing's most stacked division, Estrada will have his work cut out for him. As long as the fight most fans want, a rematch with Roman Gonzalez, doesn't happen, Estrada will still be unified champion at the end of 2014. He has a tough road ahead of his though. The rumored next defense for Estrada is WBO number one ranked Giovani Segura, who would be favored to defeat most other flyweights. Segura is also number two in the eyes of the WBA. It's a tough defense, but one I think Estrada can get through given his ability to absorb punishment from both Gonzalez and Viloria. Segura probably hits harder, but he is not nearly as accurate and Estrada is more defense minded than Hernan Marquez and Jonathon Gonzalez, whom Segura recently stopped. Estrada's top WBA challenger Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep could prove an exciting challenger, but would be a huge underdog to win. A rematch with Viloria would be nice as he is still ranked number two by the WBO, but the possibility has not created much of a vibe and seems unlikely right now. Estrada, 25-2 (18), is on a march up the P4P ladder and I think his 2014 schedule will support that climb and his defense of his titles throughout 2014.
Those Who Will Go:
Sakio Bika, 34, had cause for celebration in 2013, winning and defending his first world title. However, the WBC champion was hard-pressed to do either. He deserved both decisions in my opinion, but had he drew in both or lost either, there would not have been much of a public outcry due to the close natures of his two bouts. I think 2014 will be an even bigger year for Bika in terms of opposition and finances. Slipping passed Marco Antonio Periban and drawing with Anthony Dirrell will be much easier tasks than what he will likely face in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the WBC's number two ranked contender or Carl Froch in a unification match with the IBF champion. Bika has always fought the best opposition and these two guys are two of the few he has not already met. Either bout will pay him handsomely and, given the most recent form of both fighters, now is the time for Bika to seek these fight contracts. Chavez Jr. is likely the more lucrative and easier route, but the son of Mexico's greatest icon has been known to be difficult to beat on points. A KO for Bika is unlikely. Froch may have stumbled against George Groves, but Bika is not capable of duplicating that type of performance and his style plays more to Froch's favor. Even still, Periban is rated number one and he fought Bika very tightly backed in June. The chances of him avenging his lone loss seem respectable. I am confident that by the time the ball drops on 2014, Sakio Bika, 32-5-2 (21), will once again be a contender.
Carlos Molina, 30, worked hard, like Bika to get his first world title. He also fought myriad contenders with mixed and, often, controversial results. Now that he is finally the IBF world champion at 154, it seems highly unlikely that he will be allowed to hang on to the belt long. His rankings pose few obvious threats near the top, his future may be determined by strong promotional or network interests. You see, Molina is not a sexy fighter. His style is not that appealing to the eye and is often difficult to score. Molina will likely be served up as a sacrificial lamb. The most likely candidate to benefit from this fact is Saul Alvarez, who probably won't be able to beat Molina easily, but as long as it is close he will win the decision. James Kirkland is another tough contender with network support and a DQ win over Molina in a fight which the verdict was still on the table. Jermell Charlo is a fine prospect with a high ranking in the IBF and a bright future ahead of him should be matched with Molina. I am not sure how his year will go, but I never bet on a fighter with a history of getting screwed as much as Molina has. I expect to see Molina, 22-5-2 (6), without his fancy trinket come the end of 2014.
Ruslan Provodnikov, 29, has the love of the boxing world after losing a narrow war to Timothy Bradley and stopping Mike Alvarado. I have followed Provodnikov since he debuted and have been quite pleased with his progress. Given his offensive first, defense be damned style, I can't see a lengthy reign in his future. This is magnified by the fact that he seems intent on competing in both the 140 and 147 pounds divisions. The top two fighters at junior welterweight are Danny Garcia and Lucas Martin Matthysse. I would favor either guy to defeat Ruslan should their paths cross in 2014. Juan Manuel Marquez is rated number one by the WBO at 140 still. He may be aged, I would still peg the Mexican legend as savvy enough to exploit Ruslan's lack of defense and footwork. Rankings may not factor into Provodnikov's matchmaking in 2014. Immediately after beating Alvarado he suddenly entered the Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes. Of late, the rumored talk has focused on the Siberian champion meeting his Filipino stable mate. Provodnikov's marketability is being based on his value as an exciting fighter and that won't always be in his best interest, particularly if either of the two Super Fight names come to fruition. Ruslan Provodnikov, 23-2 (16), may not even need a big name across from his as rising contender Karim Mayfield seems capable of dethroning him as well. If Terrence Crawford claims the WBO lightweight belt, I envision a quick move to 140 where Provodnikov would certainly be in his sights. I predict an exciting reign and a short one; Provodnikov will lose his WBO title at some point over the next year.
Ricky Burns, 30, dodged two bullet to keep his belt last year, so I must reward him by moving him to the "other" category for 2014. Of course, this theory did not work so well with Krzysztof Wlodarczyk! This time, I think Burns is a lock to lose his belt early this year. Burns looked both disinterested and scared in his last two title defenses. He tasted canvas and had his jaw busted up; he's looked every bit the fighter in decline. The plan right now is to make his next defense against Terrence Crawford on March 1. That does it for me. The Burns of late won't even be able to compete with Crawford, so he better bring his A-Game if he wants to keep his trunks up passed 2014. Let's say the Crawford match falls through or he surprises me? Well, Burns still has Ray Beltran waiting for his rematch in the number two slot. Burns, 36-2-1 (11), has a brass pair, so I don't see him taking any easier of a route. His reign has been very fun, but it is coming to an end.
Mikey Garcia, 26, may be believing too much of his own hype. After winning the featherweight title, he quickly moved up to take a super featherweight belt. However, in both title winning efforts he showed by glimpses of greatness and mortality. He lost his nerve after dominating Salido and getting his nose busted in spite of a dominant start. He was dropped early on by Roman Martinez last time up at 130. The talk since that win has focused greatly on continued rises in weight without giving himself proper time to grow into his current weight. The two fights will never happen, but Garcia has his hands more than full with fellow titlists Takashi Uchiyama or Takahashi Miura. Garcia has a January 25 date with Juan Carlos Burgos, which I wholeheartedly expect him to pass. However, like Provodnikov, there are numerous rumors abound concerning Garcia. Briefly, it was spun that he would rise to welterweight to meet his stable mate Marcos Rene Maidana in the wake of his defeating Adrian Broner for the WBA 147 title. Then, just the other day, Dan Raphael was spinning a new one about Garcia being considered for Manny Pacquiao. This type of thinking is going to get Garcia, 33-0 (28), beaten. His title may not be on the line, but in 2014 that "0" is going to go.
For further boxing discussion contact Derek DBO Bonnett on Facebook or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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MONTGOMERY | It's up to a federal judge in Montgomery to decide if the Alabama Department of Corrections can continue to isolate inmates who have tested positive for HIV even though the virus is no longer considered a death sentence.
MONTGOMERY | It's up to a federal judge in Montgomery to decide if the Alabama Department of Corrections can continue to isolate inmates who have tested positive for HIV even though the virus is no longer considered a death sentence.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson heard arguments made during the monthlong trial challenging Alabama's
decades-old policy of mostly separating HIV-positive inmates from other prisoners.
Alabama and South Carolina are the only states that segregate HIV-positive prisoners.
ACLU lawyer Margaret Winter was the lead attorney representing the inmates. She said based on what Thompson told attorneys, she expects the judge to issue an opinion soon.
She said she believes attorneys for the inmates "proved there is no need to segregate HIV inmates to prevent transmission of HIV."
The lawsuit accused the state of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Winter said in her opening statement during the trial that the policy keeps HIV-positive inmates from participating in some programs to help in their rehabilitation.
But the attorney for the state at the trial, Bill Lunsford, said the only thing the HIV-positive inmates are prohibited from doing is working in the prison kitchen.
Winter, however, said the HIV-positive inmates often can't get the same work-release jobs as other inmates, particularly food service jobs.
During the trial, attorneys for the state said HIV-positive inmates are allowed to participate in the same programs as other prisoners. A statement from prisons spokesman Brian Corbett said HIV-positive inmates are not universally segregated.
"As the evidence at trial showed, the department has devoted an extraordinary amount of effort and resources to ensuring that HIV-positive offenders in Alabama receive excellent health care within a limited number of facilities," Corbett said. "It is a proven system that has effectively prevented the spread of HIV ... within our system."
Winter said evidence at the trial showed there is training available at many locations, including in Alabama, on how to deal with HIV-positive inmates. She said the HIV-
positive inmates are suffering a hardship because of the stigma of being tagged as being different.
"This policy is ongoing because of fears of top officials who are perpetuating a problem when they just don't need to." Winter said.


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HSLDA defends family threatened with reduction of services
Filed: May 18, 2001, Ventura County
Nature of Case: Mrs. B withdrew her son from public school and filed her affidavit as a private school in accordance with California law. However, she is now being threatened with substantial monetary loss due to her exercise of her constitutional right to home school. Ventura County has threatened to reduce the amount of Mrs. B's Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), saying that her son is not enrolled "in school," even though Mrs. B is in compliance with the private school law of California. The county apparently is taking the current position of the California Department of Education: that parents teaching their children at home must be California certified teachers. Mrs. B is appealing the reduction in her benefits.
An administrative hearing was held August 1, 2001. Mrs. B was represented by HSLDA attorneys Michael Smith (President of HSLDA) and David Gordon (Litigation Counsel); a bad decision in this case could affect home schoolers throughout the state and HSLDA believes that home schoolers should not be punished by the government for exercising their constitutional right to home school.
Ruling: On September 13, 2001, the administrative law judge who heard the matter ruled that Ventura County incorrectly reduced Mrs. B's benefits. The judge found that the county failed to follow regulations requiring them to provide the written standards they used to define regular school attendance. The judge also indicated that Ventura County's school attendance policy may violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, since there are school districts in the state of California and within Ventura County that allow home schooling. Mrs. B's school district does not. Based on this ruling, the judge said she found no necessity to address the legitimacy of Mrs. B's private school.
Status: The Ventura County school district must now reevaluate its policy that home schooling parents cannot establish a private school in their home unless they are certified teachers, because of this ruling that the district's attendance policy could be a violation of equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Last Updated: September 26, 2001.
| Other Resources
California Single Mother Wins Civil Rights Case
HSLDA Represents Mom in Hearing
California�A Legal Analysis (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)


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Actress Zooey Deschanel is officially single again – her divorce from Ben Gibbard has been finalized.
"The New Girl" star filed for divorce from the Death Cab for Cutie rocker last December, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for ending their two-year marriage.
Now, a year later, the divorce papers have been stamped: the marriage was officially dissolved on December 12, according to documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Deschanel has since started dating "Dear John" screenwriter Jamie Linden.


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I was browsing the excellent Tales of the Rampant Coyote blog and was pleasantly surprised to find a great mention of my book on a post called Game Design: How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part 1. After complimenting my book, R.C. goes on to mention the role-playing games that made the most impact on his design philosophy. Here's a snippet from the Temple of Apshai blurb:
The thing that stuck with me from that game is that while a picture may be worth a thousand words, sometimes those words in text descriptions can evoke thoughts, feelings, and understanding that a picture alone cannot convey – even with the best of modern graphics.
How true! I also remember enjoying the entries in the printed journal that accompanied Pool of Radiance and other goldbox games. It was so much fun when the game referred to you an entry; it was always worth taking the time to read it and gave the game a more authentic D&D like feeling. What CRPGs have "warped your brain?" Here's a brief list of my personal favorites and what they taught me.
The Bard's Tale. This was the first CRPG I remember playing, and even though I never managed to complete it, I was still captivated by the gameplay. I had lots of fun exploring Skara Brae and fighting the roaming monsters. I also enjoyed creating parties and looking at the cool character graphics (I can still recall what the rogue looked like). My experience with this game as a kid was of course superficial, since I didn't have the manual (ah, the downsides of piracy).
Pool of Radiance. The first CRPG that really did it for me. I've beaten it three times, and still marvel at how well this game is put together. Everything fits together so nicely; no other game has really given me that sense of immersion and being on a campaign. It really felt like an adventure, and I never quite knew what to expect next. I remember having to go to church right after clearing some pirates or bandits out of a well and how hard it was to sit there--I couldn't wait to get back home and see what was in that well. I also felt as though the developers had put a lot of work into the system, and I trusted it. That's important.
Might & Magic VI: Mandate of Heaven. I was resistant to this game because I didn't think I'd like the first person view, but I soon found myself totally immersed in Erathia. Again, it's a huge, sprawling world, with lots of variety and an RPG system you can believe in. True, it was a lot of hack and slash, but that never bothered me.
Baldur's Gate. My girlfriend at the time was pushing this game on me, and again I was resistant because I didn't think I'd like the real-time battles or only creating one character (I preferred party-based games). But I quickly fell in love with the game, and the characters were awesome (Minsc remains a favorite). I also loved the intricate game world, though it felt much smaller somehow than those in POR and M&M VI. That's okay, because this game was more of "campaign module" than the sort of epic sprawl of the above games.
Fallout. Another RPG I couldn't be away from once I started. I've always loved the post-apocalyptic setting, and this game combined that with an awesome gameplay system. I didn't enjoy the combat quite as much as in the above games, but the story and setting made up for it. I also loved all the fun options for customizing your character--and again we had some interesting characters to team up with. In case you missed it, watch my video review.
Planescape: Torment. I didn't play this back in the day, but certainly enjoyed the heck out of it when I finally got around to playing it. Beautiful story, engrossing characters--it's just deep. I don't think any other CRPG has really made me think about life and death the way this game did.
The Bard's Tale was one of the very first games I bought with my own money. I loved it all the more because of that. I remember the countless hours of graphing dungeons (with their myriad traps) and fighting groups of 999 skeletons. I also had a ton of fun with the character creator, creating parties based around a certain theme and other interesting characters. I even uploaded my parties to the local Amiga BBS. (In reflection, I doubt anybody used them. But I was more naive back then.)
Neuromancer was a brilliant adaptation of William Gibson's Cyberpunk novel as an RPG/Adventure hybrid. Well, maybe that's being generous, as it was really more of an adventure with RPG-influenced cyberspace "battles," but it's one of my all-time favorite games, so I can't not mention it. Besides, any game that lets you sell your liver for some extra coin in order to get a cyberspace deck will certainly warp you.
Might & Magic VI was the first game I played in the series, but my goodness, did it have a hold on me. I remember my stomach literally aching at school with desire to go home and play M&M6. OK, maybe that game didn't "warp my brain" as much as my stomach, but it was great fun. I must have logged 80 hours into it before it started feeling repetitive to me, and I finally blew through the remaining dungeons to beat the game.
Phantasy Star is my all-time favorite console RPG. Can I mention that here? Well, I still used graph paper to map the dungeons, so I'm saying yes. I loved, loved this game, and bought a Sega Master System solely for it.
Final Fantasy VII (while I'm at it) was a game that kept me up for three days straight--almost. While visiting my cousins, I played an entire weekend, without food and sleep. I never did finish it, though. I guess that's a shame...
Divine Divinity was the first game I played that let you bake bread. (Yes, I bypassed another certain game with the same feature.) The user interface of the game made for fascinating play.
Nox was often discarded as a "Diablo clone," but was so much more in my opinion. The game could be played three entirely different ways (I played through as a Conjurer), and the cut scenes were unlike any I've seen in any other game. Sure, they start out with the typical evil villain (or villainess in this case), but it quickly shows you that it doesn't take itself seriously as the cut scenes portray antagonist, Hecubah, as a sometimes clumsy, sometimes tongue-tied, but always hilarious evil-doer. Westwood really polished this game, and it shows. The best part is that each character has its own story and ending.
Wizardry 8 was the only game I played in the series, as I was without a computer during its heyday, but I don't have any trouble believing those who state that it's the best of the series, and a swan song for Sir-Tech. To think that it could not find a publisher and was almost not released. This game put me in the familiar fantasy RPG setting, but soon juxtaposed it with advanced technology--how's that for warping your brain?
Of note: Ironically, I've never played any Ultima for more than a couple hours (Ultima 9). I'm not sure what that means.
First of all: thanks a lot for your great book, Matt! Your articles and your book gave me the motivation to play a couple more RPGs, which are now among my all-time favourites.
Wizardry 6, 7 & 8
I just have to mention the Dark Savant trilogy first. Wizardry 6 was the first RPG I ever played. When measured against the standards of the other two games of the trilogy, there are a couple of usability annoyances in Wizardry 6, which have prevented me multiple times from replaying it (i.e., you have to search for items everywhere since you can't see them on the screen -- interestingly, it didn't bother me at all at the time it was released). Nevertheless, this game was HUGE and very impressive. I will always love it and it's the primary reason why I became an RPG fan. Wizardry 7 and 8 are much more playable by today's standards.
@Matt: why didn't you include Wizardry 8 in your book? It was mentioned in your articles, but not in the book...
Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate 1 & 2
I played them after reading Matt's book and I love them all. Similar to the Dark Savant trilogy, they were worth every minute I played them -- this is a HUGE compliment since these games took me many weeks to finish!
Ultima Underworld 1 & 2
I also liked them very much at the time they were released.
My RPG story is the same one I've always told, really. I played pen and paper RPGs and related games with my childhood friends, like Dungeons & Dragons, Top Secret, Gamma World, etc., and was jonesing to recreate that experience on my Commodore 64. Prior to that, my only real exposure to computer RPGs was seeing my friend Brian's Apple IIe with a green screen monitor running Ultima II and III (it may have been his older brother I saw running it first).
Anyway, I remember obsessing over the wireframe artwork for the Temple of Apshai Epyx ad, similar to the one here for Gateway: http://www.c64-wiki.com/images/e/ec/Gateway_to_Apshai_%28Epyx%29_%28Tape... (naturally, in my young mind, I had fantasized that the graphics would really be like that). Luckily, though, I never did get around to purchasing Temple of Apshai (I would have probably liked it then, but it would not have been exactly what I was after), instead being tantalized by the artwork and ad for SSI's Phantasie: http://www.gamasutra.com/db_area/images/feature/3527/image011.jpg , which seemed to embody the complete Dungeons & Dragons spirit. Boy, was I lucky and right. Not only did it have better visuals than the ad's Apple II graphics (the C-64 version was very attractive in comparison--a proper enhanced port), but it allowed me to create a party of my choosing, mixed race and mixed sex (though the latter, only in name--the game was gender neutral). While I mapped the outerworld myself for convenience since it was multi-screen, it essentially automapped (uncovered) that and the single screen dungeons, and the combat was tactical. All the familiar D&D elements were there, with multiple dungeons to explore and surprises throughout the world(s). My first personal experience with a computer RPG was the right game at the right time. The ONLY flaw that Phantasie had was that it was rather buggy and tended to crash at times (there was a particularly nasty crash bug in one particular dungeon). Upon completing Phantasie, I eagerly purchased Phantasie II, which was essentially the same game, just bug fixed and minor improvements to the engine. By the way, another thing that endeared me to the Phantasie games, was that while your characters aged, you didn't have to worry about feeding them, which I considered a design flaw in most of the RPGs that featured that, since I had to often focus on keeping my character or party fed as much as I focused on the game itself. Anyway, Phantasie III was a major improvement for the series in terms of features, and rounded out the original trilogy nicely. Sadly, a related, though not direct sequel, Phantasie IV, was Japan only, for the MSX and Sharp X68000 computers. I do have the fan-made English ROM for Phantasie IV I believe, so when my vaporware-ish Pandora someday arrives, I'll probably play it on that (I do have MSX and MSX2 systems, but I'm not sure I have the time to dedicate to non-portable play).
Anyway, I dabbled in other RPGs, including some of the Ultimas, but the downside with the Ultimas was the brutal learning curve and the fact that I didn't purchase them (back then, now I have a complete set). Other games, like Expedition Amazon from Penguin, intrigued me for their interesting settings, but had serious design flaws that made playing much less fun than it should have been. The other great RPG I played on the C-64 was AutoDuel. Once I got past the Apple II graphics and sound and the steep learning curve, I was pulled deeply into the wonderful story and unique concept.
Eventually, I of course moved on to the Amiga 500 and was introduced to a radically difference experience in Dungeon Master. Though it had the food "bug" and you really couldn't create your own characters, these "flaws" were minimized to the point where it was a-OK with me, and I loved the game. My next great RPG was Pool of Radiance on the Amiga, which I played a portion of when I was in college. That was like the next generation of Phantasie. The nice thing with the Amiga version was that the team who ported it enhanced the graphics and sound over every other version, making it THE version to own. Sadly, as the series progressed on the Amiga, SSI contented themselves with doing straight EGA conversions, which Amiga and Atari ST fans know all too well from the often garish EGA color palette that they really didn't have to be subjected too.
Naturally, there were plenty of other games in-between and after, but those are the high points for me. So, let's see, my computer/videogame RPG viewpoint is skewed heavily by the great Phantasie series, AutoDuel, Dungeon Master, and Pool of Radiance games, each classics in their own right, and each getting the experience exactly right, despite each possessing flaws. Like any old-time curmudgeon gamer, I still long for those days, but it's unlikely there will be experiences like them again in quite the same way. Like me, game design has changed too much since then. Luckily, I have dozens of old school RPGs in my collection still to be played, so the reality is I don't need them to make anymore in my lifetime...
The very first computer game I ever played was Lode Runner and GRIME on a $4000 IBM (err XT?) my friends father bought it for work. I used to go over now and again to check it out when his dad would let us. But th then purchased Ultima 2 (maybe one, its been so long ago I would guess about 81-82ish) and we where both hooked. One would map, or write (dont do that much anymore) while the other played, we took turns. Once we started we spent every spare minute playing it much to his parents disapointment (it was summer, kids normally where not in parents hair). it was the changing point in my game playing life. I had a 2600 (and before that a odyssy) which i played when it was cold outside, but never when it was nice. The first RPG i played hooked me, no more consoles, i needed a computer (vic 20 to a atari 400 to a TI99/4A(mistake) to a c-64 to a Amiga, and now PC).
Ultima was singel largest influnce on me, nothing I had seen like it before. I played them all later (even Lord Britishs first effort). Then it was Wizzardry in collage. I had been so buzy with Ultima i had missed Wizzardry 1, i started on 2, and replayed one later. I liked the dungeon crawl sytle of Wizzardry more then i liked the flat look of Ultima, my tastes had changed, Wizz one my new favorite. It morphed into bards tale, everything that made Wiz so great was maginfied. Better looking, animated!!!! The new KING. All the while playing the Apshi games, and several other RPG's, all fun, but never in my mind long after I won them. During that time the GOLD box stuff had came. I loved the presentation (and was a AD&D nerd so the IDEA blew me away) but while i loved the idea, the games never grew on me, I did play them all, even the strange silver box side scroll ones. I do know the SSI Dragon combat (flight sim?) one I did get hooked on (and even fired up in dos box a few years ago). One Of WESTWOODS first efforts, you know the guys who did (DUNE 2) and a couple of the best Eye of the beholder clones (with voice! and Picard as the KING (hmmm a gig he is still doing with Oblivion). The next HUGE step was the Might & Magic 3, (recently played it and World of Xeen from start to finish just for fun). And as somebody mentioned the Ultima Underworld games... this was where i wanted to be in RPG worlds in real time. Luckly i had a PC at the time that sorta played um ok .
RPG's where the basis, heck singel reason for my computer gameing addiction. Nowdays not many RPG's seem to hold my attention for long, be it that I have played to many, or I'm jaded (and much older). MMORPG's (namely Ultima Online, but more-so Everquest) filled the gap, The first time playing Ultima, the first time playing Everquest.. they may be the best "pure enjoyment" moments from my RPG past. I know I "think" i will recapture some of those feelings with evry new RPG game i see, but never do. the new ones today look awsome, play well, but for some reason just dont capture that feel for me. I still like them, but its very rare i play a game (any) nowdasy and look up at the clock and see its 3Am and I need to go to bed.
its hard to put 25 years (wow.. maybe more, yes I'm sure more, closer to 30..yeesh!) of RPG gaming into a post, the highs and lows... the Firsts... there where alot back then, now its hard to really do anything "new".
Those days of graph paper, and friends watching having as much fun as those playing. Figureing out silly puzzles (telports, squares that spun you). The first animated sprite monsters and not just a discrption. Dungen Keepers true stereo sound and real time monster movment (cant say how much i jumped when a mob cam up behind me when i was fighting ones in front). When Xeen had 2 games that when installed made a 3rd game! When Bards tale made a constrution set so I could make my own. When Everquest took me into a 3d world with people playing my party memberes, the fear of the dark (playing a human). The save every 3 steps mentality, and the death that made you backtrack 4 hours becuase you where so "into the game" you forgot to save.
Nowdays i just bought the new FFXIII for the PS3, I like it, and played it a bit, but at about 30 hours I lost most interest and havent revisited. Dragons Age was and (when i fire it up) still is fun, but so far while good, its never reached GREAT to me. I think they made a mistake with the difuculty curve. Replaying a battle 20X just to get lucky enouhg to win is not good (and yet i hear some people had no problms with it). To be honest there are alot of good new ones, but I dont think we will ever recapture that feeling from the past.
New ones i would recomend: The Witcher (rated mature, keep that in mind), Drakensang (i think its better then Dragons Age, but think I'm in minorty on that). Mass effect (one and two).
And for those of you who like some "new" to the old RPG format, PUZZLE QUEST rocks.. very fun and different, but I'm guessing many of you have played it.
And for those of you who like some "new" to the old RPG format, PUZZLE QUEST rocks.. very fun and different, but I'm guessing many of you have played it.
Conceptually I LOVE it, but I don't greatly enjoy the puzzle aspects, which obviously puts the kabosh on the whole game(s) for me (though I suppose I should give it a chance again in the future). I love the concept of alternative gameplay to resolve combat (I still want to make Arcade Chess), I just wish it was done in a different manner (for me). I'm more of a Zuma/Luxor/Peggle type of "puzzle" game player than a Bejeweled type of player.
I keep hearing about Wizardry 8, though I haven't played it yet. I keep hearing that it was the last great old-fashioned CRPG. I have it on my list to play. I really enjoyed the first Wizardry, though never completed it. I'd also like to play the World of Xeen at some point.
One downside of CRPGs of course is how long they take to complete. I don't really want to make that huge of an investment unless I know it's worth it (i.e., I'd rather play the finest classics first). If you're going to spend that much time with a game, you want only the best. Even mild irritations in the interface can become so irksome it's difficult to deal with. I know I almost quit KOTOR a few times because of the constant crashing (and yes, I know some people had no issues with it).
I agree about Dragon Age, too. At first I was sold, but gradually lost interest. The battles wouldn't have been so bad, but something about the interface and timing made them too difficult. I felt like I was fighting more with the camera and controls than the actual monsters! That's a game that would have seriously benefited from a true turn-based tactical battle mode. The inventory system was a pain as well.
I absolutely adore the Mass Effect series. It's a different kind of fun than something like Baldur's Gate or KOTOR, but still sooo immersive.
The MMOs are definitely more addictive for me, but they just can't compare in some ways. Particularly when it comes to characters and stories.
I keep hearing about Wizardry 8, though I haven't played it yet. I keep hearing that it was the last great old-fashioned CRPG. I have it on my list to play. I really enjoyed the first Wizardry, though never completed it. I'd also like to play the World of Xeen at some point.
Wizardry 8 is on my list too, though I've of course been trying to find a boxed copy. Because it was a relatively limited release, particularly in the US, it commands decent prices on places like eBay, making it prohibitive to acquire unless you're specifically dedicated resources towards it.
One downside of CRPGs of course is how long they take to complete. I don't really want to make that huge of an investment unless I know it's worth it (i.e., I'd rather play the finest classics first). If you're going to spend that much time with a game, you want only the best. Even mild irritations in the interface can become so irksome it's difficult to deal with. I know I almost quit KOTOR a few times because of the constant crashing (and yes, I know some people had no issues with it).
I agree about Dragon Age, too. At first I was sold, but gradually lost interest. The battles wouldn't have been so bad, but something about the interface and timing made them too difficult. I felt like I was fighting more with the camera and controls than the actual monsters! That's a game that would have seriously benefited from a true turn-based tactical battle mode. The inventory system was a pain as well.
This is unfortunately quite true. Unlike most genres/game types, it's VERY difficult to simply sample an RPG, particularly if there's character creation involved.
I had a similar "losing interest" experience with the old school style (Wizardry clone), The Dark Spire, for the Nintendo DS. I was gung-ho for its old school style, but, particularly for a portable game, it doesn't hold up well to casual play, particularly with the extremely high difficulty, which are true to its origins. I'm over 7 hours of gameplay time into it, but I haven't touched it in months. Just the prospect of walking through the same dungeon again and again (since you have to walk all the way back to town to heal, resupply, etc.) to progress a little further each time before taking too much damage and having to head back is a bit too much to take after a while, particularly when there are so many other things to play. It's a shame too, because I never (despite now owning most of them), never did play any of the original Wizardry games when they were at the top of the RPG food chain.
I keep hearing about Wizardry 8, though I haven't played it yet.
I'm quite confident you will like it. After reading your articles and your book, I always wondered why you didn't describe Wizardry 8 as one of the greatest RPGs ever -- now I know why ;)
After also playing Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, I wouldn't say anymore that Wizardry 6, 7 and 8 are simply the best cRPGs ever. However, all these games are definitely among the very best of the genre. They all have in common that they have very few significant weaknesses but each one has at least one unique feature which makes it outstanding.
I strongly recommend Wizardry 7 and 8 to every true cRPG fan. Btw, you can easily finish Wizardry 8 in less than a week if you restrict sleep ;)
Wiz 8, yes!!!! I would recomend it, its been awhile since i played it, but when i did i really had a feeling of Olds school RPG with updated graphics. it sticks with its roots pretty well. The battles are about picking targets like the old days, 5 warriors with 2 mages and 2 priests in the back, you know you gotta kill those priests or they are going to heal, and those mages can team up on your tank (or healer) and put him out in one round. You really gotta think a bit. it is real time (movement, not combat) so if you get 2 groups (ya groups, as in more then one :) ) and they see you, you dont get the luxury of fighting um one at a time.
it really feels like an oldschool guy (and one did) made it, he stuck with what we all loved and he updated it. he didnt whole sale change it, just made it seem fresh again (at least to me). As for wiz 7.. I still remeber buying it and seeing it was on 2- 3.5 floppies! How could any good MODERN (hehee modern with floppies! well it was back then) game come on only 2 discs! The game amazed me, and after jumping throuhg all the hoops to get it working on todays machines I still think the game looks pretty good (for its age) and the scope of the game amazes me.
Cant go wrong with either in my opinion (but wiz 7 is a beast to get running nowdays).
And XEEN!!!!! you can get it on gamefly, get your $7 account and play it, finish it, and cancel. Very cartoony, but the colors and graphics rocked back then.
So ya think we have some RPG fantics on this website? nah :)
Ah, the irony. I typed out a long rant about how much I hate it when a game "punishes" me by forcing me to replay lengthy segments after being defeated. And then my laptop decides to auto-update and shuts down before I could save my post.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 1, 2013) – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO John Castellani issued the following statement today:
"PhRMA is very disappointed with the Indian Supreme Court's decision to deny a patent on Glivec. This decision marks yet another example of the deteriorating innovation environment in India. Innovation is critical in meeting unmet needs of patients and is particularly relevant in the context of changing healthcare systems. In order to solve the real health challenges of India's patients, it is critically important that India promote a policy environment that supports continued research and development of new medicines for the health of patients in India and worldwide. Protecting intellectual property is fundamental to the discovery of new medicines. The research-based pharmaceutical industry is committed to working closely with the Indian Government and other stakeholders to find appropriate solutions to this challenge."
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading innovative biopharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested over $500 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $49.5 billion in 2011 alone.
Find PhRMA Online:
- Website – http://www.phrma.org
- Blog - http//www.phrma.org/catalyst
- Facebook – www.facebook.com/PhRMA
- Twitter – www.Twitter.com/PhRMA and www.Twitter.com/PhRMApress
- YouTube – www.youtube.com/PhRMApress
For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: http://www.innovation.org


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World's Largest Diabetes Meeting
The American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions is the largest diabetes meeting in the world, bringing together nearly 18,000 participants—including more than 14,000 clinicians and researchers from all 50 states and over 100 countries.
The 5-day annual meeting features timely and significant advances in basic science and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
Attendees choose from over 3,000 original presentations which include symposia, oral abstract sessions, meet the expert sessions, interest group discussions, guided audio poster tours, and poster presentations.
It also includes over 150 exhibitors showcasing the latest in diabetes-related products, services and technology available to health care professionals.


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Lawmakers Quietly Crack Down on Homeschooling
Belgium: Controlling Homeschoolers: New Regulations Impose State Testing
Compulsory education: 6-17 (may opt for part-time compulsory education at age 15)
Legal status of homeschooling: Homeschooling is legal. In Belgium, education is compulsory, but school attendance is not. Article 24 of the Belgian Constitution offers parents "free choice" with regard to the education of their children. Since Belgium is divided into three language-communities, further regulations on home education come from the regional level. Please see below for specific homeschool requirements in the Flemish, French, and German-speaking communities.
Flemish-speaking community
Ministry of Employment, Education and Training
Home education is legal within the Flemish-speaking community. §6 of the Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983 states that home education satisfies compulsory education requirements. Homeschooling is further regulated by the Decree on Elementary Education of 25 February 1997(elementary-school level) the Decisions of the Flemish government of 16 September 1997 and 12 November 1997(secondary level).
Parents who opt for home education must notify the Department of Education and Training in writing at the latest on the day home education commences. They must undertake to provide education which meets the following minimum requirements:
The Education Inspectorate has the authority to check whether or not the home education provided complies with the objectives described. At this time, homeschooled students are not automatically awarded a diploma upon completion of study. To obtain "recognized proofs of study," pupils who have been home educated must pass an exam before the Examination Board of the Flemish Community.
Further information regarding homeschooling in Flanders can be found here:
Flemish HS Law: www.ond.vlaanderen.be/wetwijs/thema.asp?id=76&fid=5
French-speaking community
Home education is legal within the French-speaking community. §6 of the Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983 states that compulsory education may be satisfied through home instruction. Families wishing to homeschool should submit an annual notice of their intent to homeschool by October 1 (Article 8, Lois 09676 of 20/08/1957). The notice may be submitted after October 1 if a student moves into the French-speaking community during the school year. Home education is further governed by a decree from Apr 25, 2008, which explains when and how students must be examined. In addition to Belgian citizens, we have recently heard that foreign families are also being contacted with regard to testing.
General Administration of Education and Scientific Research
German-speaking community
Ministry of the Department of Education and Training
Home education is legal within the German-speaking community. Homeschooling is governed by §6 of the Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983, as well as the School Pact law of May 29, 1959. Homeschooled students must be registered with the Ministry of Education by September 30th of each year. Parents must guarantee that their children will receive proper instruction and submit to the oversight of the school inspectorate. Homeschooled children may only be awarded the Primary Education Final Certificate by passing an examination before the school external Examination Board of the German-speaking Community (Prüfungsausschuss der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft).
Homeschool contacts:
Brussels Christian Homeschool Co-op
Last Updated: January 1, 2016


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For those of you not already aware of the South Park Muhammad fiasco, I will attempt to enlighten you. If you already know about it, skip to the steps below.
South Park released an excellent episode that displayed the problem with showing Muhammad — you can't show him or death threats will ensue. The first episode (part one of a two-part show) ended with Muhammad being brought out in a bear costume that didn't even show his eyes, so that the town of South Park would not be blown up (or so the characters of South Park had hoped). This episode resulted in multiple death threats from Extremist Muslim communities. Comedy Central, the network that airs South Park Episodes, caved to the threats. They suspended the internet version of the episode (this is an episode you can no longer watch on the South Park website) and severely censored the second episode, which was never released online. They also suspended an old episode called "Super Friends" which featured an actual cartoon version of Muhammad. The makers of South Park have issued a public statement saying that they did not authorize the censorship. Comedy Central still has not issued any comment on the matter.
Comedy Central's fear is not unwarranted. Several people who have drawn and displayed images of Muhammad or criticized Islam have received the same death threats. Some went into hiding, others were murdered. Theo Van Gogh, a film director who produced a documentary criticizing Islam's treatment of women, was one of the murder victims. Photos of his body were used to threaten Comedy Central. This represents one of the worst forms of censorship I have seen — because of its international scale. It isn't being perpetrated by any one government; it is being perpetrated by murderous extremist groups who reach around the globe to kill anyone who offends them. It's time this murderous censorship came to an end. That's why the International Draw Muhammad Day meme was started.
Our plan is to spread the images of Muhammad around the internet in order to send a message to these murderous extremists. We must all tell them that we will not be silenced. They can't tell us what we can or can't say, or who we can or can't draw. Censorship cannot take all of us down.
The way this will work:
1. Everyone who receives this must spread the word. Post it on your blog, write a note or bulletin, make a journal entry, send e-mails to everyone in your address book, make a youtube video talking about it, whatever it takes. That way, if one of us is taken out, there will still be millions more who are spreading the word.
2. Draw Muhammad. You don't have to be an artist. Draw a stick figure, a smiley face, whatever you can. Those who use different media in their artwork can show Muhammad differently (sculptures, carvings, whatever)
3. Photograph or scan in this artwork, in an internet-compatible file type.
4. On May 20, post it in all the places where you told people about the event. Make sure it's posted in as many places as possible, so that it can't be censored away.
And that's all there is to it. By participating in this, you will take a stand for free speech. You will stand up for the rights of every person around the world. Murderous extremists will not rule over what we say and what we draw. We will not be silenced!!!
Link to the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Everybody-Draw-Muhammad-Day/116425498385947


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Today is Black Friday, the official beginning of our nation's frenzied holiday shopping season. Retailers everywhere have been gearing up for this day for months, hoping to draw in shoppers with once-a-year deals.
Now that the holiday shopping season is in full swing, we'd like to remind shoppers to Think Lancaster First before heading to malls outside the county to do their holiday shopping.
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Smoke Damage Restoration in Mayport, Florida
Do not take any chances with your health and well-being when it comes to smoke damage in Mayport. The harmful toxins that can be released when carpeting, draperies, and upholstery are burned can be unpleasant and even dangerous. Call DRT Restoration, LLC: the experts at repairing smoke damage that Mayport, FL residents have trusted since 1999 to restore their property.
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The trained professionals at DRT Restoration, LLC will analyze the soot residue left behind before we begin the smoke damage restoration process. The best restoration plan for your needs will then be determined based on our analysis. DRT Restoration, LLC will provide the most effective cleaning method for all of the surfaces that have been affected.
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Depending on the intensity and temperature of the fire that has occurred, the soot residue that has been left behind from your Mayport smoke damage can vary. Whether the soot residue is wet smoke residue, dry smoke residue, protein residue, fuel oil soot or other types of residue, the knowledgeable Mayport smoke restoration experts will properly remove the soot from ALL affected surfaces.
Quality Smoke Damage Restoration in Mayport
- DRT Restoration, LLC will aggressively pre-treat all areas of your property to minimize secondary damage from potentially happening
- Properly dispose of all un-salvageable items, belongings, and debris
- Remove soot from all surfaces
- Eliminate unpleasant odors from the fire and smoke
- Dry and dehumidify the affected areas to prevent bacteria, fungi, and mildew
When you need immediate assistance with smoke damage in Mayport, call the one company who will provide safe and professional clean up to your home or office: DRT Restoration, LLC. We are available 24/7 to be there for you when you need us most. We have been proudly providing Mayport, Florida smoke damage restoration since 1999.
Call for FREE Smoke Damage Restoration Quote
(904) 746-0416
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Anonymous in Orange Park, FL2019-04-24
★★★★★ - "HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I was on a 2-day deadline to have my master bathroom dry-walled and mudded before I moved out of state. They starting working on my bathroom the same day I called and had it completed the next day. They did a great job! Thank you DRT!"
Rich King in Saint Augustine, FL2018-11-15
★★★★★ - "A pipe broke in our house, flooded practically the entire house, DRT Restoration came immediately, shut the water off, got all the water up and did a professional and wonderful job with the clean up. They took away all the anxiety I was having before they came.
In addition, they contacted our insurance company and I had very little contact with them."
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★★★★★ - "One of our pipes broke in our bathroom and water flooded most of my bedroom, which is all carpet so trying to try it out was impossible. I was kind of freaking out when it was happening but this restoration company totally saved the day! Highly recommend these guys"
Michael B., Water Damage Restoration in Jacksonville, FL
Call for FREE Smoke Damage Restoration Quote
(904) 746-0416
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Serving Communities in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod & The Islands
Chapman Family Funeral Homes has a legacy of commitment, stability, and expertise, offering a range of personal and affordable services through our family owned and operated funeral homes in Falmouth, West Falmouth, Mashpee, Martha's Vineyard, Wareham, Marstons Mills (also serving Nantucket), Harwich, Yarmouth, Bridgewater, and East Bridgewater. We celebrate the lives of your loved ones with dignity and heartfelt compassion, handling every detail with grace and precision.
Family Owned and Operated for More than 150 Years
For five generations, ever since Abraham Lincoln was in the White House, the Chapman family has served the region with distinction, providing New England communities, and individuals of all faiths and perspectives, with great comfort, dignity, and guidance in their time of need. We appreciate the confidence and trust placed in us, and we are honored to serve you. More ...
Our Services
Chapman Family Funeral Homes takes great pride in providing exceptional guidance and planning in honoring and celebrating the deceased. We offer a range of personal and meaningful funeral services, visitations, life celebrations, cremations, burials, and grief support.More »
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Funeral arrangements are a deeply personal choice. Pre-planning provides you with the time needed to make practical, detailed decisions that reflect your standards, lifestyle, taste, and budget. And we assure you and your family that the choices you make will be carried out as you planned.More »
In the Community
Community is the core of the Chapman family. We are active in the communities we serve, contributing time and resources to youth sports, schools, churches, synagogues and other places of worship, community organizations and programs, food drives, support for seniors, Alzheimer's walks, cancer and heart disease research, other healthcare causes, and more.


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patterns > Forever Stitchin's Ravelry Store
> Phoebe the Piglet
Phoebe the Piglet
Phoebe the Piglet Crochet Pattern by Forever Stitchin
::Buy 3 Get 1 Free! No coupon - just add 4 individual patterns to your cart and discount will be applied::
This listing is for the PDF crochet pattern – NOT the finished product.
For this project you will need to know basic crochet stitches – increasing and decreasing. The pattern includes instruction, as well as a picture guide when necessary.
The completed character will stand approximately 8 inches tall. You will need Pink, Brown and White yarn with the option of Black yarn or 2 12 mm post eyes, I/5.50mm crochet hook and a tapestry needle to complete this pattern.
Please note that due to the nature of digital files I cannot give any refunds. If you need any help I am happy to provide customer service to help with any of my designs, please feel free to contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com
You are free to sell what you make from this pattern, but you may not share, copy or reproduce this pattern in part or whole. Photographs are also copyright protected, you must use your photos of your own work. Please link back to my shop if selling your finished items online.
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