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Jose Abreu hitting the rookie wall: 'It's too much'
As he continues assimilating into his new country during a spectacularly successful rookie season, Jose Abreu is starting to get familiarized with a term used in American sports parlance – hitting the wall.
The Chicago White Sox first baseman, so used to hitting balls over walls, seems to be running smack into a figurative one.
Abreu entered the weekend tied for the major league lead in home runs (31) and RBI (86), but he hasn't homered since July 29, has driven in just three runs in August and acknowledged the wear of the major league season has taken a toll.
Abreu was used to playing 90-game seasons in Cuba, from where he defected last August. This year he has played in 106 of the White Sox's 121 games – he had a 15-day stint on the disabled list May 18-June 1 – in addition to 17 in spring training, and a quarter of the season still lies ahead.
"We play so many games, you get to a point you want (the season) to end,'' Abreu told USA TODAY Sports in Spanish. "It's too much, but that's what you have to deal with and you've got to be strong. I've been counting down since the 58th game and we still have (41) left. Wow. It's not so much that you get tired, but you spend so much time away from your family, and I'm a family guy. I want to be with them.''
Abreu will get his wish during the White Sox's six-game homestand that begins Friday. His parents were due to join him in Chicago from Miami the day before, and, along with his fiancée, will accompany Abreu to New York next weekend when the White Sox visit the Yankees.
Jose Oriol Abreu and his wife, Daysi Correa, made it stateside in May and first saw their son play in the majors at the All-Star Game. White Sox catcher Adrian Nieto, a fellow Cuban native who spends time with Abreu off the field, said their arrival calmed him down.
"It's been a big relief for him,'' Nieto said. "He's really close to his family, especially his mother. He's more relaxed.''
Not that Abreu struggled in their absence. He earned AL Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month honors in April, then repeated the feat in July, when he batted .374 with six homers and 19 RBI, becoming the first rookie ever to score that double achievement.
His batting average steadily climbed from the .260 range in early June to over .300 in late July, as Abreu put together hitting streaks of 18 and 21 games. He had a 31-gamer as a rookie in Cuba.
"He's glorified for the amount of home runs he's hitting, but people need to start looking at him as a really solid hitter,'' hitting coach Todd Steverson said. "He uses the whole field; he's not just a pull guy. He has a good idea of what he wants to do. He makes adjustments in games, which is one of the bigger things to do as a hitter in general.''
August has proven challenging, though, as Abreu is batting .262 with one extra-base hit and a .666 on-base plus slugging percentage this month, compared to his season marks of .300 and .959.
There are multiple reasons for the recent stumble. For one, Abreu's exploits are common knowledge now, so he's getting pitched around more. Whereas pitchers tried busting him inside early in the season, only to find out he could turn on their heat, they tend to challenge him less frequently now.
"A guy like that, you try to minimize the damage,'' said the San Francisco Giants' Ryan Vogelsong, who induced three harmless grounders from Abreu as he and his staff mates held the slugger to an infield hit in eight at-bats in a two-game series earlier this week.
"He's a good hitter, he's got power. You try to make pitches to keep him in the ballpark, keep him from getting extra-base hits.''
In addition to the tougher pitching, Abreu is learning how to deal with the endless procession of games while playing for a non-contender and adapting to the demands of frequent travel as a jittery flier.
He's mindful of getting enough rest and maintains a training routine to counter the effects of fatigue. As for his fear of flying, Abreu relies on appealing to a higher being.
"I'm terrified to be up there, and with all those things that have been happening with planes, that has me really messed up,'' said Abreu, who's particularly nervous about turbulence. "Every time we get on a plane I say, 'Lord, please hold up this plane. Let it go up and down normally.' It's really hard. I don't like it.''
But having endured the hardships common to all defectors, including leaving his family behind in Cuba, Abreu has faced worse. He's fond of saying life presents you obstacles and it's up to you to overcome them, and that's the approach he's taking to his current offensive downswing.
Known for his mental toughness, Abreu puts in extra work and takes advantage of tools that were not available to him in Cuba, such as video of pitchers and himself, detailed scouting reports and advanced training equipment.
He also leans on the advice of his mother, who provided the impetus for him leaving the island and the inspiration for his selection of jersey No. 79. Abreu talks to her daily and heeds her sage words.
"When you're down, that's when you need to be your best person and help others,'' said Abreu, 27. "I don't feel good at the plate now. I've lost my rhythm, but I'm working even harder to regain it. I'm not producing the way I'd like to. That happened to me at times in Cuba too.''
And he always snapped out of it, as proven by his career .341 batting average and 1.078 OPS in 10 seasons in the Cuban Serie Nacional, in addition to his distinguished track record at the international level, including the 2013 World Baseball Classic, before signing a six-year, $68 million contract with Chicago in late October.
That history of success, coupled with Abreu's all-fields hitting approach and his ability to adjust, give the White Sox confidence that he'll soon get back to busting walls with his drives.
"He's smart enough to go with the ebbs and flows,'' manager Robin Ventura said. "I think that's what he's learning right now, that it never stops. In baseball, with the way guys pitch, there's not just a set, like here's a blueprint of how you get him out and it never changes. He's been able to change while people are changing all the time. That's why he's having the year he's having.''


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In situations where medication, therapy, and the combination of these treatments prove ineffective or work too slowly to relieve severe symptoms, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered.
Some people may also consider complementary or alternative treatments for depression. Complementary or alternative treatments may include:
- Acupuncture
- St. John's wort
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamin B6
- SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine)
- 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan)
- Valerian.
(Click Natural Remedies for Depression or Acupuncture and Depression for more information on what research has shown regarding these alternative treatments.)
There are several alternatives to maprotiline, including other medications and therapy. Talk to your healthcare provider if maprotiline is not working for you or your child, or if you are experiencing bothersome maprotiline side effects. You may need to try one of the other depression treatments.
Maprotiline (Ludiomil)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
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text:
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From an Us Weekly interview with Oprah BFF Gayle King:
I changed my name from Gail to Gayle in seventh grade because I liked to make a loopy Y.
From a STFU Parents post about Increasingly Yoonique Names:
I'm anticipating future pushback from readers who, over time, have come to accept and welcome names like 'Brayden' and 'Kaidence' into their lives. But until that fateful day arrives, I'm sticking to my belief that yoonique names are usually more effective at confusing teachers and government workers than they are at ensuring greatness and instilling confidence in kids.
From the book "A Herman Melville Encyclopedia" by Robert L. Gale:
Melville in a letter to Evert Duyckinck says that he and his wife will probably name their new-born son Stanwix because "this lad's great grandfather spent his summers [at Fort Stanwix] in the Revolutionary War before Saratoga came into being–I mean Saratoga Springs & Pavilions" (7 November 1851).
(Melville's baby boy did indeed end up with the name Stanwix. Stanwix's great-grandfather was Peter Gansevoort, and his siblings were Malcolm, Elizabeth and Frances.)
From Anna Powell-Smith's post on Baby names in England and Wales:
Celebrity names may also give an insight into public opinion: I enjoyed comparing trends for Jude and Sienna, especially what happens when Jude is exposed as a a CHEATING LOVE RAT in 2005 – the popularity of his name dips sharply, but hers continues to rise.
From a Waltzing More Than Matilda post about our (newly named) galactic supercluster, Laniakea:
The name Laniakea was suggested by Nawa'a Napoleon, associate professor of Hawaiian Language at Kapiolani Community College. The Hawaiian name can be translated in a number of ways, including "open skies", "wide sky", or "wide horizons", but in this case it is understood as "immeasurable heavens". The name was chosen to honour Polynesian navigators who studied the heavens in order to navigate the Pacific Ocean.
From Paul Schmidtberger's City Room Blog post about misspelled baby names:
I have a major gripe with the trend of misspelling baby names. On purpose. The parents' logic runs something like this: "My child is special and unique. Thus, my child deserves a special, uniquely spelled name."
All across America, parents are mangling names in a misguided mission to trumpet their kid's individuality. Take the wildly popular name Chase, which is actually not a name at all, but something a dog does to its tail. It was annoying to begin with, but now it gets worse as it slowly mutates from Chase to Chace, and on to Chayce.
Misspelling a child's name won't make Junior special, creative or unique. Y's and I's are not interchangeable, and apostrophes are not some sort of newfangled confetti to be sprinkled liberally throughout groups of letters. Parents shouldn't impose cryptic, incoherent or foolish spellings on their own children, nor on society as a whole. And they shouldn't condemn their children to a lifetime of bleakly repeating that, no, the name in question is spelled "Shaiyahne," not "Cheyenne." (And while I'm at it, don't name your child Cheyenne, either.)
Want to see more name quotes?


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic senate leader Harry Reid delivered his latest attack on billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, saying they were trying to buy the American political system by funding conservative and libertarian candidates in midterm elections.
Reid, 74, repeatedly used the word "radical" to decry the influence on U.S. politics of the Kochs in a speech to the U.S. Senate on Thursday. The brothers spent over $100 million on the 2012 elections and continue to pour money into races for the November midterms in which control of Congress is at stake.
The Nevada senator's bitter jabs appeared to reflect concerns among Democratic leaders over the Kochs' big spending at a time when polls show displeasure over President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul hurting his ratings, and those of other Democrats.
"These are two oil barons, and they're trying to rig the political system to favor the rich and especially favor themselves," Reid said, marking at least the seventh time in recent weeks he has gone after the Kochs in public.
Through a network of advocacy groups - most prominently Americans For Prosperity (AFP) - the Kochs have put out a range of television and Internet advertisements bashing Democratic House and Senate candidates who support the healthcare law known as Obamacare.
AFP and other Koch groups have spent more than $30 million in this election cycle. Reid's speech was part of a Democratic push to fight back by casting the Koch brothers as villains.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has launched a campaign claiming the Republican Party is "addicted to Koch" (pronounced "coke"). The committee has promised to aggressively point out when Koch-backed ads are discredited and to create Web ads and a social media push.
"Senator Reid knows that Republicans are going to pay a price in 2014 for their unshakeable allegiance to the Koch brothers by pushing an agenda that is good for billionaires and bad for almost everyone else in the country," DSCC spokesman Justin Barasky said.
"If the Kochs get their way, they will buy a U.S. Senate that wants to end Medicare as we know it and wants to dismantle Social Security. That's a huge problem for the country."
Democrats have begun releasing television ads targeting the Koch brothers, whom Forbes lists as each having a net worth of about $40 billion.
Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic group, put out an ad in Louisiana criticizing the Kochs' spending in that state's Senate race. Alaska Senator Mark Begich, another Democrat targeted in Koch-sponsored ads, attacked the brothers in a television spot of his own.
Robert Tappan, a spokesman for Koch Industries, fired back at Reid on Thursday, casting the senator as a man who "sounds desperate to keep his job."
Reid is up for election for a sixth six-year term in 2016. Many Republicans are hoping that Nevada's popular governor, Brian Sandoval, will challenge him.
"Like most Americans, we believe his conduct is beneath his office, and his statements about us are false," Tappan said.
"For the sitting majority leader to go out on the floor of the Senate and single out two individuals and try to demonize them because they're exercising their First Amendment rights ... we find that very, very troubling," he added.
Democrats' concerns about the influx of major out-of-state donations influencing congressional races were exacerbated on Tuesday when Republican David Jolly won a special election over Democrat Alex Sink in Florida's 13th District.
Both parties and their supporters spent millions of dollars on the race, which was widely seen as an early sign of Democrats' election vulnerability on Obamacare.
For months, Democratic leaders have urged major donors to step up their contributions for the midterm elections. They are concerned Republicans are more focused on the midterms than Democratic donors, who may be looking ahead to 2016, when former secretary of state Hillary Clinton may run for president.
Obama has asked donors to contribute more in a series of fundraisers. Billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer has pledged to spend as much as $100 million on the midterm elections, focusing on candidates who favor plans to curb climate change.
On Thursday, Republicans seized on such efforts in chiding Democrats over Reid's comments about the Kochs. Republican National Committee spokesman Jahan Wilcox pointed to a series of recent speeches by Senate Democrats on climate change, remarks that many Republicans saw as a nod to Steyer.
"The hypocrisy of the Senator Reid knows no end, because a few days ago he rented out the chamber so Democrats could curry favor with liberal billionaire Tom Steyer," Wilcox said.
(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by David Lindsey and Andrew Hay)


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19 Jan, 2012
Official 2012 Camaro ZL1 Brochure
Posted by: admin In: Main
On the heels of the first batch of production ZL1 reviews, comes the official 2012 Camaro ZL1 brochure. It features 20 pages of ZL1 eye candy and information. Even though we've known and seen most of this info already, we still can't get enough Download the PDF version of the brochure inside. View the 2012 [...]
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About the Report
Over the past 20 years, over 700 new active substances (NASs) have successfully been discovered, developed and authorized by regulatory bodies for use with patients globally. This report profiles the NASs launched in the U.S. over the past 20 years and measures the length of a molecule's lifetime from patent filing to launch and eventual patent expiry. It also explores the significant variations in this lifetime when viewed by molecule characteristics such as therapy area, orphan drug status, and the type of companies involved in the development and marketing. These issues and trends highlight important implications for investors and manufacturers.
A total of 667 innovative biopharmaceuticals launched in the U.S. over the past 20 years, 1996-2015, bringing new treatment options to patients. After a low point of only 19 NAS launches in 2008, the number has steadily increased and reached 47 in 2015. The characteristics of biopharmaceutical innovation have also evolved over the past two decades, with increases in the share of cancer treatment launches from 11% to 28%, orphan indications from 21% to 42% and biologic launches.
The time between when a medicine is discovered and when the originator ceases to receive significant revenues can be considered its lifetime. The average time from initial patent filing until launch for all molecules studied is 12.8 years, while the time from a product's launch until the expiration of its patent or other form of exclusivity is just over 13.5 years and has been steadily declining. The combination of these factors are contributing to a decline in economic returns from investment in research and development, although these remain positive.
The majority of drug launches achieve modest levels of average annual sales in their first five years on the market, although a relatively small number of outlier products garner significantly higher sales. A growing percentage of products are taking longer than five years to reach their peak sales, which may reflect slower progress to reach the patients who will benefit from the new medicines.
Key Findings
The Highest Proportion of NASs Launched 1996–2015 Target Oncology and Communicable Diseases
- Oncology drugs accounted for 18% of NASs, as the number of tumor types with highly effective treatments has increased dramatically over 20 years.
- NASs for CNS disorders and mental health contributed 9% to the launches during the analyzed period, while cardiovascular and anti-diabetes drugs make up 6% and 3% of launches, respectively.
- Of the NASs, almost 60% are primarily prescribed to patients by specialists rather than primary care physicians, about a quarter are biologics, and almost one third have one or more orphan designations granted by the FDA.
- Nearly three quarters of new medicines were patented by a different entity than the company that registered the drug with the FDA for marketing in the U.S.
The Average Time from Patent Filing until Launch in the U.S. Market for NASs Launched 1996 to 2015 is 12.8 Years
- Some NASs have short patent to launch times with patents filed close to their launch date. This can occur, for example, when the molecule is a naturally occurring substance or when the original patent was filed in another country.
- In other cases, many years or even decades elapse between a drug's initial patent and its eventual launch. This can reflect, for example, molecules which were patented and whose development was left dormant for a period.
- Over the past 20 years, the average time from patent filing to launch has also varied for each year's cohort of new drugs from a low of 10 years 8 months in 1998 to a high of 17 years 7 months for the 2008 cohort.
The Average Time from Launch until Patent Expiry in the U.S. Market for NASs Launched 1996 to 2015 is 13.5 Years
- Patents in the U.S. are granted to protect intellectual property for a period of 20 years from the time of filing, but other forms of exclusivity can be granted. Subsequent patent filings related to a molecule or delivery device also may have a term of twenty years from the date of filing and extend the protected time relative to the original patent.
- Due to delays in clinical trials or setbacks in regulatory reviews, some products reach the market with substantially less of their patent lives remaining than others.
- The majority of NAS reach the market with more than 10 years remaining under patent protection.
Only a Small Share of NASs See High Average Annual Sales in the First Five Years
- The majority of drug launches achieve very modest levels of average annual sales in their first five years on the market.
- From 1996–2015, 62% of the launches averaged less than $100 million in average annual sales during their initial five years following launch, suggesting that substantial lifetime returns are exceedingly rare.
- Only 19 drugs have reached the $1 billion in annual sales mark within their first five years on the market over the past 20 years, but 9 of these were launched in the past five years, including the only four drugs that exceeded $3 billion in annual sales within five years of their launch, and among these two notable hepatitis C drugs.


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Katie Miller's images attract us and repel us equally. This double movement is due in large part to the artist's fastidious painterly style that demands close viewing as well as from afar.
Miller, fascinated by the connotations of what she terms "animal breeding, adornment, love or lust," creates works that give us access to her susceptibilities as an artist. Sharply attuned to formal nuances whether they are in the realm of color, or shape, or line or subject matter she has explores the arenas of excess, decadence, uncontrolled metamorphosis, and artificiality. She is attentive to aberrations, hybridity, abnormal behavioral psychology, social pathologies, behavioral psychology, and evolutionary biology. She is fascinated by dog shows and child beauty pageants. Miller is compelled to ask questions about the nature/culture divide as she ponders the ins and outs (and the no-exits) of the nurture/nature debate that centers on differing debates about the socialization process. Towards that end Miller paints with astonishing mimetic exactitude in her new work as she goes about shuffling the natural order in her interrogation of differences, limits, and of the impossible.


text: Here's an interesting play, this time its Samsung for Cancer Research with PowerSleep. They have developed an android app made specifically for their phones that processes research data while you're sleeping, by using your un-used processing power at night, specifically for Cancer research centers, enabling them to fast-track their research with the power of millions of global Samsung users. And whilst the case film feels a little gimmicky, the idea is absolutely not. A powerful way to harness the world for good. Click here to download it and help.


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Nazareth's rejection of Jesus highlights the need for people to have an open and trusting disposition towards God in order to receive miracles, Pope Benedict XVI said on July 8.
"In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that if we live with an open and simple heart, nourished by true faith, we can recognize the presence of God in our lives and follow his holy will," said the Pope during his Sunday Angelus address.
For the first time this summer, the Pope was addressing pilgrims gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.
He dwelt upon the Gospel passage in which Christ is not accepted by his hometown. St. Mark records how Jesus said to them: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house."
Pope Benedict said this reaction was "understandable," as "familiarity at the human level makes it difficult to go beyond that and to be open to the divine dimension."
Jesus himself recognized this fact, drawing a parallel with "the example of the prophets of Israel, who had been the object of contempt in their own home."
Because of the hostile reaction in Nazareth, however, Jesus "could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them," records St. Mark.
This is because "the miracles of Christ are not a display of power, but signs of the love of God, which is made present where it encounters the faith of man," Pope Benedict explained.
Rather than resign himself to this rejection, however, Christ is "amazed" at the people's lack of faith.
"How is it possible that they do not recognize the light of truth?" asked the Pope. "Why are they not open to the goodness of God, who has willed to share our humanity?"
The answer, he said, is that they do not recognize the great miracle of God's incarnation in Jesus Christ, a reality to which modern society can also be blind.
"While we too always seek other signs, other wonders, we do not realize that the he is the real sign, God made flesh; he is the greatest miracle of the universe: all the love of God hidden in a human heart, in a human face."
The Pope then led the pilgrims in the praying of the Angelus before addressing them in various languages, wishing them all "a pleasant stay in Castel Gandolfo and a blessed Sunday!"


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All year, he had taken aim at 50 feet in the triple jump. He came close twice, but Aaron Worrell didn't reach his goal until the final meet of his senior year.
Woodside's Worrell won the Group AAA indoor state championship with a jump of 49-7 1/2. Then in the Eastern Region meet outdoors, he reached 49-5 1/2.
Close, but not quite.
Then, in his first jump in the outdoor state meet, with adrenaline flowing and the knowledge this was his last state meet, he soared all the way to 51-5. He won the state championship by nearly two and a half feet.
"I knew it was over 50, but I didn't think it was over 51," said Worrell, who has accepted at track scholarship from the University of Virginia. "I didn't want to lose my last state meet. I was excited."
That performance and his season-long excellence in the triple jump make him the Daily Press' athlete of the year for boys outdoor track.
Consider this: As a University of Virginia recruit, had he made that same jump in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship this year, he would have won the event by seven inches. And that jump would have finished 10th in the NCAA championship meet.
At the state meet, his second jump of 49-11 was the second-best of the day. After that, Worrell passed on his final four attempts. He stayed ready, just in case, but the best runner-up Mustaqeem Williams of Forest Park managed was 48-11 1/2.
Worrell didn't limit himself to the triple jump. He was among the leaders in the long jump and high jump on the Peninsula this spring, plus he ran the 110- and 300-meter hurdles for the Wolverines.
But the triple jump was his specialty. He finished third in the Penn Relays behind two Jamaican jumpers in 48-3 1/4.
The 51-5 jump was his best, even in training, where he said he doesn't measure his jumps, but works on his technique.
"We had set a goal for him of 50 feet" in the state meet, said his coach, Jerel Williams. "After he jumped, we knew it was more than 50. It was remarkable."
His jump surpassed the previous state record of 51-2 1/4 by Phoebus' Alonzo Moore in 2001. That was the previous best on the Peninsula and he becomes only the fourth Peninsula jumper to reach 50 feet. The others were Moore, Menchville's Al Toon and Denbigh's Joey Smith.
Worrell will compete in a couple of meets later this summer, but will spend most of the time training and getting in shape for college.
Boys track and field All-Stars
100 METERS | Trenton Cannon | Kecoughtan | senior. He was the only area runner who broke 11 seconds this spring, running 10.92 in the Gloucester Invitational.
200 METERS | Ian Barrett | Warwick | junior. Although he didn't qualify for the final, he ran 22.09 in the Group AAA state meet.
400 METERS | Christopher Short | Warhill | sophomore. He ran 49.50 in the Region I meet at Culpeper.
800 METERS | Derek Holdsworth | Lafayette | junior. He finished second in the Group AA state meet in 1:54.29, just slower than his season's best of 1:54.20.
1,600 METERS | Kurtis Steck | Lafayette | senior. He ran the area's best time by six seconds in winning the mile at the Southern Track Classic in 4:16.76. That translates into 4:15.27 in the 1,600-meter race.
3,200 METERS | Kurtis Steck | Lafayette | senior. He ran 9:08.49 in the Raleigh Relays, which was one of the best times in area history in the event.
110 HURDLES | Charles Graham | Phoebus | sophomore. He dominated this event on the Peninsula, turning in a season-best 14.01 in the Southern Track Classic.
300 HURDLES | Charles Graham | Phoebus | sophomore. He consistently ran under 40 seconds in the event and ran his best time of 38.47 in a meet in Woodbridge.
400 RELAY | Warwick (Ian Barrett, X'Saviar Murrell, Cardon Johnson, Jawann Banks). The group ran 43.13 in the Peninsula District meet.
1,600 RELAY | Hampton (Trey Pressley, Abdul Ellis, Zopella Barnes, Darius Green). They finished seventh in the state by running 3:21.46.
3,200 RELAY | Lafayette (Andrew Loper, Luke Tillis, Kurtis Steck, Derek Holdsworth). They were the only area team that broke eight minutes this spring, running 7:54.68 in the Region I meet.
HIGH JUMP | Marquis Childress | Smithfield | senior. He was consistently well over 6 feet during the spring, with a career-best clearance of 6 feet, 6 inches in the Gloucester Invitational.
POLE VAULT | Gabe Modzelewski | Jamestown | junior. He cleared 11-6 five times, including the Group AA state meet.
LONG JUMP | X'Saviar Murrell | Warwick | senior. He had the area's best jump of 22-4 1/4 in the Eastern Region meet.
TRIPLE JUMP | Aaron Worrell | Woodside | senior. His amazing jump of 51-5 in the Group AAA state meet surpassed his previous best by nearly two feet.
SHOT PUT | Jaquan Hayes | Lafayette | senior. He led the area with a 46-9 put in the Group AA state meet, which was 19 inches better than his previous best.
DISCUS | Darron Patton | Lafayette | junior. He had a best throw of 145-8 in the Bay Rivers District meet.


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By DAVID EGGERT, Associated Press
LANSING (AP) – Rep. Matt Lori found himself in an unusual position when shepherding through a $15.3 billion health budget that pays for Medicaid, the health insurance program for the needy.
The Republican chairman of the House health budget subcommittee favored GOP Gov. Rick Snyder's proposal to make hundreds of thousands of more residents Medicaid-eligible under the federal health overhaul. But he left Medicaid expansion out of the spending bill last week because it lacks enough backing among Republicans.
"We're trying to build enough support to get it done," said Lori, of Constantine. "People just need to be educated on the whole thing. It's very complicated."
Nearly seven weeks after calling for Medicaid expansion, Snyder and advocates representing businesses, health care interests and low-income residents have yet to persuade the GOP-controlled Legislature. They have two months until a self-imposed June 1 budget deadline.
The recent legislative defeat of another component of the federal health law – partnering with the U.S. government on an insurance market – is not a good sign. Some Republicans say they are open to changing course on Medicaid, though.
Among them is Rep. Robert VerHeulen of Walker, a member of Lori's subcommittee.
"I have a number of reservations. The short-term economic benefit is very appealing. But I generally don't support expansion of government," he said.
If he is going to get behind Medicaid expansion, VerHeulen wants to see the Medicaid system become more "market-driven" – where more participants contribute to the cost of their care.
"Even if it's 50 cents, it's something contributing to one's own health care or well-being. I think that's a healthy objective," he said.
Jan Hudson, senior policy analyst at the Michigan League for Public Policy, said there are small co-pays in the Medicaid program now, which is because participants are poor.
"When you put substantial cost-sharing requirements on low-income people, all you do is make it so they can't use their health coverage," she said.
The 2012 Supreme Court ruling that upheld most of the federal health law gives states the option to accept Medicaid expansion, refuse it or postpone a decision.
Advocates of expansion say lawmakers should act now for a number of reasons:
– It makes sense financially. In 2014, Michigan could add 320,000 people to a program that already serves one in five residents, and the federal government would cover the full cost for three years, phasing down to 90 percent in 2020 and after.
The state would save $200 million a year initially because more people covered by state aid would be covered with federal aid. Snyder proposes tucking away half of the savings, so Michigan effectively would not owe anything for covering more people until 2035.
If expansion is rejected, though, there may not be money for other Snyder priorities such as giving dental coverage to more low-income kids and adding specialty courts for offenders with mental problems or drug addictions.
– It avoids unintended consequences. The law had two major prongs – insurance markets, or exchanges, for middle-income households and Medicaid expansion for low-income people. Those making up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line, about $15,000 for an individual, would be eligible for Medicaid if the program is expanded.
But there could be a "coverage chasm" without Medicaid expansion – with thousands unable to enroll in the program (because they are above Michigan's eligibility cutoff, 35 percent to 50 percent of the poverty line) but also ineligible for the marketplace (because they are below the poverty level, about $11,000 for an individual).
"They're going to remain uninsured," Hudson said.
There also could be ramifications for businesses. A recent study by Jackson Hewitt Tax Service said if Medicaid is not expanded, their employers could pay $54 million to $81 million in annual penalties if certain employees buy a government-subsidized plan.
– It is the right thing to do. Not having health insurance, advocates say, is worse for people's health. And the uncompensated cost of uninsured going to the emergency room instead of getting preventive care is passed to everyone else with employer coverage or their own plan.
Conservative groups continue to oppose the Medicaid proposal, saying the deficit-ridden federal government is in no position to get bigger.
While Democrats are on Snyder's side, he has his work cut out for him when legislators return from a two-week break.
"We don't have the votes for what the governor put out, but that doesn't mean we don't have the votes to get something done that would expand Medicaid," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville of Monroe. "We're discussing that now."
He, too, thinks legislators have to learn more about the current system and how the expansion would work.
"What the governor's asked for are big things, so big things don't happen overnight," he said.


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Rob Gronkowski crashed the White House press briefing on Wednesday, drawing laughs from the surprised press corps.
Press secretary Sean Spicer's briefing had been going on for about 20 minutes when the tight end opened a door and poked his head around the corner of the dais.
"Sean, you need some help?" Gronkowski said.
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"I think I got this, but thank you," Spicer responded.
"You sure?" Gronk persisted.
Gronkowski's surprise appearance got a loud laugh out of the assembled media. Spicer kept his composure, though, quickly returning to the subject at hand.
"That was cool," Spicer, who is a big Pats fan, said with a laugh. "How do you follow that?"
Gronkowski's New England Patriots were at the White House to accept congratulations from President Donald Trump for their Super Bowl victory.


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Forty-six Boy Scouts, leaders and family members representing the Boy Scouts of America from units chartered in Houma marched as color guards for eight Terrebonne Parish parades this year.
Forty-six Boy Scouts, leaders and family members representing the Boy Scouts of America from units chartered in Houma marched as color guards for eight Terrebonne Parish parades this year. In total, 321 man hours were spent marching 235 miles. An additional 40 miles were driven along the actual parade routes of the krewes of Aquarius, Hyacinthians, Titans, Terreaneans, Houmas and Kajuns, all in Houma, and the krewes of Montegut and Bonne Terre in Montegut.
Pac820, Troops 39, 311 and 820 and Crew 800 were represented during the four days as Scouts honored their country by carrying flags of the United States, Louisiana, Terrebonne Parish, Acadiana and their packs and troops.
Pack and Troop 820 are chartered to St. Louis Catholic Church in Bayou Blue. Together they represented 32 of the 46 who marched, accumulating 223 hours, while logging 159 miles marched and 27 miles driven.
Pack 820's Zachary Rodrigue was awarded the most miles marched award, logging 20 himself. For information, email Kelly Rodrigue, SELA Council Commissioner at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Senior center: The Bayou Blue Senior Citizens Center will suspend serving meals the first Tuesday of each month.
Bingo games will no longer be played at the center's monthly birthday luncheon. However, the dance that day will continue.
Bingo is held the first and second Tuesday of the month. Po-Ke-No is scheduled for the last Tuesday of the month.
Lorrainne Lovell was the queen in the Montegut tableau and parade.
The monthly birthday luncheon is scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month at the center, 201 Mazerac St.
Church news: First Presbyterian Church of Bayou Blue is beginning a new youth group, open to members and the public 13 and older. For information, call Vicky Wingard at 856-5532 or email email@example.com.
Adult faith formation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 28 in St. Louis Catholic Church's parish hall. To RSVP, call 876-3449.
SLECA news: Larry Daigle was re-elected without opposition to South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association's Board of Directors for District 3.
A meeting for District 3 is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 14 at St. Louis Catholic Church's parish hall, 2226 Bayou Blue Road. Refreshments will be served, and prizes will be awarded. Directors elected at the district meetings are sworn in at SLECA's annual membership meeting scheduled for April 19 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd.
Bayou Blue resident Nicole Theriot, owner of Bayou Blue Cakes, was featured in SLECA's Louisiana Country Magazine.
Sing-along: The Open House Gospel Sing-along is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the last Friday of each month, except November and December, at the SLECA building, 2028 Coteau Road, Houma. Admission is free. Anyone interested in singing or playing an instrument is invited to participate. Also, all pastors of different denominational churches are invited to attend. For information, call James Lee Savoie at 217-7949.
Meeting: The Terrebonne High School Class of 1965's monthly dinner for classmates and a guest or spouse is scheduled for 6 p.m. today at Sicily's Ultimate Italian Buffet, 1539 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Houma.
Birthdays: Joey Lagarde, Mary Breaux, Frankie Porche, Peggy Rogers, Shane and Shawn Redmond, Bryan Landry, Buck Ricketts, Becky Bolotte, Shawn Breaux, Feb. 20; Mary Pitre, Anita Arceneaux, Juanita Guidry, Brittany Roberts, Melissa Verdin, Roy Matherne, Feb. 21; Lisa Naquin, Melissa Marcel, Jarrod Frazier, Lorrainne Levron, Julianne Lopez, Briana Sanchez, Antoine Naquin Sr., Feb. 22; Madison McCaa, Grace Terrebonne, Chad Guidry, Jonathan Bollinger, Eric Sonier, Aubrey Carlos, Feb. 23; Haley Pellegrin, Tyler Trahan, Chelsea Hebert, Keith Kimberly, Feb. 24; David Brien, Sandra Collins, Chancing Rogers, Brittany Bourg, Feb. 25; Randy Foret, Corey Hebert, Samantha Bergeron, John Verret, Jason Matherne, James LeBouef III and Grant Naquin, Feb. 26.
Anniversaries: Richard and Linda Charpentier, Feb. 20; Verla and Herman Sonier Jr., Robbie and Becky McMeel, Jack and Brenda Opel, Feb. 21; Lee and Liz Daigle, Feb. 22; Tommy and Emily Moore, Feb. 23; and Patty and Michael Lodrigue, Feb. 24.


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The silent film resonances in this year's Oscar nominees and winners The Artist and Hugo have been much-commented on by folks more impassioned and eloquent than I. I'm just glad I could get away with dressing as Georges Méliès at a friend's Oscar party this year. It's been a season of Méliès for me, as I finished up an essay on the indispensable French film pioneer, now up at the Fandor Keyframe blog in two parts.
Local film screening venues have been capitalizing on the silent film/Oscar resonances all Winter, and the reverberations continue throughout March and into the coming months as well. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum includes Méliès films in three of its five Saturday night screening programs this month, including a hand-colored print of his Palace of the Arabian Nights March 31st. The Balboa Theatre also grabs a hold of Hugo this Sunday when it celebrates its 86th birthday. The tradition of showing a silent film during their annual bash continues, this year with a 35mm print of Harold Lloyd in Safety Last, the film from which comes the iconic image of a bespectacled wall-crawler hanging off a giant department store clock. Hugo presents this image prominently as well, when its main characters attend a film screening (although in the original book they attend the Rene Clair film Le Million.) Past Balboa birthday parties (I've attended three over the years) have been some of the best value-for-ticket-dollar experiences I've had on Frisco Bay. Not only is there a feature film with live musical accompaniment, but also other live entertainment, cake, door prizes and the opportunity for trivia prizes as well. Last year I made quite a haul, and would've even if I hadn't known my Charlie Chaplin trivia.
And then there's The Artist, the first French film ever to win the top Oscar. If you don't count its two scenes containing words and/or sound effects, it's also the first silent film to do so since the first Academy Awards in 1929, when Wings won an award called "Production of Most Outstanding Picture", which in most history books has been revised as "Best Picture" for consistency's sake. The Stanford Theatre showed William Wellman's Wings last Friday as part of a nearly-weekly series of silent films featuring Dennis James as organ accompanist; the series continues this week with Ernst Lubitsch's The Marriage Circle (a huge influence on Yasujiro Ozu and other filmmakers) this Friday, then goes on a little hiatus (during which James performs for F.W. Murnau's Faust with Mark Goldstein at the California Theatre for Cinequest) before resuming in late March and April.
According to a mailer sent out by the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, a screening of Wings will open its annual festival at the Castro Theatre on July 12th with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra providing music and soundman Ben Burtt proving audio effects live, in the spirit of the sound effects used during gala presentations of Wings in its day; the other Academy Award the film won in 1929 was for these effects as well as for the visual effects used to recreate World War I-era aerial action on screen.
But I would be remiss to look ahead to the SFSFF's July festival without pointing out that there are still tickets available for their once-in-a-generation screenings of Kevin Brownlow's reconstruction of Abel Gance's Napoléon at the palatial Paramount Theatre in Oakland. The festival's website has all the information you might need about this presentation, including an indispensable set of Frequently Asked Questions; the answers are an extremely compelling argument that anyone who loves film should attend at least one of these screenings. Which one? If you're the sort of hedging cinephile who waits to see what's happening at all the local film venues before committing to any one ticket, wait no more; pretty much everything has been announced. Check the Film On Film Foundation calendar for that week and see if there's not a day of the four (Mar, 24, 25, 31 & April 1) that you can make seeing Napoléon your priority. I don't want to hear any of my readers complaining a year or a decade from now that you didn't realize how unique and overpowering these screenings are likely to be, and therefore missed out. Even Hugo director Martin Scorsese is stumping for Napoléon. In a brief article written on the film for the latest issue of Vanity Fair he says the 1927 epic is "unlike anything made before or since. Gance ushered in every technical innovation imaginable."
I don't know if Scorsese will be taking his own article's advice and coming to Oakland for Napoléon. For those who want to see more of the famous preservationist and filmmaker, a Jonas Mekas-made documentary An American Film Director at Work: Martin Scorsese closes an 8-program series of documentaries about great film directors at Yerba Buena Center For the Arts; Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Bresson, Chantal Akerman, John Cassavetes and Hou Hsiao-Hsien are among the other directors spotlighted. March and April provide a typically diverse and intriguing slate for YBCA, with the great directors joined by SF Cinematheque programs, architecture films and 2012 Human Rights Watch Film Festival screenings. My friend Adam Hartzell, who has frequently written on documentaries on this site and elsewhere, is here to write about Salaam Dunk, which opens the latter festival tonight, and its resonances with other similarly-themed sports documentaries.
Here's his article.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Silent Introduction
The silent film resonances in this year's Oscar nominees and winners The Artist and Hugo have been much-commented on by folks more impassioned and eloquent than I. I'm just glad I could get away with dressing as Georges Méliès at a friend's Oscar party this year. It's been a season of Méliès for me, as I finished up an essay on the indispensable French film pioneer, now up at the Fandor Keyframe blog in two parts.
3 comments:
The reawakened interest in silent cinema has also inspired magazine editors to solicit thematic issues in months to come. You've already mentioned Scorsese's piece for Vanity Fair, but the next issue of Cineaste, I understand, will feature some pieces on silent cinema, as will the upcoming issue of Film International.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the tips on these periodicals, Michael! I just hope this flurry of interest doesn't create a feeling of it being a fad. I'd hate for cinemas and magazines in 2013 look at the truly timeless art of silent cinema as "so last year"...ReplyDelete
Not sure if that will be the prevailing attitude in 2013 as much as topical focus shifting to whatever has gained popular focus at the time. A friend of mine in Idaho commented that--upon seeing The Artist--she felt inspired to actually watch a piece of silent cinema; something she would never have considered before. I thought that was a lovely sentiment but wondered how she would truly have access to the proper experience. I fall asleep watching silent films on TCM. We here in the Bay Area are way beyond spoiled in having the advantage of the Silent Film Festival and other local forums where silent cinema is presented at its best; at proper speeds, at proper size, with proper music. Even though there may be a groundswell in popular interest this year, I'm not convinced it can withstand for long. My guess is that it's just "sexy" right now and, as we learned long ago, sex sells. Once it stops being sexy? Well, we will see.ReplyDelete
Of course, sexiness varies, like any mileage. I actually considered Serge Bromberg's illustrated talk on the history of 3D in silent cinema much more sexier than Scorsese's simulation of same. What was, in one, the glorious possibilities of film is in, the other, a digital facsimile. Just not the same for me.


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Pismo Beach News
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Three members of Code Pink, a nationwide anti-war group, staged a demonstration May 18 outside the La Jolla Farms home of the CEO of General Atomics, a local nuclear energy and defense firm. Intended to protest the production of predatory war drones and represent their "voiceless victims," two of the three women wore blindfolds inscribed with "stop drone attacks."
Code Pink activist Nancy Macias said the demonstration's goal was to "bring attention to the fact that General Atomics needs to be held accountable for manufacturing what are more or less weapons of mass destruction that kill innocent civilians in the Pakistan and Afghanistan regions, in addition to their intended targets." Macias said she sent a letter to the CEO requesting a personal meeting, but has not received a response.
San Diego Police Department Capt. Christopher Ball said that while laws exist to prohibit picketers from targeting specific residences, "an individual's First Amendment right to free speech pretty much trumps local ordinances," he said. "Our job is to try to balance that with someone's right to feel safe in their own home."
Code Pink held another, slightly larger demonstration at the General Atomics Headquarters on May 19 at 8 a.m.
Hanging baskets to receive makeover
Contractors bidding to serve as the vendor who will replace 122 of the 236 hanging baskets that adorn La Jolla Village's streets have until May 21 to make their case. Once the bid period closes, the city's Purchasing and Contract Department will select the lowest qualified bidder, who will then be responsible for purchasing the planter bowls, filling them, hanging them throughout the Village and maintaining them as necessary for one year. At that point, the city can decide to renew the contract for up to four additional one-year periods.
"We haven't decided which baskets will be replaced first, but it will most likely be those in the core of the Village where most tourists go first," said Alicia Martinez-Higgs, a community development specialist charged with the administration of the La Jolla Business Improvement District. "Our goal is to have them installed before July 4."
The replacement planters will be 20 inches in diameter, Martinez-Higgs said, which is slightly larger than the 16-inch baskets that currently line Village streets. They will be sturdier than the existing baskets and will contain succulents and other insect-resistant, drought-tolerant plants.
Promote La Jolla board members, who have been pursuing the project for several months, estimate that each basket will cost approximately $250 to maintain for one year, for a total of $59,000 if all baskets are eventually replaced.
Scripps Institute awarded new vessel
The Scripps Institute of Oceanography will be receiving a new class of research vessel called an ocean class ship from the U.S. Navy.
This state-of-the-art vessel will be 200-feet-long and will be able to operate continuously for 40 days at sea. The yet-to-be-designed and built ship will be used to conduct research in ocean acoustics, which aids the Navy in submarine and anti-submarine warfare. It will also enable scientists to further research of global climate change, as it will be equipped with state-of-the-art mapping and exploration equipment. The vessel will feature fuel-efficient engines that meet California's clean air standards.
Scripps currently has four oceanographic research vessels, more than any other research institution in the country.
The vessel will benefit many researchers due to the collaboration of Scripps with academic institutions and national laboratories throughout the U.S. The ocean class ship should be operational by 2015 and the Navy will pay more than $88 million to design and construct it.
Beach bash to benefit autistic youngsters
The nonprofit Community Coaching Center will host its annual Beach Bash to benefit children and teenagers with autism nationwide on May 22.
Guests will groove to live music by Lady Dottie & The Diamonds, shop at silent and live auctions, enter raffles, and enjoy appetizers and beverages at a VIP happy hour. The nonprofit organization hopes to raise $30,000 to support services like the Summer Inclusion Program for youth with autism, and to top last year's event, which attracted 450 guests and $27,000 in donations.
A VIP reception will commence at 7 p.m., with $35 tickets available for pre-sale only at (858) 603-7344 or www.communitycoachingcenter.org. General admission begins at 8 p.m., and the $15 tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. The event will last until 11 p.m. and will take place at Prospect Bar, 1025 Prospect St., suite 210.
Riford Center offers cooking classes
The Riford Center invites guests to sign up for a series of cooking classes in its brand-new, state-of-the-art kitchen throughout the months of June and July. The first class features a menu by Swiss chefs Urs and Ursula Baumann, and the first 20 guests to sign up will receive the cooking demonstration in addition to lunch. Each class costs $45 per person, and classes are available on June 11, June 18, July 9, and July 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. To register, call (858) 459-0831 or visit www.rifordcenter.org.


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H1N1 victim describes how she felt
Deb Pickart says she was misdiagnosed at first
More and more Wisconsinites are getting sick with the flu and going to the hospital.
So far, 103 people have been hospitalized in Milwaukee and 400 statewide, according to the Milwaukee Health Department.
Christmas may be over, but the joy of the season is just beginning for Deb Pickart, who spent the holiday in the hospital with the flu.
"I said, 'I'm gonna die. You gotta take me to the emergency room. This is enough. I can't breathe. I can't think,'" Pickart said.
Pickart said she rarely gets sick, and for allergy reasons decided not to get the flu vaccine.
But on Dec. 18, she became sicker than she's ever been.
"It started with the chest. All of a sudden I had such a horrible headache. If I ever knew what a migraine was, or I would imagine that's what it was or felt like, and then it got into my nose where I couldn't breathe. I was so congested I was gasping for air," Pickart said.
When Pickart went to the doctor she said she was misdiagnosed.
"She took a chest X-ray and said, 'I'm not sure, but it looks like pneumonia,'" Pickart said.
Three days later she suffered a seizure and ended up at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, where they diagnosed and treated her for H1N1.
She's not alone. More than 400 hundred people in the state have been hospitalized. Pickart wishes she'd gotten the vaccine.
"Don't risk it, because you don't want to go through what I went through," Pickart said.
Pickart is still recovering more than three weeks later.


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By Shane Claiborne
To all my nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends: I feel like I should begin with a confession. I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians. Christians who have had so much to say with our mouths and so little to show with our lives. I am sorry that so often we have forgotten the Christ of our Christianity.
Forgive us. Forgive us for the embarrassing things we have done in the name of God.
The other night I headed into downtown Philly for a stroll with some friends from out of town. We walked down to Penn's Landing along the river, where there are street performers, artists, musicians. We passed a great magician who did some pretty sweet tricks like pour change out of his iPhone, and then there was a preacher. He wasn't quite as captivating as the magician. He stood on a box, yelling into a microphone, and beside him was a coffin with a fake dead body inside. He talked about how we are all going to die and go to hell if we don't know Jesus.
Some folks snickered. Some told him to shut the hell up. A couple of teenagers tried to steal the dead body in the coffin. All I could do was think to myself, I want to jump up on a box beside him and yell at the top of my lungs, "God is not a monster." Maybe next time I will.
The more I have read the Bible and studied the life of Jesus, the more I have become convinced that Christianity spreads best not through force but through fascination. But over the past few decades our Christianity, at least here in the United States, has become less and less fascinating. We have given the atheists less and less to disbelieve. And the sort of Christianity many of us have seen on TV and heard on the radio looks less and less like Jesus.
At one point Gandhi was asked if he was a Christian, and he said, essentially, "I sure love Jesus, but the Christians seem so unlike their Christ." A recent study showed that the top three perceptions of Christians in the U. S. among young non-Christians are that Christians are 1) antigay, 2) judgmental, and 3) hypocritical. So what we have here is a bit of an image crisis, and much of that reputation is well deserved. That's the ugly stuff. And that's why I begin by saying that I'm sorry.
Now for the good news.
I want to invite you to consider that maybe the televangelists and street preachers are wrong — and that God really is love. Maybe the fruits of the Spirit really are beautiful things like peace, patience, kindness, joy, love, goodness, and not the ugly things that have come to characterize religion, or politics, for that matter. (If there is anything I have learned from liberals and conservatives, it's that you can have great answers and still be mean... and that just as important as being right is being nice.)
The Bible that I read says that God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it... it was because "God so loved the world." That is the God I know, and I long for others to know. I did not choose to devote my life to Jesus because I was scared to death of hell or because I wanted crowns in heaven... but because he is good. For those of you who are on a sincere spiritual journey, I hope that you do not reject Christ because of Christians. We have always been a messed-up bunch, and somehow God has survived the embarrassing things we do in His name. At the core of our "Gospel" is the message that Jesus came "not [for] the healthy... but the sick." And if you choose Jesus, may it not be simply because of a fear of hell or hope for mansions in heaven.
Don't get me wrong, I still believe in the afterlife, but too often all the church has done is promise the world that there is life after death and use it as a ticket to ignore the hells around us. I am convinced that the Christian Gospel has as much to do with this life as the next, and that the message of that Gospel is not just about going up when we die but about bringing God's Kingdom down. It was Jesus who taught us to pray that God's will be done "on earth as it is in heaven." On earth.
One of Jesus' most scandalous stories is the story of the Good Samaritan. As sentimental as we may have made it, the original story was about a man who gets beat up and left on the side of the road. A priest passes by. A Levite, the quintessential religious guy, also passes by on the other side (perhaps late for a meeting at church). And then comes the Samaritan... you can almost imagine a snicker in the Jewish crowd. Jews did not talk to Samaritans, or even walk through Samaria. But the Samaritan stops and takes care of the guy in the ditch and is lifted up as the hero of the story. I'm sure some of the listeners were ticked. According to the religious elite, Samaritans did not keep the right rules, and they did not have sound doctrine... but Jesus shows that true faith has to work itself out in a way that is Good News to the most bruised and broken person lying in the ditch.
It is so simple, but the pious forget this lesson constantly. God may indeed be evident in a priest, but God is just as likely to be at work through a Samaritan or a prostitute. In fact the Scripture is brimful of God using folks like a lying prostitute named Rahab, an adulterous king named David... at one point God even speaks to a guy named Balaam through his donkey. Some say God spoke to Balaam through his ass and has been speaking through asses ever since. So if God should choose to use us, then we should be grateful but not think too highly of ourselves. And if upon meeting someone we think God could never use, we should think again.
After all, Jesus says to the religious elite who looked down on everybody else: "The tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom ahead of you." And we wonder what got him killed?
I have a friend in the UK who talks about "dirty theology" — that we have a God who is always using dirt to bring life and healing and redemption, a God who shows up in the most unlikely and scandalous ways. After all, the whole story begins with God reaching down from heaven, picking up some dirt, and breathing life into it. At one point, Jesus takes some mud, spits in it, and wipes it on a blind man's eyes to heal him. (The priests and producers of anointing oil were not happy that day.)
In fact, the entire story of Jesus is about a God who did not just want to stay "out there" but who moves into the neighborhood, a neighborhood where folks said, "Nothing good could come." It is this Jesus who was accused of being a glutton and drunkard and rabble-rouser for hanging out with all of society's rejects, and who died on the imperial cross of Rome reserved for bandits and failed messiahs. This is why the triumph over the cross was a triumph over everything ugly we do to ourselves and to others. It is the final promise that love wins.
It is this Jesus who was born in a stank manger in the middle of a genocide. That is the God that we are just as likely to find in the streets as in the sanctuary, who can redeem revolutionaries and tax collectors, the oppressed and the oppressors... a God who is saving some of us from the ghettos of poverty, and some of us from the ghettos of wealth.
In closing, to those who have closed the door on religion — I was recently asked by a non-Christian friend if I thought he was going to hell. I said, "I hope not. It will be hard to enjoy heaven without you." If those of us who believe in God do not believe God's grace is big enough to save the whole world... well, we should at least pray that it is.
Your brother,
Views: 598
I'm still not interested in religion, but I'd say the apology was nice to hear and a long time comin'.
Some good sentiments in this article and he seems well-meaning--but apology aside, the issue over Christian faith for nonbelievers is not Jesus or bad Christians, or whether God is love or not.
Ultimately it's that we don't believe his god exists.
It might not explain why we're atheists, but it might explain why we're antitheist. Many atheists don't just choose not to partake in religion -- a lot of them fiercely hate it and want to see it wiped from the face of the earth.
Now, if only the Nazis would apologize for WWII.
If he's trying to reduce the dislike of Christianity many nonbelievers have that you rightly pointed out, an apology might be a start, and more believers like him that focus on constructive faith (well, what we would call constructive) would go even further. But I'm questioning whether he'd still be tolerant of nonbelievers who accept his apology, respect his position, but continue to disbelieve in his god. My admittedly anecdotal experience with believers has not been positive on that score.
I loved the article and am grateful that at least some Christians can see what they're doing wrong (even by their own standards). But aside from that, he's just plain wrong. His god isn't love, peace, tolerance, etc. His god really IS hatred and bile, as evidenced by the Bible. Jesus was a radical because he was often saying the exact opposite of everything God had ever said before. It would be like if Hitler's son devoted his life to caring for the Jews. The Nazi belief isn't suddenly all about peace and love just because one important Nazi decided to pretend it is.
I've heard similar apologies before and, although there is something bittersweet about them, they neither repair the damage that has been done in my life by Christians nor move me any closer to viewing Christianity as a viable approach to life for me.
It seems like just another approach to demonstrate that some Christians simply do not get it.
Sadly, Shane can not speek for the whole edifice. To apologise, as a ruse, to make just one more attempt at a sale, seems very pointless.
Many of us have moved on, thanks to christians. Waking up from the christian 'dream', has been painful for some of us. Once I let the crazyness go, it got much easier....
Mr. Claiborne's lengthy apologia is quite articulate and eloquent; but it's moot, since it misses the salient point: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOD!
Mr. Claiborne's apologia is quite articulate and eloquent; but it's moot, since it misses the salient point: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOD!


text: Social Media Plan for Reaching Parents Starting August 18, 2019 by First Look Blog | Aug 13, 2019 | Orange Strategy, Partnering With ParentsHere is the First Look Social Media Plan for influencing parents to interact with their preschoolers. If you missed the first post explaining our plan, please click here. The following information will be 7 tweets/Facebook posts, 2 pictures or ideas for Instagram, and 2 articles to pin on Pinterest. Feel free to use any and all of this information but don't feel tied to these updates word for word. These are simply examples that you could copy and paste if you wanted or you can add your own... Read More


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Because nothing generates quite so much fantastic photoage as Davis Cup. You know it to be true.
sorry but ive to say i fcking won davis cup!omg
Pretty sure I could snap him like a twig. A twig.
Marin's left arm makes a desperate bid for freedom.
Get the man a Big Mac, a big drink and a big vuvuzela.
"Did I leave the gas on …?"
This is not the face I've missed.
This is the face I've missed.
Put it away, Nole. Or I will come to Serbia and show you where to … never mind.
"Mr. President. What the hell."
Nothing beats a good old-fashioned Serbian love huddle.
Eduardo Schwank looking in no way ridiculous.
Eduardo Schwank being no way ridiculous.
Kind of impossible to dislike Gael when he finds himself on this planet long enough to win a big match.
Tipsy wants a cuddle. No-one on this earth can blame him.
They shoot horses, don't they?
Premature celebrating.
Yeah, Youzh better run.
Having beaten Spain at tennis, France take them on at the art of the manly hug. And win.
Have him caramelised and sent to my room.
Nole Major and Nole Minor.
Look who showed up to 'help'.
"I'm a little lamb who's lost in the woods …"
Kolya contemplates the many tragedies of life.
Shamil contemplates finding another job.
You're not helping.


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"We're having too good a time today. We ain't thinking about tomorrow."
Trayvon Martin (again)
This Trayvon Martin situation will not go away, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it's such a frustrating, aggravating, disheartening, and infuriating thing. Just when I thought this would be a quieter week, we get blindsided by Geraldo Rivera (1) making asinine comments. According to Rivera, "Trayvon Martin's hoodie killed him as surely as George Zimmerman did." I really don't know where Geraldo gets off saying stuff like this. His own son was even disappointed in him. His logic is just so incredibly flawed to me. It's like saying that a rape victim should blame the dress she was wearing. Don't wear dresses or skirts, ladies. Just typing that feels stupid. Meanwhile, a police video (2) surfaced that showed George Zimmerman without any signs of blood or being attacked. This gives me more reason to be angry with the way the Sanford Police Department has handled this situation. Not to be overshadowed, The Daily Texan (3) ran an incredibly offensive cartoon earlier this week. Mind you, this is a student paper that is financed by student fees. The University of Texas just can't seem to stay out of the news, and it's not even football season. I'm all for people's First Amendment rights and their right to express themselves, but those rights shouldn't come at the expense of other people. I'm more upset with the editors of the paper than I am the cartoonist herself. How was that cartoon given the green light? What's worse is that the editor tried his best to deflect the anger. #FAIL The statement was later taken down and replaced with a late apology. The damage has been done, though. Am I the only one who is just emotionally spent from all of this? This entire Trayvon Martin situation has reopened a huge wound in the flesh of this country. I have seen the absolute worst in some people, and it is so upsetting. I get tired of writing about racial issues every week on here, but they keep presenting themselves. I'll have to go back and look at my Thursday Thoughts, but I don't think there has been one without some instance of racism. It's not like I even go looking for them. They find me. Just like this Hunger Games (4) foolishness.
Speaking of The Hunger Games, I finished the book in about 3 days, and I loved it. I'll be picking up the second installment of the series in the very near future. I'm happy I jumped on this bandwagon because it was very rewarding. The book itself is a whirlwind that refuses to let go of you or put you down. I'm sure I'll find myself in someone's movie theater this weekend to see the movie. I'm also getting REALLY excited about Eric Jerome Dickey's new book, An Accidental Affair (5), which isn't scheduled to be released for another 3 weeks. I realize I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I have thoroughly enjoyed his work over the years. Here's a quick rundown of my favorite EJD books:
- Cheaters
- The Gideon Series (Sleeping With Strangers, Waking With Enemies, Dying for Revenge, Resurrecting Midnight)
- Chasing Destiny
- Milk in My Coffee
- The Other Woman
Yes, I realize I'm cheating by putting four books in my number two spot, but this is my list, and I can never decide which one in the series I like the best.
Dennis Rodman (6) seems to be having problems again. This hurts me to hear because I was a fan of the troubled, enigmatic, defensive guru. Michael Jordan wouldn't have gotten those last few rings without him. Supposedly, he's broke, sick, and could be facing jail time for failing to pay child support. *sigh* I hope he can get his life together. Another basketball great, who I happened to write about last week, is part of a team of millionaires who purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers (7). That's right, the other MJ, Magic Johnson, is now a part owner of the storied baseball franchise. This man has seriously bought up the city of Los Angeles. I'm really happy for him. Johnson has done very well for himself. It's a stark contrast in money management when compared to the aforementioned Dennis Rodman.
I have one more basketball note. Skylar Diggins (8) is still playing. I don't know what to say about it; I don't know what to call it. I don't typically watch women's basketball. There is just something about watching Ms. Diggins in uniform. We've talked about this phenomenon on this blog. A few times. She is just that rare mix of beauty, athleticism, and feminism. That's the best I can explain it. I'm hoping for a Baylor/Notre Dame championship game. No, I have nothing to say about the men's Final Four (9) this week. It's Kentucky's title to lose. That's that.
The Month of April
I'm very excited about the month of April. First, there are a flurry of movies coming out that I want to go see. Judge me if you want to, but I'll be there at some point to see Titanic (10) in 3D. Call it nostalgia or something, but I have some strange desire to go see it. I hate Hollywood. They have somehow convinced me that owning the VHS and DVD of the movie aren't enough to keep me from wanting to pay again to see it in 3D. I won't take this $17 price tag sitting down. Also, for nostalgia's sake, I'll be seeing American Reunion (11) as well. I'm not expecting much, but it'll give me a reason to watch the first
three two so I can relive my high school and college days. I refuse to count those other American train wrecks that tried their best to ruin the franchise. Band Camp? Naked Mile? Beta House? REALLY?!?!?
My fellow Threader, MichaelYoungHistory, convinced me to run in a 10K run (12) in a few weeks. I still don't know how this happened. I'm not nor have I ever been a distance runner, but I'm looking forward to participating in it with a couple other Threaders. I've been training and preparing myself for a grueling 6.2 miles. Pray for me. I'm not built for this.
Closing Thought
Once again, thank you to the loyal and new thREADERS who have supported our new Radio Show (13) endeavor. We're all looking forward to seeing where it eventually goes. Don't miss Monday night's show on "Interracial Dating" with TP4, Justinfication, and MichaelYoungHistory at 10pm Central. If you want a refresher, it will be based on this gem from TP4. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/threadradio


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Press Releases
Jamaicans Abroad Urged to Help in Formulating Agenda
JIS, New York: Thursday | March 2010
Consul General of Jamaica in New York, Geneive Brown-Metzger, has called on Jamaicans overseas to help with the formulation of a national agenda for change even as the world community grapples with a gloomy economic outlook.
Addressing the congregation of more than 3,500 including Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica, at a special Service of Prayer for Jamaica at the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in New York earlier this month, Mrs. Brown-Metzger said that there was no denying the power of prayer in overcoming the current crisis.
"You are reading and hearing a lot and while you reflect on all that information, I encourage you to be a part of the solution by getting involved, somewhere at some level," she urged the Jamaican nationals.
The Consul General said that against the worrying trends in the social and economic sectors, there was now increased collaboration between the church and state agencies, more attention to social community issues that impact the family unit, a more structured approach to early childhood development through education, a bipartisan approach to managing the current economic challenges, as well as reform of the justice and constitutional modules.
"After 46 years after Independence, we are not there yet, but we are now on our way and.we remain hopeful for a brighter tomorrow, with God's love," she stated.
Mrs. Brown-Metzger further thanked the church community for hosting the special service, which she said, would offer a "strong message of hope for Jamaicans at home and overseas."
In his remarks, senior pastor, Rev. Jim Cymbala, stated that Jamaica was not unique in the challenges being faced and proffered that prayer remained the only solution.
Dubbed 'Jamaica Night at the Brooklyn Tabernacle', the prayer service featured gospel music by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers, members of the 300-plus Grammy award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Mass Choir, clad in traditional Jamaican outfits; a video presentation highlighting Jamaican life and culture with personal reflections by members of the congregation; and a prayer for the nation and its leaders by Rev. Newton Gabbidan, a Jamaican clergyman residing in the New York area.
Nine-term New York State Assemblyman Nick N. Perry attended the event as a guest of the church and Consulate General of Jamaica.


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It was a dark and drizzly Tuesday night when Hoosier Beer Geek decided to visit Zing. And it is too bad, because the latest addition to Indy's small plates restaurant scene has some stellar outdoor seating at the corner of Indiana Avenue and West Street.
The brick building is one of the few remaining historic structures along the storied Indiana Avenue. But on the inside, it is very contemporary in design with lots of light colors, metals, and funky shapes. We made ourselves right at home at the upstairs bar where we met bartender Joel, a self proclaimed "spice pussy" (ask him about it sometime).
He not only provided us with beer (which we greatly appreciate), but some entertaining quotes. When a suspicious man wearing a large backpack (an obvious HBG stalker) entered the bar, without missing a beat Joel stated, "He's hear to kill us all!" If you didn't find that funny, you obviously weren't drinking three buck Indiana beers all night.
Which was the purpose of our visit, by the way. We have reviewed many beers, but there are several gaps, especially when it comes to Indiana beers. We plan to start rectifying that, and on this night, it was a good start.
Upland Wheat
I freely admit that I am still a novice when it comes to wheat beers. It's not like the sour beers, where I just don't like them (send hate mail now). I just haven't found that one wheat beer that really wowed me and provided me a reason to drink more. At least not yet.
No, this isn't that beer. But it is good. It has been one of the more enjoyable wheats that I have consumed. Probably because it isn't very wheatish. It made me think more of a pilsner with a lemon twist. When I explained this, Rod suggested I try crystal meth.
Actually, he said that it is probably because the Upland Wheat is like a kristallweizen (which translates "crystal wheat"), which is a filtered wheat. Well, that definitely sounds better than crystal meth. Anyway you look at it, though, it is very refreshing and clean, a good session/lawnmower beer. A wheat beer that I'd probably buy to keep in my beer fridge.
Upland Wheat
Chris 3.75 mugs Rod 3.85 mugs Jess 3.75 mugs Jason 3.25 mugs Gina 3.5 mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.62 Mugs
Alpha King
I've learned a few things in the last couple years about my preferences for beer. One thing that has surprised me over the last few months is how much I've grown to appreciate many highly-hopped APAs and IPAs. What I love about these beers are the same kinds of things I love about sour beers. They make my mouth water when I as much as think about drinking one.
My preferences tend to lean toward the maltier versions of these styles, like DFH 90 or Bell's Two-Hearted, and away from those that are dominated by a floral hop flavor. Alpha King falls into the former category. Even though it has floral overtones, the malty body keeps the flowery taste at bay and keeps me coming back for more.
Alpha King
Chris 4.5 mugs Rod 4.2 mugs Jason 4.3 mugs Gina 4.7 mugs Matt E 4.25 mugs
KOTBR Score - 4.39 Mugs
Bar Fly
As I mentioned before, I'm not all over the wheat beer scene. But IPA's: love 'em. I've come a long way from my early days at HBG where hops were not a favorite thing of mine. But once I found "that one" beer, the hop switch in my head turned on and I became Captain Hophead! American Pale Ales, India Pale Ales...I really dig them all.
That goes with Barley Island's BarFly IPA as well. The hop characteristic isn't as fruity as many IPA's, but it is there in the form of grapefruit. And there is a malt presence there. Not as much as Dogfish Head's IPA's, but more than most. And at 5.6% ABV, it isn't as big as many IPA's. But big enough to make itself known. But like many other Indiana breweries, Barley Island makes a good IPA.
Bar Fly
Chris 3.2 mugs Rod 3.1 mugs Jess 3.5 mugs Jason 4.25 mugs Gina 3.2 mugs Matt E 3.5 mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.46 Mugs


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Move over tiger moms; hover elsewhere helicopter parents. There's a new type of parent in town -- the "snow plow" parent. They come with the same motives as the others -- to produce superior children -- but they take a slightly different approach.
According to an ABC story that highlighted the growing trend, snow plow parents are those who attempt to push life's obstacles out of their children's way. It can be with anything -- from friends to school and sports -- and they'll do anything to ensure their children don't fail. They interviewed one mom who wanted her son to get a good position on his baseball team. She brought lemon cupcakes to practice one day, but when she realized the coach didn't like lemon, she baked some new vanilla ones and delivered them personally to his house.
That's a fairly tame example, but there are plenty of others who go to more extreme lengths. And while they may think they're helping their kids, they're really setting them up for failure later in life when they're ill-equipped to handle the real world.
It's understandable to some degree, as we all want what's best for our kids, but there's a definite line as to what's over-the-top, and some ... plow right over it. Here are seven signs you might have snow plow parent tendencies:
1. If you've ever approached your child's school and tried to get your kid switched to another class just because her friends aren't in the one to which she was assigned. (Lord forbid she has to make new ones.)
2. If you've ever offered incentives/bribes to a coach to help your kid make a team or get more playing time.
3. If you've ever screamed at a referee or charged the field to argue with an umpire for making a "wrong" call against your kid or her team.
4. If you "help" your child with every homework assignment and project (i.e., pretty much do it for them).
5. If you've ever helped your child try to get a grade changed ... especially when she's in college.
6. Likewise, if you've ever hacked into your child's school system to change your child's grade yourself, you're very likely a snow plow parent. (Yes, it happens.)
7. Finally, remember that mom, Wanda Holloway, who plotted to have the mother of her daughter's cheerleading rival killed? Yeah, if you can kind of see where she was coming from, you're most definitely a snow plow parent.
Do you think you might be a snow plow parent?
Image via ww3billard/Flickr