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This morning, I experienced/witnessed something that has had my mind in knots all day...
As I was heading to my mom's house/ my shop, I came upon a few cars stopped at the railroad tracks...a couple heading as I was, south and a couple of others trying to go north. As I pulled up behind the southbound vehicles, I was thinking to myself... "What are these idiots doing NOW?" (and No, I wasn't in a really good mood at the time) As one of the northbound cars slowly eased across the tracks...I saw what was holding things up: A Duck. He (or she) was walking around in circles in the middle of the road. How cute, I thought, as my mood lightened a bit. The other northbound car proceeded across the tracks and then the car in front of me pulled around the lead car in our little group. The duck was too close to the lead car for those folks to really move anywhere, and besides it was right in the middle of the road, almost as if it was looking for a handout or a treat. As I eased past the duck, I noticed something about him/her... ruffled head and neck feathers. Then I noticed something else way more meaningful to the duck; a very large Hawk standing in the grass on the side of the road, watching the duck.
What started out as a cute, albeit unwanted interuption to my morning, all the sudden turned to a wild animal's worse nightmare come true. I am throughly convinced that that duck was searching for help from the passing vehicles: pleading for his life to strangers. Wow...Wild Kingdom right in front of me.
What's got me all bumfuzzled, is my reaction to all this... I mean, as a kid and then a young adult, I used to hunt all the time. I was of the opinion that...If it flies it dies, if it crawls it falls. Ocassionally, I would level my sights on something just for the hell of it...an unfortunate bat flying around my parent's pond one evening comes to mind. He didn't stand a chance. Now all of the sudden, I am seeing things from a different perspective. As a former fisherman, suddenly I am looking at things from the worm's point of view (sorta)... Wow...talk about having your whole life and being thrown into an upside down tailspin... I really don't know what to think about my emotional reaction to all this...and also, I'd like to offer my apologies to y'all for rambling... I just needed to vent


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Welcome to the
Web Site of
Wendy Anne McCarty, Ph.D., R.N.
McCarty's Message...
About Dr. McCarty...
New clinical research
findings from
Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology (PPN) reveal:
Who may benefit from learning more about what
PPN has to offer?
People of ALL AGES. If you are:
The Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology (PPN) perspective
can bring new light, new hope, and new ways to welcome
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Wendy Anne McCarty

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Diagnosing a severe head injury
If you have had a severe head injury and there's a chance you may have a brain injury, you'll have a CT scan to assess the seriousness of the injury.
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is often used to assess head injuries. This is a scale from 3 to 15 that identifies how serious your head injury is, based on your symptoms and whether the brain has been damaged (with 3 being most severe and 15 the least severe).
A GCS score of 13 or above would indicate a minor head injury. A score of 9 to 12 would be a moderate head injury.
If a person has a severe head injury, they'll have a score of 8 or less.
Some people with significant head injuries have a high GCS score initially, but their score decreases when they're reassessed at a later stage.
If you have a severe head injury, you'll be closely monitored and frequently reassessed to check your condition.
Treating a severe head injury
Severe head injuries always require hospital treatment.
This may involve:
- observing the condition for any changes
- running tests to check for further damage
- treating any other injuries
- breathing support (ventilation) or brain surgery
Most people are able to go home within 48 hours. But a small number of those admitted to hospital require skull or brain surgery.
When you're discharged from hospital, your doctor will advise you on the best way to help your recovery when you return home.
Read more about how a severe head injury is treated and recovering from a severe head injury.
A severe head injury can result in pressure being placed on the brain because of bleeding, blood clots or a build-up of fluid.
This can sometimes lead to brain damage, which can be temporary or permanent.
A severe head injury can also cause other potentially serious complications, including:
- an infection after a skull fracture
- impaired consciousness
- brain injury
Find out more about complications after a severe head injury
Preventing head injuries
It can be difficult to predict or avoid a head injury, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of serious injury.
These include:
- ensuring your home (or those of elderly relatives) are free of trip hazards that could cause a fall, such as loose carpets or unnecessary items on the floor
- childproofing your home – for example, by ensuring young children can't reach windows or balconies
- using the right safety equipment for work, sport and DIY
Wearing a safety helmet during certain activities, such as skiing or cycling, may also help to prevent a serious head injury.
Read more about cycle safety, preventing falls and preventing accidents to children in the home.


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Maybe you play Star Wars when everyone else is playing Barbies. Maybe you prefer tigers to kittens. Maybe you're tough AND look awesome in pink.
Maybe you'd rather rock your baby doll than rock 'n' roll. Maybe you prefer baking things to breaking things. Maybe you chose the sparkly purple flip flops last summer instead of the brown ones.That's awesome! Being yourself is so punk rock.
Kids who do things their own way were the inspiration for this design. Because being a little different isn't just okay - it's actually really, really cool.
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Sizing and Fit
Our unisex tees run large and the fit is loose and relaxed. Your shirt will shrink a bit the first time it is washed, but because this style runs large we do not recommend sizing up.
Want more detail? Check out our sizing chart.
Fabric Content
Heather Grey: 93% cotton, 7% polyester
All other colors: 100% cotton


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Item #5047
Warm season annual. The refreshing flavor of dill will surely win you over (if you don't already love it)! Tetra is a bushy, late flowering variety, meaning more leaf production for dill lovers. It is heat tolerant which makes it slow-to-bolt, so you will enjoy fresh picked, aromatic dill throughout the season. Dill is an important host plant for caterpillars of swallowtail butterflies. 30"-36" tall.
Seedling Image
Full Sun
30"-36" tall
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks before average last frost. Successive sowings every 2 to 3 weeks until hot weather will ensure a continual fresh supply of foliage and seeds.
When to start inside: Not recommended. 8 to 10 weeks before average last frost. Sow in individual pulp pots that can be planted directly in the ground.
Special germination instructions: Requires light to germinate; press lightly into soil surface and keep moist.
Harvesting: Fresh foliage can be harvested any time until plant flowers. Cut leaves as close to stem as possible. Seeds should be harvested 2-3 weeks after flowering begins, after the flower heads have turned brown. Cut flower heads with stem and place in paper bag before seed becomes too mature and falls to the ground. Heads should be placed in bottom of bag and the top of the bag should be tied shut around the stems. Seeds will fall to the bottom of the bag. Store seeds in airtight glass herb jar.
Artist: Libby Kyer
Item #5047
3.00 grams
Drying Herbs
Many herbs are easily preserved by drying, and hold their flavor well when dry. Simply cut a handful of stems and rubber band them or…More…
By buying from reputable suppliers, pre-testing all of our seed by an independent laboratory before packing, and only accepting seeds that exceed USDA…More…
What is Soil?
Soil is a diverse mix of substances, teeming with life and composed of minerals, decayed plant and animal matter, water, and air. It…More…


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Cat® Product Link™ remote monitoring helps you take the guesswork out of asset management. Using telematics you know where your equipment is, what it's doing and how it's performing, you can maximize efficiency, increase productivity and lower operating costs.
Let your Cat dealer help you improve your bottom-line results by using Cat fleet management telematics information.


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Jack Black: On Music, Mayhem And Murder
This interview was originally broadcast on April 23, 2012.
Actor Jack Black is best known for his comedic performances in films like Nacho Libre and School of Rock. In his film Bernie, Black goes to a darker place: He plays a serious small-town funeral director who murders his live-in companion, a wealthy widow played by Shirley MacLaine.
The film is based on a true story. In 1996, 39-year-old Bernie Tiede of Carthage, Texas, murdered his 81-year-old companion, Marjorie Nugent, shooting her in the back four times with a rifle. A lengthy Texas Monthly article about the case notes that "what made the story peculiar was that Mrs. Nugent had been dead for almost nine months before people began searching for her. What made the story truly bizarre was the way many of the townspeople rallied around the 39-year-old man who had admitted to killing her and stealing her money — the soft-spoken, chubby-cheeked Tiede, the former assistant funeral director at Hawthorn Funeral Home who had gotten close to Mrs. Nugent when he supervised her husband's funeral."
Tiede, currently serving life in prison, met with Black for 45 minutes at his maximum-security prison before filming began.
"What was crucial was that he was really likable," Black tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "You could really believe that the whole town could be in love with Bernie."
Black has made a career of playing likable characters, from a substitute teacher in School of Rock to a superficial man obsessed with physical beauty in Shallow Hal. He has also simultaneously pursued a music career, performing as one-half of the satirical rock band Tenacious D.
The band's new album, Rize of the Fenix, is a heavy metal-influenced album about the power of redemption. It includes tracks like "How to Be the Best," an upbeat song reminiscent of the Flashdance theme that Black says is supposed to "inspire you to do push-ups and sit-ups and run around like Rocky."
"All those great '80s rock things — there's something so funny about that now," he says. "No one's really doing that particular brand of cheese, so we thought the world needed that right now."
The album is heavily influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin and Van Halen. Black says he grew up listening to Van Halen, but also enjoyed the vocal scat stylings of Bobby McFerrin, who became famous for his ability to sing various voices and instrumentations.
"I was obsessed with him, because I had always imagined going out on stage by myself and blowing people's minds just with the power of my singing voice," says Black. "Long before [McFerrin made] 'Don't Worry, Be Happy,' he was blowing people's minds with incredible covers of Beatles songs. ... His voice would sound like all of the different instruments."
Black says he went to every McFerrin concert he could, even running onstage when McFerrin asked for audience volunteers.
"I think I was a little too aggressive with my enthusiasm," he says. "Because he did one time tell me to tone it down. Not with words, but just with a look in his eye and a shake of his head. I knew that I had crossed the line and I wasn't supposed to be slapping my chest. That's his job."
Interview Highlights
On music
"I don't have any real spirituality in my life — I'm kind of an atheist — but when music can take me to the highest heights, it's almost like a spiritual feeling. It fills that void for me."
On Tenacious D
"It's comedy folk rock. We're two acoustic guitars at our core and singing like Simon and Garfunkel, but then we're most heavily influenced by heavy metal bands of the '80s. And we used to make fun of the devil because the devil's influence on '80s metal is so prevalent, and now it just seems so ridiculous and hilarious. But [our] new album is more about redemption. It's a comeback-themed album."
On comedian stereotypes
"The real challenge is if you don't look super sexy, like a Brad Pitt, you're going to have to try harder. You're going to have to make up for it in other ways. You're going to have to charm the pants off them. You're going to have to make them laugh. But those are good hoops to have to jump through. You're going to have to do some writing. Let's face it, the great comedians now that are handicapped in the looks department are tremendous writers."
On his first role in a commercial for a video game
"That was my big break, my first paying gig. I was so proud of that. Before I got that commercial, I just prayed to the heavens that if I could just be on television and the kids could see me from school, that would be the answer to all my prayers and I wouldn't need anything more. And I got it. I went on the auditions, and I got the part in an Activision commercial for the Atari 2600 — the original video-game system. It was for a game called Pitfall. And I remember all the lines still, to this day. I was only 13 years old."
On Billy Joel
"I've had so many hot, cheesy, corny loves of music in my life. I had a very intense Billy Joel period. So once you've really Joeled it up — there's some good periods of Joel; it's not all hot cheese. But I can't judge anyone else for their cheese. I've deep-sea dived in the Gouda."
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Happy New Year. Today, we conclude our series featuring a few of our favorite interviews from 2012. We'll start today's show with the interview I recorded with Jack Black last April. He's best known for his roles in "High Fidelity," "School of Rock," "Shallow Hal," "Tropic Thunder," "Nacho Libre," and the animated film "Kung Fu Panda." He's also known for his satiric, hard rock-heavy metal band Tenacious D, a duo with Kyle Gass.
In 2012, Tenacious D had a new album; Black starred this year in the movie "Bernie"; and he ended the year by presenting Led Zeppelin with a Kennedy Center honor, calling them the best band ever.
GROSS: So there's a new Tenacious D album. I'm going to ask you to describe the band Tenacious D.
JACK BLACK: Tenacious D is comedy folk-rock, is what I would say.
GROSS: Folk rock?
BLACK: And the only reason I say folk is because we're two acoustic guitars. At our core, it's just me and Kyle on acoustic guitars and singing - you know, kind of like Simon and Garfunkel. But then, we're most heavily influenced by heavy metal bands of the '80s.
We used to make fun of the devil because the devil's influence on '80s metal was so prevalent. And now, it just seems so ridiculous and hilarious. But this new album is more about redemption. It's a comeback-themed album.
GROSS: Which leads me into the title track, which I'd like to play, if it's OK with you.
BLACK: Please.
GROSS: Yeah, so this is "Rize of the Fenix," the title track, and it's the story of your band, Tenacious D, making its big comeback. And it's a tribute to, you know, a lot of heavy metal music of the '80s. Do you want to say anything else to introduce it?
BLACK: No, I think it speaks for itself. We're - it's in reference to our last album, which was a soundtrack to our movie "The Pick of Destiny." And it didn't do well in the box office scores, and it didn't do well with the critics. And this is our triumphant comeback to say, you know, you can't kill us.
GROSS: OK, so here's Jack Black and his band, Tenacious D.
BLACK: (Singing) When "The Pick of Destiny" was released, it was a bomb. And all the critics said that the D was done. The sun had set, and the chapter had closed, but one thing no one thought about was the D would rise again, just like the phoenix will rise again.
(Singing) 'Cause the fiery heart of a champion cannot be squelched by a failure or an embarrassment; no way, no. And the critics all agreed it was a stinky pile of cheese, but that does not mean that our hearts are not strong. Just like the phoenix, we'll rise again. Just like the phoenix, we'll rise again.
(Singing) Sunshine, it's a hell of a day...
GROSS: That's Jack Black's band, Tenacious D. What are some of your favorite things about heavy metal voices and the things that they - you know, like the really like, big, dramatic flourishes?
BLACK: Well, in general, in the vocals department, what I appreciate is glory.
BLACK: I was thinking about this the other day. And it's not just heavy metal but, you know, hard rock in general. I like to include my brothers from The Who and Led Zeppelin. But if they can take me on a journey through the clouds - I don't have any real spirituality in my life; I'm kind of an atheist. But when music can take me to the highest heights, it's almost like a spiritual feeling. It fills that void for me.
GROSS: But what about like, certain - just - like, vocal flourishes, like the - excuse me for embarrassing myself here - like the rise again thing.
BLACK: Oh, that.
GROSS: Yes.
BLACK: That was just me showing off. I wanted to show that I've got the chops, and I wanted to take my voice on a rollercoaster ride.
(Singing) Yay-yay-yay-yay-yow.
You know, that's just flexing in the mirror; vocal flex.
GROSS: So is that one of the things you love about, like, hard rock - is that, you know, the bigness of it?
BLACK: I do love the bigness. And it feels almost primal. It feels like we're Native Americans around the fire. Before there was - big buildings and cars and civilization, there was just the power of a voice singing to the heavens.
GROSS: One of the tracks, "To Be the Best," is almost like a parody of "Flashdance" - of the songs from "Flashdance."
BLACK: It is. I mean, that was a song that we did almost - that was the last song that we added to the album because we felt we needed one more song that fit the theme - which was, you know, the rise of the phoenix; the comeback. And we needed a song that sounded like something that would inspire you to do push-ups and sit-ups, and run around like Rocky.
BLACK: You know, like "Eye of the Tiger" and all those great, '80s rock things - you can do it if you believe in yourself. There's something so funny about that now. No one's really doing that kind of particular brand of cheese.
BLACK: (Singing) To be the best, we've got to pass the test. We gotta make it all the way to the top of the mountain. We can do it again. To feel the high, we've got to learn to fly. We've got to take it to the sky on the wings of an eagle. You're the best in the world.
(Singing) You are the best, but you say you don't know. You got the touch, now come on let it show. You call the shots, but you know that you gots to believe in the things that you're dreaming. Your search for the meaning is very revealing. The power of being is what you're feeling. You gotta believe that you're simply the best.
GROSS: That's Jack Black and his band, Tenacious D. So when you were, say, a teenager, who did you fantasize - yourself - as being like? If you could've been in any band, which band would it have been?
BLACK: Well, I had two sides of myself. There was the yin and yang of my musical tastes. I had Van Halen on one side, and then I had Bobby McFerrin on the other side - the hard rock, and then the jazz. Both of them had a certain type of cheese to them. And when I mixed them together in my laboratory, that's sort of what I became - a mixture of the vocal stylings of the jazz-scat master, with the bombast and power of the hard rocker.
GROSS: Who else was in your jazz side?
BLACK: OK, now you're going to reveal me to be not that deep on the jazz.
GROSS: Was Bobby McFerrin out there all by himself?
BLACK: OK, he was all by himself.
GROSS: But nevertheless influential.
BLACK: Yeah. But I was obsessed with him, I would go so far as to say, because I had always imagined myself going out on stage by myself, and blowing people's minds just with the power of my singing voice. Now, I'm revealing too much about my ambitions, but...
GROSS: No, and Bobby McFerrin was probably most famous - was definitely most famous for "Don't Worry, Be Happy." But because he could do different voices when he sang - he could, like, back himself up - it almost sounded like he did several voices at the same time. But he could sing different parts. He could sing in different voices. So it was kind of like having a whole vocal group in this, like, one man.
BLACK: Yeah. Long before "Don't Worry, Be Happy," he was blowing people's minds with incredible covers of, like, Beatles songs. He did an unbelievable version of "Blackbird."
GROSS: Right. Didn't he do, like, percussion by tapping on himself, too?
BLACK: Yes. He would slap on his chest, and that would sound like the drums. But it would also affect his voice. (Vocalizing and tapping) I'm not going to do it justice so I won't even try now, but there was a time...
GROSS: I can just tell by that, that you - you were - you did him in your room.
BLACK: Whenever he came to town - oh, yeah. Whenever he came to town, I would be there. I would be at the concerts. And whenever he asked for volunteers from the audience, I would be running as fast as I could to the stage.
GROSS: Did you make it onstage?
BLACK: I did. I did make it onstage, and I think I was a little too aggressive with my enthusiasm because he did, one time, tell me to tone it down - not with words, but just with a look in his eye and a little shake of his head. I knew that I had crossed the line, and I wasn't supposed to be slapping my chest. That's his job.
BLACK: I was just going to do what he told me.
GROSS: You said one time as if, like, you did this many times - running onstage and performing with him.
BLACK: I've been onstage with McFerrin more than once. He wouldn't remember. I was just one of the thousands that have been on the stage, you know. I did want to be part of his Voicestra.
GROSS: I can't help be reminded of your movie "School of Rock," listening to this, in which you play a musician who is kicked out of his own rock band because he's so annoying, and then you end up being a substitute teacher and you want your students to like, love rock, so you're teaching them all about rock. And you want them to form a rock band that you will lead. And you're trying to give them like, an education about rock, you're trying to teach them how to channel their anger into like, writing songs and performing songs. So let's hear a clip of that scene.
BLACK: Great.
GROSS: (as Dewey Finn) All right. Now, is everyone nice and pissed off?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (as characters) Yeah.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) Good. Time to write a rock song. Now, what makes you mad more than anything in the world? Billy.
BRIAN FALDUTO: (as Billy) You.
BLACK: Billy, we've already told me off. Let's move on.
FALDUTO: (as Billy) You're tacky, and I hate you.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) OK, you see me after class. You, Gordon.
ZACHARY INFANTE: (as Gordon) No allowance.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) (Singing) I didn't get no allowance today. So now I'm really ticked off.
(as Dewey Finn) You know what I mean? What else makes you mad? Michelle?
JORDAN-CLAIRE GREEN: (as Michelle) Chores.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) (Singing) I had to do my chores today. So I am really ticked off.
(as Dewey Finn) What else?
JOEY GAYDOS: (as Zack) Bullies.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) (Singing) All you bullies get out of my way because I am really ticked off.
(as Dewey Finn) So what would you say to a bully? Zack?
GAYDOS: (as Zack) I don't know.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) No, come on. If someone was right up in your grill, what would you say?
GAYDOS: (as Zack) I don't know.
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) If someone was pushing you around, telling you what to do, what would you say?
GAYDOS: (as Zack) Step off?
BLACK: (as Dewey Finn) (Singing) Step off! Step off! Step off! Step off! - everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (as characters) (Singing) Step off! Step off! Step off!
GROSS: That's great. That's Jack Black in "School of Rock." I love your heavy metal falsetto. It's such a key part of those bands.
BLACK: I look forward to, someday, my Vegas show - where I do excerpts of all the highlights of my career. I will definitely do a "Step Off." I can see it, in my golden years.
GROSS: Now, you know how in the scene of "School of Rock" that we've just heard, you were telling the kids to basically channel their anger and frustration, and turn it into music; did you do that when you were a teenager - you know, like, try to channel your anger and frustration into music?
BLACK: I did use music as an outlet. And I did like to sing and make music into my four-track. I had a four-track recorder in like, 10th grade, I got my first one. My Tascam Porta 05 - anybody out there that remembers those machines.
And I loved just to sing as hard and as loud as I could - and harmony. It was like a release. It was kind of like a form of therapy. It's like scream therapy.
GROSS: What about acting in high school?
BLACK: Yeah. I was real involved in the theater program in high school, and I was in a lot of musical theater. And that's, I guess, where my music and my acting started to mix.
GROSS: So what was your favorite role that you played in a musical?
BLACK: Well, it's got to be "Pippin." That was my best one. But we also did a production of a Bertolt Brecht play called "The Caucasian Chalk Circle." And I played Azdak, the kind of anarchistic judge in a land that was sort of in turmoil. That was a kind of a heavy play to do in high school. It was pretty advanced.
But I had a blast, and I overcame a lot of fears. I remember I was so scared opening night, when we were supposed to do our first performance for all the parents, that I just called my teacher and said, I'm not doing the play. And he said, just come meet me at the diner. And so I met him at the diner that day.
And he talked me into it, said don't worry about failing; it's going to be fine. You know, it is what it is. It's an experience. You're going to learn from it. I was like, OK. And I did it. And I was so filled with fear and adrenaline that I gave probably my best performance of my life that day.
And it's a lesson that I've carried with me - that just because I'm terrified doesn't mean that I shouldn't do it. You know, and a lot of times I'll want to turn down a role or something because I'm scared of what it is, or that I won't do it well, and people will judge me. And then I have to say, eh, remember high school? You were scared of Azdak.
And I'll - more often than not - do it if I think that the fear is based in just cowardice as opposed to something that I really shouldn't do.
GROSS: We're listening back to an interview with actor and musician Jack Black. More after a break; this is FRESH AIR.
GROSS: Let's get back to the interview I recorded with actor and musician Jack Black last April. Your breakout role was "High Fidelity." And "High Fidelity," based on the novel by Nick Hornby, is set in a record store. You're one of the guys who works in the store. And you judge everybody - customers, your fellow workers - based on their taste in music. How did you get the role?
BLACK: Well, John Cusack was a friend from the Actors' Gang Theater Company - because he and Tim Robbins were tight buddies. And they were real...
GROSS: This is the theater company that you first worked in, when you were getting started. Yeah.
BLACK: That's right. Out of - yeah, out of college. Actually, as far back as my senior year in high school, I was aware of them. So John had seen my work at the Actors' Gang, and then he saw me do Tenacious D. And he said: I want him to play Barry in "High Fidelity." And I wrestled with it for a while; I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it.
GROSS: Why?
BLACK: Because I was afraid. I was afraid people were going to judge me. But yes, but I was coming up with other reasons. I was like yeah, man, no, I'm not going to talk about music like that. That's not cool. You don't just talk about Kurt Cobain.
And you know, there was a few lines in the script that ruffled my feathers because, you know, there were certain things that you just don't name; you don't say those words out loud. They're too cool to be spoken out loud. But then once I got over the fact that it wasn't really the lines in the script but the fact that, you know, I was going to be on a bigger stage than usual and that I would be judged, I realized that I had to face my demons and go into the battle.
And I had that same kind of fear, adrenaline, going like I did in high school, in my first play. And I just acted my butt off. It was a transforming experience.
GROSS: Well, Stephen Frears directed that film. He's a very good director - I mean, judging as a viewer. Did he help you through your fear?
BLACK: Stephen was a great director, and he didn't tell me very much. He was very sparing with his praise. Like, I would try my hardest, and I was just doing anything to try to get his approval. You know, it was almost like a father figure. I wanted him to love me and love my performance.
So I was just diving through hoops and setting myself on fire and doing everything I could to wow him. And he wouldn't say anything. He would just say, all right, that's good; let's go to the next scene. And there was something about that that drove me crazy and sent me to higher heights. There's something to be said for the denial of praise - sometimes, that's the best kind of direction.
GROSS: And you know, your character in "High Fidelity" is very - kind of belligerent and crude. And at the end, he's going to perform and everyone who knows him thinks, like, this is going to be really embarrassing. And you end up being great. You perform Marvin Gaye's "Let Get It On" and just sing it really soulfully and with genuine feeling, which nobody knows - nobody knew you had.
BLACK: Yeah. They wanted me to sing a different song, initially. They wanted me to do a Marvin Gaye song - you know that one...
(Singing) I used to go out to parties, dance till dawn. Can't we get to something...
I can't remember the name of the song, but it didn't have the punch that "Let's Get it On" had. And I was like, guys, let me just rock "Let's Get It On." I can really sink my teeth into that one. And they were like, OK, sure. But then when it came time to do it, I kind of froze up. I got a little scared.
And we did it, and I sang it. And I was a little tentative, and it was not rocking. It just - everyone was aware that oh, this is how we're going to end the movie. Ew. And Stephen Frears came out and started yelling, but not at me. He was yelling at everyone else in the audience for not rocking more. You know, why aren't you enjoying this music more?
BLACK: And then he said, fine, Jack. Let's do it again. So he didn't yell at me - but I felt like it was all at me. And then when he said action the next time, I just, you know, I took it to another level. And then that was the take that he used in the movie.
GROSS: Jack Black, it's really been a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you so much.
BLACK: The pleasure was mine.
GROSS: Jack Black, recorded last April. I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR.
BLACK: (as Barry) (Singing) I've been really trying, baby, to hold onto this feeling for so long. And if you feel like I feel, sugar, come on. Wow, come on. Ooh. Let's get it on. Let's get it on. Let's love, sugar. Let's get it on. Sugar, let's get it on. Ooh. Fa-la-da-da-da-da. We are all sensitive people with so much to give... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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A slice of Parsnip and Violet cake can only make you smile; and because I am feeling rather generous, I'd be happy to share some of this with you all, so if you wish your welcome to come on over, albeit virtually.
Parma Violets, the scent and the sherbety taste. Over the past couple of years, I've been gathering all manner of edible violety to make sweet things such as Violet milkshake, Violet Sorbet, Violet Macaroon and Violet cake! I got the Violet syrup from my trip to Brittany last year, the crystallised violet petals came from a supermarket, though I wish I was lucky to have some fresh violets to make my own. Here is a link to my dear blogger friend Kaths blog The Ordinary Cook making some crystallised violet petals recently, and finally the edible cornflower petals came from a cook shop in Scotland. When I was in Morecambe I also picked up some Sherbety Violet sweets from The Old Fashioned Sweet Shop, they are wonderfully perfumed, have a little crunch and then melt in your mouth - sublime.
Serves 8, maybe 12
175g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g caster sugar
100ml violet syrup
3 medium eggs
250g self-raising flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
250g parsnips , peeled and grated
60g pecans, roughly chopped
Optional: 1 teaspoon of crystallised violets; or Parma Violet Sherbet sweets, lightly crushed
Preheat oven to Gas mark 4. Grease and line with baking parchment paper 2 x 8 inch sandwich tins. Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over gentle heat, then cool slightly and stir in the violet syrup. Gently whisk the eggs into the mixture, then stir in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Follow this with the grated parsnips, pecans and violets if using. Divide the mixture between the tins, then bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.
1 tablespoon violet syrup
300ml double cream
For decoration
Edible crystallized Violet petals
Edible Cornflower petals
Whip togehter the double cream and the violet syrup. Spread most of it over one cake and sandwich with the other. Then spread the top with the remaining violet flavoured double cream.


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University of Vermont
Rev. John Wheeler (1833 - 1849)
John Wheeler, the second Vermonter and Dartmouth graduate to serve as president of UVM, possessed leadership qualities that beautifully supplemented Marsh's academic interests. Specifically, Wheeler was an astute administrator and fundraiser who was able to secure the students and financial resources necessary to strengthen the university.
John Wheeler was born in Grafton, Vermont, on March 11, 1798, the son of Hannah and John B. Wheeler, a prosperous merchant. He enrolled in Dartmouth in 1812 at the age of fourteen and received his degree in 1816 before entering Andover Theological Seminary where he graduated in 1819. He was installed as pastor of the Congregational Church in Windsor, Vermont, on November 1, 1821. He married Sarah Hopkins of Hadley, Massachusetts, and remained in Windsor for the next twelve years, during which time he was appointed as a trustee of both UVM and Dartmouth.
The corporation elected Wheeler president on September 6, 1833, a few months after a prudential committee issued a bleak report that indicated the university was facing yet another major crisis. Nearly three years salary was due faculty members, there were too few instructors, and the lack of library books and scientific apparatus was a handicap in securing students. There was no regular system of bookkeeping, no stock account, no accurate knowledge of the universitys indebtedness or assets. Although UVM had an innovative curriculum, it lacked resources and skillful management. As the prudential committees report mournfully concluded, Bankruptcy and ruin must come inevitably and very soon unless [conditions] are speedily relieved.
In 1828 the university's charter had once again been amended to do away with the legislative election of trustees and to authorize the existing trustees and their successors to fill vacancies on the corporation. This was a clear signal that the university would have to secure funds on its own rather than look to the state for financial support. As soon as Wheeler became president, Professor George Benedict was elected treasurer. In 1834 Wheeler and Benedict completed a successful fund drive that raised thirty thousand dollars. Instead of using this entire sum to pay back debts, Wheeler persuaded the corporation to allocate twelve thousand dollars to purchase philosophical apparatus and library books. This courageous decision marked a giant step forward for the university.
Professor Torrey went to Europe to buy the books. As one observer commented, So economically was the money expended that about seven thousand volumes were obtained at an average cost of $1.25 a volume. Other colleges had larger libraries, but none in the country at that time, with the possible exception of Harvard, had one of equal value for the purpose of collegiate instruction. After he returned from abroad in 1836, Professor Torrey supplemented his regular teaching duties with a new position as faculty librarian at a salary of twenty-five dollars a year. Students were assessed seventy-five cents each term for library use.
Although the medical college was closed in 1836 due to a shortage of students, President Wheeler managed to guide UVM through the panic of 1837 when the university narrowly averted a sheriffs sale to satisfy back debts. The financial situation began to improve in 1839 when Azariah Williams of Concord, Vermont, arranged, for a consideration, to leave his landed estate, with an estimated value of twenty-five thousand dollars, to the university after his death. In 1842 Elijah Paine of Williamstown made the first direct legacy to UVM of five hundred dollars, and in 1844 President Wheeler was able to raise more than fifty thousand dollars through a second fund drive. A plan for future growth was prepared, and more than twenty acres of new land were purchased during Wheelers term as president. In 1847 serious negotiations were begun to merge UVM with Middlebury, but the move was forestalled by legal technicalities. Wheelers wife, Sarah, passed away in November 1847. She had borne ten children during their marriage. Several had died in early childhood, and others suffered from tuberculosis which required much care. Less than a year later, in September 1848, President Wheeler tendered his resignation, explaining that illness in his family had seriously interfered with his college duties.
When Wheeler resigned, UVMs finances were still tight, but the library was excellent, and the university was now attracting promising students. Among those graduating during this period who were to hold prominent positions in later life were: W. H. A. Bissell 36, Episcopal bishop of Vermont; Calvin Pease 38, president of UVM; James Forsyth 39, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; William Shedd 39, first professor of English literature at UVM; John G. Smith 41, governor of Vermont; William Highby 40, Frederick Woodbridge 41, R. S. Hale 42, and John A. Kasson 42, all members of Congress during the Civil War; Frederick Billings 44, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad; and Henry Houghton 46, one of the founders of Houghton Mifflin. Perhaps the most remarkable group were four journalists in the class of 1840 — Henry J. Raymond, founder of the New York Times; James Spaulding, founder of the New York World; Benjamin Tenney, editor of the Richmond (Virginia) Dispatch; and John Taylor, publisher of the St. Albans Messenger.
After he retired, President Wheeler lived in a commodius house on the corner of Main and South Prospect streets, now occupied by the Department of History and the Historic Preservation Program. In 1852 President Wheeler married Mary Rignall. They had one son, James, later a professor of Greek at UVM and Columbia. President Wheeler died on April 16, 1862, at age sixty-four. Like his predecessor, James Marsh, he had served the university faithfully and well.


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Posted by Editor on 06/15/03
Norba National Short Track #2 - Snowshoe, West Virginia
Courtesy organizer
Snowshoe, WV (June 15, 2003) American National Champion, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, CO; RLX-Ralph Lauren) and Canadian Chrissy Redden (Subaru-Gary Fisher) each took home short track gold this afternoon on a rain ravaged course in the final day of competition at round two of the NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series in Snowshoe, WV.
A steady drizzle that began in the morning lasted throughout the event, adding another challenging element onto an already demanding course. The philosophy in both the men's and women's races was simple, stay at the front and away from any potential trouble that might arise from the sloppy conditions.
With that in mind, the women's race opened at a rapid pace, and it wasn't long until the slick course claimed its first victim. A lap one crash hindered the efforts of defending champ and yesterday's winner, Jimena Florit (ARG; RLX Ralph Lauren) who got caught behind, creating an impossible gap to close in such a short distance. With Florit at the back of the pack, and Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, CO; Luna Chix) not starting due to injury, the race was animated by Melanie McQuaid (CAN; Ford Outfitters), Sue Haywood (Davis, WV; Trek-Volkswagen), and Redden, who managed to put themselves in the lead of group of ten riders. Also in the mix were Luna Chix teammates, Katerina Hanusova (CZE) and Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, CO) making up for the absence of Dunlap.
As the pace in the break maintained its intensity, attacks out of the group failed until Haywood attacked on the slight climb just after the start-finish area with two laps remaining. Only Redden could match Haywood's effort as she gave chase and tacked on. As the duo reached the last corner 100 meters from the finish, Haywood appeared to have the victory wrapped up until a slight slip on the pavement and a surge by Redden dashed Haywood's hopes. Redden took full advantage of the mishap and out-sprinted Haywood to the line for the top spot on the podium.
A humble Haywood explained the last corner after the race. "I was over-geared, in way too big of a gear. And I went to shift like I did every other time [in the corner] and my hand slipped off the shifter. I couldn't get up out of the corner."
Redden, emphasizing the difficulty to make a pass, benefited from an opportunistic move. "In the last two laps Sue and I knew that I couldn't get around her. She had made a mistake in the last corner a couple of times before, so I took a different line than her, thinking it's my only opportunity, and she fumbled there and left the door wide open and I was ready for it."
Missing from today's competition was Dunlap, who suffered a crash on a downhill section of yesterday's cross country event. Dunlap's crash resulted in a third degree separation of her shoulder. The 2001 World Champion is hoping to be back in action for the fourth round of the NORBA NCMBS at Schweitzer Mountain, ID, July 24-28.
The men's event would once again mirror the women's in terms of strategy as 58 men lined up in the rain for the start. As expected, the pace was high, and after ten minutes of racing, eight riders made the front selection led by Seamus McGrath (CAN; Haro-Lee Dungarees) who spent much of the race off the front of the group which included yesterday's winner, Ryder Hesjedal (CAN; Subaru-Gary Fisher), Horgan-Kobelski, Todd Wells (Durango, CO; Mongoose-Hyundai), Chris Sheppard (CAN; Haro-Lee Dungarees), Geoff Kabush (CAN; Kona-Clark), Paul Rowney (AUS; Sobe-Cannondale), and Travis Brown (Boulder, CO; Trek-Volkswagen).
McGrath stayed away from his chasers until Kabush led the group back, only to see McGrath and Kabush create a break of their own. On the short climb, with four laps remaining, Hesjedal put in a fierce attack bringing the original group back together. As time dwindled, Brown tried his hand at an attack, but it was Horgan-Kobelski's effort with two laps to go that stuck. Creating an insurmountable gap, Horgan-Kobelski held on for the win as he soloed across the line for his first ever NORBA NCMBS short track victory.
"Seamus was off for a bit and the pace never let up. Travis attacked when I went by him. I put in hard surge and got a small gap, then I heard three laps to go and I decided I would go for broke from there to the finish. I just kept my head down and held about a five second gap, I surprised myself because I was dead at the end", Horgan-Kobelski explained of his late race move that resulted in victory."
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Zsa Zsa Gabor's health has taken a turn for the worse and doctors have told the ailing actress that she needs to have her remaining leg amputated but she is refusing to have the surgery, reports the Associated Press.
The 94-year-old was admitted to the hospital March 2 after blood suddenly stopped flowing to her left leg.
He husband, Frederic Prinz von Ahhalt, said that she is taking medication and has a "50-50 chance" of living for another year if she continues on without the procedure.
U.S. & World
Gabor, who starred in the original film version of "Moulin Rouge," had most of her right leg amputated in January and has been in and out of hospitals over the last year since breaking her hip falling out of bed in July 2010.
Selected Reading: Hollywood Reporter, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times


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Who does not laugh with the AT&T commercials that have the kids interacting with an adult in a children's setting? I bust a gut. The one during the holidays that showed the innocence of a child commenting on his "New Year's Revolution," was outrageous. Honesty, I do not know how the actor sitting across from these children manages to keep a straight face.
That brings me to my "Revolution." What would I revolt against in 2014? I take a stand and revolt against 2013!
Twenty-thirteen was not such a great year for me. I lost many family, friends, and my K-9 mini-me, to the Angel of Death. A close friend was diagnosed with cancer. To top it off, I was inflicted with an intrusive hostile assault of recurring kidney stones. For me, 2013 represented all that sucked in life.
Well, it's 2014, and with the coming of a new year, I have adopted a new perspective.
The future:
In addition to the Serial Killers True Crime Anthology Vol. I (released Dec '13), I have three books scheduled for release in 2014, Dr. H. H. Holmes and the Whitechapel Ripper (Jan), Serial Killers Abridged (May), and Serial Killers True Crime Anthology Vol. II (Dec).
To top off those literary accomplishments, I have been contracted to ghost write a biography for a legendary Pop group who rose to international fame in the 60's and 70's. Since I come from a background in music, I am totally in awe over this project.
Life as a writer is expanding rapidly. I have had to create a legitimate business because of the growing interest in my books and my skills as a ghostwriter. "Ink Slinger Enterprises, LLC," is officially incorporated in the State of Illinois and the U.S. government, and I am on the record as the CEO.
As I enter this new chapter in my life, I am reminded of my roots. Just a few years ago, I was a struggling middle-aged college student who was freaking out over mid-terms and finals. A few years before that, I was a rebellious maverick trying to "find" myself.
I have never expected what has come, but I have learned a very valuable lesson along the way; when a door opens, another door slams shut. You'd better step through the open door otherwise you will be forced back through the door that's slamming shut, and it will hit you in the backside and then again in the kisser on the way back if you don't move swiftly.
Perhaps my greatest ally along the way, and leading me into 2014, is that same blind innocence the children in the AT&T commercials display. No sense in fighting it or questioning it, but roll with it, and you would be surprised what could actually happen to transform your life into a new and vibrant being.
Here's to you and your New Revolution!
Dane Ladwig
Dane Ladwig's books can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Dane%20Ladwig


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Sony's PlayStation Vita, previously codenamed "Next Generation Portable", is the successor to the PlayStation Portable hardware series. Vita retains the familiar general form of the PlayStation Portable hardware series while dramatically improving on virtually every aspect of its use with powerful and exciting new features including: dual touch pads at the front and rear, dual cameras at the front and rear, dual analog sticks, a 5-inch OLED screen, six-axis motion sensors and a three-axis electronic compass and exceptional built-in connectivity via Wi-Fi. Taken together this makes for a handheld gaming device that truly signals the entry of handhelds into the world of Next-Gen gaming.


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About a year ago, I attended a convention in Las Vegas. This involved getting up really early to set up the coffee booth. Not... »
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Two HSU Students Arrested, Massive Sign Cache Seized – October 5, 2011
For months, all manner of signs and banners from throughout Arcata – particularly Northtown – as well as the Humboldt State campus, have been disappearing from their installed locations and, as it turns out, migrating toward a house on lower California Avenue. »


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'I was on holiday when I received the Premier League fixture list by e-mail.'I looked at it and saw that five of our first nine games would be against clubs from last season's top six: Chelsea, Tottenham, Man City, Man United and Arsenal.'I looked at it again and I said to myself, ''Phew!''That is not going to be an easy run, in particular with a Europa League run at the same time and a really early start with all the players because of the European games. And most of all, because I had lost my striker Lukaku.
Not making Excuses for the guy. But there's 3 massive parts in this quote to why he was sacked. Tough start + tons of new players + no striker. He was doomed from the start.
Good luck to him, the board should've shown more faith and he should still be here.
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|* April 10 - 16
|When Your World Is
Falling Apart
|One Sabbath, Connie and Roy drove
into their driveway after church. A bantam hen flew frantically across the
yard in front of them. Something was wrong. The pet birds were supposed to
be safely in their pen but had gotten out. Quick investigation showed a tragedy
in progress. Beethoven, the neighbor's small dog, also had escaped her yard
and was down by the pond with Daisy in her mouth. Daisy was a beautiful laying
hen with fluffy white tail feathers. Connie rescued Daisy, but it was too
late. Her precious pet, now with a mangled neck, soon died in Connie's arms.
She sat down in the yard, holding the dead bird, and wailed.
Another pet was deeply disturbed. A tall, white duck by the name of Waddlesworth saw Connie holding Daisy and seemed to have assumed she had killed her. So, for the next few weeks, whenever Waddlesworth saw Connie, he would viciously attack her, pinching her painfully with his strong bill. Sometimes it is hard to sort out who your friends and enemies are.
This week we'll look at a king of Judah who also had this problem as we seek to understand why he made the wrong choices he did.
The Week at a Glance:
|What threats was Judah facing, and why? How did King Ahaz respond to those threats, and why? What great thing did the Lord promise to do for him, if only he would show faith? What does it mean that "God is with us"?
Memory Text:
|"If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all" (Isaiah 7:9, NRSV).
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 17.
|April 11
Danger From the North (Isa. 7:1-9).
What terrifying crisis did King Ahaz face early in his reign? 2 Kings 15:37, 38; 16:5, 6; Isa. 7:1, 2.
The kingdoms of northern Israel (Ephraim) and Syria (Aram) ganged up on the smaller country of Judah, to the south. This happened when Judah was weakened by attacks from the Edomites and Philistines. In the past, Judah had fought with Israel, but an alliance between Israel and Syria was an overwhelming peril. It appears Israel and Syria wanted to force Judah to participate with them in a coalition against the mighty power of Tiglath-pileser III, of Assyria (called "Pu!" in 2 Kings 15:19), who continued to threaten them with his expanding empire. Israel and Syria had put aside their longstanding struggle against each other in view of a greater danger. If they could conquer Judah and install a puppet ruler there (Isa. 7:5, 6), they could use its resources and manpower.
What was Ahaz's solution when his world was falling apart? 2 Kings 16:7-9, 2 Chron. 28:16.
Rather than recognize that God was the only Friend who could rescue him and his country, Ahaz tried to make a friend out of Tiglath-pileser III, the enemy of his enemies. The Assyrian king happily complied with his request for aid against Syria and Israel. Not only did Tiglath-pileser receive a rich bribe from Ahaz, he also gained a good excuse to take Syria, which he promptly did (2 Kings 16:9). The power of the Syrian-Israelite alliance was broken. In the short run, it appeared that Ahaz had saved Judah.
This action on Ahaz's part, however, should not come as a surprise. He had been one of the worst kings Judah had up to that point. (See 2 Kings 16:3, 4; 2 Chron. 28:2-4.)
|When we read about what Ahaz was like, it is understandable why he reacted to danger as he did. What lesson is here for us on a personal level? If we're not obeying the Lord now, what makes us think we'll have the faith to trust Him when real trials come? (See James 2:22, Jer. 12:5.)
|April 12
Attempted Interception (Isa. 7:3-9).
While Ahaz was weighing his political options to meet the threat from Israel and Syria, God knew some things he did not. For one thing, it was God who had allowed trouble to come upon him in order to discipline him and bring him to his senses (2 Chron. 28:5, 19). Moreover, although appealing to Tiglath-pileser for help seemed logical and attractive from a human standpoint, God knew it would bring the Davidic kingdom of Judah under foreign control from which she could never recover.
The stakes were staggeringly high. So the Lord sent Isaiah to intercept the king (apparently as he was inspecting Jerusalem's water supply in preparation for a siege) in order to dissuade him from contacting the Assyrian leader.
Why did the Lord tell Isaiah to take his son, Shear-jashub, with him (Isa. 7:3)?
Ahaz would be startled when Isaiah greeted him and introduced his son, named "A Remnant Shall Return." Remnant of whom? Shall return from what? Because the boy's father was a prophet, the name sounded like an ominous message from God about people going into captivity. Or was it about returning to God in the sense of repenting (the verb "return" also carries the meaning of repentance)? The message from God to Ahaz was: It means what you make it mean! Turn from your sins or go into captivity, and from captivity a remnant will return. The decision is yours!
How did God's message address the king's situation? Vss. 4-9.
The threat from Syria and Israel would pass and Judah would be spared. Powers that looked to Ahaz like huge, fiery volcanoes were in God's sight only "two smoldering stumps of firebrands" (vs. 4, NRSV). There was no need for Ahaz to appeal to Assyria for help.
But in order to make the right decision, Ahaz needed to trust the Lord and His promises. He needed to believe in order to be established (vs. 9). The words for "believe" and "be established" are from the same Hebrew root, from which come also the word for "truth" (that which is reliable) and the word "Amen" (affirming that which is true/reliable). Ahaz needed to be sure in order to be made sure; he needed to rely in order to be reliable.
|Look at that last section of Isaiah 7:9. Why are faith and belief so important in order to be "established"? Established in what?
|April 13
Another Chance (Isa. 7:10-13).
Ahaz did not respond to Isaiah's call for faith. So, God mercifully gave the king another chance, telling him to ask for a sign that was "deep as Sheol or high as heaven" (vs. 11, NRSV). Here is one of the greatest invitations to faith ever given to a human being. Unlike lotteries or sweepstakes, this invitation did not carry restrictions in fine print. God did not even limit His offer to the half of His kingdom as human rulers did when their subjects reached the upper limit of their generosity (compare Esther 5:6, 7:2, Mark 6:23). He stood ready to empty all heaven and earth for a wicked king if only he would believe! Ahaz could have asked for a mountain of gold, as a sign, or soldiers as numerous as grains of sand by the Mediterranean.
Why did Ahaz respond in the way he did (vs. 12)?
At first glance, Ahaz's answer seems pious and respectful. He would not put God to the test, as the Israelites had centuries before, during their wilderness wanderings (Exod. 17:2, Deut. 6:16). But the difference was that God invited the king to put Him to the test (compare Mal. 3:10). To take Him up on His overwhelmingly generous gift would please Him, not test His patience. But Ahaz was not even willing to allow God to help him to believe. He barred and bolted the door of his heart to shut out faith.
Read Isaiah 7:13. What is Isaiah saying here?
Isaiah pointed out that by refusing to put God to the test, outwardly to avoid wearying God, he, in fact, wearied God. But the most troubling aspect of this verse is the fact that here Isaiah refers to "my God," by clear contrast to verse 11, where earlier the prophet asked the king to ask a sign of the Lord "your God." When Ahaz refused the divine offer, he rejected the Lord from being his God. The Lord was the God of Isaiah, but not of Ahaz.
|What does this day's study teach us about God's forbearance and willingness to bring all of us to salvation? What also does it tell us about the blindness and hardness of the human heart when not surrendered completely to the Lord? In the end, even if God had given Ahaz any sign that he had wanted, do you think Ahaz still would have believed? Explain your answer.
|April 14
Sign of a Son (Isa. 7:14).
An offer of a sign as "deep as Sheol or high as heaven" (vs. 11, NRSV) did not move Ahaz. So, when God says He Himself will come up with a sign (vs. 14), we expect it to have breathtaking dimensions that only the divine imagination could devise (compare Isa. 55:9, 1 Cor. 2:9).
Surprise! The sign is a son. But how could a young woman bearing a child and calling him "Immanuel" be a sign of biblical proportions?
Who is the woman, and who is her Child?
Nowhere does the Old Testament point out a fulfillment of this important sign, as it had done for the signs given to other people, such as Gideon (Judg. 6:36-40). So, here are some of the possible fulfillments, based on the Old Testament alone:
1. Because the word for "young woman" refers to a young woman of marriageable age, many assume she is a married woman living in Jerusalem, perhaps the wife of Isaiah. Isaiah 8:3 does record the birth of a son to Isaiah by "the prophetess" (referring to his wife, whose prophetic messages consisted, at least, of her children; compare Isa. 7:3, 8:18). However, her son was named Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isa. 8:1-4), not Immanuel. Nevertheless, the signs of the two boys are similar in that before they reach the stage at which they can choose good or evil, Syria and northern Israel would be devastated (Isa. 7:16, 8:4).
2. Some suggest that Immanuel is Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, the next king. But nowhere is the name Immanuel applied to him.
3. Because Immanuel is somewhat mysterious and his name, commonly translated "God with us" refers to God's presence, He could be the same as the special Son prophesied in Isaiah 9 and 11. If so, His exalted description as divine (Isa. 9:6) and "the root of Jesse" (11:10, NRSV) surpasses anything ascribed to good King Hezekiah.
4. A natural birth for an unmarried woman of marriageable age would result in an illegitimate child through promiscuity (see Deut. 22:20, 21). Why would such a child be a sign to inspire faith?
In contrast, the New Testament identifies Jesus as Immanuel (Matt. 1:21-23), born miraculously and with purity to an unmarried but betrothed virgin. "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman" (Gal. 4:4, NRSV), to give us the presence of God with us.
|Dwell on the reality of Christ's coming into humanity. What kind of comfort can that reality give us amid what seems like a cold, fearsome, and uncaring world?
|April 15
"God Is with Us" (Isa. 7:14).
Like the name of Isaiah's children (Shear-jashub, "a remnant shall return," and Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means "swift is booty, speedy is prey"), the name of Immanuel has a meaning. It is literally "with us God." But the commonly accepted translation "God with us" misses something important. As with other Hebrew names of this kind that lack verbs, the verb "to be" must be supplied, because it is not expressed in Hebrew. So, Immanuel must be translated "God is with us" (compare the same words in Isa. 8:10) just as the name "Jesus" (Greek, and short for Hebrew Yehoshua, or Joshua) means "The Lord is salvation," with the verb again being supplied (compare Isaiah, which means, "salvation of the Lord").
But the name "Immanuel" is not just an abstract description; it is an assertion of a promise that is fulfilled now: "God is with us"!
What is the significance of the promise that God is with us?
There is no stronger assurance and comfort. "God does not promise that His people will not endure hardship and pain, but He promises to be with them. The psalmist says: 'Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-they comfort me' (Ps. 23:4).
"God says: 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you' (Isa. 43:2). Where was the Lord when the Babylonians threw Daniel's three friends into the fire? With them (Dan. 3:23-25). And where was the Lord during the time of Jacob's trouble when he wrestled until daybreak? In Jacob's arms, as close as he could get (Gen. 32:24-30).
"Even when the Lord does not appear in physical form on earth, He goes through the experiences of His people with them. Where was the Lord when the mob condemned Stephen? 'Standing at the right hand of God' (Acts 7:55). But when Jesus ascended to heaven, He 'sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high' (Heb. 1:3). Why did He stand when Stephen was in trouble, about to be stoned to death? As Morris Venden has said, 'Jesus wasn't going to take that sitting down!' "Roy Gane, God's Faulty Heroes (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald® Pub. Assn., 1996), p. 66.
Even though we have the promise that "God is with us," what difference does that make if we still face terrible trials and suffering? What good does the knowledge of His presence, then, do for us? Explain your answer.
|April 16
Further Study:
|" 'His name shall be called Immanuel, . . . 'God with us.' 'The light
of the knowledge of the glory of God' is seen 'in the face of Jesus Christ.'
From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the Father;
He was 'the image of God,' the image of His greatness and majesty, 'the
outshining of His glory.' It was to manifest this glory that He came to our
world. To this sin-darkened earth He came to reveal the light of God's love,
-to be 'God with us.' Therefore it was prophesied of Him, 'His name shall
be called Immanuel.' "Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
p. 19.
"Well would it have been for the kingdom of Judah had Ahaz received this message as from heaven. But choosing to lean on the arm of flesh, he sought help from the heathen. In desperation he sent word to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria: 'I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.' 2 Kings 16:7. The request was accompanied by a rich present from the king's treasure and from the temple storehouse."Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 329.
Discussion Questions:
| When
you are in the process of making a decision, is it appropriate to ask God
for a sign? What dangers are possibly inherent in doing something like
It is good to have human assistance, but how do you recognize its limits?
Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote to a friend that "Once a man has realized that death is the end of everything, then there is nothing worse than life either." How does our knowledge that "God is with us" answer such a statement?
|God brought faithless King Ahaz to circumstances in which he had to make a difficult decision: To believe or not to believe, this is the question. Even though the Lord offered him any sign that his imagination could devise, Ahaz even refused to allow God to demonstrate a reason why he should believe. As his "friend," he chose instead the king of Assyria.
|I N S I D E Story
|A Difficult Life
Nine-year-old Prakash lay shivering and helpless on his sleeping mat. Silent tears traced patterns on his sallow cheeks. At last he burst out, "Ama [Mama], help me!"
His mother rose slowly from her own mat and crept silently through the darkness to where her young son lay. "Son, I don't know what to do." Her own voice sounded tired. It had been two years since her son ran and played with the other boys. Finding a match, she lit a candle and sat beside her son until he fell into a troubled sleep. Why was life so cruel? Prakash's mother wondered. But let it be, she decided. Perhaps in the next existence we will have a better life.
Eventually Prakash regained some measure of health, but the mysterious sickness had stunted his growth and kept him from attending school. Uneducated and small for his age, Prakash could not find steady work, so he farmed to help support his family.
Then Prakash learned that some Christians lived in a nearby village. "Perhaps you should become a Christian," a friend advised. "Maybe they can help you get well." It was illegal to convert to Christianity in Prakash's country, so he crossed the border and sought Christians to share the news of Christ with him. At age 25, Prakash was baptized. He returned home a believer. Prakash and some friends began meeting quietly in their own village. But the police discovered the small group of Christians and burst into their meeting place. They confiscated their Bibles and arrested the men. For months while Prakash languished in prison, his wife struggled to provide food for herself and their child.
Eventually Prakash was released, but tragedy struck again when his wife died of cancer, and he was faced with the task of raising a young boy alone.
Prakash lost his little garden plot when the local land was sold to large tea plantations. His small physique kept him from working in the new plantations. Prakash suffered deprivation as well as loneliness, but his faith remained strong.
One day Prakash met a widow named Maile who was thirsting to learn about Christianity. Soon after she gave her life to Christ, the couple married. It is still difficult to be a Christian in their homeland, but the couple share their faith with family and friends who will listen.
Pray for Prakash and the people in his country, where Christians often are persecuted and freedom to worship is not guaranteed.
HANNAH Z and her family are working in a closed country in Asia.
|Produced by the General Conference Sabbath
School and Personal Ministries Dept.
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DHS Interrogates NY Times Reporters At Border, Then Denies Having Any Records About Them
from the right,-sure deptThought it was just officials at UK airports detaining and interrogating journalists? According to a new lawsuit from two NY Times reporters, they were also pulled aside and interrogated by Homeland Security officials multiple times concerning their own reporting efforts. The two reporters, Mac William Bishop and Christopher Chivers were apparently pulled out for special interrogation at JFK.
Among other things, Plaintiffs seek records used or created by DHS employees in respect to the questioning of Plaintiffs at JFK Airport earlier this year. Plaintiffs were subject to segregated questioning by DHS employees at JFK on May 24, 2013, as they prepared to board an international flight for a work assignment as journalists. Subsequently, on June 6, 2013, Mr. Bishop was subjected to further segregated questioning by DHS employees at JFK as he returned to the United States.Given this, the two journalists filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests on records pertaining to themselves... and got back absolutely nothing. After playing hot potato with the FOIA requests between different DHS agencies, the reporters basically got back messages saying that there were no records on either.
On September 27, 2013, ICE denied the Bishop Request. ICE reported in a "final response" that the unite had conducted a search and found no responsive documents.Remember how Eric Holder insisted that the feds weren't going to keep intimidating journalists? Yeah, right.
On October 28, 2013, Mr. Bishop appealed ICE's denial. In his appeal letter, Mr. Bishop said it was "inconceivable that DHS has no records pertaining to [him]" as someone who is "a frequent international traveler." He pointed out that on June 6, 2013 he had answered questions for DHS employees in a private room at JFK, and those answers were recorded on a computer.
On November 18, 2013, ICE denied Mr. Bishop's administrative appeal, finding that the agency had done an adequate search.
As for the TSA, that unit of DHS informed Mr. Bishop by letter on July 31, 2013 that his "request was too broad in scope." TSA required more information before processing the request.
On August 9, 2013, Mr. Bishop, through counsel, responded by letter. He restated the initial request and asserted that no legal authority supports the proposition that TSA could simply refuse to do the search.
More than two months later, on October 23, 2013, TSA told Mr. Bishop's counsel that it could not find the August 9, 2013 letter. Counsel subsequently provided a new copy of the letter and additional information about the June 6, 2013 questioning at JFK. There has been no further response from TSA.
Filed Under: cbp, christopher chivers, customs and border patrol, detention, dhs, foia, ice, intimidation, journalism, mac william bishop, reporters
Companies: ny times


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About the YMCA Outreach Initiative
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Map difference between web & mobile
Is it possible to show tracks & names on the android app like through a browser?
Below are screen grabs of the same ride from my phone & from my laptop browser (chrome). No tracks or track names show up on my mobile.
I just noticed the app is using Google maps & the web is using OpenStreetMap, Can I force the app to use OSM also?


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Tickets for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master should be good for two screenings. The movie is so damn dense that there's almost too much to digest on an initial viewing. Like his previous film, There Will Be Blood, The Master is hypnotic with its smooth, crisp cinematography and Jonny Greenwood's moaning, bluesy score. The story proceeds at a slow, methodical pace where the energy comes from the astonishing performances of lead actors Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. But the craft and talent of the project was never in doubt. What makes The Master such a challenge is in trying to untangle the twisted themes and symbols presented by the central conflict between a mad dog and his owner.
Freddie Quell (Phoenix) is a disturbed sailor who wasn't quite right in the head even before he headed off to World War II. When he returns home, his violent temper and alcoholism stop him from keeping a job, and he ends up stowing away on a ship. On board he finds the charismatic and enigmatic Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman). Dodd is the founder of a new movement known as "The Cause", which demands its adherents to look into their past lives, free themselves from doubt, and submit to rigorous deconstructions of their identity so they can be free from emotional pain. Freddie is seduced by Dodd, and the two form the nominal bond of mentor and protégé, but what they truly have is a captivating clash of Apollonian and Dionysian personalities.
The Apollonian/Dionysian reading is the best I can do after one viewing. The two sides fit together and yet they're at war. Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and winemaking, and alcohol is the initial reason why Dodd wants to recruit Freddie. Apollo is concerned with the life of the mind, and that's where Dodd's twisted Cause lives. Dodd provides some element of calm to Freddie's tortured mind, and Freddie provides the occasional bacchanalia to Dodd's pseudo-scientific, self-serious ramblings. "He's just making it up as he goes along," Dodd's son Val (Jesse Plemons) tells Freddie, and that's true. But that doesn't mean the eponymous cult leader doesn't believe what he's preaching, and he certainly doesn't mind the dominion he holds over his followers. And if Dodd ever has a moment of self-doubt, it's instantly stuffed out by his wife, Peggy (Adams).
The horrible co-dependent relationship between Freddie and Dodd is buried beneath the lush layers of Anderson's brilliant direction. The pacing is lugubrious, patient, and deliberate to the point of sometimes being excruciating. It's a slow burn that never ignites nor is it meant to. Characters can scream at each other, and Freddie will periodically lose control and get violent, but Anderson doesn't wish to engulf us in flames of passion or fury. He wants to watch us drown (the opening image is an overhead shot of waves crashing against Freddie's ship). Mihai Malaimare Jr.'s cinematography, Greenwood's score, Leslie Jones and Peter McNulty's editing all serve to slowly push us into the madness of the characters, and then the jaw-dropping performances finally drag us under.
I'm not quite sure how to crack the film, but I could go on for pages and pages describing the greatness of the lead performances. Their broken, angry, desperate characters are played with conviction so complete that it's utterly terrifying. Phoenix's Freddie isn't movie-insane. He's not insane in the big, flashy "Look at all my tics to show how nutty I am"-way. Freddie has bursts of rage and can get a might twitchy, but the subtlety in the performance is what makes the character terrifying and absolutely captivating.
Phoenix's chemistry with his co-stars is sublime, and Hoffman plays Dodd so well that we can understand why people would be drawn to The Cause even though the philosophy is weak-sauce new-age nonsense fueled only by its leader's charisma. We must be convinced that there's only one person in the world who can control Freddie, and that person is Lancaster Dodd. And the only person who can control Dodd is Peggy. She has gone so far down the rabbit hole that she is no longer merely an adherent to the Cause. She is its unseen force, and Adams' screen presence allows her to dominate every scene she needs to. Peggy is the only person who can break apart Freddie and Dodd, and she would do it not to protect her husband, but to protect his work. Ironically, she shares the same dependency as Freddie.
The similarity between The Cause and Scientology is easily apparent, but not particularly interesting. Anderson isn't doing a critique on the controversial religion just like There Will Be Blood isn't a comment on the early 20th-century oil industry. The Cause is merely a gateway to see how people can try to complement each other and end up causing more harm than good. Freddie and Dodd need each other but their need may end up destroying them both. But that's only one piece of a very large puzzle, and I couldn't solve it in one viewing.
I will finish with this note: After I left The Master, I felt the exact same way as I did when I left There Will Be Blood. I was confused and overwhelmed, and I didn't know precisely what to make of the previous two-and-a-half hours. The craft was undeniable, and the performances were superb, but I couldn't appreciate the whole picture. But upon repeat viewings, I love There Will Be Blood more and more. I hope I will feel the same way towards The Master, but after one viewing I know that at the very least I deeply respect Anderson's new film and can't wait to sink back into its cold, dark waters.
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
For all of our TIFF 2012 coverage, click here. Here are links to all of my TIFF 2012 reviews:
- Anna Karenina
- Argo
- Looper
- On the Road
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- The Place Beyond the Pines
- Seven Psychopaths
- Sightseers
- Stories We Tell